INIMICA
VIS
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII
ON FREEMASONRY
To
the Bishops of Italy.
The
enemy forces, inspired by the evil spirit, ever wage war on the Christian
name. They join forces in this endeavor with certain groups of men whose
purpose is to subvert divinely revealed truths and to rend the very fabric
of Christian society with disastrous dissent. Indeed, how much damage
these cohorts, as it were, have inflicted on the Church is well-known.
And yet, the spirit of all previous groups hostile to Catholic institutions
has come to life again in that group called the Masonic sect, which, strong
in manpower and resources, is the leader in a war against anything sacred.
Condemnation
of Masonic Sect
2.
Our predecessors in the Roman pontificate have in the course of a century
and a half outlawed this group not once, but repeatedly. We too, in accordance
with Our duty, have condemned it strongly to Christian people, so that
they might beware of its wiles and bravely repel its impious assaults.
Moreover, lest cowardice and sloth overtake us imperceptively, We have
deliberately endeavored to reveal the secrets of this pernicious sect
and the means by which it labors for the destruction of the Catholic enterprise.
Catholicism
Endangered
3.
Now, though, a certain thoughtless indifference on the part of many Italians
has resulted in their not recognizing the magnitude and extent of the
peril. And so the faith of our ancestors, the salvation won for mankind
by Jesus Christ, and, consequently the great benefits of Christian civilization
are endangered. Indeed, fearing nothing and yielding to no one, the Masonic
sect proceeds with greater boldness day by day: with its poisonous infection
it pervades entire communities and strives to entangle itself in all the
institutions of our country in its conspiracy to forcefully deprive the
Italian people of their Catholic faith, the origin and source of their
greatest blessings.
4.
This is the reason for the endless artifices they employ in their assault
on the divinely inspired faith; this is the reason why the legitimate
liberty of the Church is treated with contempt and beset with legal oppression.
They believe that the Church does not possess the nature and essence of
a true society, that the State has priority over it, and that civil authority
takes precedence over sacred authority. This false and destructive doctrine
has been frequently condemned by the Holy See. Among many other ills,
it has been responsible for the usurpation on the part of civil authorities
of that to which they have no right and for their unscrupulous appropriation
of what they have alienated from the Church. This is clear in the case
of ecclesiastical benefices; they usurp the right to give or withhold
the revenues of these according to their good pleasure.
Clergy Have
Been Underestimated
5.
Likewise, in a manner no less insidious, they plan to soften the opposition
of the lower clergy with their promises. Their purpose in this endeavor
can easily be detected, especially since the very authors of this undertaking
do not take sufficient pains to conceal what they intend. They wish to
win over the clergy by cajolery; once the novelties have confused them,
they will withdraw their obedience to legitimate authority. And yet in
this matter they seem to have underestimated the virtue of our clergy,
who for so many years have given manifest examples of their moderation
and loyalty. We have every reason to be confident that, with God's help,
they will continue their devotion to duty no matter what circumstances
may arise.
Those Already
Misled
6.
This summary indicates both the extent of the activity of the Masonic
sect and the goal of its endeavors. What compounds this harmful situation,
however, and causes Us deep anxiety is that far too many of our compatriots,
driven by hope of their personal advantage or by perverse ambition, have
given their names or support to the sect. This being so, We commend first
and foremost to your efforts the eternal salvation of those whom we have
just mentioned: may your zeal never waver in constantly and insistently
recalling them from their error and certain destruction. To be sure, the
task of extricating those who have fallen into the snares of the Masons
is laborious, and its outcome is doubtful, if we consider the cleverness
of the sect: still the recovery of no one should ever be despaired of
since the force of apostolic charity is truly marvellous.
7.
Next, we must heal those who have erred in this respect out of faint-heartedness,
that is, those who, not because of a debased nature but because of weakness
of spirit and lack of discretion, have allowed themselves to be drawn
into supporting the Masonic enterprises. Sufficiently weighty are the
words of Our predecessor Felix III in this regard. "An error which
is not resisted is approved; a truth which is not defended is suppressed.
. . . He who does not oppose an evident crime is open to the suspicion
of secret complicity." By reminding them of the examples of their
forefathers, the broken spirits of these men must be reanimated with that
courage which is the guardian of duty and dignity alike, so that they
may be ashamed and regret their cowardly actions. For surely our whole
life is involved in a constant battle in which our salvation itself is
at stake; nothing is more disgraceful for a Christian than cowardice.
8.
It is likewise necessary to strengthen those who fall because of ignorance.
By this we mean those, not few in number, who, deceived by appearances
and allured by various enticements, allow themselves without understanding
it to be enrolled in the Masonic order. In these cases We hope that with
divine inspiration they will be able some day to repudiate their error
and perceive the truth, especially if you try to remove the false outward
appearance of the sect and reveal its hidden designs. Indeed these can
no longer be considered hidden since their very accomplices have themselves
disclosed them in many ways. Why, within the last few months, the designs
of the Masons have been publicly proclaimed throughout Italy, even to
the point of ostentation! They wish to see the religion founded by God
reudiated and all affairs, private as well as public, regulated by the
principles of naturalism alone; this is what, in their impiety and stupidity,
they call the restoration of civil society. And yet the State will plunge
headlong into ruin if Christians are not willing to be vigilant and not
willing to labor to support its well-being!
Course o f Action
9.
But in the presence of such audacious evils, it is not sufficient merely
to be aware of the wiles of this vile sect: we must also war against it,
using those very arms furnished by the divine faith which once prevailed
against paganism. Therefore, it is your task to inflame souls by persuasion,
exhortation and example; nourish in the clergy and our people a zeal for
religion and salvation which is active, resolute, and intrepid. These
qualities frequently distinguish Catholic peoples of other nations in
similar situations. It is commonly claimed that the ancient ardor of spirit
in protecting their ancestral faith has grown cold among the Italian people.
Nor is this perhaps false; especially since if the dispositions of both
sides be inspected, those who wage war on religion seem to show more energy
than those who repel it. But for those who seek salvation there can be
no middle ground between laborious struggle and destruction. Therefore,
in the case of the weak and sluggish, courage must be stirred up through
your efforts; in the case of the strong, it must be kept active; with
all trace of dissent wiped out, under your leadership and command, the
result will be that all alike, with united minds and common discipline,
may undertake the battle in a spirited manner.
10.
Because of the gravity of the matter and the necessity of repelling the
danger, We have decided to address the Italian people in a letter which
We are including along with this one; propagate it as widely as possible
and, where needed, interpret it to your people. In this manner, with the
blessing of God, we can hope that spirits may be aroused through the contemplation
of the threatening evils and betake themselves without delay to the remedies
which We have pointed out.
11.
As a presage of divine gifts and testimony of Our benevolence We affectionately
accord to you, Venerable Brethren, and the people entrusted to your care,
the apostolic blessing.
Given
in Rome at St. Peter's, 8 December 1892, in the 15th year of Our Pontificate.
|