POPE’S ENCYCLICAL

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1931, Page 5

POPE’S ENCYCLICAL

[United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright^.

ROME, May 23

The text of the Pope’s recent Encyclical is published, it declares that the Church and its Head have not only the right, but the duty, of expressing tile opinion on social matters, because social matters hear a relation to moral matters.

“'lhc economic system,’’ siiys the

Pope, ‘‘must lie re-organised so as to ensure a just distribution of capital and labour. The differences that exist between the social classes must. not disappear, because those differences are willed by God. The Pope declared, however, that the Protestant must gradually be raised to such a level of modest wel,i-being as is guaranteed by proper and fair wages. POME, MOy 24. Amplifying the summarised reference to Catholics and socialism, the Encyclical says;—Christian Doctrine lays it down that a man’s life is dedicated to God’s glory, whereas socialism places the individual well-being first, Religious socialist Hud Christian socialist are contradictory terms. No one can bo a good Catholic and simultaneously be a true socialist. The true apostle’s only course is to put Christian principles in its place and even mitigate the socialist, which while containing an element of truth lacks principle of Christian faith and charity, The Encyclical implores those doeeivec] by socialism to return to the Church and declares socialism's heir is Bolshevism. It deplores the,, attitude of thoße looking on. while Communism carries on the work of destruction. It condemns modern, commercialism relegating employees as merely parts of a machine, resulting in young men and girds being exposed ho grave perils ill factories, while division of families into working units destroys home life.

It finally makes a call for Catholic action and calls on men of goodwill to assist. It exhorts prelates throughout the world to form a lay workers’ legion, including employers and employees to fight ; existing evils enabling the return to Christ's precepts.