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PDF versionCaritas in Veritate: much to offer, but needs perspective
Document does not analyse the way the modern world has grown out of an association of Christians and colonial powers
Aug. 03, 2009
In “Caritas in Veritate” (“Charity in Truth”), the third encyclical of Benedict XVI’s papacy, the pope deals with the present challenges to humanity and the church and updates Catholic social teaching with references to them. He studies issues such as the ethics of business, globalization, the role of technology, the right to life, sexuality and family life, abortion, euthanasia, migration, labour unions, outsourcing of production, consumerism, mass media and communications, climate change and dangers to the environment and the future of humanity on planet earth .
Reflecting on the present economic crisis, the encyclical offers some guidelines for the ethical conduct of business and prevention of abuses such as speculative use of financial resources for short term profits. Stressing that economic life has been detached from ethical considerations, he calls for a new way of understanding business enterprise.
Noting the great increase in wealth in the world alongside the increasing inequality among countries and within countries, Pope Benedict urges “a reform of the United Nations and likewise of economic institutions and of international finance. So that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth.”
On all these issues he recalls the teachings of the church since 1891 and reflects on the lessons of contemporary challenges. He points out the dangers of attachment to ideologies, the evils of corruption in political and economic life, of relativism and totalitarianism, of the need of religious freedom and inter-religious dialogue, and of action together for the common good of all, universal fraternity.
Analysing the positive and negative potentialities of modern developments like science, technology, globalization, modernity, in these issues the pope tends towards a middle path away from ideologies, and fundamentalisms. The crises humanity faces are challenges and opportunities for us “to re-plan our journey,” with a positive vision for the future with confidence in the God of love.
Caritas – love – is more than law and justice, the pope writes, while . seeing justice as a primary requirement of charity. “I cannot give what is mine to the other, without first giving him what pertains to him in justice.”
This encyclical is a valuable document, but has some missing dimensions. It does not analyse the way the modern world has been set up as an association of Christians with governments and colonial powers, especially from 1492 to 1945. The pope seems to overlook the inadequacies of the church in the course of history.
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The Catholic church, it needs to be recalled, was closely associated with the invasion of the lands of the indigenous peoples of the Americas and Oceania. In addition to plundering the riches of these lands, the Western invaders virtually exterminated almost the whole of these people in North America. It is estimated that there were 80 million Native Americans in these lands in 1492, but by 1600 their numbers had been reduced to one million due to wars and diseases brought by the invaders.
The map of the modern world was made mainly by European (colonial) expansion which was by invasion and capture of weaker peoples territories, by expelling the natives further into the interior, by their murder and virtual extermination, by wars among colonial powers, and even by purchase of vast areas of land from colonisers, usually after their conflicts.
Thus the purchase of a portion of the United States from France in 1803, of an area covering 2,144,000 sq km / 828,000 sq mi, including the present-day states of Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Oklahoma. The price paid was $15 million, or roughly 4 cents an acre. The purchase doubled the size of the US and has been called the “greatest land deal in history.”
Texas was bought from Mexico in 1848 for $15,000,000. Mexico ceded to the United States nearly all the territory now included in the states of New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas, and western Colorado.
Alaska was bought for $ 7,200,000 from Russia in 1867. Thus, the US was bought and formed in large measure for $37 million. Is this legal according to international law, or even rational reasoning? Are these not sales of territory conquered or stolen from previous occupiers such as the native Americans? Is the US to control such amount of territory for all time or even during the rest of the 21st century, whatever the demand for land and food may be in the rest of the world as in Asia and Africa?
Similar histories could be written concerning the formation of many other colonial enterprises such as the states of Canada, of Latin America, Russia, Australia and New Zealand. Africa was carved out into European colonial possessions at the Council of Berlin in 1885.
This is what passes for the present world order, legitimized by the United Nations, set up with their national borders as inviolable. It consolidates centuries of European victories, pillage, colonization, exploitation, and marginalization of other peoples. The structural adjustment policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank do not call for structural improvements in relation to population and land. Only factors such as capital, resources and technology are considered mobile in the so called "free market" and "free world". The present distribution of land among the peoples is taken as legal and unchangeable, except with their consent.
The encyclical refers to migration of peoples but does not consider how the world map, as it is, was formed by European migration in the past few centuries to the rest of the world which were their colonies. “Between 1800 and 1930 the White proportion of the world’s population expanded from 22 to 35 percent” [p 209 Times History of the World ]
Fifty-five million people migrated from Europe between 1846 and 1924. Is this not the greatest migration and settlement in human history? In this period Chinese, Indians and Japanese also moved, but much less and often as laborers. It would be good for present peoples of European origin to reflect on how they were able to migrate in the 19th century when their population was increasing and they had problems like the Irish potato famine.
How have Christian peoples and countries treated problems of global migration? Have they practiced genuine love and openness towards others in need? The new encyclical does not deal with this major issue that will be crucial in the 21st century with foreseeable demographic trends.
Reform of the United Nations proposed by the pope is a necessary agenda for the world to meet current problems. To it can be added considerations of how the present nations were formed. How much are they the fruit of (in)justice, not to mention lack of love. Do not the colonial powers owe a debt of reparation to the exploited indigenous peoples? The historical record of Christianity would be much worse if the encyclical took into account the crusades, the inquisition, the intolerance of theological dissent, denial of religious freedom, and the wars of religion.
The church needs to analyse how the message of love of God and neighbor revealed by Jesus Christ seems to have been gravely distorted during many centuries until the Second Vatican Council in 1962-1965. Further, has not the truth of history been so overlooked by Christians and the church to forget the harm they have done to other peoples, other religions and nature itself during nearly a millennium? We can all profit by reflecting on the hundred and more apologies of the Pope John Paul II to the groups thus offended.
Pope John Paul did not, however, take these apologies to their practical consequences of a good and integral confession and penance including: to assess the extent of the damage, reparation, compensation, firm purpose of amendment, avoiding occasions of sin. The tone of the encyclical would be less self justifying and more self purifying if it would undertake a good analysis of these historical realities, seeing also the neo-colonial re-domination of the world by the super powers and their multinationals. Can not the universities, seminaries and research institutes of Christians and civil society help us all in seeking the truth and action of justice and charity to build a better world as the pope desires?
The church would have much to learn and gain from a serious dialogue on these issues with activists and scholars of other faiths and cultures, who have a not so pleasant experience and memory of powerful Christian powers during the past five centuries. As the pope mentions, the human community can get together to build a civilization of love and truth in this century, which commenced with a “war against terror” since March 2003.
In his inauguration homily, Pope Benedict XVI said: “My real program of governance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own ideas, but to listen with the whole church, to the word and the will of the Lord, to be guided by Him, so that He himself will lead the church at this hour of our history.”
This reflection shows that the Catholic church has had to correct herself on several issues during the course of the centuries. Some issues include the claim that the Catholic church is the sole possessor of the truth about God, ignoring that the Spirit of God is present to all persons, cultures and historical events and processes and unique and necessary path to human salvation.
The church has shown it could:
- marginalize women in church and society and exclude them from decision making.
- violence as a means of spreading the faith,
- adopt authoritarian ways to suppress dissent on doctrines.
- tolerate and even encourage colonial imperialist policies and profit from them.
- teach that the way to human salvation depends on amends made to God the Father for the sins of humanity by Jesus Christ by his death on the cross.
This view has overlooked the social mission of Jesus in working for the liberation of the poor and oppressed. The church accordingly stressed works of charity but neglected action for social justice and the reform of the social structures within countries and the world at large.
On this basis Christian spirituality encouraged humble acceptance of domination by others, as a way of discipleship of Jesus who accepted suffering even unto death on the cross. This is said, to make amends to the Father for the sins of humanity. Due to this perspective, the spiritual life was interpreted more as a flight from the world rather than as a commitment to realise the kingdom of God on earth.
During 15 centuries, until recently, the accent in Christian spirituality was more on charity and works of mercy rather than social justice. There was no insistence on the need of reforming the unjust world order which Christians helped to set up. Thus, even at the beginning of the 21st century, Euro-Americans, controling most of the land and resources of the world, forgetful of the core teaching of Jesus on sharing with the needy.
In the process the Catholic liturgy was made more a ritual than an expression and experience of the love of God and neighbor. Thousands of Holy Masses can be celebrated in a country without much serious reflection on and impact on social justice in a world of great inequalities and armed conflicts. Prayer and meditation can be, de facto, indifferent to unjust social realities and to gross violations of human rights.
It would be beneficial if pluralist groups would dialogue on these issues for our common good.
Tissa Balasuriya
Centre for Society and Religion
281 Deans Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Oblates of Mary Immaculate Father Tissa Balasuriya is a Sri Lankan theologian and priest who helped found the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians. The author of Planetary Theology and Mary and Human Liberation, he is the former rector of Aquinas University College in Columbo, Sri Lanka. Balasuriya was investigated and excommunicated by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1997 and the excommunication was lifted in 1998.
Father Balasuriya can be reached at:Tissabalasuriya@hotmail.com.
Isn't this fellow
Isn't this fellow ex-communicate himself a few years ago for his heretical views? If so, he is the last person that NCR ought to seek advice. I would say pray for him but sadly he has ex-communicated himself and therefore prayers for him have no effect. So I pray for those who might be tempted to be seduced by his cunning words...
quiet, snow, and read the
quiet, snow, and read the article, which we are privileged here to read by the great grace and mercy of God.
If Father Tissa Balasuriya is
If Father Tissa Balasuriya is indeed truly free from self ex-communication, then I apologize, however advise readers to be cautious with respect to his analysis...
Snowdrop, it sometimes fun to
Snowdrop, it sometimes fun to play with your outrageous comments, but this one is absolutely ignorant and exceedingly cruel to a great and revered Catholic theologian. Please read his works bedfore you speak. I especially advise you to read "Mary and Human Liberation: The Story and the Text" published in 1997 by Trinity Press International to find out for once what the heck you are talking about.
This is a great man, a greater Catholic, and a brilliant old theologian and doctor of our Holy Roman Church, and deserves all of our respect, admiration, affection and joy. Read the book, and learn, and listen, and please be quiet in Church, unless to shout as of old your Hallelujahs in thanks for such brilliance and light as this.
But do not speak so cruelly of someone you do not know, and who was treated so cruelly and unjustly by the so-called Holy Office which sought to force an unorthodox oath of fidelity upon him, a new and less than holy creed, while he chose the one formulated for the Universal Church by Pope Paul VI of happy memory.
Read the book and please for once just be quiet in Church.
Listen carefully, please
This is a great and very beloved priest and theologian and doctor of our Church and I cannot sit idly by while you slander his good name, this faithful and courageous representative of Our Lord, this holy prophet.
frère charles du désert OSB OBLAT (Congrégation de Subiaco)
Charles, You are indeed a
Charles, You are indeed a funny fellow. You seem to spend most of your time blogging across the internet. I know that this Subiaco thing that you belong to is protestant qand that you love the title, but don't you think that you should employ a lot less time blogging and more time being the quasi-religious that you present? Peace and understanding in Christ-Jesus god come in the flesh...
Subiaco Protestant? My most
Subiaco Protestant?
My most endearing drop of snow . . .
Not when I last visited there in 1974, feeding the raven whose ancestors so often saved the life of Our Holy Father Saint Benedict 1500 years ago. Not while I stood there in awed and silent prayer beside the icon, the most authentic and earliest portrait of Saint Francis of Assisi upon a grotto wall.
You touch the hand of Jesus Christ "in the flesh" each time you place a ten dollar bill into the soiled and broken hand of a beggar. You read the Word made Flesh each time you study the work of the revered and very Reverend Father Tissa Balasuriya.
If only you would have read
If only you would have read the terrible things that he has said about6 our Besses Mother, Mother of Jesus-God come in the flesh. You would have some insight in to my comments.
I read no such terrible
I read no such terrible things but I have read very closely and with great spiritual joy the Roman Catholic theological treasure which is his "Mary and Human Liberation: The Story and the Text" and hope to reflect upon it again very soon.
You comments do not permit such insight, yet the works of the Reverend Father Tissa Balasuriya do, urgently, prophetically, righteously.
I would advise you, Snowheap,
I would advise you, Snowheap, to be cautious with respect to your analysis....
Unfortunately, excommunicated
Unfortunately, excommunicated or not, the author is overwealmingly correct in his analysis.
Please note, Dennis n, the
Please note, Dennis n, the brief months of unjustifiable excommunication came upon the publication of "Mary and Human Liberation: The Story and the Text" published in 1997 by Trinity Press International, including with little ocmment the primary documents of the equally unjustifiable proceedings by the Holy Office at Wojtyla's orders after a false report from Sri Lanka came to his eminent notice. In that volume not only may you read the excellent treatise on Marian theology (if that is the proper term), but also all of the proceedings which came against it and which could not prevail against it. Finding no fault in his work itself therefore, Ratzinger pulled out the trick of forcing an oath of fidelity and of submission which no academic may take. Father Tissa B. instead offered to take the Credo devised by Pope Paul VI for the universal church rather than some idiosyncratic document devised for him representing his thoughts and beliefs and aspirations of his soul. At this "refusal" he was dismissed, just as Friar Boff was dismissed on matters extraneous to his actual work (See Harvey Cox on this).
Therefore, when this volume was prepared for publication by Trinity Press with the primary documents fully laid out, the wrath of Wojtyla awoke, and excommunication for a few months was imposed until discovered to be without merit.
Even so, those schismatic Pius X guys got far greater lenience when their justifiable excommunication was lifted recently unconditionally, with no recantation of their schism, and in fact de facto support with only a few meekly submissive mewings given to those heretics about the illicit nature of their continuing ordinations.
Please see the chapters in the Holy Rule for Monks by Our Holy Father Saint Benedict regarding excommunication. Those were much more compassionate, kinder and gentler, one might even say Christ-like times.
This is an amazing grace for
This is an amazing grace for NCR to publish this insightful and important article, and we Catholics must all be grateful indeed to find it here.
The quick mention of the potato famine in Ireland in the midst of this painfully true post-colonialist reading misses unfortunately the point that at the time Ireland itself was a colony, the proto- or primordial colony of the British Empire (upon which the sun eventually never set), and that there was plenty of food, beef and grain in Ireland, all of it shipped to England, while the potato was permitted as slave food for the Irish. When that crop failed, they ate weeds and rocks and died by millions under the eyes of the British landlords. Read your "Ulysses," and "Joyce, Race, and Empire (Cultural Margins)" by Vincent J. Cheng and Derek Attridge.
It is also interesting to note this passage from this brilliant and essential article for all of us to read closely:"Texas was bought from Mexico in 1848 for $15,000,000. Mexico ceded to the United States nearly all the territory now included in the states of New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas, and western Colorado. Alaska was bought for $ 7,200,000 from Russia in 1867. Thus, the US was bought and formed in large measure for $37 million. Is this legal according to international law, or even rational reasoning? Are these not sales of territory conquered or stolen from previous occupiers such as the native Americans?"
When Mexico "ceded" all that territory, it was the far distant folk in Mexico City, cashed strapped and in debt to European colonial powers, that did all of that "ceding." The folks at home in California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, etc., did no ceding. They were home, and Mexicans, until the US Calvary forced them off their own ancient lands with their Royal Charters, to serve anglo economic interests like the railroad robber barons and cattle ranchers.
So now all these Mexicans traveling North are just revisiting their ancestral homes. They are not "illegal" except by very recent and temporary definition.
Mr. Bush. Tear down this wall (written a few miles from the wall of shame between sister cities Columbus, New Mexico and Puerto Palomas, Mexico.
Time for Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes to start writing again, please.
Meanwhile we are truly and eternally and pleasantly and surprisingly blessed by this article from the mighty and Reverend Father Tissa Balasuriya, whose books we must read again. I can lend you my copies, but only temporarily, please!
Thank you, very much, NCR, for bringing once again these tears of joy and relief into my old eyes. DEO GRATIAS
God bless and keep the Reverend Father Tissa Balasuriya and grant him good health PRO MULTOS ANNOS!!
Alleluia
Amen.
Read this from the
Read this from the article:
"In the process the Catholic liturgy was made more a ritual than an expression and experience of the love of God and neighbor. Thousands of Holy Masses can be celebrated in a country without much serious reflection on and impact on social justice in a world of great inequalities and armed conflicts. Prayer and meditation can be, de facto, indifferent to unjust social realities and to gross violations of human rights."
Love thy enemy.
Get to work.
Saint James writes: "Faith without works is dead."
Get to work, for peace and justice, that Love may flourish, in this world.
frère charles du désert OSB OBLAT (Congrégation de Subiaco)
"The pope seems to overlook
"The pope seems to overlook the inadequacies of the church in the course of history."
Yes, the pope does seem to overlook this, I agree. It is a grave inadequacy of charity with perspective and depth. It's an ivory tower syndrome of self-righteousness in the Church to overlook its own history and complicity in fomenting and promoting divisions and wars among peoples and ideologies, pillaging, decimating of people they have demeaned, dehumanized and declared as enemies and working with monarchies and secular governments to aid in same. The Pope and Church hierarchy are always pointing the finger of blame on everyone but themselves for the state that the world is in. The Church it would seem is in complete denial. Yet the Church has truly helped to make the world the way it is now. Look at this world now. Look at the state of it and see the suffering of so many people. It is the continued suffering of these people that is the gravest sin of the Catholic Church because they are a result of their policies and procedures and ideology in the world.
It is also the Church's very fault for why people are the way they are. There are so many poor people who are hungry, have no home, no medicine, are suffering immensely, yet the Pope is installing solar panels at his private home in Germany after vacationing in the Alps at the Papal estate. Does he even spend any time there in his home in Germany? I think he is putting on a big show, and he might as well be saying "oh, look at me, I'm so important in the world and high and mighty, and look at me, I live like a Prince and live in a castle and I can afford solar panels, but the rest of the world can go eat cake." "Oh, and you will go to hell if you masturbate."
After reading the Pope's encyclical I was left with the very distinct feeling that the world's woes and suffering and pollution are all my fault, that I am meaningless in the larger scheme of things, I am to be controlled, to not understand, I am supposed to be shamed, led by the collar on a very short leash. Yet, he speaks about love, but not in depth or with perspective, and not in a way that would truly get to the heart and substance to enable true positive change in the world to occur.
The change that needs to happen is not so much external as it is internally in the Catholic Church, its institution and hierarchy. There is an interior pollution of judging by appearances only and not getting to the heart of issues, but claiming to be an authority. The Church should be teaching the Gospels, instead it is teaching nothing that will truly aid humanity and rid the earth of the pollution of greed, ignorance, political squabbling and fear.
Thank you Father Tissa Balasuriya for speaking the truth and with a charity of depth and perspective in a time that not all have come to appreciate or value charity with depth and perspective. There are too many who seem to think that charity with depth and perspective are heretical.
Snowdrop: Pray for yourself
Snowdrop: Pray for yourself FIRST and cease your daily practice of judging others. Perhaps you are the LAST person to judge those who have very different views of what it really means to be a Catholic Christian. You and your fellow shills seem so obsessed with "heretical views" that you lose sight of the love of Christ and what he taught about judging others. Hatred and ignorance have no place in your heart if you truly claim to follow Christ. Father Tissa continues to contribute great theological essays to many fine Catholic publications, including the NCR.
I have never read such a load
I have never read such a load of piffle. This man's analysis and preoccupations are those of a 20th century radical left wing political party rather than those of the Church. I wonder how long he will last this time?
Yet another example of the Catholic Reporter's own biases. The name "Catholic Reporter" of course is itself ambiguous and I have wondered about it for some time; I take it it means "reporting about Catholicsm" (in the sense of "from somewhere else") rather than indicating any degree of adherence to the body of Christ?
Simple. From the early
Simple.
From the early Sixties when my father first subscribed (I still recall the beloved ad lib column, and the large photo of Michael Novak in Love Beads and long hair), I have had the great grace and joy of viewing this weekly, and now overwhelmingly DAILY here at NCRonline.org, and so I might be able to offer an answer to your query.
It is National.
It is Catholic.
It Reports.
RES IPSA LOQUITUR.
Yes, it reports on
Yes, it reports on catholicism from a perspective that is not that of the Catholic Church. Many other protestant organisations report on catholicism also - indeed they have an arguably somewhat unhealthy interest in it.
Although Fr Balasuriya's
Although Fr Balasuriya's comments are well founded and worth analysis, I wonder why he too did not go the additional step and make his own recommendations. For example, what are the implications of the fact that Europe and North America have evolved in the manner he describes? His comments in this regard are true, but how will that guide future Church involvement with the world in ways that its current social teaching will not or cannot do? The same applies to the past failures of the Church that he mentions. Current social teaching is sufficient to address these issues as well. The question is, do the current crop of bishops and the pope himself have the courage to carry out this teaching. This is the worst failure of the Church in modern times that even Balasuriya does not mention. It is not the inadequacy of the Church's social teaching that should concern us. It is the failure of those responsible for implementing that teaching that we have to worry about. And I might add that such an indictment includes ourselves.
.......a [BRILLIANT] voice
.......a [BRILLIANT] voice crying in the wilderness...
Deo Gratias.
Enjoyed his analysis but he
Enjoyed his analysis but he makes some sweeping generalizations. His description of how Mexico "sold" to the United States is incorrect or, at least, overgeneralizes what exactly happened. The war of 1848 between Mexico and the United States happened after Texas agreed to be made a part of the United States - this is years after Texas gained its independence from Mexico (a Mexico led by Mexicans - corrupt, dictator, etc.) Yes, the victory settlement of the war of 1848 did cover other states - he seems to have just forgotten about the war; who was victorious, etc. The history of Mexico in the 19th and 20th century is littered with colonial overtones, post colonial results, Mexican revolutions; party disagreements; left over colonial financial powers that landed in the hands of the "Mexican gentry", etc. The complete story is much more complicated.
His point is correct but the devil is in the details. Currently, in Africa we see the result of a post-colonial world. It shifts to African nations/tribes fighting among themselves; dictatorships which usually occur after a colonial power leaves; and eventually the nation/society/tribes get to the point that they can sustain their own republican or democratic government. Central America continues to swing from one post-colonial side to the other. You can blame this on the original colonial + church powers but it then the struggle continues - honest, self-government development appears to take a couple of centuries.
you call it a decision of
you call it a decision of "Texas" while others might call it the unjust and indeed illegal land grab of a handful of anglo yahoos.
Typical NCR BS; no matter
Typical NCR BS; no matter what benedict writes, you will always find something wrong with it. I'll never understand why you all didn't just jump ship after you realized that vatican II would not make the church episcopalian. Stop being "angry" about everything. It's not worth your eneergy
Dear Not Angry RC, And trade
Dear Not Angry RC,
And trade the Pope for Queen Elizabeth as head of the church and defender of the faith?
Why bother?
Within the congregation founded upon divorce, which made divorce a sacrament?
why bother?
I could not comprehend the balance of your comment here but at this I must really wonder
frère charles
In response to Simple: "It is
In response to Simple: "It is National.It is Catholic.It Reports."
I think you are missing the point somewhat; a lot of protestant evangelical ecclesial communities have newspapers that report on Catholicism also - but not, of course from a Catholic perspective; in fact, they take an unhealthy interest in the Church. NCR biases remind me more of this sort of publication. In that sense it is a "Catholic Reporter" - it reports "on Catholicism".
NCR's claim to be "Catholic" in any sense that implies adherence to the doctrines of the Catholic Church is much more dubious sadly.
Since I first read this
Since I first read this National Catholic Reporter some forty five years ago at my late father's knee, she has reported faithfully and courageously and fully the Truths of our Roman Catholic Church. During my canonical year at the Abbaye St. Pierre de Solesmes, my father faithfully forwarded to me his own weekly copy of the National Catholic Reporter to my most profound gratitude and joy, and relief. The National Catholic Reporter has always been therefore a most intimate element of the Faith of Our Fathers, and to see you speak thusly of this precious jewel is to see my own mother spat upon by those who know no better.
You provide absolutely no evidence in support of the cruel calumnies you claim, as no such evidence has ever existed. You are not Catholic. You are anonymous.
Dear Father Tissa is
Dear Father Tissa is pontificating again. It should first be noted Fr. Tissa does not speak in the name of the Oblates, as the title would suggest. In fact, one of the conditions of the lifting of his excommunication and reconciliation was that he not speak or write publicly without clearing those statements with competent Oblate authorities. I fear that he is fighting wars that have long been resolved. Every papal encyclical cannot rehash two thousand years of history in each writing. It would be much too long to read and its relevance would be too readily discarded. This encyclical was due to be released last year. If it had been it would have been prophetic, since it forewarned of a possible collapse of the economic system. The Holy Spirit fortunately guides the popes in their social statements, which since Rerum Novarum of Leo XIII have all been powerful applications of the Gospel to modern day concerns. They are unfortunately little known to Catholics and the world. I would like to hear Fr. Tissa's positive recommendations to improve the pope's letter.
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