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Title: |
Quo Graviora
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Descr.: |
On The "Pragmatic Constitution"
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Pope: |
Pope Gregory XVI
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Date: |
October 4, 1833
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To
the Bishops of the Province of Upper Rhineland.
Venerable
Brothers, Greetings and Apostolic Blessing.
1.
As more serious ills threaten the Catholic Church from the heinous
contrivances of its enemies, the popes who have been placed in the
See of St. Peter should be so much the quicker in taking action to
repel them. The popes have been delegated the supreme power of
nourishing and directing the Church. Our predecessor Pius VIII
clearly understood this. Many daring things were attempted - and
not in vain - against the teaching of the Church and its divine
authority in the ecclesiastical province of the Rhineland. As soon
as he knew this, Pius VIII sent you a letter at the end of June,
1830, to arouse your pastoral concern, if it was indeed necessary.
This letter urged you to protect the rights of the Church with
every zeal, to watch over sound doctrine, and to show those who
must act how to oppose with reason and justice those ideas harmful
to the Church, ideas which you should zealously strive to have
revoked. He was extremely concerned with the situation of those
churches because of the immense scandal caused by the reforms. He
requested an answer from you as soon as possible, either
confirming his desires and soothing his grief or - a possibility
not to be entertained - contrary to his will, so that he might
take the actions required by the duty of his apostolic office
2.
These exhortations and encouragements of so great a pope in such a
serious matter should arouse you. This is appropriate for those
who were called to share in the administration and defense of the
Church. Moreover, what Our predecessor never thought of, and what
would have certainly disturbed him very much if he were still
alive, was reserved for Us to mourn. This is in spite of the fact
that We have been appointed in his place with vastly inferior
merits and have no desire to hold this position. We cannot say
that a matter so opposed to the wishes of this Holy See had
ceased. This See is thus generally unaware of whatever effort you
have made among those leaders for the welfare of the Catholic
religion and whatever result you have obtained. We still await
more accurate reports, which Pius VIII so greatly commended to
you, though three years have elapsed. Nor in truth can We assume
from this that you did not neglect your duty, that some salutary
remedy had been brought at that time to the wounds inflicted on the
Catholic Church. On the contrary, an occasion of sharper sorrow is
in store for Us. Those matters are already ratified and in full
force, to the detriment of the Church and against the agreements
entered into between this Holy See and the united leaders. The
Church is thus subjected to an unworthy slavery, having been
violently deprived of the liberty which Christ gave it. What is
more, its condition in those regions worsened because of new
causes coming from everywhere, a condition which We (and you) may
not contemplate. From that company of priests some men arose who
say evil things. They shamelessly condemn that deluded (as they
call it) regeneration and restoration of the reformers, thereby
rashly enkindling this Apostolic See. They do this in order to
draw followers and to deceive the unwary. Therefore, in whatever
club they gather and hold meetings or discussions, they never
hesitate to treat the Catholic Church, as they say, to reform it.
3.
Many of the priests of the city of Offenburg openly showed this
kind of blindness not long ago, according to F. L. Mersy, their
dean, adviser, and leader. They no longer proposed, for the
approval of the archbishop of Freiburg, various points of reform
contrived in their meetings. In the individual rural chapters,
they spread the same ideas and aroused a wicked conspiracy.
Moreover, now and again, they produced a pamphlet with many
additions and dared to print it under the bold title: "Are
reforms necessary in the Catholic Church?" We wish that the
priests of Offenburg gather together and publicly and openly
demonstrate their devotion, and that others, both from the diocese
of Freiburg and from the rest of the ecclesiastical provinces,
might not trouble themselves over this! We wish that this very
evil sedition of the reformers contain itself within the
boundaries of that city! But We heard long ago and We very
sorrowfully recall that this discontent has extended into almost
all those regions, especially in the diocese of Rothenburg, and
that it extended even outside the ecclesiastical province of the
Rhineland.
4.
You know, venerable brothers, on what erroneous principles the
above-mentioned men and their followers depend and where that
desire which moves them to begin effecting a revolution in the
Church has its origin. We do not think it superfluous to clarify
many of those things and to explain them here. A false idea has
for a long time grown stronger and spread widely through these
regions. This idea is spread by an impious and absurd system of
indifference toward religious matters which claims that the
Christian religion can become perfect in time. While the patrons
of such a false idea are afraid to adapt the shaky possibility of
perfection to the truths of faith, they establish it in the
external administration and discipline of the Church. Moreover, in
order to bring about faith in their error, they wrongfully and
deceitfully usurp the authority of Catholic theologians. These
theologians propound here and there a distinction between the
teaching and the discipline of the Church which underlies this
change, that it will always stand firm and never be harmed by any
alteration. Once this is established, they state categorically
that there are many things in the discipline of the Church in the
present day, in its government, and in the form of its external
worship which are not suited to the character of our time. These
things, they say, should be changed, as they are harmful for the
growth and prosperity of the Catholic religion, before the
teaching of faith and morals suffers any harm from it. Therefore,
showing a zeal for religion and showing themselves as an example
of piety, they force reforms, conceive of changes, and pretend to
renew the Church.
5.
Truly such reformers use these principles. In addition, they
disclose and propose them in many pamphlets, which they distribute
especially in Germany. This is now very clear from the booklet
printed in Offenburg. It is especially clear from those things
which the aforementioned F. L. Mersy, head of the seditious
meeting held there, imprudently compiled in his republication of
the same book. While these men were shamefully straying in their
thoughts, they proposed to fall upon the errors condemned by the
Church in proposition 78 of the constitution Auctorem fidei
(published by Our predecessor, Pius VI on August 28, 1794). They
also attacked the pure doctrine which they say they want to keep
safe and sound; either they do not understand the situation or
craftily pretend not to understand it. While they contend that the
entire exterior form of the Church can be changed
indiscriminately, do they not subject to change even those items
of discipline which have their basis in divine law and which are
linked with the doctrine of faith in a close bond? Does not the
law of the believer thus produce the law of the doer? Moreover, do
they not try to make the Church human by taking away from the
infallible and divine authority, by which divine will it is
governed? And does it not produce the same effect to think that
the present discipline of the Church rests on failures,
obscurities, and other inconveniences of this kind? And to feign
that this discipline contains many things which are not useless
but which are against the safety of the Catholic religion? Why is
it that private individuals appropriate for themselves the right
which is proper only for the pope?
6.
We will now discuss those sections of discipline which are in
effect for the whole Church. Because they are free from
ecclesiastical instruction, they can undergo change, but only by
the pope, whom Christ placed over the entire Church to judge
concerning the necessity of change for various reasons of
circumstance. Thus, as St. Gelasius wrote: "Balance the
decrees of the canons and consider the precepts of your
predecessors, so that those things which the demands of the times
require to be relaxed for the rebuilding of the churches may be
moderated through careful consideration." It is tedious to
detain you with a long speech, venerable brothers, about the false
principles which the reformers depend on. They add rashness to
error with the usual verbal license of such men, since they attack
this Holy See as if it were too persistent in outdated customs and
did not look deeply inside the character of our time. They accuse
this See of becoming blind amid the light of new knowledge, and of
hardly distinguishing those things which deal with the substance
of religion from those which regard only the external form. They
say that it feeds superstition, fosters abuses, and finally
behaves as if it never looks after the interests of the Catholic
Church in changing times. Where does all this lead? Actually, so
that the most Holy See of Peter in which Jesus Christ placed the
foundation of His Church is hastened toward envy. Its divine
authority is subjected to the hatred of the people, and the union
of other churches with it is broken. The dissidents give up hope
then that they would obtain what they want at this Apostolic See.
They assert that the Church - one nation, as they call it - should
be ruled by its own laws. From here they continue so as to grant
free authority to revoke or abrogate the laws of the whole Church
to each individual pastor, if the expediency of his diocese
demands it. What then? Since they do not perceive any advantage
among you, they try to free those same priests from the submission
due to the bishops. They are not afraid to concede to the priests
the right of administrating the dioceses. It is quite clear that
these men, acting against the truth of faith, have overthrown the
ecclesiastical hierarchy which was established by divine will and
defined by the fathers of the Council of Trent. It is also clear
that they want to return to the very errors in the propositions 6,
7, 8, and 9 proscribed by the aforesaid dogmatic constitution
Auctorem fidei.
7.
This appears to clearly concern those priests of Offenburg. The
condemned doctrines are especially contained in the additions
inserted in the re-edited pamphlet so that there is no room for
doubt. It now seems a good idea to review individually some of the
many other errors with which that pamphlet everywhere abounds.
Here occur for the first time the objections of the promoters of
the vile plot against clerical celibacy. They do not dare to
openly criticize the law of celibacy, as others do; nonetheless,
they chatter with daring equal only to their error! They want the
priests who are not up to keeping the law of celibacy and whose
mores are already so hopelessly corrupted to be moved to lay
status, so that they might thus contract valid marriages within
the Church. This is hardly in keeping with the intention of the
fathers of the Council of Trent, which was explained in session 7,
can. 9 concerning the sacraments in general as well as in session
23, chapter 4 and canon 4. It does not escape Us with what means
they might try to distort the teaching of the Council of Trent.
8.
They contend that according to the opinion of the Council of
Trent, he who was once a priest cannot again become a layman by
his own authority. He can do this only by the authority of the
Church, and they understand by the word "Church" each
bishop to whom they give the power to reduce priests to the lay
state. Then they affirm that the character which is imprinted in
the sacrament of Orders, which the Council said was indelible
makes the sacrament of Orders unable to be repeated. It does not
in the least, they say, forbid a priest to become a layman in the
aforementioned manner. Finally, they hardly shrink from numbering
that same character among the things recently agreed upon by the
scholastics. Moreover, as they contrive such things, what else can
they really do unless to wickedly scoff at and oppose the true
meaning of the previously mentioned decrees of the Council of
Trent and the whole Church concerning them, thereby piling error
upon error?
9.
They shrink no less from sound doctrine in the things which they
boldly propose concerning the power and use of indulgences. They
propose either openly or through equivocations the idea that
indulgences can hardly be referred to the temporal pains of sin
which remain and which must be expiated, either in this life or in
the next. Up to the eleventh century, they explain there were no
penalties other than the canonical ones which were to be removed
by the Church. For the first time, at the time of the holy wars,
the punishments which God imposed on the sinner were subjected to
the power of the keys. Then, they continue, a great distortion of
the Church's discipline emerged. The treasure established by the
merits of Jesus Christ and the satisfactions of the saints,
unknown to earlier centuries, was discovered by Pope Clement V.
Finally, to make matters brief, the indulgences were used to that
end only, in order to recall to mind the present penalties by the
Church and the ancient canonical ones, and so to lead sinners to
penance. Where can they go from there, unless to arouse the
proscribed propositions 17 and 19 of Luther, 6 of Peter of Osma,
60 of Baius, and finally 40, 41, and 42 of the cited constitution
Auctorem fidei and to restore shamelessly the hostile errors in
them?
10.
These men want to utterly reform the holy institution of
sacramental penance. They insolently slander the Church and
falsely accuse it of error, and their shamelessness should be
deplored even more. They claim that the Church, by ordering annual
confession, allowing indulgences as an added condition of
fulfilling confession, and permitting private Eucharist and daily
works of piety, has weakened that salutary tradition and
subtracted from its power and efficacy. The Church is the pillar
and foundation of truth - all of which truth is taught by the Holy
Spirit. Should the Church be able to order, yield to, or permit
those things which tend toward the destruction of souls and the
disgrace and detriment of the sacrament instituted by Christ?
Those proponents of new ideas who are eager to foster true piety
in the people should consider that, with the frequency of the
sacraments diminished or entirely eliminated, religion slowly
languishes and finally perishes.
11.
Venerable brothers, it would be too long to pursue the many
erroneous ideas of the reformers concerning the stipend for
Masses, which they conclude should be abolished. They object to
the practice of offering several Masses for the same deceased,
which they translate as being contrary to the Church's teaching on
the infinite value of that same sacrifice of the new law. Nor do
We want to discuss their errors concerning the new ritual written
in the vernacular, which they want to have adapted more to the
character of our times. We shall also pass over their ideas on
holy societies, public prayers, and holy pilgrimages, which they
disapprove in various ways. It should be enough to indicate that
these ideas do not flow from any other corrupt source nor come
from any other principles than those which were already solemnly
condemned by the Church in the constitution Auctorem fidei cited
several times, especially in propositions 30, 33, 66, and 78.
12.
Venerable brothers, We are following a little more broadly the
examples of Our predecessors in similar situations, as the cause
of the apostolic duty seems to require. We resolved to discuss
these things so that, with the errors of those men revealed, it
might become known where the wicked passion for introducing
novelties into the Church might lead. As for the rest, it is
enough to suggest that the bitterness of the times in which
Catholicism now finds itself oppresses Us with many sorrows. We
mourn the pure spouse of the immaculate lamb, Jesus Christ, for it
is pillaged by the attack of internal and external enemies and by
the evils which oppress it and reduce it to this disgraceful
captivity. We deplore with unending tears what is done by children
shamefully straying from the bosom of a loving mother and uttering
lies about her.
13.
May We not fail in spirit! May We not stifle Our apostolic voice
in so serious a Catholic necessity! May We not allow [the Lord's
faithful to be vanquished and destroyed by enemies], while We put aside the strength,
judgment, and virtue of the spirit of the Lord like dumb dogs
unable to bark. Know therefore, venerable brothers, that We are
prepared to endure anything which threatens Us. We shall not
retreat until the Catholic Church is restored to the original
freedom which belongs to its divine constitution and until
the mouth of the slanderers is blocked up. We cannot do anything
more than to arouse your constancy and virtue and to strongly
exhort you to take up the cause of the Spirit of God and of the
Church. You share in a part of the concern whose fullness is given
to Us. It is your duty to protect the holy deposit of faith and
sacred doctrine. It is your duty to drive every profane reform far
away from the Church and to exert yourselves with your whole heart
against those who try to infringe on the rights of this Holy See.
Therefore, draw the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
Preach as the apostle Paul impresses upon you in the person of
Timothy his disciple. Stand firm in good times and in bad.
Denounce, beseech, rebuke in all patience and teaching. Nothing
should deter you from throwing yourselves into every conflict for
the glory of God, for the protection of the Church, and for the
salvation of the souls entrusted to your care. Meditate on Him who
endured a similar opposition from sinners. If you fear the daring
of the wicked, remember that the decision is made concerning the
strength of the episcopacy and the divine power of governing the
Church. So it only remains for you to remember the serious duties
of your office and the difficult judgment which hangs over
everyone in authority. The overseers of the house of Israel should
especially meditate for a while at the feet of the Lord. We trust
then that you will be aroused with zeal to help the Catholic
religion and to protect it from the impious snares of its enemies.
In this zeal you may show even greater results than these of which
We wrote. Fully resolute and refreshed in that faith, We lovingly
impart the apostolic blessing to you and to the people entrusted
to your faith, as a sign of every good thing.
[Given
at Rome, at St. Mary Major, on October 4, 1833, in the third year of Our Pontificate.]
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