Papal Social Principles: A Guide and Digest

Papal Social Principles

The present volume attempts to fulfill a long-felt need for some sort of English-language digest of papal social thought. More precisely, this is better described as a summary rather than a digest, for it is less concerned with reproducing exactly the words of the popes than with presenting their basic ideas as accurately as possible. It is intended as a supplement and guide to, but in no sense as a substitute for, the original statements of the popes. This last qualification cannot be too strongly emphasized.

The approach used here is essentially document-centered. Only in a very broad sense is any effort made to organize the contents on a topical basis. All the major social pronouncements of the modern popes, from Leo XIII to Pius XII, are here classified according to general subject matter: for example, Rerum novarum is treated under the heading “economic life,” and Casti connubii under “family and education.” Each document is outlined and summarized in the writer’s own words.

The principal social pronouncements of the popes comprise the basic framework of this study. Something more, however, has been attempted. Pope Pius XII has often made significant contributions to Catholic social thought through his radio addresses and his very frequent allocutions and sermons. A number of the major “non-encyclical” pronouncements of this pontiff are outlined here in the same way as encyclicals. Furthermore, a systematic effort is made to note all significant social statements of Pius XII, whether they appear in a major or in a relatively unimportant pronouncement. Reference is made to all such pertinent materials at appropriate places in the summarized texts.