|
Venerable
Brethren,
Health and the Apostolic Blessing.
Being greatly moved by the deplorable condition of the Indians in Lower
America, our illustrious predecessor Benedict XIV pleaded their cause,
as you are aware, in most weighty words, in his letter Immensa
Pastorum, given on December 22, 1741; and since we also have to deplore
in many places almost the same things that he then lamented, we most
earnestly recall those letters of his to your memory. For therein,
among other things, Pope Benedict complained that although the
Apostolic See had done much, and for a long time, to relieve their
afflicted fortunes, there were even the "men of the orthodox faith who,
as if they had utterly forgotten all sense of the charity poured forth
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, presumed to reduce the wretched
Indians, without the light of faith, and even those who had been washed
in the laver of regeneration, to servitude, or to sell them as slaves
to others, or to deprive them of their property, and to treat them with
such inhumanity that they were thus greatly hindered from embracing the
Christian faith, and most strongly moved to regard it with abhorrence."
It is true that soon afterwards the worst of these indignities - that
is to say, slavery, properly so called - was, by the goodness of the
merciful God, abolished; and to this public abolition of slavery in
Brazil and in other regions the excellent men who governed those
Republics were greatly moved and encouraged by the maternal care and
insistence of the Church. And we gladly acknowledge that if it had not
been for many and great obstacles that stood in the way, their plans
would have had far greater success. Nevertheless, though much has thus
been done for the Indians, there is much more that still remains to be
done. And, indeed, when we consider the crimes and outrages still
committed against them, our heart is filled with horror, and we are
moved to great compassion for its most unhappy race. For what can be so
cruel and so barbarous as to scourge men and brand them with hot iron,
often for most trivial causes, often for a mere lust of cruelty; or,
having suddenly overthrown them, to slay hundreds or thousands in one
unceasing massacre; or to waste villages and districts and slaughter
the inhabitants, so that some tribes, as we understand, have become
extinct in these last few years?
2. The lust of lucre has done much to make the minds of men so
barbarous. But something also is due to the nature of the climate and
the situation of these regions. For, as these places are subjected to
burning southern sun, which casts a languor into the veins and as it
were, destroys the vigor of virtue, and as they are far removed from
the habits of religion and the vigilance of the State, and in a measure
even from civil society, it easily comes to pass that those who have
not already come there with evil morals soon begin to be corrupted, and
then, when all bonds of right and duty are broken, they fall away into
all hateful vices. Nor in this do they take any pity on the weakness of
sex or age, so that we are ashamed to mention the crimes and outrages
they commit in seeking out and selling women and children, wherein it
may be truly said that they have surpassed the worst examples of pagan
iniquity.
3. For our part, indeed, when reports of these things were first
brought to us, we hesitated for some time to give credence to such
atrocities, since they certainly seemed to be incredible. But after we
had been assured by abundant witnesses - to wit, by many of yourselves,
Venerable Brethren, by the Delegates of the Apostolic See, by the
missioners, and by other men wholly worthy of belief - we can no longer
have any doubt as to the truth of these statements.
4. Now, therefore, having pondered long on this matter, so that, as far
as lies in our power, we may endeavor to remedy such great evils, with
humble and suppliant prayer we beg of God that He may deign in His
goodness to show us some opportune way of healing these wounds. For He
Himself, Who is the most loving Maker and Redeemer of all mankind,
since He has given us this desire of laboring for the saving of the
Indians, will also assuredly give us those things that conduce to this
end. Meanwhile, it greatly consoles us to know that those who bear rule
in these Republics are making every endeavor to remove this outstanding
disgrace and this stain from their States; which endeavors, indeed, we
cannot sufficiently praise and approve. Since, however, these regions
are far from the seats of Government, and are for the most part not
readily accessible, these human endeavors of the civil powers, whether
from the craft of the criminals, who can speedily cross the frontiers,
or through the inactivity or perfidy of the officials, often do little
good, and sometimes come to nothing. But if the work of the Church is
added to the work of the State, then at length the desired fruit shall
be obtained in greater abundance.
5. Wherefore, Venerable Brethren, we call upon you, before all others,
to give special care and thought to this cause, which is in every way
worthy of your pastoral office and duty. And leaving the rest to your
solicitude and diligence, we particularly urge you to foster and
promote all the good works instituted in your dioceses for the benefit
of the Indians, and to see that other works likely to contribute to
this end may be instituted. In the next place you will diligently
admonish your flocks on their most sacred duty of helping religious
missions to the natives who first inhabited the American soil. Let them
know that they ought to help this work especially in two ways, to wit,
by their gifts and by their prayers; and that it is not only their
religion, but their country also, that asks this of them. Do you,
moreover, take care that wheresoever moral instruction is given, in
seminaries, in colleges, in convent schools, and more especially in the
churches, Christian charity, which holds all men, without distinction
of nation or color, as true brethren, shall be continually preached and
commended. And this charity must be made manifest not so much by words
as by deeds. Moreover, every opportunity must be taken to show what a
great dishonor is done to the Christian name by these base deeds, which
we are here denouncing.
6. As for our part, having good reason to hope for the consent and
support of the public authorities, we have more especially taken care
to extend the field of Apostolic labor in these broad regions,
appointing further missionary stations, where the Indians can find
safety and succor. For the Catholic Church has ever been a fertile
mother of Apostolic men, who, pressed by the charity of Christ, are
brought to give their lives for their brethren. And today, when so many
abhor the faith or fall away from it, the zeal for spreading the Gospel
among the barbarous nations is still strong in the clergy and in
religious men and holy virgins; and this zeal grows greater and is
spread abroad more widely by the power of the Holy Ghost, who helps the
Church, His spouse, according to the needs of the time. Wherefore, we
think it well to make greater use of those aids which by God's goodness
are ready to our hand, in order to deliver the Indians, where their
need is greatest. from the slavery of Satan and of wicked men. For the
rest, since the preachers of the Gospel had watered these regions, not
only with their sweat, but sometimes with their blood, we trust that at
length a fair harvest of Christian kindness shall spring forth from
their great labors and bear abundant fruit. And now, in order that what
you shall do for the benefit of the Indians, whether of your own accord
or at our exhortation, may be the more efficacious by the help of our
Apostolic authority, we, mindful of the example of our aforesaid
predecessor, condemn and declare guilty of grave crime whosoever, as he
says, "shall dare or presume to reduce the said Indians to slavery, to
sell them, to buy them, to exchange or give them, to separate them from
their wives and children, to deprive them of goods and chattels, to
transport or send them to other places, or in any way whatsoever to rob
them of freedom and hold them in slavery; or to give counsel, help,
favor, and work on any pretext of color to them that do these things,
or to preach or teach that it is lawful, or to co-operate therewith in
any way whatever." Accordingly, we will that the power of absolving
penitents in the sacramental tribunal from these crimes shall be
reserved to ordinaries of the localities.
7. It has seemed well to us, moved by our paternal affection and
following the footsteps of your predecessors, among whom we may
specially mention Leo XIII, of blessed memory, to write these things to
you, Venerable Brethren, on the case of the Indians. But it will be for
you to strive according to your strength to give abundant satisfaction
to our desires. You will assuredly be helped in this by those who bear
rule in these Republics; nor will you want the work and care of the
clergy, especially those devoted to the sacred missions; and, lastly,
all good men will be with you, and those who can, with gifts or other
offices of charity, will help a cause in which both religion and the
dignity of manhood are involved. And, what is the chief thing, the
grace of Almighty God will be with you, in token whereof and as a
pledge of our goodwill, we most lovingly impart new Apostolic
benediction to you, Venerable Brethren, and to your flocks.
Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, on the 7th of June, 1912, in the ninth
year of our Pontificate.
PIUS X
|
|
