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Class 30: Catholicism in early 20th C

Ann T. Orlando

April 5, 2006

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Introduction

Missionary activities and Colonial expansion before WWI

Beginning of Liturgical Renewal Catholic Reaction to Changing social and

economic situation in early 20th C Church during WW I Pius XII and Concordat with Hitler World War II and Shoah Pius XII after WWII

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Early 20th C Colonialism

Africa and Asia Expansion of trade and economic colonialism to control of

territory To protect economic interests, colonial powers assume

control of politics Missionaries have much less restricted reach into local

populations Latin America

Criollos wanted strong ties with industrialized US and Northern Europe

Led to Protestant missions in Latin America starting in early 20th C

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Colonialism in Africa

Greatly expanded in late 19th, early 20th C Berlin Conference 1884-1885; how to divide

Africa between England, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany

Religious missionaries follow these divisions

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Colonial Africawww.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/isa/ninvest/imperial/scrambleafrica.htm

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Liturgical Renewal in Church

The liturgy had been little changed since Trent Need to reinvigorate liturgy in opposition to Enlightenment Effort to rediscover older liturgical forms as core of liturgy

(Romanticism) Balance corporate and individual in worship

Benedictine Abbey at Maria Laach Pope St. Pius X

Encouraged active participation of laity in Church music during liturgy

Special devotion to Mass Romano Guardini (1885-1968)

Spirit of Liturgy 1918 Corporate, Christological nature of liturgy Relation between liturgy and call to do justice in world

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Pope Pius X (1903-1914)

Opposed to Modernists (Historical Critical Method applied to Biblical studies)

Reform of Canon Law, 1917 (revised 1985) Lay reception of daily Communion

Included children who had made First Communion Not in a state of mortal sin Willingness to accept God’s Will for them

Encouraged more lay participation in liturgy; but implied need to understand liturgy. Roots of Catholic lay education

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Catholic Social Justice Movements In late 19th C and early 20th C, Church responds to increasing economic

and social problems with organizations that Often rely on laity Work with but outside typical clerical diocesan hierarchies Often explicit political agenda Forged bonds with labor unions

Salesians Founded by Don Bosco (1815-1888) Care for poor urban boys By 1900 there were 300 Salesian Houses

Knights of Columbus, 1882 Boys Town 1917 Catholic Action, 1923 Catholic Medical Mission Board, 1928 Catholic Worker Movement, Dorothy Day, 1933 Catholic Relief Services 1943

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Benedict XV (1914-1922) and WWI WWI was just starting when Benedict XV

elected He was deeply concerned that the peace

established in1917 would destroy the social and economic fabric of Germany

Deeply concerned that Europe had lost sight of its Christian roots and was returning to a new barbarism

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Pius XI (1922-1939)

Deeply concerned about rise of Communism Wrote Quadragessimo Anno (40th Year) to commemorate and

endorse Rerum Novarum In some sense saw Fascism as bulwark against Communists

Signed agreement with Mussolini that Rome was Capital of Italy, Pope sovereign over Vatican City

But Pius XI clashed with Italian Fascists and rising German Nazis over political tactics and strong rhetoric

Supported Franco in Spain Once Nazis came to power in Germany, 1933, recognized need

to establish some relationship with them Concordat with Hitler 1933 (negotiated by Pacelli) Realized deep dangers of both Nazism and Communism,

resulting in two Encyclicals, 1937: Mit Brennender Sorge and Divini Redemptoris

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Pius XII (1939-1958) and WWII Pius XII did have a special love for Germany Pius XII was opposed to Hitler, deplored Fascism almost as

much as he deplored Communism Opposed Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia He was in contact with German Generals who tried to overthrow

Hitler in 1940 But felt he needed to be publicly neutral to be able to work for

peace Catholic relief supplies and efforts to reunite refugee families

were substantial across Europe Worked with anti-Mussolini forces near end of War to remove

Mussolini from power and prevent Nazis from taking over; managed to have Rome declared a non-combat zone

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Pius XII and the Holocaust

Public Stance; it does seem that Pius XII knew what was happening to Jews. No public condemnation

Possible reasons Concern about vicious Nazi retaliation against Church Better able to help some Jews if Church was not

threatened by Nazis Unwillingness to jeopardize official neutrality

Private Activities Over 400,000 Jews in Italy saved Churches in France, Germany, Belgium part of

‘underground’ railroad to hide Jews

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Pius XII after WWII

Holy Year Pilgrimage 1950 Increased numbers of Catholics, increased

prosperity for Church Worked against Communism Infallibly declared Assumption Allowed historical critical method to be used by

Catholic scholars Encouraged growth of Catholic diocese in Asia and

Africa; promoted diocese in Western Hemisphere

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Epistemology and Pius XII: Humani Generis, 1950 We know by the Teaching Authority of the

Church Theologians should work to support and

promote the mind of the Church Concerns about modern methods Opposed to Communism and evolution;

process theology

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Mystici Corporis, 1943

Written during the darkest days of WWII Addressed to all people of good will Church as a living body Importance of family model as basic unit of

society Communion as participation in Body of Christ

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Assignments

Guardini The Spirit of the Liturgy Benedict XV, Pacem, Dei Munus Pulcherrium,

www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xv/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xv_enc_23051920_pacem-dei-munus-pulcherrimum_en.html

Pius XI (optional) Mit Brennender Sorge,

www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_14031937_mit-brennender-sorge_en.html

Pius XII (skim) Mystici Corporis, www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_29061943_mystici-corporis-christi_en.html

Bokenkotter on Pius XII during WWII is a balanced view