1831 Works of Pope Gregory XVI.
Translated from Italian using Machine Learning by Andy R.
Febraury 9th, 1831, Letter: Chiamati Dalla Divina
Proclamation
Of the Supreme Pontiff
Gregory XVI:
CHIAMATI DALLA DIVINA.
[Called by Divine Providence]
To the subjects of the Papal States involved in the internal uprisings.
Gregory XVI to his most beloved subjects.
Called by Divine Providence, despite Our unworthiness, to the Supreme Pontificate and to the government of those States that constitute its patrimony, We promptly opened Our heart to them with solicitude, so that they might immediately understand by what sentiments We were animated toward them from the very moment when upon Us was unfolded the will of Him in whose hands lie the fate of mankind. Placed to be for them, more than prince, a most loving father, We assumed the sentiments of a father who aspires only to the good of his children, and only for these does he busy his cares. We at once turned Our thoughts to the various classes of those whom God gave Us as children, and in the bitterness of Our spirit We saw the unhappy result of those circumstances, which in so many ways brought poverty and disorder everywhere.
Our glorious Predecessors, of whom We ever cherish the memory, put into effect, with all the means that the breadth of their foresight and their paternal love for the people could suggest to their beneficent spirit. Nevertheless, convinced that further provisions are still necessary for the relief of Our subjects, We have concerned Ourselves with them and shall concern Ourselves with them unceasingly, although the many cares to which the government of the Church calls Us fills Our mind a complex of so many other and far graver thoughts. God knows that despite the scarcity of Our resources and amid the multitude of tragic events, which exhaust them still more, We propose to do everything, so that, not only through the blessings of heaven, but also through the wealth of the earth, those whom God entrusted to Us may live happily in the shadow of peace and in the fullest tranquility. These are the ideas that We have already made known, these the instructions circulated, these the measures recommended to those who must execute them according to the duties of their office, so that all—and particularly those whom providence has placed in a condition of want—may experience how much their new father is concerned to alleviate, as far as possible, their needs.
But precisely when We were occupied with the sweet thought of consoling Our children, when We were determining the means to hasten the realization of this, there arrived to Us most sorrowful reports of the disastrous upheavals that had occurred in some provinces of Our States. Yet confiding in that help which brings steadfastness amid anguish, We humbled Ourselves under the mighty hand of the Lord, considering that the very first moments of Our Pontificate were so inauspiciously marked—indeed the very day reserved to honor, in Our misery, with the solemnity of August ceremonies, the dignity of the Prince of the Apostles, which is not lacking even in an unworthy heir. But in such great turmoil, We are comforted by the thought that the divine Father, who vivifies and mortifies those counsels that are unfathomable to the short sight of men, also knows, by loving traits of His mercy, how to raise up His servants from the depth to which He first reduced them, not permitting tribulations to exceed their strength.
It is with these sentiments that we also speak to those who, though they unwisely strayed from Our bosom, have not ceased—nor do they cease—to be dear to those who retain a spirit of charity and mercy toward them. We are certain that the knowledge they have already regained a father who makes up for the loss of the one they mourned as gone, renders the aberration into which they fell seem less monstrous to them; We offer them assurances of compassion and forgiveness, as befits one who knows himself to be the vicar of a God made man, who took glory—as if it were his special prerogative—in being meek and humble of heart. Let those unfortunate ones reflect on the wound they have opened in the bosom of their tender father, on the peace they have lost, on the dangers they face, and, in the face of the state of disorder and unrest into which they have cast themselves, let them weep from the sincerity of their hearts for having strayed from the living waters to form scattered cisterns. Having only peaceful and conciliatory desires, seeking only the good of those whom we shall always regard as our children, we now open to them the depths of our loving kindness, meekness, and indulgence; for the very thought of being forced to resort to harsh measures fills us with bitter sorrow, while we remain steadfast in our resolve to extend to those places, as to the rest of Our domains, provisions of charity and prosperity.
May the Father of mercies hear the humble prayers of Us who, having been made intermediaries between Him and the people, raise them up fervently, so that, once every error has been dispelled and every hostile plot has vanished, the love of religion, submission, and harmony may form that spirit which animates all Our subjects, just as the desire to make them happy is the vow that guides Us in the outpouring of Our heart, with which, imparting the Apostolic Blessing upon all, We implore the fullness of heavenly consolations.
Given in Rome, at St. Peter’s, on February 9, 1831, the first year of Our Pontificate.
April 5th, 1831, Encyclical: Quel Dio
Encyclical
Of the Supreme Pontiff
Gregory XVI:
QUEL DIO.
[That God]
To all the subjects of the Papal States.
Pope Gregory XVI.
Venerable Brothers, greetings and Apostolic Blessings.
That God, who in His mysterious counsel did not disdain to call Our weakness to the Supreme Pontificate, did not forget Us amid the trials that multiplied rapidly from the very first moments of that office, and through a stroke of His ever-loving providence, not allowing them to exceed Our strength, promptly provided Us, through the very tribulation itself, with the means to overcome it, so that We might not be disheartened in Our hopes for certain divine protection, which We had already expressed most fervently when first addressing Our peoples. Therefore, while we joyfully announce that the storm has subsided and tranquility has been restored in the provinces (which enemies of religion and the throne desolated with the horrors of treachery), we rejoice in being able to proclaim, to the glory of the truth, that, just as the purity of that faith—which the Apostle Paul, by divine testimony, affirmed was proclaimed throughout the universe—remains unblemished among Our Roman people, so too is their fidelity to Him who is established as their Father and Sovereign constant and celebrated throughout all of Europe.
It is a joy for Us to pay such public tribute to a people so faithful that, even in the most turbulent times, We would never have turned away from them, determined to share with them the fate by which God had chosen to humble Us under His mighty hand. The sincere devotion, filial obedience, and docile submission of this same people toward Our person, just as they inspired in Us boundless trust in them, so will they always make dear to Us the memory of the moving demonstrations they sought to offer in the most resplendent ways.
Thanks to divine assistance—which Our children hastened through their fervent public and private prayers—the days of sorrow passed, and in an instant the weapons wielded by sacrilegious hands to bring devastation and weeping to the Levitical land were shattered. The See of Christianity, which God, by His singular favor, willed to be governed by one who was both prince and pontiff, so that his being a prince might make him freer in the exercise of his spiritual authority, triumphed once again, defended against the machinations of impiety by the one who established it as an almost impregnable tower from which hang thousands upon thousands of shields and all the armor of the strong.
With the deepest sincerity of gratitude, we recognize in the Imperial Royal Austrian Army, those chosen ranks of valiant men to whom God willed to reserve the triumph over the wickedness of the rebels, and with it the honor of restoring its states to the Holy See, thus crowning with such happy success the ceaseless efforts of that most pure religion which forms the most beautiful praise of their noble and powerful lord Francis I (to whom indelible gratitude will bind Us forever), let there also be glory and praise to those honorable citizens who, having gathered with care into a civic militia, watched tirelessly under arms, and amid the hardships of the strictest service, over the safety of Our person and the peace of this city. We observed with tenderness how, in this, persons drawn from the most illustrious nobility and from the finest and most active members of all social orders competed generously and without distinction with the people. Our spirit was deeply moved by this; and it is therefore dear to Us to declare that such beautiful proofs of such devotion will always be met with the fullness of Our affection, which will not be satisfied until it is assured of the complete happiness of such faithful children: it is a true comfort to Us to devote the most diligent care to this end.
But in such resolute loyalty and noble purpose, the Roman people were emulated by the neighboring provinces, which, having prepared to defend their territories, took pride in sending volunteers who, leaving their homes, joined in reinforcing that precious contingent of Our troops which, under experienced and honored commanders, felt the strength of the oaths sworn to Us, and knew how to defend and ensure respect for a land sacred to loyalty: and here let all have the assurance of Our full approval and the promise that this will not go unrewarded, as We are deeply committed to effectively securing their greatest benefit, as far as the unfortunate circumstances permit.
We would indeed like to enlarge Our heart with compassion in the same way to all the other peoples whom God has entrusted to Our temporal rule. But if they were drawn into the misfortunes of the revolt, We are well aware that, for the most part, they were merely victims of coercion or fear, as was clearly demonstrated by the exultation and joy with which, as soon as a ray of imminent liberation appeared, the humiliating yoke imposed upon them by the rebels was shaken off, and the peaceful banner of the Papal government replaced the insignia of treason, they proclaimed their return to that Father and Sovereign from whose bosom the crime of a few had wretchedly torn them away.
Determined to take measures that will happily improve the condition of Our subjects, We have devoted Our attention to this, even amidst the distressing calamities of the past: always ready to heed their wishes when they spring from genuine needs and are capable of bringing about the desired benefits, We shall thoughtfully enact those measures which, in light of past experience and an examination of the circumstances, appear to Us to be the most useful.
But, alas, all such paternal care would prove in vain, nor would it enable us to achieve our desired goal; and even if the most promising prospects for a happy future were to present themselves, they would be of only fleeting duration unless decisive measures were taken to prevent the return of the unrest, which will long leave behind the trace scars of evils it has wrought.
Mindful, therefore, that the chosen grain will always be choked unless the weeds that the enemy sowed among it are uprooted from the roots, we could not help but view with regret an act enacted in Ancona on the 26th of last March, which, leaving the elements of rebellion unscathed, suspended only its effects momentarily—effects that would have been all the more ruinous as soon as whatever held back its swirling torrent had failed. But thanks to that God who, immense in His providence, draws true good from evil, when He deems it fitting for the cause of His greater glory, He permitted new penal blindness to befall the leaders of the rebels. Realizing that they had failed in their delusions as they foolishly sought new means to carry out their crimes, they decided to remedy the immediate need by seizing the moment in the presence of force and with false prospects of imminent disasters, not without also feigning false repentance, an act of Our most beloved son, Cardinal Benvenuti, who, without any regard for his sublime dignity—which had been insulted shortly before, and who, having been attacked, arrested, and fallen into serious illness due to such treatment, nor yet restored to his necessary freedom—was still being held by those very same men who, through most slanderous public edicts, had attempted to make him an object of popular indignation.
But the intrinsic nullity of an act of this nature, issued under duress by one who, having been taken captive by the enemy, had instantly lost the capacity to interpret Our will, and had consequently ceased to be the custodian of the powers entrusted to him, was clearly evident and all too well known to everyone. The good were deeply saddened by this, and there was a shared sense of sorrow over the predicament into which the righteous man had fallen in moments of distress, amidst the tortuous efforts of the implacable enemies of public order. As soon as We became aware of it, We condemned this act and emphatically declared its nullity, which was most evident for so many reasons. In accordance with this principle, guaranteed by every sacred and secular right, were the instructions We hastened to issue, for the sole purpose of averting repeated misfortunes from Our peoples.
Ministers, therefore, of that Lord who desires that whatever causes scandal be cut away and that the spoiled leaven which would corrupt the whole be removed, we shall not forget that one day we must give an account to God of how we have exercised both mercy and justice. Deeply aware of the duties imposed upon us by our office as Prince, We shall always bear in mind, even as We insist on the paths of peace, that justice must accompany it in sweet harmony; justice demands of Us, with severity, that We deal with those who, in response to repeated outpourings of mercy and gentleness, have offered nothing but new attacks against Religion, against the Principality, and against public tranquility. Owing it to Our subjects to secure their safety in person, in moral order, and in their possessions, We shall direct Our measures solely toward this salutary end, keeping within the bounds that clemency and justice must have. Let it therefore be our common duty to implore from divine mercy light and aid upon Us, so that Our decisions may be in accordance with His will, and that, protected by it, they may yield those results of solid and lasting happiness which, having been born, nurtured, and increased in righteousness and truth, alone can fulfill the fervent prayers we address to heaven on behalf of Our subjects as We bestow upon them the Apostolic Blessing.
Given in Rome, at Saint Mary Major, on the 5th day of April, 1831, the first year of Our Pontificate.