''In supremo apostolatus'' is a
papal bull issued by
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI ( la, Gregorius XVI; it, Gregorio XVI; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in 1 June 1846. He h ...
regarding the institution of
slavery
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
. Issued on December 3, 1839, as a result of a broad consultation among the
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals, or more formally the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. its current membership is , of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinals are appoi ...
, the bull resoundingly denounces both the slave trade and the continuance of the institution of slavery.
[
]
Content
The Bull outlines the history of Church attitudes to slavery, beginning with the Apostles who tolerated slavery but called on masters to "act well towards their slaves... knowing that the common Master both of themselves and of the slaves is in Heaven, and that with Him there is no distinction of persons". The Bull then discusses the involvement of Christians for and against slavery:
The Bull refers to several earlier papal pronouncements seeking to alleviate the suffering of slaves, beginning with the Letter Apostolic of Paul III, given on May 29, 1537, to the Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo, and that of Urban VIII on April 22, 1639 to the Collector Jurium of the Apostolic Chamber of Portugal; then that of Benedict XIV of December 20, 1741, to the Bishops of Brazil and some other regions; then another by Pius II, of October 7, 1462 and finally Pius VII. Pope Gregory then unambiguously condemns the continuing slave trade:
Effects in the United States
The Bull had political consequences for the Catholic communities in slaveholding states, especially Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. The bishop of Charleston, John England, despite privately abhorring slavery, interpreted ''In supremo apostolatus'' in his ecclesiastical province as a condemnation of large-scale slave-trading, as opposed to the individual owning of slaves although it forbade defending the institution of slavery "under any pretext...or excuse."First Plenary Council of Baltimore
The Plenary Councils of Baltimore were three national meetings of Catholic bishops in the United States in 1852, 1866 and 1884 in Baltimore, Maryland.
During the early history of the History of Roman Catholicism in the United States, Roman Cath ...
, and remarks on the conditions of slaves were kept to the need for prayers for individuals in slavery.archbishop of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore ( la, link=no, Archidiœcesis Baltimorensis) is the premier (or first) see of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore and nine of Mar ...
, Francis Kenrick
Francis Patrick Kenrick (December 3, 1796 or 1797 – July 8, 1863) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the third Bishop of the Diocese of Philadelphia (1842–1851) and the sixth Archbishop of the Archdiocese of ...
, raised the issue of the condition of slaves in America but concluded that "such is the state of things
''State of Things'' ( ro, Stare de fapt) is a 1995 Romanian drama film directed by Stere Gulea. The film was selected as the Romanian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 69th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.Margaret ...
, hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
nothing should be attempted against the laws."
Two translations
Two English translations of the bull are now common; these differ in one important detail. The original and contemporaneous (1844) translation includes the word ''unjustly'', while the newer translation (prepared 128 years later) does not. Because of the inclusion of this word in the original translation (which was taken by some to imply that molestation, despoiling, and enslavement of persons was acceptable to the church, as long as those acts were not "unjust", presumably according to the perpetrators of the acts), some American bishops continued to support slave-holding interests until the abolition of slavery.Catholic Church and slavery
The issue of slavery was historically treated with concern by the Catholic Church. Throughout most of human history, slavery has been practiced and accepted by many cultures and religions around the world, including ancient Rome. Certain passage ...
)
See also
*Catholic Church and slavery
The issue of slavery was historically treated with concern by the Catholic Church. Throughout most of human history, slavery has been practiced and accepted by many cultures and religions around the world, including ancient Rome. Certain passage ...
References
[Geo. Read]
Letters to the Honorable John Forsyth, On the Subject of Domestic Slavery
, December 19, 1843, Jesuit Plantation Project, georgetown.edu
Papal Encyclicals Online