''Mater et magistra'' is the
encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from the Late Latin (originally from ...
written by
Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII ( la, Ioannes XXIII; it, Giovanni XXIII; born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, ; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death in June 19 ...
on the topic of "Christianity and Social Progress". It was promulgated on 15 May 1961. The title means "mother and teacher", referring to the role of the church. It describes a necessity to work towards authentic community in order to promote human dignity. It taught that the state must sometimes intervene in matters of health care, education, and housing.
Context
''Mater et magistra'' was written in observance of the 70th anniversary of
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...
's social encyclical ''
Rerum novarum
''Rerum novarum'' (from its incipit, with the direct translation of the Latin meaning "of revolutionary change"), or ''Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor'', is an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII on 15 May 1891. It is an open letter, pass ...
''. It also refers to the social teaching of
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...
in ''
Quadragesimo anno'', and of
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...
in a radio broadcast given 1 June 1941.
The document mentions the following changes in the world since then:
* scientific advances including atomic energy, synthetic materials, increased automation, modern agriculture, new means of communication (radio and television), faster transportation, the beginnings of space travel
* new social systems such as social security, improved basic education, breaking down of class barriers, and greater awareness of public affairs by the average person
* lack of economic balance between agriculture and industry, and among different countries
* in the political sphere, the breakdown of colonialism, independence for many states in Asia and Africa, and an increasing network of international organizations.
The
Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...
opened a little more than a year after ''Mater et magistra'' was promulgated.
Review of previous teaching
''Mater et magistra'' begins by praising three earlier papal documents on social topics and summarizing their key points.
''Rerum Novarum'' is extolled: "Here for the first time was a complete synthesis of social principles, formulated with such historical insight as to be of permanent value to Christendom ... rightly regarded as a compendium of Catholic social and economic teaching", "the
Magna Charta
(Medieval Latin for "Great Charter of Freedoms"), commonly called (also ''Magna Charta''; "Great Charter"), is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by t ...
of social and economic reconstruction" whose influence was not only apparent in later Church documents, but "discernible too in the subsequent legislation of a number of States". Pope John summarized the main points of ''Rerum Novarum'' as work, private property, the role of the state, right of association, and human solidarity.
He summarized the main message of ''Quadragesimo anno'', as two key points:
*
Charity
Charity may refer to:
Giving
* Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons
* Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing
* Ch ...
, not self-interest, should be "the supreme criterion in economic matters".
* It is the responsibility of humankind to create a national and international order that promotes social justice, "in which all economic activity can be conducted not merely for private gain but also in the interests of the common good".
He also mentioned a radio address given by Pope Pius XII on 1 June 1941, in which he had commemorated the 50th anniversary of ''Rerum Novarum'' and reiterated its message on subjects of the right use of material goods, work, and family.
Clarifications and new aspects
Common good seen as balance
''Mater et magistra'' frequently explains the
common good
In philosophy, economics, and political science, the common good (also commonwealth, general welfare, or public benefit) is either what is shared and beneficial for all or most members of a given community, or alternatively, what is achieved by c ...
as a desirable balance between different elements of the society or the economy. For example, a business must balance its unity of direction with the needs of its individual workers. Development and progress in the industrial, service, and agricultural sectors must balance. Individual freedom and initiative must balance with necessary action of the civil authority, including the appropriate public ownership of property, based on the principle of
subsidiarity
Subsidiarity is a principle of social organization that holds that social and political issues should be dealt with at the most immediate or local level that is consistent with their resolution. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' defines subsidi ...
. Economic progress should balance with social progress, especially a reduction in inequality.
Special concern for agriculture
The Pope writes of the dignity of
agricultural work, with the
family farm
A family farm is generally understood to be a farm owned and/or operated by a family; it is sometimes considered to be an Estate (land), estate passed down by inheritance.
Although a recurring conceptual model, conceptual and archetype, archet ...
held up as an ideal. A trend of people moving away from farms toward cities was partly due to economic growth, but also reflected depression in the occupation of farming and inadequate standards of living in rural areas. The Pope urged that measures be taken to restore balance between the agricultural sector and industry, as well as development of better facilities and services in rural areas so that "agricultural living standards approximate as closely as possible those enjoyed by city dwellers".
Specific suggestions include:
* developing better roads, communication, drinking water, housing, and schools in rural areas
* ensuring that farms modernize at the same rate as industry
* keeping track of people who move away from farms due to modernization, and insuring that they receive help in adjusting to new types of work
* considering the particular needs of farmers in credit policy and the tax system
* ensuring that farmers get the same social insurance/social security as others
* devising a means of price protection, which could be enforced by the public authority
* establishing industries, especially those having to do with "preservation, processing, and transportation of farm products", in agricultural regions
* self-advancement of the farming community through continuing education and the forming of associations.
The Pope comments on disproportions that exist between the population and the amount of arable land, as well as different levels of agricultural methods, in different parts of the world. These often result in surpluses and scarcities. "
hesolidarity of the human race and Christian brotherhood demand the elimination as far as possible of these discrepancies."
The
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
is mentioned for its work in improvement of agriculture and developing international cooperation.
International assistance
''Mater et magistra'' addresses the needs of countries that were not industrialized. Pope John commends wealthier nations that give assistance to poorer nations. It is required by "justice and humanity" to share surplus food and other goods with other nations in need. Even more powerful are efforts to provide the citizens of those nations with the necessary resources and training to implement modern methods and speed up development. This work should be done with respect for the local cultures and in a disinterested way, without the aim of imposing one’s own culture or gaining political control.
[''Mater et magistra'', §169–172]
See also
*
List of encyclicals of Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII (1881–1963; reigned 1958–1963) issued eight papal encyclicals during his five-year reign as pope of the Catholic Church. An encyclical is a letter issued by the pope that is usually addressed to Catholic bishops or laity in a ...
*
Mater si, magistra no
''Mater si, magistra no'' (literally "Mother yes, teacher no") is a Macaronic language, macaronic phrase that means Catholics need not follow all the teachings of the Catholic Church, particularly in regard to economic justice or the rights of work ...
References
Notes
External links
Text of the encyclical TIME magazine, 1969.
TIME, 1961.
{{Authority control
Papal encyclicals
Documents of the Catholic Social Teaching tradition
Works by Pope John XXIII
1961 documents
1961 in Christianity
May 1961 events