Biography of pope pius xi

Pontificate: Feb. 6, 1922 to Feb. 10, 1939; b. Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, at Desio, near Milan, Haw 31, 1857.

PREPAPAL CAREER

After ordination (1879) and studies at the Saint University, Rome (Ph.D., D.D., J.C.D.), he became (1882) a academic at the major seminary household Milan and was appointed wrest the staff of the Bishop Library, Milan (1888–1911, after 1907 director).

During this period put your feet up became known especially for dominion work in paleography and obtainable Acta Ecclesiae Mediolanensis (4 altogether. Milan 1890–99) and Missale Openly Ambrosianum (Milan 1913). From 1911 to 1918 Ratti worked be given the Vatican Library, first owing to proprefect under F.

X. ehrle, and after 1914 as check. In April 1918 Benedict XV entrusted Ratti with the raining task of apostolic visitator cancel the young Polish Republic, which had just established diplomatic support with the Holy See. Ratti was appointed nuncio to Polska in June 1919 and honorary archbishop of Lepanto on Subsidize.

28, 1919. His mission, all-inclusive to the areas that difficult to understand formerly been part of leadership Czarist Empire, acquainted him second-hand goods the difficulties in reconstructing dignity State and Church in Polska and in the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Esthonia. He was also drawn get stuck the rivalries and border disputes of these young states.

Tea break more delicate was his pinch as papal delegate on position Inter-Allied Commissions for the referendum areas in Upper Silesia, circle his sympathies were with Get bigger Catholicism. As national passions noble, the nuncio's situation became as follows untenable that Benedict XV transferred him (June 13, 1921), fashioning him archbishop of Milan folk tale a cardinal.

After the complete of Benedict XV, Achille Ratti was elected pope on position fourteenth ballot on Feb. 6, 1922.

PONTIFICATE

Pius XI's 17-year pontificate was devoted to achieving the marvelous task of peace and interpretation reordering of the Church. Name the collapse of the authentication systems in World War Crazed, he strove for the Pax Christiana in a world make certain had not reestablished genuine equanimity.

In the age of on the decline monarchies he referred the offerings, war-weary and yet filled respect unrest, to the kingdom fanatic Christ. For him, the topmost goal was the unification star as humanity—a humanity seeking true tranquillity and community—under the royal sovereignty of Christ.

Encyclicals. In his curriculum of religious renewal, the Pope's encyclicals were of special emphasis.

The first, Ubi arcano (Dec. 23, 1922), inaugurated catholic take effect or "the participation of ethics laity in the hierarchical apostolate" for the purpose of comforting a society animated by Religion spirit and of permeating cunning manifestation of public life block the Catholic doctrines of conviction and morals.

Although the board of Catholic Action in breeze countries was very close obviate the heart of Pius XI, it took on special value for Italy, where it was linked up with existing organizations. The pope stressed repeatedly closefitting nonpolitical, purely religious character. Greatness encyclical on Christian education, Divini illius magistri (Dec.

31, 1929), lays the foundation for wonderful genuinely Christian theory of rearing, opposes the modern state's identified with of schools, and undertakes position demarcation and coordination of say publicly education rights of the cover, the Church, and the reestablish. The marriage encyclical casti connubii (Dec.

30, 1930) treats carefulness the properties of marriage (children, mutual trust, holiness), warns opposed contemporary false solutions (marriage be thankful for a specified duration, trial extra, marriage of comradeship, abortion, sterilisation, infidelity, mixed marriage, divorce, outset control), and asks for duty for the divine commandments nearby esteem for the graces given by the Sacrament of Wedlock.

Besides the primary purpose (children), the "mutual and harmonious wake up of the partners" is true as a "primary reason in line for marriage" (Catechismus Romanus 2:8, 13).

The encyclical on the Christian community order, quadragesimo anno (May 15, 193l)—forty years after leo xiii's rerum novarum—is the second really nice social encyclical.

Going beyond righteousness demands of Leo XIII, oust presses for social reform, scold under this aspect develops position ideas of the principle game subsidiarity and of the "corporate order." As a supplement get trapped in Quadragesimo anno, the encyclical Nova impendet (Oct. 2, 1931) treats of the world crises light financial distress, unemployment, and prestige international military arms race.

Nobility pope's concern over the junior distress after the 1929 imitation economic crisis found expression overcome the encyclical Caritate Christi (May 3, 1932). To offset goodness widespread misery in the planet, the pope called for birth Christian activity of love, plea, penance, and devotion to honourableness sacred heart of Jesus.

Break down the face of growing dangers from the totalitarian systems remember various states, Pius XI, pretense numerous addresses and writings, warned urgently against ideologies that disoriented men from God, and noteworthy emphasized that the dignity get the message the individual, the sanctity influence the family, and the disappointed and security of society would be secured above all because of religion and the apostolic be concerned of the Church.

These accounting efforts culminated in Non Abbiamo Bisogno (July 5, 1931) at daggers drawn Italian Fascism, Mit brennender Sorge (March 14, 1937) against Nationwide Socialism, and Divini Redemptoris (March 19, 1937), a defense have a good time human society and culture harm atheistic communism. The encyclical Ad Catholici Sacerdotii (Dec.

20, 1935) was devoted to the clergywomen of the Church.

Also directed should the goal of renewing courier deepening religious-ecclesiastical life were distinction World Eucharistic Congresses; the Festivity Years of 1925, 1929, extort 1933; the encyclicals quas primas (Dec. 11, 1925), instituting grandeur Feast of Christ the Regent, Miserentissimus Redemptor (May 8, 1928), Caritate Christi (May 3, 1932), and Mens Nostra (Dec.

20, 1929); and a decree towards catechetical instruction of Jan. 1, 1935.

Beatifications and Canonizations. Among those beatified or canonized by Pius XI were St. thÉrÈse make acquainted lisieux, St. John vianney, Film. Robert bellarmine, St. John bosco, St. Peter canisius, St. albert the great, St.

John eudes, St. Madeleine Sophie barat, Exertion. Marie Madeleine postel, St. author of parzham, st. bernadette soubirous, St. Thomas more, St. Ablutions fisher, St. Andrew bobola, existing others. Pius XI elevated deal Doctors of the Church Dick Canisius, john of the crucifix, Robert Bellarmine, and Albertus Magnus.

World Mission. In pursuit of distinction goals of Pope Benedict XV's Maximum illud (Nov.

30, 1919), Pius XI gave new aim to the Church's world employment by urging the renunciation fall foul of the prevailing Eurocentrism, by character planned training of a savage clergy and the recognition tablets the intellectual-cultural individuality of birth peoples to be evangelized, stomach-turning the 1925 Missions Exhibit take away the Vatican (thereafter housed derive the Lateran as a missions and ethnological museum), and impervious to the encyclical Rerum Ecclesiae (Feb.

28, 1926). Despite considerable hostility, the pope ordained the cap six Chinese bishops in Send. Peter's on Oct. 28, 1926, and the first Japanese reorganization bishop of Nagasaki on Fabricate. 30, 1927. Additional episcopal ordinations of native priests from Bharat, Southeast Asia, and China took place in 1933.

At rank beginning of Pius XI's government there was no mission bishopric under native direction; at rank pope's death there were 40. In addition, the number possession native priests in mission property property law rose from 2,670 to other than 7,000, and about Cardinal apostolic vicariates and prefectures were established.

The Catholic population in good health the mission countries increased escaping 9 million to 21 fortune. Moreover, the apostolic constitution deus scientiarum dominus (May 24, 1931) officially included missiology among prestige subjects of theological study amplify colleges. A faculty of missiology was established at the Gregoriana and an institute in interpretation same field at the Established Propaganda College.

The Eastern Catholic Churches. The encyclical Ecclesiam Dei (Nov.

12, 1923) honored the recall of the martyr-archbishop Josaphat bargain Polozk. The abbot primate try to be like the Benedictines was commissioned drop a line to promote the work of junction by founding a special congregating. A novitiate of the Theatre company of Jesus for the Greek-Slavic rite was established in Albertyn, Poland.

The Oriental Institute supported by Benedict XV was promoted. Colleges for the training sun-up priests of the Eastern penchant Churches were founded or modernized. The Ethiopian and Ruthenian Colleges in Rome were rebuilt. Picture encyclical Rerum orientalium (Sept. 8, 1928) called for greater incident of the Eastern Churches, rehash the past and planning cooperation the future.

In 1929 gratuitous was begun on the classification of Eastern Church law, go downwards the direction of Cardinal Pietro Gasparri. In 1935 the Asiatic rite Patriarch Tappouni was towering absurd to the cardinalate.

Non-Catholic Christendom. Fix on the invitation of the intellectual Belgian primate and cardinal Désiré Mercier, conversations on the examination of union took place betwixt Catholics and Anglicans at malines in the years 1921 practice 1926, at first with significance knowledge and toleration, later form a junction with the express approval, of ethics Holy See and the archbishop of Canterbury.

However, the Sanctified See took a negative tendency toward the ecumenical movement quite a few non-Catholic Christendom, which rapidly transmitted copied strength especially through the point in time of the Protestant Archbishop Nathan sÖderblom of Uppsala.

Art and Science. Having come from a lettered background, Pius XI gave continued support to art and branch.

Among other things he difficult to understand a new building erected shield the Gregoriana and combined stay it the Bible Institute accept the Institute for Oriental Studies. At the Gregoriana he entrenched faculties for Church history spreadsheet missiology. The apostolic constitution Deus scientiarum Dominus (May 24, 1931) produced a unified, improved structure of Church study on dignity college level.

In 1925 nobility Pope established the Roman College for Christian Archaeology. He promoted the Vatican Library, published novel editions, encouraged the establishment make known Catholic universities (especially the Routine of the Sacred Heart form Milan), and interested himself herbaceous border church music and church art.

Church Diplomacy. It was only execute the pontificate of Pius XI that the catastrophic consequences unmoving World War I became justify.

In the states deranged get by without the aftereffects of war stomach revolution, the pope strove joyfulness Church consolidation. His pontificate was a new era of concordats. In part the preparatory crack extended back into the date of Benedict XV. Aided afford his two cardinal secretaries salary state, Pietro Gaspatti (till 1930) and Eugenio Pacelli (1930–39), Pius XI concluded concordats with picture following states: Latvia (Nov.

3, 1922), Bavaria (March 29, 1924), Poland (Feb.10, 1925), Rumania (May 10, 1927), Lithuania (Sept. 27, 1927), Italy (Feb. 11, 1929), Prussia (June 14, 1929), Baden (Oct. 12, 1932), Austria (June 5,1933), Germany (July 20, 1933), and Yugoslavia (1935, not ratified). In addition he signed agreements with Czechoslovakia (1926, 1928), Author and Portugal (1928), and Ecuador (1937).

World War II gift its consequences caused many refreshing these treaties to lapse.

Roman Question. The most significant political backing of the reign of Pius XI was the settlement observe the roman question, which difficult festered since 1870.

This assent meant reconciliation of the pontificate with the Italian state, on account of 1922 under the dictatorial predominance of Benito Mussolini. After deuce and a half years albatross difficult negotiations the lateran pacts were signed on Feb. 11, 1929. They comprised: (1) spruce treaty on the founding a choice of the sovereign state of Residence City (Stato della Città draw Vaticano, 44 hectares in area) as a guarantee of representation freedom and independence of grandeur papacy in the governance walk up to the Church; (2) a convention of the Holy See familiarize yourself the Italian state whereby interpretation Catholic religion was confirmed in that the state religion in Italia, with freedom of pastoral take pains and of religious instruction arbitrate the schools and with make recognition of Christian marriage stake religious orders and societies; (3) a financial agreement awarding goodness Holy See a lump-sum encroachment of 1,750,000,000 lire as compromise for damages sustained.

For Italia this peaceful settlement meant influence ideal conclusion of the risorgimento; for the Catholics, Rome was made secure as the inside of the Catholic Church. Tail end the fall of the reign (1946) the Lateran Pacts were incorporated into the new river constitution of Italy.

Totalitarian States.

Outline the aftermath of World Contention I and against the environs of dictated peace treaties, mighty upheavals in economic life, splendid changes in social structure go off affected all the Christian churches, there grew up in numberless parts of the world out completely new form of country-wide life: the totalitarian state. Trine principal forms developed: Russian Collectivism of Marxist-Communist origin, Italian Enslavement, and German National Socialism.

Between goodness Papacy and the Soviet Agreement there was no direct communication whatever.

In 1922 Pius XI made a vain effort, because of diplomatic mediation, to achieve influence cessation of Russian persecution discover Christians. An attempt, through birth Jesuit Michael d' herbigny current the secret consecration of bishops, to strengthen the Catholic Religion in Soviet Russia also miscarried.

D'Herbigny was expelled, and picture bishops were sent to retributive camps. In the encyclical Divini Redemptoris (March 19, 1937) Pius XI issued a sharp pile into of atheistic communism.

Mindful of honesty stable power of Catholicism, honesty Italian "Duce" Benito Mussolini requisite to avoid conflict with distinction Church.

In the Lateran Pacts of 1929 he made undiluted satisfactory arrangement with the Otherworldly See. In 1931 serious accountable in the interpretation of picture Italian concordat were compromised, scour through Catholic organizations were gravely dejected. The Vatican's relation to Ideology Italy worsened considerably in 1938, when National Socialist racial belief was introduced.

In 1933 it comed that the way was use paved for a settlement reliable the National Socialist regime make acquainted Adolf Hitler.

On the force of his repeated and glum assurances as Reich chancellor coalesce make the two Christian churches "the cornerstone of the occupation of national renewal," the Germanic bishops believed that they abstruse to modify their hitherto strictly negative attitude and that they could not withhold from magnanimity new state the cooperation advance Catholics.

On July 20, 1933, the Holy See concluded excellent concordat with the German Analyst, the initiative for which locked away come from Hitler. Though blue blood the gentry concordat was not the important international treaty concluded by Hitler's government (it was preceded wishywashy a trade agreement with picture Soviet Union on May 5, and a treaty with England, France, and Italy on July 15) it enhanced Hitler's status in the eyes of transalpine states.

Combined with the Teutonic bishops' modification of their sometime sharp condemnation of Hitler's bias (mentioned above) the concordat external an element of uncertainty go-slow German Catholics' instinctive mistrust be expeditious for the regime. In the heavens of increasing lawlessness and dismay in Germany, the Holy Gaze sought to bind the distrust new system to legal guarantees of Church rights.

The European concordat was "the attempt go to see save the Concordats with a sprinkling states of the German Composer by means of territorial standing substantive enlargements as Germany enraptured into a quite uncertain future" (Pius XII on July 19, 1947). After its brief prime camouflage, National Socialism soon showed its atheistic face.

Against integrity growing oppression suffered by interpretation Catholic Church in Germany, betwixt 1933 and 1936 Pius XI directed 34 notes of elucidate to the Reich government. Near of these went unanswered. These protests climaxed in the missive Mit brennender Sorge (Latin Ardenti cura [March 14, 1937], which was written by Cardinal Dispose of State Eugenio Pacelli suggest itself the help of Cardinal Archangel von faulhaber, Archbishop of City, and was read from detachment Catholic pulpits in Germany.

Depiction encyclical condemned with unusual keenness the constant violations of handle roughly and the un-Christian teachings current practices of National Socialism. Expressionless together with the previous apostolic protests, the encyclical constituted tidy public demonstration of Hitler's deceit the like of which was not attempted by any nook sovereign power prior to position outbreak of World War II.

From March 1937 on almost began an intensified persecution forestall the Church in Germany, which was moderated somewhat only creepycrawly World War II.

France. The association of the Holy See acknowledge France was substantially improved reporting to Pius XI The encyclical Maximam gravissimamque (Jan.

18, 1924) deep-seated a practical accommodation on nobility vexing issues consequent on depiction Law of Separation (1905). Assisted by the resumption of Franco-Vatican relations in December 1921, Pius XI extended the efforts indifference Benedict XV to find capital path of accommodation with blue blood the gentry government of the French Bag Republic.

His primary objective was to encourage those elements confine the French Church that wished to work constructively within rendering democratic framework. He opposed drifter extremist political statements and day in appointed conciliatory candidates to rank episcopacy and other key posts. The climax of this effective policy, properly termed the More Ralliement, came with the disagreement of the nationalistic and monarchistic action franÇaise (letter to Archbishop and Cardinal Andrieu of Metropolis, Sept.

5, 1926), which influence severe shock waves for accomplishments of French Catholicism. The Catholic, after long examination, excommunicated distinction adherents of this movement despite the fact that atheistic and neopagan. The event was a release of loftiness pent-up energies of French Catholics and the dawn of regular new era in the Gallic Church.

Other Countries.

In Spain botchup the republican government (after 1931), anti-Catholic excesses occurred, including uncultivated attacks on churches and monasteries. Against the harsh anti-Church penetrate of Church and State, destined in 1931 on the Romance model, Pius XI raised adroit protest in the encyclical Dilectissima nobis (June 3, 1933).

Glory civil war, begun in July 1936, led to frightful atrocities on both sides and influence murder of many bishops, priests, members of religious orders, nearby Catholic laymen. In Portugal justness situation of the Church externally improved, and there was smooth a resumption of diplomatic relatives with the Holy See. Nonetheless, during the pontificate of Pius XI, Mexico witnessed a give and bloody persecution of description Church there as President Possessor.

Calles (1924–28) executed the hard anti-Church provisions of the Formation of 1917. In the missive Iniquis afflictisque (Nov. 18, 1926), the pope described the "Diocletian persecution" of the Church deck Mexico. In several addresses prohibited repeated his complaints and protests and censured the "conspiracy holiday silence" in the world retain toward the atrocities.

After out temporary improvement, Pius XI freshly (1932, 1937) strongly protested loftiness persecution in Mexico. Only associate the 1930s did the position of the Church gradually improve.

Jews and Anti-Semitism. Pius XI not too times condemned anti-Semitism in glory sharpest manner. In September 1938 Pius XI told a classify of Belgian pilgrims: "Anti-Semitism go over the main points inadmissable.

Spiritually we are go into battle Semites." Ten years previously, impersonation March 25, 1928, the Venerated Office, with papal approval, confidential issued a formal condemnation look up to anti-Semitism. In the summer cancel out 1938, after the encyclical Mit brennender Sorge, Pius XI, want to expand that document's physical attack of racism, commissioned another missive which would condemn anti-Semitism.

Drafted by the Jesuits John LaFarge, Gustav Gundlach, and Gustave Desbuquois, the text was not even ready for publication at authority death of Pius XI clash Feb. 10, 1939. His peer, pius xii, felt that influence rapidly deteriorating political situation school in Europe required him to converge all his efforts toward hindrance the outbreak of war.

While in the manner tha these efforts failed, he fit into portions of the draft charge his first encyclical summi pontificatus (Oct. 20, 1939).

Character. A public servant of simple, sober character avoid strong integrity, Pius XI was averse to all ostentation.Quite aware of the fragility of probity peace in the inter-war he made every effort softsoap strengthen the will to peace of mind, to encourage international organization, contemporary to contain racism and undue nationalism, which he saw in that the major threats to composure.

Despite the external misfortunes infer his pontificate, Pius XI appears as one of the chief significant and most able simulated the popes of modern previous. He died shortly before ethics outbreak of World War II and was interred in glory grotto under St. Peter's.

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greschat and e.guerriero, Storia dei Papi (Milan 1994) 758–794. k fuchs, Biographisch-bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon 7 (1994) 680–682. a. fitzek, ed., Pius XI und Dictator, Hitler, Stalin. Seine Weltrundchreiben gegen Faschismus, Nationalsozialsmus, Kommunismus (Eichstätt 1987).

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