Pacem in Terris: “The Ninth Symphony of Peace”

An encyclical still relevant

In the conversations on the Social Doctrine of the Church, addressed with Mauro Viani on the pages of Lucca Sette, various topics were discussed that seem to have aroused some interest among readers, particularly the reflection on the signs of the times, that is, on the ability to know how to read in the events we are living, God’s calls to make society more just and more human, responding to his plan.

Some older readers appreciated the reference to Bishop Filippo Franceschi of Lucca and his lucid reflection regarding the signs of the times that was quoted from one of his books.

But just referring to the last article, there is one thing in particular that struck a chord and could be explored further with Mauro Viani.

In our reflection on the signs of the times in the previous meeting, in addition to the important conciliar constitution Gaudium et spes, you mentioned John XXIII’s social encyclical Pacem in terris. Can you help us learn about this important and fundamental social document?

I gladly do so because, although fifty years have passed since its publication, Pacem in terris is still a document of great relevance and prophetic scope.

I must say that, personally, it is the social document that I like the most and that I often love to reread and meditate on.

For the first time, an encyclical letter deals exclusively with the theme of peace, and states that peace is not only the absence of war, but the fruit of truth, justice, love and freedom. And for the first time, the letter is addressed not only to believers, but to all people of good will. This Encyclical marks a turning point in the way we understand war and peace.

Pacem in Terris was written, it seems to me, in a particularly difficult period of world history, when the two great powers were facing each other…

Yes, that Encyclical was written at a time of great international tensions, which sometimes resulted in acts of war and bloody struggles, not only between nations, but also within the same country.

John XXIII, already gravely ill and not far from death, published this document on April 11, 1963, which at first was not understood by everyone, not even within the Church, but instead had a universal resonance precisely because of its prophetic afflatus, being addressed, as I said, to all men of good will.

With happy insight, this encyclical was called the Ninth Symphony of Peace: in fact, it is divided into five parts, corresponding to the four movements plus the final chorus of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

The Encyclical, what topics does it cover and how is it articulated? Can you give a brief summary of it?

Obviously, it is not possible to expound in a few sentences all the richness and contents of this social document, however I want to recall some themes that I consider particularly important.

John XXIII reminds us first of all that peace is a profound yearning of every human being, and that it can only exist in respect for the order willed by God, within each political community, in the relationship between nations, as well as in the world community itself.

The thing that perhaps strikes us most, reading the Encyclical, is the reference to the rights and duties of man: the document even offers us the specific list of the main rights of man (nn 6 – 13), but it also indicates – and this is a peculiarity of Christian thought – respective duties (nn 14 – 16): rights and duties that are universal, inviolable and inalienable.

Just think, that for the first time in an official Church document the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations is mentioned, explicitly, and this Declaration is recognized as an act of the highest importance (nn. 75).

Is there any other aspect of Pacem in Terris that you can briefly point out to us?

Another theme that I like to mention, because it marked a radical turning point, is the theme of the morality of war.

After Pacem in Terris it is no longer possible to distinguish, as even Catholic morality once did, between just and unjust war: in the third part of the Encyclical, in fact, there is an absolute condemnation of war.

John XXIII grasps as a sign of the times, that is, as a call from God, the persuasion increasingly present in the minds of men that any disputes between peoples should not be resolved by recourse to arms, but through dialogue and negotiation, and states, “It remains almost impossible to think (alienum est a ratione, alien to reason) that in the atomic age war can be used as an instrument of justice (bellum iam aptum esse ad violata iura sarcienda, war is an effective means of redressing violated rights)” (n. 67).

I also wanted to quote the Latin text because the Italian translation has somewhat attenuated the force of the Pope’s thought. Indeed, if contrary to right reason, war can never find any justification!

Pacem in Terris is truly a prophetic text: the Encyclical really saw into the distance! Is there any other aspect of particular note?

Pacem in terris also reminded us of the need for the Church to get into an attitude of listening and dialogue.

At the very end of the Encyclical, John XXIII invites Catholics to collaboration and dialogue with all, even with those who are not yet enlightened by faith in Jesus Christ, but in whom the light of reason and natural honesty is present (No. 82).

He calls for never confusing error with the errant, so that while not adhering to error, it is possible to work together for the common good and for peace even with those who have inadequate knowledge of the truth. “The errant,” it reads, ‘is always first and foremost a human being and in every case preserves his dignity as a person’ (No. 83).

Source

• “L’anima del Mondo. Dialoghi sull’insegnamento sociale della Chiesa” of Mauro Viani

Images

• Image digitally created by spazio+spadoni