CUM SUMMI (Proclaiming a
Universal Jubilee)
Pope
Clement XIV
Encyclical of
Pope Clement XIV promulgated on 12 December 1769.
To Bishops, Archbishops, Patriarchs and
Primates Concerning the Universal Jubilee.
Venerable Brothers, Greetings and Apostolic
Blessing.
When We contemplate Our position and consider
the gravity of its burden, We are deeply disturbed both because of the
magnitude of the task itself and the weakness of Our resources. We seem to have
been called into the depths of the sea from the peace of a quiet life as if
from a most safe harbor to rule the bark of blessed Peter, to be shaken by
great floods and to be all but submerged by the force of the tempest. Truly
this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. It was not because
of human counsel but rather by His inscrutable judgment that such a care had
been unexpectedly laid upon Us. Therefore, we are buoyed up by a certain hope
that He who has chosen Us will, Himself remove Our fear, and infirmity and will
hear Us in the depths of the storm. The memory of Peter trembling in the sea
and of the Lord reproving his little faith will confirm Us in the same trust.
Surely He wishes Us to put aside all doubt about obtaining His help and to act
with the hope of His grace, rather than from fear of Our weakness. Therefore,
We obey His will, and We hand Ourselves over to His faithfulness and power. For
if He has decided to aid Our labors in the present circumstances for the safety
of His Church, everyone will surely perceive Him alone as its author and
source; hence they will realize that the honor and glory must be given to Him
alone. Therefore, We proceed eagerly to undertake this great burden, and We
will strive to trust in His powerful help. We will consider no care too great in
carrying out our task.
2. When We ponder the nature of Our
administration and look to all regions of the Christian world, We behold you in
your exalted posts. We are refreshed by your presence; We recognize that you
are Our helpers, the custodians of the Lord's flock and laborers in the
evangelical vineyard. Therefore at the beginning of Our apostolate, We wish to
address you. If We seem in any way to exhort and reprove you, attribute it to
Our fear for Ourselves or consider that it comes for Our confidence in your
virtue and devotion to Us.
3. First of all, We beseech you never to cease
imploring God to strengthen Us. Return Our love for you, and thus join the
mutual aid of your prayers with Us so that we may sustain each other. By doing
this, you will confirm your unity with Us. For, to be sure, the edifice of the
whole church is one, whose foundation was placed by blessed Peter in this See.
Many stones are joined for its construction, but all rest on one rock. One is
the body of the church, whose head is Christ, and all cohere in it. We
vicariously administer His power and preside over others by His will. You and
We are the more prominent members of the same body. For, what can happen to
individual members which does not affect all or
pervade each? Accordingly, whatever concerns you concerns Us, and vice versa.
Therefore, together we must all labor for the health and safety of the church,
so that, without blemish or strain, it may flourish. With God's help we can
accomplish this if each of you is enkindled by as strong a zeal for his flock
as possible and if your one concern be to remove from his flock all contagion
of evil and pitfalls of error and to strengthen it diligently with all the aids
of sound doctrine and holiness.
4. If ever those in charge of the Lord's
vineyard should be concerned about the salvation of souls, they must be so in
this age especially. For many ideas aimed at weakening religion arise almost
daily. When men are enticed by novelty and led on by an eagerness for alien
knowledge, they come together more eagerly for this very purpose and more
willingly embrace it. Wherefore, We lament that the destruction of souls is
propagated more widely each day. Accordingly you must work all the harder and
exercise diligence and authority to repel this audacity and insanity which
stalks even divine and most holy matters. Be confident that you will accomplish
this by simplicity of sound doctrine and by the word of God which penetrates
more than any two-edged sword. You will easily be able to contain the attack of
enemies and blunt their weapons when in all your sermons you preach and present
Jesus Christ crucified. By His own laws and institutions He founded and reenforced this holy city which is His Church. To it he
entrusted, as it were, the deposit of faith in Him to be preserved piously and
without contamination. He wished it to be the bulwark of His teaching and truth
against which the gates of hell would never prevail. We, therefore, the
overseers and guardians of this holy city, must preserve the magnificent
heritage of Our laws and faith which has been passed down intact to Us; We must
transmit it pure and sound to our successors. If We direct all our actions to
this norm found in sacred scripture and moreover cling to the footsteps of our
ancestors, We will be best equipped to avoid whatever could weaken and destroy
the faith of the Christian people and loosen in any way the unity of the
Church.
5. Whatever pertains to religious worship, to
moral training, to right living can be found in the two fold instrument of
scriptures and tradition. From this source we learn the depth of mysteries and
the duties of piety, honesty, justice, and humanity. We learn, thus, what we
owe to God, to the Church, to our country, our fellow citizens, and all other
men. From no other source than these laws of true religion do we recognize more
clearly the established rights of citizens and society. Accordingly, no one has
ever attacked the divine sanctions of Christ without likewise disturbing public
tranquillity, without lessening obedience owed to
rulers, and without rendering everything unsafe and uncertain. For there is a
strong bond between divine and human rights; therefore those who realize that
rulers are protected by the authority of the Christian law, obey them, venerate
their authority, and protect and cherish their dignity.
6. Therefore, We exhort that after God and the
Church, you concern yourselves with instilling in people obedience and
deference to rulers. For they protect public safety and enforce the equity of
law. They are ministers of God and not without reason do they carry the sword
as vindicators in wrath on him who does wrong; moreover they are beloved sons
and patrons of the Church, whose part it is to cherish it like a parent and
protect its interest and rights. Let your followers learn from the cradle
itself to maintain their loyalty to rulers, to obey authority, and to venerate
the law not only because of fear, but also because of conscience. This will
benefit both the tranquillity of civic life and also
the profit of the church, for these cannot be separated. To this end, add to
the daily prayers for your people certain special petitions for the rulers,
that they may be kept safe and that they may rule in equity, peace, and
justice, so that recognizing God himself ruling in the kingdom of men, they may
protect and advance His cause. Thus, you will satisfy your episcopal
task no less than the well-being of all.
7. As for the rest, we consider it superfluous
to review with you the other aspects of your pastoral office in any detail. For
why should We pursue details and exhort you in matters you clearly know and of
which, moreover, you have the added advantage of day-to-day experience and a
spiritual outlook fully consonant with your function? One thing only We will
mention: try to follow the example of our Leader and the Chief of the apostles
in all things, and to exemplify in yourselves that model of holiness, charity,
and humility. For if Christ, assuming the weakness of our flesh, wished that
men reclaimed by His humility and love become adoptive sons of God and His
coheirs, then what can be better than for Us to preserve this union of men with
Christ, and to ourselves as an example to all? For what other reason is there
for him who preaches the gospel for Sion to climb a
high mountain? If once you are inflamed with this desire, then this same ardor
will spread among all your people. Indeed the force and authority of the pastor
for moving the spirits of his flock is truly marvellous.
For when they recognize that all his thoughts and actions are conformed to this
model of true virtue, when they see in him nothing harsh, nothing arrogant, and
nothing exalted, but rather charity, meekness, and humility, then truly they
will feel themselves drawn most keenly to imitate these qualities. Moreover,
when they see him paying no attention to private gain, instead serving the
advantage of everyone else, coming to the aid of the needy with his resources,
of the afflicted with his consolation, of the ignorant with his teaching, of
all men with his service, advice and piety, even preferring their salvation to
his life, they will listen to his voice as he teaches, exhorts, implores, and
even blames and reproves in a most loving manner. For if pastors are hampered
by private interests and prefer worldly things to heavenly, how can they rouse
others to love of God and mutual kindness? If they seek after wealth, pleasure,
honors, how can they rouse others to the contempt of human things? If they are
puffed up with pride and arrogance, how can they rouse others to meekness and
humility? Therefore, since you have taken upon yourselves the office of
instructing souls in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, you must adhere to his
holiness, innocence, and gentleness. Consider, too, that your proper business, is to instruct the people in this fashion, and
that by carrying out this task correctly will come all your praise and good
fortune, from neglecting it, your calamity and turpitude. Therefore, seek only
those riches that come from gaining souls for Christ. Seek only that glory
which comes from promoting divine worship, from adding to the beauty of the
house of God, and from extirpating vice and promoting virtue.
8. Not even when you have been long and much
tried in these labors should you think that there will ever be a limit to
practicing virtue. To be sure, it is the condition of your office, the nature
of the episcopal life, never to be free from cares or
to attain leisure. But the expectation of the immortal and infinite reward
awaiting you will lighten all troubles. Moreover, in addition to this hope of
immortality, you will experience abundant joy even in sustaining the labors of
the pastoral life, when you behold your people joined with the mutual bonds of
charity, honesty, and piety and when you behold all the other outstanding
fruits of your vigilance and toils gained for the Church. Would that We might
see that splendid felicity of religion of ancient days returned to the Church
in this time of Our apostolate as a result of the unanimous accord of all our
wills and labors.
9. At the same time as We send this Encyclical
to you, Venerable Brothers, We also send another to all the faithful announcing
the customary Jubilee for imploring divine aid for a salutary governance of the
holy Catholic Church at the beginning of Our pontificate. Direct your people to
properly perform these prayers in faith, piety, and-humility
and inspire them to care for their salvation as well as the general welfare of
the Christian people.
10. As a pledge of Our love We impart the
apostolic blessing to you, Venerable Brothers, and the faithful of your
churches.
Given in