Anyone who examines the ideology of socialism will see the contrast
between the socialist doctrine and the doctrine of the Church.
All the same, it is not out of place to review the condemnation of the popes
starting with Pius IX and ending with Benedict XVI. Thus, we present what the popes have
to say about socialism as they condemn the socialist doctrine thoroughly and entirely.
This is not a comprehensive compilation, but just some samples.
“Overthrow [of] the entire order of human
affairs”
“ You are aware indeed, that the goal of this most iniquitous plot is to drive
people to overthrow the entire order of human affairs and to draw them over to the wicked
theories of this Socialism and Communism,
by confusing them with perverted teachings. ” (Encyclical Nostis et Nobiscum,
December 8, 1849)
Hideous monster
“... communism, socialism, nihilism, hideous deformities of the civil society of
men and almost its ruin.” (Encyclical Diuturnum, June 29, 1881)
Ruin of all institutions
“... For, the fear of God and reverence for divine laws being taken away, the
authority of rulers despised, sedition permitted and approved, and the popular passions
urged on to lawlessness, with no restraint save that of punishment, a change and overthrow
of all things will necessarily follow. Yea, this change and overthrow is deliberately
planned and put forward by many associations of communists and socialists”
(Encyclical Humanum Genus, April 20, 1884, n. 27).
A sect “that threatens
civil society with destruction”
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| Leo XIII (1877-1903): Socialists assail the right of property
sanctioned by natural law. |
“…We speak of that sect of men who, under various and almost barbarous names,
are called socialists, communists, or nihilists, and who, spread over all the world, and
bound together by the closest ties in a wicked confederacy, no longer seek the shelter of
secret meetings, but, openly and boldly marching forth in the light of day, strive to
bring to a head what they have long been planning - the overthrow of all civil
society whatsoever. Surely, these are they who, as the sacred Scriptures testify, ‘Defile
the flesh, despise dominion and blaspheme majesty.’ (Jud. 8).” (Encyclical Quod
Apostolici Muneris, December 28, 1878, n. 1)
Socialists debase the
natural union of man and woman and assail the right of property
“They [socialists, communists, or nihilists] debase the natural union of man and
woman, which is held sacred even among barbarous peoples; and its bond, by which the
family is chiefly held together, they weaken, or even deliver up to lust. Lured, in fine,
by the greed of present goods, which is ‘the root of all evils, which some coveting
have erred from the faith’ (1 Tim. 6:10.3), they assail the right of property
sanctioned by natural law; and by a scheme of horrible wickedness, while they seem
desirous of caring for the needs and satisfying the desires of all men, they strive to
seize and hold in common whatever has been acquired either by title of lawful inheritance,
or by labor of brain and hands, or by thrift in one's mode of life.” (Encyclical Quod
Apostolici Muneris, December 28, 1878, n. 1)
Destructive sect
“...socialists and members of other seditious societies, who labor
unceasingly to destroy the State even to its foundations.” (Encyclical Libertas
Praestantissimum, June 20, 1888)
Enemy of society and of
Religion
“...there is need for a union of brave minds with all the resources they can
command. The harvest of misery is before our eyes, and the dreadful projects of the
most disastrous national upheavals are threatening us from the growing power of the
socialistic movement. They have insidiously worked their way into the very heart of the
community, and in the darkness of their secret gatherings, and in the open light of day,
in their writings and their harangues, they are urging the masses onward to sedition; they
fling aside religious discipline; they scorn duties; they clamor only for rights; they are
working incessantly on the multitudes of the needy which daily grow greater, and which,
because of their poverty are easily deluded and led into error. It is equally the concern
of the State and of religion, and all good men
 |
| Saint Pius X (1903-1914) |
should deem it a sacred duty to
preserve and guard both in the honor which is their due.” (Encyclical Graves de
Communi Re, January 18, 1901, n. 21)
SAINT PIUS X (1903-1914):
The dream of re-shaping society will bring
socialism
“But stranger still, alarming and saddening at the same time, are the
audacity and frivolity of men who call themselves Catholics and dream of re-shaping
society under such conditions, and of establishing on earth, over and beyond the pale of
the Catholic Church, ‘the reign of love and justice’ ... What are they going to
produce? ... A mere verbal and chimerical construction in which we shall see, glowing in a
jumble, and in seductive confusion, the words Liberty, Justice, Fraternity, Love,
Equality, and human exultation, all resting upon an ill-understood human dignity. It will
be a tumultuous agitation, sterile for the end proposed, but which will benefit the less
Utopian exploiters of the people. Yes, we can truly say that the Sillon, its eyes
fixed on a chimera, brings Socialism in its train.” (Apostolic Letter Notre Charge
Apostolique ["Our Apostolic Mandate"] to the French Bishops, August 15,
1910, condemning the movement Le Sillon)
 |
| Benedict
XV |
BENEDICT XV ( 1914-1922):
The condemnation of socialism should never be
forgotten
“It is not our intention here to repeat the arguments which clearly expose the errors
of Socialism and of similar doctrines. Our predecessor, Leo XIII, most wisely did so in
truly memorable Encyclicals; and you, Venerable Brethren, will take the greatest care that
those grave precepts are never forgotten, but that whenever circumstances call for it,
they should be clearly expounded and inculcated in Catholic associations and congresses,
in sermons and in the Catholic press.” (Encyclical Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum,
November 1, 1914, n. 13)
PIUS XI (1922-1939):
 |
| Pius XI (1922-1939): "No one can be at the same time a
good Catholic and a true socialist." |
Socialism, fundamentally contrary to Christian
truth
“... For Socialism, which could then be termed almost a single system and which
maintained definite teachings reduced into one body of doctrine, has since then split
chiefly into two sections, often opposing each other and even bitterly hostile, without
either one however abandoning a position fundamentally contrary to Christian truth that
was characteristic of Socialism.” (Encyclical Quadragesimo Anno, May 15, 1931,
n. 111)
Socialism cannot be reconciled with Catholic
Doctrine
“ But what if Socialism has really been so tempered and modified as to the class
struggle and private ownership that there is in it no longer anything to be censured on
these points? Has it thereby renounced its contradictory nature to the Christian religion?
This is the question that holds many minds in suspense. And numerous are the Catholics
who, although they clearly understand that Christian principles can never be abandoned or
diminished seem to turn their eyes to the Holy See and earnestly beseech Us to decide
whether this form of Socialism has so far recovered from false doctrines that it can be
accepted without the sacrifice of any Christian principle and in a certain sense be
baptized. That We, in keeping with Our fatherly solicitude, may answer their petitions, We
make this pronouncement: Whether considered as a doctrine, or an historical fact, or a
movement, Socialism, if it remains truly Socialism, even after it has yielded to truth and
justice on the points which we have mentioned, cannot be reconciled with the teachings of
the Catholic Church because its concept of society itself is utterly foreign to Christian
truth.” (Ibid. n. 117)
Catholic Socialism, a contradiction
“[Socialism] is based nevertheless on a theory of human society peculiar to itself
and irreconcilable with true Christianity. Religious socialism, Christian socialism, are
contradictory terms; no one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist.”
( Ibid. n. 120)
 |
| Pius XII |
The state can not be regarded as being above
all
"To consider the State as something ultimate to which everything else should be
subordinated and directed, cannot fail to harm the true and lasting prosperity of
nations." (Encyclical Summi Pontificatus, October 20, 1939, n. 60)
 |
| John XXIII |
JOHN XXIII (1958-1963):
“No Catholic could subscribe even to
moderate socialism”
“Pope Pius XI further emphasized the fundamental opposition between Communism and
Christianity, and made it clear that no Catholic could subscribe even to moderate
Socialism. The reason is that Socialism is founded on a doctrine of human society which is
bounded by time and takes no account of any objective other than that of material
well-being. Since, therefore, it proposes a form of social organization which aims solely
at production, it places too severe a restraint on human liberty, at the same time
flouting the true notion of social authority.” (Encyclical Mater et Magistra,
May 15, 1961, n. 34)
 |
| Paul VI |
Too often Christians tend to idealize socialism
“Too often Christians attracted by socialism tend to idealize it in terms
which, apart from anything else, are very general: a will for justice, solidarity and
equality. They refuse to recognize the limitations of the historical socialist movements,
which remain conditioned by the ideologies from which they originated.” (Apostolic
Letter Octogesima Adveniens, May 14, 1971, n. 31)
 |
| John Paul
II (1978-2005) |
JOHN PAUL II (1978-2005):
Socialism: Danger of a “simple and radical
solution”
“It may seem surprising that ‘socialism’ appeared at the beginning of the
Pope's critique of solutions to the ‘question of the working class’ at a time
when ‘socialism’ was not yet in the form of a strong and powerful State, with
all the resources which that implies, as was later to happen. However, he correctly judged
the danger posed to the masses by the attractive presentation of this simple and radical
solution to the ‘question of the working class.’" (Encyclical Centesimus
Annus - On the 100 th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's Rerum
Novarum, May 1, 1991, n. 12)
Fundamental error of
socialism: A mistaken conception of the person
“Continuing our reflections, ... we have to add that the fundamental error of
socialism is anthropological in nature. Socialism considers the individual person simply
as an element, a molecule within the social organism, so that the good of the individual
is completely subordinated to the functioning of the socio-economic mechanism. Socialism
likewise maintains that the good of the individual can be realized without reference to
his free choice, to the unique and exclusive responsibility which he exercises in the face
of good or evil. Man is thus reduced to a series of social relationships, and the concept
of the person as the autonomous subject of moral decision disappears, the very subject
whose decisions build the social order. From this mistaken conception of the person there
arise both a distortion of law, which defines the sphere of the exercise of freedom, and
an opposition to private property.” (Ibid, n. 13)
BENEDICT XVI (2005 - present):
“We do not need a State which regulates
and controls everything”
 |
| Benedict XVI |
“The State which would provide everything, absorbing everything into
itself, would ultimately become a mere bureaucracy incapable of guaranteeing the very
thing which the suffering person - every person - needs: namely, loving personal concern.
We do not need a State which regulates and controls everything, but a State which, in
accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, generously acknowledges and supports
initiatives arising from the different social forces and combines spontaneity with
closeness to those in need. … In the end, the claim that just social structures would
make works of charity superfluous masks a materialist conception of man: the mistaken
notion that man can live ‘by bread alone’ (Mt 4:4; cf. Dt 8:3) - a conviction
that demeans man and ultimately disregards all that is specifically human.”
(Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, December 25, 2005, n. 28)
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