Annus iam plenus
Pope Benedict XV turns again . with his encyclical Annus iam plenus of December 1, 1920 to all bishops and again calls for a fundraising campaign “for the children in Central Europe”.
As early as November 24, 1919, in the encyclical Paterno iam diu, he had pointed out the “plight of children in Central Europe” and asked for collections and donations in kind.
In this new encyclical the Pope thanks for the donations made so far . However, he also states that the measures taken so far have not been sufficient and that children still have to live in poverty and hunger. He once again lamented the hardships resulting from the aftermath of the war and emphasized that helping is a divine and fatherly duty. His appeal was not only for financial support, but also for clothing, warm blankets and food to be provided. The donation day was set for December 28th, and all dioceses were to conduct a fundraising campaign on this day.
