Permoti nos

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Permoti nos is an encyclical of Pope Leo XIII. The letter of 10 July 1895 to the Belgian bishops named after his incipit dealt with the social conditions in the country.

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On the basis of the prevailing disagreement among Belgian Catholics on the social question and Catholic education in Belgium, the Pope strongly recommends that a synod of Belgian bishops be convened . This should serve to exchange the different points of view and to decide on suitable measures. The social question could not only be viewed from a single point of view, since although it did indeed revolve around worldly goods, it was also about questions of morality and faith. It is also directly linked to constitutional aspects, so that it ultimately has a major impact on the rights and obligations of the individual. In addition, if one applies the basic statements of the gospel about justice and charity to this question and to that of one's own conduct of life, this inevitably affects the multiple interests of people.

In the following, Pope Leo assures the Belgian bishops of his assistance in solving this difficult situation. To this end, Catholics must be driven by the burning desire to strive only for those things that are beneficial to the common good and to put their own opinions and concerns aside. This will ensure that

  • the religion radiates in its own wonderful way also on civil, internal and economic concerns of the country and brings this security
  • through the connection of public authority and freedom in a Christian way, the Kingdom of Belgium may be saved from sedition and protected by calm
  • the good institutions of the country, especially the schools for the children, would be promoted and improved
  • trade and handicrafts are particularly promoted by those associations which are abundantly available in Belgium and which should be further promoted and supported in the interests of faith and spiritual leadership.
  • the highest commandments of God would be obeyed with the humility due to them. Since God has determined that there are different classes in mankind, but that there is an equality in these classes that derives from peaceful cooperation with one another, workers should by no means lose respect for their employers and trust in them, and employers should Treat their workers with just kindness and wise care.

These are the main pillars on which the common good rests, which is the aim of the joint efforts to strive for. From this good come real relief, in order to give comfort in the perilousness of mortal life, and from it arise merit for eternal life. The Pope closes with an exhortation to the clergy on spiritual guidance and to set out his expectations for the Belgian people to follow the path of unity and to overcome their disunity. With regard to the “misery of socialism ” he, Leo XIII., Let his voice ring out often and powerfully, not least in the encyclical Rerum novarum . The Pope addresses a final word of blessing to all people who are of good will.

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