An Address of Pope Pius XII to the Directors of the
Associations for Large Families of Rome and of Italy, January 20, 1958*
In the modern civil world a large family is usually, with good reason, looked upon as evidence of the fact that the Christian faith is being lived up to, for the selfishness that We just pointed out as the principal obstacle to an increase in the size of a family group cannot be successfully overcome without recourse to ethical and religious principles.
In recent times we have seen how so-called “demographic politics” have failed to achieve any noteworthy results; it is easy to see why, for the individual interest will almost always win out over the collective pride and selfishness which this idea so often expresses, and the aims and methods of this policy debase the dignity of the family and the person by placing them on the same level as lower species.
Why do Christians have so many kids?
Only the divine and eternal light of Christianity gives full life and meaning to the family and this is so true that right from the beginning and through the whole course of its history, large families have often been considered as synonymous with Christian families. Respect for divine laws has made them abound with life; faith in God gives parents the strength and vigor they need to face the sacrifice and self-denial demanded for the raising of their children; Christian principles guide them and help them in the hard work of education; the Christian spirit of love watches over their peace and good order, and seems to draw forth from nature and bestow the deepest family joys that belong to parents, to children, to brothers and sisters.
Even externally, a large, well-ordered family is a kind of visible shrine: the sacrament of Baptism is not an exceptional event for them but something constantly renewing the joy and grace of the Lord. The series of happy pilgrimages to the Baptismal font is not yet finished when a new one to Confirmation and first Communion begins, aglow with the same innocence. The youngest of the children will scarcely have put away his little white suit among the dearest memories of life, when the first wedding veil appears to bring parents, children, and new relatives together at the foot of the altar. More marriages, more Baptisms, more first Communions follow each other like ever-new springtimes that, in a sense, make the visits of God and of His grace to the home unending.
How does God’s Providence work?
But God also visits large families with His Providence, and parents, especially those who are poor, give clear testimony to this by resting all their trust in Him when human efforts are not enough. A trust that has a solid foundation and is not in vain! Providence — to put it in human words and ideas — is not a sum total of exceptional acts of divine pity; it is the ordinary result of harmonious activity on the part of the infinite wisdom, goodness and omnipotence of the Creator. God will never refuse a means of living to those He calls into being.
The Divine Master has explicitly taught that “life is worth more than food, and the body more than clothing” (cf. Matt. 6, 25). If single incidents, whether small or great, seem to contradict this, it is a sign that man has placed some obstacle in the way of divine order, or else, in exceptional cases, that God has higher plans for good; but Providence is something real, something necessary since God is the Creator.
Overpopulation is not to be feared
The so-called problem of overpopulation of the earth is partly real and partly unreasonably feared as an imminent catastrophe for modern society; but undoubtedly the rise of this problem and the continued failure to arrive at a solution of it is not due to some mix-up or inertia on the part of divine Providence, but rather to disorder on man’s part — especially to his selfishness and avarice.
With the progress that has been made in technology, with the ease of transportation, and with the new sources of energy that are just beginning to be tapped, the earth can promise prosperity to all those who will dwell on it for a long time to come.
As for the future, who can foresee what new and unsuspected resources may be found on our planet, and what surprises may be uncovered outside of it by the wonderful scientific achievements that have just barely begun? And who can be sure that the natural rhythm of procreation will be the same in the future as it is now? Is it not possible that some law that will moderate the rhythm of expansion from within may come into play? Providence has reserved the future destiny of the world to itself.
It is strange to find that the fears of some individuals are able to change well-founded hopes for prosperity into catastrophic spectre at the very moment when science is changing what used to be considered the dreams of wild imaginations into useful realities. So overpopulation is not a valid reason for spreading illicit birth control practices. It is simply a pretext used by those who would justify avarice and selfishness — by those nations, for instance, who fear that the expansion of others will pose a danger to their own political position and cause a lowering of the general standard of living, or by individuals, especially those who are better off, who prefer the greatest possible enjoyment of earthly goods to the praise and merit of bringing new lives into existence. The final result is that they break the fixed and certain laws of the Creator under the pretext of correcting supposed errors on the part of His Providence.
It would be more reasonable and useful if modern society would make a more determined, universal effort to correct its own conduct, by removing the causes of hunger in the overpopulated or “depressed areas,” through a more active use of modern discoveries for peaceful aims, a more open political policy of collaboration and exchange, a more far-seeing and less nationalistic economy; above all, by reacting to all suggestions of selfishness with charity, to those of avarice with a more concrete application of justice.
God is not going to ask men for an accounting of the general destiny of mankind; that is His business; but He will demand an accounting of the single acts that they have deliberately performed in accordance with or against the dictates of conscience. As for you, parents and children of large families, keep on giving a serene and firm testimony of your trust in divine Providence, and be assured that He will not fail to repay you with the testimony of His daily help and, whenever necessary, with those extraordinary helps that many of you have been happy to experience already.
Excerpts from “The Golden Rule”
by a member of a Religious Order (written in 1871)
In these difficult times for the Catholic Church, it is frequently lamented that there is not a greater unity among the various traditional Catholic groups. The following excerpt may be of some comfort for those who are so troubled.
It happened once that a young Carthusian abbot had great trouble with some of his subjects. In a letter he wrote to St. Bernard, he says that “Had each one done his duty, he would have found no difficulty in governing them, or in being their superior.” The young and inexperienced abbot said nothing that was surprising, for should everyone do his duty, a statue might, as it were, be capable of being the general of an order of fifty thousand religious, having need of eyes only, to behold the good done by them of their own accord.
But, alas! Ever since the beginning of the world, there have been two elements continually combating each other — the good and the bad. “There must be scandals,” said Our Lord, a fatal though divine decree. St. Michael and Lucifer combated each other in heaven; Cain and Abel in the family of Adam; Isaac and Ismael in that of Abraham; Jacob and Esau in that of Isaac; Joseph and his brethren in that of Jacob; Solomon and Absalom in that of David; St. Peter and Judas in the company of Our Lord Jesus Christ; the Apostles and the Roman emperors, in the Church of Christ; St. Francis of Assisi and Brother Elias, in the Franciscan Order; St. Bernard and his uncle Andrew, in the Cistercian Order; St. Alphonsus and Father Leggio in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer; orthodox Faith and heresy and infidelity, in the Kingdom of God on earth; the just and the wicked, in all places, in fact, where is that country, that city, that village, that religious community, or that family howsoever small it may be, where these two elements are not found in opposition. The parable of the sower and the cockle is everywhere verified; even should you be quite alone grace and nature combat one another. “And a man’s enemies shall be they of his own household.”
Strange to say, not only the good and the wicked are found in perpetual conflict, but God, for wise ends, permits that even the holiest and best of men are sometimes diametrically opposed, and even incite persecution, each against the other, though each one may be led by the purest and holiest of motives.
St. Epiphanius disputed with St. John Chrysostom, saying that he never would tolerate the disciples of Origen. St. John Chrysostom, not so hasty in his conclusion, said that he would never confound the innocent with the guilty. St. Epiphanius replied that the heresy was so impious, the crime so enormous, that true love for the Faith should force him to expel this brood of vipers from the Church without delay. St. John Chrysostom answered, “A good judge condemns no one without a hearing.”
St. Epiphanius exclaimed, “You are too punctilious in the matter.”
In reply St. John Chrysostom complained that St. Epiphanius was too zealous, not having patience enough to listen to the truth.
“Patience!” answered St. Epiphanius, “You mean sympathy with the cause and hypocrisy!”
“Say rather violence and precipitation,” answered St. Chrysostom.
“But,” said Epiphanius, “are you afraid to condemn heretics?”
“And have you no fear of condemning the innocent as guilty?” asked St. Chrysostom.
“I clearly see,” remarked Epiphanius, “that you favor Origen.”
“And I,” rejoined St. John Chrysostom, “fear that you side with the enemies of truth.”
“Be it so! But I say to you in the name of God,” replied St. Epiphanius, “that you will not die in Constantinople; you will be banished and will end your life upon a distant shore.”
“And I also tell you, on the part of God,” answered St. John Chrysostom, “that you will not reach your diocese, and that you will die at sea.” Both were saints, both prophesied truly, both were right; and yet there seemed to be sufficient cause for dispute and opposition between them. Similar contests and differences of opinion occurred between St. Peter and St. Paul, the Princes of the Apostles; between St. Augustine and St. Jerome, and many others great and eminent in learning and sanctity.
–Taken from the Reign of Mary Quarterly Magazine, Issue 120
