ENCYCLICAL PERFORMANCE

As you know I have been promulgating the concept of  ‘performance writing’. In looking through various historical events, I have sought out texts that have in some way affected our lives. This is only one aspect of performance writing, but an important one. The readers of these texts have in some way been influenced by the words they read. The individuals understanding and interpretation of these texts is the concern of the writer. The texts are written for a purpose, and the writer hopes that the words will perform in the way he/she intends. Again, this is only one aspect of the concept. All propaganda has an agenda. However it is produced, the object is to disseminate information and ideas in order to persuade the reader/viewer to a course of action. The object of the exercise is for the text/script to perform, to make the intention apparent, to bring ‘it’ into being.

Leo XIII

There are various modes of writing these texts. They are contained in legislation, treaties, contracts, constitutions, advertising, etc. All these documents contain a preamble, introduction or epilogue declaring and defining the intention of the instrument. One of these modes of writing is the papal encyclical. Today, the 20^th April, marks the publishing of Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Humanum Genus in 1884. In it he concerns himself with Freemasonry and its possible effect on the Catholic Church. This encyclical, promulgated on 20^th April 1884 and coming in the ascent of the industrial age and Marxism, posited that the late 19th Century was a dangerous era for Christians, and condemned Freemasonry as well as a number of beliefs and practices allegedly associated with Freemasonry, including naturalism, popular sovereignty which does not recognize God, and the idea that the state should be "without God". Some of the encyclical's strictures remain in force today.

I would ask you to read the opening paragraphs:

HUMANUM GENUS

ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII
 ON FREEMASONRY

To the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and 
Bishops of the Catholic World in Grace and 
Communion with the Apostolic See.

1. The race of man, after its miserable fall from God, the Creator and the Giver of heavenly gifts, "through the envy of the devil," separated into two diverse and opposite parts, of which the one steadfastly contends for truth and virtue, the other of those things which are contrary to virtue and to truth. The one is the kingdom of God on earth, namely, the true Church of Jesus Christ; and those who desire from their heart to be united with it, so as to gain salvation, must of necessity serve God and His only-begotten Son with their whole mind and with an entire will. The other is the kingdom of Satan, in whose possession and control are all whosoever follow the fatal example of their leader and of our first parents, those who refuse to obey the divine and eternal law, and who have many aims of their own in contempt of God, and many aims also against God.

2. This twofold kingdom St. Augustine keenly discerned and described after the manner of two cities, contrary in their laws because striving for contrary objects; and with a subtle brevity he expressed the efficient cause of each in these words: "Two loves formed two cities: the love of self, reaching even to contempt of God, an earthly city; and the love of God, reaching to contempt of self, a heavenly one." At every period of time each has been in conflict with the other, with a variety and multiplicity of weapons and of warfare, although not always with equal ardour and assault. At this period, however, the partisans of evil seems to be combining together, and to be struggling with united vehemence, led on or assisted by that strongly organized and widespread association called the Freemasons. No longer making any secret of their purposes, they are now boldly rising up against God Himself. They are planning the destruction of holy Church publicly and openly, and this with the set purpose of utterly despoiling the nations of Christendom, if it were possible, of the blessings obtained for us through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Lamenting these evils, We are constrained by the charity which urges Our heart to cry out often to God: "For lo, Thy enemies have made a noise; and they that hate Thee have lifted up the head. They have taken a malicious counsel against Thy people, and they have consulted against Thy saints. They have said, 'come, and let us destroy them, so that they be not a nation.'

3. At so urgent a crisis, when so fierce and so pressing an onslaught is made upon the Christian name that those may not perish whose salvation is committed to Us, and that the kingdom of Jesus Christ entrusted to Our charge may not stand and remain whole, but may be enlarged by an ever-increasing growth throughout the world.

I find this text rather extraordinary. It smacks of the southern preacher extolling his congregation, his troops, and encouraging them to do battle with the enemy. It is hardly full of the Christian charity it claims. We are constrained by the charity which urges Our heart to cry out often to God: "For lo, Thy enemies have made a noise; and they that hate Thee have lifted up the head. They have taken a malicious counsel against Thy people, and they have consulted against Thy saints. They have said, 'come, and let us destroy them, so that they be not a nation.'[…] it is Our office to point out the danger, to mark who are the adversaries, and to the best of Our power to make head against their plans and devices…

Pope Leo XIII, it is suggested, “is know for intellectualism, the development of social teachings with his encyclical Rerum Novarum and his attempts to define the position of the Church with regard to modern thinking. He influenced Roman Catholic Mariology and promoted both the rosary and the scapular. He issued a record eleven encyclicals on the rosary, approved two new Marian scapulars and was the first Pope to fully embrace the concept of Mary as mediatrix.” Sorry, but I find it difficult to see any position in relation to modern thinking, other than, he’s against it.

von Ketteler

Manning

The Rerum Novarum is written in much the same vein. It is suggested that this encyclical addressed the condition of the working classes. ‘The encyclical is entitled: "Rights and Duties of Capital and Labour". Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler and Cardinal Henry Edward Manning were influential in its composition. It had discussed the relationships and mutual duties between labour and obtaining capital, as well as government and its citizens. Of primary concern was the need for some amelioration for "The misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class. It supported the rights of labour to form unions, rejected communism and unrestricted capitalism, whilst affirming the right to private property.’

Here is the opening paragraph:

At the very beginning of Our pontificate, as the nature of Our apostolic office demanded, we hastened to point out in an encyclical letter addressed to you, venerable brethren, the deadly plague that is creeping into the very fibres of human society and leading it on to the verge of destruction; at the same time We pointed out also the most effectual remedies by which society might be restored and might escape from the very serious dangers which threaten it. But the evils which We then deplored have so rapidly increased that We are again compelled to address you, as though we heard the voice of the prophet ringing in Our ears: "Cry, cease not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet." You understand, venerable brethren, that 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.

“Various and almost barbarous names – socialists, communists, or nihilists.” What a phrase. And what about ‘deadly plague that is creeping into the very fibres of human society’ leading it to destruction. How does this square with the right to form unions? Why are ‘unrestricted capitalists’ not on the list of barbarous names? As a piece of performance writing, the encyclical raises many questions, but being addressed to  Our Venerable Brethren the Patriarchs,
 Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, and other ordinaries
of places having Peace and Communion with the Apostolic See it may perform beyond expectation.

Here is a you tube video about the continuing problems of the venerable Brethren in relation to Pope Leo XIII. How they do go on.