Session 05.

1
Radio Broadcast
60th Anniversary of Rerum Novarum
Pius XII
Pentecost 1951

Pius XII (1939-58)

- His pontificate was absorbed with the problems of World War II (1939-45) and
post-war reconstruction (1945-50).
- Pius XII showed a clear preference toward democracy over other political
organizations. Seeing the effects of German, Russian, and Japanese totalitarianism
and Italian fascism during WWII, Pius XII considered democracy as more in
conformity with the dignity and liberty of citizens. Pius XII’s attitude to
democracy revealed his option for the common people, a trust in their ability to
make political decisions, and a commitment to the principle of participation in
society.
- Pius XII was more like Leo XIII than Pius XI. He did not condone the abuses of
capitalism but he had a more positive view of capitalism than Pius XI. Capitalism
appeared to have succeeded in helping Europe and Japan recover after the war.
Also, capitalism was seen as the economic face of political democracy. It was
thus difficult for the pope to challenge capitalism in a radical way during his time.
- Pius XII did not write a social encyclical but made a significant contribution to
the church’s social teaching in his radio broadcast on the feast of Pentecost in
1951 in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of RN.

Pius XII’s contribution to the Church’s social teaching:

1. On the distribution of goods – economic prosperity is not to be measured
purely in material or quantitative terms. There must be an equitable
distribution of whatever goods are available. No matter how much wealth there
is in a country, it cannot be considered economically prosperous if its people do
not have the opportunity to share in its wealth equitably. On the other hand, an
economy is healthy if there is a just distribution of goods even if there is less to
share.
2. On private property – Like his predecessors, Pius XII insisted on the right and
value of private property. However, he made the individual right to private
property subordinate to the general rights of all to the goods of the earth. Future
popes will draw on this insight on property in later social encyclicals.
3. On labor – he reaffirmed RN that labor is both a duty and a right of every human
being and that the regulation of labor relations is the responsibility of the persons
involved. Only when parties are unwilling or unable to fulfill this function can the
State intervene for the sake of the common good.
4. On family – he also asserted that private ownership of goods is necessary to
develop and safeguard family life. From this arises the right of families to migrate
in order to secure goods necessary for their physical, spiritual and religious
welfare.