RERUM NOVARUM: 130 YEARS AFTER… CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS AS A VERITABLE INSTRUMENT FOR ACTION IN THE PUBLIC SPACE
Mike Utsaha
Legal Practitioner& Executive Secretary, Resource and Planning Commission Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, North-Central Nigeria.
There is a sense in which certain dates, and the fanfare that characterises celebrations tied to those dates, are significant in the lives of individuals or organisations.
In Christendom for instance, the birth of Jesus Christ, usually celebrated on December 25 every year, is probably one of the most widely celebrated feasts. This is closely followed by the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ which, in contradistinction to Christmas, is not fixed on a particular day of the year.
Specifically in the Catholic Church, dates of priestly or Episcopal ordination or installation, marriage, birth and, to a significantly lesser extent, dates of baptism, are some of the most memorable dates in the life of the church and its members. Sadly, there are some dates which ought to be celebrated with pomp, but which are rarely known, let alone recognised. And, this day May 15 every year, is one of such days.
It is on this day in 1891 that Pope Leo XIII issued the Papal Encyclical Rerum Novarum which, when translated from Latin to English language, means “Of New Things” (other translations use “of revolutionary change”). Its release is a direct response to the industrial revolution in Europe at the time and some of the major challenges that followed this development, particularly in the area of labour and capital and the need for urgent response on the part of the state.
Rerum Novarum has six basic elements that feature in its entirety: Cooperation between labour and capital, dignity of labour, just wage and workers’ associations, the role of the state, private ownership of property and, lastly, the defence of the poor and vulnerable.
Wikipedia, the online encyclopaedia, has this to say about Rerum Novarum: “It is an open letter, passed to all Catholic patriarchs, primates, archbishops and bishops, that addressed the condition of the working classes. It discusses the relationships and mutual duties between labour and capital, as well as government and its citizens. Of primary concern is the need for some amelioration of “the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class”
Here are some of the most notable quotes from the document:
“No one, certainly, is obliged to assist others out of what is required for his own necessary use or for that of his family, . . . But when the demands of necessity and propriety have been met, it is a duty to give to the poor out of that which remains”
“It must not be supposed that the Church so concentrates her energies on caring for souls as to overlook things which pertain to mortal and earthly life”
Those who are familiar with the social doctrine of the Catholic Church would readily attest to the fact that this is the document that laid the foundation for what has progressively developed into the body of knowledge now known as Catholic Social Teachings.
Forty years after the issuance of Rerum Novarum, yet another Pope, Pius XI, issued another social Encyclical “Quadragessimo Anno” which, when translated to English Language from Latin, means “the fortieth year”. This was to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the issuance of Rerum Novarum. Like it’s predecessor, Quadragessimo Anno addresses the social concerns of the time especially the dangerous human traits that were foreseeable, even at that time, as a result of the industrial revolution.
This is how it is described by Wikipedia: “Quadragesimo anno (Latin for “In the 40th Year”) is an encyclical issued by Pope Pius XI on 15 May 1931, 40 years after Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum novarum, further developing Catholic social teaching. Unlike Leo XIII, who addressed the condition of workers, Pius XI discusses the ethical implications of the social and economic order. He describes the major dangers for human freedom and dignity arising from unrestrained capitalism, socialism, and totalitarian communism. He also calls for the reconstruction of the social order based on the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity.
Exactly thirty years after the issuance of Quadragesimo Anno and on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the issuance of Rerum Novarum, Pope Pius XI issued on May 15, 1961, yet another social encyclical titled “Mater et Magistra” meaning “Mother and Teacher”. This encyclical basically assessed the role of Christianity and the social progress it had then contributed to, and developed a road map for the future role of the Church in the area of social engagement. This is what the California Catholic Legislative Network www.cacatholic.org has to say about this encyclical:
“Mater Et Magistra explores the role of the Church in efforts to achieve social progress and justice in the world. Since the writings on economics by previous Popes, the world had seen tremendous changes such as the discovery of nuclear energy, advanced communications, and political independence movements. The Church’s role has long been to teach while guiding individuals and nations toward salvation. Her main concern is to care for souls and lead them to heaven, but the Church is also concerned with the livelihood, education, and wellbeing of humanity. Just as Jesus’ primary mission was humankind’s eternal salvation, He too fed the hungry and was concerned for worldly needs”
A little less than one hundred years after the issuance of Rerum Novarum Pope Saint John Paul II issued, this time around, on May 1, 1991, yet another social encyclical “Centessimus Anno”, meaning “one hundred years”, to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the celebrated encyclical Rerum Novarum. It is focused on the concept of social and economic justice and is largely considered as a repudiation of communism and the dictatorial regimes that practiced it, and was issued within the context of the dying days of the cold war and the envisaged democratic era particularly in east and central Europe.
In between, there have been several other Papal communication including Pacem in Terris (Peace in the world) April, 1963, Populorum Progressio (the development of people) March 1967, Octogesima Adveniens (the eightieth anniversary) May 1971 an apostolic letter issued to coincide with the eightieth anniversary of Rerum Novarum, De Justicia in Mundo (Justice in the world) November 1971 and of course Solicitudo Rei Socialis (the concern of the church for the social order) December 1987.
More recently, there has been Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth) June 2009, Laudato Si (praise be to you) on care of the environment, and of course Gaudete et Exultate (Rejoice and be glad) an apostolic exhortation issued in March 2018.
Today, May 15 2021, therefore marks the one hundred and thirtieth anniversary of Rerum Novarum and, as a Catholic, I feel extremely delighted that successive Popes have continued to systematically build on the foundation that was laid over one hundred years ago, each focusing on a social issue that was of concern at the time.
It is my expectation that on this occasion Catholic lay faithful and pious societies in the church, will make a commitment to the development of programmes that will facilitate better appreciation and the application of these texts towards the resolution of the social concerns of the time, especially in our country Nigeria.
But, what is perhaps even more important is for this body of knowledge to provide a basis for the political action required to galvanise support towards the participation of Catholics in the policy and political processes at local, state and national levels in our country Nigeria. I am happy to note that groups such as the various Diocesan Justice and Peace Commissions, the Knights of Saint John International and the Knights of Saint Mulumba and, more recently, Catholic Action CA, are already taking steps in this direction.
A time has come when we must close the gap that does exist between the required socio-political consciousness on the part of Catholic lay faithful and how this could then serve as the required impetus for action in the Nigerian public space.
