Revolution of Love.com
Pope Leo XIII and Marriage
by Brian
Pope Leo XIII reigned as Pope from (1878-1903). Today he is mostly remembered for two things. First, his famous encyclical during the industrial revolution entitled, “The Conditions of the Working Classes,” which was the beginning point of the Church’s mission into the arena of social justice. Secondly, he is remembered for the vision he had in which Christ and satan discussed the future of the Church. This vision prompted him to write the beautiful prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle…”
What many Catholics may not know is that in February of 1880 Pope Leo released an encyclical on Christian marriage. He wrote the encyclical to defend the dignity and sanctity of married life, but also as a dire warning directed at those forces that were promoting civil unions and loosening divorce laws.
From the brief research I did, I discovered that the divorce rates and the number of civil unions prior to 1880 were on the rise, gaining greater acceptance amongst nations and states. Pope Leo, saw this as a direct attack upon the doctrine and teachings of the Church and therefore responded to it by issuing this encyclical on Christian marriage.
Leo’s encyclical is a beautiful document that brings to light several important truths about marriage. First, he points to the truth that marriage is not a mere human invention that should be governed by human laws, rather it has God as its author and therefore should be governed by the divine and natural law. He also points to the truth of how the Church in centuries past, upheld the dignity and sanctity of marriage while recognizing it as one of the sacraments of the Church. Lastly, he shows how marriage in his own day, was being compromised through legislative actions.
Near the end of the encyclical, Pope Leo singles out Protestant denominations in both Germany and America, showing how some of them allowed divorce in certain circumstances. The result of this, as Leo points out, was that “the number of divorces increased to such an extent…that all the wise thinkers deplored the boundless corruption of morals,…”
What Pope Leo understood, and I believe this came directly through his vocation as a priest, was human nature. He knew that permitting divorce in certain circumstances would automatically open the flood gates to wider acceptance. Unfortunately, he was right, and slowly the laws that at one time governed divorce and made it difficult to achieve, became very broad and loose. The result of all this was an increase in the number of divorces along with the fracturing of the family unit.
Even though Pope Leo wrote the encyclical over a century ago, much of what he wrote is still relevant for Catholics today. There are several reasons why the encyclical is relevant, but three truly stand out. First, the encyclical reminds us that the Church sees marriage as a Sacrament instituted by God. Second, the encyclical offers a glimpse into the social issues facing society and the Church in the late 19th century. Lastly, the encyclical shows us that the family is the basic cell of society, therefore if the family is divided, broken and weak, society as a whole will follow suit.
It is as important today as it was during the time of Pope Leo XIII that Catholics pray daily for the strengthening of the family and the courage to defend it against those forces which are trying to reshape the family into something that is contrary to the Divine Law of God.
God bless.