Humani Generis Unitas
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Humani Generis Unitas (Latin for On the Unity of the Human Race) was a planned encyclical of Pope Pius XI before his death on February 10, 1939, which condemned antisemitism, racism and the persecution of Jews. Because it was never promulgated, it is sometimes referred to as "The Hidden Encyclical" or "The Lost Encyclical."
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[edit] History
In June 1938, Pius XI summoned American Jesuit John LaFarge, who began to prepare a draft of Humani Generis Unitas, which LaFarge and two other Jesuits—Gustav Gundlach and Gustave Desbuquois[1]—on in Paris;[2] the draft was approximately 100 pages long.[3] Another Jesuit translated the encyclical into Latin, presenting it to Vladimir Ledochowski, then the General of the Society of Jesus[4]—who had chosen Gundlach and Desbuquois for the project.[1] The encyclical was delivered to the Vatican in September 1938.[1]
Some secondary sources—as well as Cardinal Tisserant the Dean of the College of Cardinals[5]—claim that Humani Generis Unitas was literally on Pius XI's desk when he died of a heart attack on February 10, 1939.[3]
Pope Pius XII, who suceeded Pius XI, did not promulgate the encyclical. Critics of Pius XII—notably John Cornwell in his controversial work Hitler's Pope—have cited his failure to promulgate the encyclical as evidence of his alleged silence toward anti-Semitism and The Holocaust,[1][2] and analysis of the encyclical figures prominently in most comparisons of the policies of Pius XII and his predecessor.[4]
Pope Benedict XVI decreed in June, 2006 that all documents from the reign of Pius XI in the Vatican Secret Archives should be opened,[6] and on September 18, 2006 over 30,000 documents were made available to researchers.[7]
[edit] Content
The first 70 paragraphs, probably authored by Gundlach, are a critique of theological modernism, unorthodox re-interpretation of Sacred Scripture, nationalism, and racism; the remaining 108, likely authored by all three Jesuits, contextualized the first part of the encyclical with the social role of Catholic educational institutions and anti-Semitism.[1]
Although the draft encyclical clearly condemned racism and anti-Semitism, some authors claim that the document is grounded in anti-Judaism.[2] The draft encyclical criticizes the fact that the majority of post-Messianic Jews do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
[edit] References
- Georges Passelecq and Bernard Suchecky. 1997. The Hidden Encyclical of Pius XI. Harcourt, Brace, and Co.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d e Richard G. Bailey. August 2001. "The Hidden Encyclical of Pius XI." Canadian Journal of History.
- ^ a b c George Sim Johnston. 1999, October 8. "Pius XI's "Hidden Encyclical" on Anti-Semitism: An Appraisal."
- ^ a b The Holocaust Chronicle. 2002. "1937: Quiet before the Storm." p. 112.
- ^ a b Frank J. Coppa. 1998, September 22. "Pope Pius XI's "encyclical" Humani Generis Unitas against racism and anti-Semitism and the "silence" of Pope Pius XII." Journal of Church and State.
- ^ Passelecq and Suchecky, p. 151.
- ^ Zenit News Agency. 2006, July 2. "Benedict XVI Opens Archives on Pius XI."
- ^ Frances D'Emilio. 2006, October 13. "Newly opened files helping historians to understand priorities of future wartime pope, Pius XII." Associated Press.
