63. Catholic Action

Till the end of the eighteenth century, the close collaboration of Church and State ensured a Christian atmosphere in public life. The American Constitution and the French Revolution initiated a system of separation of Church and State which made the Church vulnerable to all sorts of attack and destruction. Last century witnessed the secularization of public life progressing at an accelerated pace and the cleavage, which divides into two camps for or against Christianity much wider. Thus the task of ‘Catholic Action’ became imperative. Thus St. Pius X, in order to restore all things in Christ, understood the necessity of lay apostolate. He describes it as “a very praiseworthy, even necessary in the present state of the Church and Civil Society” (Il Fermo Proposito, June 11, 1905).

What is Catholic Action?

— Pope St. Pius X defined Catholic action as the vast field of action that includes not only the duty of one’s personal sanctification, but also the duty of increasing the Kingdom of God in individuals, families and nations. It is the work of transforming human institutions into Christian civilization and using every legitimate means of defending that civilization against anti-Christian forces.

Catholic Action is essentially the work of the laity in the temporal sphere. It has a relatively loose dependence on the clergy, who do not direct the temporal work of building the Christian State, but rather exercise their jurisdiction over faith and morals to ensure that the means and ends proposed by the laity are in conformity with Catholic faith and morals.

Catholic Action in the spiritual domain:

The Church also encourages laymen to support her divine mission in its spiritual apostolate. This kind of Catholic action in the spiritual domain is not the action of a layman in the temporal order, but is participation by the layman in the apostolate of the Priest. “Tell your faithful children of the laity that when united with their pastors and their bishops, they participate in the work of the Apostolate, both individual and social, the end purpose of which is to make Jesus Christ better known and better loved. Then … they too, are ever more united with Us and with Christ, and become great factors in the bringing about world peace, because they work for the restoration and spread of the Kingdom of Christ.”

(Pius XI)

This apostolate of prayer and works include the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, the Legion of Mary, the Militia Immaculatae, Catholic Youth Movements, Catholic Schools, the Catholic Scout movement and all works which have the conversion and sanctification of souls as their end. As belonging to the apostolic mission of the Church, this kind of Catholic action requires a mandate from the Hierarchy of the Church.

What are the aims of Catholic Action?

— The goal set by the Popes for Catholic action is the “solution of the social question according to Christian principles. They seek to restore Jesus Christ to the family, the school and society by re-establishing the principle that human authority represents the authority of God.”

(St. Pius X, Il Fermo)

The Supreme End: “Catholic Action since it sets before itself the restoration of all things in Christ, constitutes a true apostolate to the honour and glory of the selfsame Christ.” (Il Fermo) “Catholic Action sets before itself the diffusion of Christ's Kingdom among individuals, in the family and throughout society.” (Pius XI) The other ends are the cooperation in the spiritual life, diffusion of Christian culture, the Christianization of the Family, the defence of the rights of the Church, the defence of Christian civilization in all of its elements, cooperation in Scholastics, the establishment of a Catholic press, and influencing politics by Catholic principles.

A. Co-operation in the Spiritual life: Catholic organizations (Legion of Mary, Holy Name Society etc.) aim above all to help in the apostolate and in the success of religious functions and feasts, of processions, of missions, etc. – in the preparation of booklets, pamphlets, logistics and the many back-up services that are required for the smooth operation of the apostolate.

B. Diffusion of Christian Culture: The diffusion of Christian principles is an essential task of Catholic Action.

St. Pius X affirms that Catholic Action has been created “not only for the sanctification of our souls, but also to diffuse and ever better to expand the Kingdom of God among individuals, families and society, procuring the good of our neighbour by the diffusion of revealed truths.”

(Il Fermo)

C. The Christianization of the Family: The family has been defined as the ‘cell’ of society. Hence society cannot be healed in a Christian way unless the healing of the Family has first been ensured. “If it be opportune that Catholic Action, aiming at the Christianization of Society as a whole should call the attention of Catholics towards the institution of the Family, from whose right functioning depends the good civil society itself.” (Pius XI)

D. The Defence of the Rights and Liberty of the Church: It is the duty of every Catholic to protect the rights and liberty of the Church within his capacity. When the communists attacked the rights of the Church in Mexico, it was Catholic Action that ‘defended the rights of the Church’.

(Pius XI)

They defend and support in a true Catholic spirit the rights of God in all things and the no less sacred rights of the Church.

(St. Pius X)

E. Defence of Christian Civilization: “Chosen bands of Catholics who aim to unite all their forces in combating anti-Christian civilization by every just and lawful means.” (St. Pius X, Il Fermo)

F. Co-operation in the Scholastic Field: The School is among the most efficacious instruments of education and Christianization of Society.

The enemies of Christ know this well, for at all times and places they have always tried to seize its monopoly. Hence Catholic Action places among the chief items of its program, co-operation in the scholastic field; assisting the Church, which has well-defined rights in regard to schools. “The bringing back of Christ into schools”. Pius XI said that “of all the fields devastated by secular legislation, the school is that into which Catholic Action, ever more richly provided with members and leaders wisely instructed must descend with all its forces, for a still more tenacious defence of the supreme interests of Religion, of the family, and the Fatherland.”

G. The Press: The Popes have always recommended the good Press, as a very efficacious method of apostolate and as a chief function of Catholic Action.

“Writing must be countered with writing, so that the very method which is so powerful to destroy, be turned to the salvation and benefit of mankind, and that from the source of poison and death may flow forth remedies for the future. So it is desirable that in every province newspapers or periodicals be established – and, so far as possible, daily papers” (Leo XIII).

H. Political involvement: Catholics should not fail to use “those civil rights which modern constitutions today offer all, and therefore also Catholics. … Catholics, with due respect for the obligations imposed by the law of God and the precepts of the Church, can certainly use (these rights) to their advantage.”

In fine, let us remember that the ideal of Catholic Action is one of conquest, not merely of defence. “No doubt, to protect and consolidate the present forces of Catholicism in your nation is in itself a highly meritorious undertaking. But it is said that he who limits himself to being on the defensive is slowly losing. In reality, Catholic Action means more than merely keeping together the Catholic faithful. Its ultimate aim is to regain what has been lost and to advance to new conquests” (Pope Pius XII).