HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTANCY

Humanae Vitae
and
Populorum Progressio

Submitted by:

John Lyrenz G. David

Gaebrielle Jeremiah T. Gonzales

Sabrina C. Hisham

Jessica Marie B. Mendoza

Joana E. Reyes

Maria Yasmin T. Reyes

A 431

Mr. Philip Lucas

CLE4 Professor
ENGLISH TRANSLATION

ENCYCLICAL LETTER
HUMANAE VITAE
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF
PAUL VI
TO HIS VENERABLE BROTHERS
THE PATRIARCHS, ARCHBISHOPS, BISHOPS
AND OTHER LOCAL ORDINARIES
IN PEACE AND COMMUNION WITH THE APOSTOLIC SEE,
TO THE CLERGY AND FAITHFUL OF THE WHOLE CATHOLIC WORLD, AND TO ALL MEN
OF GOOD WILL,
ON THE REGULATION OF BIRTH

Honored Brothers and Dear Sons,

Health and Apostolic Benediction.

The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely
and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even
though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships.

The fulfillment of this duty has always posed problems to the conscience of married people, but
the recent course of human society and the concomitant changes have provoked new
questions. The Church cannot ignore these questions, for they concern matters intimately
connected with the life and happiness of human beings.

I.
PROBLEM AND COMPETENCY
OF THE MAGISTERIUM

2. The changes that have taken place are of considerable importance and varied in nature. In
the first place there is the rapid increase in population which has made many fear that world
population is going to grow faster than available resources, with the consequence that many
families and developing countries would be faced with greater hardships. This can easily induce
public authorities to be tempted to take even harsher measures to avert this danger. There is
also the fact that not only working and housing conditions but the greater demands made both
in the economic and educational field pose a living situation in which it is frequently difficult
these days to provide properly for a large family.

Also noteworthy is a new understanding of the dignity of woman and her place in society, of the
value of conjugal love in marriage and the relationship of conjugal acts to this love.
But the most remarkable development of all is to be seen in man's stupendous progress in the
domination and rational organization of the forces of nature to the point that he is endeavoring
to extend this control over every aspect of his own lifeover his body, over his mind and
emotions, over his social life, and even over the laws that regulate the transmission of life.

New Questions

3. This new state of things gives rise to new questions. Granted the conditions of life today and
taking into account the relevance of married love to the harmony and mutual fidelity of husband
and wife, would it not be right to review the moral norms in force till now, especially when it is
felt that these can be observed only with the gravest difficulty, sometimes only by heroic effort?

Moreover, if one were to apply here the so called principle of totality, could it not be accepted
that the intention to have a less prolific but more rationally planned family might transform an
action which renders natural processes infertile into a licit and provident control of birth? Could it
not be admitted, in other words, that procreative finality applies to the totality of married life
rather than to each single act? A further question is whether, because people are more
conscious today of their responsibilities, the time has not come when the transmission of life
should be regulated by their intelligence and will rather than through the specific rhythms of their
own bodies.

Interpreting the Moral Law

4. This kind of question requires from the teaching authority of the Church a new and deeper
reflection on the principles of the moral teaching on marriagea teaching which is based on the
natural law as illuminated and enriched by divine Revelation.

No member of the faithful could possibly deny that the Church is competent in her magisterium
to interpret the natural moral law. It is in fact indisputable, as Our predecessors have many
times declared, (l) that Jesus Christ, when He communicated His divine power to Peter and the
other Apostles and sent them to teach all nations His commandments, (2) constituted them as
the authentic guardians and interpreters of the whole moral law, not only, that is, of the law of
the Gospel but also of the natural law. For the natural law, too, declares the will of God, and its
faithful observance is necessary for men's eternal salvation. (3)

In carrying out this mandate, the Church has always issued appropriate documents on the
nature of marriage, the correct use of conjugal rights, and the duties of spouses. These
documents have been more copious in recent times. (4)

Special Studies

5. The consciousness of the same responsibility induced Us to confirm and expand the
commission set up by Our predecessor Pope John XXIII, of happy memory, in March, 1963.
This commission included married couples as well as many experts in the various fields
pertinent to these questions. Its task was to examine views and opinions concerning married
life, and especially on the correct regulation of births; and it was also to provide the teaching
authority of the Church with such evidence as would enable it to give an apt reply in this matter,
which not only the faithful but also the rest of the world were waiting for. (5)

When the evidence of the experts had been received, as well as the opinions and advice of a
considerable number of Our brethren in the episcopatesome of whom sent their views
spontaneously, while others were requested by Us to do soWe were in a position to weigh
with more precision all the aspects of this complex subject. Hence We are deeply grateful to all
those concerned.

The Magisterium's Reply

6. However, the conclusions arrived at by the commission could not be considered by Us as

definitive and absolutely certain, dispensing Us from the duty of examining personally this
serious question. This was all the more necessary because, within the commission itself, there
was not complete agreement concerning the moral norms to be proposed, and especially
because certain approaches and criteria for a solution to this question had emerged which were
at variance with the moral doctrine on marriage constantly taught by the magisterium of the
Church.

Consequently, now that We have sifted carefully the evidence sent to Us and intently studied the
whole matter, as well as prayed constantly to God, We, by virtue of the mandate entrusted to Us
by Christ, intend to give Our reply to this series of grave questions.

II.
DOCTRINAL PRINCIPLES

7. The question of human procreation, like every other question which touches human life,
involves more than the limited aspects specific to such disciplines as biology, psychology,
demography or sociology. It is the whole man and the whole mission to which he is called that
must be considered: both its natural, earthly aspects and its supernatural, eternal aspects. And
since in the attempt to justify artificial methods of birth control many appeal to the demands of
married love or of responsible parenthood, these two important realities of married life must be
accurately defined and analyzed. This is what We mean to do, with special reference to what
the Second Vatican Council taught with the highest authority in its Pastoral Constitution on the
Church in the World of Today.

God's Loving Design

8. Married love particularly reveals its true nature and nobility when we realize that it takes its
origin from God, who "is love," (6) the Father "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is
named." (7)

Marriage, then, is far from being the effect of chance or the result of the blind evolution of
natural forces. It is in reality the wise and provident institution of God the Creator, whose
purpose was to effect in man His loving design. As a consequence, husband and wife, through
that mutual gift of themselves, which is specific and exclusive to them alone, develop that union
of two persons in which they perfect one another, cooperating with God in the generation and
rearing of new lives.

The marriage of those who have been baptized is, in addition, invested with the dignity of a
sacramental sign of grace, for it represents the union of Christ and His Church.

Married Love

9. In the light of these facts the characteristic features and exigencies of married love are clearly
indicated, and it is of the highest importance to evaluate them exactly.

This love is above all fully human, a compound of sense and spirit. It is not, then, merely a
question of natural instinct or emotional drive. It is also, and above all, an act of the free will,
whose trust is such that it is meant not only to survive the joys and sorrows of daily life, but also
to grow, so that husband and wife become in a way one heart and one soul, and together attain
their human fulfillment.

It is a love which is totalthat very special form of personal friendship in which husband and
wife generously share everything, allowing no unreasonable exceptions and not thinking solely
of their own convenience. Whoever really loves his partner loves not only for what he receives,
but loves that partner for the partner's own sake, content to be able to enrich the other with the
gift of himself.

Married love is also faithful and exclusive of all other, and this until death. This is how husband
and wife understood it on the day on which, fully aware of what they were doing, they freely
vowed themselves to one another in marriage. Though this fidelity of husband and wife
sometimes presents difficulties, no one has the right to assert that it is impossible; it is, on the
contrary, always honorable and meritorious. The example of countless married couples proves
not only that fidelity is in accord with the nature of marriage, but also that it is the source of
profound and enduring happiness.

Finally, this love is fecund. It is not confined wholly to the loving interchange of husband and
wife; it also contrives to go beyond this to bring new life into being. "Marriage and conjugal love
are by their nature ordained toward the procreation and education of children. Children are
really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute in the highest degree to their parents'
welfare." (8)

Responsible Parenthood

10. Married love, therefore, requires of husband and wife the full awareness of their obligations
in the matter of responsible parenthood, which today, rightly enough, is much insisted upon, but
which at the same time should be rightly understood. Thus, we do well to consider responsible
parenthood in the light of its varied legitimate and interrelated aspects.

With regard to the biological processes, responsible parenthood means an awareness of, and
respect for, their proper functions. In the procreative faculty the human mind discerns biological
laws that apply to the human person. (9)
With regard to man's innate drives and emotions, responsible parenthood means that man's
reason and will must exert control over them.

With regard to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible parenthood
is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have more children, and by those
who, for serious reasons and with due respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional
children for either a certain or an indefinite period of time.

Responsible parenthood, as we use the term here, has one further essential aspect of
paramount importance. It concerns the objective moral order which was established by God,
and of which a right conscience is the true interpreter. In a word, the exercise of responsible
parenthood requires that husband and wife, keeping a right order of priorities, recognize their
own duties toward God, themselves, their families and human society.

From this it follows that they are not free to act as they choose in the service of transmitting life,
as if it were wholly up to them to decide what is the right course to follow. On the contrary, they
are bound to ensure that what they do corresponds to the will of God the Creator. The very
nature of marriage and its use makes His will clear, while the constant teaching of the Church
spells it out. (10)

Observing the Natural Law

11. The sexual activity, in which husband and wife are intimately and chastely united with one
another, through which human life is transmitted, is, as the recent Council recalled, "noble and
worthy.'' (11) It does not, moreover, cease to be legitimate even when, for reasons independent
of their will, it is foreseen to be infertile. For its natural adaptation to the expression and
strengthening of the union of husband and wife is not thereby suppressed. The fact is, as
experience shows, that new life is not the result of each and every act of sexual intercourse.
God has wisely ordered laws of nature and the incidence of fertility in such a way that
successive births are already naturally spaced through the inherent operation of these laws. The
Church, nevertheless, in urging men to the observance of the precepts of the natural law, which
it interprets by its constant doctrine, teaches that each and every marital act must of necessity
retain its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life. (12)

Union and Procreation

12. This particular doctrine, often expounded by the magisterium of the Church, is based on the
inseparable connection, established by God, which man on his own initiative may not break,
between the unitive significance and the procreative significance which are both inherent to the
marriage act.

The reason is that the fundamental nature of the marriage act, while uniting husband and wife in
the closest intimacy, also renders them capable of generating new lifeand this as a result of
laws written into the actual nature of man and of woman. And if each of these essential qualities,
the unitive and the procreative, is preserved, the use of marriage fully retains its sense of true
mutual love and its ordination to the supreme responsibility of parenthood to which man is
called. We believe that our contemporaries are particularly capable of seeing that this teaching
is in harmony with human reason.

Faithfulness to God's Design

13. Men rightly observe that a conjugal act imposed on one's partner without regard to his or her
condition or personal and reasonable wishes in the matter, is no true act of love, and therefore
offends the moral order in its particular application to the intimate relationship of husband and
wife. If they further reflect, they must also recognize that an act of mutual love which impairs the
capacity to transmit life which God the Creator, through specific laws, has built into it, frustrates
His design which constitutes the norm of marriage, and contradicts the will of the Author of life.
Hence to use this divine gift while depriving it, even if only partially, of its meaning and purpose,
is equally repugnant to the nature of man and of woman, and is consequently in opposition to
the plan of God and His holy will. But to experience the gift of married love while respecting the
laws of conception is to acknowledge that one is not the master of the sources of life but rather
the minister of the design established by the Creator. Just as man does not have unlimited
dominion over his body in general, so also, and with more particular reason, he has no such
dominion over his specifically sexual faculties, for these are concerned by their very nature with
the generation of life, of which God is the source. "Human life is sacredall men must
recognize that fact," Our predecessor Pope John XXIII recalled. "From its very inception it
reveals the creating hand of God." (13)

Unlawful Birth Control Methods

14. Therefore We base Our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of
marriage when We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the
generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic
reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children.
(14) Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many
occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or
temporary. (15)

Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual
intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreationwhether as an end or as a means.
(16)

Neither is it valid to argue, as a justification for sexual intercourse which is deliberately

contraceptive, that a lesser evil is to be preferred to a greater one, or that such intercourse
would merge with procreative acts of past and future to form a single entity, and so be qualified
by exactly the same moral goodness as these. Though it is true that sometimes it is lawful to
tolerate a lesser moral evil in order to avoid a greater evil or in order to promote a greater good,"
it is never lawful, even for the gravest reasons, to do evil that good may come of it (18)in other
words, to intend directly something which of its very nature contradicts the moral order, and
which must therefore be judged unworthy of man, even though the intention is to protect or
promote the welfare of an individual, of a family or of society in general. Consequently, it is a
serious error to think that a whole married life of otherwise normal relations can justify sexual
intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive and so intrinsically wrong.

Lawful Therapeutic Means

15. On the other hand, the Church does not consider at all illicit the use of those therapeutic
means necessary to cure bodily diseases, even if a foreseeable impediment to procreation
should result there fromprovided such impediment is not directly intended for any motive
whatsoever. (19)

Recourse to Infertile Periods

16. Now as We noted earlier (no. 3), some people today raise the objection against this
particular doctrine of the Church concerning the moral laws governing marriage, that human
intelligence has both the right and responsibility to control those forces of irrational nature which
come within its ambit and to direct them toward ends beneficial to man. Others ask on the same
point whether it is not reasonable in so many cases to use artificial birth control if by so doing
the harmony and peace of a family are better served and more suitable conditions are provided
for the education of children already born. To this question We must give a clear reply. The
Church is the first to praise and commend the application of human intelligence to an activity in
which a rational creature such as man is so closely associated with his Creator. But she affirms
that this must be done within the limits of the order of reality established by God.

If therefore there are well-grounded reasons for spacing births, arising from the physical or
psychological condition of husband or wife, or from external circumstances, the Church teaches
that married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles immanent in the reproductive
system and engage in marital intercourse only during those times that are infertile, thus
controlling birth in a way which does not in the least offend the moral principles which We have
just explained. (20)

Neither the Church nor her doctrine is inconsistent when she considers it lawful for married
people to take advantage of the infertile period but condemns as always unlawful the use of
means which directly prevent conception, even when the reasons given for the later practice
may appear to be upright and serious. In reality, these two cases are completely different. In the
former the married couple rightly use a faculty provided them by nature. In the later they
obstruct the natural development of the generative process. It cannot be denied that in each
case the married couple, for acceptable reasons, are both perfectly clear in their intention to
avoid children and wish to make sure that none will result. But it is equally true that it is
exclusively in the former case that husband and wife are ready to abstain from intercourse
during the fertile period as often as for reasonable motives the birth of another child is not
desirable. And when the infertile period recurs, they use their married intimacy to express their
mutual love and safeguard their fidelity toward one another. In doing this they certainly give
proof of a true and authentic love.

Consequences of Artificial Methods

17. Responsible men can become more deeply convinced of the truth of the doctrine laid down
by the Church on this issue if they reflect on the consequences of methods and plans for
artificial birth control. Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide
the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards. Not much experience is
needed to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand that human beingsand
especially the young, who are so exposed to temptationneed incentives to keep the moral
law, and it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that law. Another effect that gives
cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may
forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium,
reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer
considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.

Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands
of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a
government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to
the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular
family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods
which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even
impose their use on everyone. It could well happen, therefore, that when people, either
individually or in family or social life, experience the inherent difficulties of the divine law and are
determined to avoid them, they may give into the hands of public authorities the power to
intervene in the most personal and intimate responsibility of husband and wife.

Limits to Man's Power

Consequently, unless we are willing that the responsibility of procreating life should be left to the
arbitrary decision of men, we must accept that there are certain limits, beyond which it is wrong
to go, to the power of man over his own body and its natural functionslimits, let it be said,
which no one, whether as a private individual or as a public authority, can lawfully exceed.
These limits are expressly imposed because of the reverence due to the whole human organism
and its natural functions, in the light of the principles We stated earlier, and in accordance with a
correct understanding of the "principle of totality" enunciated by Our predecessor Pope Pius XII.
(21)

Concern of the Church

18. It is to be anticipated that perhaps not everyone will easily accept this particular teaching.
There is too much clamorous outcry against the voice of the Church, and this is intensified by
modern means of communication. But it comes as no surprise to the Church that she, no less
than her divine Founder, is destined to be a "sign of contradiction." (22) She does not, because
of this, evade the duty imposed on her of proclaiming humbly but firmly the entire moral law,
both natural and evangelical.

Since the Church did not make either of these laws, she cannot be their arbiteronly their
guardian and interpreter. It could never be right for her to declare lawful what is in fact unlawful,
since that, by its very nature, is always opposed to the true good of man.
In preserving intact the whole moral law of marriage, the Church is convinced that she is
contributing to the creation of a truly human civilization. She urges man not to betray his
personal responsibilities by putting all his faith in technical expedients. In this way she defends
the dignity of husband and wife. This course of action shows that the Church, loyal to the
example and teaching of the divine Savior, is sincere and unselfish in her regard for men whom
she strives to help even now during this earthly pilgrimage "to share God's life as sons of the
living God, the Father of all men." (23)

III.

PASTORAL DIRECTIVES

19. Our words would not be an adequate expression of the thought and solicitude of the Church,
Mother and Teacher of all peoples, if, after having recalled men to the observance and respect
of the divine law regarding matrimony, they did not also support mankind in the honest
regulation of birth amid the difficult conditions which today afflict families and peoples. The
Church, in fact, cannot act differently toward men than did the Redeemer. She knows their
weaknesses, she has compassion on the multitude, she welcomes sinners. But at the same
time she cannot do otherwise than teach the law. For it is in fact the law of human life restored
to its native truth and guided by the Spirit of God. (24) Observing the Divine Law.

20. The teaching of the Church regarding the proper regulation of birth is a promulgation of the
law of God Himself. And yet there is no doubt that to many it will appear not merely difficult but
even impossible to observe. Now it is true that like all good things which are outstanding for
their nobility and for the benefits which they confer on men, so this law demands from individual
men and women, from families and from human society, a resolute purpose and great
endurance. Indeed it cannot be observed unless God comes to their help with the grace by
which the goodwill of men is sustained and strengthened. But to those who consider this matter
diligently it will indeed be evident that this endurance enhances man's dignity and confers
benefits on human society.

Value of Self-Discipline

21. The right and lawful ordering of birth demands, first of all, that spouses fully recognize and
value the true blessings of family life and that they acquire complete mastery over themselves
and their emotions. For if with the aid of reason and of free will they are to control their natural
drives, there can be no doubt at all of the need for self-denial. Only then will the expression of
love, essential to married life, conform to right order. This is especially clear in the practice of
periodic continence. Self-discipline of this kind is a shining witness to the chastity of husband
and wife and, far from being a hindrance to their love of one another, transforms it by giving it a
more truly human character. And if this self-discipline does demand that they persevere in their
purpose and efforts, it has at the same time the salutary effect of enabling husband and wife to
develop to their personalities and to be enriched with spiritual blessings. For it brings to family
life abundant fruits of tranquility and peace. It helps in solving difficulties of other kinds. It fosters
in husband and wife thoughtfulness and loving consideration for one another. It helps them to
repel inordinate self-love, which is the opposite of charity. It arouses in them a consciousness of
their responsibilities. And finally, it confers upon parents a deeper and more effective influence
in the education of their children. As their children grow up, they develop a right sense of values
and achieve a serene and harmonious use of their mental and physical powers.

Promotion of Chastity

22. We take this opportunity to address those who are engaged in education and all those
whose right and duty it is to provide for the common good of human society. We would call their
attention to the need to create an atmosphere favorable to the growth of chastity so that true
liberty may prevail over license and the norms of the moral law may be fully safeguarded.

Everything therefore in the modern means of social communication which arouses men's baser
passions and encourages low moral standards, as well as every obscenity in the written word
and every form of indecency on the stage and screen, should be condemned publicly and
unanimously by all those who have at heart the advance of civilization and the safeguarding of
the outstanding values of the human spirit. It is quite absurd to defend this kind of depravity in
the name of art or culture (25) or by pleading the liberty which may be allowed in this field by the
public authorities.

Appeal to Public Authorities

23. And now We wish to speak to rulers of nations. To you most of all is committed the
responsibility of safeguarding the common good. You can contribute so much to the
preservation of morals. We beg of you, never allow the morals of your peoples to be
undermined. The family is the primary unit in the state; do not tolerate any legislation which
would introduce into the family those practices which are opposed to the natural law of God. For
there are other ways by which a government can and should solve the population problemthat
is to say by enacting laws which will assist families and by educating the people wisely so that
the moral law and the freedom of the citizens are both safeguarded.

Seeking True Solutions

We are fully aware of the difficulties confronting the public authorities in this matter, especially in
the developing countries. In fact, We had in mind the justifiable anxieties which weigh upon
them when We published Our encyclical letter Populorum Progressio. But now We join Our
voice to that of Our predecessor John XXIII of venerable memory, and We make Our own his
words: "No statement of the problem and no solution to it is acceptable which does violence to
man's essential dignity; those who propose such solutions base them on an utterly materialistic
conception of man himself and his life. The only possible solution to this question is one which
envisages the social and economic progress both of individuals and of the whole of human
society, and which respects and promotes true human values." (26) No one can, without being
grossly unfair, make divine Providence responsible for what clearly seems to be the result of
misguided governmental policies, of an insufficient sense of social justice, of a selfish
accumulation of material goods, and finally of a culpable failure to undertake those initiatives
and responsibilities which would raise the standard of living of peoples and their children. (27) If
only all governments which were able would do what some are already doing so nobly, and
bestir themselves to renew their efforts and their undertakings! There must be no relaxation in
the programs of mutual aid between all the branches of the great human family. Here We
believe an almost limitless field lies open for the activities of the great international institutions.

To Scientists

24. Our next appeal is to men of science. These can "considerably advance the welfare of
marriage and the family and also peace of conscience, if by pooling their efforts they strive to
elucidate more thoroughly the conditions favorable to a proper regulation of births." (28) It is
supremely desirable, and this was also the mind of Pius XII, that medical science should by the
study of natural rhythms succeed in determining a sufficiently secure basis for the chaste
limitation of offspring. (29) In this way scientists, especially those who are Catholics, will by their
research establish the truth of the Church's claim that "there can be no contradiction between
two divine lawsthat which governs the transmitting of life and that which governs the fostering
of married love." (30)

To Christian Couples

25. And now We turn in a special way to Our own sons and daughters, to those most of all
whom God calls to serve Him in the state of marriage. While the Church does indeed hand on to
her children the inviolable conditions laid down by God's law, she is also the herald of salvation
and through the sacraments she flings wide open the channels of grace through which man is
made a new creature responding in charity and true freedom to the design of his Creator and
Savior, experiencing too the sweetness of the yoke of Christ. (31)

In humble obedience then to her voice, let Christian husbands and wives be mindful of their
vocation to the Christian life, a vocation which, deriving from their Baptism, has been confirmed
anew and made more explicit by the Sacrament of Matrimony. For by this sacrament they are
strengthened and, one might almost say, consecrated to the faithful fulfillment of their duties.
Thus will they realize to the full their calling and bear witness as becomes them, to Christ before
the world. (32) For the Lord has entrusted to them the task of making visible to men and women
the holiness and joy of the law which united inseparably their love for one another and the
cooperation they give to God's love, God who is the Author of human life.

We have no wish at all to pass over in silence the difficulties, at times very great, which beset
the lives of Christian married couples. For them, as indeed for every one of us, "the gate is
narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life." (33) Nevertheless it is precisely the hope of that
life which, like a brightly burning torch, lights up their journey, as, strong in spirit, they strive to
live "sober, upright and godly lives in this world," (34) knowing for sure that "the form of this
world is passing away." (35)

Recourse to God

For this reason husbands and wives should take up the burden appointed to them, willingly, in
the strength of faith and of that hope which "does not disappoint us, because God's love has
been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us ~}36 Then let
them implore the help of God with unremitting prayer and, most of all, let them draw grace and
charity from that unfailing fount which is the Eucharist. If, however, sin still exercises its hold
over them, they are not to lose heart. Rather must they, humble and persevering, have recourse
to the mercy of God, abundantly bestowed in the Sacrament of Penance. In this way, for sure,
they will be able to reach that perfection of married life which the Apostle sets out in these
words: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church. . . Even so husbands should
love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever
hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the Church. . . This is a great
mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church; however, let each one of you love
his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." (37)

Family Apostolate

26. Among the fruits that ripen if the law of God be resolutely obeyed, the most precious is
certainly this, that married couples themselves will often desire to communicate their own
experience to others. Thus it comes about that in the fullness of the lay vocation will be included
a novel and outstanding form of the apostolate by which, like ministering to like, married couples
themselves by the leadership they offer will become apostles to other married couples. And
surely among all the forms of the Christian apostolate it is hard to think of one more opportune
for the present time. (38)

To Doctors and Nurses

27. Likewise we hold in the highest esteem those doctors and members of the nursing
profession who, in the exercise of their calling, endeavor to fulfill the demands of their Christian
vocation before any merely human interest. Let them therefore continue constant in their
resolution always to support those lines of action which accord with faith and with right reason.
And let them strive to win agreement and support for these policies among their professional
colleagues. Moreover, they should regard it as an essential part of their skill to make themselves
fully proficient in this difficult field of medical knowledge. For then, when married couples ask for
their advice, they may be in a position to give them right counsel and to point them in the proper
direction. Married couples have a right to expect this much from them.

To Priests

28. And now, beloved sons, you who are priests, you who in virtue of your sacred office act as
counselors and spiritual leaders both of individual men and women and of familiesWe turn to
you filled with great confidence. For it is your principal dutyWe are speaking especially to you
who teach moral theologyto spell out clearly and completely the Church's teaching on
marriage. In the performance of your ministry you must be the first to give an example of that
sincere obedience, inward as well as outward, which is due to the magisterium of the Church.
For, as you know, the pastors of the Church enjoy a special light of the Holy Spirit in teaching
the truth. (39) And this, rather than the arguments they put forward, is why you are bound to
such obedience. Nor will it escape you that if men's peace of soul and the unity of the Christian
people are to be preserved, then it is of the utmost importance that in moral as well as in
dogmatic theology all should obey the magisterium of the Church and should speak as with one
voice. Therefore We make Our own the anxious words of the great Apostle Paul and with all Our
heart We renew Our appeal to you: "I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united
in the same mind and the same judgment." (40)

Christian Compassion

29. Now it is an outstanding manifestation of charity toward souls to omit nothing from the
saving doctrine of Christ; but this must always be joined with tolerance and charity, as Christ
Himself showed in His conversations and dealings with men. For when He came, not to judge,
but to save the world, (41) was He not bitterly severe toward sin, but patient and abounding in
mercy toward sinners?

Husbands and wives, therefore, when deeply distressed by reason of the difficulties of their life,
must find stamped in the heart and voice of their priest the likeness of the voice and the love of
our Redeemer.

So speak with full confidence, beloved sons, convinced that while the Holy Spirit of God is
present to the magisterium proclaiming sound doctrine, He also illumines from within the hearts
of the faithful and invites their assent. Teach married couples the necessary way of prayer and
prepare them to approach more often with great faith the Sacraments of the Eucharist and of
Penance. Let them never lose heart because of their weakness.

To Bishops

30. And now as We come to the end of this encyclical letter, We turn Our mind to you, reverently
and lovingly, beloved and venerable brothers in the episcopate, with whom We share more
closely the care of the spiritual good of the People of God. For We invite all of you, We implore
you, to give a lead to your priests who assist you in the sacred ministry, and to the faithful of
your dioceses, and to devote yourselves with all zeal and without delay to safeguarding the
holiness of marriage, in order to guide married life to its full human and Christian perfection.
Consider this mission as one of your most urgent responsibilities at the present time. As you
well know, it calls for concerted pastoral action in every field of human diligence, economic,
cultural and social. If simultaneous progress is made in these various fields, then the intimate
life of parents and children in the family will be rendered not only more tolerable, but easier and
more joyful. And life together in human society will be enriched with fraternal charity and made
more stable with true peace when God's design which He conceived for the world is faithfully
followed.

A Great Work

31. Venerable brothers, beloved sons, all men of good will, great indeed is the work of
education, of progress and of charity to which We now summon all of you. And this We do
relying on the unshakable teaching of the Church, which teaching Peter's successor together
with his brothers in the Catholic episcopate faithfully guards and interprets. And We are
convinced that this truly great work will bring blessings both on the world and on the Church. For
man cannot attain that true happiness for which he yearns with all the strength of his spirit,
unless he keeps the laws which the Most High God has engraved in his very nature. These laws
must be wisely and lovingly observed. On this great work, on all of you and especially on
married couples, We implore from the God of all holiness and pity an abundance of heavenly
grace as a pledge of which We gladly bestow Our apostolic blessing.

Given at St. Peter's, Rome, on the 25th day of July, the feast of St. James the Apostle, in the
year 1968, the sixth of Our pontificate.

PAUL VI
QUESTION 1:

HUMANAE VITAE (or Human Life in Latin) was written by Pope Paul VI in July 25,
1968 but was released during a Vatican press conference on July 29, 1968. It was subtitled On
the Regulation of Birth, it shows the orthodox or conservative teachings of the Catholic Church
regarding marriage, parenthood, and the continued condemnation of artificial contraception.
Pope Benedict XVI called this topic "controversial, yet so crucial for humanity's future".

Since the second century, the Catholic Church has been opposed to devices or
procedures used to prevent pregnancy. Contraception and fertility control are examples of such
that has been condemned by several Church leaders, like Clement of Alexandria and Saint
Augustine. However in 1930, the Anglican Communion or an international association of
autonomous churches that considers themselves to be part of the one, holy, catholic and
apostolic church, allowed the use of contraception in a limited manner. The Roman Catholic
Church responded by issuing Casti Cannubi (On Christian Marriage), written by Pope Pius XI,
pronouncing its views and stated that it stands still with its conviction regarding contraception.

The birth control movement slowly progressed and for thirty long years the Church was
pressured by the society to join the band wagon of contraception. Until finally it seemed like too
much for the Church to ignore the issue anymore, several Catholic bishops raised the issue of
birth control for a second discussion during a conversation of marriage and the family at the
Second Vatican Council. To solve this issue, Pope John XXIII established a Pontifical Birth
Commission that would tackle the issues of birth control. After John's death in 1963, Pope Paul
VI added theologians to the commission to provide another perspective regarding the issue. The
Commission managed to produce two reports: the majority report and the minority report.

The commission produced a report in 1966, proposing that artificial birth control was not
intrinsically evil and that Catholic couples should be allowed to decide for themselves about the
methods to be employed. On the other hand, one theologian commission member drafted a
minority report working paper that was signed by him and three other theologian priests on the
commission, stating that the Church should not and could not change its long-standing teaching.
Even though intended for the Pope only, the commission's report and two working papers were
leaked to the press in 1967, raising not only public expectations of liberalization but also the
pressure on the Catholic Church to approve such.

After several disagreements within the commission, they finally did make a final report to
Pope Paul VI, approved by a majority of its members, proposing that he might make use of his
authority to approve at least some form of contraception for married couples. A minority of
members opposed this report and issued their own report to the Holy Father.

Pope Paul published his decision in Humanae Vitae, in which he acknowledges the
value of conjugal love in marriage and the relationship of conjugal acts to this love but
reasserts, The church teaches that each and every marital act must of necessity
retain its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life completely disagreeing
with the decisions from the council that he, himself, had selected.
QUESTION 2:

As said, the Humanae Vitae was written due to the prevention of pregnancy. In order to
address the issue, the Church appealed to various sectors of the society. First the public
authorities, the government is responsible in safeguarding the common good. They are also
entailed to create the laws which govern the society. The Church asks the government not to let
the morals of the people to be undermined. The government should create laws which are
morally right. The family is the primary unit in the state; do not tolerate any legislation which
would introduce into the family those practices which are opposed to the natural law of God.
Second to the Scientists, the Church appreciates the efforts of all men in science however it
reminds them that in doing their work there should be no contradiction between two divine laws
that which governs the transmitting of life and that which governs the fostering of married
love. Third to the Christian Couple, they should value self discipline and chastity. Christian
husbands and wives should be mindful of their vocation to the Christian life, a vocation which,
deriving from their Baptism, has been confirmed anew and made more explicit by the
Sacrament of Matrimony. For by this sacrament they are strengthened and consecrated to the
faithful fulfillment of their duties. Thus will they realize to the full their calling and bear witness as
becomes them, to Christ before the world. For the Lord has entrusted to them the task of
making visible to men and women the holiness and joy of the law which united inseparably their
love for one another and the cooperation they give to God's love. The Church also wants to
have a Family Apostolate wherein Christian couples share their experiences to other couples. It
is a novel and outstanding form of the apostolate by which, like ministering to like, married
couples themselves by the leadership they offer will become apostles to other married couples.
Fourth to the doctors and nurses that they may continue doing their vocation in actions that are
in accordance to our faith and right reason. They should be proficient in their field of expertise
so that when married couples ask for their advice, they may be in a position to give them right
counsel and to point them in the proper direction. Married couples have a right to expect this
much from them. Fifth to the priests, they should be the counselors and spiritual leaders both of
individual man and women and families. In the performance of your ministry you must be the
first to give an example of that sincere obedience, inward as well as outward, which is due to
the magisterium of the Church. Last to our Bishops, to give lead to your priests who assist you
in the sacred ministry, and to the faithful of your dioceses, and to devote yourselves with all zeal
and without delay to safeguarding the holiness of marriage, in order to guide married life to its
full human and Christian perfection. Consider this mission as one of your most urgent
responsibilities at the present time.

QUESTION 3:
ENGLISH TRANSLATION

POPULORUM PROGRESSIO

ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PAUL VI

ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLES

MARCH 26, 1967

To the Bishops, Priests, Religious, and Faithful of the Whole Catholic World, and to All Men of
Good Will.

Honored Brothers and Dear Sons, Health and Apostolic Benediction.

The progressive development of peoples is an object of deep interest and concern to the
Church. This is particularly true in the case of those peoples who are trying to escape the
ravages of hunger, poverty, endemic disease and ignorance; of those who are seeking a larger
share in the benefits of civilization and a more active improvement of their human qualities; of
those who are consciously striving for fuller growth.

The Church's Concern

With an even clearer awareness, since the Second Vatican Council, of the demands imposed by
Christ's Gospel in this area, the Church judges it her duty to help all men explore this serious
problem in all its dimensions, and to impress upon them the need for concerted action at this
critical juncture.

2. Our recent predecessors did not fail to do their duty in this area. Their noteworthy messages
shed the light of the Gospel on contemporary social questions. There was Leo XIII's
encyclical Rerum Novarum, (1) Pius XI's encyclical Quadragesimo Anno, (2) Pius XII's radio
message to the world, (3) and John XXIII's two encyclicals, Mater et Magistra (4) and Pacem in
Terris. (5)

A Problem for All Men

3. Today it is most important for people to understand and appreciate that the social question
ties all men together, in every part of the world. John XXIII stated this clearly, (6) and Vatican II
confirmed it in its Pastoral Constitution on The Church in the World of Today. (7) The
seriousness and urgency of these teachings must be recognized without delay.

The hungry nations of the world cry out to the peoples blessed with abundance. And the
Church, cut to the quick by this cry, asks each and every man to hear his brother's plea and
answer it lovingly.

Our Journeys
4. Before We became pope, We traveled to Latin America (1960) and Africa (1962). There We
saw the perplexing problems that vex and besiege these continents, which are otherwise full of
life and promise. On being elected pope, We became the father of all men. We made trips to
Palestine and India, gaining first-hand knowledge of the difficulties that these age-old
civilizations must face in their struggle for further development. Before the close of the Second
Vatican Council, providential circumstances allowed Vs to address the United Nations and to
plead the case of the impoverished nations before that distinguished assembly.

Justice and Peace

5. Even more recently, We sought to fulfill the wishes of the Council and to demonstrate the
Holy See's concern for the developing nations. To do this, We felt it was necessary to add
another pontifical commission to the Church's central administration . The purpose of this
commission is "to awaken in the People of God full awareness of their mission today. In this way
they can further the progress of poorer nations and international social justice, as well as help
less developed nations to contribute to their own development." (8)

The name of this commission, Justice and Peace, aptly describes its program and its goal. We
are sure that all men of good will want to join Our fellow Catholics and fellow Christians in
carrying out this program. So today We earnestly urge all men to pool their ideas and their
activities for man's complete development and the development of all mankind.

I. MAN 'S COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT

6. Today we see men trying to secure a sure food supply, cures for diseases, and steady
employment. We see them trying to eliminate every ill, to remove every obstacle which offends
man's dignity. They are continually striving to exercise greater personal responsibility; to do
more, learn more, and have more so that they might increase their personal worth. And yet, at
the same time, a large number of them live amid conditions which frustrate these legitimate
desires.

Moreover, those nations which have recently gained independence find that political freedom is
not enough. They must also acquire the social and economic structures and processes that
accord with man's nature and activity, if their citizens are to achieve personal growth and if their
country is to take its rightful place in the international community.

Effects of Colonialism

7. Though insufficient for the immensity and urgency of the task, the means inherited from the
past are not totally useless. It is true that colonizing nations were sometimes concerned with
nothing save their own interests, their own power and their own prestige; their departure left the
economy of these countries in precarious imbalancethe one-crop economy, for example,
which is at the mercy of sudden, wide-ranging fluctuations in market prices. Certain types of
colonialism surely caused harm and paved the way for further troubles.

On the other hand, we must also reserve a word of praise for those colonizers whose skills and
technical know-how brought benefits to many untamed lands, and whose work survives to this
day. The structural machinery they introduced was not fully developed or perfected, but it did
help to reduce ignorance and disease, to promote communication, and to improve living
conditions.

The Widening Gap

8. Granted all this, it is only too clear that these structures are no match for the harsh economic
realities of today. Unless the existing machinery is modified, the disparity between rich and poor
nations will increase rather than diminish; the rich nations are progressing with rapid strides
while the poor nations move forward at a slow pace.

The imbalance grows with each passing day: while some nations produce a food surplus, other
nations are in desperate need of food or are unsure of their export market.

Signs of Social Unrest

9. At the same time, social unrest has gradually spread throughout the world. The acute
restlessness engulfing the poorer classes in countries that are now being industrialized has
spread to other regions where agriculture is the mainstay of the economy. The farmer is
painfully aware of his "wretched lot." (9)

Then there are the flagrant inequalities not merely in the enjoyment of possessions, but even
more in the exercise of power. In certain regions a privileged minority enjoys the refinements of
life, while the rest of the inhabitants, impoverished and disunited, "are deprived of almost all
possibility of acting on their own initiative and responsibility, and often subsist in living and
working conditions unworthy of the human person." (10) Cultural Conflicts

10. Moreover, traditional culture comes into conflict with the advanced techniques of modern
industrialization; social structures out of tune with today's demands are threatened with
extinction. For the older generation, the rigid structures of traditional culture are the necessary
mainstay of one's personal and family life; they cannot be abandoned. The younger generation,
on the other hand, regards them as useless obstacles, and rejects them to embrace new forms
of societal life.

The conflict between generations leads to a tragic dilemma: either to preserve traditional beliefs
and structures and reject social progress; or to embrace foreign technology and foreign culture,
and reject ancestral traditions with their wealth of humanism. The sad fact is that we often see
the older moral, spiritual and religious values give way without finding any place in the new
scheme of things.

Concomitant Dangers

11. In such troubled times some people are strongly tempted by the alluring but deceitful
promises of would-be saviors. Who does not see the concomitant dangers: public upheavals,
civil insurrection, the drift toward totalitarian ideologies?

These are the realities of the question under study here, and their gravity must surely be
apparent to everyone.
 The Church and Development

12. True to the teaching and example of her divine Founder, who cited the preaching of the
Gospel to the poor as a sign of His mission, (12) the Church has never failed to foster the
human progress of the nations to which she brings faith in Christ. Besides erecting sacred
edifices, her missionaries have also promoted construction of hospitals, sanitariums, schools
and universities. By teaching the native population how to take full advantage of natural
resources, the missionaries often protected them from the greed of foreigners.

We would certainly admit that this work was sometimes far from perfect, since it was the work of
men. The missionaries sometimes intermingled the thought patterns and behavior patterns of
their native land with the authentic message of Christ. Yet, for all this, they did protect and
promote indigenous institutions; and many of them pioneered in promoting the country's
material and cultural progress.

We need only mention the efforts of Pere Charles de Foucauld: he compiled a valuable
dictionary of the Tuareg language, and his charity won him the title, "everyone's brother." So We
deem it fitting to praise those oft forgotten pioneers who were motivated by love for Christ, just
as We honor their imitators and successors who today continue to put themselves at the
generous and unselfish service of those to whom they preach the Gospel.

The Present Need

13. In the present day, however, individual and group effort within these countries is no longer
enough. The world situation requires the concerted effort of everyone, a thorough examination
of every facet of the problemsocial, economic, cultural and spiritual.

The Church, which has long experience in human affairs and has no desire to be involved in the
political activities of any nation, "seeks but one goal: to carry forward the work of Christ under
the lead of the befriending Spirit. And Christ entered this world to give witness to the truth; to
save, not to judge; to serve, not to be served.'' (12)

Founded to build the kingdom of heaven on earth rather than to acquire temporal power, the
Church openly avows that the two powersChurch and Stateare distinct from one another;
that each is supreme in its own sphere of competency. (13) But since the Church does dwell
among men, she has the duty "of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in
the light of the Gospel." (14) Sharing the noblest aspirations of men and suffering when she
sees these aspirations not satisfied, she wishes to help them attain their full realization. So she
offers man her distinctive contribution: a global perspective on man and human realities.

Authentic Development

14. The development We speak of here cannot be restricted to economic growth alone. To be
authentic, it must be well rounded; it must foster the development of each man and of the whole
man. As an eminent specialist on this question has rightly said: "We cannot allow economics to
be separated from human realities, nor development from the civilization in which it takes place.
What counts for us is maneach individual man, each human group, and humanity as a
whole.'' (15)

Personal Responsibility

15. In God's plan, every man is born to seek self-fulfillment, for every human life is called to
some task by God. At birth a human being possesses certain aptitudes and abilities in germinal
form, and these qualities are to be cultivated so that they may bear fruit. By developing these
traits through formal education of personal effort, the individual works his way toward the goal
set for him by the Creator.

Endowed with intellect and free will, each man is responsible for his self-fulfillment even as he is
for his salvation. He is helped, and sometimes hindered, by his teachers and those around him;
yet whatever be the outside influences exerted on him, he is the chief architect of his own
success or failure. Utilizing only his talent and willpower, each man can grow in humanity,
enhance his personal worth, and perfect himself.

Man's Supernatural Destiny

16. Self-development, however, is not left up to man's option. Just as the whole of creation is
ordered toward its Creator, so too the rational creature should of his own accord direct his life to
God, the first truth and the highest good. Thus human self-fulfillment may be said to sum up our
obligations.

Moreover, this harmonious integration of our human nature, carried through by personal effort
and responsible activity, is destined for a higher state of perfection. United with the life-giving
Christ, man's life is newly enhanced; it acquires a transcendent humanism which surpasses its
nature and bestows new fullness of life. This is the highest goal of human self-fulfillment.

Ties With All Men

17. Each man is also a member of society; hence he belongs to the community of man. It is not
just certain individuals but all men who are called to further the development of human society
as a whole. Civilizations spring up, flourish and die. As the waves of the sea gradually creep
farther and farther in along the shoreline, so the human race inches its way forward through
history.

We are the heirs of earlier generations, and we reap benefits from the efforts of our
contemporaries; we are under obligation to all men. Therefore we cannot disregard the welfare
of those who will come after us to increase the human family. The reality of human solidarity
brings us not only benefits but also obligations.

Development in Proper Perspective

18. Man's personal and collective fulfillment could be jeopardized if the proper scale of values
were not maintained. The pursuit of life's necessities is quite legitimate; hence we are duty-
bound to do the work which enables us to obtain them: "If anyone is unwilling to work, do not let
him eat.'' (l6) But the acquisition of worldly goods can lead men to greed, to the unrelenting
desire for more, to the pursuit of greater personal power. Rich and poor alikebe they
individuals, families or nationscan fall prey to avarice and soulstifling materialism.

Latent Dangers

19. Neither individuals nor nations should regard the possession of more and more goods as
the ultimate objective. Every kind of progress is a two-edged sword. It is necessary if man is to
grow as a human being; yet it can also enslave him, if he comes to regard it as the supreme
good and cannot look beyond it. When this happens, men harden their hearts, shut out others
from their minds and gather together solely for reasons of self-interest rather than out of
friendship; dissension and disunity follow soon after.

Thus the exclusive pursuit of material possessions prevents man's growth as a human being
and stands in opposition to his true grandeur. Avarice, in individuals and in nations, is the most
obvious form of stultified moral development.

A New Humanism Needed

20. If development calls for an ever-growing number of technical experts, even more necessary
still is the deep thought and reflection of wise men in search of a new humanism, one which will
enable our contemporaries to enjoy the higher values of love and friendship, of prayer and
contemplation, (17) and thus find themselves. This is what will guarantee man's authentic
developmenthis transition from less than human conditions to truly human ones.

The Scale of Values

21. What are less than human conditions? The material poverty of those who lack the bare
necessities of life, and the moral poverty of those who are crushed under the weight of their own
self-love; oppressive political structures resulting from the abuse of ownership or the improper
exercise of power, from the exploitation of the worker or unjust transactions.

What are truly human conditions? The rise from poverty to the acquisition of life's necessities;
the elimination of social ills; broadening the horizons of knowledge; acquiring refinement and
culture. From there one can go on to acquire a growing awareness of other people's dignity, a
taste for the spirit of poverty, (l8) an active interest in the common good, and a desire for peace.
Then man can acknowledge the highest values and God Himself, their author and end. Finally
and above all, there is faithGod's gift to men of good willand our loving unity in Christ, who
calls all men to share God's life as sons of the living God, the Father of all men.

Issues and Principles

22. In the very first pages of Scripture we read these words: "Fill the earth and subdue it."(19)
This teaches us that the whole of creation is for man, that he has been charged to give it
meaning by his intelligent activity, to complete and perfect it by his own efforts and to his own
advantage.

Now if the earth truly was created to provide man with the necessities of life and the tools for his
own progress, it follows that every man has the right to glean what he needs from the earth. The
recent Council reiterated this truth: "God intended the earth and everything in it for the use of all
human beings and peoples. Thus, under the leadership of justice and in the company of charity,
created goods should flow fairly to all." (20)

All other rights, whatever they may be, including the rights of property and free trade, are to be
subordinated to this principle. They should in no way hinder it; in fact, they should actively
facilitate its implementation. Redirecting these rights back to their original purpose must be
regarded as an important and urgent social duty.

The Use of Private Property

23. "He who has the goods of this world and sees his brother in need and closes his heart to
him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (21) Everyone knows that the Fathers of the
Church laid down the duty of the rich toward the poor in no uncertain terms. As St. Ambrose put
it: "You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor man, but you are giving him back what
is his. You have been appropriating things that are meant to be for the common use of
everyone. The earth belongs to everyone, not to the rich." (22) These words indicate that the
right to private property is not absolute and unconditional.

No one may appropriate surplus goods solely for his own private use when others lack the bare
necessities of life. In short, "as the Fathers of the Church and other eminent theologians tell us,
the right of private property may never be exercised to the detriment of the common good."
When "private gain and basic community needs conflict with one another," it is for the public
authorities "to seek a solution to these questions, with the active involvement of individual
citizens and social groups." (23)

The Common Good

24. If certain landed estates impede the general prosperity because they are extensive, unused
or poorly used, or because they bring hardship to peoples or are detrimental to the interests of
the country, the common good sometimes demands their expropriation.

Vatican II affirms this emphatically. (24) At the same time it clearly teaches that income thus
derived is not for man's capricious use, and that the exclusive pursuit of personal gain is
prohibited. Consequently, it is not permissible for citizens who have garnered sizeable income
from the resources and activities of their own nation to deposit a large portion of their income in
foreign countries for the sake of their own private gain alone, taking no account of their country's
interests; in doing this, they clearly wrong their country. (25)

The Value of Industrialization

25. The introduction of industrialization, which is necessary for economic growth and human
progress, is both a sign of development and a spur to it. By dint of intelligent thought and hard
work, man gradually uncovers the hidden laws of nature and learns to make better use of
natural resources. As he takes control over his way of life, he is stimulated to undertake new
investigations and fresh discoveries, to take prudent risks and launch new ventures, to act
responsibly and give of himself unselfishly.
 Unbridled Liberalism

26. However, certain concepts have somehow arisen out of these new conditions and
insinuated themselves into the fabric of human society. These concepts present profit as the
chief spur to economic progress, free competition as the guiding norm of economics, and
private ownership of the means of production as an absolute right, having no limits nor
concomitant social obligations

This unbridled liberalism paves the way for a particular type of tyranny, rightly condemned by
Our predecessor Pius XI, for it results in the "international imperialism of money."(26)

Such improper manipulations of economic forces can never be condemned enough; let it be
said once again that economics is supposed to be in the service of man. (27)

But if it is true that a type of capitalism, as it is commonly called, has given rise to hardships,
unjust practices, and fratricidal conflicts that persist to this day, it would be a mistake to attribute
these evils to the rise of industrialization itself, for they really derive from the pernicious
economic concepts that grew up along with it. We must in all fairness acknowledge the vital role
played by labor systemization and industrial organization in the task of development.

Nobility of Work

27. The concept of work can turn into an exaggerated mystique. Yet, for all that, it is something
willed and approved by God. Fashioned in the image of his Creator, "man must cooperate with
Him in completing the work of creation and engraving on the earth the spiritual imprint which he
himself has received." (25) God gave man intelligence, sensitivity and the power of thought
tools with which to finish and perfect the work He began. Every worker is, to some extent, a
creatorbe he artist, craftsman, executive, laborer or farmer.

Bent over a material that resists his efforts, the worker leaves his imprint on it, at the same time
developing his own powers of persistence, inventiveness and concentration. Further, when work
is done in commonwhen hope, hardship, ambition and joy are sharedit brings together and
firmly unites the wills, minds and hearts of men. In its accomplishment, men find themselves to
be brothers. (29)

Dangers and Ideals

28. Work, too, has a double edge. Since it promises money, pleasure and power, it stirs up
selfishness in some and incites other to revolt. On the other hand, it also fosters a professional
outlook, a sense of duty, and love of neighbor. Even though it is now being organized more
scientifically and efficiently, it still can threaten man's dignity and enslave him; for work is human
only if it results from man's use of intellect and free will.

Our predecessor John XXIII stressed the urgent need of restoring dignity to the worker and
making him a real partner in the common task: "Every effort must be made to ensure that the
enterprise is indeed a true human community, concerned about the needs, the activities and the
standing of each of its members." (30)
Considered from a Christian point of view, work has an even loftier connotation. It is directed to
the establishment of a supernatural order here on earth, (31) a task that will not be completed
until we all unite to form that perfect manhood of which St. Paul speaks, "the mature measure of
the fullness of Christ." (32)

Balanced Progress Required

29. We must make haste. Too many people are suffering. While some make progress, others
stand still or move backwards; and the gap between them is widening. However, the work must
proceed in measured steps if the proper equilibrium is to be maintained. Makeshift agrarian
reforms may fall short of their goal. Hasty industrialization can undermine vital institutions and
produce social evils, causing a setback to true human values.

Reform, Not Revolution

30. The injustice of certain situations cries out for God's attention. Lacking the bare necessities
of life, whole nations are under the thumb of others; they cannot act on their own initiative; they
cannot exercise personal responsibility; they cannot work toward a higher degree of cultural
refinement or a greater participation in social and public life. They are sorely tempted to redress
these insults to their human nature by violent means.

31. Everyone knows, however, that revolutionary uprisingsexcept where there is manifest,
longstanding tyranny which would do great damage to fundamental personal rights and
dangerous harm to the common good of the countryengender new injustices, introduce new
inequities and bring new disasters. The evil situation that exists, and it surely is evil, may not be
dealt with in such a way that an even worse situation results.

A Task for Everyone

32. We want to be clearly understood on this point: The present state of affairs must be
confronted boldly, and its concomitant injustices must be challenged and overcome. Continuing
development calls for bold innovations that will work profound changes. The critical state of
affairs must be corrected for the better without delay.

Everyone must lend a ready hand to this task, particularly those who can do most by reason of
their education, their office, or their authority. They should set a good example by contributing
part of their own goods, as several of Our brother bishops have done. (33) In this way they will
be responsive to men's longings and faithful to the Holy Spirit, because "the ferment of the
Gospel, too, has aroused and continues to arouse in man's heart the irresistible requirements of
his dignity. (34)

Programs and Planning

33. Individual initiative alone and the interplay of competition will not ensure satisfactory
development. We cannot proceed to increase the wealth and power of the rich while we
entrench the needy in their poverty and add to the woes of the oppressed. Organized programs
are necessary for "directing, stimulating, coordinating, supplying and integrating" (35) the work
of individuals and intermediary organizations.

It is for the public authorities to establish and lay down the desired goals, the plans to be
followed, and the methods to be used in fulfilling them; and it is also their task to stimulate the
efforts of those involved in this common activity. But they must also see to it that private initiative
and intermediary organizations are involved in this work. In this way they will avoid total
collectivization and the dangers of a planned economy which might threaten human liberty and
obstruct the exercise of man's basic human rights.

The Ultimate Purpose

34. Organized programs designed to increase productivity should have but one aim: to serve
human nature. They should reduce inequities, eliminate discrimination, free men from the bonds
of servitude, and thus give them the capacity, in the sphere of temporal realities, to improve their
lot, to further their moral growth and to develop their spiritual endowments. When we speak of
development, we should mean social progress as well as economic growth.

It is not enough to increase the general fund of wealth and then distribute it more fairly. It is not
enough to develop technology so that the earth may become a more suitable living place for
human beings. The mistakes of those who led the way should help those now on the road to
development to avoid certain dangers. The reign of technologytechnocracy, as it is called
can cause as much harm to the world of tomorrow as liberalism did to the world of yesteryear.
Economics and technology are meaningless if they do not benefit man, for it is he they are to
serve. Man is truly human only if he is the master of his own actions and the judge of their
worth, only if he is the architect of his own progress. He must act according to his God-given
nature, freely accepting its potentials and its claims upon him.

Basic Education

35. We can even say that economic growth is dependent on social progress, the goal to which it
aspires; and that basic education is the first objective for any nation seeking to develop itself.
Lack of education is as serious as lack of food; the illiterate is a starved spirit. When someone
learns how to read and write, he is equipped to do a job and to shoulder a profession, to
develop self-confidence and realize that he can progress along with others. As We said in Our
message to the UNESCO meeting at Teheran, literacy is the "first and most basic tool for
personal enrichment and social integration; and it is society's most valuable tool for furthering
development and economic progress." (36)

We also rejoice at the good work accomplished in this field by private initiative, by the public
authorities, and by international organizations. These are the primary agents of development,
because they enable man to act for himself.

Role of the Family

36. Man is not really himself, however, except within the framework of society and there the
family plays the basic and most important role. The family's influence may have been excessive
at some periods of history and in some places, to the extent that it was exercised to the
detriment of the fundamental rights of the individual. Yet time honored social frameworks, proper
to the developing nations, are still necessary for awhile, even as their excessive strictures are
gradually relaxed. The natural family, stable and monogamousas fashioned by God (37) and
sanctified by Christianity"in which different generations live together, helping each other to
acquire greater wisdom and to harmonize personal rights with other social needs, is the basis of
society" (38)

Population Growth

37. There is no denying that the accelerated rate of population growth brings many added
difficulties to the problems of development where the size of the population grows more rapidly
than the quantity of available resources to such a degree that things seem to have reached an
impasse. In such circumstances people are inclined to apply drastic remedies to reduce the
birth rate.

There is no doubt that public authorities can intervene in this matter, within the bounds of their
competence. They can instruct citizens on this subject and adopt appropriate measures, so long
as these are in conformity with the dictates of the moral law and the rightful freedom of married
couples is preserved completely intact. When the inalienable right of marriage and of
procreation is taken away, so is human dignity.

Finally, it is for parents to take a thorough look at the matter and decide upon the number of
their children. This is an obligation they take upon themselves, before their children already
born, and before the community to which they belongfollowing the dictates of their own
consciences informed by God's law authentically interpreted, and bolstered by their trust in Him.
(39)

Professional Organizations

38. In the task of development man finds the family to be the first and most basic social
structure; but he is often helped by professional organizations. While such organizations are
founded to aid and assist their members, they bear a heavy responsibility for the task of
education which they can and must carry out. In training and developing individual men, they do
much to cultivate in them an awareness of the common good and of its demands upon all.

39. Every form of social action involves some doctrine; and the Christian rejects that which is
based on a materialistic and atheistic philosophy, namely one which shows no respect for a
religious outlook on life, for freedom or human dignity. So long as these higher values are
preserved intact, however, the existence of a variety of professional organizations and trade
unions is permissible. Variety may even help to preserve freedom and create friendly rivalry. We
gladly commend those people who unselfishly serve their brothers by working in such
organizations.

Cultural Institutions
40. Cultural institutions also do a great deal to further the work of development. Their important
role was stressed by the Council: ". . . the future of the world stands in peril unless wiser men
are forthcoming. It should also be pointed out that many nations, poorer in economic goods, are
quite rich in wisdom and can offer noteworthy advantages to others." (40)

Every country, rich or poor, has a cultural tradition handed down from past generations. This
tradition includes institutions required by life in the world, and higher manifestations artistic,
intellectual and religiousof the life of the spirit. When the latter embody truly human values, it
would be a great mistake to sacrifice them for the sake of the former. Any group of people who
would consent to let this happen, would be giving up the better portion of their heritage; in order
to live, they would be giving up their reason for living. Christ's question is directed to nations
also: "What does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world but suffer the loss of his own soul?''
(41)

Avoiding Past Temptations

41. The poorer nations can never be too much on guard against the temptation posed by the
wealthier nations. For these nations, with their favorable results from a highly technical and
culturally developed civilization, provide an example of work and diligence with temporal
prosperity the main pursuit. Not that temporal prosperity of itself precludes the activity of the
human spirit. Indeed, with it, "the human spirit, being less subjected to material things, can be
more easily drawn to the worship and contemplation of the Creator." (42) On the other hand,
"modern civilization itself often complicates the approach to God, not for any essential reason,
but because it is so much engrossed in worldly affairs . " (43)

The developing nations must choose wisely from among the things that are offered to them.
They must test and reject false values that would tarnish a truly human way of life, while
accepting noble and useful values in order to develop them in their own distinctive way, along
with their own indigenous heritage.

A Full-Bodied Humanism

42. The ultimate goal is a full-bodied humanism. (44) And does this not mean the fulfillment of
the whole man and of every man? A narrow humanism, closed in on itself and not open to the
values of the spirit and to God who is their source, could achieve apparent success, for man can
set about organizing terrestrial realities without God. But "closed off from God, they will end up
being directed against man. A humanism closed off from other realities becomes inhuman." (45)

True humanism points the way toward God and acknowledges the task to which we are called,
the task which offers us the real meaning of human life. Man is not the ultimate measure of
man. Man becomes truly man only by passing beyond himself. In the words of Pascal: "Man
infinitely surpasses man." (46)

II. THE COMMON DEVELOPMENT OF MANKIND

43. Development of the individual necessarily entails a joint effort for the development of the
human race as a whole. At Bombay We said: "Man must meet man, nation must meet nation, as
brothers and sisters, as children of God. In this mutual understanding and friendship, in this
sacred communion, we must also begin to work together to build the common future of the
human race." (47) We also urge men to explore concrete and practicable ways of organizing
and coordinating their efforts, so that available resources might be shared with others; in this
way genuine bonds between nations might be forged.

Three Major Duties

44. This duty concerns first and foremost the wealthier nations. Their obligations stem from the
human and supernatural brotherhood of man, and present a three-fold obligation: 1) mutual
solidaritythe aid that the richer nations must give to developing nations; 2) social justicethe
rectification of trade relations between strong and weak nations; 3) universal charitythe effort
to build a more humane world community, where all can give and receive, and where the
progress of some is not bought at the expense of others. The matter is urgent, for on it depends
the future of world civilization.

Aid to Developing Nations

45. "If a brother or a sister be naked and in want of daily food," says St. James, "and one of you
say to them, 'Go in peace, be warm and filled,' yet you do not give them what is necessary for
the body, what does it profit?" (48) Today no one can be unaware of the fact that on some
continents countless men and women are ravished by hunger and countless children are
undernourished. Many children die at an early age; many more of them find their physical and
mental growth retarded. Thus whole populations are immersed in pitiable circumstances and
lose heart.

46. Anxious appeals for help have already been voiced. That of Our predecessor John XXIII
was warmly received. (49) We reiterated his sentiments in Our Christmas message of 1963,
(50) and again in 1966 on behalf of India. (51) The work of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been encouraged by the Holy See and has found
generous support. Our own organization, Caritas Internationalis, is at work all over the world.
Many Catholics, at the urging of Our brother bishops, have contributed unstintingly to the
assistance of the needy and have gradually widened the circle of those they call neighbors.

A World of Free Men

47. But these efforts, as well as public and private allocations of gifts, loans and investments,
are not enough. It is not just a question of eliminating hunger and reducing poverty. It is not just
a question of fighting wretched conditions, though this is an urgent and necessary task. It
involves building a human community where men can live truly human lives, free from
discrimination on account of race, religion or nationality, free from servitude to other men or to
natural forces which they cannot yet control satisfactorily. It involves building a human
community where liberty is not an idle word, where the needy Lazarus can sit down with the rich
man at the same banquet table. (52)

On the part of the rich man, it calls for great generosity, willing sacrifice and diligent effort. Each
man must examine his conscience, which sounds a new call in our present times. Is he
prepared to support, at his own expense, projects and undertakings designed to help the
needy? Is he prepared to pay higher taxes so that public authorities may expand their efforts in
the work of development? Is he prepared to pay more for imported goods, so that the foreign
producer may make a fairer profit? Is he prepared to emigrate from his homeland if necessary
and if he is young, in order to help the emerging nations?

A National Duty

48. The duty of promoting human solidarity also falls upon the shoulders of nations: "It is a very
important duty of the advanced nations to help the developing nations . . ." (53) This conciliar
teaching must be implemented. While it is proper that a nation be the first to enjoy the God-
given fruits of its own labor, no nation may dare to hoard its riches for its own use alone. Each
and every nation must produce more and better goods and products, so that all its citizens may
live truly human lives and so that it may contribute to the common development of the human
race.

Considering the mounting indigence of less developed countries, it is only fitting that a
prosperous nation set aside some of the goods it has produced in order to alleviate their needs;
and that it train educators, engineers, technicians and scholars who will contribute their
knowledge and their skill to these less fortunate countries.

Superfluous Wealth

49. We must repeat that the superfluous goods of wealthier nations ought to be placed at the
disposal of poorer nations. The rule, by virtue of which in times past those nearest us were to be
helped in time of need, applies today to all the needy throughout the world. And the prospering
peoples will be the first to benefit from this. Continuing avarice on their part will arouse the
judgment of God and the wrath of the poor, with consequences no one can foresee. If
prosperous nations continue to be jealous of their own advantage alone, they will jeopardize
their highest values, sacrificing the pursuit of excellence to the acquisition of possessions. We
might well apply to them the parable of the rich man. His fields yielded an abundant harvest and
he did not know where to store it: "But God said to him, 'Fool, this very night your soul will be
demanded from you . . .' " (54)

Concerted Planning

50. If these efforts are to be successful, they cannot be disparate and disorganized; nor should
they vie with one another for the sake of power or prestige. The times call for coordinated
planning of projects and programs, which are much more effective than occasional efforts
promoted by individual goodwill.

As We said above, studies must be made, goals must be defined, methods and means must be
chosen, and the work of select men must be coordinated; only then will present needs be met
and future demands anticipated. Moreover, such planned programs do more than promote
economic and social progress. They give force and meaning to the work undertaken, put due
order into human life, and thus enhance man's dignity and his capabilities.
 A World Fund

51. A further step must be taken. When We were at Bombay for the Eucharistic Congress, We
asked world leaders to set aside part of their military expenditures for a world fund to relieve the
needs of impoverished peoples. (55) What is true for the immediate war against poverty is also
true for the work of national development. Only a concerted effort on the part of all nations,
embodied in and carried out by this world fund, will stop these senseless rivalries and promote
fruitful, friendly dialogue between nations.

52. It is certainly all right to maintain bilateral and multilateral agreements. Through such
agreements, ties of dependence and feelings of jealousyholdovers from the era of colonialism
give way to friendly relationships of true solidarity that are based on juridical and political
equality. But such agreements would be free of all suspicion if they were integrated into an
overall policy of worldwide collaboration. The member nations, who benefit from these
agreements, would have less reason for fear or mistrust. They would not have to worry that
financial or technical assistance was being used as a cover for some new form of colonialism
that would threaten their civil liberty, exert economic pressure on them, or create a new power
group with controlling influence.

53. Is it not plain to everyone that such a fund would reduce the need for those other
expenditures that are motivated by fear and stubborn pride? Countless millions are starving,
countless families are destitute, countless men are steeped in ignorance; countless people need
schools, hospitals, and homes worthy of the name. In such circumstances, we cannot tolerate
public and private expenditures of a wasteful nature; we cannot but condemn lavish displays of
wealth by nations or individuals; we cannot approve a debilitating arms race. It is Our solemn
duty to speak out against them. If only world leaders would listen to Us, before it is too late!

Dialogue Between Nations

54. All nations must initiate the dialogue which We called for in Our first encyclical, Ecclesiam
Suam. (56) A dialogue between those who contribute aid and those who receive it will permit a
well-balanced assessment of the support to be provided, taking into consideration not only the
generosity and the available wealth of the donor nations, but also the real needs of the receiving
countries and the use to which the financial assistance can be put. Developing countries will
thus no longer risk being overwhelmed by debts whose repayment swallows up the greater part
of their gains. Rates of interest and time for repayment of the loan could be so arranged as not
to be too great a burden on either party, taking into account free gifts, interest-free or low-
interest loans, and the time needed for liquidating the debts.

The donors could certainly ask for assurances as to how the money will be used. It should be
used for some mutually acceptable purpose and with reasonable hope of success, for there is
no question of backing idlers and parasites. On the other hand, the recipients would certainly
have the right to demand that no one interfere in the internal affairs of their government or
disrupt their social order. As sovereign nations, they are entitled to manage their own affairs, to
fashion their own policies, and to choose their own form of government. In other words, what is
needed is mutual cooperation among nations, freely undertaken, where each enjoys equal
dignity and can help to shape a world community truly worthy of man.

An Urgent Task

55. This task might seem impossible in those regions where the daily struggle for subsistence
absorbs the attention of the family, where people are at a loss to find work that might improve
their lot during their remaining days on earth. These people must be given every possible help;
they must be encouraged to take steps for their own betterment and to seek out the means that
will enable them to do so. This common task undoubtedly calls for concerted, continuing and
courageous effort. But let there be no doubt about it, it is an urgent task. The very life of needy
nations, civil peace in the developing countries, and world peace itself are at stake.

Equity in Trade Relations

56. Efforts are being made to help the developing nations financially and technologically. Some
of these efforts are considerable. Yet all these efforts will prove to be vain and useless, if their
results are nullified to a large extent by the unstable trade relations between rich and poor
nations. The latter will have no grounds for hope or trust if they fear that what is being given
them with one hand is being taken away with the other.

Growing Distortion

57. Highly industrialized nations export their own manufactured products, for the most part. Less
developed nations, on the other hand, have nothing to sell but raw materials and agricultural
crops. As a result of technical progress, the price of manufactured products is rising rapidly and
they find a ready market. But the basic crops and raw materials produced by the less developed
countries are subject to sudden and wide-ranging shifts in market price; they do not share in the
growing market value of industrial products.

This poses serious difficulties to the developing nations. They depend on exports to a large
extent for a balanced economy and for further steps toward development. Thus the needy
nations grow more destitute, while the rich nations become even richer.

Free Trade Concept Inadequate

58. It is evident that the principle of free trade, by itself, is no longer adequate for regulating
international agreements. It certainly can work when both parties are about equal economically;
in such cases it stimulates progress and rewards effort. That is why industrially developed
nations see an element of justice in this principle.

But the case is quite different when the nations involved are far from equal. Market prices that
are freely agreed upon can turn out to be most unfair. It must be avowed openly that, in this
case, the fundamental tenet of liberalism (as it is called), as the norm for market dealings, is
open to serious question.

Justice at Every Level

59. The teaching set forth by Our predecessor Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum is still valid today:
when two parties are in very unequal positions, their mutual consent alone does not guarantee a
fair contract; the rule of free consent remains subservient to the demands of the natural law.
(57) In Rerum Novarum this principle was set down with regard to a just wage for the individual
worker; but it should be applied with equal force to contracts made between nations: trade
relations can no longer be based solely on the principle of free, unchecked competition, for it
very often creates an economic dictatorship. Free trade can be called just only when it conforms
to the demands of social justice.

60. As a matter of fact, the highly developed nations have already come to realize this. At times
they take appropriate measures to restore balance to their own economy, a balance which is
frequently upset by competition when left to itself. Thus it happens that these nations often
support their agriculture at the price of sacrifices imposed on economically more favored
sectors. Similarly, to maintain the commercial relations which are developing among
themselves, especially within a common market, the financial, fiscal and social policy of these
nations tries to restore comparable opportunities to competing industries which are not equally
prospering.

One Standard for All

61. Now in this matter one standard should hold true for all. What applies to national economies
and to highly developed nations must also apply to trade relations between rich and poor
nations. Indeed, competition should not be eliminated from trade transactions; but it must be
kept within limits so that it operates justly and fairly, and thus becomes a truly human endeavor.

Now in trade relations between the developing and the highly developed economies there is a
great disparity in their overall situation and in their freedom of action. In order that international
trade be human and moral, social justice requires that it restore to the participants a certain
equality of opportunity. To be sure, this equality will not be attained at once, but we must begin
to work toward it now by injecting a certain amount of equality into discussions and price talks.

Here again international agreements on a broad scale can help a great deal. They could
establish general norms for regulating prices, promoting production facilities, and favoring
certain infant industries. Isn't it plain to everyone that such attempts to establish greater justice
in international trade would be of great benefit to the developing nations, and that they would
produce lasting results?

The Obstacles of Nationalism

62. There are other obstacles to creation of a more just social order and to the development of
world solidarity: nationalism and racism. It is quite natural that nations recently arrived at
political independence should be quite jealous of their new-found but fragile unity and make
every effort to preserve it. It is also quite natural for nations with a long-standing cultural tradition
to be proud of their traditional heritage. But this commendable attitude should be further
ennobled by love, a love for the whole family of man. Haughty pride in one's own nation
disunites nations and poses obstacles to their true welfare. It is especially harmful where the
weak state of the economy calls for a pooling of information, efforts and financial resources to
implement programs of development and to increase commercial and cultural interchange. . . .
and Racism

63. Racism is not the exclusive attribute of young nations, where sometimes it hides beneath
the rivalries of clans and political parties, with heavy losses for justice and at the risk of civil war.
During the colonial period it often flared up between the colonists and the indigenous
population, and stood in the way of mutually profitable understanding, often giving rise to
bitterness in the wake of genuine injustices. It is still an obstacle to collaboration among
disadvantaged nations and a cause of division and hatred within countries whenever individuals
and families see the inviolable rights of the human person held in scorn, as they themselves are
unjustly subjected to a regime of discrimination because of their race or their color.

Hopes for the Future

64. This state of affairs, which bodes ill for the future, causes Us great distress and anguish. But
We cherish this hope: that distrust and selfishness among nations will eventually be overcome
by a stronger desire for mutual collaboration and a heightened sense of solidarity. We hope that
the developing nations will take advantage of their geographical proximity to one another to
organize on a broader territorial base and to pool their efforts for the development of a given
region. We hope that they will draw up joint programs, coordinate investment funds wisely,
divide production quotas fairly, and exercise management over the marketing of these products.
We also hope that multilateral and broad international associations will undertake the necessary
work of organization to find ways of helping needy nations, so that these nations may escape
from the fetters now binding them; so that they themselves may discover the road to cultural
and social progress, while remaining faithful to the native genius of their land.

The Artisans of Destiny

65. That is the goal toward which we must work. An ever more effective world solidarity should
allow all peoples to become the artisans of their destiny. Up to now relations between nations
have too often been governed by force; indeed, that is the hallmark of past history.

May the day come when international relationships will be characterized by respect and
friendship, when mutual cooperation will be the hallmark of collaborative efforts, and when
concerted effort for the betterment of all nations will be regarded as a duty by every nation. The
developing nations now emerging are asking that they be allowed to take part in the
construction of a better world, a world which would provide better protection for every man's
rights and duties. It is certainly a legitimate demand, so everyone must heed and fulfill it.

Worldwide Brotherly Love

66. Human society is sorely ill. The cause is not so much the depletion of natural resources, nor
their monopolistic control by a privileged few; it is rather the weakening of brotherly ties between
individuals and nations.

Welcoming the Stranger

67. We cannot insist too much on the duty of giving foreigners a hospitable reception. It is a duty
imposed by human solidarity and by Christian charity, and it is incumbent upon families and
educational institutions in the host nations.

Young people, in particular, must be given a warm reception; more and more families and
hostels must open their doors to them. This must be done, first of all, that they may be shielded
from feelings of loneliness, distress and despair that would sap their strength. It is also
necessary so that they may be guarded against the corrupting influence of their new
surroundings, where the contrast between the dire poverty of their homeland and the lavish
luxury of their present surroundings is, as it were, forced upon them. And finally, it must be done
so that they may be protected from subversive notions and temptations to violence, which gain
headway in their minds when they ponder their "wretched plight.'' (58) In short, they should be
welcomed in the spirit of brotherly love, so that the concrete example of wholesome living may
give them a high opinion of authentic Christian charity and of spiritual values.

68. We are deeply distressed by what happens to many of these young people. They come to
wealthier nations to acquire scientific knowledge, professional training, and a high-quality
education that will enable them to serve their own land with greater effectiveness. They do get a
fine education, but very often they lose their respect for the priceless cultural heritage of their
native land.

69. Emigrant workers should also be given a warm welcome. Their living conditions are often
inhuman, and they must scrimp on their earnings in order to send help to their families who
have remained behind in their native land in poverty.

A Social Sense

70. We would also say a word to those who travel to newly industrialized nations for business
purposes: industrialists, merchants, managers and representatives of large business concerns.
It often happens that in their own land they do not lack a social sense. Why is it, then, that they
give in to baser motives of self-interest when they set out to do business in the developing
countries? Their more favored position should rather spur them on to be initiators of social
progress and human betterment in these lands. Their organizational experience should help
them to figure out ways to make intelligent use of the labor of the indigenous population, to
develop skilled workers, to train engineers and other management men, to foster these people's
initiative and prepare them for offices of ever greater responsibility. In this way they will prepare
these people to take over the burden of management in the near future.

In the meantime, justice must prevail in dealings between superiors and their subordinates.
Legitimate contracts should govern these employment relations, spelling out the duties involved.
And no one, whatever his status may be, should be unjustly subjected to the arbitrary whim of
another.

Development Missions

71. We certainly rejoice over the fact that an ever increasing number of experts are being sent
on development missions by private groups, bilateral associations and international
organizations. These specialists must not "act as overlords, but as helpers and fellow workers.''
(59) The people of a country soon discover whether their new helpers are motivated by good
will or not, whether they want to enhance human dignity or merely try out their special
techniques. The expert's message will surely be rejected by these people if it is not inspired by
brotherly love.

The Role of Experts

72. Technical expertise is necessary, but it must be accompanied by concrete signs of genuine
love. Untainted by overbearing nationalistic pride or any trace of racial discrimination, experts
should learn how to work in collaboration with everyone. They must realize that their expert
knowledge does not give them superiority in every sphere of life. The culture which shaped their
living habits does contain certain universal human elements; but it cannot be regarded as the
only culture, nor can it regard other cultures with haughty disdain. If it is introduced into foreign
lands, it must undergo adaptation.

Thus those who undertake such work must realize they are guests in a foreign land; they must
see to it that they studiously observe its historical traditions, its rich culture, and its peculiar
genius. A rapprochement between cultures will thus take place, bringing benefits to both sides.

Service to the World

73. Sincere dialogue between cultures, as between individuals, paves the way for ties of
brotherhood. Plans proposed for man's betterment will unite all nations in the joint effort to be
undertaken, if every citizenbe he a government leader, a public official, or a simple workman
is motivated by brotherly love and is truly anxious to build one universal human civilization
that spans the globe. Then we shall see the start of a dialogue on man rather than on the
products of the soil or of technology.

This dialogue will be fruitful if it shows the participants how to make economic progress and how
to achieve spiritual growth as well; if the technicians take the role of teachers and educators; if
the training provided is characterized by a concern for spiritual and moral values, so that it
ensures human betterment as well as economic growth. Then the bonds of solidarity will
endure, even when the aid programs are past and gone. It is not plain to all that closer ties of
this sort will contribute immeasurably to the preservation of world peace?

An Appeal to Youth

74. We are fully aware of the fact that many young people have already responded
wholeheartedly to the invitation of Our predecessor Pius XII, summoning the laity to take part in
missionary work. (60) We also know that other young people have offered their services to
public and private organizations that seek to aid developing nations. We are delighted to learn
that in some nations their requirement of military duty can be fulfilled, in part at least, by social
service or, simply, service. We commend such undertakings and the men of good will who take
part in them. Would that all those who profess to be followers of Christ might heed His plea: "I
was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger
and you took me in; naked and you covered me; sick and you visited me; I was in prison and
you came to me." (61)

No one is permitted to disregard the plight of his brothers living in dire poverty, enmeshed in
ignorance and tormented by insecurity. The Christian, moved by this sad state of affairs, should
echo the words of Christ: "I have compassion on the crowd." (62)

Prayer and Action

75. Let everyone implore God the Father Almighty that the human race, which is certainly aware
of these evils, will bend every effort of mind and spirit to their eradication. To this prayer should
be added the resolute commitment of every individual. Each should do as much as he can, as
best he can, to counteract the slow pace of progress in some nations. And it is to be hoped that
individuals, social organizations and nations will join hands in brotherly fashionthe strong
aiding the weakall contributing their knowledge, their enthusiasm and their love to the task,
without thinking of their own convenience.

It is the person who is motivated by genuine love, more than anyone else, who pits his
intelligence against the problems of poverty, trying to uncover the causes and looking for
effective ways of combatting and overcoming them. As a promoter of peace, "he goes on his
way, holding aloft the torch of joy and shedding light and grace on the hearts of men all over the
world; he helps them to cross the barriers of geographical frontiers, to acknowledge every man
as a friend and brother." (63)

Development, the New Name for Peace

76. Extreme disparity between nations in economic, social and educational levels provokes
jealousy and discord, often putting peace in jeopardy. As We told the Council Fathers on Our
return from the United Nations: "We have to devote our attention to the situation of those
nations still striving to advance. What We mean, to put it in clearer words, is that our charity
toward the poor, of whom there are countless numbers in the world, has to become more
solicitous, more effective, more generous." (64)

When we fight poverty and oppose the unfair conditions of the present, we are not just
promoting human well-being; we are also furthering man's spiritual and moral development, and
hence we are benefiting the whole human race. For peace is not simply the absence of warfare,
based on a precarious balance of power; it is fashioned by efforts directed day after day toward
the establishment of the ordered universe willed by God, with a more perfect form of justice
among men. (65)

77. Nations are the architects of their own development, and they must bear the burden of this
work; but they cannot accomplish it if they live in isolation from others. Regional mutual aid
agreements among the poorer nations, broader based programs of support for these nations,
major alliances between nations to coordinate these activitiesthese are the road signs that
point the way to national development and world peace.

Toward an Effective World Authority

78. Such international collaboration among the nations of the world certainly calls for institutions
that will promote, coordinate and direct it, until a new juridical order is firmly established and
fully ratified. We give willing and wholehearted support to those public organizations that have
already joined in promoting the development of nations, and We ardently hope that they will
enjoy ever growing authority. As We told the United Nations General Assembly in New York:
"Your vocation is to bring not just some peoples but all peoples together as brothers. . . Who
can fail to see the need and importance of thus gradually coming to the establishment of a world
authority capable of taking effective action on the juridical and political planes?" (66)

Hope for the Future

79. Some would regard these hopes as vain flights of fancy. It may be that these people are not
realistic enough, and that they have not noticed that the world is moving rapidly in a certain
direction. Men are growing more anxious to establish closer ties of brotherhood; despite their
ignorance, their mistakes, their offenses, and even their lapses into barbarism and their
wanderings from the path of salvation, they are slowly making their way to the Creator, even
without adverting to it.

This struggle toward a more human way of life certainly calls for hard work and imposes difficult
sacrifices. But even adversity, when endured for the sake of one's brothers and out of love for
them, can contribute greatly to human progress. The Christian knows full well that when he
unites himself with the expiatory sacrifice of the Divine Savior, he helps greatly to build up the
body of Christ, (67) to assemble the People of God into the fullness of Christ.

A Final Appeal

80. We must travel this road together, united in minds and hearts. Hence We feel it necessary to
remind everyone of the seriousness of this issue in all its dimensions, and to impress upon them
the need for action. The moment for action has reached a critical juncture. Can countless
innocent children be saved? Can countless destitute families obtain more human living
conditions? Can world peace and human civilization be preserved intact? Every individual and
every nation must face up to this issue, for it is their problem.

To Catholics

81. We appeal, first of all, to Our sons. In the developing nations and in other countries lay
people must consider it their task to improve the temporal order. While the hierarchy has the
role of teaching and authoritatively interpreting the moral laws and precepts that apply in this
matter, the laity have the duty of using their own initiative and taking action in this areawithout
waiting passively for directives and precepts from others. They must try to infuse a Christian
spirit into people's mental outlook and daily behavior, into the laws and structures of the civil
community. (68) Changes must be made; present conditions must be improved. And the
transformations must be permeated with the spirit of the Gospel.

We especially urge Catholic men living in developed nations to offer their skills and earnest
assistance to public and private organizations, both civil and religious, working to solve the
problems of developing nations. They will surely want to be in the first ranks of those who spare
no effort to have just and fair laws, based on moral precepts, established among all nations.

To Other Christians and Believers

82. All Our Christian brothers, We are sure will want to consolidate and expand their
collaborative efforts to reduce man's immoderate self-love and haughty pride, to eliminate
quarrels and rivalries, and to repress demagoguery and injusticeso that a more human way of
living is opened to all, with each man helping others out of brotherly love.

Furthermore, We still remember with deep affection the dialogue We had with various non
Christian individuals and communities in Bombay. So once again We ask these brothers of Ours
to do all in their power to promote living conditions truly worthy of the children of God.

To All Men of Good Will

83. Finally, We look to all men of good will, reminding them that civil progress and economic
development are the only road to peace. Delegates to international organizations, public
officials, gentlemen of the press, teachers and educatorsall of you must realize that you have
your part to play in the construction of a new world order. We ask God to enlighten and
strengthen you all, so that you may persuade all men to turn their attention to these grave
questions and prompt nations to work toward their solution .

Educators, you should resolve to inspire young people with a love for the needy nations.
Gentlemen of the press, your job is to place before our eyes the initiatives that are being taken
to promote mutual aid, and the tragic spectacle of misery and poverty that people tend to ignore
in order to salve their consciences. Thus at least the wealthy will know that the poor stand
outside their doors waiting to receive some leftovers from their banquets.

To Government Authorities

84. Government leaders, your task is to draw your communities into closer ties of solidarity with
all men, and to convince them that they must accept the necessary taxes on their luxuries and
their wasteful expenditures in order to promote the development of nations and the preservation
of peace. Delegates to international organizations, it is largely your task to see to it that
senseless arms races and dangerous power plays give way to mutual collaboration between
nations, a collaboration that is friendly, peace oriented, and divested of self-interest, a
collaboration that contributes greatly to the common development of mankind and allows the
individual to find fulfillment.

To Thoughtful Men

85. It must be admitted that men very often find themselves in a sad state because they do not
give enough thought and consideration to these things. So We call upon men of deep thought
and wisdomCatholics and Christians, believers in God and devotees of truth and justice, all
men of good willto take as their own Christ's injunction, "Seek and you shall find." (69) Blaze
the trails to mutual cooperation among men, to deeper knowledge and more widespread charity,
to a way of life marked by true brotherhood, to a human society based on mutual harmony.

To All Promoters of Development

86. Finally, a word to those of you who have heard the cries of needy nations and have come to
their aid. We consider you the promoters and apostles of genuine progress and true
development. Genuine progress does not consist in wealth sought for personal comfort or for its
own sake; rather it consists in an economic order designed for the welfare of the human person,
where the daily bread that each man receives reflects the glow of brotherly love and the helping
hand of God.

87. We bless you with all Our heart, and We call upon all men of good will to join forces with you
as a band of brothers. Knowing, as we all do, that development means peace these days, what
man would not want to work for it with every ounce of his strength? No one, of course. So We
beseech all of you to respond wholeheartedly to Our urgent plea, in the name of the Lord.

Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, on the feast of the Resurrection, March 26, 1967, in the fourth
year of Our pontificate.

PAUL VI
QUESTION 1:

The issue behind Populorum Progressio is social injustice, global inequality, and
development of the nations. Pope Paul VI had discovered, during his trips to Latin America,
Africa, Palestine, and India, that these countries remain to be underdeveloped despite the
numerous advances that are going on around the world. Although there are a lot of countries
that have already progressed and are abundant in terms of resources, there remain to be
countries that are poor and deprived of food, education, and other material resources. The gap
between the rich and the poor which continues to widen is what causes inequality. According to
Cornish (2011), Pope Paul VI even declared development as a new name for peace because
of the conflicts caused by global inequality and poverty. The kind of development mentioned
was not meant to be restricted to economic and material but also encompasses spiritual
development. He calls for a world wherein countries help each other in developing each one,
because individual efforts are not enough to achieve social justice.

QUESTION 2:

Pope Paul VI said that the purpose of his encyclical, Populorum Progressio, is to
awaken in the People of God full awareness of their mission today. In this way they can further
the progress of poorer nations and international social justice, as well as help less developed
nations to contribute to their own development."

Pope Paul VI stated three major duties, which concern first and foremost the wealthier
nations, for us to achieve true development. The first duty is mutual solidarity which is the aid
that the richer nations must give to developing nations. Another one is social justice which is
more concerned with economics since it is the rectification of trade relations between strong and
weak nations. Lastly, the duty of universal charity which is the effort to build a more humane
world community, where all can give and receive, and where the progress of some is not bought
at the expense of others.

Solidarity entails acknowledging the sufferings of our brothers and sisters and doing what
we can to eliminate their difficulties. In particular, PopePaul VI emphasizes the universal
destination of goods, which implies that wealthy individuals should share their fruits with
those who lack material necessities.The duty of promoting human solidarity also falls upon
the shoulders of nations: "It is a very important duty of the advanced nations to help the
developing nations . . ." While it is proper that a nation be the first to enjoy the God-given
fruits of its own labor, no nation may dare to hoard its riches for its own use alone. Each and
every nation must produce more and better goods and products, so that all its citizens may
live truly human lives and so that it may contribute to the common development of the
human race. Considering the mounting indigence of less developed countries, it is only
fitting that a prosperous nation set aside some of the goods it has produced in order to
alleviate their needs; and that it train educators, engineers, technicians and scholars who
will contribute their knowledge and their skill to these less fortunate countries.

There must be equity in trade relations wherein developing countries will no longer risk
being overwhelmed by debts whose repayment swallows up the greater part of their gains.
 Rates of interest and time for repayment of the loan could be so arranged as not to be too
great a burden on either party, taking into account free gifts, interest-free or low-interest
loans, and the time needed for liquidating the debts. The donors could certainly ask for
assurances as to how the money will be used. It should be used for some mutually
acceptable purpose and with reasonable hope of success, for there is no question of
backing idlers and parasites. On the other hand, the recipients would certainly have the right
to demand that no one interfere in the internal affairs of their government or disrupt their
social order. As sovereign nations, they are entitled to manage their own affairs, to fashion
their own policies, and to choose their own form of government. In other words, what is
needed is mutual cooperation among nations, freely undertaken, where each enjoys equal
dignity and can help to shape a world community truly worthy of man. Social justice
demands that trade between the nations should be on equal terms. Agreement must be
reached to keep some prices steady, to guarantee some products, to assist new industries.
Such agreements would bring at once enduring benefit.

Pope Paul VI said that when people migrate, their fellow human beings must learn to be
good hosts. When experts come with expertise they must season it with love. They must not
think they have nothing to learn themselves. They must seek and understand the riches of
the lands they visit. These experts can then help civilisations understand each other.
Dialogue builds fellowship between peoples. The nations will be brought together if all who
are at work upon development, from heads of state to engineers, are moved by love. Their
aim must be to build up in the world a new civilisation, based on a worldwide solidarity.

In the end, Pope Paul VI calls for global loyalty and less nationalism from all humankind.
Nationalism isolates one people from another; it makes a wall between one country and
another. It hampers aid, and fosters hate instead. So we must understand the need to work
together and learn to be not ignorant. Organized programs designed to increase productivity
should have but one aim: to serve human nature. They should reduce inequities, eliminate
discrimination, free men from the bonds of servitude, and thus give them the capacity, in the
sphere of temporal realities, to improve their lot, to further their moral growth and to develop
their spiritual endowments. When we speak of development, we should mean social progress
as well as economic growth.

QUESTION 3:

Pope Paul VI stated that development is the new name for peace and he expressed
the dangers of conflict if inequality grew. Populorum Progressio doesnt only address the
problems and issues in the past but it is also applicable today. The Philippines poverty rate has
increased for the past years. Corruption in the government is still not eradicated up to now.
Theres also a growing gap between the rich and the poor. Rise in the number of street children
and out of school youth, tax evasion, unemployment and other social issues are all over the
Philippines and the other countries.

Populorum Progressio speaks about the development of nations and the people. It says
that development cannot be limited to economic growth, it has to promote the good of every
person and all humanity. It is concerned for those who seek to escape hunger, poverty, disease,
and ignorance. It talks about the rights of workers to a just wage, job security, reasonable
working conditions, and to join a worker's association which are all current issues that the
Philippines and other countries are facing now.

God created earth to provide equal opportunity to all and to provide each person the
necessities of life. For this very reason, Populorum Progressio calls all humanity to lend hand
towards helping those in need. Many nations and individuals are blessed with abundance and
they need to hear their brothers and sisters cry for help and answer it lovingly. The government
must do their duties to the people and avoid or eliminate all selfish desires. Solidarity among
nations must also be established. We may have different language, culture and separated by
distance. It teaches us to love and help others just like whats in the parable of the Good
Samaritan. Solidarity includes welcoming people who seek for safe home, work, education and
decent life.

Populorum progression also calls all men to reduce or abolish selfishness, eliminate
quarrels, misunderstandings and rivalries and eradicate injustice. Through this well have a
more human way of life and well develop as a person just like what Populorum Progressio
promotes.