I feel like if a football player can reference Quadragesimo Anno, a perfectly good Papal document, in an interview, we can certainly take a dive into one of our own.
Talk about collective memory. The Church is the biggest bestest guardian of the collective memory there is. When your life is passed down from Jesus Christ with the laying on of hands, one High Priest to another, step by step to our day, you have a lot of wisdom to impart. Not even your crazy all-too-human members can take that away from you!
I am going to suggest — if you want to, if you have time — that for Lent, we take a peek at Casti Connubii, which is a document written by Pope Pius XI in 1930.
“Where I can do the most good?”
“As a married woman?”
The Church has an answer for that.
At the very least, even if you aren't Catholic, you could find out what the Church, as an institution that helpfully publishes all her official teachings so that there can be no confusion about what she really thinks, has to say about marriage. You might be interested.
This encyclical (which is just a longish letter containing the official teaching of the whole Church on a particular subject) is the one that precedes (in subject matter) one you may have heard of, Humanae Vitae. That document expressed Church teaching on birth control and made some fairly heavyweight predictions, which have pretty much all come to pass.
You might not be aware, even if you are Catholic, that every encyclical references every one preceding it on the subject, as well as Scripture and the Church Fathers. No encyclical exists in a vacuum.
Collective memory I tell you.
Casti Connubii attempts to situate marriage in the whole of God's plan for humanity. As such, I think it's worth taking a look at.
If you're interested, as a pre-Lenten warm-up exercise, I suggest you start here, with an interesting and helpful time-line. (This site also has a summary of the document and a version that doesn't have that annoying Vatican background that makes everything well nigh impossible to read, sorry Vatican “tech” guys, it's just true.)
Sometimes we think of upheavals as having occurred in the last few years. Take a look at that timeline.
I'm sure it's not comprehensive — for instance, it leaves out all that was happening at the time in Germany (other than a nod at one publication) and Russia — events that surely weighed like boulders on the Pope's mind as he was writing this message to the world's priests and families.
But it makes you think. And as you think, you might, this Lent, be amazed to see what the Church had to say about the place of marriage and the family in the world.
I don't have a grand plan about how to go about this Lenten reading.
One thought I had, other than to suggest it to you, throw some ideas out there occasionally, and maybe answer some questions and comments in the combox, is that you might want to ask a friend — your husband, for instance — or a couple of girl friends — a little mother's group or some such thing — or a couple of couples — to read it along with you, all together.
Read with an open mind, and discuss.
Want to give it a go?
The whole series is now complete. Here is what you need to get it all at once:
Go here for a PDF file of the document. You can print it out.
Wendy in VA says
Great idea! Count me in.
joyfilledfamily says
thanks for the simple and relevant suggestion. i'm planning a light lenten program since i am due with baby 6 on feb. 17. i think the Casti Connubii will be perfect for my lenten program with my husband. i just printed it and will continue to prep for my family's lenten journey. thanks again for your assistance – ALL FOR!
Bridget Green says
That sounds like a great idea. Since I don't have really any young couple friends in the area (only actually have one that I'm not related to and they live about 2.5 hours away), is there anyway you'd want to do a read-along? On here? 🙂
Betsy says
I just printed this out and would love to have a bit of guided discussion from you about it during Lent. Thanks for the gentle nudge; I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have attempted to read this document without your suggestion. I love to read, but haven't tackled too many encyclicals! (so far: none)
One question: I tried to look at the version on the Universalis website and was unable to find it. Do you have to have a subscription to access it? Your help is appreciated.
Terri says
I'm in! Thank you for the suggestion.
Robin E says
I'm up to that! Thank you. 🙂
Kathy says
I'd love to give it a go – but have no idea who would do that with me here, I'll pray about it…perhaps ask St. Anthony to 'find' a good group to read/discuss with – I like that idea a lot. Thanks Leila!
CMerie says
I really dislike reading documents on the computer (we don't have a laptop). Somehow I think I absorb the information more if I'm sitting cozy on the couch or something. (Obviously blog reading is different, they are not as long). BUT I copied the document into a word file and sent it to my Kindle. So now I can read it AND be cozy. Yay!
But now I'm wondering, since this is a Lenten thing, if I need to take the cozy factor out…*wink*
Mary says
I am totally in. Time for my brain to get a workout and Lent is the perfect season to do it in. Casti Cannubii here I come!!
seashoreknits says
Oh yes.
Brilliant idea, Leila!
Barbara says
You had mentioned before that one of your sons went to Notre Dame. He probably knew our wonderful Bishop John D'Arcy, who was bishop for twenty-four years before retiring. He passed away last week:
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/bishop-darcy-l…
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/diocese-announ…
Angela says
I'd love to! Sounds fascinating.
Theresa Korte says
Yes thank you …this sounds wonderfuI. Question… I am having trouble finding the timeline you refered to. The link takes me to Universalis LOTH. Is it on that site somewhere?
_Leila says
Ah, I fixed the link — thanks for letting me know!
And yes, we will discuss here — of course! I will post occasionally about it during Lent.
And yes — Bishop D'Arcy will be mourned here.
Christine says
I actually have an old copy of Casti Connubii and I've read it before, so I will be happy to join you if I have time. That is a big if. Regardless, I will definitely be rereading it.
Rain says
Thank you for sharing this. I actually found a way to download it onto my kindle by copying it into a word document first, saving me some paper! .
Tracy says
Casti Connubii – this was the inspiration for my blog title!
Tiffany says
There are about 6 of us moms, here in Bismarck, who have been reading this encyclical since Oct. We only meet twice a month – but every time we meet we are amazed at Pope Pius' foresight, as well as the validity his words still have today! A must read for every wife and mother!
Emily says
I just found your blog within the last week, and this is one more reason why I'm glad to be a new follower! My husband has read several encyclicals, but this will be my first. Thanks for the suggestion! Looking forward to the ongoing comments/discussion.
Rachael says
This seems like a good idea for a Lenten reflection – I'm looking forward to joining in. Thanks for the opportunity to be in community for this.
Becky says
This is wonderful read. (perhaps I shouldn't be enjoying it if it's for Lent? Also, I'm early…) I adore some of the lines and will be reflecting on them quite a bit:
“express not only a law of justice but of charity” para 25
“For if the man is the head, the woman is the heart, and as he occupies the chief place in ruling, so she may and ought to claim for herself the chief place in love.” para 27
I have to save the rest of the reading for later but thanks so much for such a good source to mull over!
Katie says
This is a perfect idea–perfect timing! I am all over it, and so is my dear husband. I'm going to try to organize a local reading group with some friends and make some potluck Lenten occasions. Thanks for the inspiration!
Mrs. B. says
I'll be happy to read along, too! And I like the idea of some Lenten spiritual reading shared with my husband, as we usually pick different things and never thought of doing something together,
@etomariya says
Well… you'll either have about 17 of these comments of mine, or I will have been messing something up the previous 16 times and you'll only have one. Let's hope for the latter!
What I was originally trying to put: …I'm a little behind the curve here, what with timely responses being those which were written nearly a week ago, but I'm down for this as well!
I'm glad you think of these things, I have big plans to be organized and then I'm not! Thank you!
Maria :]
Sarah says
I will read this too! Thank you for sharing it. I love how in your blog you encourage and support marriage! Thank you! My husband is my greatest gift (next to faith and before our 6 precious babes).