Two Pius Popes and a Bunch of Fascists

Outline:

A.  The life of Achille Ratti before 1922.

B.  Solving the “Roman Problem” with concordats.  Latvia (1922), Rumania and Lithuania (1927), Concordat and Lateran Treaties with Italy (1929).  Vatican City is sovereign; 150 million lire and another one billion government bonds at 5%.  Religious weddings recognized.  Catholic schools reopened, catechism taught in state schools

C.  European scene:  France and radical right. Spanish civil war and Francisco Franco’s regime.  Further concordats with Austria (Dollfuss), Hungary (Horthy), Spain (Franco) and Germany (Hitler).

D. The Feast of Christ the King:  “to bring home to all mankind the fact that Christ is king, not merely of individuals, but of families and societies, of states, of nations, or rulers and tribunals as well.  The duty of Catholics is to hasten the return of the world to His authority by their prayers, their influence and their action.”

E. anti-Fascist encyclicals.  “violations of the concordat, the many forms of oppression of the freedom of organized religion, the idolatry of race and blood, the horrendous campaigns of scandals against the clergy, the battle against Catholic education, the suppression of the press.”