E Supremi

por Pope Saint Pius X

Editorial:

Libreria Editrice Vaticana

, 1903

Overview

Pope St. Pius X, the first pope since Pius V to be canonized into sainthood, was known as the pastoral pope. He took up the cause of the poor and promoted personal holiness and a lifestyle reflecting Christian values. St. Pius X was the only pope in the twentieth century with a long pastoral background at the parish level, and such were the concerns of the Catholic Church under his guidance. He reformed canon law and church administration, and adhered to traditional theology and doctrine. These encyclicals bring a timeless pastoral message and warn of emergent philosophies that drive a wedge between philosophy and theology. Pascendi Dominici Gregis discusses and condemns modernist philosophy, which, in St. Pius X’s estimation, necessitates agnosticism and results in relativism. St. Pius X was also frequently concerned with Catholic education and doctrine, and thus, through the encyclical Acerbo Nimis, he mandated a sort of catechism class for every parish in the world. A few years later, the Catechism of Saint Pius X was issued (Catechismo della dottrina Cristiana) and was promoted as a method of teaching.