This «great Pontiff,» whose papacy extended from Feb. 20, 1878, until his death in 1903 at 93 years of age, is remembered not only for the encyclical on capital and labor, but also for his «ample and articulated magisterium,» John Paul II said.
Leo XIII «relaunched Thomist studies, … promoted the growth of the spiritual life of the Christian people,» and «dedicated 10 encyclicals to the rosary,» the Holy Father said today during his address before praying the Angelus with pilgrims at the papal summer residence.
«Rerum Novarum» confirmed traditional doctrine on the natural right to private property, and emphasized the latter’s social function. It noted the state’s duty to attend to social problems and to eliminate the causes of conflict between capital and labor.
The encyclical reminds workers of their duty to their employers. An employer, in turn, has to ensure that workers receive a living wage that enables them to support a family adequately. The papal document also condemned class struggle but acknowledged the right of workers to form unions.
