The church and public opinion


COMPLIMENTS

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TuLhc Opinion

By

AMLETO CARDINAL CICOGNANI

The following letter dated July 13, 1966

was written by Amleto Cardinal Cicog-

nani. Papal Secretary of State, It was

addressed to M, Alain Barrere, presi-

dent of the French Social Week at Nice,
France. The subject discussed by the

participants of the meeting was the

Catholic Church and Public Opinion.



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O,inion
Ever since their origin, the Social Weeks

of France have always tried to give answers

to the problems of our times which are

both inspired by the teaching of the Church

and scientifically detailed. Having dealt in

turn during their sessions at Nancy (1955)

with the techniques of modern communica-

tions media, at Grenoble (1960) with so-

cialization, at Caen (1963) with the demo-

cratic society, they are now attacking in its
entirety the vast and grave problem of

“public opinion.” The Holy Father, to

whom you have explained your project, is
vitally interested in it and is pleased to con-

gratulate the Social Weeks for having re-

solved to devote their coming sessions at

Nice to a phenomenon of such considerable

importance to the Church in the modern

world.

Public opinion is inherent in the social

nature of man. In his address to the Fourth

World Congress of the Catholic Press in

Rome in 1950, Pope Pius XII regarded
this an incontestable fact, resembling “a

natural echo, a common resonance, more
or less spontaneous, of facts and circum-

stances in the spirit and judgments of per-

sons who feel responsible for and closely
linked to the destiny of their community.”^

Thus the phenomenon is not new. Never-
theless it has acquired, as a result of mod-
ern technology, a heretofore unsuspected

dimension and influence. The social com-
munications media, whose importance has

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been stressed by the ecumenical council,

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transmit in effect the same news at the

same moment to a public at times as vast
as the whole world.

Thus news naturally creates public opin-

ion which will be even more far-reaching

than the news itself would have been, even

if it had been universally transmitted. This

is certainly good, but it also involves a risk

since the selection and presentation of news

always involve a conception of man and
his destiny with which the public and so-

ciety become slowly but inexorably imbued.

Actually, in every community side by

side with laws and institutions, a more or

less spontaneous way of life emerges which

is expressed by judgments, attitudes, and

behavior-patterns, practiced or adopted by

a more or less large portion of a group in

the face of current events. Choices, which

could have been divergent, assume the same

orientation, and thus agreement is achieved

in everyday life. Thus, we see that public
opinion is born out of a desire and need

of man to meet his fellow, to understand
him and to communicate with him in active

participation in the life of the community,

where it manifests itself as a symbol and

factor of social cohesion.

A sort of philosophy of life is thus worked
out across the agreements and dissents, the

approvals and disapprovals of public opin-

ion. Sometimes its expression tends to

stiffen or to become exclusive, hemming

into the pillory of obsolete conformity a

social life which it leads outside of con-

temporary progress. If, on the other hand,

it remains spontaneous and diversified by

free confrontation, this continuous welcom-

ing of complementary truths and values can

be a source of balance and enrichment.

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Climate of Liberty

This is to say that public opinion, in order

to establish itself sanely, needs a true climate

of liberty, outside the pressure of myths

and all constraint which would strive to

impose a uniformity whose appearance is

the humiliating signal of dangerous regres-

sion. Thus it was possible to galvanize an

entire nation into committing actions which

stirred up the disapproval of the universal

conscience and which finally led to a catas-

trophe whose horror is still lingering in

everybody’s memory.

If man quite naturally seeks ways and
means to share his ideas, he may be
tempted to employ in this connection meth-

ods which affect his personal dignity and

his freedom of judgment. Advertising can

go so far as to transform the consumer

into a conditioned automation. But it is

in the political field where the gravest of-

fenses are committed, and the very terms

used in this connection — e.g., mass rape,
brainwashing — in themselves condemn
these degrading methods. Pius XII stig-

matized “the violence of those who cun-
ningly put into motion all the resources of

modern technology, all the subtle arts of

persuasion in order to strip (the citizenry)

of its freedom of thought and to turn them

into frail ‘reeds shaken by the wind’ [Matt.

11 : 7 ].

Also, one of the strongest vindications

and most notable conquests of modern man
has been the realization — alas still merely
verbal in certain countries — of the human
right to free expression, by a group as well

as by an individual, of freely formed opin-

ions. This right, rooted in the human per-
son, constitutes one of his essential preroga-

tives. Pope John XXIII, whose memory

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has remained so vivid in peoples’ spirits

and hearts, gave this doctrine exceptional

fame in his encyclical Pacem in Terris. It
ranks, in fact, among the “universal, in-
violate and inalienable” rights of the human
person, “the right to freedom in the search

of truth, in the expression and dissemina-

tion of thought.”^ The ecumenical council,
finally, by its Declaration on Religious

Liberty, has solemnly expressed the view

of the Church on this point.

But in the world of today public opinion

is profoundly marked by increasing so-

cialization, based on acquaintances, judg-

ments and behavior patterns. In the di-

verse groups, which are becoming increas-

ingly more numerous and complex, and

which make up the various societies, each
person encounters a mode of speech, of
thinking and of acting which tends to inte-

grate him psychologically into the particular

group, influences him, and profoundly deter-

mines his behavior.

It is therefore important that in this tight

system, where common opinions commonly
held weigh more heavily, man should be
able to preserve his freedom of thought and

decision. One of the most serious problems
confronting modern man is no doubt the
individual’s fate in an inevitable process of

socialization. An education begun at a very
early age will provide the type of spiritual

and character formation which will make

it possible for the person concerned to

overcome the dangers propelled by mass

public opinion: the abuse of slogans, stand-

ardization of ideas, and group-coercion.

Tomorrow’s civilization, so powerfully

modeled by public opinion, is thus in the

hands of citizens.

In fact, in the democratic process of

government, so readily adopted by people

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of today, it is the community as such which

is responsible for its destiny and which

itself sets the goals to be achieved and the

means by which to achieve them. If, in

this political structure, the citizens delegate

their powers, they by no means renounce

thereby the exercise of their individual re-

sponsibilities. This, in turn, presupposes a

perpetual interest of the greatest possible

number of people for community affairs,

and it can be seen from the fact how deter-
mining the weight of public opinion is in

the process of public affairs.

The Fourth Power

Public opinion has begun to be referred

to as the fourth power, next to the legisla-

tive, executive, and judiciary powers. How-
ever exact this metaphor may be, it em-
phasizes quite well the reality of this diffuse

power. It manifests itself marginally in

relation to institutions, on a level of moral

pressure, without expressing itself by judicial

decisions, as a sort of spontaneous burst,

instigated in the community by the events

of its changing and manifold life.

To the sociologist who inquires into the
influence of public opinion, the latter fre-

quently seems to be polyvalent and am-

biguous, capable, as Aesop’s language, of

the best and the worst, susceptible to pas-

sion, excesses, ingratitude, even brutality.

At the same time it is capable of manifest-

ing itself as a conscience, a judge, an

advocate, an appeal for the best of causes.

The great values which, at decisive times,
put it into motion are generally justice,

honor, solidarity, peace, and liberty : the

“sign of our times” which Pope John XXIII
had welcomed optimistically. Because,

whenever public opinion strays in its pas-

sionate thrusts or its ideological suggestions.

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its motivations usually remain noble; it must

be given credit for delineating the checks

on abuses of power, for forming the popular

conscience acquired by citizens in judging

the common good,* and of feeling obligated
to participate actively in civic affairs.

This underlines the tragic image previous-

ly emphasized by Pope Pius XII of a society

lacking a genuine public opinion,” not as a

result of external constraint, but by default

on the part of people living in a community.

The search for easy pleasures, the sinking

into comfort, the refusal of obligation, the

absence of ideals, the lack of character, the

neglect of an objective moral rule, and the

common good are at the same time the
immediate causes, the disturbing symptoms,

and the results of this situation whose con-

tagion may rapidly corrupt the entire so-
cial structure.

The simple recollection of this grave

danger is in itself a pressing invitation to

see public opinion as something quite dif-

ferent from a definitely secured right or as

a permanent menace, but rather as a real

blessing entirely left to the active exercise

of responsibility by the citizenry. Who does
not, as a result, see what is the duty of

Catholics, conscious of the obligations of

their faith in the midst of a pluralistic and

usually tolerant society, but which is never-

theless subject to criticism and sometimes

affected by extreme changes?

The Christianas Duty

All too frequently indifferent with regard

to the values of faith, public opinion forms

an idea of the Church drawn from the

images presented by the press, literature,

radio, movies, television and songs which

are both the expression and catalysts of

dominant mentalities. This shows that it

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is up to Christians to work intelligently in

these very important public opinion mold-

ing activities in order to present the true

image of the Church there. It is also their

duty to resist disparaging pressures and to

promote respect for human and spiritual
values without which a civilization degrades

itself unknowingly. Moreover, it is their

duty through a dynamic projection of their

convictions, to command the respect of
public opinion for the imperatives of their

faith, the ethical concepts which it entails,

and the moral obligations which it imposes.

In a word, it is necessary for them to re-

spond to the appeal which His Holiness

Paul VI launched from the rostrum of the

United Nations: “We must become accus-
tomed to contemplate man in a new fash-
ion; also, the life of men living together,
and, finally, the ways of history and the

destiny of the world, according to the words

of St. Paul: ‘Put on the new man, which

has been created according to God in jus-
tice and holiness of truth’ [Eph. 4:23].”®

This demonstrates what problems a re-

flection on the essence of public opinion

presents to the conscience of Christians

called on to live in a world more and more

alien to the faith and sometimes even al-

lergic to any spiritual perspective. If public

opinion can be defined as the effectiveness

of ideas in the active thinking of a group

at a given moment of its history, who does
not perceive the urgency facing the con-

temporary Christian to act upon the domi-

nant public opinion of his environment, of

his profession, of his city; to infuse into

the pragmatic philosophy of life which this

public opinion disseminates the exalting

dynamism of spiritual values drawn from

the pure and permanent sources of the

message of the Gospel?

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The duty of the Christian, already so
exacting in this area, is nonetheless not

exhausted by this convincing testimonial of

the Church which he carries into the midst

of the world. Because, if public opinion,

according to the formula so frequently

quoted from Pius XII, is “the prerogative of

every normal society composed of men,”“ it

is quite evident that there exists also —
naturally in matters left to free discussion

— a public opinion in the Church. The
same pontiff gave on this subject this de-

cisive opinion; “This can surprise only those

who do not know the Church or those who
know it badly. Because, after all, she is
a living body and something would be

missing in her life if public opinion were

lacking, a deficiency for which blame would

fall on the pastors and the faithful.”*

By examining the doctrine of the Church
the recent ecumenical council shed particu-

lar light on the place and role of the people

of God, a people who are faithful, free, and
responsible, and who are called on to par-
ticipate in the edification of the Church.

Far from being a subject on which one

expects neither suggestions nor initiatives,

it is up to the people of God to play an
active role in the search for the means by

which the Church strives to present the

message of the Gospel to contemporary peo-

ple. The council, moreover, has invited

laymen, conscious of their vocation and

their obligations, to “make known to their

pastors their needs and their desires with

the freedom and confidence which is the

right of the sons of God and the brothers
in Christ.”*

It is hence normal and healthy that a

public opinion is formed among the faith-

ful and that it expresses itself freely, for

the Church lives and develops in history.

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Her participation in the destiny of the

world imposes upon her a double dialectic

of acceptance and refusal, of fidelity and

adaptation, in her own life, her government,
her instruction, and her liturgy, as well as

in the animation which she exercises in the

midst of the temporal order. Who cannot
see from this how the expression of the
ideas of those who are instructed, gov-
erned, and sanctified by the hierarchy, and

also tied to it by confident obedience, will

be beneficial to it in its dialogue with men
of these times?

A Resounding Echo

Public opinion in the Church thus ap-

pears as an exchange of thoughts of which

the responsible persons of the community

are the principal promoters. It is from the

teaching of the hierarchy that it receives

its first nourishment and it is to the hier-

archy that it gives voice to the circum-

stances, worries, difficulties, hopes and de-

sires of the people of God in such a manner
that the pastors, thus enlightened, “can act

better and more wisely in spiritual as well

as temporal matters.”^

As a living echo of the teaching and di-

rectives given to the faithful in return, it

stirs up in them an invigorating consent.

Who does not grasp the importance of such
a public opinion in assuring a resounding

echo to the positions taken by the teaching

authority of the Church, without which they

all too often remain just dead letters? It

is still well remembered by all what sym-

pathetic interest public opinion attached to

the great events which marked the pontificate

of John XXIII, the meeting of the ecumeni-

cal council, and the trips of His Holiness

Paul VI. But Catholics can usefully ask

themselves, to what extent they concur with

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the untiring effort of the Church and the

Holy See for international peace and social

justice, problems in whose understanding

public opinion plays such an important role.

Therefore, the council calls attention to

“the urgency and extreme necessity for a

new spring in the development of men-
talities and a change of tone in public

opinion.”^®

Public opinion within the Church is a

manifestation of the holy freedom of the

sons of God and it represents the dialogue
of a family in mutual trust, the reciprocal

charity and supernatural obedience called

for in the encyclical, Ecclesiam Suam. Far

from being uncontrolled criticism or a bitter

dispute of the Church, it appears as a ges-

ture of- love for it. Because, if the spouse

of Christ is in need of an “aggiornamento,”

she is nevertheless still our mother Holy

Church, according to the teaching of the

council itself. Also, everyone, in propor-

tion to the influence which he exerts and

the audience which he commands, should

take care in manifesting his opinions to weigh

his interventions carefully, to be sure that

they are well founded, and to estimate

their foreseeable impact and anticipated

consequences in terms of the welfare of

souls, so that thoughts too human by their
very nature do not appear to corrupt what

has been sought by fidelity to Christ and

solicitude for His reign. At this price,

public opinion will play within the Church

its beneficent role as an instrument of

privileged dialogue, while, at the same time,

rendering powerful assistance to the Church

in her effort of conducting an unceasing

dialogue with the contemporary world.

Within the framework of the perspectives

opened up by the ecumenical council of

a Church solicitous of spreading the mes-

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sage of the Gospel in a pluralistic world,

marked by the democratic form of gov-

ernment and utterly transformed by a grow-

ing process of socialization, the contem-

porary Christian sees exceptionally wide-

ranging possibilities opening up before him.

In a Church which is undergoing renewal

in the midst of a world in full transforma-

tion, he must translate the requirements of

his faith into evangelical behavior stimulated

by authentic charity. He will be intent on
exercising his actions in all social circles,

in the family, school, profession, and dur-

ing leisure periods, where common posi-
tions and group judgments are worked out,

and where public opinion is born; on pro-

moting values for community growth and

on affirming courageously the primacy of

the spirit. Eager to bring the world into

a greater harmony with the ideal of love

and peace brought by Christ, he will be

equally preoccupied in assisting the Church

to project to contemporary mankind an

image of herself which is increasingly more

devoted to the design of love revealed in

the Gospel. “Who do men say that I am?”
Jesus asked His Apostles (Mark 8:27).
The same question still resounds today

across the centuries. It is directed to all

the disciples of Christ, because the world

in most instances meets and judges the

Church through the community of the faith-

ful and is led to Christ by it. . . .

There is no doubt that the authoritative

lectures of the coming Social Week, under

the benevolent patronage of Bishop Jean

Mouisset of Nice, will help all Catholics

to be more conscious of their high and

exacting mission with regard to public opin-

ion and of the best means to achieve it.

With this wish in mind the Holy Father

sends you, Mr. President, with the pledge

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of abundant divine graces for yourself, the

members of the permanent commission, the

professors, and all those attending the So-

cial Week, a special apostolic blessing.

Happy to transmit to you this precious
encouragement, 1 extend to you, Mr. Presi-

dent, with my best wishes for the fruit-
fulness of your labors, my assurances of
respectful devotion in Our Lord.

FOOTNOTES
^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis, XLII (1950), p. 252.

2A.A.S., LVI (1964), p. 147 ff.
3A.A.S., XLII (1950), p. 253.

^A.A.S., LV (1963), p. 259-260.
^A.A.S., LVII (1965), p. 884.

6A.A.S., XLII (1950), p. 251.
7 Ibid., p. 256.

8 Lumen Gentium, No. 37.
^ Ibid.

Gaudium et Spes, No. 82, par. 3.

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