''Ingruentium malorum'' ( en, In the face of approaching evils, italic=yes) is an

encyclical An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from the Late Latin (originally fr ...

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...

on reciting the

rosary The Rosary (; la, , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), also known as the Dominican Rosary, or simply the Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or ...

, issued on September 15, 1951, the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary. "It is an appeal for an intensification of the traditional October Rosary devotions, making a particular recommendation for the family recitation of the Rosary, begging Our Lady to obtain peace for individuals, for families, for peoples, for nations, and for the Church throughout the world."

The encyclical states that from the beginning of his pontificate,

entrusted to the

Mother of God ''Theotokos'' ( Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are ''Dei Genitrix'' or '' Deipara'' (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations ar ...

the destiny of the human family. Six years after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, fraternal harmony among nations had not yet been re-established. Church "persecution in many parts of the world make the blood of martyrs flow again and again". The encyclical states that the Holy Rosary is the most fitting and most fruitful means to learn about the faith itself:

As is clearly suggested by the very origin of this practice, heavenly rather than human, and by its nature. What prayers are better adapted and more beautiful than the
Lord's prayer The Lord's Prayer, also called the Our Father or Pater Noster, is a central Christian prayer which Jesus taught as the way to pray. Two versions of this prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer form within the Sermon on the Mount in the Gosp ...
and the
angelic salutation The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's s ...
, which are the flowers with which this mystical crown is formed? With meditation of the Sacred Mysteries added to the vocal prayers, there emerges another very great advantage, so that all, even the most simple and least educated, have in this a prompt and easy way to nourish and preserve their own faith.

The Pope argues that the repeating of identical formulas has a positive impact on those who pray, giving them confidence in Mary. "The recitation of identical formulas repeated so many times, rather than rendering the prayer sterile and boring, has, on the contrary, the admirable quality of infusing confidence in him who prays and brings to bear a gentle compulsion on the motherly Heart of Mary".

Family recitation of the Rosary

Pius strongly encourages Catholic families to pray the rosary together. This reflects the practice in his own family while he was growing up.

The custom of the family recitation of the Holy Rosary is a most efficacious means. What a sweet sight—most pleasing to God—when, at eventide, the Christian home resounds with the frequent repetition of praises in honor of the High Queen of Heaven! Then the Rosary, recited in the family, assembled before the image of the Virgin, in an admirable union of hearts, the parents and their children, who come back from their daily work. It unites them piously with those absent and those dead. It links all more tightly in a sweet bond of love, with the most Holy Virgin, who, like a loving mother, in the circle of her children, will be there bestowing upon them an abundance of the gifts of concord and family peace.

Pope Pius XII put great confidence in the Holy Rosary for the healing of evils which afflict the times. He states that while reciting the Rosary, Catholics should not forget those who languish in prison camps, jails, and concentration camps. "There are among them, as you know, also Bishops dismissed from their Sees solely for having heroically defended the sacred rights of God and the Church. There are sons, fathers and mothers, wrested from their homes and compelled to lead unhappy lives far away in unknown lands and strange climates". The Pope imparts his

Apostolic Blessing The apostolic blessing or papal blessing is a blessing imparted by the pope, either directly or by delegation through others. Bishops are empowered to grant it three times a year and any priest can do so for the dying. The apostolic blessing is not ...

to each reader and particularly to those who recite the holy Rosary during the month of October.''Ingruentium Malorum'', 21

References

External links

Encyclical ''Ingruentium malorum '' on the Vatican website
{{Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII Mariology Encyclicals of Pope Pius XII September 1951 events 1951 in Christianity

Contents

Family recitation of the Rosary

See also

References

External links