Consecrated into the papacy on the eve of World War I, Pope Benedict XV worked hard to bring peace and restore order to the world at war. He finished and promulgated the first Code of Canon Law that his predecessor, Pius X, had started. While much of his papacy was concerned with the humanitarian and social consequences of the Great War, Pope Benedict XV still found time to write on theological and historical topics.
As a theologian, Benedict XV pursued Mariological studies and promoted the use of the rosary. Several of his encyclicals—Principi Apostolorum Petro and Fausto Appetente Die, among others—exhort the Church to find more time to pray as St. Ephraim and St. Dominic each did. Quod Iam Diu is his encyclical letter that called all Catholics of the world—regardless of what side of the war they are on—to pray for peace and an end to war. Finally, Humani Generis Redemptionem drew attention to the complete ineffectiveness of Christian preaching (evidenced by the moral, political, and ethical failings underpinning World War I). He called out bishops and priests, stating that preaching and hearing confession are the primary duties of the priest and bishop, and that the purpose of the pulpit is not for mere applause, but for the profit of souls.
The Logos digital edition renders these encyclicals fully searchable, allowing you to instantly find what you are looking for. Discover Pope Benedict XV’s immortal teachings of peace and faith as you read the Latin and the English side-by-side, or as you explore a footnote from another book in your library.