Divinum illud munus

Divinum illud munus (Latin: That divine order) is an encyclical of Pope Leo XIII. on May 9, 1897. In this encyclical the Pope dealt with the " appreciation of the Holy Spirit and his gifts ."

The background

The Italian Sister Elena Guerra wrote at the end of the 19th century several times to Pope Leo XIII. and urged him to renew the Church through a new turn to the Holy Spirit. Between 1895-1903 he blessed sister had written twelve confidential letters in which she asked increasingly to preach about the Holy Spirit. Pope Leo XIII. elaborated on this proposal. First, with this encyclical " Divinum illud munus " in which he called for a new appreciation of the Holy Spirit and his gifts. Also at the suggestion of Sr. Elena's called Leo on January 1, 1901 on behalf of the whole Church, the Holy Spirit and let the hymn Veni creator spiritus sing, to consecrate the whole century the Holy Spirit.

About the understanding of the Holy Spirit

In order to understand the Holy Spirit, it is useful to start from the Holy Trinity. She is the greatest mystery of the New Testament, but also the fountainhead of New Testament revelation. Pope Leo XIII. stresses that, in its peculiarity should not to a difference in the divine essence, in nature, close to the distinction of the divine persons; because the divine nature is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit together. All divine perfections and all the works were outwardly the divine persons; because the action of the Holy Trinity would be indivisible. " What the Father does, does in the same way, the Son and the Holy Spirit." These statements correspond to God in nature, ie in the divine nature, only the Trinity appealing and not one person alone:

The Holy Spirit as the Paraclete of the Church

If we were to open up the Holy Spirit from Pentecost from, we would also look at the transformation that had experienced the apostles. Previously they had been hiding for fear of the Jews, and were without a word, after the apparition of the Holy Spirit ( Pentecost ) it known with boldness the mighty works of God. The promise of Jesus was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit did the apostles transmitted his assistance and the sharing and spreading of the Good News guaranteed. This assistance granted did spread to the whole Church and the Holy Spirit applies as a helper and intercessor, who continued ceaselessly put in the mystery and action of the Church, the historical presence of the Savior on earth and his saving work.

Spirit and the Church

Now In this sense, he described the relation of mind and the church, namely, that the Spirit is listed as a donor and True, and there may be mentioned in connection to his work church, community, and forgiveness, this are the fruits of the Spirit. Apparently the Holy Spirit is seen as the creator of the Church in a sacramental and institutional reality. The connection between the mind and the individual is essentially indirect, she found so far rather than individuals take part in the salvation of the institute, whose soul is the mind.

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The thought " the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit as a substructure of the spiritual life and its culmination " takes Leo XIII. In his encyclical on when he states: " These gifts are of such high potency that they lead up to the summit of holiness." The encyclical thus picking up on an idea that for centuries the theological world had moved: The Holy Spirit and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are the supernatural foundation of the whole spiritual life, but especially its culmination in the great mysticism. The Spirit and his gifts lead to the height of the mystical life, but only if the person is particularly fervent in prayer and in the pursuit of perfection.

Concluding remark

Ninety-nine years later, on Pentecost 1996, Pope John Paul II has again issued an encyclical on the Holy Spirit. It bears the title Dominum et Vivificantem and brings close of the Bible from the mystery of the Holy Spirit, which had, of the Pope 's view, for the transition into the next millennium of great importance. Thus was that of Leo XIII. Exclaimed Century of the Holy Spirit its assessment.