The Church Against Totalitarianism During the Pontificate of Pius XI

Abstract

During the interwar period, European soil witnessed the rise of both right and left-wing totalitarian regimes. The Church tried to protect its pastoral activities by stipulating concordats with different states. Due to the violation of the Concordat agreement in Germany and Italy, and the abuse of human rights and the persecution of the Church in the Soviet Union, Pope Pius XI took a strong stand defending the liberty of the Church and condemning racism. Three encyclicals, Non abbiamo bisogno (1931), Mit brennerder Sorge (1937), and Divini Redemptoris (1937), reveal the position of the Church toward totalitarianism and demonstrate the social setting the Church was facing.

Keywords

• communism
• fascism
• national socialism
• totalitarianism
• Pius XI
• Hegel