Pope Leo XIII: A Modern Man Who Saw The Future of Society Yet Still Understood The Past

Pope Leo XIII, a man who spoke six different languages, and a man who saw the future- the attack on the family, the evils of socialism, and the beauty of the Eastern Churches.  Unlike many of his predecessors, Pope Leo XIII broke with traditional Roman Catholicism and defended the purpose of the Eastern Church in the Orientalium Dignitas- On the Churches of the East, written by Pope Leo XIII, Nov. 1894.  His comments began like this: 

The Churches of the East are worthy of the glory and reverence that they hold throughout the whole of Christendom in virtue of those extremely ancient, singular memorials that they have bequeathed to us. For it was in that part of the world that the first actions for the redemption of the human race began, in accord with the all-kind plan of God. They swiftly gave forth their yield: there flowered at first blush the glories of preaching the True Faith to the nations, of martyrdom, and of holiness. They gave us the first joys of the fruits of salvation. From them has come a wondrously grand and powerful flood of benefits upon the other peoples of the world, no matter how far-flung. When blessed Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, intended to cast down the manifold wickedness of error and vice, in accord with the will of Heaven, he brought the light of divine Truth, the Gospel of peace, freedom in Christ to the metropolis of the Gentiles.

First, this was a significant change from how the Roman Catholic Church had treated the Eastern Churches before 1894.  

It has most especially been the habit of the Roman Church, the head of all the Churches, to render to the Churches of the East a great degree of honor and love in remembrance of the Apostles, to rejoice in her turn in their faithful obedience. Amidst changing and difficult times, she has never failed in any way in farsightedness and acts of kindness to sustain them against the forces that would strike them again and again, to hold fast to those that were overwhelmed, to call back those in discord with her. Nor was it the last expression of her watchfulness that she guard and preserve in them whole and entire forever the customs and distinct forms for administering the sacraments that she had declared legitimate in her wise jurisdiction. Examples of this are the many decisions of Our Predecessors, in the first place Pius IX of happy memory, promulgated in their own pontifical acts or through documents issued from the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. We ourselves have felt the prompting of no lesser zeal. At the very beginning of Our Pontificate, We turned eyes full of love towards the Christian nations of the East. We made haste, in fact, to direct Our solicitude to alleviating their state of want. We then saw the beginning of other opportunities for bearing witness to Our feelings of kind regard and expressing them in deeds. But nothing was nor is more important, nothing more sacred than to kindle the ardor, to elicit fruitfulness in the Faith in those souls in union with the Apostolic See, so that they shine forth as renewed proofs of the excellence and glory of their ancestors.

Pope Leo XIII noted that the Church had recently founded in this very city (Rome) a college for the formation of Armenian and Maronite clergy, likewise at Plovdiv and Edirne for those of the Bulgarian rite.

Second, Pope Leo XIII explained what would happen if a Latin Priest or Bishop began to poach people from the Eastern Church into the Latin Church. 

Any Latin rite missionary, whether of the secular or religious clergy, who induces with his advice or assistance any Eastern rite faithful to transfer to the Latin rite, will be deposed and excluded from his benefice in addition to the ipso facto suspension a divinis and other punishments that he will incur as imposed in the aforesaid Constitution Demandatam. That this decree stands fixed and lasting We order a copy of it be posted openly in the churches of the Latin rite.

Third, Pope Leo XIII explained that the Church needed to preserve the Eastern Church.

We have begun to have hope, We are fostering it because its realization would be a great cause for joy, and, it is a fact, We are pursuing more strenuously this work so profitable for the salvation of many. Our goal is to discharge to the utmost degree whatever may be hoped for from the prudent direction of the Apostolic See. The reasons for rivalry and suspicion must be removed; then the fullest energies can be marshaled for reconciliation. We consider this of paramount importance to preserving the integrity proper to the discipline of the Eastern Churches. For Our part, We have ever rendered extreme attention and concern for this endeavor. In this vein, We have already given instructions for establishing schools to form young clerics of their nationalities. We shall give a like instruction for erecting other institutes. In them the students will cultivate their rites with the greatest devotion, observe them, and have full knowledge of their usages. In point of fact there is more importance than can be believed in preserving the Eastern rites. Their antiquity is august, it is what gives nobility to the different rites, it is a brilliant jewel for the whole Church, it confirms the God-given unity of the Catholic Faith.

Catholic means universal- the universal Church.  We are Catholic but we are not all Roman Catholic.  Pope Leo XIII understood this, he understood the importance of history and the importance of the future.  He was one Pope who really understood the universal appeal of the Church including both the East and Western Churches.  The Eastern Churches were first and so very rich in their Divine Liturgy.  In fact, the Apostle Peter was the first Bishop of what City?  The answer will surprise you. It is not Rome- it is Antioch.  Antioch was one of the great centers of the Eastern Churches.  Many of the Eastern Churches trace their heritage back to Peter when he was Bishop of Antioch before he went to Rome.  

Pope Leo XIII in his Apostolic letter, Orientalium dignitas, published on November 30, 1894, declared:

The maintenance of the Eastern rites is of more importance than might be imagined. The august antiquity, which lends dignity to these various rites is an adornment of the whole church and a witness to the divine unity of the Catholic faith. Perhaps nothing, in fact, better proves the note of Catholicity in the Church of God than the singular homage paid by these ceremonies which vary in form, which are celebrated in languages venerable by their antiquity, and which are still further hallowed by the use that has been made of them by the Apostles and Fathers of the Church.

Praise be to God Always, Pope Leo XIII, you were truly a blessed person with a vision that many more people should have and all people believe in. Amen