According to the Collins English Dictionary, an encyclical is an official letter written by the pope and sent to Roman Catholic bishops to make a statement about the official teachings of the Church. This may be a message to bishops in a particular state, or in all countries of the world.
Origin and meaning of the term
The term itself appeared a long time ago and comes from the Greek word for "circle" or "circular". Important letters from the pope were sent to bishops and local churches, who then copied and forwarded them to others until the entire Church heard.
The process required a lot of effort, thus encyclicals contained only vital information and were not issued regularly.
Today's encyclicals are immediately published on the Vatican website in many languages for the entire world to read. But the main audience is still the bishops and pastors of the world, as well as those who preach and defend the Catholic faith. They help you understand how to usethe teachings of Scripture and the Catholic tradition, especially in light of a specific issue.
Stimulus for spiritual development
Encyclicals are not necessarily "infallible" statements, although they can be if the Pope so desires. This happens infrequently. But that doesn't mean Catholics can ignore the encyclical if they don't like what it says. The encyclical of the Pope is very important, it challenges, encouraging the spiritual growth of the followers of the teaching.
There is a tradition in the Church, especially in the last century, to write social encyclicals on issues of workers' rights or the development of peoples and cultures. Catholic social teaching is constantly evolving through observation and analysis. It guides actions and reactions to the social problems of our ever-changing world.
Social Encyclicals
The beginning of Catholic social teaching can be traced back to 1891, when Pope Leo XIII wrote the encyclical Rerum Novarum. This document sets out some basic guiding principles and Christian values that influence how societies and nations operate. It talked about the right, for example, to work, own private property, receive a fair wage, and join workers' associations.
There is a list of encyclicals that has become a widely accepted, albeit unofficial, document commonly referred to as "Catholic social teaching".
The encyclicals offer important principles for believers overwhich they should consider. That is why, in both the first and the twenty-first centuries, whenever the pope wishes to give guidance on a subject, he sends messages to the entire Church.
