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While Pope Pius XI praised the achievements of Eastern churches, he upheld the superiority of the Roman Catholic Church and emphasized that the goal of Oriental studies was to bring the Eastern churches back to Rome, under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.
90 years later, such ecumenical activities by the Roman Catholic Church continue (not only with Eastern churches, but with "evangelical"), with the same goal: everyone must come back to Rome under the supreme authority of the Roman Pontiff in order to achieve true "Christian" unity.
The Vatican website contains only Latin and Italian versions of the encyclical, but I was able to obtain an English version using that most scholarly of tools, Google Translate. Some excerpts:
...Therefore, not having to neglect anything of what is beneficial to the desired return of such a conspicuous part of Christ's flock to union with his true Church, or to further foster charity towards those who, different in rituals, adhere however intimately with the mind and with heart to the Roman Church and to the Vicar of Christ, we warmly exhort and implore you, Venerable Brothers, to want each one to choose at least one of your priests, who, well trained in Eastern matters, is able to teach in them the Seminary students . We know very well that the erection of a special Faculty, as it is called, of oriental studies is rather the office of Catholic Universities; and We warmly congratulate you that this has already begun to be done, with our own advice and help, in Paris, in Leuven and in Lille; we also enjoy that in many other places of study, even at the expense of the State, and with the consensus and the exhortation of the Bishops, there have recently been found to be chairs of these oriental disciplines. But it will not be difficult to prepare, for each theological seminary, some Professor, who, together with his own subject, or of history or liturgy or canon law, can explain at least some of the elements of Oriental studies. In this way, turning the minds and hearts of the students to the traditions and rituals of the Orientals will necessarily follow a not slight advantage, not only in favor of the Orientals, but of the students themselves, who, as is natural, will draw upon them. a deeper knowledge of Catholic theology and of the Latin discipline, and together they will conceive a deeper love for the true Bride of Christ, while they will admire its marvelous beauty and unity in the same variety of rites, shine, in some way, more radiant...
And from here, as we hope, it will happen that the eastern nations, seeing with their own eyes so many splendid monuments of piety, doctrine, the arts of their ancestors, for this reason they will learn in what honor the true, legitimate, is held by the Roman Church. the perennial «orthodoxy» and with which diligence is preserved, defended and propagated. From this show, as can be hoped for, as impressed by the most valid arguments, if the mutual exchange of studies is added to the motive of the love of Christ, because many Easterners, rethinking glories and having prejudiced prejudices, should not hurry to that desired unity, founded on a profession of faith, not yet mutilated, but whole and open, as befits true worshipers of Jesus Christ, who must be united in a single fold under a single Shepherd?
So, with the wishes and prayers, let us ask God for a happy day to come soon, it may be useful, Venerable Brothers, to mention, albeit briefly, the method with which presently our Oriental Institute employs the work and the efforts of , according to Our wishes, to reach such an important goal...
...That being the case, who ever, concerning so much of the work undertaken especially for the benefit of the Orientals, does not feel strongly grow in the heart the hope that the most merciful Redeemer of the men Christ Jesus, moved to pity the weeping fate of so many men wandering far from the right path, and by favoring Our efforts, will he finally bring back his sheep into the one fold under the only Shepherd?
And this maximally seeing how much of the divine revelation is religiously preserved among them: sincere homage to our Lord Jesus Christ, the singular love and pity towards the most pure Mother, the very actual use of the Sacraments. Therefore having God in his goodness disposed to use the ministry of men, and especially of the priests, to carry out the work of the Redemption, what else remains, Venerable Brothers, if not to return to pray you and implore you as warmly as we can, so that not only be united with us in mind and heart, but you also use yourselves, with your labors, so that the day will soon be felt, long hoped for, when we can greet the return of not only a few, but of most Greeks, Slavs, Rumanians and other Eastern nations, so far separated, to pristine union with the Roman Church? Thinking back to what we, with God's help, have undertaken and intend to do to obtain so much consolation sooner, We seem to be able to compare ourselves to that family father, whom Jesus represents to us in praying to the guests at the dinner " they came, because everything was already set "(Luke, XIV, 17). Applying these words to our case, we ardently exhort everyone, and each of you in particular, to want by all means to join us in promoting the study of Eastern things to realize the great purpose. In this way, finally removed all the impediments that stand in the desired union, under the auspices of the Blessed Virgin Immaculate Mother of God, and of the Holy Fathers and Doctors of the East and Christian Occident, we can embrace, the veterans in the paternal house, the brothers and sons so long by us dissidents, and now very close to us united by that charity that poses as a solid foundation on the truth and on the whole profession of Christian law.
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