In his courageous fight around the welfare of the souls Pope Leo XIII penetrates., an at night into the Gemächer of famous Dr. Faust, to who his own soul the devil sold. Dr. Faust lives in a high-curved, close Gothic room and sits jerkily on an armchair at its desk. An unusual meeting.

Its holyness Leo XIII: Who regards our sad time, and which condition of humans considers, recognizes with security: The cause for the present evils exists in perishable teachings. Already long ago they are broken from different philosopher schools over the divine and human things. They spread in the society and met general agreement.

Fist: But Mr. Papst, you are not so pessimistic: Good humans in its dark Drange are probably conscious itself the right way.

Its holyness Leo XIII: Dear Dr. Faust, it lies in the nature of humans that he takes the reason in his actions to the guide. If the reason errs however, then the mistake of the understanding draws easily also an error of the will. It happens then that operated opinions, which have their seat in the understanding, which affect and worsen human actions.

Fist: I am not allknowing, but much is conscious to me.

Its holyness Leo XIII: Again you are right, geschätzer Doctor. The heaths show that the law is written into their hearts.

Fist: This law specified by them uses few: The mass can force you only by mass.

Its holyness Leo XIII: In it, geschätzer Studiosus, our positions differ. The plan of divine planning demands that we call the human science to assistance, in order to lead back the peoples to the faith and to the welfare. In other words: One is not to force but to the insight lead humans. That is a praise-worth and wise tendency, which was usual with the church fathers after the certification of the antiquity.

Fist: My friend, the times of the past are us a book with seven seals.

Its holyness Leo XIII: Doctor, see you too pessimistic. Our way is marked by the old persons. So that philosophy brings precious fruits out, it may never deviate from the course, which went the antiquity of the holy fathers. The church guesses/advises not only, but instructs even that the Christian teachers are to call philosophy to the defense of the faith to assistance.

Fist: Property now, oh! Philosophy, lawyers' tricks and medicine, and unfortunately also theology quite study, with hot Bemühn. There steh' I now, I poor gates and am as intelligent as as before!

Its holyness Leo XIII: Did you, estimated Dr. Faust, study also the holy Augustinus? Augustinus has everything to a certain extent the victory palm entrissen. Powerful spirit and fully deep gel honour SAMness he argued into the holy like everyday sciences against all mistakes his time with highest faith strength and just as large knowledge courageously. A safe means against her foolishness, Doctor.

Fist: Which you ererbt of your fathers, acquire it, in order to possess it.

Its holyness Leo XIII: That sounds already better. Hl. Thomas's von Aquin nothing else made. He collected the theories of the holy fathers and joined her like absent-minded members of a body to only one. Hl. Thomas divided it in marvelous order and increased her in such a way with rich profit. With join and to right is considered it as singular protection and Zierde of the catholic church.

Fist: Which shines, is born for the instant. The genuine remains unverloren future generations.

Its holyness Leo XIII: A wise word. Therefore is valid, one is to take up with willing and grateful heart, which always wise said, what was found or devised always useful of possibly someone. The golden wisdom of holy Thomas is to be introduced therefore again and be spread so far as possible.

The quotations from Fausts mouth originate from the work of the same name Johann Wolfgang von Goethes. The quotations of Pope Leo XIII. over the Thomismus „Aeterni Patris are taken from its encyclical “out of the year 1879.

Dolfus: Marvelously

A outstanding compilation, one sees the two sitting proper before one.
My Compliment to the author, who understood it humorously to join these two texts to a dialogue.
I amused myself during the reading quite.