From early childhood (or, as Scripture says, as soon as I had ears to hear) I already began to hear people clamouring about the social question. There is nothing special about this, because it is such an old topic; it has always been around. It arose, most likely, when men first became organised in some way and began to perceive differences of age, intelligence, capacity for work, interests and personality.

I don't know whether or not we can avoid having social classes. In any case it is not my job to speak of such matters, much less here, in this oratory, where we have come together to talk about God (I would never want to talk about anything else), and to talk to God.

You may think what you will about anything that Providence has left to the free and legitimate discussion of men. But in my case, my being a priest of Christ tells me I must work at a higher level and remind you that, whatever the situation, we are never exempt from practising justice, heroically if necessary.