The greatest obstacle in the apostolate of the Church is the timidity or rather the cowardice of the faithful.
Interpretation
Timidity among the faithful hinders the Church's mission.
Pope Pius X emphasizes that the major barrier to the Church's ability to fulfill its mission and influence society is not external opposition, but rather a lack of courage among its members. This cowardice prevents faithful individuals from actively participating or standing up for their beliefs, ultimately limiting the Church's impact in the world.
In practice
In a sermon discussing the Church's role in social justice, one might use this quote to encourage parishioners to act boldly.
It is an error to believe that Christ did not teach a determined body of doctrine applicable to all times and to all men, but rather that He inaugurated a religious movement adapted, or to be adapted, to different times and different places.
Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to heaven.
Let the storm rage and the sky darken - not for that shall we be dismayed. If we trust as we should in Mary, we shall recognize in her, the Virgin Most Powerful "who with virginal foot did crush the head of the serpent.
The Rosary is the most beautiful and the most rich in graces of all prayers; it is the prayer that touches most the Heart of the Mother of God...and if you wish peace to reign in your homes, recite the family Rosary.
Our Apostolic Mandate requires from Us that We watch over the purity of the Faith and the integrity of Catholic discipline. It requires from Us that We protect the faithful from evil and error; especially so when evil and error are presented in dynamic language which, concealing vague notions and ambiguous expressions with emotional and high-sounding words, is likely to set ablaze the hearts of men in pursuit of ideals which, whilst attractive, are nonetheless nefarious.
Nothing would please us more than to see our beloved children form the habit of reading the Gospels - not merely from time to time, but every day.
Visions of glory, spare my aching sight! Ye unborn ages, crowd not on my soul!
An irresistible passion that would induce me to believe in innate ideas and the truth of prophecy has decided my career. I have always loved liberty with the enthusiasm which actuates the religious man with the passion of a lover and with the conviction of a geometrician.
And truly it is a very natural and ordinary thing to desire to acquire, and always, when men do it who can, they will be praised or not blamed; but when they cannot, and wish to do it anyway, here lies the error and the blame.
Men fear silence as they fear solitude, because both give them a glimpse of the terror of life's nothingness.
If work and leisure are soon to be subordinated to this one utopian principle - absolute busyness - then utopia and melancholy will come to coincide: an age without conflict will dawn, perpetually busy - and without consciousness.
I believe there is no philosophical high-road in science, with epistemological signposts. No, we are in a jungle and find our way by trial and error, building our road behind us as we proceed.
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