Foundation of the Revolution by Pope Pius XI

It is no less evident that the principal cause of all the evils by which the Church was afflicted during all that furious tempest in the affairs of men was, in great part, the refusal of men to serve and obey Almighty God.  Consequently, because reverence for God's law had almost disappeared, not only among the Catholic laity but in the ranks of the clergy as well, and because the rebellion stirred up by the Reformers was tearing many peoples from the bosom of Mother Church on account of the breakdown of discipline, there went up from every faithful soul to the Divine Founder of the Church an appealing cry to be mindful of His promise and come to the aid for His spouse in this time of dire need.   God did indeed send and in His own good time, and in wonderful wise when the Council of Trent was convoked.  Besides, for the consolation of the Church, He raised up those illustrious exemplars of every Christian virtue - Charles Borromeo, Cajetan of the Theatines, Anthony Zaccaria, Philip Neri, Teresa, and others - who gave proof by their lives that sanctity would never fail in the Catholic Church, and who by their teaching, writing, and example, checked the godlessness and wickedness that were spreading everywhere.  One and all they did in fact labour, and with great fruit. 

If we seek for the origin of the evils from which the human race is suffering today, we must admit that they undoubtedly sprang originally from the revolt against the divine authority of the Church started by the Reformers.  Whatever exceeds man's power to understand, whatever lies beyond the sphere of the purely natural, is scorned and rejected.  Both in public and private life God's holy laws are reputed as worthless.  But if you put God out, who is the very head and fount of all authority, it naturally follows that no human power will be held sacred, nor will there be any authority extant.  Consequently, when the divine authority of the Church is repudiated the very foundations of civil authority are seen to totter and fall; for, as man's wild and insane passions gain sway, all the laws of human society are overthrown with impunity. 

We maintain that no other remedy can be applied in these times to the wretched and demoralised condition of human society except to bring the people back to the worship of God and submission to His will. All good and virtuous men desire this.  Through all the numberless changes of time and fortune man's first and highest duty does not change, which is to render homage to sovereign Creator and Preserver of the universe, and obediently submit to His will.  Whenever man fail in this duty they must quickly repent if they would repair the ruin and escape the flood of misfortunes that afflict them.  For the rest, the whole of Christian life can be summed up in this one virtue of obedience.