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Pope John XXIII promulgated the encyclical Mater et Magistra (The Church as Mother and Teacher) on 15 May 1961. The first sentences of the encyclical reference "The Church as Mother and Teacher of All Nations." Pope John encapsulates the encyclical's purpose in the third paragraph: "Hence, though the Church's first care must be for souls, how she can sanctify them and make them share in the gifts of heaven, she concerns herself with the exigencies of man's daily life, with his livelihood and education, and his general, temporal welfare and prosperity." 
The document focused on social inequalities in an international framework. The theme examining economic and social matters is found in encyclicals of recent popes from Leo XIII to the present. Most recently, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace held an international gathering in May on the themes of justice and globalization, attended by Pope Benedict XVI, who commented on Mater et Magistra's continued relevance today. 
The 50th anniversary of Pope John's Mater et Magistra is commemorated with a single €0,60 stamp featuring a photo of John XXIII surrounded by classical columns and Latin inscriptions referencing issuance of the encyclical and its fiftieth anniversary. The stamps were issued in sheets of 10.

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