So, the other day I was pondering one of the enduring questions, which as been discussed by many eminent Catholic theologians: If Ferro Lad of the Legion of Super Heroes was a papal encyclical, which one would he be?
I think the answer is clear: Ferro Lad would be Mit Brennender Sorge.
Mit Brennender Sorge was a 1937 encyclical issued by Pope Pius XI as an attack on Naziism.
It was surreptitiously brought into powerful, seemingly-unstoppable Nazi Germany and then unexpectedly read from the pulpits of every Catholic Church, where it would be most effective, and bearing the date of Passion Sunday.
It condemned the inhumanity of the Nazis, including their racism, which eventually led to mass genocide.
The name “Mit Brennender Sorge” means “with burning anxiety,” which expresses the concern that the Holy See felt about the actions of the Nazis.
You can see how this all parallels Fero Lad’s situation.
He had to slug Superboy so that he could save Superboy and everyone else by surreptitiously entering the powerful, seemingly-unstoppable Sun Eater and then unexpectedly detonate the payload he was carrying where it would be most effective, on the date of Ferro Lad’s own death (passion).
Like Mit Brennender Sorge, Ferro Lad stood against the inhumanity of the Sun Eater, including the mass genocide that its continued advance would have led to when it ate Earth’s sun.
Finally, Ferro Lad undertook his actions with burning anxiety for all the people of Earth, who were so threatened by the inhumanity of the Sun Eater.
And fortunately, he succeeded, though at a terrible price.
Here are a few panels from Ferro Lad’s heroic last moments of life . . .
