The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-02-08


Pope nor the Cardinals, nor any body of men,
nor any person of the Chruch of Rome, can, by
virtue of the keys, absolve or release the sub
jects of the King Of England from their oath of
allegiance.
This and the first query are so intimately
| connected that the answer of the first immedi-
ately and naturally applied to the second, &c.
| Answer 10 tho third query.-There is no tenet
in the Catholic Church by which Catholics are
justified in not keeping faith with heretics, or
| those who differ from them in matters of reli-
gon. The tenet, that it is lawful to break faith
with heretics, is so repugnant to common hon.
esty and the opinions of Catholics that there is
| nothing of which those who have defended the
| Catholic faith against Protestants have COM
planned more heavily, than the malice and calum-
ny of their adversaries in imputing this tenet to
| them, &c.
| Given at Paris, in the general assembly of
| the Sorboune, held on Thursday, the eleventh
| day before the calends of March. 1889.
Signed in due form.
UNIVERSITY OF DoUAI, January 5, 1889.
At meeting of the faculty of Divinity of the
University of Douay, &c.
To the first and second queries the sacred
faculty answers: That no power whatsoever,
in civil or temporal concerns was given by
the Almighty, either to the Pope, the Cardinals,
or the Church herself, and, consequently, that
Kings and sovereigns are not, in temporal con-
Germs, subject by the ordination of God, to any
ecclesiastical power whatsoever; neither can
their subjects, by any authority granted, to the
| Pope or the Church, from above, be freed from
| their obedience, or absolved from their oath of
| allegiance.
This is the doctrine which the Doctors and
| Professors of Divinity hold and teach in our
schools, and this all the candidates for degrees
in Divinity maintain in their public theses, &c.
To the third question, the sacred faculty
| answers: That there is no principle of the
| Catholic faith, by which Catholics are justified
in not keeping faith with heretics, who differ
| from them in religious opinions. On the con-
| trary it is the unanimous doctrine of Catholics
| that the respect due to the name of God so
| called to witness, requires that the oath be
| inviolably kept, to whomsoever it is pledged,
whether Catholic, hereto, or infdels, DC.
Signed and sealed in due form.
UNIVERSITY OF LoUvAIN.
The faculty of Divinity at Louvain, having
been requested to give her opinion upon the
questions above stated, does it with readiness
but struck with astonishment that such ques-
tons should at the end of this eighteenth centu
~, be proposed to any learned body, by inhab-
itants of kingdom that glories in the talents
being assembled for the above purpose, it is
agreed, with the unanimous assent of all voices,
to answer the first and second queries absolute
" in the negative.
The faculty does not think it incumbent upon
her in this place to enter upon the proofs of her
opinion, or to show how it is supported by pas
sages in the Holy Scriptures, or the writings of
antiquity. That has already been done by
BoSsuet, De Marca, tho two Barclays, Goldastus,
the Pithaeuses, Argentine Warrington, and his
Majesty King James the First, in his disserta-
ton against Bellarmine and Du Perron, and
by many others, DC.
The faculty then proceeds TO declare that the
sovereign power of the State is in no wise mot
even indirectly, as it is termed) subject to, or
dependent upon, any other power, though it be
a spiritual power, or even though it be institu-
ted for eternal salvation, DC.
That no man, nor any assembly of men,
however eminent in dignity and power, not even
the whole body of the Catholic Church, though
assembled in general council, can, upon any
ground or pretence whatsoever, weaken the bond
of union between the sovereign and the people;
still less can they absolve or free the subjects
from their oath of allegiance.
Proceeding to the third question, the said
faculty of Divinity lin perfect wonder that such
a question should be proposed to herr most
positively and unequivocally answers That
there is not, and there never has been, among
the Catholics, or in the doctrines of the Church
of Rome any law or principle which makes it
lawful for Catholics to break their faith with
heretics, or others of different persuasion from
themselves, in matters of religion, either in
public or private concerns.
The faculty declares the doctrines of the
Catholics to be, that the divine and natural law,
which makes it duty to keep faith and prom
ises, is the same, and is neither shaken nor
diminished, if those with whom the engagement
is made, hold erroneous opinions in matters of
religion, &C..
Signed in due forn on the 18th of Nov, 1888.
UNIVERSITY OF ALCALA.
To the first question, it is answered That
none of the persons mentioned in the proposed
question, either individually OF collectively, in
counsel assembled, have any right in civil mat
tiers; but that all civil power jurisdiction, and
prominence, are derived from inheritance, cleo
ton, the consent of the people, and other such
titles of that nature.
To the second, it is answered in like manner:
That none of the persons above mentioned have
power to absolve the subjects of his Britannia
Majesty from their oaths af allegiance.
To the third question, it is answered: That
the doctrine which would exempt Catholics from
the obligation of keeping faith with heretics, or
with any other persons who dissent from them
in matters of religion instead of being an article
of Catholic faith, is entirely repugnant to its
tenets.
Signed in the usual from, March II, 1889.
UNIVERSITY OF SALAMANCA.
To the first question, it is answered That
neither Pope nor Cardinals, nor any assembly
or individual of the Catholic Church, have as
such, any civil authority, power, jurisdiction, or
prominence, in the kingdom of England
To the second it is answered :. That neither
Pope nor Cardinals, nor any assembly or in
dividual of the Catholic Church, can, as such,
absolve the subjects of Great Britain from their
oaths of allegiance, or dispense with its obga-
tons.
To the third, it is answered: That it is no
article of Catholic faith, not to keep faith with
heretics, or with persons of any other descrip
ton, who dissent from them in matters of re-
ligion.
Signed in the usual form, March I, 1889.
UNIVERSITY OF vALADoLID.
To the first question. it is answered That
neither Pope Cardinals, or even general
council, have any civil authority power, jursdic-
ton, or prominence, directly or indirectly in
the kingdom of Great Britain, or over any other
kingdom or province in which they possess no
temporal dominion.
To the second, it is answered: That neither
Pope nor Cardinals, nor even general council,
can absolve the subjects of Great Britain from
their oaths of allegiance, or dispense with their
obligation.
To the third, it is answered: That the obliga-
ton of keeping faith is grounded on the law of
nature, which binds all men equally, without
respect to their religious opinions and with
reyard to Catholics IL ia still more copent rs IL