The New York herald., 1869-11-29

subject with venerable English Catholic priest,
VINO Is very much against the doctrine OF the infa
billty Of the Pope, looking upon as both antscrp
tura antCatholic and utterly at variance with the
traditions OF the fathersn OF the Church. He hopes
and trusts most fervently that VIII not be declared
as OF faith by the Ecumenical Council. He told me
that large body Of the German bishops are opposed
10 il, and that the Bishop OF Mayence has declared
that rs far he is concerned the Council shall last
twenty years before he Will allow Il to pass. He be-
ieyes does this priest that II the doctrine or dogma
was promulgated would be found not only TO work
badly, but that the Pope himself would have to de-
fine, OF his own otce many hundreds OF questions
that might be submitted to him. and that his author
ity would, in consequence be infinitely essened IN
the eyes OF the Catholic and the non Catholic world
In word nothing could be stronger than the way
tins clergyman spoke on the subject and his hopes
that II would not be passed were expressed III
warm and most urgent words. But then ! asked
him the question: what VIII you do II 1t Is passed,
and II the present idea or opinion becomes matter
OF faith, as so defined by the Councilg His answer
was, "ln that case, ! shall accept 1t. general
Council OF the Church cannot err; and therefore
what 1t DEGREES We must all accept or We cease TO
be Catholics.o
On the other hand, have seen great many Catho-
be declared matter OF faith. They urge that II the
episcopate, the clergy and the people are, with very
few exceptions, unanimous IN receiving with sub
mission and assent the decisions OF the Pope
there can be no risk or promulgatmg the doctrine as
one OF iah The Pope, as they urge, Is the head Of
the Church, and when he speaks IL Is In the OF
that Church which they all consider infahble.
Therefore, as they declare, the mouthpiece
Se s the SS % for Ns sncn he SPEAKS
Erroneous or doubtful opinions, they argue
give rise to complications but once de:
abSurdlty is excluded from the question. The only
hope, so they say. OF reunitlng the Eastern with
declaration that the Pope, when speaking as chief
pastor OF the Church, is infaole, for as now some
declare him to be only infalible when speaking in
the words OF what General Council has promul-
gated and Others assert hun TO be nfallible when
he speaks er cathedrd: that the difference OF
opinion, where there should only be one doctrine,
n0IhnU Of PROTEST.
ants to hold more aloof from Catholics.
On this point Archbishop Manning Is very decided
and strong on the pastoral, to which have before
alluded, "Tne return OF ProtesIants," he writes,
" TO the Church Is more retarded now by the appar-
ent contradiction among Catholics on the subject OF
nalliDity than 1t could be by the definition OF the
lnfalllblity OF the Pope. They now reject the nal
llDility OF the Church altogether because they be-
leve we are DIVIDED, and therefore IN doubt about
1t. What we seem to doubt they are encouraged to
deny We seem to be lii DOUBT, because we are d.
vlded; not about the mfalibty OF the Church, but
about the nalbility OF It's head They (Protestants
believe this answer TO be subterfuge. SO long as
the nfallibillty Of the Pope is not authortauvely
declared they cover themselves under the shelter OF
those Catholics who deny It,"
And In another part OF the same pastoral letter
read:-"Where this Church has spoken lis faithful
are not open to seduction. While the Church is
silent the spirits Of error are camorous and pausi
BILE. definition would silence all voices but the
voice Of the Church."
From these extracts vou will perceive at once how
strong Archbishop Manning Is upon this question,
and how strongly he lights that the doctrine OF the
lulaillDlliy ShUuu ue ucCluIcu W Uc Ill dTtlCc VI
faith. And yet even he-as he told O friend Of mine
not long ago-would In the event OF decision being
arrived at that was adverse TO his views bow in
obedience to the General Council and the decision
thereof
And now we come to the two questons-that is an
Ecumenical or General Councils and will the Coun-
Gil OF the Vatican prove itself to be one-that is to
say, Will 1t have those SPECIAL pecullares about 1t
which in the eyes OF Catholics constitute a General
COuncS
A French author, rom whose works quoted in q
previous letter. the Abbe Jaugey, thus defines what
ID meant by u General COuncil:-"It is," he says,
'an assembly Of bishops, OF all bishops belonging to
the Church, convoked together by the Pope as head
bishop OF thar Church, who alone has the right or
the power to call the epscopate togather."