The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-08-21
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.

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Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.
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DoaNATIC DECREE ON THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.
The following is q translation of the Dog
matte Decree on Infallibility, as agreed upon
by the Gcnmenical Council. It has been trans
lated for the Catholic World by q committe of
has been revised and corrected
by q bishop and is an authorized orausla
DoaMATIc DECREE ON THE CHURCH OF CHRIST,
PASSED JULY 1s, 1870.
PSxs Biskop Servant of the Servants of God, 10Th
the appreciation Of the Holy Council, for per-
: Peswal remembrance hereof.
The eternal shepherd and bishop of oar
souls, in order to render perpetual the saving
work of his redemption, resolved to build the
holy church, in which, as in the house of the
living God all the faithful r!a should be united by
which reason, before he was glorified he prayed
the Father, not for the Apostles alone, but also
for those who, through their word, would be-
Son himself and the Father are one. (John
xvii, 1-2O) Wherefore, even he sent the
apostles, whom he had chosen from the world
that there should be pastors and teachers in
his church even to the contamination of the
world. Moreover to the end that the episcopal
body atset might De one and nc undivided: and
be preserved in oneness of faith and of COM
munion, through priests cleaving mutufl1y to-
gether, he placed the blessed Peter before the
other Apostles, and established in him per-
petual principle of this two-fold unity, and u
visible foundation on whose strength +" the
eternal temple might be built, and in whose
her summit reach the heavens" est. Leo the
Great Sermon w. Cor ill., chapter 2, on Christ
mas.) Now, seeing that in order to overthrow,
every side, and with hatred which increases
day by day, are assailing her foundation which
was placed by God, we therefore, for the pre-
Catholic flock, and with the appreciation
of the sacred council, have judged it
necessary to set forth the doctrine which,
according to the ancient and constant faith of
the universal church, all the faithful must be-
leve and hold, touching the institution, the
perpetuity and the nature of the sacred apos-
tolic primacy, in which stands the power and
strength of the entire church and to prescribe
and condemn the contrary errors so hurtful to
the flock of the Lord.
cHAP1ERI.
Of the Institution Of the apostolic Primary in the
Blessed Peter.
We teach, therefore, and declare that, &C
cording to the testimonies of the Gospel, the
primacy of jurisdiction over the whole church
of God was promised and given Immediately
and directly to blessed Peter, the Apostle, by
Christ, our Lord. For it was to Simon alone
to whom he had already said, "Thou shalt be
called Cephas," john j. AZ that, after he had
professed his faith, "Thou art Christ, the Son
Of the living Cod" our Lord said, &c Blessed
blood hath not revealed it to thee but my ia
Their who is in heaven and I say to thee that
thou art Peter, and upon this rock will build
my church, and the gates of hell shall not pre-
vail against it; and will give to thee the
keys Of the kingdom of heaven; and whatso-
ever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be
bound also in heaven and whatsoever thou
shalt loose upon earth it shall be loosed alsos
in heaven" (Matthew xvi. 1919 And it was
to Simon Peter that Jesus, after his resurrec-
ton, gave the jurisdiction of supreme shepherd
"Feed my lambs = Feed my sheep" lJohn
xxi. 1919 To this doctrine so clearly set
forth in the sacred Scriptures, as the Catholic
Charoh has ss always understood it, are plainly
distorting the form of government established
in his church by Christ our Lord, deny that
Peter alone above the other apostles, whether
taken separately one by one or altogether, was
endowed by Christ with true and real pri-
macy of Jurisdiction or who assert that this
primacy was not given Immediately and di-
rectly to blessed Peter, but to the church, and
through her to him, as to the agent of the
church.
If, therefore, any one shall say, that blessed
reteT sne Apostle ; was not appointed ny christ
the visible head of the whole church militant;
or, that he received directly Immediately
from our Lord only the primacy of honor, from
our Lord Jesus Christ, and not that of true
and real Jurisdiction, let him be anathema.
CHAPTER II.
of the Perpetuity of the Primary of Peter in the
Roman Pontifs.
What the prince of pastors and the great
shepherd of the sheep our Lord Jesus Christ,
established in the person of the blessed apos-
tie Peter for the perpetual welfare and lasting
good of the church, the same through his
power must needs last forever in that church,
which is founded upon the rock, and will stand
firm to the end of time. And indeed it is we'll
known, as it has been in all ages, that the holy
and most blessed Peter, prince and head of the
apostles, pillar of the faith and foundation of
the Catholic Church, who received from our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer
of mankind, the keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven, to this present time and at all times,
lives and presides and pronounces Judgment
in the person of his successors, the Bishops of
the holy Raman See which was founded by
him and consecrated by his blood. Council
of Eph. $685. iii. St. Peter Chrys Ep. ad
Eutyeh.) Peter in this chair holds, according
to Christ's own institution, the primacy OF
Peter over the whole church. What, there
FORE was once established by him who is the
truth still remains, and blessed Peter, retain
ing the strength of the rock, which has beer
given to him, has never left the helm of the
Church originally intrusted to him. (St. Leo
Serm. I'LL, chap. iii.)
For this reason it was always necessary TO
every other church-that is, the faithful of al
countries-to have recourse to the Roman
Church on account of it's superior headship, il
order that being joined, as members to thel
head, with this see, from which the rights o
religious communication flow unto all, the.
might be knitted into the unity of one body
hon oh