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

government of the-chu-c. spread throughout
'he world, so that beng united with the Ro-
non of the same faitG the church Of Christ may
Dc one fold under one chief shepherd. This is
the doctrine of Catholic truth, from which no
one can depart without the loss Of faith and
So Far, nevertheless, is this power of the SUI
preme pontiR from trenching on that ordinary
power of episcopal Jurisdiction by which the
Ghost, and have succeeded in the place of the
apostles, l;ke true shepherds, feed and
rule tho tiocks assigned to them, each
one his own, that. on the contrary, this
their power is asserted, strengthened, and
vindicated by the supreme and universal pas
tor, as st. Gregory the great saith My honor
is the honor of the universal church my honor
I truly honored when to each one Of them the
honor due is not denied" est. Gregory Great
ad Euloguius, Epist. 3O.)
Moreover, from that supreme authority OF
the Roman pontif to govern the universal
church, there follows to him the right, in the
exercise of his Office, of freely communicating
with the pastors and flock of the whole church,
that they may be taught and guided by him In
The way of salvation.
Wherefore we condemn and reprobate the
opinions of those who say that this communi-
cation of the supreme head with the pastors l
make it subject to the secular power, maintain
ing that the things which are decreed by the
apostolic see, or under it's authority, for the
value unless they are confirmed by the appro-
val of the secular power. And since, by the
divine rights of apostolic primacy, the Roman
pontiff presides over the universal church, we
also teach and declare that he is the supreme
judge of the faithful (Pius vi. brief super.
soliditate), and that in all causes calling for
ecclesiastical trial, recourse may-be-had to his
judgment (second council of Lyons j but the
decision of the apostolic see, above which there
is no higher authority, cannot be reconsidered
by any one. nor is it lawful to any one to sit
in Judgment on his judgment (Nicholas l.
epist nd Michaelenl Imperatorem.
Wherefore, they wander away from the right
path of truth who assert that it is lawful to
appeal from the judgment of the Roman pom
tiffs to an Gcumenical Council, as If to an au-
thority superior to the Roman pOntif.
Therefore, if any one shall say that the Ro-
man pontiff holds only the charge of inspection
or direction. and not full and supreme
power of jurisdiction over the entire church,
not only in things which pertain to faith and
morals, but also in those which pertain to the
discipline and government Of the church spread
throughout the whole world or, that he pos
sesses only the chief part and not the entire
plentitude of this supreme power, or, that this
his power is not ordinary and immediate, both
as regards all and each of the churches, and all
and each of the pastors and faithful, let him
CHAPTER w.
of the Infallible authority Of the Roman Pontif
in teaching.
This holy see has ever held-the unbroken
custom of the church has proved-and the
Councils, those especially in
which the East joined with the West, in Union
of faith and of charity, have declared that in
this apostolic primacy, which the Roman pom
tiff holds over the universal church, as success
sor to Peter the prince of the apostles, there is
also contained the supreme power of authori-
tative teaching. Thus the fathers of the fourth
council of COnstantinople, following in the
of their predecessors, put forth this
solemn profession;
"The first law of salvation is to keep the
rule of true faith. And whereas the words of
our Lord Jesus Christ cannot be passed by,
who said: Thou art Peter, and upon THIS rock
words, which he spake, are proved true by
facts, for in the apostolic see, the Catholic re-
ligion has ever been preserved unspotted, and
the holy doctrine has been announced There
fore, wishing never to be separated from the
faith and teaching of this see, we hope to be
worthy to abide in that one communion which
the apostolic see breaches, in which is the full
Formula of ST. Hormisdas, Pope, as proposed
by Hadrian II. to the fathers of the eighth
general council, (Constantinop. 1V.;) and sub
scribed by them.
So, too, the Greeks, with the approval of tho
second council of Lyons, professed that the
holy Roman Church holds over the universal
Catholic Church supreme aud full! prlmacy
and headship, which she truthfully and
humbly acknowledges that she received from
the Lord himself in blessed Peter, the prince
or head of the apostles of whom the Roman
pontlH IS the successor; ana as sne, DeyonQ inc
others, is bound to defend the truth of the
faith so if any questions arise concerning
faith, they should be decided by her judgment.
And finally the council of Florence defined
that the Roman pontlff is the true Vicar of
Christ, and the head to the whole church, and
the father and teacher of all Christians and
that to him, in the blessed Peter, was given
by our Lord Jesus Christ full power of feed,
ing, and ruling, and governing the universal
church. John xxi, 15-17)
In order to fulfill this pastoral charge, our
predecessors have ever labored unweariedly
to spread the saving doctrine OF Christ among
all the nations of the earth, and with eqrai
care have watched to preserve it pure and I'M
chan ged where it had been received. Where
fore the bishops of the whole world, sometimes
singly, sometimes assembled in synods, follow
ing the long established custom OF the
churches Is. Cyril, Alex. ad S. Coolest, Papl,
and the form of ancient rule (St. Innocent, l.
to councils of Carthage and Milevi) referred to
this apostolic see those dangers especially
which arose in matters of faith, in order that
injuries to faith might best be healed there,
where the faith could never fail (St. Bernard
ep 12O) And the Roman pontitfs weighing
the condition of times and circumstances,
sometimes calling together general councils,
or asking the judgment of the church scattered
through the world, sometimes consulting par
ticular synods, sometimes using s9ch otnei
aids as Divine Providence supplied, defined
| that those doctrines should be held, which, by
| the aid of God, they knew to be conformabit
| to the Holy Scriptures, and the apostolic ira
| ditions. For the Holy Ghost IS not promised
| to the successors of Peter, that they may MAKE
! that through his assistance they may sacreal!
guard, and faithfully set forth the reVelatloi
| delivered by the apostle, that is, tine oeposi
| of faith. And this their apostolic teachlng al
| the venerable fathers have embraced, ana Tn
! holy orthodox doctors have revered and FOL
| rt ain1v