The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-02-20
Letter Addressed to Each Of the Fathers by the
Promoters Of the Memorial in Favor of the
Definition.
PELICAN.
Most Reverend and Most Excellent Lord:

Most Reverend and Most Excellent Lord:
As the petition Enclosed In this letter ind-
Gates the undersigned Bishops, together with
others have soneurre ID in soliciting from the
tholic doctrine according to which we profess
that the authority of the Roman Pontiff when
teaching all the faithful with Apostolic power
any question of faith or morals, is supreme,
and therefore exempt from error.
Il il of the highest importance that as mapy
Fathers as possible should demand the sanction
of this doctrine, either for the same or similar
reasons.
We request, therefore, Most Reverend and
Most Excellent Lord that you would not only
yourself subscribe this proposition or petition.
but invite other Most Reverend Fathers whom
you know to be of the same mind with us. to
do so likewise.
You will then be pleased, with the least DOS
sible delay, to forward the petition, bearing
your own signature, and if SO be- the signatures
of other Fathers, to one of the BISHOPS whose
names are appended to this letter.
The signatures thus collected we will trans
init to the special Commission nominated to
receive propositions by our Most Holy Lord
ii, however, you should deem any other mode
of urging the same request better and more
appropriate, we beg that you will not omit to
present to. the same Commission your own
petition.
The sheets containing the reasons wbv this
petition is deemed opportune and necessary,
aud the DEGREES of Provincial Councils yoEr
Most Reverend Excellency may retain at your
own pleasure. .
Rome, January 8, 1870.
Here follow the names of Bishops Begin
ming with the Patriarchs of Alexandria and
Cilicia.l
Translation Of the Petition in Fdror of the Def
aition-The undersigned Fathers hnmhIy o. 4
earnestly beg the holy Gcumenical Council of
the Vatican to define clearly, and in words
that cannot be mistaken, that the authority of
the Roman Pontiff is supreme, and, therefore,
FREQ from error, when in matters of faith and
morals he declares and defines what is to be
believed and held, and what to be rejected and
condemned by all the faithful.
Reasons for Whioh this Definition is Thouqht
Opportane aud Necessary.--The Sacred SCRIPTURES
plainly teach the Primary of jurisdiction of the
Sacred Pontiff, the Successor of st. Peter. over
the whole Church of Christ, and, therefore,
also his Primary of Supreme Headship
The universal and constant tradition of the
Church, as seen both in facts and in the teach
ing of the Fathers, as well as in the manner of
acting and speaking adopted by many Coun-
ellis, some of which were Gcumenical teaches
MS that the judgments of the Roman Pontiff in
matters of faith and morals are unalterable.
In the Second Council of Lyons, with the
consent of both Greeks and Latins, the follow
ing profession of the faith was allowed
"When controversies in matters of faith
arise, they must be finally settled by the deci-
sion of the Roman Pontiff." Moreover, in the
Gcumenicaf Synod of Florence it was defined
that "the Roman POntiff is Christs true Vicar
the Head of the Church, and the Father and
Teacher of all Christians and that to him in
power by Jesus Christ to rule and govern the
whole Church" Sound reason, too, teaches ms
that nh one can remain in communion of faith
with the Catholic Church who is not of one
mind with its Head, since the Church cannot
be separated even in thought from it's Head.
Yet some have been found, and even now
some may be found, WHO, boasting of the name
of Catholic, and using that name to the ruin of
those weak in faith, are bold enough to teach
that sufficient submission is yielded to the
authority of the Roman Pontiff if we receive
his DEGREES in matters of faith and morals with
an Obsequious silence, as it is termed, without
yielding internal assent, or, at most, granting
q conditional assent, until the approval OF dis
approval of the Church has been made known
Any one can see that by this perverse doctrine
the authority of the Roman Pontff is over
turned, all unity of faith destroyed, a wide
field opened to errors, and opportunities afford
ed of spreading them far and wide.
Wherefore the Bishops, the guardians and
protectors of Catholic truth, have endeavored
especially nowadays to defend in their Syno-,
die DEGREES, and by their united testimony tho
supreme authority of the Apostolic See
The more clearly, too, has Catholic truth
been declared, the more vehemently has il been
attacked both in books and in the press thus
to excite Catholics against sound doctrine and
prevent the Council of the Vatican from defin-
ing it.
Wherefore if formerly many could have
doctrine in the present Gcumenical Council it
would seem now to be absolutely necessary to
define it. Fer the Catholic teaching is again
attacked by those self-same arguments which
when before used against it, by men condemned
by their own judgment, have been expressly
condemned; Arguments which, if carried to