The New York herald., 1870-04-05
The American Catholic Wow or Papai Iufal.
MbiIisy.


Bishop O'Conuor, S. j., on Sunday evening
last, at the new Catholic Church Of the Epi-
phany in this city, delivered learned and in
teresting discourse on "Papal Infallibility and
the Ecumenicai Council" With this Council
now in session at Rome, and with this question
Of Papal infallibility awaiting its action, and
considering the apprehensions Of temporal
rulers, statesmen, philosophers, reformers and
politicians, and the general agitation in the
public press of both hemispheres as to the in
tent and probable results Of the proclamation
from said Council of Papal infallibility, this
discourse was well calculated to attract, as it
did, very large and attentive congregation.
In the discussions of the subject through the
public press, and in the reported diplomatic
movements among the European Powers, the
opinion has been widely disseminated that the
object of the Pope in his efforts to secure the
definition and proclamation of his infallibility
is not q religious, but political object; that
his purpose is not the definition of his spiritual
authority, but through the believers in his
Church all over the world the strengthening Of
his temporal power, and especially at Rome;
that he is aiming at a dogma of infallibility
which will enable him, whenever he may deem
it expedient, in temporal view Of his
| authority, to call upon the members Of his
Church, as upon his subjects, to resist the
authorities of the State of which they are citi-
zens or subjects, whether of Italy, Germany,
| France, Great Britain or the United States,
as blind obedience to the supreme command
| from the infallible Pope may require. This
would Indeed make the dogma of infallibility
sthe Popes bull against the comets" and yet
such is the construction which underlies the
general anti-Papal agitation of this question in
Europe and America.
Bishop O'Connor, however, has given the
Catholic view everywhere, of this doctrine Of
infallibility. He says :-"It is nothing but
that stability in faith which was granted by
Christ to the office of Peter" that lit does not
mean that every act or every word Of Peter,
or Of his successor, is inspired by God" but
that sit only means that in faith, and faith
alone, Christ will ever assist him (the Pope)
to teach it officially in it's purity, so that he
may confirm the brethrsn" that this infalli-
bility will not protect the Pope ''from the
| frailties of human nature, and that it is only
when confirming the brethren in the faith that
| they believe or are to believe him infallibie.
Furthermore, Bishop OConnor explained that
this doctrine was as old as the Church, and that
it is only distinct definition that is now sought
from the Ecumenical Council. In truth, all this
anti-Papal outcry in Europe and America
against this apprehended dogma Of Papal infal-
libility is all very absurd. We say, let
the Holy Father have his dogma, and all the
dogmas he may ask. We have passed far be-
yond the age of the Crusades, and the age too,
OF such politico-religous conflicts as that Of
the thirty years war in Germany has forever
passed away. In this new age Of steam, print
ing presses, steamships and railroads, teie-
graphs and ship canals, the Pope may be given
all the dogmas he may want, and without fear.
They can do no harm, and they will do good.
Let the Holy Father be infallible, and may he
live thousand years.