The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-08
PAPAL IIJFALLIBILIIY.
Declaration of the Catholic Priests
Of Munich.
Or. Dollinscr Charged With Making Capital
Gut Of the Ecumenical Council.
Definition Of the Dogma and Warning
to the Faithful.

The following declaration OF the Catholic priests
and curates Of Munich, addressed TO their flock 8
has been translated for the HERALD:-
The declaration Of Capltulary Provost DR.. D5llln-
ger, dated March Is, anu directed to the Archbishop
or Munich with regard To the resolutions OF the
Ecumenlca Council contained, among others, the
following assertion-"TnOusands among the clergy
think as do, and consider the new article of 1aitn
unacceptable. Up to this day not one even OF those
who signed the declaration OF submission has told
me that he Is really convinced OF the truth of this
doctrine All my friends and acquaintance &C.
knowledge to me tnat tney nave mao similar ex.
every mouth" This assertion renders 1t necessary
for tue Catholic curates of Munich 10 make the
We had ne Their cause nor were we under any
obligation to inform Dr. D6llinger regarding our
position to the Ecumenical Council. Now, how
ever, that he makes so insulting charge against
the clergy, we, IN the presence OF our congrega-
TONS protest against the allegation that we belong
OF faith unacceptable or upon whom the assertion
that mot one believes IA it'' could be applied; The
reasons for our compliance with the resolutions Of
the Ecumenical Council are as follows:-
1. In matters of faith and morals not any one
an authority 10y us. The sole and the highest au.
thority for us Is the Church, the dvlnely ordained
are there is the Church. When the Eplscopacy OF
the whole Church united with the head OF the
Church has given a decisive declaration on pending
the decision has taken place under the direction OF
the spIit OF truth and by. the aid OF the Divine
Founder of the Church, and that such
decision must be accepted as divine
truth by every Catholic Christian rs soon
as IL has been brought to his knowledge "But
though an angel from heaven preaching other gos-
pei unto YOU han that which we have preachedr
we should stand BY the Churcn. NO false theory
can therefore nave been introduced into the Church
by series OF calculated inventions and lalsica-
lions, and there nave been maintained by force and
by the suppression Of odef teachings" Iut stn
less can lie be defined as truth amt elevated to
an article OF faith 10y council under the sanction
OF the Pope.
2. The Lcumcncal Council has all the attributes
OF Its legality II is council legally convened, aud
directed and sanctioned IN all its parts BY the Pope.
The bishops of the minority who did not assist at
the sitting Of July Is 1870 have subsequently agreed
to Its resolutions. 1t IT, therefore, the decision Of
the Episcopacy OF the whole Church, united with
that Of the head OF the Church.
3. To doubt the resolutions OF legal council
sanctioned by the Pope, aud TO make Their binding
force dependent ION men oil all times ana naturcS
versed In historical matters Is to Introduce new
change into the Catholic Church, and snch cnange
must be rejected. We, the Can0llc priests, arc there
fore in duty bound to warn cur congregations from
this new theory, and from all attempts to propa-
gate H.
!. DR.. D6llinger considers himself bound by
solemn oath, which ne mad twice sworn, 80 accept
and 10 explain the Holy Scriptures not Otherwise
tnan according to the unanimous consent OF the
fathers" This OATH which we too have sworn,
contains, however, also In the same paragraph the
following w0rds:-"l also accent the Holy Scriptures
In the same meaning as has been observed aud IS
observed by the Holy Mother Church, for whom
alone 1t Is to decide the true meaning and cxplana
ton OF the Holy Scriptures" The same oath also
says:-'I acknowledge the Holy Roman Catholic and
Apostolic Church as the mother and the teacher OF
ali churches" Aud, II promise and swear true
obedience 10 tile Roman BSnOp, the successor OF tho
holy prince OF Apostles, Peter, ana representative
OF Jesus Christ on Earth" We shall remain true TO
this OATH
s. The danger which the belief IN the dogma Of
Papal infailiby Is alleged to threaten the social
And political foundations Of the state does not in
reality exist, but IL merely an invented phantom to
terrfy others; for the state no less than church, ID
founded the Divine order of things. II Papal n-
SS Gs 70 e ana ind" has ne been
danger from the very outset for the Catholic Church
has always been IAN iniablc religious society"
To speak Of "the unlimited supreme power" or tine
sovereign arbitrarness'i OF the Pope seems very
strange TO Us, because papa fniallibilty has the
same limits the infallihty OF the Church-vz., TO
preserve supernatural revelation ana moral law
pure and unfalsled for men.
The wording OF the contested decree only treats
the decision OF doctrine oil faith and morals, anu
the word morals only designatcs the principles OF
such use OF the liberty OF conscience AZ may be
pleasing to God, but cannot be enforced by exterior
means. Of this We are SO much convinced that we
may look forward with calmness to the authOrIta-
tive Interpretation from Rome. As Catholic Chris
tians, as Catholic priests and as ciL ems we must,
therefore, uphold the resolutions OF the Ecumenical
Council. AS Catholic priests, because we must not
set the example Of dsobediencc to
As citizens. because VIC arc convinced that She