Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-11-29
Pnpni Infallibility.

On Thanksgiving night, Rt. Rev. Bishop Thos
A. Becker, ID. D., Of Wilmington, Del, delivered
at Horticultural Hall, Philadelphia, lecture on
Papal Infalhbility. About thousand persons
were present; q number of invited guests, a male
Society Of the Church of the Sacred Heart, and
St Michael's Brass Band occupying the platform.
The following is brief synopsis of the.lecture:
1t is a subject very little understood heretofore,
even by those who are Catholics; and least OF all
is it understood by those who, not being of the
household Of faith, have had perverted notions
coneerning the doctrine aud have net understood
the import Of the teachings of the Church. But
. few years have elapsed since the Gcumenical
Council was called together for the mature con-
sideration of tho doctrine OF Papal 1niallbillty,
in the clearest aud most definite terms 1t Is the
province of the Church of God, 10 enuneiate for
muIas Of teaching clearly aud distinctly Jesus
Christ chose among his disciples, men, not re-
markable for any OF the talents which belonged
to the sages of Greece and Rome.
The reVsTened lecturer here made full eKpla-
nation of the changing of Simon. sou Of Jonah's
name also of the changing Of other names men
toned in the scriptures.
The teaching Of the Catholic Church is that
since Christ our Lord chose to institute a Church,
He promised to give to His Church all authority
under the guidance OF one supreme Pastor, even
to the end Of time and in order to teach, 10 guide,
and to do, il was necessary that She should have
/ a Church, that there might be one fold and one
shepherd; 90 that all might be brought into unity
ana faith. II the Supreme Sovereign Pontif is
infallible when he teaches matters of faith and
meralD, 1t follows that 10 is absolutely true that he
Is infallble as the mouth-piece Of Christ-as pas
/ tor of all Christians. We must take the Roman
Pontif as the anccessor Of st. Peter. As the
I Church was TO remain even to the end OF time,
! so was her power of iuTlsdiction also TO remain
| The Sea of Antioch, Alexandria and COnstantno-
pie all have admitted they have not this authority
Of the Sovereign Pontif. No one except The Ro-
man Pontld has dared to exercise the authority
of which We now aPOsk. Abe Roman Pontlh ii
by divine right the successor OF St. Peter. Thai
he has the Rrmacy ali Catholics will admit Al
the Reumenical Councils from that of Nice up tC
tAe Vatican were called by the Sovereign Pontlf
presided over and confirmed by the Sovereign
Pontiff. All Catholics will admit that none o.
the Councils, however great they we're, were ecu
menieal unless approved by the Sovereign Pontln
The Council cannot exist without the SovSreigi
Pontid II Christ instituted the Church, and /
: He prOmiaed that With this chareh He woul'
give ali His powers, and If he constituted heat
Of the Church, aud this Was the plan He intende'
should continue TO the end OF time, 1t follows tina
the Sovereign PGntif is infallIble IN the teaehin
of the Church otherwise there would DO no POI
sibility of certainty. In conclusion, the enuncia
ton is a clear definition of who are Catholics an
. who are not: an for adding new doctrine, it
D utterly absurd /.
n