National Republican., 1873-11-11
PAPAL INFAIILBIGITy.
Lecture by Rrv.F.P. Gare.ehe, = J.

Lecture by Rev. v. p. Gareschr, y j.
The commodious church Of St. Aloyslus, corner
OF North Capitol and streets, was crowded last
night to Its utmost capacity by the friends and
admirers Of Father Garesche, who had been an
nounced to deliver 4 lecture on "The Infalli-
blhty OF the Pope" Not only were the pews
fully occupied, hut the vestibule, the asles, the
gallery, and even the platforms OF the side affairs
were crowded with anxious listeners. IL Is safe
to say that there were at least twenty-five hun
dred people Crammed within the church edincc;
and when II IL remembered that an admission
that surged into the building long before the
hour announced for the lecture may be regarded
not only as surprising in nnmbers, but as pro-
senting remarkable evidence OF the popularity
OF the eloquent missioner.
There were many n-a-Catholics among the
audience, but the larger proportion con sisted, OF
course, Of members OF the Church, who had,
during the past two weeks, sat day after day aud
night after night under the able and Impressive
teachlngs Of this distinguished son OF L6yola.
Within the sanctuary, besides q large repre-
we noticed the Right Rev. Blshop OF Arizona,
who Is the guest Of Rev. Father Walter.
THE LECTURE.
Father Garesche commenced BY remsrklng
that he had chosen subject-the infalllbilty OF
the Pope-upoQ which much had been written
had had inpasned ip new ht but iistle. "'" 'A' ""'
The reverend lecturer recalled to the minds OF
those who had been present on Thursday even
ing that he then considered the question OF the
Church which Christ had estab bllshed In the world
what were its prerogAtives and charael leristics;
that It had TO be one In faith that it had 20 be
catholic or universal, with its appolnt-
ed apostles, bishops and priests; that it had to
be A'divine system that could not be blown about
by ever wind Of doctrine and that TO this
Church the holy paTaclete-the spirit Of truth
Church, Il must have been IN every age infalll-
BILE, because the paraclete taught IN II,
How does what Is called the spirit OF truth
teach In some Of tho churches now Non-Catho-
lies say they nnd It In the Bible; others get lt
through what they cali = general Inspiration.
But, then, how Ia II possible that the God OF
truth could inspire all these variant denomina-
tons Of Protestantisms The Catholic says that
the Holy Spirit guides the Church In Its teach
ings, and that the Pope Ia the visible and infall-
BILE head OF the Church.
Ollie friend on account Of his belief 10 the iufalil-
blllty OF the Pope. "And do you really believe"
said he to Patrick, "that the Pope Is the headi"
..of course l do" said the courageous son OF
me the truth except 10 q head7"
Non-Catholics ask what Is meant by infalli-
bility, and seem TO think that the idea Is that
the Pope cannot fall into sin. Bat Catholics
know tdst the Pope goes 10 confession aud seeks
the graces CT the sacrament lt WAS even pos
sible that a Pope might die In mortal elm, but he
fondy trusted that such q misfortune had never
occurred, and might never come to pass. BE-
fore telling what lnfallibility was the reverend
speaker would tell what II was not. 1t does not
mean that the Pope can never sin: that he can
never fail into mistakes; that he knows all about
the sciences aud the wisdom OF the world. II
does not even mean that II he were writing or
preaching a. theOlogian lie must necessarily
always be correct-that even In pastoral he
might not commit error.
He wasinfallbe only when teaching the whole
Church In his officlal capacity as Pope, and thus
teaching God guides aud directs him. What
then, Is lnialliDility7 lsit inspiration? Not at
all; for when we are taught, as In the syllabus,
we do not believe II Il the work OF Inspiration,
but that II simply shows that he Is guided and
directed against error.
Although non Catholics opposed infAlllbIllty
they admitted soInething even greater. They
ask, how can man be inIalllblo? Yet they be-
lieye that God Inspired tue writers OF the Holy
Book; that st. Paul and the other apostles, after
having received their commission TO 20 forth
and teach, could not teach error. u, therefore,
could not be denied that God could inspire men
to guard against error; and the apostles were
Invested with the same infallibilty rs the pOpes.
IL was further objected that 4 belief In the
doctrine OF infalllDility trammels reasOn-that II
yields up reason entirely. But do those who
thus object believe In any thlng2 Is there any
thing vague and undetermined Can you deny
that two and two make four7 Reason here Is
nfallible, because two and two cannot possibly
make nye. Is reason fatteTad because OF belief
In an established law OF science? Why, then,
deny the truth as infalllbly taught by our Divine
Lord2
Another objection was that Catholics must be-
lleye all that the Pope teaches-that II he says
black 10 white, we must believe II. But no Pope
has ever said this, and we DO not believe
any Pope ever will say so. Cathollcs believe
that the Pope Is infalllble, because God has
promised 10 guard the GIT OF faith. The divine