Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-12-03
THE INFALLIBILITY DOGMA.

BY the courtesy of Messrs. Appleton
we are permitted to print the article
from the advanced sheets of the En-
cycloredia" upon the dogma of Papal
infallihilitv. 1t is from the pen of the
Rev. Bernard O'Reilly =
Infallihility Clatcr Latin intalibRs.
not liable to hc deceived, from IN, pri-
vativc, and JdNi, to be deceived, to err
Il doctrine of the Roman Catholic
Church. which attributes to that Church,
As TIE divinely appointed teacher of
mankind, and to the Roman Pontiff. as
pastor of the whole Church, the privi-
i!ege of being preserved from teaching
error. Infallibility is not to be con-
founded with impeccability, which means
immunity from sin The special assis-
tance of the Holy Spirit which preserves
a person from error in the discharge Of
certain office is grace of the super
natural order. called by theolo -ians gra-
TIA gratis data, grace bestowed for the
benefit of others han the recipient. such
as the power of the priesthood hcstow-
ed on good and bad alike, and the gift
of prophecy found in such men as Ba-
laam and Caiaphas. 1t is thus distin-
guishcd from graces which are v"uch-
safed To sanctifv their possessor. ..Gc
that hy which John the Baptist AMI
jeremiah were sanctiticd before their
birth; grace of this sort is called crd-
tia grdtum .taci,ns. The privilege of in
fallihihty is also TO he distinguished
from inspiration, because inspiration III
many eases means new revelation.
whereas both the Church and the pom
tiff are only witnesses, teachers and
Judges of the revelation already made.
and are merely preserved from error in
guarding. exnounding and defending
the deposit of revelation. By the dog
matte decree of the Council of the Vat
lean the infallihility traditionality as
cribed to the Church by Catholics is
declared 10 have been directly and i'm
mediatcly conferred on st. Peter. and
Rome. |. Roman Catholic thcolcgians
ground the infalhhility of the Church
principally on the texts of Matt xviii
IL, 20 0:-''Go We. therefore, and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name
Of the Fother. and of the Son. and oi
Holy Ghost; teaching them to ohscrv,
all things whatsoever | have command
ed YOU: and. 10. l am with YOU always
unto the end of the world" and Mark
xvi, Is, l6-''Go We into all the world
and preach the gospel TO every creature
He that helieveth and is baptized shall
lie saved; but he that believeth not shall
be damned" These words of Christ
constituting the great commission oil
charter Of the Church. as they main
tain, established her as the universal
and perpetual teacher of mankind. CAV,
into her keeping the deposit of the di
vine faith and law, declared her oftic,
to he that of sole interpreter of tn,
same. bestowed on her the sole jurisdic
tion existing upon earth in matters o
salvation over the reason and will O
man. and assured her that in the GiS
charge of this office she will have til,
Lord with her until the end Of time
Faith in Christ through her teaching
and obedience to her IN the fulhlmcn
Of her office. are required under pain Q
damnation. Now, il is held to be re
4, puSnant alike to the nature Of God an
10 that of man that God should comps
the assent of the reason and the sub
mission Of the will to teaching habl
to error. The object or matter smbr,
ced by this infaiEble teaching is tn
whole body of revealed truth write
and unwritten. and all that is so con
, nected with it that without treating c
it the Word of God could not be guard
ed. expounded and defended: sue
would be the declaring of the cancr
' authenticity. and true Interpretation c
Scrirturs, aud the like. Further, .h