The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-22
INFALLIBILITY NOT IMPECCABILITY.
Lecture by Father Calmer at St. Xavier q
Church.

Father Calmer lectured in his regular
course last evening at vt. Xavier's Church.
to large and attentive audience. His dis
course was brief but very interesting in its
character. el'.
The chief aim of the lecture was to show
the difference between the Bishop of Rome
as Man and the Bishop of Rome as the
Head of the Church. There are many who
oppose the Roman POntiffs infaIlibility,
will denounce as absurd his pretensions in
this regard, not because of its one true in
trinsic nature, but because of the fantastic
Garment with which Imagination has
clothed it. But In this they are contend
ing with the consequences of their own
misconception. Many of this class as soon
as they have allowed the true ideas to take
the place of the false have recognized their
own errors. Many of these, too, have there
after become not only sincere believers but
the most correct advocates of the doctrine.
There are many persons-many, too,
who have all the advantages of education
and the means of fintelligence-who imaeine
that the belief in the infallibility Of the
Pope renders him also impeccable-to ac-
cept the former the latter must likewise
be acknowledged. This is all mistake
no Catholic is permitted to believe the
Pope incapable OF sin. He knows him to
be man and therefore us liable to sin as
the humblest of his flock. The Pope regu-
larly confesses his sins to the Priest OF Christ.
Each time before he ascendsthe High Altar
OF St. Peters he procaims himselfa sinner,
and like any other officiating priest, he
strikes himself three times on the breast,
uttering the formula customary In the
church.
Though the Pontiff be and Is certainly
acknowledged capable Of sin, it Is "a remark
able evidence of the divine guardianship
and watch over the Church that they, or
nearly all Of them, have been men of holy
lives. Through all the centuries not more
than five or six can be pointed out who
were not men of this character. OF these
five or six it can not with truth be said
that any one of them was ever known to
tamper with the doctrines of The Church or
to change one iota of the divine deposit of
the Church.
The Catholic believes the Pope, in his
character, as the infallible teacher and
guide If his Church, to be acting under an
inspiration. This is not an inspiration
such as was possessed by the Prophets and
Apostles of old, nor a new inspiration of
new doctrine. 1t is simply the divine
assistance of the Holy Spirit by which the
Roman Pontif, though weak and sinful
man, is thus divinely enabled to preserve
the faith and expound the divine deposit de-
livered to him and his predecessor by the
Apostles. The Pope. therefore. can
| make no new doctrines. To keep the
church free from error is the obligation in
cumbent upon him. His infallibility is
the gift promised to Peter, the divine assist
ance bestowed through the Holy Spirit by
which the Pope Is preserved from harm in
defining matters of faith and morals. 1t is
altogether erroneous to suppose that this
infallibility touches the Pope as an indi-
vidual.
The Bishop Of Rome can do some things
as a man, some things as q doctor, and
some things as Pope or head of the Church
Only in this latter-named capacity can be
attributed the gift of infallibility through
living human condition. He is infallible
only in his official character, that is, wher
he speaks ex.cathedra to define points o.
doctrine, or in matters of faith and morals
Next Sunday being Easter the usua
evening lecture at st. Xavier's will b
omitted.