The Irish standard., 1894-05-26
POWER on THE POPE.

| POWER or THE POPE. a'as'
Father Cleary Answered This Question
Last Sunday Evening.
AT Normanna hall. last Sunday even.
ing, Father Cleary answered the ques.
ton, what IS the Power Of the Pope in
American in substance as follows:
"The Pope, the spiritual head Of the
Catholic church, the successor Of st.
Peter as bishop Of Rome and the primate
of the universal church, continues in the
world to-day to perform the sublime
duties enjoined upon SAINT Peter by
Christ himself. Our divine Lord exact
ed from st. Peter a three fold declara-
tion of his loyalty and love, and then
commissioned him to feed the lambs and
the sheep of his spiritual fold.
Before his crucifxion and death, as
we read IN the 18th chapter OF st. Mat
thew, Christ promised Peter that he
would confer on him plenary spiritual
power and entrust to him the keys of
the kingdom of heaven. This promise
was made as reward for Peters profess
sion of faith in his Masters divine char
acter, when he declared: Thou art
Christ, the Son of the living God AT.
ter his resurrecti ID from the dead, the
divine Master fulfilled His glorious
promise and entrusted to Peter the care
of His entire flock.
The Pope, as Peters successor in office
and Jurisdiction, exercises the same
power by virtue of the same authority
that selected Peter as the rock against
which "the gates of hell should not pre-
vail" Peter governed the church by d.
vine authority. Peter, as the chief pas
tor of the people, taught with infallible
certainty the truths of divine faith. Our
divine Lord assured him that he would
prey for him that his faith might not
fail, and he being converted should con-
vert his brethren. Saint Peter as first
bishop of Rome, and first spiritual head
of the Christian church, did not exer.
else or claim civil jurisdiction in the af-
fairs Of human society. He did not as.
sumo to control the civil concerns of
Rome or of Carthage, of Athens or Cor
NTH. He was not the civil but the spir-
itual ruler of the Christian world.
WThe Pope in modern times does not
claim civil Jurisdiction in the affairs of
nations, but simply desires to lead and
direct the spiritual welfare of those who
willingly follow his fatherly guidance.
The pope has no power, and claims
none, to interfere in the POLITICAL social
or commercial affairs of the people of
this or any other country, where he en-
joys no civil authority. The chief exec
utive of the universal church of God, the
head of the Catholic church, has un-
doubted jurisdiction in the spiritual
and religious affairs of the members of
that church, in this and every other land,
not by the consent of the majority, or
the concessions of men, but from the di-
vine commission entrusted to Peter,
whose lawful successor he is. Christ's
pledge that he would pray for the pres
ervation of Peters faith and his solemn
declaration that the "gates of HE'LL the
powers of evil, should not prevail against
his church, built upon the rock-Peter-
are the foundation of our conviction
that the official decisions Of the sover-
eign pontif will be not only final, but al
SO unerring, IN questions of Christian
faith and morals. The doctrine of papal
infallibility does not imply either arbi-
trary authority or sinless perfection in
the person of the pope.
The name of the pope has been used
as a bug-bear with which to frighten ig-
norant and nervous people in this coun-
try.
His authority does not extend over
the national customs, the political institu-
tons or the legislative halls of the Amer
lean people. He is not the enemy, but
is the true and steadfast friend of Amer
lean liberty, for his mission is to direct
the imparting of truth to the human
mind. truth that will make men free.