The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-02-25
WHAT IS MODERN RoMANlsM2

Il. seymour, the Protestant episcopal
Bishop of Springfield, is contributing a
series of articles to our esteemed con-
temporary, the Peoria Journal. He UNI
dertakes to prove that Peter was not the
prince Of the apostles, and denies his
primacy in the regular Protestant style.
Quoting from ST. Mathews in the King
James version: GO we therefore and
teach all nations, Eaptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to OBJ
serve all things whatsoever | have COM
manded you; and 10, am with you al
way, even to the end of the world" The
learned bishop says: This commission
was addressed to the eleven apostles
| and not to one, and consequently here
! is discrepancy which is absolutely IA
tai to the theory of church government
| as presented in the pollty OF modern
Rome. TO satisfy the conditions ul
that system it would have been neces
sary for our Lord to have spoken pri-
marily and solely TO ST. Peter, and bid
den him dispense ut his will and pleas
ure such mission and jurisdiction as
he might be pleased to impart, not to his
fellow apostles, but to his interiors. in
order and degree beneath and entirely
subordinate to himself"
Though ii may appear like presump
ton for a Catholic laynan to differ from
bc pci, of tn RiSb
who has the letters ID. d. attached to his
name, yet we cannot forbear making
some comments upon his profound dis
QUESTION. If Bishop Seymour takes the
will find that our Lord spoke solely to
st. Peter, on the ascension, when he
manifested himself to his disciples at
the Sea of 'riberias. He asked Peter
me?" Having received an affirmative
answer three times, Christ said to Peter,
Feed my lambs; feed my sheep" thus
constituting him the shepherd of his
lambs and sheep, and delagating to him
his own power and authority AS this
power to rule, govern and teach was
given for the good of the entire flock,
it is to last as long as the flock itself,
consequently the authority given to Pc
ter dcsccnds to his legitimate successor
to this day.
On another occasion Christ asked His
Disciples Who do men say that the
,,r
swercd that some said that he was John
the Baptist. some Elias, and others .Icre-
miah. he said to them: But who say
We that am?" 1t was Peter who
spoke, saying, Thou art Christ, the
Son OF the Living Cod Then it was
that Jesus said unto him: blessed art
thou Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and
blood hath not rcvealcth it to thee. but
my Father who is i'll heaven" And
then addressing Peter and him only,
Christ said to him: 81 say that thou art
Peter. and on this rock will build my
church; and the gates Of hell shall not
prevail against it. And | will give to
thee the keys Of the Kingdom of heaven
and whatever thou shalt bind on earth
shall be bound also in heaven, and what
ever thou shalt loose upon earth shall
be loosed also in heaven
There are other pas ages in the Bible,
even in the King James version, where
Christ spoke to Peter as he did to none
Of the other apostles. In Luke he says
l,:,,> -,
thou will catch men," 1t is, therefore,
prcposteroui for Bishop Seymour or any
other Protestant prelate, who takes the
Bible for his guide. to deny the suprem
ary Of Peter. and say: Modern Roman
ism in its polity is utterly and abso-
Mtely out OF joint with our Blessed
Lords original character of the minis
try The bishop must admit that the
Catholic church from the very begin
ming has recognized Peter as the first
pope and bishop of Rome, and the vice.
regent Of Christ upon earth. He has
not yet adduced any argument to salts
fy an intelligent mind that modern Ro
mansm" differs in any essential partic
ular from the Catholicism of the past.
The Catholic church OF today teaches
the same doctrines as it did in the days
OF the catacombs. and Pope Leo XIII.
is as much the visible head of the church
in the 10th century as ST. Peter was i'll
the first century of the Christian era.
Bishop Seymour in the article under
review. SAYS: "Moreover. it is local
polity having its home in one city
which gives its name as a title to the
church. Modern Romansm calls itself
the Holy Roman church. And SO it dis
poses Of its claim to Catholicity. That
which is local in the center and sweep of
| its jurisdiction on earth. cannot be in
the true sense Of the term, universal or
| Catholic"
| II the Protestant divine reads over
| the Nicene creed recited in the mass,
and found in Catholic prayer books, he
will discover that every orthodox men,
| Der of the Church of Rome believes in
"Onc Holy Catholic and Apostolic
Church." and not in the "Holy Roman
Church." as he falsely alleges. And.
therefore, to use his own logic. it does
not dispose of its claim to Catholicity.
The words of the closing sentence of
| tba uYntCd norour,nh oro u,ito on,N;,