The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-03-03

Twenty-frst Error@"The Church has
not the authority to define dogmatical-
ly that the religion of the Catholic
Church is the only true religion"
Refutation-The infallfbility of the
Church may be considered under a
two-fOid aspect; that is. either as a
principle or as an object. of revelation.
| Considered as a principle. in the senae
attached to it by Christians, it cannot
/ be defined. because it must be supposed
prior to the definition. which definition
is valuable only inasmuch as it ena-
mates from a teacher admitted to be
fnfallible. Regarded as an object of
revelation ard IS forming part of the
divine deposit Of truth. the infallibiI-
Ity of the Church may be defined like
any other article of faith embraced in
revelation. The Church has repeatedly
SO declared in language which viii ad-
nit of TO doubtful Interpolation
tact which is sustained with much
learning and great power of reasoning
ny Perrone, in his celebrated answer
to the question proposed to him by an
anonymous writer: whether. namely,
the infallibiily of the Church had ever
been defined.
In order that any given truth be re-
Sarded aa dogma of faith. it is not /
necessary that it be established as such /
by formal decree or express definition .
OF the teaching Church emanating
either from an Ecumenical Council or
from the Roman Pontiff: it ia enough
that the Church proposes it for cur be-
lief. In other words. our faith in any
revealed truth may be based on a for
NAL and solemn definition or decree of
the Church; or. if that be wanting. on
me constant and universal teaching of
her pastors and the consent of the
.althful. Thus the divinity of Christ
vas believed, although until the Coup-
III OF Nice it had not been made the
'bJect of special decree. In fact, how
many truths regarding the satisfac-
ION mace by Christ for the sins of men =
nd the efficacy of the sacrifice offered
Up by Him on the Cross. are held as
ogmas Of faith, not only by Catholics.
ut even by so-called orthodox Pro- !,
estants. although they have never
cen expressly Defined And the So
mans who repuCiate these truths are
n that very account branded as here :
cs. t
Now in the depository of revealed '
nth it is declared that Christ prom q
ed to send the Holy Ghost. who w5uId a
'ach His Church; that this Paraclete h
ould remain with her forever; that II
n Divine Founder commanded her oil
teach all nations, and assured her
at he would be with her all fsavs m
EN- unto the contamination of the by
orId. Placed in the tranquil possess ne
Oh Oh all truths; clothed with the &c
lsSlon of teaching them to the na- pa
ms; assured of the never-faiIing as di
stance of Christ and of the HOLY to
lost. the Church, from the very ont sil
l. directed all her charges to the dis as
of those truths and has an
YER ceased to condemn the errors ad
llch conflict with them And it was an
virtue of her infallibility, considered pr
d principle that all those who were SCI
iVerted from Paga nism to Christian ac
made their acts of faith in each TIT
every truth proposed by the tht
ureh for belief as a preliminary to gu
mission into the great family of the the
thtul. Her most envenomed enemies she
re never been able to fasten upon the
one single error, although thew aga
e spent well-nigh nineteen hundred tho
rs in the attempt The Church has the
elveG from her Divine Founder tho Wh
lrance of assistance and enlfgbten- noa
1t from the Spirit of Truth; Heaven iieI
earth shall pass away. but the =
q Of Christ shall not pass away. ny
CIV let US ask our adversaries. Does Her
oncern the eternal salvation of men &c
InoW whether the Catholic Church liie
II not the Only true Church? They anu
as reasonble beings, return but ueei
answer to this question. and it is are
lie Church has, then, the authority me
etine Dramatically that the religion the
mt by her is the only true religion. iost
as she has the authority to define OF L
other matter of faith. Indeed. st. ielu
r affirmed in the very face of the Gum
ledrlm that there was no name - ~
~ Heaven by which men could he puiii
d except that of Jesus of Nazareth ~,
Chr.st Himself said that He de- no1,,
hut one fold under one 4henberd