The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-07-10
The Popes and Their Powers.

the name slgnify1ng father, cashop-
head of the church.
For many centuries the name pope
was confined to the bishop of Rome
but now it means the head of the
church universal.
The papal idea can be traced to ~e-
mote times. The supreme ecclesias-
tical primacy was conceded by the
Catholic church to the Roman bishop
or pope from remote antiquity.
Beginning with Peter, whose ac-
cession occurred A. D. Al, and COM
ing down to Pope Leo XIII, whose
accession took place in 17S, there has
been an unbroken chain, extending
over a period of 1862 years.
During that period-from Peter %
Leo XIII-eighty-eight popes have
reigned, averaging 81 years to each
reign.
Should Leo die today he would
have reigned 25 years-but Pope
Plus TX reigned from 1916 to 1873
a period of 80 years.
Pope Plus VII. however, assembled
the throne in 1S00-and there have
been five popes since, making six in
all in 1O3 years.
1t will be thus observed that Pope
Leo XIII has had an extraordinary
reign, considering the fact that he
was 6S years of age when raised to
the pontificate.
it goes without saying to readers
of modern newspapers that no pope
mas ruled with greater urbanity and
liberality, at least in the last CEN
tury, than the man who is about lay
ing down his earthly power and pay
ing the penalty pronounced against
all mankind.
Touching the authority of the pope,
it may be said that he holds sway
and jurisdiction over the entire
church body, individually and col
lectively.
i The pope is the supreme teacher or
] doctor-and in this capacity is lnfal-
lible when speaking as such.
In other words, the pope in defin-
ing a doctrine of faith to be held by
the whole church is supposed to be
incapable Of error.
Moreover, the pope is the supreme
legislator in the church and can in
terpret, modify and dispense in all
: matters Of ecclesiastical law
The pope is the supreme judge Of
) the faithful-whether members of the
hierarchy or laymen, and can heal
and decide all major causes and ap
peals from lower tribunals.
; The pope is the supreme admins
;. trator-and, therefore, has the power
to watch over the divine services an(
, to appoint, remove or transfer bish
!, ops.
> The pope is the supreme supervisor
!, and receives regularly reports and re
lations from bishops and other chic
ecclesiastical authorities within tn
limits of their jurisdiction.
n The universal ecclesiastical juris
e diction of the pope includes the RICH
r to send agents to represent his per
+ son and authority before the churche
e or even before the temporal allthor
J, ties.
!: This authority is vested in the pop
L by divine right, because he is tn
e legitimate successor of st. Peter
l. and as such the chief bishop of tn
Catholic world-the visible and mir
II isterial head of the whole church
0 whose invisible and eternal head i
s Jesus Christ.
e The origin of the temporal poWe
IS of the pope occurred in the sitxh Ger
d fury, under Gregory the Great.
n National and religious feelings COT
e tributed to its growth in the first hal
e of the eighth century-and in the la
ter half of that century the papacy e1
Vt tered the list of European states b
a the formal donations of Pepin an
$, Charlemagne.
o Under various forms and with var.
r ing boundaries the papal states e,
is listed through the middle ages as
c. legitimate growth, and their pacifi
1T possession through twelve centurie
was not seriously disputed in tn
l. propagation of Christian faith an
g culture.
e The violent usurpation of Napoleo
| was uuuOHt Ny euS SoASiNoo ~ '
III emma in 1915.
ne In 1860 the Piedmontese govern
n ment encroached on the states of til
le church, and in 1870 they were inco
'e porated into the kingdom OF Italy.
u Nevertheless, no pope has evt
u recognized that fact, nor accepte
s. the guarantees by which the Italia
IL kingdom undertook to regulate Il
ia internal relations with the papacy.
=. The ordinary administration OF tt
- papal authority is carried on thToue
- the body of officials and agents who
- - the pope employs in his government
~ When the pope passes away h
- successor must be immediately cho
10 en-. The cardinals meet on the eie
- enth day after the pope's decease
- - ro,;oY, of do,,h1p coils ONO for ear