The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-06-08
CATHOLIC TEACHING EXPLAINED.

The Deseret News last Friday had lengthy
editorial on the fake dispatches sent from France
and other European countries regarding Catholic
news. These fake dispatches are read by millions
who never see the contradiction which follows. The
! editor presents the case in fair manner and add
mits that the rumor, which originated with dis
reputable sheet known as the Gil Bias and cop
led by some of our American papers. Cooked sus-
| picious the very surface of it." The rumor re-
ferred to was supposed petition of 1900 French
clergymen to Rome for permission to marry. Com
menting on the absurdityl of this fake dispatch,
which could have no foundation in fact and which
necessarily brought the power of the Pope into
question, the News did not give the correct Cath
Ole teaching the prerogatives of the Holy
Father 1t said mo Pope would be at liberty to
establish a rule contrary to the decisions of the
councils If we understand the Catholic doctrine
on this point correctly. it is this that the Pope,
the head of the Catholic church, is preserved
from in interpreting and applying the doc
trines of the Scriptures and the councils, but that
if he should command anything at variance with
these authorities, Catholics would be under no OBJ
legation to obey If this is the case we do not see
how a Pope could abolish rule that may be
traced, psaEps. far back as the fourth century.
and has the sanction of all subsequent author-
ties"
1t is true that no Pope is at liberty to change
decisions of council which pertain to faith and
morals, but decisions which have reference to dis
ciplne may be changed and frequently are The
church, like her divine founder, is flexible and in
T.,
disciplinary codes, though proclaimed by general
council, which presupposes the Pope the head
of the church personally or through duly APP
pointed legate presiding. the Pope may change or
dispense those bound by said rules and regua-
tions from their observance, for example, it is a
part of the discipline of the church that her minis
tiers should be clean-shaved, yet in many instances
her ministers dispensed from this rule. Here
in is the flexible side of the church The infexible
Interchangeable, and never varying side of the church
pertains to faith and morals /. e.. when a general
council or the Pope proclaims an article of faith
for example, that Christ is really present in the
Blessed Sacrament, or that the sacrament of mat
rmony Isl indissoluble according to the Bible, there
is no power in the church to change or annul that
defined article of faith. The Pope is as powerless
the hun blest member of the church to interfere
with defined dogmas Another point not correctly
stated by THE News is this: "That the Pope as the
head of the church is preserved from error in in
terpreting and applying the doctrines of the Scrip
lures and the councils" The Pope, as theologan
doctor of the church, in interpreting texts of
is not held to be infallible any more
han otheF learned doctors of the church, but when
lie teaches in his official capacity, head of the
church, arid defines articles of faith or morals for
he univei sal church then his Interpretation and
APPLICATION of texts of scripture on the case in
,oint is nfallible The attribute nfallibility is
lot pers onal gift e. it does not belong to the
occupant OFF the chair of Peter as personal gift,
nut it is official l. e., privilege which belongs to
he Papacly. Hence the teaching of the church
that thd Pope is infallible only in his official
haracter, kwhen he exercises the office of supreme
eacher fo4 the entire church in matters of faith
r anything that may directly indirectly affect
he deposit OF faith The jurisdiction of the Pope
xtends to sthl government as well as to the teach
ng of the universal church, yet in the former ca
acty he is otinfallible, whilst in the latter as
Explained, hel is!
We dwell upon this point as there seems to be
great misunderstanding on the subject In its
lst issue, THE Literary Digest copied lengthy
1itorial fromA The Intermountain Catholic bearing
n the same Subject.
The privileges attached to the high Office of the
residency of 1thd United States are not to the in
1mbent, but io ahe office. They do not imply any
1perior craftsmanship, or ability on the part of