The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-02-11

the acts OF the Roman pOntificate,
from the earliest days of the sepa-
ration to those Of Leo XIII, and
Plus x, amply testify.
1t is much that leaders in the
Orient sigh for reunion and ex-
press the hope that some day, in
some way, it may pass into real
ity. Christians the world over are
grateful to the Metropolitan of
Beyrout and to the Patriarch of
Constantinople that they make
mention of reunion and hold it out
as the ideal towards which they
aspire and in some measure at
least are willing to direct their
steps.
As a matter of fact, however,
the question is forced upon us
does the Orient, speaking through
that letter to which we have ref
erence, understand the vital con
ditions upon which reunion is pos
sible, and does it show forth the
temper Of mind required to accept
those conditions. So far, we are
unable to answer in the affirma-
tive. May time bring us brighter
hopes than for the moment we are
authorized to entertain
The letter Of the Metropolitan
of Beyrout in it's statements of
points of divergence between the
Greek and the Roman Churches
and in it's suggestions of methods
by which those divergences may
be cleared off, follows too closely
on the lines Of the article recently
given out by Prince Macmillan of
Saxony-the article which the
Sovereign Pontiff was obliged to
censure, as being in contradiction
with doctrines in Catholicism, that
Catholicism must adhere to under
penalty Of DISQUALIFICATION and
of remuneration Of essential prin-
ciples in it's teachings and consti-
tuition.
The mistakes into which the
Archbishop of Beyrout seems to
fall are two-fold-one bearing on
the Pontifcate of the successor of
Peter, the other on the immutabil-
ity Of doctrinal definitions taking
place in the Church since the Sc
cession Of the Orient.
st. Peter was not Zone Of the
Notables" in the Apostolic Col
lege: he was the head of the whole
body, the shepherd of the whole
f1ock-the feeder both Of lambs
and Of sheep The successor of
st. Peter is not "the first
among Patriarchs''; he is the Sow
ereign-the universal doctor-the
bishop of bishops; for in him, as
Philip, the legate of Pope Celes-
line declared in the Council of
Ephesus, "Peters lives and judges
in his successors today and for all
times. = Autonomy of each Of
the several episcopates under the
presidency" Of the Bishop of
Rome is not what Christ willed.-
if by autonomy is meant the
right to teach and rule, even in
local matters, Independently Of the
Bishop Of Rome: what is called for
by divine ordinances is subsection
to him, as supreme shepherd and
teacher. 1t is not a confederation
or a union of churches that is de
manded-but unity Of churches
all being one body, because all
are ruled by one Head. On the
question of the Pope's sovereignty
over all bishops, as over all other
members Of the Church, no con-
troversy is allowed: no conces-
sion is to be expected. s.
Doctrines once defined by the
Church are Interchangeable, beyond
all compromise, obligatory in
their plenary meaning, upon the
whole Church. Submission to the
Church implies acceptance OF
those doctrines, outside Of all men.
tai reservation, outside of all dim
mutton Of the obvious sense Of the
terms in which they are express
ed. Else the infallibility Of the
Church were a mere name, mere
fiction of the mind. Definitions
of doctrines, through papal utter
ances, ecumenical Councils, or the
universal tacit assent of the
Church taking place since the
secession Of the Oriental Church.
es are as sacred and as ire.
formable, as decisions made
through one authorized channel OF
another before the secession. Here
is the root Of the illusion from
which, we fear, the metropolitan
of Beyrout and the Patriarch OF