The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-05-18

! trinally infallible. On one hand, how
sistance to violations of right if it did
not believe in its own infallibility?
And, on the other hand, how could
States be prevented from resorting
to force for the adjudication of their
real or pretended rights, if they them
selves did not recognize the Church
as the infallibie arbiter of the mat
tiers in dispute?
In the fog of prejudice which dark
ems the air we are prone to lose sight
that God has established so that pro-
gressive peoples may realize on earth
their worthy ideals. To this fact are
due the secret or open differences
that arise from time to time between
the civil society and the religious So
ciety; and the forgetfulness, ignor-
ance, Or misunderstanding of that
necessary and sovereign prerogative
of divine religion-infallibility When
peoples and governments recognize
the infa1Iib1e arbitership granted to
the Catholic Church by God in mat
tiers of doctrine there is, in place of
the dualism that paralyzes, the har-
mony that vitalizes and fructifies.
Doctrinal infallibility is the keystone
of the arch of mankind. In an age
that is fond of Boosting of it's indie
pendence it is worth while to medi-
tate upon this fact; that the Catholic
Church, while giving rest and security
to human minds and human societies
through it's infallible decisions, guar
antees to them at the same time their
true liberty, and saves them from
the humiliation of the worst abase-
ments and the vilest servitudes. The
Catholic Church boldly demands for
her infallible teaching the submission,
the servitude, of mems minds. She
aims to continue to captivate them
and make them bear the yoke of sub
lection to the Divine Intelligence, as
she has done for nearly two thousand
years. Since she believes that she is
invested with infallibility she must in
sist upon such subsection. In demand
ing it she is really uplifting the mind;
and in the sublime sense to enslave
it is to make it free, for it is Divine
truth that makes men free.
If the infallible authority bestowed
by God upon the Catholic Church
were taken away the minds of many
would, by sort of fatality, become
| the slaves of some men, who would
| lead them into servitude by. the force
of their genius; or they would be-
come the slaves of their own selfish
views. If we were liberated from the
bonds of infallible authority all kinds
of tyrannies would try to enslave us;
and there would only be left to us a
choice between subjections; either to
JUS Or to fall preys to fanatics-either
to be the slaves of those who WELD
the sword of despotism or by pro-
claiming our own sovereignty, to be
the slaves of our egotism. Depend
ence upon an infallible authority in
religion can alone save us from the
danger of falling into these human
servitudes. Freed by it from the DOM
ination of error, and kept within the
insuperable bounds of truth, the intel
ligence moves in quietude; for move
ment in what is true is intellectual
liberty. Never are we freer than
when, united to the Word of God
through the word of the Catholic
Church, we utter the grandest acclaim
of freedom that the soul can make:
Il believe in the Holy Catholic
Church" which always teaches truth,
and which can not teach error.