The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-08-31
AUTHORITY IN RELIGION.
And Freedom of Private Thought and
Opinion.

modern times as being injurious to
liberty of conscience, writes Father
Hull, S. j., in Catholic Truth" pub
LEGATION. Yet when it is a case of as
certaining facts which some one else
for ourselves, it is necessary for us,
If we wish to acquire them at all, to
take them on the authority of
another. Once being convinced that
the living voice of the Catholic Church
is authorized and guaranteed by
Christ, the only rational course is to
accept the authority as a means of
ascertaining Christ's teaching. Every
non-Catholic accepting the statements
of the Bible as correct, submits to the
authority of those who wrote the books
of the Bible
1t may be thought, however, that
the Church extends her authority be-
yond the limits of revealed dogma,
and so letters the mind where Christ
has left it free. The Church, of her
own position, naturally expects the
prevailing Catholic lines of thought
and feeling outside, the strict limits
of faith, to be treated with respect,
especially in public writing and speak
ing land her general policy is to be
cautious and slow in taking up novel
views, such as tend to shock and
alarm the simple-minded, until such
views have been firmly established by
evidence. But as for freedom of pri-
vate thought and opinion and taste
in all matters outside the strict limits
of faith, Catholics enjoy the fullest
liberty.
In communicating His teaching to
mankind, Christ has made use of the
most natural means at His command
Even the Apostles did not grasp their
Masters full doctrine at once. A
sound knowledge of the doctrines of
the Church is to be found in the
Catechism. If we trace back to it's
source the authority of the Catechism
and of the priest who explains it, we
shall ultimately come to the Bishop of
the Diocese, who is responsible for the
teachings of the Faith within the
limits of his own jurisdiction. The
Cathechism Of one Diocese is prac-
tically the same as that of every other
and thus is it represents the unani-
nous teaching of the Bishops all over
the world. Catholic Bishops are the
successors of the Apostles; they have
neither the gift of inspiration nor of
miracles, nor of personal infallibiltiy,
nor of universal jurisdiction; yet they
are infallible in this sense, that they
cannot collectively be guilty of false
teaching, and so lead the whole Church
astray. AS soon as detection is marked
in the case of Bishop, he loses his
Office as a teacher of the Church's doc
trine. Separated from the communion
of the Church, he ceases to be mem
Der of the teaching Church.
1t is to the collective body of teach.
ers that the promises of Christ apply
Consequently it is believed that any
doctrine unanimously taught by this
collective body, as part of the deposit
of faith, must be infallibly correct;
since otherwise the whole Church
clergy and laity (whose belief is sim
ply reflection of the teaching of the
Bishops) would be committed to a
false doctrine. The unanimous teach
ing and belief of the Church is, there
fore, guaranteed according to the
Founders promise. The Pope is the
supreme teacher of the whole Church
as we'll as the Supreme Ruler. AS
ruler he has the power to make dis
ciplinary laws binding on the whole
Church. AS supreme teacher, he pos
sesses authority to settle disputed
points of faith and morals.
Thus, when heresy arises, and the
unanimity of the Bishops is disputed
in respect of traditional doctrine, the
need of a supreme teacher is seen
When in respect of decisions as tt
doctrine, rendered by him as supreme
teacher, the Pope is infallible. I'm
less the Pope were absolutely relia
BILE in such decisions, the faith of thu
Church might be corrupted by error
The Pope is not inspired; he receives
no private revelations; he does no
carry in his mind the whole of Christi
teaching as a miraculous treasure OF
WHICH 10 uTdW dL VIII. NE lids l6dEu0'
the Faith as we learned it. If h
wishes to know the two sides of dis
pute, he must study it as we must
At no time can he depend or coun
on new revelation or inspiration of
personal kind. Yet when he render
his decision, we believe that, in virtu
of Christ's promise that the gates O
He'll will not prevail against tn
Church, he is acting as the Founde
would have acted.
Non-Catholics find a great dificu
ty in believing that infallibility mean
more than this. Yet it is seen thai
say, President of the United State
does not always act as president;
has no presidential authority, for il
stance, when he expresses his view
about a picture, or about music, @
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