The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-11-30
A REPUTATION OF
AN OLD CALUMNY
The Theory That the Earth Moves
Round the Sun Taught Before
Time of Calico.
The Infallibility of the Pope is Not
Involved in the Decree of Gen.
eral Council
Nicholas dc Cusa, Who Taught the
Theory Two Centuries Before
Created CARDINAL

Created Cardinal.
In Il Catholic Truth publication en-
titled "'rhc Alleged Failures of In
fallibllty," Father Coupe S. j., deals
with the historic case of Libcrus,
Honorius and Calico. In dealing with
the case of the alleged lapse OF In
fallibiity in the affair of Galleo, as
being very opposite for us in our
"scientitic' age. Father Coupe says:
Calico eagerly defended the hello
centric or ruperncan theory, the
opinion, that is, that the planets are
in motion and the sun the center of
the ecliptic--;l theory taught by Ro-
, man clercs. Father Coupe tells us,
for at least two centuries before the
time Of C;alileo. The nncicnts as well
as most mcdicvuists believed in the
gcoccntric theory. l. e., the earth as
| center OF the universe. However, IT, is
| urged that Calico w;s condemned as
hereto for teaching q true doc
! trinc. and for arguments sake, though
he denies il, Father Coupe will as
sumo that such was the case.
Was that condemnation Che asks)
a Papal condemnation, and IL 1t was,
| was it a condemnation cX-cathcdra? ?
1t is, says the Jesuit, easy to show
= that it was neither one nor the olhcy'.
f, The Decree of the index of March s..
1916, decided that the scientists work
was not to be read since IT, was
''false, unscriptural and destructive Of
Catholic truth" The grounds of this
decision, as well as the decision itself
We're admittedly wrong, says the Jes-
nit, but since the decree was one OF
a Roman Congregation it possessed
no claim whatever to infnIlibility.
The "EncycIopacda Britannica" in
dealing with the matter declares
+, that this etict. it is essential to OBJ
serve, OF which the responsibility
in no sense representing the Church,
WAS never confirmed by the Pope,
and was virtually repealed In 1857"
Again, says Father Coupe. even if the
! Pope had confirmed the decree, that
confirmation would not necessarily
have been an infallible uttcrancc 10
tI,
speak in that decree eX-catllcdra; it
is not necessary to speak in that de-
cree as Universal Doctor and SlI-
preme Teacher; it is not necessary to
! speak in that decree at all.
l Thirdly, even il the Pope had con-
frmcd the decree. and by confirming
had spoken in the decree -cathcdri
! still that utterancc would not have
compromised his Infallibilty, and for
the reason, as all thcologians teach
InfaIlibity does not extend to the mo-
tivcs which led to definition, nol
to the arguments in favor of the def
milton. Infal allibility extends only tc
the definition itself. and the definition
in Galileo's case was only this, chat
tho books in question must not be
read till amended"
The decision was u mere matter OF
discipline, and not Of doctrine at all
The second decree dune, 1889 was
launched against Galileo by the Holy
Office when he was charged with be.
ing Suspect of heresy." This deci.
sion was decree of Cardinals only;
tion or appreciation. 1t was not :
Papal act, and therefore it could no
compromise Papal Infallibility.
The simplest and faircst way, say'
il, Father Coupe of arriving at a sount
opinion on this question as to whcth
cr the decision against Galileo wa
ex-cathedra or not is to see how tn
q heliocentric (sun as center) thcor!
had been viewed before Galileo's time
and how it was viewed after Calico
condemnation. For two centuries be
fore Galileo's day the immobilty o
n the sun and the mobility Of tn
y earth had been openly taught BY &c
d cleslastics Of the highest rank.
y Nicolas dc Cusa taught it and wa
created Cardinal by Pope Eugeniu
t Nv in 1430. just two hundred years be
fore the Galilean decree. Copernicu