The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-02-24
Continued from page ~
BISHOP coR5ETT'S LENTEN PAS
TORAL.

Christ, while on earth, through Peter
and the apostles after His ascension,
and, now, through their legitimate sue.
cessors, the Pope and the bishops in
union with him. Christ, in His fare.
well address, clearly and solemnly
expressed the purpose of the mission
of the apostles, their power and the
scope Of their teaching. "All power
is given to me in heaven and on earth.
Going, therefore, teach We all nations,
teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever ] have commanded you. "
The object of their mission is, there
fore, to continue Christ's teaching;
and their power is identical, in it's full
ness, with that which Christ received
from the Father. las the Father has
sent me, send YOU" The apostles are
to be believed and obeyed. HE, that
heareth you, heareth me. He, that
despiseth you, despiseth me-" Their
mission is to all men. go We into
the world and preach the Gospel to
every creature" Our Saviour pro-
nounced the terrible sentence of con-
demnation on those who disbelieve,
He, that believeth not, shall be con-
demned." The method ordained by
Christ for the salvation of mankind
was, therefore, teaching and preaching
by an authorized ministry sent by Him
self, and no command to write. Christ
Himself never wrote.
For their superhuman work the
apostles were to receive the spirit of
truth, whom / will send you. And,
when He, the Spirit of truth, is come,
He will teach you all truth, that He
may abide with you forever" Behold
the abiding presence of the Divine
teacher, promised by Christ to his
Church, whose message to the world
is Gods word.
The Apostles were Teachers.
Christ, the Eternal Truth, impaired,
therefore, to the Church the plenitude
of power to exercise her ministry and
govern her subjects. A body of
twelve men did Christ select to teach
mankind His religion. No other
scheme is there of communicating the
Gospel to the world. No other means
is found in the Bible from the first
word of Genesis to the last word of the
Apocalypse Teach all nations to OBJ
serve whatsoever l have commanded
you" Here the apostles are appointed
judges to define what is, and what is
not of faith.
The apostles acted as persons in
vested with supreme authority. st.
Paul writing to the Galatians, who had
been seduced by false teachers, pro.
claims: IF any man preach to you a
Gospel, besides that which you have
received, let him be anathema."
Prior to their death, the apostles
who received directly from the lips
of Christ the fullest spiritual powers.
not to be confined to them, transmitted
their ministry to others. "Ordaining
them Bishops to rule the Church of
God" and commanding them to select
others; "And the things which thou
hast heard by many witnesses, the
same commend to faithful men, who
shall be fit to teach others also" e
L
Timothy Bishop of Ephesus and Titus
Bishop of Crete, charging them tc
perpetuate their ministry by appoint
ing other pastors. Git. to 81. The
words of Christ: THE Whole World
Every Creature, Even to the Consum
nation of the World" manifest that
the power communicated to the apos
ties was communicated to each gen
Grafton of their lawful successors, tt
the end of time. The apostles and
their legitimate successors alone pos
ses the right, power, and promise Of
Christ; and no one possesses them
unless sent by them.
No vague faith will save the world
but a definite, practical faith In al
that Christ revealed: Teaching then
to observe all things have command
ed you" He that believeth not shall
be condemned" Christ thus makes
the salvation of the world depend or
obedience to the apostles and, conse
quently, to their lawful successors.
The Court of Final Appeal.
Unless God established court o
final appeal in His Church, who could
be sure of what He did reveal or o
what He meant to say? Catholics dt
not believe anything absurd or unreas
enable; but they believe what the In
fallible Church proposes for belief, the
Church being the organ God has ap
pointed to be the Interpreter of Hi'
Divine Will. If there were M
Infallible Church to explain thu
Word Of God, then the meanin.
thereof Is mere human spec
ulation. Faith in Gods Word is i'm
possible, unless there exists livint
and infallible guide to interpret it,
meaning. Without an infallible in
terpreter man must fall back on poo
human reason, SO liable to err. TIL,
judgment of the most gifted scholar,
u-o,1IH Nu1v ho opiufon of%nr oil