The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-02-14


to criticize the Catholic Church for its
Inconsistency, giving as an example
the burning, as a witch, Of Joan Of
Arc. interrupted him by telling
him that the Church did not burn Joan
of Arc, that it was the English. He
told me | was right on that point;
but, he said, if the Catholic Church
was such great champion Of right
eousness, justice and mercy why did
It give up Joan of Arc into the hands
Of the English, knowing full we'll that
under the circumstances she would be
wars. He also told me that it is fool
ish for the Church to try to excuse
herself out of it, having as her head
a person who is supposed to be infaI-
Iible. He also said that only person
with subservient mentality would be-
lIeVe in infaIIibility. He said that the
only infaIIibIe man on this earth is
dead man, that he makes no mistakes.
was unable to answer him. How
should have answered him?
You lost a splendid opportunity to
show yourself an intelligent Catholic
Any one who had gone through the
little Catechism should be able to
tell what infallibility really means
when applied to the Pope or the
Church. If you had read the answers
lately given in this department care
fully and intelligently you would have
been able to set this Protestant right
about Joan of Arc, and the part which
the Church is alleged to have played
in encompassing her death. We have
already told the story more than once
in this column and we can make only
a brief reference to it in this connec-
ton. You were right in answering
that the Church had nothing to do
with the burning of Joan of Arc. You
and tell your Protestant friends that
the Church did not give up Joan of
Arc into the hands of the English"
for the very good reason that Joan of
Arc was never in the hands of the
Church. She was taken prisoner at
John of Luxembourg who sold her to
the English for what would be equiv
alent to about $4,000 in our money.
The English had made up their minds
to put her to death and for that pur-
pose they charged her with witch
craft. Bishop Cauchon of Beauvais,
an INSCRIPTIONS and ambitious man,
was willing instrument in the hands
of the English in bringing about the
trial of Joan of Arc before an eccle-
siastical court illegally convened at
Rouen. Joan was convicted and final
ly put to death Bishop Cauchon was
largely responsible for her condemna-
tion but he did not represent the Cath
Ollie Church. The authorities at Rome
were not consulted in regard to this
trial and condemnation. AS soon as
they found out about it they held a
searching investigation and reversed
the decision of the court which con-
demned Joan of Arc. You need no
further proof of the official attitude
of the Catholic Church towards Joan
of Arc than the fact that the Maid of
Orleans has already been declared
Blessed" and, in all probability, dur
ing the present year, she will be Off
cially canonized and placed upon the
altar for the generation of the faith
full. Under these circumstances there
is no foundation for the assertion of
your Protestant friend who told you
that it is foolish for the Church to
try to excuse herself out of it, for the
Church had nothing to do with Joan's
condemnation Even though she had,
that would have nothing to do with
the question of the infallibility Of the
Pope, which means, as every we'll
instructed Catholic knows, that the
Pope cannot err or make mistake
when, in his official capacity as head
of the Church, and speaking for all
the faithful throughout the world, he
promulgates a doctrine bearing on
faith or morals. Infallibility, there
fore, does not mean that the Pope, as
an individual, cannot make mistake
for, as a man, he is just as liable to
err as any other man. Freedom from
error is attributed to him only when
he acts as Pope, or head of the
Church, and then only when he de-
clares what all the faithful are to be
lieve in regard to faith or morals. In
such a case he has the assistance OF
the Holy Ghost who guides and di
reefs him and preserves him from err
ror. The question of Joan of Arcs
trial and death is not one of faith
and morals, and even though the Pope
had taken part in it at the time, il
would not initiate in any way against
his infallibility as the official teacher
of the faithful You will find all this
explained in the little Catechism. Gel
a copy and study it and be prepared
to give reasons for your faith wher
you are asked to do so. Your friends
reference to the "subservient mental
ity" of those who accept the dogma
of Papal Infallibility came with yer!
bad grace from one who is so cock
sure about matters of which he is 81
1amentably ignorant, as to place him
self in his own category of dead
ones. We hope he is not so dead
in ignorance as to preclude the posi-
bility of a resurrection through the
friendly assistance of some intelligen
and we'll instructed Catholic, who cal
point out to him how inconsistent hi