The Catholic bulletin., 1916-04-29

inheritor of his prerogatives and his
privileges.
Since the command was given by
Christ to His infallible Church to
teach all nations" there has been no
alteration nor withdrawal by him Of
this commission, and therefore there
must be in the world at this present
time that visible infallible Church
With its visible infallible Head The
only body of Christians which has the
shadow of title to be this Church
is the grand historic Catholic and Ro-
man Church, with the Pope of Rome
as it's visible head The claims of the
Catholic Church in this respect are
founded upon the following facts:
(a) st. Peter was at Rome. He
writes his first Epistle from Baby
lon' (chap. V, 13), which all the best
commentators, both Catholic and Prot
estant, agree, means Rome. DIR. Eli
colt, Protestant Bishop of Gloucester,
in his Commentary says, ct is as
certain that ST. Peter was at Rome
as that ST. John was at Ephesus; /"
and the authors of the Handbook to
Christian Rome 0897) say that mo
writer doubted Peters presence in
Rome before the Waldenses of the
18th century" |, p. 4O.
CD st. Peter was Bishop of Rome.
Here we have the unanimous testi-
mony of all the ancient councils, such
as Ephesus and Chalcedon (see Har-
douin, vols. | and ID. All the an
cient fathers, such as st. Irenaeus in
the second century (Adv. Haer book
III, 81, st. Hippolytus, in the third
century. (Dict. of Christ, Biol. vol /,
PIP. 507, 555, $50, st. Jerome in the
fourth century (Ep. ad Damas.), and
ST. Augustine in the fifth century,
Contra Donat vol. TX, p. 30), and a
host Of others.
DR.. Nathaniel Lardner, an eminent
Nonconformist Divine of the last CEN
tury, in his History of the Apostles
and Evangelists, chap. XIII, says:
There were in the second and third
centuries disputes between the Bish-
ops of Rome and other bishops and
churches but none denied the
Bishop of Rome to have what they
called the Chair of Peter"
Note 1.-The Pope is only infallible
under the following conditions:
/. When he speaks as Shepherd
and Teacher of all Christians, that is
in his official capacity; and
2. When he defines q doctrine con-
corning faith or morals.
3. To be held by the whole Church
If any one of these conditions is
wanting, the Pope may err like any
other man.
1t will also be noticed that this
protection from teaching error only
extends to the Popes official acts,
and has nothing to do with his pri-
vate conduct. A Pope might there
fore be great sinner in his private
life, and yet be infallible in his off,
cial capacity. The high priest Caiphas
is a we'll known example Of q wicked
man who yet in his official capacity
gave an infallible utterance est John
XI, 40, etc. See also st. Matt XIII,
2, 3, as to the Scribes and Pharisees)
Note II.-Although the doctrine of
the Pope's Tnfallibility was only de-
fined in 1870, it has always been a
doctrine of the Church, though it was
not binding on Catholics before 1870
The definition of doctrine does not
mean the invention of a doctrine, but
merely it's explanation, and it's pro.
lection from attack or dispute. The
same Council in 1870 defined the ex.
istence of Personal God, in order to
protect this always accepted doctrine
from the attacks of modern free.
thought"
Finally:
". Catholics believe in an infalli.
BILE Pope because common sense de-
mands that there should be an infalli
BILE final authority to interpret the
sacred writings and settle all disputed
points of faith and morals
The result of breaking away from
that infallible authority is seen in this
country by the existence of nearly SOC
NiAAOANhI etAu dAiCA AAlS oCNCo NoCC lIOl
in Whitaker's Almanac) leading many
to give up the profession of Chris
tianity in any definite form in sheer
| despair.
The reward of submitting to this
infallible authority is witnessed in
the marvellous unity of the Catholic
and Roman Church, and the fulfill
ment of our Divine Lords prayer the
night before He suffered
Holy Father, keep through Thine
own name those whom Thou hast
given Me, that they may be one as
We are. Neither pray l for these
alone, but for them also which shall
| believe on Me through their word
that they all may be one, as Thou
Father, art in Me and | in Thee; that
they also may be one in Us. that the
world may know that Thou hast sem
Me" (St. John XVII, II, 20, 2D.