The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-11-06
POPULAR APOLOGET|CS
Adapted from the German Of Rev
Peter Mikes, S. j., by Rev.
ga James Watcher.
, (Concluded.)
90. The Infallible Pope.

uTalIy IOltOWS from the nature OF the
Church According to the will of
Christ, His doctrine is to be kept un-
furnished to the end of time and to
be so taught to all men. Christ had
therefore to adopt means that this
might take place. To accomplish this
He could adopt various means. He
could by private grace enlighten every
one and keep him from error; but He
could also establish an infallible
teaching authority front which every
one has to learn His doctrine. Christ
evidently did not choose the first way,
as is plainly shown by the astonishing
confusion among non-Catholics. HeLce
He chose the second way.
The general council is an infallible
teaching authority, but general coun-
ellis cannot easily nor often be con-
voked: there have been only twenty
general councils in the whole history
of the Church. But the necessity of
an infallible decision is more frequent
and hence Christ has chosen the most
natural means: He has promised to
IIC hIShCoI lCdShOl Ill thO SuulSh I1lS
special assistance that he may not
err in solemn decisions on matters of
faith and morals.
This consideration seemed so rea-
sonable to an English officer that
when, in 1870, the infallibility of the
Pope was declared, he reasoned thus:
If Christ wanted to act reasonably He
had to establish His Church just So,
and since He is God, this arrangement
is no difficulty for Him. This reason
ing brought him into the Church.
3. That the Pope as the rock, Of
the Church cannot waver, or, to SPEAK
without figure, that as the bearer Of
the whole doctrine of salvation he can
not err. is clearly expressed in Christ's
promise to Peter: Thou art Peter;
and upon this rock | will build my
church, and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it, (Matth. 16: 49,. If
the Pope, when in virtue of his SUI
preme authority he commands the
whole Church to believe his teaching,
could lead the Church astray, then the
Church and its foundation would have
been conquered by the gates of hell;
that is, the powers of error and lying
would have conquered it. But Christ
said that this would never happen;
therefore, it can never happens Just
SO little can God permit that the SUI
preme shepherd, whom all must obey,
can lead the flock confided to him into
bad pasture. God must, when acting
in His highest teaching authority, pre-
serve him from error.
A. 1t is interesting to observe how
Hase and Tschackert, in their pole
mix avoid discussion on the texts
brought forward by Catholic theolog-
ians to prove that Peter is the founda-
ton of the Church (Matth. .16: 49, and
the supreme shepherd of the flock of
Christ John q: 15), and then forth
with claim that this doctrine is not
found in Holy Scripture.
Hase, in his appropriations, cover
ing fifty pages, on the ''infallible one,
the Vatican Council, gives at the end
Up. 1859 the real reason of Protestant
opposition: Every reason against the
infallibility of the Pope is a secret
thrust against every official infallibil-
ity of the Church"
That is just it: he who denies the
infallible teaching authority which
Christ gave to His Church cannot be
lieve in the infallibility of the Pope;
but he who believes the Church to be
infallible has no difficulty in believing
papal infallibility, for it is declara-
ton of an infallible council
Much more Impartial is the judg-
ment of the German philosopher, Ed
ward Won Hartmann $1,000. He
writes: THE foundation of the faith
for it Catholicism is the same as
for the Evangelical Church, namely,
the infallible, canonical books; but
since their explanation can become a
matter of dispute, there must be, to
maintain the unity of the faith, a
court from which there is no appeal.
But if this court would be endowed
with only a human insight, the sub
lection of the intellect under it would
be too great demand; but the Cath
Ollie Church rightly assumes that it is
just as much, in the interest of the
Holy Ghost to preserve from error
the eXplainer of the canonical books,
from whom (the .explainer) there is
no appeal, as to inspire their writer's.
A Church. forsaken by the Spirit. pos
sessing only thousands of years ago
inspired believers, would be deplora-
bic thing. ~. If the Pope is once
considered the successor of Peter.
there can be no reason why he could
not just as well write infallible and
inspired correct expression: pre-
served from error in matters of faith
or norals) bulls, as Peter wrote in
fal1ible and inspired epistles, though
he was but an uneducated fisherman.
Hence papal infallibility is the long
demanded (but which was always pres
ent) browning of the unity of faith of
Catholicism" (Selbstzersetzung des
Christentums Dissolution of
Christianity, p. z, End ed. 1871.
MAsoNs IN HUNGARY.