The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-10-30
LETTER OF HOLY FATHER

stamps him the Doctor of the Sacred
Scriptures given by Providence.
Having thus summed up the life of
St. Jerome, the August Pontiff goes
on to consider his teaching on the Di-
vine dignity and the absolute truth
fulness of the Bible. He says that from
all the writings Of the Doctor it is
clear that he held firmly with the
Catholic Church that the Sacred Books
written under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, have God for their Au-
thor, and it is as such that they have
been given to the Church itself
Scriptures Immune From Error.
The Holy Father confirms that with
many instances taken from the numer.
Gus works of ST. Jerome, particularly
those against heretics. Together with
this teaching of st. Jerome are illus
trated the solemn declarations of Leo
XIII on the absolute immunity of the
Sacred Scriptures from any error at
all. The Pope then goes on to la
ment the levity and the pride of those
who openly repudiate the infallible
magisterium of the Church on this
point, or underhandedly combat it. He
approves indeed the zeal of those who
give themselves to the study of texts
and the varied researches in science
and wise criticism, in order to over
come the difficulties, but he deplo, es
tho annlnnt nf c1roh fol frnrr, tho
right path through neglect of the
teaching of Leo XIII and the Fathers.
He calls special attention to the OBJ
jections arising from the sciences,
physical and historical, to conclude
that the inspiration of Scripture can
not be limited to any particular part
of it, nor can double truth in it be
admitted, absolute and relative.
Then he urges the Bishops to see
to it that in the seminaries and
schools an exact conception is given
of that inspiration, as it has been hand
ed down, not only by the Popes and
the Fathers, but by Christ Himself
He enjoins on all, on the lines
traced by st. Jerome, the reading and
study of the Sacred Scripture, where
is to be found the food for the spirit
uaI life and the gSide to the heights
of Christian perfection. Such as de-
vote themselves to explanation and
teaching of the Bible, he reminds that
| the duty of all who thus comment is
| to put forth not their own opinion,
/, h,,+ wi, oh iptnnIn6 hU the
author for it is. a terrible danger il
| by false Interpretation of the Cos
pei of Christ the gospel of man
should be propounded. Better tran
the flower of oratory is sound learn
| ing and the candor of truth.
| Holy See Must Be Free.
The Pope concludes that fifteen hi,n-
dred years after his death, st. Je-
rome is more than ever living, his
voice resounds wonderfully from his
| works; he proclaims the Importance,
| the integrity and the historical au-
thority of the Scriptures; he speaks
of the great benefits to be derived
from careful reading of them; he ex-
horts return to the practice of the
| Christian life and he utters the warn
| ing that the See of Peter, especially
for the piety and love of the Italians
/ in whose land it was divinely estab-
lished, must be held in such honor
and must enjoy such liberty as is alb.
solutely required by the dignity and
the very exercise of the Apostolic Of
flee. He prays too that those Chris
; tian peoples who are unhappily sep
; arated from the Mother Church, espe
j cially the well-beloved Orientals, may
return anew to Her in whom alone
/ is all hope of eternal salvation.