The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1962-07-27
The Church and Christendom
Councils reCeiUe no revelation
but are preserved from error

ii we must speak of dis
posing" it is rather the
bishops who are at the dis
posal of the Holy Ghost. Yet
that would be inexact, for
the action of the bishops
requires, as a rule, a con-
siderable effort of their own
intellects, enlig h tel ned by
faith. They have to study
the questions, search into
Scripture and the Apostolic
Tradition, abide by revela-
ton as conveyed in the Old
and New Testaments and the
doctrinal tradition, and then
form their judgment accord
ing to conscience and in the
presence of Christ, their SUI
preme Lord.
THE CHRISTIAN people
have always trusted in the
assistance of the Holy Ghost
at General Councils. They
have kept that confidence
because they have learned to
distinguish human striving
and human weakness from
the working of God, which
is the more marked the more
1t is countered by human
blindness and infirmity.
In Gods hands, the tools
defects do not prevent a sue
cessful outcome, but make it
all the more wonderful, and
point all the more clearly to
the real cause. The infallibIe
teaching office is entrusted
to human weakness; and all
can see that it is not human
wisdom and the
learning, nor yet high sane
tity and a faith that can
move mountains, but the as
sistance of the Holy Spirit
that guarantees the infalli-
bility of Councils, preserv-
ing its members from err
rOr.
1t would, therefore, be
both unre a listic and UNI
christian to argue from the
shortcomings of the mem
bers to the falsity of their
teaching. 1t is no matter for
surprise that the partici-
pants in a Council should be
found to share the weakness
es of their contemporaries.
Yet the unbiased historian
must admit that the men,
bers of Councils come out
well from such a COMPARE
son, and, in fact, rise con-
sistently above the preju-
dices and passions of their
time.
In the Church, so widely
spread over the world, JUS
tice and truth naturally en-
counter obstacles, and these
may be found too within
Councils themselves. But it
remains true that, both in
the Church at large and in
Councils the red
work of Christ, through the
activity of the Spirit, con-
tinues to preserve revealed
truth and to keep the
Church's official and univer-
sal teaching from error.
THE BISHOPS gathered
in a Council are far from
imagining they have the Ho-
ly Spirit at their disposition.
On the contrary, they are
well aware that their own
ability, their theol ogical
learning and subtlety, are in
adequate to the magnitude
of the work at hand. For
that reason, the Council
opens with prayer to the Ho-
ly Spirit; in fact, it's session
is not only an act of juris-
diction, or of the teaching
and pastoral office, but a
liturgical celebrat 20 The
liturgical part is not just an
appendage or a decorative
feature, but belongs to the
essence of the Council,
which, in fulfilling its func-
ton, performs an act of di-
vine worship.
In the Roman Ceremonial,
the meeting of the Council
begins with a Mass of the
Holy Ghost, in whose action
all their hopes are placed.
There too is the basis of the
great expectations the ordi-
nary Christian has of the
Council; for the Spirit of
God can do what is impos-
sible by human reckoning.
He knows ways and means
to the unity of Christians,
which are hidden from us.
In that hope, all who believe
in Christ as the Son of God
and Redeemer of the World
can join in the prayer: Thou
who has gathered people of
all tongues to unity of faith,
send forth thy Spirit, and
all things will be renewed.
lin the next installment,
Archbishop Jaeger answers
the question: What subjects
will the Council consider?)
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