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Show CATHOLIC TEACHING EXPLAINED. The Doseret Xews last Friday had a lengthy editorial on the fake dispatches sent from France and other Kuropean countries regarding Catholic: news. These fake dispatches are read by millions who never see the contradiction which follows. The. editor presents the case in a fair manner and ad- I mits that the rumor, which originated with a disreputable dis-reputable sheet known as the Gil Bias, and copied cop-ied by some of our American papers, "looked suspicious sus-picious on the very surface of it." The rumor referred re-ferred to was a supposed petition of 3,000 French clergymen to Pome for permission to marry. Commenting Com-menting on the absurdity i of this fake dispatch, which could have no foundation in fact, :uid which necessarily brought the power of the Pope into question, the Xews did not give the correct Catholic Cath-olic teaching on the prerogatives of the Holy Father. It said: "Xo Pope would be at liberty to establish a rule contrary to the decisions of the councils. If we understand the Catholic doctrine on this point correctly, it is this that the Pope, as the head of the Catholic church, is preserved from error in interpreting and applying the doctrines doc-trines of the Scriptures and the councils', but that if he should command anything at variance with these authorities, Catholics would be under no obligation ob-ligation to obey. If this is the case we do not see how a Pope could abolish a rule that may be traced, pe-sgps. as far back as the fourth century, and has the sanction of all subsequent authorities." authori-ties." It is true that no Pope is at liberty to change decisions of council which pertain to faith and morals, but decisions which have reference to discipline dis-cipline may be changed and frequently are. The church, like her divine founder, is flexible and inflexible. in-flexible. In rules and regulations pertaining to disciplinary codes, though proclaimed by a general council, winch presupposes the Pope as the head of the church personally or through a duly appointed ap-pointed legate presiding, the Pope may change or dispense those bound by said rules and regulations regula-tions from their observance, for example, it is a part of the discipline of the church that her ministers minis-ters should be clean-shaved, yet in many instances her ministers are dispensed from this rule. Here in is the flexible side of the church. The inflexible, unchangeable, and never varying side of the church pertains to faith, and morals, i. e., when a general council or the Pope proclaims an article of faith for example, that Christ is really present in the Blessed Sacrament, or that the sacrament of matrimony mat-rimony is'i indissoluble according to the Bible, there is no powtr in the church to change or annul that defined article of faith. The Pope is as powerless as the huiiiblest member of the church to interfere with defined dogmas. Another point not correctly stated by the Xews is this: "That the Pope as the head of t' le church is preserved from error in interpreting in-terpreting and applying the doctrines of the Scriptures Scrip-tures and the councils." The Pope, as a theologian or doctojr of the church, in interpreting texts of Scripture, is not held to be infallible any more than other learned doctors of the church, but when he teache.4 in his official capacity, as head of the church, aiiid defines articles of faith or morals for the universal church then his interpretation and applicatioiji of texts of scripture on the case in point is i ufallible. The attribute infallibility is not a pers onal gift, i. e., it does not belong to the occupant if the chair of Peter as a personal gift, but it is o fficial, i. e., a privilege which belongs to the Papac y. Hence the teaching of the church is that tht Pope is infallible only in his official character, when he exercises the office of supreme teacher fo the entire church in matters of faith, or anythin that; may directly or indirectly affect the deposit, oY faith. The jurisdiction of the Pope extends to th o gAvernment as well as to the teaching teach-ing of the on ive -sal church, yet in the former capacity ca-pacity he ifc ; iot infallible, whilst in the latter, as explained, he is We dwell jpdn this point as there seems, to be a great -misu idcjrstanding on the subject. In its last issue, th i iterary Digest copied a lengthy editorial from The Intermountain Catholic bearing on the same s ubj ect. The privilt get attached to the high office of tho presidency of the United States are not to the incumbent, in-cumbent, but o the office. They do not imply any superior state m;inship, or ability on the part of i r- '""' ' 4M P- ' ---- l -'. the president. So too, in regard to the papacy, the privileges belong not to the successor of Peter personally, but to the office he holds. The Pope in natural attainments, i. e., in wisdom and knowledge knowl-edge may fall far behind other officials, or even simply laymen, but by virtue- of the supernatural aid of the Holy Ghost, promised him in his capacity ca-pacity of universal teacher of the entire church, the Spirit of Truth directs him in the way of truth when he speaks from his chair to the entire Catholic world. This is not clothing the Pope with any divine attributes, for the Holy Ghost is strictly speaking the infallible organ. To deny that the Spirit of Truth could use a human organ would !o equivalent to a denial that the j writers of the gospel, and epistles were inspired by the Holy Ghost. As to the law of celibacy the Xews says: "We do not see how a Pone could 'abolish a rule that may be traced, perhaps, as far back as the fourth century, and has the sanction of all subsequent authorities." Celibacy is a part of the disciplinary canons of the church, and if the Pope considered that it would conduce to the betterment of Christian Chris-tian ethics and the spread of Christian principle he would dispense from that rule without infringing infring-ing on the dogmatic teaching of the church. A part of the Greek church, still in communion with Koine, has its married clergy; but their marriage takes place before they receive the sacrament of holy orders. The law of celibacy has its foundation founda-tion in the counsels of our Lord, who said: "There are canucks who have made themselves such for the kingdom of heaven's sake, lie who can take it let him take it." St. Paul explains why our Lord recommends rec-ommends this state for the clergy, or those who consecrate their lives to the service ok" God. "lie who is unmarried, carcth for the things of th'j Lord, how he may please Cod. But he who i married, is solicitous about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided." di-vided." 1 Cor., vii., 32 :.". He even assures us that he himself led a life of celibacy. "I say to the unmarried, and to the widows, it is good for them if they so continue, even as I." 1 Cor., vii., S. However, there is no divine command, ami as all dogmas of faith must rest on a divine revelation, revela-tion, the law of celibacy is merely disciplinary, and could be changed. On this point the flexible si-Io of the church is verified. |