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Page 19
"Two powers govern the world," wrote Pope Gelasius, to the Greek
Emperor Anastasius, more than fourteen hundred years ago, "the
spiritual authority of the Roman Pontiff, and the temporal power of
kings". These two powers have for their end, one the spiritual
happiness of man, here and hereafter, the other the temporal
prosperity of society in the present world. So that, we may say,
speaking generally, the Roman Pontiff has, in spiritual and
ecclesiastical matters, the same authority that secular sovereigns and
their Parliaments have in worldly and political matters. They command
and issue laws not only as regards what is _necessary_ for the welfare
of their subjects, but also as regards whatever is lawful and
expedient. It is not contended that they never make a mistake. It is
not asserted that their ruling is necessarily, and in every
particular, always wise and discreet, but even inexpedient orders, if
not unjust, may be valid and binding, even though they might have been
better non-issued. The principle to guide us is of practical
simplicity. As regards both the Church and the State--each in its own
order--the rule is that obedience is to be yielded. And, in doubtful
cases the presumption is in favour of authority. If anything were
ordered, which is _clearly seen_ to be contrary to, or incompatible
with the Law of God, whether natural or revealed, then, of course, it
would possess no binding force, for the Apostle warns us that--"We
must obey God, rather than man"--but, so long as we remain in a state
of uncertainty, we are bound to give a properly constituted authority
the benefit of the doubt--and submit.
4. With these preliminary explanations and considerations to guide us
in our interpretation, we will now give the solemn teaching on the
subject, as laid down in the third chapter of the _Pastor �ternus_,
drawn up and duly promulgated by the Ecumenical Council of the
Vatican; and therefore of supreme authority.
"We teach and declare that the Roman Church, according to the
disposition of the Lord, obtains the princedom of ordinary power over
all the other Churches; and that this, the Roman Pontiff's power of
jurisdiction, which is truly episcopal, is immediate; towards which
(power) all the pastors and faithful, of whatever right and dignity,
whether each separately or all collectively, are bound by the duty of
hierarchical subordination and true obedience, not only in the things
which pertain to faith and morals, but also in those which pertain to
the _discipline and government_ (_regimen_) of the Church diffused
through the whole world; so that, unity being preserved with the Roman
Pontiff, as well of communion as of the profession of the same faith,
the Church of Christ may be one flock under one pastor. This is the
doctrine of Catholic truth, from which no one can deviate without loss
of faith and salvation."
"We also teach and declare that the Roman Pontiff is the supreme judge
of the faithful, and that in all causes belonging to ecclesiastical
examination recourse can be had to his judgment: and that the judgment
of the Apostolic See, than whose authority there is none greater, is
not to be called in question, nor is it lawful for any one to judge
its judgment. Therefore, those wander from the right path of truth who
affirm that it is lawful to appeal from the judgments of the Roman
Pontiffs to an Ecumenical Council, as to an authority superior to the
Roman Pontiff."
"If any one, therefore, shall say that the Roman Pontiff has only the
office of inspection or direction, but not full and supreme power of
jurisdiction over the Universal Church, not only in the things which
pertain to faith and morals, but also in those which pertain to the
discipline and government of the Church diffused throughout the whole
world, or that he has only the principal place (_potiores partes_),
and not the whole plenitude of the supreme power, or that this, his
power, is not ordinary and immediate, whether over all and each of the
Churches, or over all and each of the pastors and faithful, let him be
anathema!"
5. Since the Church is a perfect society, spread throughout the entire
world, with one supreme ruler at its head, it follows that it must be
endowed with all the means requisite for the carrying out of its
mission. Christ was sent, by His Eternal Father, from Heaven with full
powers. "All power is given me in heaven and in earth"; and these
powers He handed on to His Church. "As the Father hath sent Me, so I
also send you" (John xx. 21). Hence the Popes are, to use Scriptural
phraseology, "ambassadors for Christ; God, as it were, exhorting by
them" (2 Cor. v. 20); and no Catholic dare contest their power or
jurisdiction.
Indeed, it would have been hopelessly impossible to carry on the
government of the Church and to maintain unity amongst its
ever-increasing numbers, if there were no supreme authority ready to
assert itself; to correct errors; to resist abuses; and to restrain
those who might introduce dissensions and differences. Of this fact,
the present deplorable chaotic state of the Anglican and other
non-Catholic Churches offers us abundant and forcible illustrations.
From the very first the One True Church has not only taught, but
ruled; not only spoken, but acted. And when any of her subjects have
proved obstreperous and disobedient, and stubborn in their resistance
to her orders, she has invariably turned them out of her fold, so that
they should not infect and contaminate the good and the loyal. It was
in this sense that St. Paul, the inspired Apostle, in the very first
century of the Christian era, instructed Titus to construe and
administer the law committed to his charge. After warning Titus that
there are "many vain talkers and deceivers," St. Paul commands him "to
rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in faith". He adds
further: "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke, _with all
authority_". But this was not all. He was not only to decide who were
the "vain talkers and deceivers". Nor was he simply "to exhort and
rebuke them sharply, and with all authority," that they might become
"sound in the faith," but if they persisted after the first and second
admonition, he was also to reject them, and thrust them out of the
Church, as heretics. "Reject a heretic, after the first and second
admonition" (Tit. iii. 10). Now Titus was neither an Apostle nor a
Pope, but a simple Bishop. If then such were the powers invested in
him, how much more fully still must this authority be inherent in the
Vicar of Christ himself, who is the supreme head upon earth of the
entire Church of God.
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