For the record: "Infallibility: Vatican I Relation of bishop Vincent Gasser" (Bornacatholic, February 7, 2014), which is the first of a five-part series.
Bishop Gasser begins his discourse (delivered July 11, 1870) by noting that the presentation consists of two parts: "In the first part of this draft we present the arguments for the infallibility of the roman Pontiff as those arguments are drawn from the public documents [of the Church]; in the second part or paragraph of the Draft we have the definition of infallibility itself." Read more >>
Reading this I have to wonder, *what* exactly is it Rome now affirms? It speaks many words, but would the Fathers suggest all the blather is inerrant? I think the Fathers would have a hard time determining exactly what it is Rome now affirms, given it qualifies things in a way they might balk at. It used to be doctrines were defined, and that was it. Now we have the CCC, and a succession of absurd statements on things like the environment, and war, and poverty... they could never have conceived of as being in the precincts of Popes.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I believe the doctrine, but honestly, I often wonder if the present Magisterium actually believes it. Rome now wants to induce unanimous agreement on its social teachings, but on its doctrinal ones... See Benedict not defrocking Kung, or Pope Francis telling the nuns, "Oh, if the Holy Office gives you difficulties, deal and move on!..." It reminds me of Obama applying strict Constitutionalism when it suits him.
Yes the Pope is infallible when he defends the doctrine of the Church. Wake me when he begins doing that again... for now all he seems to be doing is qualifying it in such a way as to play nice with atheists and the Greenpeace crowd. And encyclical on the environment. If that is infallible someone needs to eat their mitre!
Thanks for the link, Doc.
ReplyDeletePart three contains a truth about Infallibility that will shock and rock the Catholic world.
I doubt whether nine Catholics in these United States has ever read or heard of it.
... Greenpeace crowd. And encyclical on the environment...
ReplyDeleteOncet, I used to toe the conservative line about such matters but then I read The Catechism of Perseverance by The Abbe Gaume.
In pages 170- 211 (Vol 1; Work of the Six Days) The Abbe reads like a hippie giving a speech on the importance of insects and "nuisance" birds at the Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach, Fl.
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In the Providential scale of creation, not a being is useless, not a species can be enfeebled or destroyed without some present or future evil resulting to humanity...The association of insects with man, in the permission to use the herbs and fruits of the earth...their right to the verdure of the earth...We are selfish..but because they (insects worms etc) slightly hurt a few plants that we use, we imagine ourselves authorized to exterminate them...His (man) pride is no less so, when the Lord sets in motion the armies of the Divine vengeance, and calls up against man the caterpillar, the locust, the fly, instead of bears, tigers, and lions. To humble those men who believe themselves strong, rich, independent, what instruments does He employ? Worms or midges....
That is, he sounds just like the sort of man Rush Limbaugh would label an environmental whacko
Seriously? Read your quote again: "...when the Lord sets in motion the armies of the Divine vengeance..." Nature as judgement is Pat Robertson's theme. I happen to agree with it, but I doubt Francisco and company can stomach such strong wine when they are busy staffing God's Lemonade Stand on a weekly basis now. Let's see how many times the word "vengeance" is used in the new encyclical. Environmentalism is fine in its place, but it is a matter of emphasis. I am still waiting for an papal comments on mortal sin.
ReplyDeleteDear JM The Abbe Gaume was merely evincing Traditional Catechesis as it pertained to Creation; that the old diamond-miner, Robertson, got it right on that part of Creation is to be praised.
ReplyDeleteI doubt many Christian Catholics would accept Pope Francis teaching about the Environment for many were scandalised at the way he struck at Capitalism (state-sponsored usury)