Letters From Rome on the CouncilDöllinger, Johann Joseph Ignaz von
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Letters From Rome on the Council
Döllinger, Johann Joseph Ignaz von
Popes -- Infallibility; Vatican Council (1st : 1869-1870 : Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano)
From the moment therefore when Papal Infallibility is proclaimed by the
Council, the relations of all Governments to the Church are fundamentally
changed. The Roman See is brought into the same position towards other
States which it now occupies towards Italy in regard to the provinces
formerly belonging to the States of the Church. All States find
themselves, strictly speaking, in an attitude of permanent revolt against
their lawful and divinely ordained suzerain, the Pope. He indeed on his
side can and will tolerate much which properly ought not to be—for it has
long been recognised in Rome that right, even though divine, by no means
implies the duty of always exercising it. In numberless cases silence will
be observed, or some such formula adopted as that of the Austrian
Concordat, art. 14: “Temporum ratione habitâ Sua Sanctitas haud impedit,”
etc. But that must only be understood “during good behaviour,” or so long
as the times do not change or it seems expedient. In conscience every
Catholic is bound to be guided, in the first instance, in political and
social questions, by the directions or known will of his supreme lord and
master the Pope, and of course, in the event of a conflict between his own
Government and the Papal, to side with the latter. No Government therefore
can hereafter count on the loyalty and obedience of its Catholic subjects,
unless its measures and acts are such as to secure the sanction, or
agreement of the Pope. As to non-Catholic Governments, moreover, the
former declarations of Popes against heretical princes, which receive
fresh life from the dogma of Infallibility, come into full force. If it is
already a common complaint that in countries where the Government or the
majority are Protestant, Catholics are treated with suspicion when they
take any part in the service of the State, and are purposely excluded from
the higher and more important posts, how will this be after the Council?
THE FUTURE COUNCIL. (ALLG. ZEIT., JUNE 11, 1869.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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