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THE   CATHOLIC   UNIVERSITY   OF   AMERICA, 
Washincton,   D.  C,  January  lo,  1893. 
Rev.  Jas.  L.  Mea<;iikr: 

Rev.  and  Dkak  Father — I  am  requested  by  Mgr.  Satolli,  the  Apos- 
tolic Delegate,  to  thank  you  both  for  the  letter  and  for  the  book,  (Christ's 
Kingdom),  you  have  kindly  addressed  to  him.  He  read  with  great 
pleasure  the  sentiments  expressed  in  your  letter.  He  wants  me  also 
to  congratulate  you  as  the  author  of  the  Work,  which  you  have  presented 
to  him.  He  said  to  me  that  he  had  already  read  part  of  it,  and  that  what 
he  had  read  pleased  him  greatly,  and  made  him  think  favorably  of  the 
whole. 

I  am  very  glad.   Rev.   Dear   Father,  to   convey  you  these  congratu- 
lations.    Coming  from  such  an  authority,  they  will,  I  hope,  encourage  you 
to  compose  many  other  works  in  the  interest  of  religion  and  of  the  Church. 
I  hope  also  that  you  will  accomplish  the  promise  that  you  have  made 
to  Dr.  Bouquillon  and  to  me  at  Montreal,  to  gratify  us  with  a  visit. 
Wishing  you  a  happy  new  year,  I  remain  with  respect, 

Yours  in  Christ, 

A.  ORBAN. 


CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR  OF  THE  READER'S  HEART. 


St.  Joseph's  Provincial  Seminaky. 

Perlegi  opus  cui  titulus :  Christ's  Kingdom  on  Earth,  or,  The  Church  and 
Her  Divine  Constitution,  Organization  andFramework,  Explained  for  the  People, 
by  the  Rev.  J.  L.  Meagher,  et  nihil  in  eo  reperi  quod  obstai,  quoad  Fidem  et 
Mores,  quominus  typis  evulgetur, 

Trcgae^  9a  JDecembi-is,  1891. 

H.  GABRIELS,  Censor  Deputatus. 

Bishop  of  Ogdetisburg. 


Imprimatur, 

■ii  p.  A.  LUDDEN, 

Bishop  of  Syracuse. 


Imprimatur,       ^^^^  Stack 

^  M.  A.  CORRIGAN, 

Archbishop  of  New  York. 


COPYRIGHT  1891. 
BY    REV.    JAMES     L.    MEAGHER 

ALL  BIGHTS  RESERVED. 


Competent  parties  wishing  to  translate  this  and  other  books  by  the  same 
author  into  other  languages  are  invited  to  write  him  at  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  from 
whom  they  may  receive  full  authority  and  duplicates  of  the  engravings. 

Other  "Works  by  the  same  Author  : 
Teaching  Truth  by  Signs  and  Ceremonies,        .  .  .  29th  Edition. 

The  Festal  Year,       ......  5th         " 

The  Great  Cathedrals  and  Churches,     ....  2d        " 

The  Seven  Gates  of  Heaven  on  the  Sacraments,  7th         " 

Man  the  Mirror  of  the  Universe  or  the  Agreement  of  Science  and  Religion. 


Te^cL&e^ 


^tr^HERE  never  was  and  there  never 
r^^  will  be  on  earth  an  institution,  so 
(^  wonderful  and  so  wortliy  of  our 
study  as  the  Catholic  Church. 
She  comes  down  from  God  the  Son,  as 
he  came  from  his  eternal  Fatlier,  and: 
coming  to  earth,  she  continues  his  work, 
of  redemption.  She  is  the  extension: 
and  the  continuation  of  the  atonement 
of  Christ.  The  Holy  Spirit,  coming 
from  Father  and  Son,  comes  down  to 
earth  to  form  the  church  out  of  the  scattered  children  of  Adam^ 
binding  all  christians  into  the  Mystic  Body  of  Christ.  The  Son, 
her  Head,  the  Holy  Ghost,  her  Soul,  the  church  penetrates  to  all 
nations,  teaching  with  the  authority  of  God,  redeeming  every 
member  of  the  fallen  race,  raising  up  men  weighted  with  sin,  heal- 
ing the  diseases  of  society,  preparing  her  members  for  the  glories 
of  heaven.  Happy  the  peoples  who  sit  at  her  feet,  listening  to  her 
teachings,  feeding  on.  her  sacraments,  dwelling  in  peace  under  her 
laws.  Bride  of  the  Lamb  of  God  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  his 
members,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  City  of  God,  formed  of  the 
chosen  people,  she  fills  the  world  with  the  glories  of  her  Founder, 
In  the  following  pages  will  be  found  complete  explanations  of 
her  divine  constitution  and  her  organization,  which  enabled  her 
to  survive  the  numerous  revolutions,  which  overturned  every  hu- 
man institution  of  the  ancient  world,  showing  how  she  flows  down 
from  the  divine  nature  of  "  The  Word  of  God."  A  careful  study 
of  the  following  pages  will  show  the  reader  that  the  divine  con- 

iii 


127 


iv  PEEFACE. 

stitution  of  the  church  is  a  worthy  work  of  God's  only  Begotten 
Son. 

In  going  through  tliese  years  of  research  into  the  great  writers, 
we  did  not  always  give  their  names,  lest  it  might  load  the  book 
with  references,  therefore  we  thought  it  better  to  cite  only  a 
part  of  the  chief  authors  in  diverse  languages,  lest  it  niiglit  re- 
pel the  reader.  But  we  tried  to  make  every  tiling  so  plain  that 
the  reader  can  read  without  an  effort,  and  profit  by  the  book. 

After  leaving  no  branch  of  learning  untouched  which  might 
throw  light  on  the  subject,  we  conclude  that  the  See  of  Peter  is 
the  "Rock"  on  which  Christ  built  the  whole  church,  that  if  it 
were  not  for  the  Bishops  of  Rome,  not  a  man  on  earth  to-day 
would  believe  in  Christ  or  even  in  God.  The  Vatican  council 
gave  the  finishing  touches  to  that  wonderous  organization,  the 
cljurch  of  God.  Then  all  hail  to  Him  who  sits  on  Peter's 'J'lnone. 
We  but  reflect  the  brightness  of  eternal  Truth  which  shines  forth 
from  our  Jesus'  Vicar,  and  the  first  step  away  from  Him  leads 
farther  and  farther  from  God,  till  it  ends  in  the  destruction  of  the 
whole  framework  of  revelation  in  the  mind  of  man. 

Jas.  L.  Meagher. 

Caaenovia,  N.  Y.,  Christmas,  1891. 


CHAPTER  I 


INTRODUCTION. 

Wonders  of  the  church — "We  are  born  of  Christ — The  church  ever 
the  same — Why  God  created — Fall  of  the  ano^els — Creation  and 
fall  of  man — How  sin  disturbed  God's  works — Why  God  had 
mercy  on  us — The  Incarnation — Adam's  lost  empire — Christ  now 
takes  the  place  of  Adam — The  church  Christ's  empire — How  we 
are  born  of  Christ — Politics  and  Reliifion — The  Trinity  the  mod- 
el of  the  church — The  mission  of  Christ  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost — 
The  live  hierarchies  of  heaven  and  of  the  earth,  &c..    13-25 


CHAPTER  H. 

GOD  IS  THE  HEAD  OF    CHRIST. 

How  Christ  became  the  new  Head  of  the  human  race — Why  the 
Father  sent  the  Son — How  Christ  sent  the  apostles — Christ's 
prayer  for  unity  of  his  church — The  wonders  of  the  Incarnation — 
Christ  wishes  all  men  to  partake  in  his  glories — The  church  one 

1 


5J  CONTENTS. 

with  Christ  and  by  him  one  with  the  Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity 
— The  Holy  Ghost  the  Soul  of  the  church — God  rules  Christ  and 
Christ  rules  the  church — The  mystery  of  the  God-man  explained 
— The  atonement  of  Christ — The  grace  of  Christ  flowing  down  on 
the  church — The  church  the  mystic  body  of  Christ — Christ  as 
head  of  the  church — Christ  the  only  Redeemer  of  mankind,  &c.  26-40 

CHAPTER  HI. 

CHRIST   IS  THE  HEAD  OF  THE  CHDRCH. 

The  Father  generates  the  Son  —The  Father  and  Son  give  rise  to  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  the  latter  forms  the  church — Christ  feeds  and 
the  Spirit  animates  the  church — Christ  lays  down  the  constitution 
of  the  church — All  Christ  received  from  his  Father  he  gave  the 
church — The  parish  and  diocese  coming  from  the  universal  church 
as  she  comes  from  Christ,  as  the  latter  comes  from  his  Father — 
The  glories  ot  the  church— Union  of  the  members  of  the  church 
through  Christ — The  clergy  sending  the  Holy  Ghost  into  the 
souls  of  her  members — The  church  reproducing  the  processions 
of  the  Persons  of  God — Union  of  the  church  members — Union 
of  the  episcopacy  and  of  the  clergy — Creation  of  new  parishes 
and  dioceses—  How  clergy  and  laity  are  born  of  the  church — 
The  clergy  espoused  to  their  churches — The  sufferings  of  the 
martyrs — The  authority  of  the  church,  «&c 4l-5J> 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  ETERNAL  PRIESTHOOD  OF  CHRIST. 

Figures  of  Christ's  Priesthood  in  the  Old  Testament — The  eternal 
High  Priest  of  the  human  race  — Ordination  of  the  apostles — Sub- 
stance and  acts  in  creatures — Orders  and  jurisdiction  in  the  church 
— Christ  offering  his  sacrifice  to  his  Father — Christ  giving  his 
priesthood  to  his  clergy — Diverse  ranks  in  hoh'  orders — Christ  ex- 
ercising the  order  of  porter,  exorcist,  reader,  subdeacon,  deacon, 
priest  and  bishop — Christ  gives  his  clergy  the  same  powers — The 
priesthood  of  Christ  ever  in  act — In  men  holy  ordeis  is  limited  by 
jurisdiction — The  clergymen's  titles  to  their  churches — First  was 
the  universal  church,  then  the  diocese,  then  the  parish — Clergymen 
first  belong  to  the  church  universal,  then  to  the  diocese,  then  to 
the  parish — This  is  the  foundation  of  their  titles— The  spouse 
partakes  in  the  dignity  of  her  husband — The  church  has  the  au- 
thority of  Christ  her  spouse — Clergymen  are  the  agents  of  Christ 
and  bind  the  latter  by  their  ministry — Neither  faith  or  morals 
required  in  the  minister — Christ  and  his  clergy  are  one — Reasons 
for  addressing  clergymen  as  Rev.,  Most  Rev.,  «!cc. — The  clergy 
preach,  sanctify  and  rule  for  Christ — Appointing  delegates — Vic- 
ars apostolic — The  church  governed  by  law — The  nature  of  juris- 
diction— The  Priesthood  of  Christ  will  last  forever— Ordination 
of  the  clergy  sent  by  Christ  to  do  his  work  till  he  comes 
ajiain,  &c 60-78 


CONTENTS.  6 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  CHURCH  TEACHING,  SANCTIFYING  AND  GOVEKNING. 

Jesus  Christ  the  JProphet,  Priest  and  King  sends  his  clergymen  as 
teachers,  sanctifiers  and  rulers — Civil  governments  compared  to  the 
church— Christ's  Priesthood  given  by  holy  orders — Clergymen  as 
teachers  of  the  nations — What  is  truth  ? — The  constitution  of  the 
church  given  by  Christ — The  church  cannot  change  her  doctrines 
— The  church  is  infallible — All  truth'Christ  received  from  the  Fath- 
er he  gave  the  church  to  teach  for  him — She  cannot  teacli  error — 
The  teaching  Chair  of  the  church — The  church  sanctifying  souls 
— What  is  holiness  ? — The  Sunday  services — The  wondrous  works 
of  the  sacraments — How  the  church  differs  from  schools  and  col- 
leges-How the  clergy  dispense  the  redemption  of  •  Christ — The 
nations  first  taught,  then  sanctified  and  governed— The  church 
governing  her  members — The  church  above  all  earthly  powers  su- 
preme in  spiritual  things  — The  Bishop  of  Rome  the  Vicar  of 
Christ  and  Teacher  of  the  church— The  church  has  legislative, 
judicial  and  executive  powers  over  her  own  members — Effects  of 
rebellion  against  the  church — The  glories  of  the  church  foretold 
by  the  prophets — How  she  teaches,  sanctities,  rules  and  civilizes 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  &c 79-98 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  CHURCH  IS  ONE  AND  IIOI>Y. 

The  oneness  of  the  Godhead  revealed — One  church  of  the  Jews  be- 
fore the  coming  of  Christ — One  himian  race — The  church  the 
mystic  body  of  Christ — His  kingdom  oft  foretold — His  spiritual 
monarchy  ruling  the  souls  of  men — All  other  chiu'ches  are  nation- 
al— Origin  of  the  Protestant  churches — The  divisions  of  Christi- 
anity— The  church  the  image  of  the  Divinity — Necessity  of  union 
in  examples  of  other  denominations — The  Holy  Spirit  the  bond 
of  union— The  one  church  foretold  in  holy  Writ — The  judge  of 
faith  and  morals — We  believe  what  the  church  teaches — The  church 
mentioned  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments — How  the  diocese  and 
parish  come  forth  from  and  live  in  the  universal  church — Politics 
and  religion — How  the  Holy  Ghost  unites  the  members  of  the 
church — The  church  as  the  one  living  body  of  Christ — The  church 
bringing  forth  and  nourishing  her  children — The  unity  of  faith — 
One  God  one  church — The  Spirit  of  Christ  embracing  the  church 
— Holiness  of  the  church,  &c 99-1 18 

CHAPTER  VH. 

I'lIE  CHUKCH  IS  UNIVERSAL  AND  APOSTOLIC. 

Meaning  of  the  word  catholic — Universal  regarding  time  and  extent 
— No  change  in  the  teachings  of  the  church— She  was  the  origin 
of  all  constitutional  governments — The  church  and  civilization — 
Extent  of  the  church — She  comes  down  from  the  apostles — Works 
of  the  apostles — Meanings  of  the  apostles'  names— History  of  Sts. 
Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  Paul,  John,  «fec. — Figures  of  the  Evangel- 


4  CONTENTS. 

ists — Meaning  of  the  word  apostle — History  of  Sts.  Andrew, 
James,  Philip,  Bartholomew,  Thomas,  Jude,  Simon,  Mathias 
and  Judas  the  Traitor,  «&c 119-12ft 

The  Universal  Chureh. 

CHAPTER  Vni. 

Christ's  vicar  on  earth. 

Christ  founds  his  church  in  the  persons  of  his  apostles,  ministers 
and  converts — As  a  wise  statesman  he  appoints  his  prime  minister 
— The  apostles  in  holy  orders  were  equal  and  required  a  head — 
The  nature  of  a  vicar — The  vicar-geueral  in  the  diocese  and  in  the 
universal  church — -Christ  did  not  lower  the  bishops  by  appointing 
one  over  them — Christ  founding  the  Papacy  in  Peter — Simon's 
name  changed  to  Peter — "  The  Rock  " — Peter  receives  the  Keys 
— Christ  made  Peter  one  with  him  in  the  government  of  the 
church — Peter  is  commissioned  to  "  confirm  "  his  brethren — Ex- 
planation of  the  Greek  text — The  apostles  went  fishing — Peter 
three  times  told  to  "  Feed  "  the  members  of  his  church — The  word 
"  Phileo  " — The  words  St.  John  wrote  in  Greek  explained — In 
no  other  place  did  God  repeat  three  times  his  words — The  words 
"Feed  my  lambs,  Feed  my  sheep" — In  giving  the  care  of  his 
church  to  Peter  Christ  used  not  the  same  expression  twice — The 
first  '*  Feed  my  Lamb-folds  " — The  next  "Govern  my  Sheepfolds  " 
the  last  "  Feed  my  Sheep-folds" — The  Greek  words  in  which  St. 
John  wrote  his  Gospel — Christ  foretells  the  crucifixion  of  St.  Peter 
at  Rome — His  eternal  See  where  the  Papacy  remains  till  our  day 
— Peter  ever  a])pears  as  the  first  among  the  apostles — The  power 
and  the  Primacy  of  Peter  overshadowing  the  other  dioceses — 
Spiritual  and  civil  powers — The  human  and  divine  elements  in  the 
church — The  private  and  public  lives  of  the  clergy — The  other 
apostles  were  the  heads  of  holy  orders,  having  authority  over  the 
sacraments  and  the  true  body  of  Christ— To  Peter  Chri.stalso  gave 
jurisdiction  over  his  mystic  body  his  holy  church — Christ  and  his 
Vicar  are  one  authority — Christ  the  head  of  each  diocese — Nature 
of  the  supremacy  given  to  Peter — The  Papacy  founded  on  Peter 
must  last  till  the  end — The  apostles  as  universal  bishops  with  Peter 
as  their  head — The  Papacy  keeps  the  church  united — Wife  and 
husband  are  one  flesh  and  authority — Peter  and  the  Roman  church 
one — The  universal  dominion  of  Rome  foretold  in  the  Roman  em- 
pire before  Christ — Christ,  heir  of  David  and  Solomon  by  his  Vic- 
ar now  rules  his  universal  church — Foundation  of  the  Roman 
empire  as  a  preparation  for  the  J'apacy — Peter  at  Antioch  where 
he  founded  the  Maronite  Rite — Peter  established  the  patriarchal 
sees  of  Alexandria  and  of  Antioch — Peter  over  the  other  sees  in 
the  apostolic  age,  &c 129-150 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Peter's  throne. 

The  constitutions  of  nations— How  Christ  founded  the  constitution 
of  the  church — A  congress  ir.aking  laws — A  congress  of  bishops 
could  not  rule  the  church — Why  the  apostles  wrote  but  little — 


CONTENTS.  5 

The  works  of  the  great  fathers  of  the  church — The  oishops  ia 
council — Peter  comes  to  Home — Sts.  John,  Paul  andJames  ruling 
churches — Supremacy  of  Peter's  See — Hennas'  book — Testimony 
of  Sts.  Ignatius,  Polycarp,  Ireneus,  Tertullian,  Origen,  Cyprian, 
Athanasius  and  the  bishops  of  Egypt — What  the  apostolic  fathers 
say  al)out  Peter — St.  Augustin  on  the  Papacy — The  community 
he  founded  at  Hippo — The  Cyrils,  Theodoret  and  the  early  coun- 
cils—Remarkable proofs  of  Peter's  authority — The  African 
churches — The  testimony  of  the  Eastern  churches — Jerusalem 
sends  for  help  to  Uome — The  errors  of  Phyrus — St.  Boniface  first 
apostle  of  Germany — The  English  church — In  the  time  of  Charle- 
magne— The  church  in  France — Hincmar,  Raban  Maur,  and  oth- 
ers— The  first  council  of  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem — The  first  coun- 
cil at  Nice  in  325 — The  first  council  at  Constantinople — The 
council  at  Ephesus  in  431 — Eutyches  the  heretic  condemned  in 
451 — The  second  council  at  Constantinople — The  next  council  at 
the  same  city — The  Iraagebreakers — The  fourth  council  at  Constan- 
tinople against  Photius — The  "Libellus"  of  Pope  Adrian — Sts. 
Leo  and  Chrystom  on  Rome,  &c 151-176 

CHAPTER   X. 

THE  TEACHER  ANP  KULER  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

The  teacher  of  faith  and  morals — Dogmatic  and  moral  theology — 
The  Bible  a  book  of  faith  and  morals — The  Son  enlightens  the 
mind,  the  Holy  Spirit  rules  the  will — The  bishops  are  the  teachers 
of  faith  and  morals — The  Bishop  of  Rome  is  their  teacher— The 
Pope  in  his  public  and  private  life — In  what  the  Pope  is  not 
infallible — Meaning  of  infallibility — Private  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures — The  Church  teaches  through  her  head  animated  by 
the  Holy  Spirit — Bishops  and  priests  reflect  his  teachings — Peter 
still  teaching,  sanctifying  and  ruling  Christ's  mystic  body — How 
doctrines  are  examined — The  Pa])acy  defines  the  constitution  of 
the  church — What  are  morals? — The  Pope  as  heir  of  Peter  teaches 
the  whole  church — What  is  faith? — The  supernatural  virtues  of 
faith,  hope  and  charity — How  we  believe  what  the  church 
teaches — The  clergy  teach  only  the  doctrines  of  the  church — 
Each  Protestant  preacher  teaches  his  private  opinions — What  is 
the  Mass? — The  church  is  Christ's  empire  of  redeemed  souls- 
Ancient  empires  were  images  of  her — Civil  government  rules  only 
exterior  actions — The  church  rules  the  souls  of  men — The  bish- 
ops at  Nice,  at  Florence,  Trent  and  at  the  Vatican — The 
church  like  a  monarchy — A  republicof  which  Jesus  is  the  king — 
Meaning  of  the  words  Roman  Catholic — The  capital  of  Christ's 
Kingdom — Could  the  Papacy  be  removed  from  Rome? — The 
Bishops  of  Rome  before  the  council  of  Nice — Words  of  the  early 
fathers — Acts  of  a  Roman  emperor  in  the  third  century — The 
great  bishop  of  Milan— The  bishops  at  Aquilia,  Antioch,  &c. — 
The  Arian  heresy  denies  the  Divinity  of  Christ — St.  Jerome  at 
Bethlehem — Pope  Zozimus  teaches  the  bishops  of  Africa — The 
learned  bishop  of  Hippo — The  bishops  at  Melevit — The  Ephesian 
council — The  monarch  of  religion — What  the  schismatics  hold — 
Constantine  moves  his  empire  to  Byzantium  and  founds  Contanti- 


6  CONTEXTS. 

nople — The  council  of  Chalcedon — The  Popes  ruling  the  East — 
How  they  deposed  the  bishops  of  the  most  famous  sees  —Early 
appeals  to  Home — The  Popes  teaching  the  other  bisho])s  of  the 
early  Church — Popes  dispensing  in  her  universal  laws  and  pun- 
ishing the  disobedient — The  Pope  is  over  the  laws  of  the 
church,  but  he  too  must  obey  her  constitution,  founded  or  re- 
vealed by  Christ,   &c 177-208 

CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  FIKST  BrSHOPS  OF  ROME. 

The  first  Bishops  of  Rome  were  the  intellectual  lights  of  the  whole 
church — All  important  measures  which  spread  to  the  whole 
church  came  from  them — They  first  founded  the  parishes  in 
Rome  and  the  nuptial  Mass — They  beautified  the  Sunday  services, 
— Condemned  errors  which  led  to  the  denial  of  the  Divinity  of 
Christ,— Ordered  Advent  and  Lent  to  be  kept  each  year,— Con- 
demned Cerdo — Incorporated  strange  clergymen  into  the  Roman 
diocese, — Sent  missionaries  to  Brittany  and  other  nations, — Com- 
manded tho  clergy  to  shave, — Laid  down  regulations  for  nuns, — 
Marked  the  times  for  the  ordination  of  the  clergy, — Reserved  ap- 
peals to  the  Roman  courts, — Established  the  Quarter  Tenses, — 
Regulated  the  oiTerings  of  the  people, — Nominated  seven  deacons 
for  the  seven  regions  of  Rome, — Forbade  vestments  worn  except 
during  the  services, — Decided  against  the  bishops  of  Africa  that 
lay-baptism  was  valid, — Defined  the  doctrine  relating  to  the 
Trinity, — That  Mass  should  be  said  only  over  the  martyr's  re- 
mains, —  Re  organized  the  25  parishes  of  the  city  of  which  the 
pastors  were  called  cardinals, — Condemned  the  Donatists, — For- 
bade fasting  oq  Sundays  and  Thursdays, — Excommunicated  Arius, 
who  denied  Christ's  Divinity, — Upheld  Athanasius  of  Alexandria 
against  the  Arians, — Deposed  Arian  bishops  and  appointed  cath- 
olic bishops  to  their  sees,  — Called  the  bishops  to  councils  and 
presided  by  themselves  or  by  their  legates, — Ruled  the  whole 
church  from  the  days  of  Peter  to  the  X  century,  &c 209-267 

CHAPTER   XII. 

THE   COLLEGE  OF  CARDINALS,  THE  SENATE  OF 
THE  UNIVERSAL  CHURCH. 

Peter  came  to  Rome  and  made  her  his  spouse  to  aid  him  in  liis  uni- 
versal government  of  the  church — When  he  was  crucified  Rome 
became  his  heir — The  Bishop  of  Rome  the  heir  of  Peter's  author- 
ity— The  cardinals  are  the  advisers,  the  councillors  of  the  Pope — 
Origin  of  the  cardinals — Meaning  of  the  word  cardinal  —The 
Presbytery  of  the  Roman  church— The  six  cardinal  bishops 
— The  50  cardinal  priests — The  seven  cardinal  deacons — The 
cardinals  are  the  pastors  of  the  Roman  diocese — The  six  cardi- 
nal bishops — The  corporate  body  of  cardinals — The  venerable 
senate  of  cardinals  helping  the  Pope  in  his  government  of  the 
church — The  election  of  cardinals — The  reception  of  new  mem- 
bers—Who are  made  cardinals  ?— The  senate  advises  the  Vope, 


CONTENTS.  7 

administers  the  church  during  a  vacancy,  and  elects  his  successor 
— The  cardinals  at  the  death  of  the  Pope — Ceremonies  when  the 
Pope  dies — Preparing  for  the  election— Arranging  for  the  conclave 
-The  senate  enclosed — Preparing  to  vote  for  a  Pope — Manner  of 
casting  the  ballots — Rules  relating  to  the  election — The  ballots- 
How  the  ballots  are  cast  and  counted — Asking  the  consent  of  the 
candidate— The  nevF  Pope  at  his  election — The  caronation  cere- 
monies—Taking possession  of  the  church  of  St.  John  Latern 
&c 267-  288 

CHAPTER  Xm. 

THE  ROMAN  CONGUKGATIONS,  GOVERNMENT  BUREAUS,   EMBASSADORS, 
LEGATES,    VICARS    APOSTOLIC,    NOTARIES,    &C. 

Antiquity  and  dignity  of  the  Roman  congregations — The  ancient 
presbytery  of  the  Roman  church  aiding  the  Pope — A  consistory 
— The  business  before  the  Roman  courts — Prelates  and  curials — 
The  congregations  of  the  holy  office  of  the  index — Of  the  council 
of  Trent — The  congregation  of  rites — Of  bishops  and  regulars — 
The  congregation  of  Propaganda — Of  indulgences  and  relics — The 
penetentiary  and  the  rota — Tiie  Apostolic  chancery  office — The 
secretary  of  state— Apostolic  legates — Ablegates,  Nuncies,  Embas- 
sadors, Vicars  Apostlolic,  &c 289-300 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

THE  PATRIARCHS,  PRIMATES  AND  ARCHBISHOPS. 

Complete  jurisdiction  given  to  Peter — Archbishops,  primates 
and  patriarchs,  branches  of  the  Papacy — Their  origin — The  two 
Archbishops  established  by  Peter — Antioch  and  Alexandria  next 
after  Rome — In  the  early  church — Constantinople  jealous  of  Alex- 
andria—  Bishops  over  bishops  in  the  early  church — History  of  the 
patriarchal  sees  of  antiquity — Metropolitans — The  chief  churches 
after  Rome — The  patriarchal  sees  of  the  present  time — Meaning  of 
the  word  jiatriarch — "The  forms  of  Peter  impressed  on  the 
whole  church  " — The  nature  of  dioceses  over  others — How  they 
elected  and  consecrated  bishops — The  clergy  of  metropolitan  sees 
over  the  other  clergy  of  the  province — Branches  of  the  Papacy 
partaking  in  the  Primacy  of  Peter — ^Papal  delegations  in  the 
early  church — Primates  in  the  middle  ages — The  patriarchs  of  the 
oriental  rites  at  the  present  time — The  first  bishops  of  America 
— Meaning  of  the  patriarchate — The  acient  councils  on  the  patri- 
archs— Primates  and  archbishops — Their  powers  regulated  by 
canon  law — Cases  on  appeal  before  them — The  primate — Nature 
of  the  office  of  primate — The  archbishop's  powers  now  more  re- 
stricted— His  duties  defined  by  canon  law — The  pallium,  archie- 
piscopal  cross,  &c 301  -322 

CHAPTER   XV. 

THE  BISHOPS  AS  PASTORS  OP  THE  UNIVERSAL    CHURCH. 

The  universal  church  as  the  diocese  of  Christ  of  which  the  other 
bishops   are   pastors— The  bishops  as  pastors  of  the   universal 


CONTENTS. 

church — The  Roman  diocese  only  immortal — How  the  apostles 
founded  dioceses — The  Papacy  sending  missionaries  to  all  pagan 
nations — Missionary  countries  subject  direct  to  Rome — How 
dioceses  are  established — Bishops  have  a  radical  jurisdiction  over 
the  whole  church  but  subject  to  Peter — Dignity  of  bishops  — 
Why  one  bishop  is  over  others — Ancient  episcopal  deans — Senior 
bishops — The  image  of  the  Trinity — The  bishop's  mission — Epis- 
copal jurisdiction — The  fulness  of  jurisdiction  only  in  the  Bishop 
of  Rome— Who  elects  bishops? — Appointment  of  bishops  in  the 
early  church — The  bishop  a  complete  priest  can  consecrate 
another  bishop — Only  Rome  can  give  jurisdiction — Consecra- 
tion of  bishops  in  the  early  church — Jurisdiction  of  bis- 
hops in  the  first  ages — The  schism  of  the  Greek  church — The 
bishops  of  Rome  gave  jurisdiction  to  all  bishops  in  all  ages  of 
the  christian  religion 323-345 

CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  BISHOPS  GATHERED  IN  COUNCIL. 

The  Son  the  Council  of  the  Father  in  heaven — The  council  of  the 
Jewish  church — A  council  a  congress  of  the  whole  church — 
Object  of  councils — They  cannot  define  new  doctrines — Only 
bishops  are  members  of  the  congress — Ecumenical  councils— The 
Pope  alone  can  call,  preside  over  and  ratify  the  proceedings  of 
councils — Every  bishop  in  union  with  Rome  has  a  right  to  take 
part — They  are  the  pastors  of  the  universal  church — All  bishops 
are  equal  in  the  councils — As  teachers  of  faith  and  morals  all  vote 
-  Bishops  of  old  sees  are  the  witnesses  of  the  traditions  of  their 
churches — The  Pope  alone  personally  or  by  his  legates  confirms 
the  decrees — A  papal  confirmation  may  extend  decrees  of  any 
partial  council  to  the  whole  church — General,  national  and  pro- 
vincial councils — In  what  they  differ— Decisions  of  all  councils 
must  be  reviewed  by  Rome — A  diocesan  synod — The  celebrated 
council  held  in  Africa — Episcopal  deans  and  prothonotaries 
in  the  early  church — Patriarchs,  primates  and  archbishops  pre- 
siding over  plenary  and  provincial  councils— When  councils 
should  be  held,  «fec 346-361 

The  Particular  Church  or  Diocese. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

HISTOUY  OK  THE  DIOCESE. 

St  John  the  Apostle  established  the  church  services — The  diocese 
in  the  apostolic  age— Formation  of  the  Liturgies — Charity  of  the 
apostolic  converts- The  bishop  and  the  presbytery  formed  a  court  - 
Description  of  a  church  in  the  days  of  the  apostles — Piety  of  the 
early  christians — Prominence  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome — The  con- 
version of  Europe — The  selection  of  the  clergy — The  establish- 


CONTENTS.  '  9 

ment  of  schools — The  incursions  of  the  barbarians — They  des- 
troyed the  Roman  empire — The  church  converts  Europe  the 
second  time— The  clergy  the  saviours  of  society — The  Popes 
taught  the  world  civilization— Rise  of  the  temporal  power  of  the 
church — Famous  churchmen — Founding  the  great  Universities — 
The  constitution  of  the  diocese  defined  in  canon  law — The  origin 
of  the  aristocrats  and  nobles  from  robber  captains — The  church 
protects  the  poor — The  feudal  system — The  formation  of  chris- 
tian nations — The  governments  claimed  the  right  of  ajjpointing 
the  clergy— Gregory  VII.  and  ITenery  IV.  of  Germany — The 
golden  epoch  of  Christianity — Building  the  great  cathedrals  — 
Converting  the  nobility — Establishing  the  parishes — Rome  teach- 
ing the  world — The  epoch  of  the  great  writers  of  the  church — 
The  conquests  of  the  Turks— Relaxing  of  discipline— Officials 
of  the  diocese — Adopting  strange  clergymen — Causes  of  tne  ref- 
ormation— Establishing  the  religious  orders — The  reforms  of  the 
council  of  Trent — Wonderful  religious  activity  of  modern 
times,  &c 362-387 

CHAPTER  XVm. 

THE  DIOCESE  OF  ROME. 

Rome  the  eternal  city  becomes  the  seat  of  the  Papacy — Other  dio- 
ceses liable  to  fall — The  Mother  of  churches — Christ's  Vicar- 
General  on  earth — Meaning  of  the  Pope's  tiara — How  Christ 
established  the  church  universal — The  Pope  the  model  bishop — 
The  Pope  above  the  church  but  cannot  claange  her  constitution 
given  by  Christ — Peter  was  the  "  Rock,"  one  with  Christ  the 
"  Rock  of  Ages  " — Pilate's  letter  about  the  death  of  Christ — Peter 
comes  to  Rome — Converts  Pudens  and  his  family — Simon  Magus 
and  his  errors — Nero  the  emperor — Corruption  of  the  Roman 
Court — Simon  the  Magician  persecutes  Peter  and  Paul —Many 
converts — The  great  disputes  between  Sts.  Peter,  Paul  and 
Simon  Magus,  who  claims  to  be  the  Son  of  God — Death  of 
Simon — Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  put  to  death  at  Rome — Visits  to 
their  tombs — The  common  law  of  the  church  coming  from  the 
Bishops  of  Rome — The  Popes  gave  laws  to  Europe — The  clergy 
from  Rome  teaching  the  nations — The  official  books  of  the  Rom- 
an diocese — Church  architecture,  &c 890-405 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  ELECTION  OP  BISHOPS. 

Election  of  the  apostles — Laymen  taking  part  in  the  early  church 
— How  the  apostles  elected  bishops — St.  Cyprian  says  by  apos- 
tolic tradition  the  clergy  elect  their  bishop,  and  the  bishops 
consecrate  him — The  Popes  and  councils  on  the  election  of  bish- 
ops— Role  of  the  archbishops  and  bishops— A  vacancy  of  a 
diocese — The  visitor  bishop — Manner  of  voting— Examination  of 
the  candidate — The  way  the  great  fathers  of  the  church  were 
elected — Interference  of  governments — Princes  abuse  their  veto 


10  CO]S^TENTS. 

power — Election  of  bishops  in  the  middle  ages — The  election  of 
archbishops — Kings  selling  episcopal  sees  stopped  by  Gregory 
VII — Rulers  usurp  concessions  given  the  laity — Abuses  con- 
demned— The  cathedral  chapter — Confirmation  of  bishops  re- 
served to  the  Pope — The  oath  the  bishop  lakes  at  consecration — 
Patriarchs,  primates  and  archbishops  as  ])apal  delegates— Con- 
firming the  election  of  the  bishops  of  tlie  East — Elections  in 
Europe  reserved  to  the  Pope — The  first  archepiscopal  sees  of 
Europe — Establishing  the  hierarchy  in  England — Archbishops 
and  primates  act  and  consecrate  in  the  name  of  the  Bishop  of 
Rome— Election  and  consecration  of  archbishops  at  the  present 
time — The  Bishops  of  liome  ever  reserved  the  right  of  rejecting 
unworthy  candidates— Historic  facts — Rome  first  .appointed  all 
the  episcopal  sees  of  Europe — St.  Augustine  in  England,  St. 
Patricli  in  Ireland — The  archbishops  of  Thessalonica  and  others 
became  the  apostolic  delegates — The  Bishops  of  Rome  confirmed 
or  rejected  the  candidates  for  the  historic  sees — Bishops  when 
elected  by  the  laity  and  clergy  of  the  diocese — A  bishop  elected  by 
the  clergy  and  laity  forbidden  to  be  consecrated  in  the  early 
church — From  the  apostolic  aoe  the  laity  proposed  the  candidate, 
the  clergy  of  the  diocese  voted  for  him,  the  archbishop  or  patri- 
arch with  the  bishops  of  the  province  confirmed  and  consecrated 
him  acting  as  the  delegates  of  the  Roman  See — Manner  of  selecting 
bishops  at  the  present  time — Proceedings  at  Rome  for  the  confir- 
mation of  bishops,  &c 405-429 

CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  BISHOP  AND  THE  DIOCESE. 

The  bishop  coming  down  from  the  universal  church  into  his  dio- 
cese— How  the  bishop  was  named  in  the  early  church — Bishops 
are  superior  to  priests — Bishops  have  both  external  and  internal 
jurisdiction — Only  a  bishop  can  ordain  priests  and  confirm — The 
bishops  are  the  successors  of  the  apostles — Each  diocese  ruled 
by  a  bishop—  The  bishop  is  a  complete  high-priest — Is  the  epis- 
copacy a  sacrament? — Regular  bishops  of  their  diocese  and  vicars 
apostolic— The  jurisdiction  of  bishops  in  their  dioceses — Christ 
the  head  of  the  diocese— How  one  bishop  is  over  others — Tlie 
perfections  of  the  diocese  in  the  bisho|) — The  bishop  brings  the 
perfections  of  the  universal  church  into  his  diocese — The  bishop 
married  to  the  diocese— Christ  as  head  of  the  diocese — The  bish- 
op should  be  a  saint — The  diocese  surrounding  the  bishop--The 
government  of  the  diocese  compared  to  civil  governments — Fal- 
len dioceses  still  live  in  the  persons  of  their  titular  bishops — The 
church  universal  represented  by  the  diocese — The  bishop  bring- 
ing forth  his  sons,  his  clergymen  of  the  diocese — The  mission  of 
the  bishop — The  bishop  as  the  teacher  of  the  diocese — The  bish- 
op as  the  sanctifier  of  the  diocese— The  bishop  pontificating  at 
the  altar — The  beauties  of  the  liturgy — The  diocese  an  image  of 
heaven — The  Latin  rite— The  bishop  sending  the  Holy  Ghost— 
The  bishop  the  ruler  of  the  whole  diocese  according  to  the  com- 
mon law  of  the  church,  «&c 429-455 


CONTENTS.  11 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
THE  bishop's  duties  AND  OBLIGATIONS. 

Members  of  the  hierarchies  corning  down  to  rule  their  churches — 
The  relations  of  the  bishop  to  the  cathedral  parish — The  Papacy, 
the  episcopacy,  the  priesthood — Custom  makes  law — What  bish- 
op defines  matters  of  faith  and  morals  ? — Papal  laws  in  the  dio- 
cese— What  is  a  dispensation  ? — In  what  laws  the  bishop  can 
dispense— Fasting,  abstinence,  work  on  Sundays — The  bishop's 
powers  relating  to  church  services — Interference  of  civil  govern- 
ments— The  bishop's  powers  regarding  liturgical  books,  church 
music,  chapels,  oratories,  &c. — The  sacrament  of  marriage — Im- 
pediments of  marriage — The  bishop  and  the  clergy  of  the  diocese 
— Dimissoral  letters — The  support  of  the  clergy- — The  education 
of  the  clergy — Ordination  and  confirmation — Papal  and  episco- 
pal reservations — The  faculties  of  the  diocese— The  religious 
orders  in  the  diocese— The  dispensations  from  vows — The 
ordination  titles — Strange  priests  coming  into  the  diocese — 
Indulgences— Offerings  for  the  sacraments — Ap])oint.ing  assistants 
— Clerical  dress,  vestments,  &c 457-477 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  CATHEDRAL  CHAPTEK,  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  DIOCESE. 

« 

The  apostles  established  the  presbytery  of  the  diocese — The  ancient 
fathers  of  the  presbytery — The  presbytery  of  the  apostolic  age 
formed  of  ])riests  and  deacons — Twelve  priests  and  seven  deacons 
— The  bishop  administered  the  whole  diocese — How  the  apostles 
founded  churches — The  cathedral,  the  mother  church  of  ttie 
whole  diocese — The  bishops  of  the  early  church  did  nothing 
without  consulting  their  presbytery — The  senate  of  the  diocese 
in  the  early  ages — Divisions  between  the  bishops  and  chapters — 
The  cathedral  chapter — Rome  regulates  their  duties — The  cathe- 
dral chapter  a  corporate  body  of  clergymen — The  rural  dean  and 
his  office — Origin  of  the  archdeacon  and  his  duties — Head  of  the 
deacons,  he  was  often  the  bishop's  vicar — The  archpriest — The 
teacher  of  the  Bible — The  penitentiary — The  bishop's  court — 
The  duties  of  each  member  of  the  chapter — The  celebrated  chap- 
ter of  Lincoln  cathedral,  England — The  first  chapter  of  Montreal 
— The  chapter  as  a  senate  aids  the  bishop  in  his  administration 
of  the  dioceses,  and  attends  him  on  ceremonies — Singing  the 
divine  office — The  place  where  they  meet — The  chapter  as  a  sen- 
ate— The  chairman  of  the  senate — The  duties  of  the  senate — The 
bishop  must  get  the  advice  of  the  senate  and  follow  their  advice 
in  important  matters — Separate  from  the  bishop  they  have  not 
authority  in  the  diocese— They  have  over  their  own  members 
— Enactments  of  the  senate  must  be  signed  by  the  bishop — The 
chapter  gets  their  powers  from  the  common  law — Bishop  and  sen- 
ate together  administer  the  diocese — The  chapter  admonishes 
the  bishop  of  his  faults — The  administration  of  seminaries — Can- 
onical vestments — The  chapter  during  a  vacancy  of  the  see — The 
chapter  appoints  an  administrator  of  the  diocese — The  bishop's 
council  in  the  U.  S.,  &c 477-502 


12  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  PARISH  PRIEST. 

The  diocese  was  first  called  a  parish — Before  the  IV.  century  the 
bishop  administered  the  whole  diocese  as  a  large  parish — Parish- 
es began  first  in  Rome  and  then  in  Alexandria — Country  purishes 
established  in  the  IV.  century — City  parishes  founded  in  the  X. 
century — Before  this  the  archpriest  as  vicar  of  the  bishop  admin- 
istered the  country  parts  of  the  diocese — Were  the  seventy-two 
disciples  priests? — Errors  of  the  University  of  the  Sorbonne — 
The  ancient  presbytery  of  the  diocese  aided  the  bishop — 
They  administered  the  sacraments  in  the  name  of  the  bishop — 
The  errors  of  Aerius — The  parish  is  an  imperfect  church — The 
Jansenist's  errors  regarding  parish  priests  and  bishops — Parish 
priests  have  only  internal  jurisdiction — They  cannot  excommuni- 
cate like  bishops — Meaning  of  the  word  parish — Parish  priests 
have  the  care  of  souls  iu  their  own  name — A  parish  must  have 
but  one  rector — The  common  law  gives  the  rectors  their  rights — 
The  trial  of  rectors  in  this  country — Who  appoints  pastors  ? — 
The  clergy  are  first  missionaries,  then  they  become  pastors — The 
Pope  can  suppress  all  dioceses  and  parishes  in  any  country — 
Tl)e  appointment  of  all  oflacers  in  the  church — The  selection  of 
rectors  for  vacant  parishes — Monsignors,  apostolic,  Lotaries,  etc. 
— TJie  removal  of  pastors  only  for  cause  given  in  the  law — 
Assistant  pastors — Pastoral  rights  regarding  the  sacraments — 
Marriage  laws — The  offerings  of  the  people — Financial  reports — 
Baptismal  and  marriage  records — Duties  of  the  pastor  relating  to 
his  people,  &c 503-520 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  RELIGIOUS  ORDERS. 

The  religious  orders  not  essential  to  the  church — The  precepts  and 
counsels  of  the  Gospel — The  whole  church  follows  the  commands 
of  Christ,  while  the  religious  orders  follow  also  his  advices  — 
The  religious  state  the  perfection  of  the  christian — The  religious 
orders  strive  for  perfection — The  three  chief  passions  of  the  soul 
— The  three  vows  of  poverty,  chastity  and  obedience— The 
property  of  the  religious  orders — Their  mode  of  living — They 
die  to  the  world  and  live  for  God — The  religious  orders  founded 
on  the  holiness  of  the  church — Our  Lord  gave  them  the  example 
— The  hermits  and  religious  of  the  early  church — The  great 
fathers  of  the  church  were  the  religious  of  that  epoch — TTie 
dioceses  and  the  monasteries  of  the  early  church — The  secular 
and  the  resrular  clergy — The  religious  orders  belong  to  the 
diocese  of  Home — The  approval  of  religious  orders — The  novi- 
tiate— Breaking  their  vows  and  rules — Leaving  the  community — 
A  reliifious  vocation — Solemn  and  simple  vows — The  three  vows 
of  religious — They  ciin  administer  the  sacraments  to  their  own 
members  in  every  diocese,  but  not  to  the  clergy  or  laity  without 
the  consent  of  the  bishop — The  religious  men  of  ancient  Egypt — 


CONTENTS.         .  13 

St.  Antony  the  father  of  monks — Where  they  built  the  great 
monasteries — The  hiy  brothers — The  monk's  title  at  ordination — 
The  Mohammedans  drove  the  monks  to  Europe — The  monks 
unite  into  associations  for  mutual  protection — St.  Augustine  es- 
tablishes a  house  of  monks  at  Hippo-^The  community  founded 
by  St.  Benedict — St.  Francis  and  his  followers — The  Jesuits, 
Dominicans,  Lazarists,  Christian  Brothers,  and  other  religious 
orders,  &c 551-564 


^-  .■^■^■ 


OAii:  ^Mtll  me  gentle  reader  and 
I  A\ill  show  you  the  Church 
of  God,  the  Mother  of  Christ's 
chiklren,  the  bone  of  his  bone  and 
flesh  of  liis  flesh,'  she  was  born  of 
him  in  the  waters  of  baptism  and 
blood  of  redemption,  when  Christ 
slept  the  sleep  of  death  upon  the 
cross. °  Let  ns  see  the  spouse  of 
Christ,  who  brings  us  forth,  as  the 
"  sons  of  God."  ^  "  Come  and  I  will 
show  thee  the  bride,  the  wife  of  the 
Lamb." " 

Together  we  will  study  her  di- 
vine constitution,  her  structure,  her 
organization,  her  framework,  her 
head,  her  different  officials,  her 
rulers  and  her  way  of  bringing  forth  her  children  to  Christ  her 
husband.  We  will  see  that  wonderful  structure  built  by  the 
Son  of  God,  that  '' House  of  God,"'  that  ''Kingdom  without 
end,"  "  that  universal  empire  of  God  founded  by  Christ  to  unite  and 
to  regenerate  the  human  race. 


Sutter  fopjusKce  salte. 

18  'to  imitate  J.C>  on.  earth,  aad  to  mentto 

reio-a-wdlh  Min.in.1ieaveiL. 


]  Gen.  11.,  23. 
Apoc.  xxi.,  9. 


2  John  xlx.,  34. 
6  Matt,  xii.,  4. 


3  John  t.,  12. 
«  Luke  1.,  33. 


THE  HEAD  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


THE  BEIDE  OF   CHRIST.  15 

Other  writers  seemed  to  have  stood  as  it  were  on  the  outside,  ap- 
pearing reluctant  to  enter  that  holy  ground,  and  they  described 
her  from  afar.  We  will  go  inside,  and  penetrating  into  the  Holy  of 
Holies  within  her,  we  will  describe  her  wonderous  beauties  and 
perfections,  so  that  the  simplest  child  may  see  and  love  its  Mother 
espoused  to  our  Father,  Jesus   Christ,  our   blessed  Redeemer.' 

"  The  holy  Catholic  Church  is  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  all 
things."  ^  Her  history  fills  the  ages  with  the  glory  of  her  works. 
From  the  dawn  of  creation  to  the  day  of  Christ,  the  Old  Testament 
was  a  preparation  for  her  coming,  till  the  end  of  time  all  men  born 
upon  this  earth  will  be  hallowed  by  her  presence.  She  alone  will 
pass  through  all  future  ages,  nations,  peoples,  arts,  sciences,  homes, 
hearts.  She  wall  stand  by,  blessing,  refining  and  giving  to  each  in- 
dividual, family,  discovery,  tribe,  and  nation  her  supernatural  life 
and  her  providential  blessing.  But  that  is  not  all.  After  the  last 
day,  the  Grod  of  eternity  awaits  her  to  reward  her  with  his  everlast- 
ing rest.  Upheld  by  Christ,  her  head,  the  Church  floats  over  the 
ever  changing  ocean  of  human  events,  tossed  by  the  storms  of  error, 
persecuted  by  the  frenzy  floods  of  human  passion,  or  impious  men, 
attacked  on  every  side,  she  still  remains  the  guardian  of  true  re- 
ligion, and  still  "  she  keeps  the  deposit  of  faith/'  which  Christ 
gave  to  the  apostles.^ 

True  ark  of  Noe,*  she  floats  for  a  time  over  the  waters  of  false 
teaching,  till  revolutions  roused  by  human  passions  sweep  by,  whea 
the  individuals  saved  in  the  Church  come  forth  and  people  the- 
earth  with  her  truths  of  salvation.  Ark  of  the  covenant,^  she  heals, 
the  spiritual  diseases  of  men,  and  raises  up  everywhere  our  fallen 
human  nature  bent  by  sin.  Lucifer  and  his  angels  still  rise  against, 
her  and  always  try  to  destroy  her,  but  like  her  head  she  is  im- 
mortal, for  of  her  Jesus  said;  "  The  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail' 
against  her."® 

Of  human  organizations  she  alone  remains  unchanged.  Govern- 
ments, politics,  customs,  manners,  laws,  languages  change  from 
age  to  age,  while  she  remains  eternal  as  the  everlasting  truths  she 
preaches,  living  on  earth  an  image  of  the  changeless  God,  who  made 
her  like  unto  himself,  differing  from  all  worldly  institutions,  she 
alone  cannot  change,  for  she  is  an  image  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 
Not  a  human  institution  on  the  face  of  the  globe  but  which  is 
young  compared  to  the  Church.  No  society,  royal  family,  govern- 
ment, organized  body  of  men  but  began  yesterday  compared  to  the 
Church.  She  lived  to  see  the  rise  and  fall  of  all  the  governments 
and  institutions,  which  rose  and  lived  since  the  time  of  Christ,  and 
she  will  stand  by  at  the  death  and  burial  of  every  government 
and  human  institution  of  to-day.  We  live  amid  the  ever-changing 
world  around  us.  The  Church  alone  stands  aloft  still  young, 
and  looks  down  on  the  crumbling  ruins  of  systems,  teachings,  states, 
institutions  buried  in  the  past,  her  feet  on  earth,  Christ  her 
head  in  heaven,  eternal  years  are  hers,  smiling  with  the  face   of 

1  Ephes.,  V.  23-33.  2  gj.  Epiph.  Adv.  Haer.  L.  I.  C.  ^  i_  Tim.,  vl.,  20. 

*  Gen.,  vil.  6  Exod.,  xxv.  «  Matt.,  xvi.,  18. 


16  THE    BRIDE   OF   CHRIST. 

everlasting  youth,  she  is  to-day  stronger  than  ever  before,  and  still 
she  wears  the  diadem  of  truth,  holiness,  peace,  beauty  and  divinity. 

What  is  the  Catholic  Church?  The  Church  is  Christ  himself. 
She  is  his  "  mystic  body,^'  *  his  spouse,"  "  his  fulness," '  his  *'com- 
pleteness.* 

The  Church  is  Christ.  The  Church  and  Christ  form  one  being. 
•"And  these  three  are  one."*  With  him  .she  is  "the  beginning 
and  the  end  of  all."  "  "  In  him  all  things  were  made  and  without 
him  was  nothing  created  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  ...  all  things 
were  created  by  him  and  in  him." '  Christ  is  the  *  Church  and 
the  Church  is  Christ.  "  He  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  Church." 
She  is  his  body.  "  He  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  Church.  .  .  . 
that  in  all  things  he  may  hold  the  primacy." 

Let  us  explain.  Three  times  God  came  forth  from  the  dwel- 
ling of  his  eternity  and  acted  in  time, — at  the  creation  of  the 
angels  at  the  creation  of  man  and  at  the  Incarnation. 

In  eternity,  the  three  adorable  Persons  of  the  Trinity  dwelled 
alone,  clothed  with  all  the  infathomable  perfections  of  the  Godhead 
— but  they  wished  to  show  their  glories  and  their  perfections  to  in- 
tellectual and  reasonable  creatures  made  like  unto  themselves;  for 
that  they  created  the  angels,  one  above  another,  forming  nine 
heavenly  choirs,  each  a  complete  race  or  species  in  himself,'"  each 
individual  angel  having  lights  and  graces  according  to  his  wants 
and  nature.  While  two-thirds  of  the  angelic  hosts  remained  faithful, 
the  others  rebelled,  and  with  a  mighty  crash  they  fell  away  from  God 
and  plunged  themselves  into  the  bottomless  pit  of  that  intellectual 
darkness  and  the  endless  horrors  of  the  loss  of  God.  Thus  the  first 
sin  of  the  angels  disturbed  the  wonderous  works  of  the  Creator. 

But  God  will  not  be  frustrated  in  his  works.  For  the  second  time 
coming  forth  from  his  eternity,  he  made  this  material  world  of 
suns,  and  stars,  and  planets;  he  clothed  the  earth  with  lowest 
vegetable  life,  living  beings,  the  weakest  likeness  of  his  own  eter- 
nal life.  He  then  created  the  animals  to  represent  in  a  higher 
manner  him,  the  ever-living  God.  When  all  was  ready  he  made 
*'man  to  his  own  image  and  likeness."  "  As  he  continually  gener- 
ates the  divine  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  man  was  to  generate 
others,  images  of  himself,  "  Male  and  female  made  he  them,  and 
then  he  blessed  them  saying;  increase  and  multiply."  "  Man  was 
a  far  more  wonderful  being  thaii  the  angel,  and  in  this  respect 
at  least  a  more  perfect  image  of  his  Maker  than  the  others,  for  man 
only  generates  another  person  like  himself.  With  a  body  of  clay,  a 
pure  spiritual  soul,  in  him  the  visible  and  the  invisible,  the  mater- 
ial and  the  immaterial  were  united.  Increasing  by  good  works 
while  on  this  earth,  he  was  made  to  take  the  place  of  the  fallen 
angels."  While  God  made  countless  angels,  differing  one  from  the 
other,  each  angel  a  complete  species  in  himself;  he  made  only  one 

>  C0I08..  1. 24.  '  Apoc.,  xxl.  2.  *  Ephes.,  1.  38.  ■•  Gal.,  Iv.  4. 

•  John.  V,  7.  •  Apoc.  xll.  36.  '  Col..  1. 18.  »  Col.,  i.  18. 

•  Col.,  1.  76.  ">  St.  Thomas  Sum.  Theo.  >'  Gen.,  i.  86.  »» Gen.,  1,  28. 
"  St.  Thomas  Sum.  Theo.  Q.  zlil.  a.  6  ad  i,  St.  AURUstin,  Each.  C.  29. 


GOD  REDEEMED  MAN  BUT  NOT   DEMONS.  17 

human  race  upon  the  earth  ' '  for  God  hath,  of  one,  all  mankind 
to  dwell  upon  the  whole  face  of  the  earth."  '  From  that  one  race  of 
Adam  was  to  be  born  a  great  multitude,  each  differing  in  merits 
and  in  graces,  as  they  differ  in  natural  talents,  and  as  the  individual 
angel  differs  in  species.  What  the  angels  got  by  nature  and  by 
the  free  gifts  of  God's  grace,  the  children  of  Adam  were  to  get 
by  their  merits  founded  on  grace,  through  their  good  works  while 
on  this  earth.  Man  was  not  to  die.  He  was  to  be  carried  up 
to  heaven  after  his  time  of  probation  here  upon  this  earth,  and  thus 
fill  the  vacant  seats  or  mansions  of  the  fallen  angels,  that  the  ex- 
ternal glory  of  the  Godhead  might  be  completed  by  the  praises  of 
his  reasonable  creatures. 

Deceived  by  the  wiles  of  the  serpent,  man  sinned  in  his  turn,  and 
again  the  harmony  of  the  universe  was  disturbed.  For  the  third 
time  the  Lord  came  forth  from  His  own  eternal  being,  and  repaired 
the  sin  of  Adam  by  the  Incarnation  of  his  Son. 

In  the  creation  of  the  angels,  God  began  that  series  of  beings, 
which  exist  outside  of  and  differ  from  himself.  In  the  creation  of 
man,  he  united  the  material  and  the  reasonable,  the  physical  and 
the  spiritual  beings  of  the  world.  But  in  the  Incarnation  he 
United  the  creator  and  the  creature.  Then  he  bridged  the  infinite 
distance  which  separates  the  finite  from  the  Infinite.  Such  was  the 
union  of  the  divine  Word  with  the  nature  of  man  in  Christ.  * 

Up  to  that  time,  the  works  of  God  praised  him  by  the  symbols, 
types  and  figures  of  himself.  He  saw  in  them  the  creatures  he  had 
made  to  his  linage.  Then  he  united  them  all  in  the  Incarnation  say- 
ing: "  For  I  myself  that  spoke,  behold  I  am  here.'''  In  the  Incar- 
nation, all  the  works  of  God  were  completed;  creation  received  its 
crown  and  the  Deity  obtains  his  highest  praise. 

Twice  sin  disturbed  the  harmonies  and  the  beauties  of  the  works 
of  God.  Creation  was  upset  by  the  sin  of  the  angels  and  by  the  sin 
of  Adam.  He  damned  the  angels  and  redeemed  mankind.  Why? 
We  find  the  reason  of  that  in  the  very  nature  of  angels  and  of  men. 
There  can  be  no  sin  without  knowledge  and  free  will.  It  is  the 
very  nature  of  every  mind  to  seek  the  truth  and  of  the  will  to  seek 
the  good,  the  possession  of  both  giving  rise  to  knowledge  and  to 
happiness.  But  while  on  this  earth  men  freely  seek  trruth  and  hap- 
piness and  they  afterwards  change  and  seek  something  else.  It  is 
not  so  in  the  other  life.  For  there,  where  all  should  rest  in  God, 
the  created  minds  fixedly  adhere  to  what  they  think  is  right,  and 
the  wills  hold  fast  and  unchangeable  what  they  consider  good  and 
happiness.  This  is  founded  in  the  very  nature  of  a  reasonable 
being,  because  the  minds  of  men  and  of  angels  were  made  to  see 
the  Truth  of  the  Father,  who  is  the  divine  Son,  and  their  wills 
were  created  to  rest  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  the  Spirit  of  the 
Father  and  of  the  Son. 

Leaving  the  fallen  angels  without  his  grace,  he  had  mercy  on 
us  and  he  sends  salvation  to  the  human  race,  because  our  first 

»  Acts  xvU.  26.  2  St.  Aug.  Epist.  137,  n.  ii.  ^  Isaias,  lit.  6. 


18  THE   WONDERS  OF  THE   INCARNATION. 

parents  were  more  deceived  than  sinning.  For  that  reason  he  "  took 
compassion  on  them  and  poured  forth  his  mercy  upon  them," '  and 
''The  mercy  of  God  is  upon  all  flesh."''  While  he  treated  the 
fallen  and  rebellious  angels  with  the  rigors  of  his  justice,  all  is 
mercy  in  his  treatment  of  mankind,  "  For  thy  mercy  is  great 
above  the  heavens.""  "For  the  mercy  of  God  is  upon  all  his 
works."  That  mercy  shines  forth  through  all  his  creation.  But 
only  dimly  did  they  see  it  there,  till  the  coming  of  his  Son,  the 
chosen  arrow  of  his  mercy,  before  whom  all  the  nations  were  to  fall. 
Then  in  the  salvation  of  sinners,  there  we  see  the  mercy  of  our  God. 

Therefore  the  greatest  of  God's  works,  the  deepest  showing  forth 
of  his  mercy,  the  complete  brilliancy  of  his  attributes  are  seen  in 
the  Incarnation  in  the  God-man  Jesus  Christ.  "  The  coming  of 
the  Word  of  the  Father,  finished  the  works  of  creation.  '  *  He  is 
therefore  the  first-born  of  every  creature,  ''  the  Word  of  the  Father 
from  whom  all  hang,  the  Model  and  divine  Plan  of  every  creature. 
*'A11  things  were  made  by  him  and  without  him  was  nothing 
made  that  was  made." '  All  things  were  created  by  him  and  in 
him.    "  He  is  the  principal,'  the  Head  of  the  Body,  the  Church."  ' 

He  took  pity  on  us,  and  moved  by  his  infinite  mercy,  he  came 
to  save  us  coming  "  through  the  bowels  of  the  mercy  of  our  God, 
in  which  the  Orient,  from  on  high  hath  visited  us."*  For  seeing 
that  in  the  *'  pride  of  paganism  that  the  world  by  wisdom  hath 
not  known  God,  it  pleased  him,  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  to 
save  them  that  believed."  '"  The  mercy  of  God  is  founded  in  his 
Love,  and  the  Holy  spirit  is  the  Love  of  God.  Thus  the  same 
Spirit  who  moved  him  to  become  man,  who  formed  the  body  of 
Christ,  who  animated  him  during  his  life,  now  the  same  Holy 
Spirit  animates  the  Church,  *' the  mystical  body  of  Christ."" 

The  works  of  God  are  perfect  and  therefore  he  does  not  repeat. 
"  He  works  without  repentance,"  "  He  does  not  destroy  his  works 
and  make  them  over  again.  He  destroyed  not  the  bad  angels  or 
wicked  men,  nor  does  he  take  away  our  liberty  and  free  will. 
He  leaves  demons  and  wicked  men  to  themselves,  till  the  last  great 
day  of  his  justice.  So  he  became  man  and  died  only  once  to  save 
the  human  race  from  everlasting  perdition.  "  For  by  one  oblation 
he  hath  perfected  for  them  that  are  sanctified."  "  From  that  one 
atonement  of  Christ  upon  the  cross,  flow  all  the  blessings  and 
the  graces,  Avhich  are  showered  down  on  the  souls  of  men.  The 
channels  of  these  graces  are  the  sacraments.  The  Mass  is  the 
mystery  of  Calvary  and  of  the  last  supper,  repeated  over  again,  unto 
the  uttermost  ends  of  the  earth.  **  For  from  the  rising  of  the  sun 
to  the  going  down  thereof,  my  name  is  great  among  the  Gentlies, 
and  in  every  place  there  is  sacrifice,  and  there  is  offered  to  my 
name  a  clean  oblation." 

The  wonders  of  the  Incarnation  are  around  us.     The  redemp- 

>  Bccl.  xvlll,  9.  2  Ibidem  xvlli,  18.  »  Psal.  cvlli,  64. 

*  St.  Atbanasius  Orat.  1.  contra  Arian.  n.  fse.  *  Col.,  i.  15.  •  John  1,  3. 

1  John  vll.  25.  «  Gal.  1, 18.  •  Luke  1,  78.  "•  I  Cor.  1.  21. 

>>  Colos  i,  18.  >>  Psalm  ciz.  **  Heb.  x,  14.  >«  Malachl.  i. 


Adam's  fatherhood.  19 

tion  in  ceaseless  unseen  streams  of  graces  flow  out  from  him  and 
fill  the  world.  The  Church  spreads  every  where,  being  one  with 
Christ,  being  his  body,  brings  down  the  streams  of  graces  from 
him,  her  head,  and  scatters  them  into  every  heart  and  soul 
redeemed.  "  The  Church,  which  was  founded  in  the  name  of  Christ 
partakes  in  his  name."  '  ' '  The  Church  being  the  communication  of 
Christ,  "^  all  the  members  of  the  church  are  one  with  Christ,  for 
she  is  one  with  him,  and  with  him  they  partake  in  the  divine  na- 
ture. As  we  were  first  born  of  the  race  of  Adam  by  natural  birth, 
so  all  Christians  must  be  born  of  the  race  of  Christ,  by  baptism, 
and  then  fed  by  his  sacraments. 

As  all  men  are  born  of  the  race  of  Adam  at  their  birth,  so  all 
should  be  born  of  the  race  of  Christ  by  spiritual  birth.  As  Adam  is 
the  father  of  worldly  men,  so  Christ  is  the  father  of  all  Christian 
peoples.  Christ  is  the  second  Adam.  Let  us  understand  it. 
In  the  beginning  by  these  words  "  Iiicrease  and  multiply,  "  '  God 
made  Adam  and  Eve  the  ministers  of  the  generation  of  others,  im- 
ages of  themselves.  In  this  they  are  images  of  the  Holy  Trinity 
generated  one  from  another.  In  that  primeval  order,  man  would 
have  been  born  in  a  state  of  grace  and  perfection.  Not  only  each 
individual  person,  but  also  society  was  to  be  raised  to  the  super- 
natural, because  of  the  indwelling  of  God  in  each  man  and  in 
nature.  Adam  was  to  live  forever  and  govern  his  children,  be- 
cause he  was  their  father,  and  had  fatherly  authority  over  all  the  hu- 
man race  his  children.  Or  he  might  have  been  translated  to  heaven, 
while  his  children  lived  on  earth  where  they  could  have  remained. 
Authority  comes  from  the  Author,  the  Creator,  Maker  or  Generator. 

The  rule  or  authority  of  Adam  was  therefore  founded  on  his 
fatherhood,  and  it  was  like  unto  the  fatherhood  of  God  the  Father, 
over  the  other  two  Persons  of  the  Trinity.  As  the  Persons  of  the 
Trinity  come  from,  and  are  ever  coming  forth  from  the  Father  or 
from  the  Father  and  the  Son  together,  so  from  Adam  came  Eve 
and  from  Adam  and  Eve  were  born  the  children  of  men.  Adam  and 
Eve,  with  their  children,  images  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  were  to  form 
one  race,  one  country,  one  Government.  Adam  the  father  of  them 
all  was  to  rule  them  all  by  the  most  venerable  authority,  of  his  father- 
hood. That  was  to  be  a  paternal  government.  In  the  original  de- 
signs of  God,  he  was  to  be  the  emperor  over  the  whole  world,  as 
his  sons  were  to  be  the  kings  and  rulers  under  him.  Then  they 
would  not  have  to  choose  their  rulers,  for  they  would  be  ruled  by  their 
fathers.  That  was  to  be  an  image  of  the  Trinity,  where  the  Per- 
sons of  God  are  ruled  by  the  strictest  laws  of  their  own  eternal  origin. 

But  sin  came,  upset  and  destroyed  the  authority  of  Adam.  God 
cursed  the  earth.  He  pronounced  the  decree  of  death  on  Adam  and 
on  his  children.  By  Adam's  death  the  human  race  lost  their  natural 
head  and  ruler,  then  they  scattered  over  the  face  of  the  earth  and 
formed  the  nations  by  increasing  and  multiplying.  Whence  the 
word  nation  comes  from  the  Latin,  natus,  born.  For  the  early  races 

'  St.  Justin  Dial,  coin  Tryphn.  63.  ^  st.  Ireneas  Con.  Hser. ).  ili.  c.  xxv.  ii.  n.  1.   '  Gen.  i.  38. 


20  CHILDREN  OF  ADAM  AND  OF  CHRIST. 

came  from  one  head  and  were  related.  That  is  why  the  members  of 
a  nation  resemble  each  other  even  to  our  day.  By  a  special  provi- 
dence, Adam  and  his  sons  lived  long  upon  the  earth,  till  the  nations 
were  well  established  and  ruled  with  stable  governments.  Till  his 
death  he  ruled  his  children  with  his  fatherly  authority.  When  he 
died,  his  sons  took  his  place  and  therefore  the  fatherly,  or  patriarch- 
al form  of  government  was  the  first  established. 

With  the  curse  of  God  on  Adam  for  his  sin,  came  also  the  promise 
of  the  Redeemer,  that  from  his  seed  would  arise  another  who  would 
crush  the  serpent's  head. 

At  that  moment  by  eternal  decree  was  established  another  head 
for  the  human  race  in  the  place  of  Adam.  He  the  promised  Ee- 
deemer  was  to  found  a  kingdom  more  wonderful  than  the  universal 
empire  which  Adam  lost.  The  serpent  had  overcome  the  first  Adam, 
but  there  was  to  come  another  Adam ,  who  would  crush  the  serpent's 
head.  That  was  Christ,  His  kingdom  is  the  church.  Well  then, 
St.  Augustine  exclaims:  "  0  happy  guilt  which  merited  such  and  so 
great  a  Redeemer.  "  ' 

In  the  beginning  God  saw  that  Adam  alone  was  not  perfect.  He 
could  not  generate  his  race  alone.  For  that  reason  God  putting  a 
deep  sleep  upon  him,  took  a  rib  from  his  side,  and  from  it  formed  a 
woman,  his  wife.  By  and  through  that  wife  he  generated  his  race, 
and  without  her  he  could  not  bring  forth  his  children,  images  of 
himself.     What  did  that  mean? 

Adam  was  but  the  image  of  Christ.  As  he  was  the  natural  head 
of  the  human  race,  so  Christ  is  the  supernatural  head  of  the  christ- 
ians. The  creation  of  Eve  was  but  a  figure  of  the  formation  of  the 
church.  When  Christ  died  upon  the  cross,  impelled  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  soldier  Longinus  opened  his  side  with  a  spear,  and 
there  came  forth  a  great  flood  of  water  and  blood.  *  Behold  the 
waters  of  baptism  and  the  blood  of  redemption.  That  moment  the 
church,  the  spouse  was  formed.  As  Eve  was  one  with  Adam,  one 
bone,  one  flesh,  so  the  church  is  one  with  Christ,  her  husband.  As 
Christ  is  one,  with  his  Father  in  heaven,  so  through  the  church 
we  are  one  with  him  and  in  him  and  by  him,  one  with  God.  "  Who 
is  he  that  overcometh  the  world  . .  .  .This  is  he  that  came  by  water 

and  blood And  there  are  three  that  give  testimony  in  heaven, 

the  Father,  the  Word  and  the  Holy  Ghost ....  and  these  three  are 
one.  And  there  are  three  that  give  testimony  on  earth,  the  Spirit, 
the  water  and  the  blood  and  these  three  are  one.''  Thus  St.  John  says 
that  as  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity  are  one  with  Christ,  so  Christ  with 
them  and  with  the  church  are  also  one.  *  Therefore  the  Holy  Trinity 
and  Christ  and  the  church  all  form  but  one,  for  through  the  church 
we  all  partake  in  the  divine  nature.  *  As  Adam  was  one  in  nature 
with  Eve  and  with  his  children,  as  through  her  he  brought  forth  his 
children,  so  through  the  church  the  Saviour  brings  forth  his  chil- 
dren his  **  sons  of  God.  "  * 

'  Cerem.  Bless.  Pascbal  Candle  Holy  Saturday.  »  John  xlx,  34. 

»  I  John  V.  5, 6.  7, 8.  *  II  Peter  i.  4.  »  John  1. 12. 


KELIGION  AND  POLITICS.  21 

At  creation  the  Imman  race  received  from  God  the  right  of  rul- 
ing themselves,  but  at  tJie  death  of  Adam  that  authority  descend- 
ed to  his  children  taken  altogether.  The  sons  of  Adam  have 
therefore  the  right  of  choosing  their  rulers,  the  presidents,  gov- 
ernments, kings  or  royal  houses.  They  have  the  right  of  regu- 
lating their  temporal  matters.  That  is  politics,  and  by  divine 
right  it  belongs  to  the  people  of  every  nation.  When  they  have  no 
government  the  authority  of  Adam  descended  to  the  chiefs  of 
families.  But  they  have  not  the  right  of  choosing  their  religion,  or 
of  changing  their  form  of  belief;  for  religion,  being  the  duties  of 
man  to  his  God,  to  his  neighbor,  and  himself,  no  one  but  God 
can  lay  down  the  way  he  is  to  be  worshipped,  or  the  service  he 
will  receive.  God  will  receive  only  that  homage  and  that  worship 
which  comes  to  him  through  his  Son,  who  by  the  Incarnation 
united  the  Godhead  with  all  creatures.  He  alone  is  the  bond  of 
unity  between  God  and  man. 

For  that  reason,  in  states,  in  governments,  and  in  politics,  all 
power  may  come  from  the  people  up  to  the  ruling  members  of  the 
government,  and  they  elect  their  rulers.  But  it  is  the  direct  opposite 
in  religious  aifairs.  In  the  Church  all  power  comes  down  from  its 
head,  Jesus  Christ,  through  the  Papacy,  through  the  bishops  and 
through  the  pastors  to  the  people.  Whence  the  people  do  not 
choose  their  pastors,  as  they  did  not  choose  their  Redeemer,  nor 
their  fathers,  for  these  were  given  them  by  God.  The  children  of 
Adam  did  not  choose  liim  for  their  father,  for  the  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost  in  their  eternal  processions  are  founded  in  the  divine  de- 
crees, and  in  the  very  nature  of  the  Godhead. 

There  is  no  power  but  from  God,  whether  it  comes  direct  from 
him  as  in  the  Church,  or  indirectly  through  the  people  to  the 
rulers,  as  in  politics.  It  is  still  the  authority  of  God,  and  they  that 
resist  it  resist  God  and  "  and  purchase  to  themselves  damnation."  ' 
All  other  Churches,  modeling  their  organizations  after  the  civil 
powers,  the  forms  of  governments  under  which  they  live,  the 
people  exercise  authority  in  the  Church,  they  put  the  laity  over 
the  ministers, — the  lower  over  the  higher,  which  is  wrong. 

The  mission  of  the  church  therefore  upon  this  earth  is  to  seek 
out  the  scattered  children  of  Adam  bending  under  the  heavy  bur- 
den of  sin,  sorrow,  and  death,  and  to  infuse  into  them  the  graces 
and  the  infinite  merits  of  her  head,  Jesus  Christ.  Sickness,  sorrow, 
death,  and  every  misery  finds  its  remedy  in  the  Church.  There, 
in  her,  all  men  find  saving  grace  flowing  from  the  wounds  of  the 
crucified  Lord.  "As  we  all  sinned  in  Adam  so  we  are  all  re- 
deemed in  Christ."  "'  That  as  sin  hath  reigned  to  death,  so  also 
grace  might  reign  by  justice  unto  life  everlasting  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord."'' 

To  redeem  ns,  he  took  upon  himself  our  fallen  nature,  he 
placed  his  second  Person  of  the  Trinity  in  the  place  of  the  human 
person  natural  to  us  all.     Thus  he  defied  us.     By  that  he  became 

>  Rom.  xili.  2.  2  jjQQ^  y  -20. 


22  CHRIST  THE  HEAD  OF  THE  RACE. 

the  great  high  Priest  of  the  whole  human  race,  the  eternal  Pontiff 
of  the  universe.  He  offered  himself,  his  life,  his  death  and  pas- 
sion, his  whole  being  as  a  sacrifice  for  all  our  sins.  Whence  he 
was  dead,  from  his  opened  side  was  born  che  Church  which  was  to 
replace  the  fallen  empire  of  the  faithless  sinning  Adam. 

The  fatherly  authority  of  Adam  was  to  continue  perhaps  over 
all  his  children,  and  last  through  all  ages,  for  he  was  not  to  die. 
His  was  to  be  a  universal,  civil,  political,  and  worldly  government. 
The  promised  Saviour,  came  to  take  the  place  of  the  dead  Adam 
and  by  the  church  to  rule  all  nations.  The  Jews  had  preserved 
the  memory  of  that  promise,  for  they  looked  for  a  Messiah  who 
would  make  them  rulers  over  all  the  earth.  They  expected  a 
political  and  worldly  power.  They  could  not  see  in  the  lowly 
Jesus,  a  king,  with  all  the  grandeur  they  had  expected.  They 
would  not  believe  that  he  came  to  establish  a  spiritual  kingdom, 
his  holy  Church,  which  was  to  unite  the  nations  in  an  organization 
greater  and  more  perfect  than  the  lost  kingdom  of  Adam. 

Cursed  by  God  for  the  sin  of  their  father,  the  children  of  Adam 
are  blessed  by  the  holiness  of  their  second  father,  Jesus  Christ. 
By  natural  generation  they  still  **  increase  and  multiply  "  '  for  the 
blessings  of  wedlock  were  not  taken  away  by  original  sin,  nor 
wiped  out  by  the  waters  of  the  flood.  "  The  Church,  the  body  of 
Christ,  meets  on  ev6ry  side  the  scattered  and  broken  remains  of 
Adam's  children,  and  she  gathers  them  into  her  bosom.  Through 
her  Christ  brings  forth  again  to  life  everlaSting  those  who  before 
had  been  born  to  death.  She  leads  them  into  the  boAvels  of  the 
mercy  of  our  God,  who  rising  from  on  high  comes  to  us  as  the 
giant  of  eternity  to  save  from  damnation  the  children  of  his  own 
race. 

The  plans  and  the  model  according  to  which  the  Church  was 
built,  will  not  be  found  on  earth,  cursed  by  sin,  nor  among  the  in- 
stitutions of  fallen  men.  We  must  look  higher  for  it.  In  heaven 
the  Father  is  the  principle  who  generates  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  proceeds  from  both  Father  and  Son,  both  together  sent  the 
Holy  Ghost  into  the  Church.  The  Son,  sent  into  the  world  is 
Christ  the  Redeemer,  who  in  his  turn  sent  the  apostles.  As  God 
is  the  head  of  Christ,  so  God  sent  Christ.  As  Christ  is  the  head 
of  the  Church,  so  he  sent  the  Apostles.  "  As  the  Father  hath 
sent  me  so  I  also  send  you." '  He  sent  them  as  he  himself  was 
sent  with  the  very  same  power  he  received  from  his  Father.  "  He 
that  receiveth  you  receiveth  me,  he  that  receiveth  me  receiveth 
him  that  sent  me."* 

The  church  then  comes  down  from  the  glorious  throne  of  God, 
bearing  in  its  bosom  and  in  its  structure  the  very  nature  of  the 
deity,  being  one  with  God  because  of  her  head  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
God  eternal.  The  bride  of  the  lamb  "  she  is  one  bone  and  one  flesh" 
with  her  husband  Jesus  Christ.  Because  he  is  her  head,  as  heat! 
and  body  are  one,  she  is  one  with  Christ.     With  him  she  comes 

>  Geo.  i.  28.     *  Men..  Rom..  Benedictlo  Spon.  et  Spoosse.     '  John  ix.  21.    *  Luke  xU.  28. 


THE  FATHER  SENT  THE  SON.  23 

down  from  the  Father  of  lights.  '  "  And  I,  John,  saw  the  holy  city, 
the  new  Jerusalem,  coming  down  out  of  heaven  from  God,  prepared 
as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband."  ^ 

The  Church  is  rooted  in  the  very  nature  of  the  Deity.  It  is  a 
copy  of  the  Trinity.  The  Son  was  born  of  the  Father  before  all 
ages.  "  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word  and  the  Word  was  with 
God.  And  the  word  was  God."  '^  The  Father  sent  the  Word,  the 
Son,  into  this  Avorld  that  the  world  might  be  redeemed  by  him. 

*'  And  the  Word  was  made  flesh  and  dwelled  amongst  us."  *  * '  And 
we  saw  His  glory  as  it  were  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God"  "  full 
of  grace  and  truth. " "  Twice  born  therefore,  was  the  Son  of 
God — once  from  his  Father  in  eternity,  and  that  is  called  His  eter- 
nal generation — again  from  his  Mother  in  time,  and  that  is  called 
his  mission.  But  he  never  left  the  bosom  of  his  Father,  for  he 
ever  remained  the  Son  of  God,  even  when  he  became  the  ''Son 
of  man."**  He  still  continues  his  relations  with  the  other  Persons 
of  the  Trinity. 

The  eternal  Father  sent  him  into  the  world,  because  he  is  ever 
generated  by  the  Father.  He  with  the  Father  sends  the  Holy 
Ghost  into  the  world,  because  the  latter  proceeds  from  both  Father 
and  Son.  The  Father  sending  his  Son  into  the  world,  invests  him 
with  the  sacred  character  of  the  Supreme  High-Priest  of  the  hu- 
man race,  to  which  he  united  to. and  assumed  at  his  second  birth. 
He  anoints  him  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  gives  him  "  all  power 
in  heaven  and  on  earth." '  He  sent  him  as  a  priest  forever  ac- 
cording to  the  order  of  Melchisedech/'  *  to  take  our  fallen  nature 
and  redeem  it — to  offer  it  as  the  Victim  of  the  Cross. 

But  that  is  not  all.  As  the  Father  gives  rise  and  origin  to  the 
Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  latter  proceeds  from  both  Father  and 
Son  together,  so  the  Holy  Spirit  gives  rise  to  no  other  person  in 
the  Trinity.  He,  as  it  were,  stands  between  God  and  man.  To 
him  was  given  to  form  the  holy  body  and  soul  of  Christ.  For 
Mary,  "  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost." "  He  not  only  made  the 
body  of  Christ,  but  he  dwelled  in  Him  from  the  beginning,  and 
during  all  His  life,  for,  "  he  was  full  of  grace  and  truth,"  "  and 
the  spirit  of  God  ever  rested  upon  him.  As  the  Church  is  but  an 
extension  of  the  body  and  soul  of  Christ,  ''the  first  born  among 
many  brethren,"  "  so  the  Holy  Ghost  animates  the  whole  Church. 
He  came  upon  her  in  fiery  tongues  the  day  of  Pentecost,"  Unseen 
because  he  is  a  spirit,  he  fills  the  bride  of  the  Lamb,  with  the  glories 
of  his  indwelling.  '^ 

Sent  by  his  Father,  Christ  comes  down  from  the  eternal  heights 
of  heaven  and  comes  into  the  earth.  He  in  his  turn  sends  his 
apostles,  "As  the  father  sent  me,  so  I  also  sent  you."  '^  From  his 
Father  he  received  all  the  powers  of  his  eternal  Priesthood  this  he 
gives  to  his  apostles.     "  All  power  is  given  me  in  heaven  and  on 

^  I  John  i.  5.  "  Apoc.  xxl.  2.  ^  jo^n  1. 1.  «  John  1. 14. 

*  John  i.  14.  «  Matt,  xxvili,  18.  7  Ps.  clx.  4.  «  Luke  1.  31. 

«  John  1.14.  10  Rom.  vlii,  29.  »i  Acts  11.  3. 

"  Cardinal  Manning  Internal  Mis.  Holy  Ghost.  "  jqJjq  ^x.  21. 


24  THE  FINE  HIERARCHIES. 

earth,  going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations." '  He  sends  them 
in  his  very  own  personality,  bearing  his  own  sacred  character  and 
the  same  with  the  Godhead  of  his  Father.  "  As  the  Father  hath 
sent  me  so  I  also  send  you.''  *  "  He  that  receiveth  whomsoever  I 
send,  receiveth  me,  and  he  that  receiveth  me  receiveth  him  that  sent 
me."  • 

Let  us  go  deeper.  A  hierarchy  is  a  relation  of  persons  one  above 
another,  bound  together  by  the  laws  of  their  nature.  In  God  is 
the  hierarchy  of  the  Trinity,  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost, 
proceeding  one  from  the  other,  according  to  the  eternal  and  un- 
changeable laws  of  their  eternal  nature.  There  is  another  hier- 
archy, that  of  Christ  generated  from  the  Father,  coming  to  the 
earth  and  assuming  our  nature.  There  is  another  hierarchy, 
that  of  Christ  sending  His  apostles  with  His  power  and 
priesthood  into  the  whole  world,  to  preach  the  tidings  of  redemp- 
tion, that  is  the  hierarchy  of  Christ  and  the  Church  universal. 
There  is  another  hierarchy,  that  of  the  bishops  and  dioceses  pro- 
ceeding from  the  universal  church,  and  founding  other  churches, 
the  parishes,  the  images  of  the  catholic  church  from  which  they 
proceed.  There  is  an  image  of  a  hierarchy  the  parish  proceeding 
from  the  diocese,  but  a  type  of  the  diocese  from  which  it  was  born. 
In  each  of  these  hierarchies  we  find  an  image  more  or  less  perfect 
of  the  blessed  Trinity,  after  which  they  were  all  formed. 

God  is  ever  with  His  Church  and  living  in  each  of  these  hierarch- 
ies which  he  made  to  the  image  and  likeness  of  God  in  the  Trinity 
'•  Behold  I  am  with  vou  all  days  even  to  the  consumation  of  the 
world."  *  God  is  the  Head  of  Christ.  '  "  Christ  is  the  Head  of  the 
church."  *  As  God  sent  Christ  that  is  the  Messiah,  which  means 
the  Sent,  so  Christ  sent  his  apostles,  his  Church.  "  Going  forth, 
therefore  teach  ye  all  nations.  '  To  save  the  race  he  was  first  born 
of  a  woman  like  unto  other  men.  "  When  the  fulness  of  time  was 
come,  God  sent  his  Son  made  of  a  woman."  *  He  in  his  turn  sent 
his  church  universal.  ''  As  the  Father  sent  me  so  I  also  send  you."* 
As  a  wise  builder  he  founded  his  church  in  the  bond  of  unity. 
"  Careful  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit, ....  in  bond  of  peace 
one  body,  one  Spirit,  . . .  .one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God 
the  Father  of  all,"  *"  To  keep  His  church  Catholic  together,  so  that 
nations  would  not  establish,  national  or  branch  churches,  he  found- 
ed the  Papacy  in  the  person  of  Peter,  giving  him  supreme  authority 
over  the  other  dioceses  and  churches,  mothers  of  the  lambs  and 
sheep  of  Christ.  "  Feed  my  lambs  Feed  my  sheep."  "  Until  we 
all  meet  in  the  unity  of  faith  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
God ....  unto  the  measure  of  the  fulness  of  Christ.  . .  .  but  doing  all 
truth  in  charity,  we  may  in  all  things  grow  up  in  him  who  is  the 
head  Christ."  " 

Thus  there  are  five  hierarchies  flowing  from  each  other  down  to 

>  Matt,  xxvlil.  18. 19.  »  John  xx.  21.  *  John  xiU.  30. 

«  Matt,  xxvlil.  20.  »  I  Cor.    xl.  14.  •  Eph.  v.  28.                  '  Matt,    xxvlll.  19. 

«  Gal.  Iv.  4  »  John.  xvll.  8.  "Eph.  Iv.  8.  4.  5.  6.        "  John.  xxU  17. 
>-  Ibidem.  13.  14.  15. 


THE  VV^ONDERS  OF  THE  HOUSE   OF  GOD.  25 

earth.  One  is  the  hierarchy  of  the  blessed  Persons  of  the  Trinity, 
of  whom  the  Father  is  the  head;  the  second  of  Christ  as  Man,  of 
whom  God  is  the  head;  the  third  of  Christ  and  the  Church  universal 
of  which  Christ  is  the  Head;  the  fourth  of  the  diocese  and  the  uni- 
versal Church,  of  which  the  Pope  is  the  head;  the  fifth  of  the  parish 
and  the  diocese,  of  which  the  bishop  is  the  head.  Such  are  the 
foundations  of  the  Church,  the  last  work  of  God  on  earth,  the  snj)- 
ernatural  acting  in  the  mind  of  man,  the  Trinity  living  on  earth. 
With  awe  and  holy  reverence  let  us  enter  and  see  the  wonders  of 
the  House  of  God,  that  temple  not  made  with  hands. 


mM}^ 


m^ 


creatures  with  their  Great  Crea- 
tor. That  Incarnation  is  the 
loving  embrace  of  the  finite  with 
the  Infinite.  That  union  of 
God  and  man  was  to  bridge  the 
chasm  of  infinity,  across  which 
the  fallen  children  of  Adam 
were  to  pass  to  heaven.  In  the 
Incarnation  of  Christ  the  crea- 
tion of  God  was  defied.  But 
the  founding  of  the  church  was 
to  be  the  extension  and  the  na- 
tural consequence  of  the  incar- 
nation. For  the  church  is  the 
organization  created  by  Christ 
which  brings  forth,  nourishes, 
and  saves  the  children  of  Adam. 


CHRIST  AND  THE  CHURCH  ARE  ONE.  37 

As  God,  Christ  is  not  only  the  Creator  of  all  things,  but  by  the 
incarnation  he  became  also  the  head  of  every  creature.  "  All  things 
were  made  by  him,  and  without  him  was  made  nothing  which  was 
made."  '  "  He  is  the  head  of  the  whole  city  Jerusalem,  with  all  the 
faithful,  from  the  beginning  even  unto  the  end,  to  which  are  united 
the  legions  of  angels,  that  there  may  be  one  city  under  one  king." ' 
Creatures  were  made  to  the  image  and  to  the  likeness  of  God.  In 
the  Holy  Trinity,  in'  the  mighty  Three  in  One,  in  the  Family  of 
heaven  ;  there  we  find  the  plan,  the  model  of  the  church.  The  Son 
ever  coming  forth  from  the  Father  by  intellectual  generation,  the 
Holy  Ghost  always  coming  from  the  Father  and  from  the  Son,  there 
is  the  pattern  of  the  church.  Eve  was  made  from  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  Adam  ;  their  child  was  born  of  both  and  these  three  were  of  one 
human  nature,  as  the  three  Persons  of  the  Trinity  form  one  God- 
head. There,  in  the  Trinity,  we  find  the  type  according  to  which 
Christ  built  his  church. 

The  only  begotten  Son,  sent  by  his  Father  into  this  world,  be- 
cause he  is  generated  by  the  Father,  that  divine  Son  comes  into  this 
world  to  seek  the  scattered  members  of  his  race,  the  children  of  men 
bent  and  broken  by  the  sin  of  his  father  Adam,  he  seeks  his  child- 
ren, still  born  of  man  and  woman  everywhere  coming  into  the  world 
bearing  the  remains  of  that  original  sin.  The  new  Adam,  Jesus 
Christ,  forms  from  his  side  his  bride,  his  spouse  his  holy  church. 
By  her  he  brings  them  forth,  again  born  of  him  and  of  her  by  bap- 
tism his  children  unto  everlasting  life.  Born  of  him,  he  feeds  them 
on  his  body  and  blood,  and  he  nourishes  them  by  his  graces  given  by 
the  other  sacraments.  By  and  in  the  church,  the  Son  of  God  as- 
sumes them,  embraces  them,  assimilates  them  and  incorporates 
them  into  mystic  body,  making  of  them  his  new  body,  his  own  flesh 
and  blood,  building  his  church  of  them  the  sinful  scattered  children 
of  Adam.  By  his  church  he  raises  them  up  to  the  infinite  height  of 
the  championship  and  society  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  of  which  he  is 
the  Second  Person  equal  to  the  others.  "  1'hat  you  may  have  fellow- 
ship with  us,  and  our  fellowship  maybe  with  the  Father,  and  with 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  ^ 

All  perfections  of  the  body  are  in  the  head.  For  tlie  head  and 
the  body  make  only  one  organism — one  living  being.  As  God  is 
the  head  of  Christ,  Christ  is  one  and  equal  to  the  Father.  As  Christ 
is  the  head  of  the  church,  so  she  may  be  called  the  one  being  with 
Christ,  and  by  him  one  being  with  the  Most  Holy  Trinity.  The  Son, 
the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  one.  "  And  these  three  are 
one."  *  The  church  and  Christ  are  morally  one,  and  these  three, 
God,  Christ  and  the  church  are  one  in  this  sense. 

The  eternal  Father  opens  his  mind  and  gives  rise  to  the  Son:  the 
Word  of  God.  "  And  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was 
God."  ^  The  side  of  the  Son  was  opened  by  Longinus  on  Calvary 
and  then  the  church  was  born  of  the  waters  of  baptism  and  the 
blood  of  Kedemption.    ' '  And  there  are  three  who  give  testimony  in 

1  John  i.  3.  2  St.  Aug.  Innar.  In  Ps.  xxxv.  «  I.  John  1, 3.  *  I.  John  ■".  7. 

'  John.  i. 


28  WHY  THE  SON  BECAME  MA.K. 

heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  these  three 
are  one.  And  there  are  three  that  give  testimony  on  earth,  the 
Spirit,  the  water  and  the  blood  and  these  three  are  one." '  That 
mystery  was  before  prefigured  in  the  creation  of  the  first  man 
Adam,  on  whom  God  cast  a  deep  sleep,  and  from  his  side  took  a 
wife,  a  spouse,  by  whom  he  was  to  bring  fortli  his  children,  an  im- 
age of  the  church  of  God,  by  whom  Christ  brings  forth  his  children 
unto  everlasting  life.  " 

The  divine  Word,  the  image  of  the  Father  became  man  for  us 
sinners  and  for  our  salvation,  that  he  might  become  the  father  of  the 
faithful,  and  bring  forth  a  new  race,  the  christians.  The  Church 
he  founded  to  become  the  mother  of  his  children.  From  the 
head  all  perfections  flow  down  into  the  body,  which,  with  the  head 
make  one  living  organism.  So  all  members  of  the  church  form 
with  him  one  mystic  body,  from  him  receiving  all  benefits,  graces, 
blessings,  and  salvation,  for  "^  of  his  fulness  we  have  all  received."' 
By  the  ministry  of  his  priests  he  brings  into  his  mystic  body  the 
church  all  souls  saved  by  him.  By  that  he  forms  them  to  his  own 
image,  and  likeness.  "  Whom  he  foreknew,  he  also  predestined  to 
be  made  comformable  to  the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the 
first-born  among  many  brothers."  *  '*  God  will  ever  after  call  them 
sons  and  we  will  call  him  Father,  because  by  him,  his  Son.  we  be- 
come his  sons."  "  Behold  what  manner  of  charity  the  Father  hath 
bestowed  on  us  that  we  should  be  called  and  should  be  the  sons 
of  God."  *  He  came  for  love  of  us.  He  died  by  love,  sent  by  the 
Father  to  die  for  us.  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world  as  to  give  his 
only  begotten  Son."'     But  that  was  not  enough. 

To  the  uttermost  ends  of  the  earth,  the  glad  tidings  of  the  re- 
demption was  to  be  preached  by  Christ  and  him  crucified,  told  to 
every  tribe  and  tongue  and  race  and  nation,  that  all  mankind  might 
benefit  in  the  death  of  Christ.  Heaven  was  opened  not  only  for  the 
generations  or  for  the  people  living  in  the  time  of  Christ,  but  for  all 
peoples  born  into  this  world  unto  the  end  of  time.  For  that  great 
work  he  founded  and  organized  his  universal  Church  that  in  his 
place  and  by  his  power  and  authority,  she  might  lead  them  all  up 
to  himself  in  heaven. 

Christ  as  God  is  the  Second  Person  of  the  Trinity,  co-equal  with 
the  others  in  eternity.  In  becoming  man  he  united  the  natures  of 
God  and  man  in  that  one  Person  of  the  divine  Son.  In  him  our 
nature  was  raised  to  the  heights  of  the  infinite  Deity.  By  him 
alone  are  we  raised  up  to  be  the  partakers  of  the  divine  nature  liv- 
ing in  the  very  life  of  God  and  in  the  delights  of  heaven,  "  sous  of 
God  by  adoption."'  **  For  there  is  no  other  name  under  heaven 
given  to  men  whereby  we  may  be  saved."  *  He  is  then  the  only 
Saviour. 

When  the  dark  shadows  of  death  were  closing  around  the  Son 
of  God,  when  after  the  last  supper,  praying  for  his  whole  Church 
he  said  :  "  Holy  Father  keep  them  in  my  name that  they  may 

»  I.  John  V.  7, 8.        »  Gen.  xl.  21. 22.         »  John  1, 16.       *  Rom.  vlU.  29.       »  I.  John  HI.  1. 
*  John  Ul.  16.  ">  Epb.  5.  "  Acts  iv,  12. 


HOW  GOD  AND  THE  CHUKCH    ARE   ONE.  29 

be  one  as  we  also  are.  " '  He  prayed  not  only  for  the  apostles 
around  him,  but  also  for  all  the  members  of  the  Church  till  the  end 
of  time,  that  they  might  be  one  with  him,  and  through  Him  one 
with  the  other  members  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  "  And  not  for  them 
only  do  I  pray,  but  for  them  also,  who  through  their  word  shall 
believe  in  me.  " '  He  prayed  for  the  members  of  his  whole  Church, 
that  not  only  might  they  be  one  in  doctrine  and  one  in  faith,  but 
that  they  might  be  one  Church  organization  Avith  him  united  and 
in  him,  one  with  the  Holy  Trinity.  "That  they  may  be  one  as 
thou  Father  in  Me  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  may  be  also  one  in  us.  " ' 

From  him,  then  the  Church  receives  the  glories  of  heaven,  in 
him  and  by  him  and  from  him  comes  the  delights  of  the  divinity^ 
because  by  and  in  him  the  Church  universal  is  absorbed  and  raised 
up  into  the  divine  nature.  "  And  the  glories  which  thou  hast  given 
to  me,  I  have  given  them,  that  they  may  be  one  as  we  also  are 
one. "  *  God  is  the  head  of  Christ,  by  and  through  the  union  of  God 
and  man,  in  the  incarnation,  God  raises  up  to  himself  in  heaven 
all  the  members  of  the  church.  From  the  state  of  fallen  nature 
He  elevates  them  to  the  unthinkable  state  of  the  divine  nature,  to 
their  union  with  the  blessed  Trinity,  to  the  happiness  of  heaven, 
to  the  beatific  vision  of  God,  to  live  God's  own  life,  to  become  the 
partakers  of  the  infinite  happiness  of  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity,  "  I 
m  them  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one."  * 
Thus  the  Church  is  one  with  Christ,  and  through  Him  one  with  the 
holy  Trinity.  Not  only  that  but  God  loves  the  Church  as  he 
loves  His  only  Son.  "And  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast 
sent  me  and  hast  loved  them  as  thou  hast  loved  me. '"'  *  The  Church 
being  the  body  of  Christ,  he  prays  for  his  body,  that  all  the 
faithful  members  of  the  Church  visible  on  earth  may  be  with  him; 
partakers  of  his  divine  nature,  partners  in  his  glory,  united  by 
liim  to  his  Father  in  heaven.  "Father,  I  will  that  where  lam, 
they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me  may  be  with  me.  "  ' 

The  Son  of  God,  the  Word  or  Idea  of  the  Father,  the  Eeason,  the 
Plan  according  to  which  all  things  were  made  was  God  before  the 
incarnation,  the  equal  of  the  other  Persons  of  the  Trinity.  The 
height  of  God  above  creation  is  infinite,  and  no  created  mind  can 
conceive  the  distance  separating  creature  and  Creator.  The  gift 
of  grace  freely  given  to  Adam  and  his  race  was  lost  by  sin.  There 
sin  stood  an  impassible  gulf  between  God  and  man.  For  sin  is  an 
offence  against  an  infinite  God;  in  that  it  is  infinite  and  required  an 
infinite  price,  an  infinite  and  measureless  merit  to  wipe  it  out.  Then 
the  Son  became  man.  He  placed  the  Person  of  the  Son  in  the  place 
of  the  human  person,  which  individualizes  each  member  of  our  race. 
Thus  Christ  as  God  and  man  was  one  person,  one  being,  one  indi- 
vidual with  the  double  nature  of  God  and  man.  By  that  ineffable 
union,  the  closest  which  could  exist,  man  became  one  with  God, 
our  human  nature  was  raised  to  the  throne  of  the  Infinite,  the  bond 
of  creature  and  Creator  was  finished,  God  became  our  brother,  the 

»  John  X.  7,  3.       *  Johnxvli.  20.       ^  jobn  xvil,  21.       *  John  xvil,  23.         ■»  John  xvll.  S3. 
*  John  xvii,  23.      '  John  xvii,  21.  34. 


30  CHRIST  THE  SOUBCE  OF  LIGHT  AND  GRACE. 

chasm  of  infinity  was  bridged,  the  link  binding  heaven  and  earth 
was  made,  then  the  High  Priest  of  eternity  was  consecrated  by  his 
Father  with  these  words:  "  From  the  womb  before  the  day-star  I 
begot  thee  .  .  .  .Thou  art  a  priest  forever  according  to  the  order  of 
Melchisedech.  " ' 

An  honor  to  one  is  an  honor  to  all.  In  the  incarnation  the  human 
race  received  its  crown.  By  his  eternal  Priesthood  Christ  offered 
his  human  nature,  his  body  and  soul,  his  life  and  sufferings  as  a  sac- 
rifice to  his  Father,  for  the  sins  of  the  membei-s  of  the  fallen  human 
race.  God  the  Son  is  the  grace  and  light  which  flow  down  on 
angels.  As  man  all  graces  and  benefits  of  redemption  come  from 
him  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  ever  coming  from  him  into  man.  With- 
out him,  the  Word  of  the  intellect  of  God,  no  created  mind  can 
reason  or  think.  Being  by  the  incarnation  the  bond  of  union,  be- 
tween God  and  man,  by  him,  in  him,  and  through  him'alone  is  salva- 
tion, as  he  says  '*  No  one  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  me."  " 

The  divine  Word  is  the  head  of  Christ.  In  him  the  Deity  rules 
the  humanity.  God  is  the  head  of  man  in  Christ.  But  it  was  meet 
and  just  that  he  might  lead  the  other  members  of  his  race  up  to  the 
height  of  his  divine  nature,  that  he  might  make  them  also  partakers 
of  his  eternal  happiness  and  glory,  give  them  the  priceless,  measure- 
less gift  of  heaven,  and  lead  them  into  the  society  and  companion- 
sliip  of  his  Father  and  Holy  Ghost;  *'  Father"  he  says  "  I  will  that 
where  I  am  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  may  be  with  me, 
that  they  may  see  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me,  because 
thou  hast  loved  me  before  the  creation  of  the  world.  "  *  As  the 
human  nature  of  Christ  united  to  God  partakes  in  the  ineffable 
and  infinite  joys  of  the  divine  nature  in  union  with  the  Word  in 
heaven,  so  men  redeemed  become  in  heaven  partakers  in  the  very 
life  of  God,  living  his  infinitely  happy  life,  filled  with  the  super- 
natural outpouring  of  God. 

The  church  composed  of  men  redeemed  by  Christ,  extending  to 
every  tribe  and  tongue,  formed  of  the  brethren  of  Jesus  Christ  the 
divine  Son  who  became  man,  she  partakes  of  His  human  and  divine 
natures.  The  Holy  Spirit  ever  coming  forth  from  the  Son  and 
from  the  Father,  he  is  ever  coming  from  the  divine  nature  of  the 
Father  and  of  Christ,  he  proceeds  into  the  world,  forming  the  church, 
animating  that  whole  organization  of  which  Christ  is  the  head.  By 
grace  he  dwells  within  us,  making  us  one  with  him  and  with  Clirist 
our  head.  *  The  Holy  Spirit  animates  that  church,  the  body  of 
Christ,  somewhat  as  the  human  soul  animates  the  body.  Christ  and 
the  Holy  Spirit  are  ever  in  the  church.  "  In  that  day  you  shall 
know  that  I  am  in  my  Father  and  you  in  me  and  I  in  you.  "  '  That 
is  the  consolation  of  a  christian  in  trials  and  troubles  of  this  world. 
"  These  things  have  I  spoken  to  you  that  my  joy  may  be  in  you, 
and  your  joy  may  be  filled.  "  ' 

God  is  the  head  of  Christ,  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church,  and 
these  three  are  one.     Such  is  the  burden  of  our  story.     We  are 

»  Psalm  cix.  8. 4.  ■'  John  xlv.  6.       '  John  xvll,  84.       ••  Ephes.  t.  5.  Rom.  xl.  4. 

*Johnxlv.  20.  •  Johnl.lv. 


THE  PERSONS  OF  THE  TEINITY.  31 

one  with  the  church,  one  with  Christ  and  by  him  we  will  be  at  our 
death  raised  up  to  the  supernatural  state  of  living  the  divine  life 
of  the  most  Holy  Trinity.  That  comes  through  Christ  our  Saviour. 
''Our  peace  is  a  sacrifice  worthy  of  God,  and  the  redeemed  are 
united  in  the  unity  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost." ' 

Let  us  understand  it  better.  The  Father  ever  looking  on  his 
eternal  glories,  brings  forth  his  Son,  the  product  of  his  mind,  the 
Idea,  the  Thought,  the  Word  of  God."  The  Word  or  Son  of  God 
is  equal  to  the  Father  m  all  things,  for  in  God  all  must  be  infinitely 
perfect.  For  in  him  can  be  nothing  imperfect.  The  Son  then 
<3aunot  be  less  than  the  other  Persons  divine.  For  that  reason  the 
Son  is  a  divine  eternal  Person.  The  Father  loves  the  Son.  For 
the  Son  is  perfect  and  perfection  ever  inspires  love.  The  Son  loves 
the  Father,  for  the  latter  is  also  perfect.  There  comes  forth  then 
from  both  Father  and  Son,  Love.  This  Love  also  must  be  perfect 
for  nothing  imperfect  can  be  in  God,  who  in  every  way  is  infinitely 
perfecD.  Then  coming  forth  from  both  the  Father  and  the  Son  we 
find  Love,  an  infinitely  perfect  Love,  and  that  is  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  comes  forth  equally  from  both  Father  and  Son.  Such  is  the 
■eternal  and  everliving  life  of  God.  His  life  is  the  society  of  the 
Persons  of  the  Trinity.  From  the  first  the  two  others  have  ever  been 
coming.  They  are  still  being  brought  forth  and  they  will  unto 
eternity. 

To  the  image  and  likeness  of  the  Trinity  God  made  each  being 
and  all  creatures.  The  life  and  the  generation  of  creatures  are  but 
imperfect  images  of  the  production  of  Persons  in  God.  "Shall 
not  I  that  make  others  to  bring  forth  children,  myself  bring  forth 
saith  the  Lord?"  ^  To  the  image  and  likeness  of  the  Trinity,  God 
formed  his  church.  The  Son  being  the  Thought  of  the  Father,  in 
him  are  all  sciences,  all  learning,  all  perfections  which  can  be.  For 
that  reason  all  things  were  made  according  to  him  as  their  model. 
*'A11  things  were  made  by  him  and  without  him  was  nothing  made 
that  was  made. "  *  "  The  first  born  among  many  brethren,"  ^  every 
man  is  but  an  image  of  the  Man-God  Jesus  Christ. 

But  the  last  work  of  God's  Son  is  the  Church.  He  founded  the 
•Church  on  the  model  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  As  we  read  this  book  we 
will  see  more  clearly  how  the  Church  resembles  the  august  Trinity. 
In  the  creation  of  this  world  the  Son  was  the  counsellor  of  the  Father. 
* '  1  Wisdom  dwelled  in  Council  and  am  present  in  learned  thoughts, 
and  my  delights  were  to  be  with  the  children  of  men."  ^  As  math- 
ematics are  the  natural  revelations  of  the  Son,  so  we  find  all  na- 
ture ruled  by  mathematiss.  The  Holy  Ghost  was  there  at  creation 
as  the  Mover  of  matter.  "  For  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  over  the 
waters.'"  He  appeared  to  Moses  in  the  burning  bush,  he  gave 
the  ten  commandments  to  Moses  on  the  mount,  his  glory  filled  the 
temple  built  by  Solomon,  he  inspired  prophets;  he  came  on  Christ; 
in  fiery  tongues,  he  descended  on  the  apostles  and  that  "  Spirit  of 

1  St.  Cyprian  de  Orat.  Dom.  n.  23.       «  John  1. 1.  2.  »  jgaias  M.  9.  *  John.  i.  3. 

*  Rom.  viil.  29.         «  Prov.  xxx.  12.    '  Gen.  1.  2. 


32  THE  SON  AND  SPIRIT  OF  THE   CHURCH. 

truth  which  the  world  cannot  receive.  .  .  .  but  you  shall  know  him, 
because  he  shall  abide  with  you  and  shall  be  in  you/'  *  that 
Spirit  of  Christ  proceeding  from  the  Word  now  vivifies  and  ani- 
mates the  Church.  "  Behold  1  am  with  3'ou  all  days,  even  to  the 
consummation  of  the  world." "  Then  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are, 
in  the  Church.  One  is-the  head  and  the  spouse  of  the  Church 
the  other  is  her  Spirit.  The  Church  is  the  organization  animated 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Church  is  the  body  of  which  Christ  is  the 
head. 

It  was  not  enough  for  Three  Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity  ta 
dwell  alone  in  their  eternal  beatitude.  Forming  th£  heavenly 
Family,  ever  producing  and  produced  they  lived  in  glory.  The 
Son  and  Spirit  of  God  left  their  sacred  sanctuary  of  heaven,  sent 
by  the  Father  from  whom  they  proceed.  "  For  the  Son  of  man  is 
come  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  '  From  the  members  of  the 
fallen  race,  they  formed  the  Church,  one  with  themselves,  Christ 
as  the  head,  the  Spirit  as  the  soul  its  supernatural  life.  "  And  the 
word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  amongst  us,  and  we  saw  his  glory, 
as  it  were  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father."*  "  I  will  ask  of  the 
Father  and  he  shall  give  you  another  Paraclete,  who  will  teach 
you  all  things  and  will  abide  M'ith  you  forever."  *  The  Son  and 
Spirit  of  God  embrace  the  Church.  They  reside  in  the  souls  of  her 
members.  They  raise  men  up  to  the  incomprehensible  height  of 
the  Trinity.  They  give  us  to  live  their  own  very  life,  and  in  heaven 
where  alone  that  union  with  God  is  complete,  they  give  to  saints 
and  angels  to  live  the  supernatural  life  and  happiness  of  God. 
"In  him  was  life  and  life  was  the  light  of  men." '  The  Son  came 
into  this  world  to  give  the  life  of  God  to  the  children  of  Adam, 
dead  by  their  father's  sin.  "  I  came  that  they  may  have  life  and 
have  it  more  abundantly."^ 

Christ  is  God  and  man.  Inhimthehumanand  the  divine  natures 
united  in  the  second  Person  of  the  Godhead.  By  that  incarna- 
tion, human  nature  received  all  the  rights,  privileges  and  merits  of 
God,  for  in  him  God  and  man  form  only  one  jierson.  As  man  is 
the  compendium  of  the  universe,  as  we  are  the  mineral,  the  vege- 
table, the  animal  and  the  angel  all  united  in  one  person,  it  follows 
that  the  universe  of  God's  creation  was  divinized  or  completed  in 
Christ.  When  he  became  man,  he  crowned  creation  by  his  in« 
carnation.  In  him  the  natural  and  the  supernatural  unite.  He  is 
the  fountain  spring  from  wliich  all  the  supernatural  work  begins  in 
God  his  head  and  flows  down  on  all  creatures  of  an  intellectual 
nature,  streaming  down  on  both  angels  and  men.  In  him  are  all 
perfections,  holiness,  truth,  grace.  Thus  the  world  cursed  by  sin, 
18  blessed  by  him.  In  him  the  human  and  tlie  divine  natures  united 
in  and  through  his  divine  person.* 

It  follows  that  the  divinity  rules  the  liuman  in  him.  The  di- 
vine nature  being  infinite,  and  in  him  being  united  to  our  human 
nature,  by  such  a  union  in  one  Person  of  the  divine  Son,  it  follows 

•    >  John  xtv.  17.        '  Math,  xxvlll.  20       »  Math.  x\rliJ.  11.       *  John  1. 14.        »  John  xlv.  16. 
•  John  I,  4.  '  John  x.  1<».  "  St.  Thotna.<«  Snni.  Theolog. 


THE  EXTERIOR  OF  THE  CATHEDRAL,  SIENNA,  ITALY. 


34  THE  CHURCH  ELEVATES  MANKIND. 

that  this  htiman  nature  of  ours  now  sits  on  the  eternal  throne,  one 
with  God.  From  the  boundless  abundance  of  the  perfections  of 
the  Deity,  that  human  nature  of  Christ  showers  down  his  graces 
and  blessings  on  manicind  by  and  through  the  Church,  of  which 
he  is  the  head.  He  is  our  head  and  we  are  his  members.  We 
form  his  body  which  is  the  church.  By  baptism  we  are  born 
again  into  the  Church  his  body.  From  the  head  the  members  of 
the  body  receive  all  life,  nerve  force,  and  animation.  Cut  off  a 
member  from  the  body  and  it  dies,  for  it  receives  no  more  life 
from  the  head.  While  united  to  the  Church,  we  ever  receive  su- 
pernatural life  and  grace  from  Christ  Her  head.  When  we  cut  our- 
selves away  from  the  Church  by  infidelity,  we  are  no  more  in 
union  with  Christ,  and  if  we  die  in  that  state,  we  remain  separated 
from  him  in  eternity.  The  soul  separated  from  God  forever  in  the 
other  life  is  in  hell,  for  heaven  is  the  union  of  the  soul  with  God  and 
hell  is  the  separation  of  the  soul  from  God  in  the  otlier  life.  Being 
Son  of  God  by  nature,  Christ  gives  us  to  be  the  Sons  of  God  by 
adoption,^  that  is  partakers  of  God  by  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  When  we  are  united  to  the  Church  he  animates  us  in  this 
world,  then  he  gives  us  to  see  him  with  the  light  of  glory  in  the  otlier 
world  which  is  heaven.  "  As  many  as  received  him  he  gave  them 
power  to  be  made  the  sons  of  God."'  From  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God  and  of  man,  comes  to  us  through  the  Church,  redemption, 
salvation,  civilization,  culture,  wisdom,  refinement,  progress,  grace, 
peace,  all  which  elevate  mankind.  From  him  as  God,  they  flow 
down  into  his  human  nature  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  comes  fron> 
him  and  the  Father  an:3  these  benefits  are  spread  by  the  Church 
into  all  lands  and  climes.  AVhere  the  Church  has  spread,  there 
you  find  true  progress,  true  civilization,  true  religion.  Where  she 
has  not  passed ;  men  who  have  forgotten  primitive  religion,  are  cruel, 
barbarous,  uncivilized.  For  the  Church  being  the  body  of  Christ, 
from  him  her  head  as  God,  all  members  partake  in  the  divine  na- 
ture, from  him  receiving  grace  in  this  life,  and  the  union  and  the 
vision  of  God  in  the  other  life,  of  which  grace  in  this  life  is  but  the 
means  and  the  preparation. 

Death  came  upon  us  by  sin.  "  For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death.*'  * 
But  Christ  was  free  from  sin.  In  him  the  divine  nature  ruled  the 
human  nature,  and  he  could  not  sin.  "  Which  of  you  will  convince 
me  of  sin?"*  His  human  nature  was  the  most  perfect  creature 
God  ever  created.  He  took  human  nature  to  redeem  the  race  of 
men  to  whom  he  belonged.  For  that  was  he  born.  **  For  this 
was  I  born"  to  do  the  will  of  God.*  "  In  the  head  of  the  book 
it  is  written  of  me  that  I  do  thy  will  0  God."  '  By  his  passion  he 
redeemed  human  nature  from  the  sin  of  Adam  as  well  as  the  sins 
of  all  his  children.  He  merited  for  us  and  for  himself  the  glory 
of  heaven.  "  Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered  these  things,  and 
80  enter  into  his  glory?  "  ^ 

Not  for  himself  died  he,  but  for  all  the  children  of  Adam,  that 

>  III  John  V.  4.       «  John  1. 12.  *  Rom.  vl.  2. 3.  ♦  John  vlll.  26,         »  John  xxvlll.  37. 

•  PHam  zxix.  9.       ^  Luke  xxiv.  26. 


HOW  CHRIST  REDEEMED  US.  35 

he  might  satisfy  the  eternal  justice  of  his  outraged  Father,  God. 
"  For  it  becamie  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  whom  are  all 
things,  who  had  brought  many  children  unto  glory,  to  perfect  the 
author  of  their  salvation  by  his  passion.^"  Not  for  himself  he 
died  but  for  us,  "  He  sanctified  himself  for  them.  "  *  From  the 
moment  of  his  birth  he  wished  his  death.  "I  have  a  baptism 
wherewith  I  am  to  be  baptized,  and  how  am  I  straitened  until 
it  be  accomplished  ?  " '  If  he  died  not,  he  alone  Avould  have  been 
sanctified  and  entered  into  his  glory,  while  we  would  have  been 
damned.  He  was  the  grain  of  wheat,  which  falling  into  the 
ground,  sprouted  forth,  grew  up  and  gave  rise  to  many  like  him- 
self, sons  of  God.  *  That  through  the  grace  of  God  he  might 
taste  death  for  all.  "'  In  his  death  the  justice  of  God  was  satis- 
fied for  sin,  and  the  race  of  Adam  was  redeemed. 

Christ  being  the  Word  of  the  Father,  and  equally  God  with  him,  * 
the  divine  nature  of  Christ  could  not  suffer.  But  the  divine  and 
the  human  natures  being  in  him  united  in  the  divine  Word,  the 
second  Person  of  the  Trinity,  our  human  nature  alone  suffered  and 
died.  That  human  nature  had  not  a  human  person,  but  the  Person 
of  the  Word  of  God  took  its  place.  The  acts  and  the  merits  of  a 
nature  belong  not  to  the  nature  but  to  the  person.  In  Christ  was 
the  second  Person  of  the  Divinity,  which  individualized  that^human 
nature  common  to  us  all.  The  merits  of  Christ  followed  the 
Person  upholding  his  human  nature.  Then  the  merits  of  Christ 
followed  his  Person,  and  partook  of  the  dignity  of  that  divine  and 
infinite  incarnate  Person  of  the  Word  of  God.  Hissufferings  and  his 
merits  must  then  be  measured  according  to  the  dignity  of  his 
Person.  The  Person  of  Christ  being  infinite,  so  his  merits  were  in- 
finite in  value,  imiversal  in  extent  and  measureless  as  the  divine  Son. 
One  drop  of  his  blood,  one  moment  of  pain  would  have  redeemed  a 
million  worlds  and  races  of  men.  Infinite  then  are  his  graces,  his 
merits  and  his  redemption. 

As  head  of  the  church,  from  his  merits  and  from  his  measure- 
less ocean  of  graces,  he  showers  down  salvation  on  the  children  of 
men.  But  like  all  other  works  of  God,  the  benefits  of  redemption 
come  according  to  regular  order.  He  works  salvation  only  in  his 
body,  the  church,  that  is  in  the  souls  which  at  least  by  desire  and 
love  belong  to  his  church.  His  Spirit,  who  comes  forth  from  him, 
saves  only  in  the  church,  as  the  soul  works  only  in  the  body,  and 
does  not  animate  things  outside  the  body  of  man.  Things  not 
belonging  to  a  man's  body  are  not  animated  by  his  soul,  so  people 
not  belonging  at  least  to  the  soul  of  the  church,  the  body  of 
Christ,  are  not  animated  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  They  are  outside 
of  the  pale  of  salvation.  For  he  saves  only  his  church,  for  only 
those  who  are  united  to  his  Spirit  are  redeemed,  only  his  body  be- 
longs to  the  head. 

Such  is  the  teaching  of  the  fathers,  those  great  writers  who 
gathered  up  the  teachings  of  the  apostles,  St.  Cyprian  says.     "  The 

»  Heb.  il.  10.        '  John  xvii.  19.         »  Luj^g  jji,  50.         *  john  xii.  24.  25.         »  Heb.  II.  9. 
•  John  1.  2. 


36  CHRIST    BORN  THREE   TIMES. 

Lord  said.  "  I  and  the  father  are  one,"  '  and  again  it  is  written  of 
the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit.^  "  And  those  three  are  one  "  and 
who  believes  that  this  unity  coming  from  the  divine  firmness,  and 
adhering  to  the  heavenly  mysteries  can  be  cut  away  from  the 
church.^  In  another  place,  he  says:  "  Who  so  foolisly  looks  for 
discord,  as  to  believe  the  church  can  be  divided,  or  dares  to  divide 
the  unity  of  God, .  .  .  the  church  of  Christ  ?  " '  The  writings  of 
the  fathers  of  the  church  are  filled  with  such  teachings. 

He  died.  Yet  death  did  not  have  dominion  over  him.*  He 
rose  from  the  grave,  as  from  a  new  birth.*  As  he  died  for  us,  so 
he  rose  for  us  all,  and  his  resurrection  is  the  pledge  and  the  seal 
of  our  glorious  and  immortal  resurrection  from  the  grave  on  the  last 
day.  That  will  be  the  day,  when  not  only  our  soul,  but  also  the 
body  will  be  immortal  like  unto  his  body,  now  immortal  and  spirit- 
ualized in  the  everlasting  glories  of  the  skies.  Thus  born  of  the 
Father  before  all  ages,  he  was  also  born  of  his  Father  the  day  of  his 
resurrection.  Of  that  the  Father  says:  "  This  day  I  have  begotten 
thee."  By  the  first  birth  he  is  the  Son  of  God ;  by  the  second 
birth  he  is  the  son  of  Mary;  by  the  third  birth  he  became  "  the 
first  born  among  many  brethren."  '  Birth  is  the  origin  of  a  being 
in  which  he  receives  his  nature.  In  the  first  birth  Christ  is  the 
Son  of  God,  the  Word  of  the  Father,  in  the  second  birth  he  be- 
came the  Son  of  man  by  his  birth  from  Mary,  but  in  his  third  birth 
he  became  the  head  of  the  church,  the  source  of  redemption  for 
all  the  members  of  his  mystic  body,  his  kingdom  on  earth.  "By 
that  he  entered  into  glory  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world 
was."* 

His  death  was  for  us  all.  By  that  death  we  were  all  buried 
with  him  in  the  waters  of  baptism,  by  which  we  become  bone  of 
his  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh.  For  we  form  the  church  his  spouse, 
all  we  who  come  forth  from  him  by  the  waters  of  baptism  and  the 
blood  of  redemption.  When  dead  on  the  cross,  his  side  was  opened 
by  Longinus.  Then  was  the  church  his  chosen  people  born,  as 
long  before  Eve  was  formed  from  the  side  of  Adam,  to  be  his 
wife  and  to  become  the  mother  of  his  children.  Adam,  Eve,  and 
their  children  are  one  fleah  and  blood,  forming  one  human  race. 
So  Christ  and  the  church  are  one  race,  one  body,  one  organization. 
At  his  death  he  became  the  father  and  the  head  of  a  new  race,  of 
the  christians,  who  came  forth  generated  by  him  through  the 
church  his  spouse,  as  before  Adam  and  Eve  generated  their  child- 
ren. "Know  ye  not  that  all  wlio  are  baptized  in  Christ  Jesus,  are 
baptized  in  hisdeath  ?  "  For  we  are  all  buried  with  him  by  baptism 
unto  death,  that  as  Christ  is  risen  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of 
the  Father,  so  we  may  also  walk  in  the  newness  of  life.* 

The  body  of  Christ  was  not  made  of  earth  like  that  of  Adam. 
But  he  was  born  of  a  woman  of  our  race,  that  from  her  he  might 
take  our  nature,  and  by  sufferings  of  that  body  and  soul  redeem 
our  nature  lost  to  God  by  the  sin  of  Adam.     Thus  Adam  who  was 

>  I.  John  X.  80.    »  John  v.  7.    *  St.  Cyp-  de  Unit.  Ewl.  n.  6.       *  IWd  n.  8.      »  Rom.  v.  lH. 
•  Acts  xlli.  82. 83.       '  Psalmctx.  7.       »  Rom.  vill.  29.        »  John.  xvli.  5.     '">  Rom.  vl..3.  4. 


HOW  THE  CHURCH  IS  THE  BODY  OF  CHKIST.  37 

our  representative  fell  for  us,  and  dragged  us  down,  so  Christ  who 
represented  us  raised  us  up.  We  were  first  born  of  Adam  and  we 
were  next  in  baptism  born  of  Christ  and  of  the  church.  "  In  him 
we  were  born  christians.  The  birth  of  Christ  was  the  origin  of  the 
christian  people,  for  when  the  head  is  born  the  body  is  born."' '  In 
ascending  to  the  throne  of  God,  at  his  ascension,  he  raised  us  also 
up,  raised  us  up  who  are  the  body  he  assumed.  He  raised  us  all 
up  to  the  same  height  with  himself,  and  leads  us  into  the  compan- 
ionship and  the  society  of  the  adorable  Trinity,  of  which  he  is  the 
second  Person.'*  As  the  body  and  the  head  form  one  being,  so 
Christ  and  church  are  one.  The  members  of  the  church  with  Christ 
form  one  and  the  same  moral  being,  the  same  identical  organization. 
As  the  head  of  Christ  is  God,  as  the  head  of  the  churcli  is  Christ, 
so  God,  Christ  and  the  church  are  one.  "And  these  three  are 
one." ' 

Christ  is  the  Truth  of  the  Father,  while  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
Good  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son.  The  mind  of  man  lives  on 
truth,  for  truth  is  the  object  of  the  mind,  while  the  will  seeks  the 
good  in  creatures.  In  heaven  the  mind  rests  in  the  divine  Son, 
and  the  will  rests  in  the  Good,  the  Holy  Spirit.  By  and  through 
the  Son  and  Spirit  this  union  begins  in  this  world,  and  it  is  com- 
pleted in  heaven  by  the  Son  wlio  alone  has  taken  on  himself  our 
nature,  and  he  alone  is  the  bond  of  union  between  the  creature 
and  the  Creator. 

In  Christ  is  the  whole  church  his  mystic  body.  As  God  loves 
his  Son  with  an  everlasting  Love,  which  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  he 
loves  the  church  this  body  of  Christ  with  the  same  love.  Therefore 
he  sends  the  Holy  spirit,  the  love  of  Father  and  Son  into  the 
church,  the  body  of  his  Son.  That  church,  the  Avork  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  his  union  Avith  man,  began  from  the  beginning  of  the 
race,  for  the  race  was  made  to  unite  with  the  Son  the  "first  born 
of  creatures."  The  work  of  the  spirit  of  God  in  all  its  fulness 
began  only  at  the  Incarnation.  For  that  reason  he  filled  Christ 
with  all  graces,  for  he  "was  full  of  grace  and  truth."  As  God 
loVes  his  Son,  so  he  embraces  his  mystic  body  the  church,  with  his 
Holy  Spirit,  who  ever  works  in  the  church  his  creation,  according 
to  the  Avords  of  Christ.  "  That  the  love  Avherewith  thou  hast  loved 
me  may  be  in  them  and  I  in  them."  *  That  love  in  us  is  the  Love 
of  the  Father  for  the  Son,  it  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  God  loves  us  be- 
cause he  made  us  to  the  image  of  his  only  begotten  Son.  Made 
to  his  image  and  likeness,  Ave  form  the  church  generated  from  him 
in  the  blood  and  Avater  from  his  side.  Then  from  him  from  his 
human  nature  comes  the  church,  Avhile  from  his  divine  nature  comes 
the  Holy  Spirit,  the  soul  of  the  church.  Then  from  him  comes  not 
only  the  visible  organism  of  the  church,  but  also  the  Holy  Spirit, 
which  animates  the  Avhole  church  organism.  Then  by  every  right 
and  way,  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church,  her  Father,  her  hus- 
band her  redeemer,  her  Lord. 

1  St.  Leo  Sermo.  xxvi.  n.  2.         «  St  Ignatius  Epist.  ad  Philad.  n.  9,  »  I,  John  v.  7. 

*  John.  xvii.  2(5. 


38  THE  WONDERS  OF  THE  INCABNATION. 

Up  to  the  incarnation,  the  Son  and  Spirit  of  God  lay  hidden  in 
the  bosom  of  the  Deity.  All  things  were  made  by  God  who  wrought 
them  to  his  image  and  likeness.  For  having  in  him  all  perfect- 
ions, God  could  not  create  what  would  not  be  like  him.  Only  dim- 
ly did  the  creatures  of  this  world  show  forth  the  wonders  of  the 
Almighty.  Slowly  prepared  the  Lord  for  the  founding  of  his 
church.  The  creation  of  the  angels,  the  formation  of  the  material 
world,  the  living  plants  and  animals  told  but  dimly  of  his  wonders, 
till  man,  the  last  of  his  creatures  came  the  last  of  his  work,  man 
whom  he  made  to  his  image  and  his  likeness. 

Then  began  the  supernatural  creation  in  man,  by  the  dwelling 
of  his  Holy  Spirit.  When  man  fell  he  promised  the  coming  of  his 
Son.  Brighter  and  clearer  the  Son  and  Spirit  appeared  in  the  law 
of  Moses  and  in  the  tabernacle  of  the  Jews.  The  face  of  the 
Spirit  was  seen  in  the  ceremonies  of  the  temple;  the  image  of  the 
incarnate  Son  was  pictured  in  the  priests  and  in  the  prophets. 
For  4,000  years  God  prepared  the  world  for  the  coming  of  his  Son. 
Only  at  the  Incarnation  did  God  draw  back  the  veil  before  his 
face  and  show  to  man  the  wonders  of  his  love  and  of  his  mercy. 
Now  both  Son  and  Spirit  dwell,  not  only  in  the  church,  but  also 
in  the  soul  and  the  bodies  of  the  good  members  of  the  church, 
the  same  as  the  Holy  Spirit  dwelled  in  the  soul  and  the  body  of 
Christ.  Thus  God  bends  down  to  earth  to  lift  us  up  to  himself 
by  the  wonders  of  the  Incarnation. 

The  word  Christ  in  the  Greek  means  the  "anointed."  For 
he  was  anointed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  an  invisible  way  to  be  the 
Saviour  of  mankind.  Because  of  the  Son,  the  Holy  Spirit  now 
lives  in  our  hearts,  that  he  may  anoint  them  to  the  image  of  the 
Son  from  whom  he  proceeds.  *'And  because  you  are  sons,  God, 
hath  sent  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts  crying  Abba, 
Father;"  '  The  body  of  Christ  at  the  resurrection  was  glorified, 
spiritualized  and  became  as  near  a  spirit  as  it  is  in  the  power  of  God 
to  change  it  without  ceasing  to  be  a  material  body.  His  body  passed 
through  the  rock  and  an  angel  came  and  rolled  away  the  stone. 
He  came  through  the  walls  when  he  appeared  to  the  apostles  after 
his  resurrection.  His  body  being  now  glorified  and  spiritualized, 
it  partakes  in  the  quality  of  a  spirit,  and  it  exists  freed  from  the 
imperfections  of  time  and  place  which  belong' to  bodies.  It  is  here 
and  there  and  in  many  places  at  the  same  time.  The  Church  be- 
ing everywhere  spread  through  the  world,  the  church  everywhere 
finds  Christ  her  head  as  God,  united  to  the  glorified  body  of  the 
Lord,  vivifying  her  members  and  giving  grace  and  supernatural 
life  to  all  her  children.  Christ  then  is  first,  the  head  of  the 
church  universal,  and  then  he  is  the  head  of  each  diocese  and  of 
each  parish.  He  stands,  preaches,  offers  sacrifice,  sanctifies 
and  rules  in  each  church.  Complete  in  each,  he  showers  down 
salvation  on  the  members  of  the  whole  church  on  both  clergy  and 
people. 

The  reader  now  begins  to  see  our  meaning  "  God  is  the  head  of 

'    Gall.  V.  6. 


CIIKIST  HEAD  OF  THE  HUMAN  RACE.  39 

Christ/'  *  ''Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church."  *  The  church  and 
Christ  her  head  cannot  be  separated,  without  destroying  the  whole 
life  and  being  of  the  church  and  of  Christ.  For  when  the  head 
separates  from  the  body,  both  head  and  body  die.  For  the  body 
nourishes  the  head.  "  But  Christ  rising  from  the  dead  dieth  no 
more,  and  death  shall  no  more  have  dominion  over  him." '  To 
him  the  Father  gave  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  "  Ask  of  me 
and  I  will  give  thee  the  Gentiles  as  thy  inheritance."  *  From  the 
scattered  race  of  Adam,  the  church  then  takes  them  in,  and  as  it 
Avere  nourishes  them  and  repairs  by  them  the  loss  of  death;  then 
by  those  converted  and  baptised  she  makes  up  the  loss.  Christ 
buried  them  with  him  in  baptism.  He  carried  them  even  to  the 
rigors  of  his  death  and  passion,  but  now  he  lifts  them  up  to  the 
glories  of  the  divine  nature.  "  But  God  ....  even  when  we  were 
dead  in  sin  hath  quickened  us  together  in  Christ,  and  hath  raised 
us  up  together  in  heavenly  places  through  Christ  Jesus."*  He 
drank  to  the  dregs,  the  cup  of  all  human  sorrows,  to  hallow  and 
sanctify  with  heavenly  merits  all  the  sufferings  of  the  members  of 
the  church.  ''All  the  children  of  the  church  are  distinct  by  lapse 
of  time,  but  tiiere  is  one  band  of  the  faithful,  crucified  with  Christ 
in  his  passion,  reawakened  in  his  resurrection,  in  his  ascension 
placed  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father. ''  ° 

Behold  therefore  Jesus  Christ  the  great  High  priest  of  the  whole 
human  race,  of  whom  the  Father  said :  "  Thou  art  a  priest  forever 
according  to  the  order  of  Melchisedech;  "  ^  behold  him  anointed 
by  the  Father  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  comes  into  this  world  to  oifer 
his  life,  his  body  and  his  whole  being  for  a  sacrifice  of  peace  and 
reconciliation  to  his  Father  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  race  of  Adam; 
a  race  Avhich  he  assumed  and  took  to  himself  at  his  incarnation. 
He,  the  last  chosen  gift  of  the  love  of  God  to  man,  he  said  the 
offerings  of  the  Old  Testament  became  unpleasing  to  thee  my 
Father  then  "  Behold  I  come."  ®  He  comes  to  become  the  head  of 
the  whole  race  in  the  place  of  Adam,  who  by  his  sin  had  lost  his 
headship.  He  came  to  unite  the  children  of  Adam  in  anew  organ- 
ization, the  church  his  kingdom,  different  from  the  union  of  nations 
in  which  we  were  born.  He  came  to  become  the  head  and  the 
father  of  a  new  race  born  of  him,  by  the  waters  of  baptism  and  by 
the  blood  of  redemption  ever  flowing  from  his  side.  Innocent  and 
beautiful  above  the  sons  of  men,  alone  born  of  a  virgin,  he  took 
upon  himself  our  sins,  our  iniquities,  and  he  was  stricken  by  his 
Father  "  and  bruised  for  our  sins." '  "  God  spared  not  his  own  di- 
vine Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all."  '"  God  and  man,  head 
of  the  church,  he  gives  the  glories  of  his  Godhead  to  the  members 
of  the  church  united  to  him  by  innocence.  "  And  the  glory  which 
thou  hast  given  to  me,  I  have  given  to  them,  that  they  may  be  one, 
as  we  also  are  one."  " 

Then  the  Church  is  the  kingdom  of  Christ.     He  takes  the  place 

1  Cor.  vl.  3.  2  Ephis.  v.  23  '  Rom.  vi.  9.  «  Psalm  JIJ.  8. 

*  Epis.  il.  4,  5,  6.         "  St.  Leo  Sermo  26.  n.         '  Psalm  civ.  4.  s  Psalm  xxlx.  8. 

'  Isaias.  '"  Romans  vlil.  32.  n  John  xvli.  22. 


40  CHRIST  THE  ONLY  KEDEEMEE. 

o£  Adam  as  our  new  father.  As  God,  he  reigns  supreme  in  heaven 
over  angels  and  saints,  us  man  lie  is  the  head  of  the  church.  The 
ministers  of  the  church  teach,  sanctify,  and  rule  in  his  name  and 
by  his  power.  "  And  I  dispose  to  you,  as  my  Father  hath  disposed 
to  me,  a  kingdom,  that  you  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in  my 
kingdom,  and  may  sit  upon  the  thrones  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel."  '  Thus  Christ  established  the  episcopal  thrones  through- 
out the  world  wherever  his  kingdom  has  spread.  One  with  him, 
and  in  him,  one  with  God,  the  church  has  the  same  authoi'ity  with 
him  and  with  God.  In  spiritual  teachings,  in  matters  of  religion, 
the  church  teaches  the  doctrines  of  Christ.  People  listening  to 
her,  receive  the  words  of  truth  coming  forth  from  Christ.  "  lie 
that  heareth  you  heareth  me,  he  that  despiseth  you  despise th  me."  ' 
The  baptized  members  of  the  church  born  of  Christ,  form  the 
Church  united  to  Christ.  When  they  commit  a  mortal  sin  they  cut 
themselves  off  from  Christ.  No  mqre  are  they  parts  fully  alive  of 
his  mystic  body.  Outside  the  church  there  is  no  ordinary  way  of 
salvation.  Only  through  Christ  do  souls  go  to  heaven,  for  there  is 
but  one  kingdom  of  God,  one  house  of  the  Lord,  one  fold  and 
one  Shepherd,  and  one  only  Redeemer,  Jesus  Christ,  by  and 
through  whom  only  are  the  souls  of  men  redeemed  and  saved;  and 
to  him;  "To  the  king  of  ages  immortal,  invisible  to  the  only  God 
be  honor  and  glory  forever  more." ' 

1  Math.  xlx.  28.  "  Luke  x,  16.  '  I.  Tim.  i,  17, 


OD  the  etei-nal  Father  is 
head  of  the  Son.  From 
eternity  the  Son  is  gen- 
erated by  him.  All 
the  Father  has  he  gives  the 
Son.  The  Son  partakes  with 
him  in  his  divine  nature,  and 
with  him  the  Son  is  equally 
God  Almighty.  "In  the  be- 
ginning was  the  Word  and  the 
Word  was  with  God  and  the 
Word  was  God.'"  The  Son 
is  God  because  he  receives 
his  divinity  from  the  Father. 
From  him  he  comes  and  the 
Father  is  his  head.  As  the 
Father  is  the  head  of  Christ 
the  Son  or  Word  of  God.  so  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church.  The 
church  comes  forth  from  Christ,  as  Christ  comes  forth  from  his 
Father.  As  the  Son  and  Father  are  one,  so  Christ  and  the  church 
are  one,  nature  and  divinity.  All  the  Father  has  he  gives  his  only 
begotten  Son,  all  that  Christ  has  he  gives  his  church.  As  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Son  are  one,  so  Christ  and  the  Church  are  one.    As  the 

'  Johnl.  1. 


it 


Eternal  fclicily  is  th.e  lasf  metcjrwlicli.  shaU 
rid  us  of  all  evils,  and  oivc  us  all  ricKes, 


tuuisi    tfcfcUlMi  Mis  i't.uj-Lt.  ii.N    iiiK.  SACRAMENTS. 


THE  CHUECH  COMES  FKOM  HIM.  43 

Son  is  equal  in  power  and  might  and  nature  to  the  Father,  so  the 
church  has  the  very  same  nature  and  power  with  Christ  over  the 
souls  of  men,  over  the  ways  of  preaching,  over  the  spiritual  ruling 
of  mankind,  over  the  means  of  salvation.  To  disobey  the  church 
is  to  disobey  Christ,  who  is  God  the  Son,  the  Word  of  God.  "  He 
that  heareth  you  heareth  me  and  he  that  despiseth  you  despiseth 
me  and  he  that  despiseth  me  despiseth  him  that  sent  me."  ' 

When  Christ  became  incarnate,  he  espoused  our  fallen  nature, 
then  he  was  united  to  that  soul  and  body  formed  in  the 
Virgin,  and  from  that  moment  God  and  man  united  never  to  sepa- 
rate. From  the  moment  of  his  death,  when  his  side  was  opened, 
when  he  generated  the  church,  from  that  time  he  and  the  church 
cannot  be  divided.  As  the  Father  is  his  head  so  he  is  the  head  of 
the  church,  and  now  he  presides  in  the  glories  of  the  skies,  as  head 
of  that  part  of  the  church  made  of  the  saints  and  angels  ever  bask- 
ing in  the  beatific  vision  of  the  Deity.  Their  souls  are  now  filled 
with  the  Truth  of  God,  the  divine  Son,  their  wills  are  now  filled 
with  the  Good  of  God,  the  Holy  Ghost.  On  earth  Christ  is  the 
head  of  church,  composed  of  the  saints  not  yet  made  perfect, 
awaiting  their  delivery  from  this  body  of  death,  dwelling  amid  the 
miseries  and  the  troubles  of  this  life.  He  is  also  the  head  of  all 
the  souls  in  that  other  place  now  held  by  little  sins  awaiting  the 
day  of  their  delivery.  Then  he  is  head  over  all  the  church. 
"  God  hath  made  him  head  over  all  the  church,  which  is  his  body, 
and  the  fulness  of  him."  ^  By  him  we  partake  in  the  divine  nature, 
by  grace  in  this  life  and  by  glory  in  heaven,  "For  we  are  all 
made  partakers  of  Christ."  '  As  partakers  in  his  nature  we  live  in 
him  and  he  lives  in  us. 

The  action  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Father  are  to  produce  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  action  of  Christ  in  us  is  to  give  the  Holy  Ghost  into 
our  hearts.  As  the  Family  of  Heaven,  the  Holy  Trinity,  dwell  in 
everlasting  peace  subordinate  to  each  other,  in  as  far  as  one  comes 
from  the  other,  according  to  the  laws  of  their  own  eternal  proces- 
sion, as  Christ  is  subject  to  the  Father,  who  sends  him  into  the 
world,  then  the  church  is  obedient  to  Christ  from  whom  she  is 
ever  coming  forth  by  the  water  and  the  blood.  *  ^Nothing  irregular 
can  be  in  the  Trinity.  All  is  also  harmony  and  order  in  the 
church.  The  side  of  Christ  ever  opened,  the  waters  of  baptism,  the 
blood  of  redemption  continually  flow  down  upon  the  church,  wash- 
ing men  from  sin,  sanctifying  the  heart,  lifting  souls  up  to  God 
raising  them  up  to  heaven  through  Christ  his  only  Begotten.  That 
vast  organization  the  church  born  of  him,  and  an  image  of  Trinity 
ever  coming  forth  from  him  her  generator,  that  church  spread 
through  the  world  is  regulated  by  the  laws  made  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  ^ 

The  Holy  Spirit  gives  rise  to  no  person  of  God.  But  he  forms 
another  organization  from  the  members  of  the  fallen  human  race. 
It  is  the  Church  which  now  he  rules  as  the  Father  governs  the  Son 
made  man,  as  the  Son  presides  over  the  Church,  he  brings  forth 
from  the  sufferings  of  his  passion. 

1  Luke  X.  10.  -  Ei)h.  i.  22,  23.  ^  Heb.  ii.  14.  *  John  xii.  34.  "  I.  John  v.  7. 


44  CHRIST  THE  HEALER  OF  NATIONS. 

Behold  then  the  wonders  of  God.  In  nature  "we  see  liim  as  the 
autlior  of  nature,  as  the  one  God  represented  by  every  act  of  crea- 
ture, made  to  the  image  of  the  divine  Son.  But  there  we  see  him 
only  in  the  unchanging  laws  of  nature.  But  the  Son  comes  down 
to  earth,  he  becomes  man  by  a  miracle  of  birth,  and  by  that  he  re- 
veals the  three  Persons  of  the  Trinity,  the  hidden  supernatural 
life  of  God,  which  no  created  reason  unaided  could  have  found 
unless  it  had  been  revealed.  Then  he  founds  the  Church, 
wherein  he  continues  the  Avonders  of  the  supernatural,  the  sublime 
life  of  the  Trinity.  Grace  bought  by  his  death  becomes  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world  the  medicine  for  the  healing  of  nations, 
the  salvation  of  mankind,  sitting  in  the  darkness  of  death,  the  soul 
is  raised  to  a  supernatural  state  by  grace,  peoples  are  taught,  sanc- 
tified, they  are  baptized  and  civilized  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel, heaven  is  open  to  fallen  man,  and  God  becomes  so  familiar  with 
us,  and  raises  us  to  the  wonders  of  his  own  divine  nature  in  the 
heavens. 

Christ  did  not  come  himself  alone.  He  was  sent  by  his  Father 
who  now  and  ever  generates  him.  Sent  by  him  he  comes  to  be- 
come tlie  great  high  Priest  of  eternity  to  offer  sacrifice  for  the 
whole  human  race.  "  For  Christ  also  did  not  glorify  himself  that 
he  might  be  made  a  high  priest.*'  * 

He  was  sent  by  his  Father  the  head  of  the  Trinity  from  whom 
he  ever  proceeds  in  eternity.  The  Holy  Ghost  did  not  come  into 
the  world  of  himself.  He  was  sent  by  the  Father  and  by  the  Son 
by  one  of  the  eternal  principles  from  whom  he  proceeds.  '  Christ  as 
the  head  of  tiie  Church,  sent  his  apostles  into  the  world  to  found 
the  Church.  "As  the  Father  hath  sent  me  so  I  also  send  you.*'  * 
Coming  forth  from  him,  their  Father  Christ,  by  baptism  and  by 
Holy  Orders,  bearing  his  eternal  priesthood,  they  went  forth  in- 
to the  whole  world,  to  build  the  Church  in  every  land  formed 
out  of  the  scattered  children  of  Adam.  "Going  forth  therefore 
teach  ye  all  nations."  *  '"'  All  power  is  given  me  in  heaven  and  on 
earth.''  "  He  that  believethnot  shall  be  condemned."  "  They  were 
the  twelve  foundations  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  Church  of 
God— his  "  kingdom  on  the  earth."  "  'He  brought  them  forth  up- 
on the  cro.ss  by  the  waters  of  baptism  and  the  blood  of  his  redemp- 
tion '  "  And  these  three  are  one." "  They  were  the  first  born  of 
the  Church,  they  were  one  with  him  and  through  him  one  with  his 
Father.  "  He  that  heareth  you  hearetli  me.  He  that  despiseth 
you  despiseth  me  and  he  that  despiseth  me,  despiseth  him  that  sent 
me."' 

But  that  was  not  enough.  The  members  of  the  Church,  his 
children  were  to  be  nourished  not  by  a  mother's  milk  but  by  their 
Father's  flesh  and  blood.  "  I  am ,""  he  says,  "the  living  bread, 
which  came  down  from  heaven."  "*  The  Church  not  only  comes 
forth  from  liim,  as  he  does  from  his  Father,  but  it  is  also  nourished 
by  his  flesh  and  blood,  that  from  him,  her  head,  she  may  receive 

'  Heb.  V.  5.         2  L„ke  xxlv.  49.     '  John  xx.  31.       *  Mnth.  xx.  vltl.  19.       »  Mark  xvl.  16. 
•  Lukexxli.29.  '  Johu  x.  11.  »  John  v.  7.  »  Luke  x.  10.  '"  John  vl.  .'>!. 


HOW  CHRIST  FED  HIS  CHILDREIST.  45 

eternal  life.  "  This  is  the  bread  which  cometh  down  from  hea- 
ven, that  if  any  man  eat  of  it  he  may  not  die."  '  Those  who  are 
born  of  the  race  of  Adam,  are  supernaturally  dead.  They  have 
no  supernatural  life  in  them.  "  Your  fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the 
desert  and  are  dead."  "^  From  the  head  the  members  of  the  body 
receive  all  their  life.  "  I  am,"  he  says  "  the  living  bread,  which 
came  down  from  heaven.  If  any  one  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall 
live  forever."^  "And  the  bread  that  I  shall  give  is  my  flesh  for 
the  life  of  the  world."*  From  him  comes  all  vitality  in  the  Church. 
Those  who  eat  him  not,  die  the  death  of  sin,  as  without  him  they 
cannot  resist  the  temptations  of  this  life.  "  Except  you  eat  the 
flesh  of  the  Son  of  man  and  drink  his  blood  you  shall  not  have  life 
in  you."  ^  Without  food  to  nourish  it  the  body  dies.  Without 
Communion  the  soul  soon  dies  by  falling  into  sin.  "  Not  as  your 
fathers  did  eat  manna  and  are  dead.  He  that  eateth  this  bread 
shall  live  forever."  °  As  the  head  is  the  source  of  life  for  the  body, 
so  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  Church.  He  is  the  source  and  the  foun- 
tain of  all  supernatural  life  for  the  Church  his  body,  for  all  her 
members  who  form  the  Church  his  mystic  body. 

The  head  and  body  are  one,  Christ  and  the  church  are  one. 
''He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  driuketh  my  blood  abideth  in  me 
and  1  in  him."'  As  he  receives  his  divine  life  from  the  Father, 
as  he  lives  by  and  in  his  Father,  so  he  gives  that  divine  life  to  his 
church,  which  proceeds  from  him.  "As  the  living  Father  hath 
sent  me  and  I  live  by  the  Father,  so  he  that  eateth  me  the  same 
also  shall  live  by  me."*  Being  head  of  the  church,  where  the' 
head  is,  the  body  there  is  also,  there  shall  the  body  be  glorifying, 
in  the  everlasting  life  of  the  head,  Christ.  "  He  that  eateth  mj 
flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood  hath  everlasting  life  and  I  will  raise 
him  up  on  the  last  day."*  When  we  eat,  by  digestion  the  food  is 
changed  into  us.  But  it  is  the  opposite  in  eating  and  drinking 
the  body  and  the  blood  of  Christ.  "  For  we  do  not  change  him  into 
us,  but  he  changes  us  into  himself."  Head  and  body  being  one 
in  nature  and  in  being,  he  wishes  to  make  us  all  perfect  like  him- 
self. For  that  he  gives  himself  to  us  in  Communion,  that  he  may 
change  us  into  himself,  and  make  us  perfect  and  glorious  like  unto 
himself,  that  the  church  his  body  may  be  in  all  things  like  unto 
him  her  head.  He  is  the  head  of  all,  the  ''  Prince  of  Peace,"  the 
"Lion  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah."  By  his  strength  the  martyrs  suf- 
fered, the  pastors  rule,  the  virgins  remained  chaste,  the  persecuted 
got  strength,  the  saints  triumphed.  From  him  come  ceaseless 
streams  of  unseen  vivifying  grace,  his  redemption  into  men;  from 
him  the  head  flowing  down  upon  all  men,  they  penetrate  into  every 
cell,  fibre,  soul,  member,  family,  race  and  nation,  conveying  to  all 
the  supernatural  divine  life  of  God,  attracting  them  to  him,  mak- 
ing them  ready  for  the  eternal  joy  and  bliss  he  now  enjoys  with 
his  Father  in  the  splendors  of  the  skies  that  he  may  have  "  a  glori- 
ous church  without   spot  or  stain  or  anything   of   this  kind." '" 

iJohnvi.  50.       2  John  vi.  49.         »  John  vi.  49.       «  John  vi.  57.       *  lb.  54.        •  lb.  59. 
T  lb.  57.  Mb.  sa  »  U).  55.  ■<>  Ephes.  v.  27. 


46  THE  FOUNDATION  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

God  and  man  became  one  person  in  two  natures  in  the  wonders 
of  the  incarnation,  being  united  in  the  one  heavenly  divine 
Word  of  God.  Christ  as  man  is  now  one  with  God.  As  head  of 
the  church,  the  church  is  one  and  the  same  with  God,  and  takes 
her  place  high  in  heaven  with  the  members  of  the  Trinity.  By 
and  in  the  church  then,  we  rise  to  that  ineffable  union  with  the 
Father  Son  and  Holy  Spirit.  By  and  through  Christ  we  enter 
heaven,  we  rise  to  the  companionship  of  these  heights  of  the  divin- 
ity, we  partake  of  happiness  which  not  a  man  on  earth  can  now 
conceive.  What  wonders  see  we  now  before  us.  Who  will  give  us 
light  to  penetrate  the  mysteries  of  the  incarnation  and  of  the 
church  he  founded  for  the  saving  of  souls? 

Centuries  ago,  on  the  banks  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  might  be  seen 
a  little  band  of  fishermen.  They  are  the  followers  of  Jesus. 
Not  from  the  proud  families  of  imperial  Eome,  nor  from  the 
aristocratic  nobles  of  Jerusalem,  but  among  the  rough  men  of 
Galilee  he  chose  his  apostles,  to  show  that  he  and  not  man  did  the 
work  of  establishing  the  church.  He  chose  these  twelve  apostles  as 
the  foundations  of  his  heavenly  Sion.  Under  them  he  placed  the 
priests  and  ministers  when  he  chose  his  seventy-two  disciples. 
But  the  crown  the  completion  was  the  Papacy  in  the  person  of  Peter. 
*'  There  were  laid  the  house  of  eternity  built  by  Wisdom."  *  "  Its 
foundations  are  in  holy  mountains,  for  God  hath  loved  Sion  the 
church  more  than  the  tabernacles  of  Jacob." "  As  a  wise  builder, 
he  raised  his  structure  not  on  the  moving  sands  of  time  but  on  the 
immortal  primacy  of  Peter.  "  Thou  art  Peter  and  upon  this  rock 
I  will  build  my  church."  ' 

The  people  united  to  their  pastors,  the  pastors  united  to  their 
bishops,  the  bishops  in  union  with  the  Papacy,  the  Pope  one  with 
Christ  heir  of  Peter  the  foundation  stone  * — there  is  the  church — 
there  is  the  body  in  union  with  her  head.  These  are  one  according 
to  the  prayer  of  the  Saviour  before  his  passion,  "  Holy  Father  keep 
them  in  thy  name  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  be 
one  as  we  also  are " '  They  were  one  with  him  and  with  the 
Father.  We  his  followers,  the  members  of  the  body  of  which  he 
is  head,  we  are  all  one  with  him  and  with  his  Father.  *'And  not 
for  them  only  do  I  pray  but  for  them  also  who  by  their  word  shall 
believe  in  me."*  By  Adam's  sin  the  world  was  cui-sed  and  the 
race  doomed  to  eternal  perdition  in  hell.  Christ  prays  not  for  the 
world  which  was  damned  by  sin,  but  only  for  the  members  of  his 
church.  **  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them  whom  thou  hast 
given  me."  '  All  he  had,  he  received  from  his  Father  from  whom 
he  proceeds.  From  his  Father  he  received  his  personality  and 
the  saving  words  of  truth.  All  he  received  from  his  Father  he 
gave  to  his  church,  for  what  the  head  has  it  gives  to  the  body. 
"  The  words  which  thou  hast  given  to  me  I  have  given  to  them 
and  they  have  received  them."'  What  he  gave  them,  the  tidings 
of  salvation,  he  told  them  to  preach  to  the  ends  of  the  earth;  "Go 

•  ProT.  U.  1.       «  Psalm  IxxxyL  1.       »  Math.  xvl.  18.       *  Math.  vll.  25.       »  John  xvU.  8. 

*  Jotan  ZTlL  SO.   1  John  xvil.  9.  •  John  xrii.  9. 


THE  PRIMAEY  TRUTHS  OF  RELIGION.  47 

ing  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations,  teaching  them  to  observe 
all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you/''  They  spread  his 
Gospel  into  every  land  and  clime.  Their  words  were  heard  in 
every  tongue  as  the  Psalmist  says  of  them.  "There  are  no  speeches 
nor  languages  where  their  voices  are  not  heard.  Their  sound 
hath  gone  forth  into  all  the  earth."' ' 

He  is  eternal  Truth.  From  the  Father  he  receives  all  he  has  and 
he  gives  it  all  unto  his  church.  He  received  the  truth  from  the 
Father,  and  he  gave  it  to  the  apostles  and  by  them  to  his  church. 
From  the  world  he  chose  the'm  as  his  friends  and  gave  to  them  his 
truth,  which  he  received  from  his  Father.  "  I  have  called  you 
friends,  because  all  thingo  whatsoever  I  have  heard  of  my  Father 
I  have  made  known  to  you.  " '  He  taught  them  the  truth  of  the 
Father.  "  The  things  therefore  that  I  speak,  even  as  the  Father 
said  unto  me  so  do  I  speak."  '  All  the  truths  are  eternal  and  im- 
mortal like  to  the  Son  of  God,  of  which  they  are  so  many  mighty 
images.  That  which  is  eternal  cannot  be  destroyed.  So  it  is  with 
the  teachings  of  our  Lord.  They  will  last  till  the  end  of  time  and 
unto  eternity. 

Take  the  truths  of  the  multiplication  table,  or  the  sciences  of 
mathemetics.  They  can  never  be  destroyed,  nor  can  they  be  changed 
by  man;  for  they  are  so  many  natural  relations  of  the  divine  Son, 
the  Truth  of  the  eternal  Father.  No  matter  how  bad  be  the 
lives  of  men,  they  cannot  corrupt  these  immortal  and  eternal 
truths.  So  with  the  truths  the  Son  of  God  revealed  to  the 
•church  through  the  apostles.  Like  himself  they  are  immortal  un- 
changeable,because  eternal.  Therefore  we  see  how  foolishly  some 
speak,  who  think  that  the  church  could  or  did  change  during  all 
the  centuries  of  its  existence  since  the  time  of  Christ,  for  he  said 
*' Behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even  to  the  consummation  of  the 
world.  "  *  The  church  is  composed  of  all  the  immortal  truths  re- 
lating to  God,  his  nature,  his  works,  the  way  man  was  redeemed. 
The  United  States  is  the  constitution  or  the  frame-work  upon 
whose  laws  all  the  states  are  built.  The  people  for  a  hundred  years 
might  be  bad,  still  they  could  not  corrupt  that  constitution  of  the 
country,  for  their  lives  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  these  writ- 
ten laws.  So  it  is  with  the  church.  It  was  formed  by  the  Lord, 
its  head.  He  built  her  upon  these  revelations  given  to  the  race  by 
the  prophets,  till  at  length  he  finished  all  by  his  coming,  and  all  the 
Popes,  bishops,  and  priests  in  the  world  could  not  change  one  iota 
of  the  truths  revealed  to  the  human  race  by  the  Son  of  God.  They 
are  the  immortal  unchangeable  treasures  of  the  church.  To  her  in 
the  persons  of  the  apostles  he  said.  "  Teaching  them  to  observe 
all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you,  and  behold  I  am 
with  you  all  days  even  to  the  consummation  of  the  world." "  The 
church  therefore,  like  her  founder  and  her  head,  ever  lives  unchange- 
able and  immortal  like  unto  the  eternal  truths  upon  which  he 
founded  her.     Things  which  change  soon  decay.     Thus  the  pass- 

>  Psalm  xviil.  4,  5.  «  John  xv.  15, 16.  3  John  xii.  50.  *  Math,  xxviil.  80. 

«  Math,  xxvili,  20. 


48  THE  CHURCH  IS  A  QUEEN^. 

ing  things  of  this  visible  world  cease  to  exist,  because  they 
change  and  pass  away.  But  not  so  with  the  church.  For  no  one 
can  change  the  revelation  made  by  God  to  her.  He  as  ever  lives  in 
her  guiding  and  directing.  "  Behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even 
to  the  consummation  of  the  world.'" 

In  God  there  is  no  change,  for  he  is  the  immutable  and  un- 
changeable Deity,  "  Christ  the  same  to-day  and  forever." '  We  re- 
ceive eternal  life  and  nourishment  from  him.  But  as  in  the  human 
body  takes  place  a  continual  change  by  assimilation,  nutrition,  and 
waste,  parts  are  being  thrown  out  and  new  materials  are  taken  in 
by  digestion,  so  in  the  church.  The  old  members  die,  new  ones 
are  born  to  take  their  place,  while  they  too  in  their  turn  will  pass 
away  to  give  their  places  to  the  coming  generations.  But  the 
church  our  Mother,  who  brought  us  forth  to  Christ,  she  dies  not 
like  her  members,  for  she  partakes  in  the  immortality  of  her 
husband,  head,  and  founder  Jesus  Christ. 

Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church  that  is  the  burden  of  our  storv. 
He  is  a  king  and  she  is  his  kingdom.  For  that  he  was  born  of 
the  kingly  tribe  of  Juda  and  of  the  royal  house  of  David,  for  he 
came  to  be  "  The  Prince  of  the  house  of  David  " '  to  reign  forever 
in  the  splendors  of  heaven.  The  church  therefore  is  the  Queen  of 
his  kingdom,  which  is  to  last  to  the  end  of  time.  "  Of  his  king- 
dom there  shall  be  no  end.'""  His  father  gave  him  that  kingly 
authority  that  he  might  give  it  to  his  church.  "  I  dispose  to  you 
as  my  father  hath  disposed  to  me  a  kingdom.  That  you  may  eat 
and  drink  at  my  table  in  my  kingdom,  and  may  sit  upon  thrones 
judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  * 

In  various  parts  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  we  find  mention  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  of  which  the  Son  of  God  is  the  king.  That 
was  not  a  worldly  kingdom  as  he  said  **'  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world."'  The  Jews  expected  that  when  the  Messiah  came  he 
would  found  for  them  a  world  wide  kingdom,  extending  to  the 
uttermost  ends  of  tlie  earth.  That  kingdom  so  often  mentioned 
in  the  Bible,  is  the  church  of  God,  the  spiritual  rule  and  govern- 
ment of  Christianity,  at  whose  head  is  Jesus  Christ  himself.  Was 
it  not  providential  that  he  was  crucified  as  the  "'  King  of  the 
Jews?"  '  for  was  he  not  the  King  of  kings  and  the  Lord  of  lords  ?  ' 
The  church  being  therefore  the  Kingdom  of  God,  it  follows  that 
she  has  the  same  power  as  Christ.  The  church  our  mother  rules 
as  the  spouse,  as  the  body  and  as  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  For 
that  reason  he  said,  "He  that  heareth  you  heareth  me,  and  he 
that  despiseth  you  despiseth  me,  and  he  that  despiseth  me  despis- 
eth  him  that  sent  me."*  A  rebel  against  the  government  is 
driven  out  from  the  protection  of  the  laws,  and  if  lie  continues  in 
his  insurrection,  he  is  justly  put  to  death.  So  it  is  with  those  wha 
rebel  against  the  church.  They  end  in  infidelity  and  in  damnation, 
because  Christ  still  reigns  in  the  pereon  of  his  ministers.  "  There 
is  no  power  but  from  God,  .  .  .  and  he  that  resisteth,  resisteth  to 

»  Math,  xxvlll.  80.       «  Heb,  xHl.  8.       »  Luke  I.  «.  *  Luke  1.  38.    »  Luke  xxll.  29,  30. 

•  John  xvUl.  36.  '  John  xlx.  19.     »  Apoc.  xxll.  U.     »  Luke  x.  16. 


THE  UNIVERSAL  CHURCH.  49 

himself  damnation"  '  Being  one  in  very  life  being  and  aifthority 
with  Christ,  he  reigns  in  and  through  his  church.  She  has  all  his 
power  and  authority,  *'A11  power  is  given  me  in  heaven  and  on 
earth.  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations"  '  "He  that  hear- 
eth  you  heareth  me  and  he  that  despiseth  you  despiseth  me."  ' 

Only  to  Peter  and  to  his  disciples  did  he  say  "Going  forth  therefore 
teach  ye  all  nations."  *  The  clergy  therefore  are  the  teaching  church, 
while  the  people  are  the  listening  and  the  believing  church.  Christ 
has  gone  to  heaven;  He  cannot  now  be  seen  by  bodily  eyes,  but  be- 
fore he  went  he  founded  his  church  on  the  apostles  and  on  their 
successors,  and  gave  to  them  that  divine  commission  to  "  teach  all 
the  nations"  of  the  earth.  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  universal 
church.  Unseen,  immortal  and  eternal  like  him  its  founder  and  its 
head,  the  universal   church  fills  the   world. 

While  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  universal  church,  and  he  alone 
presides  over  it,  at  the  same  time  he  rules  and  presides  over  the  dio- 
ceses and  over  the  parishes  in  the  persons  of  the  pastors,  who  rule  in 
his  name  and  by  his  authority.  Thus  in  the  bishop  of  Rome,  the 
chief  and  central  diocese  of  the  whole  church,  there  especially  Christ 
rules  his  church  in  the  person  of  Peter  his  vicar,  to  whom  he  said 
"Thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church."  The 
Lord  Jesus  is  the  head  of  each  diocese,  and  he  rules  it  in  the  person 
of  the  bishop,  who  in  a  lower  and  a  feebler  way  than  the  Eoman 
Pontiff  represent  to  clergy  and  people  Christ,  the  head  of  the  uni- 
versal church.  Again  he  is  the  head  of  each  parish  and  the  people 
see  him  in  the  person  of  their  pastor.  In  his  voice  and  in  his  per- 
son they  see  the  form  of  the  Son  of  God  the  shepherd  of  our 
souls. 

The  universal  church  is  like  to  God.  In  God,  the  Father 
generates  the  Son,  who  comes  forth  from  the  Father  to  the  earth, 
bearing  in  his  person  all  the  perfection  of  the  Father.  In  the 
church  the  diocese  comes  forth  from  the  universal  church,  with 
some  of  the  necessary  perfections  of  the  whole  church.  Again 
from  the  Father  and  the  Son  proceeds  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  all 
the  perfections  of  the  other  two  Persons  of  the  Trinity.  So  from 
the  universal  church  and  from  the  diocese  come  the  parish  with 
the  riches  and  perfections  and  graces  and  the  sacraments  of  the 
whole  cliurch  and  of  the  diocese.  But  we  must  not  expect  to  find 
any  perfect  image  of  the  Trinity  in  creatures.  As  from  the 
Father  only  comes  the  Son,  so  from  the  universal  church  alone  can 
come  the  particular  church  the  diocese.  As  from  Father  and  the 
Son  proceeds  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  from  the  whole  church  and 
from  the  diocese  comes  the  establishing  of  parishes.  The  Persons 
of  the  Trinity  proceed  from  one  another  in  a  regular  manner, 
in  conformity  with  the  eternal  laws  of  their  common  divinity.  So 
the  ruling  of  churches,  the  erecting  of  diocese,  the  establishing 
of  parishes  must  take  place  according  to  the  laws  laid  down  by 
the  canons. 

Christ  is  the  head  of  the  universal  church.     He  rules  her  bv 

»  Rom.  xlll.  2.  ^  Matt,  xxxiii.  18, 19.  ^  Lm^g,  ^  16.  *  Matt,  xxxlll.  19. 


50  THE  CHURCH  THE  CITY  OF  GOD. 

the  Pof>e  his  Vicar.  He  speaks  to  the  world  by  him.  In  him  the 
universal  church  is  centralized  and  undividualized,  Christ  is  the 
head  of  the  particular  church  the  diocese.  He  rules  it  by  the 
bishop,  who  stands  at  the  head  of  the  hierarchy  of  holy  orders. 
The  bishop  is  one  of  the  successors  of  the  twelve  apostles.  The 
diocese  lives,  moves,  and  has  its  being  in  the  universal  church,  of 
which  it  is  only  a  great  parish  or  member.  Christ  is  also  the  head 
of  the  single  church  the  diocese  and  the  parish.  The  pastor  is  one 
of  the  successors  of  the  priest,  and  ministers  ordained  by  Christ.  * 

The  parish  came  from  and  was  born  of  the  diocese,  as  the  latter 
was  in  its  turn,  born  or  came  from  universal  church.  Clirist  is 
the  head  of  the  parish?  To  him  each  soul  in  the  parish  is  as  dear 
as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  He  died  for  that  particular  soul  as  well 
as  he  died  for  the  whole  human  race.  Thus  we  see  the  wonders 
of  the  mysteries  of  the  headship  of  Christ  over  all  the  church. 
Here  shines  forth  the  greatness  of  the  church  of  God  "  the  Spouse 
of  Christ,  our  spotless  Virgin  Mother/'  who  every  day  brings  forth 
her  countless  children,  sons  and  daughters  of  our  father  God.  Mother 
of  all  living,  bearing  the  same  relation  to  Christ  as  Eve  did  to 
•Adam,  she  the  church  is  bone  of  his  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh. 
As  the  husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife,  so  Christ  is  the  head  of 
our  holy  Mother  the  Church.  As  he  is  the  spiritual  King  of  the 
human  race  in  the  place  of  Adam,  so  the  church  is  the  Queen 
over  all  the  races  and  nations  of  men. 

How  glorious  is  that  city  of  God  sitting  on  the  mountains  of 
eternity,  founded  on  the  unchangable  truths  of  God,- built  on  the 
apostles  whose  sun  and  temple  is  the  Lamb  without  spot.  It 
comes  down  from  the  Father  of  lights  through  Christ  the  Son 
of  God,  streaming  down  from  the  eternal  heights  of  glory,  it  comes 
into  this  M'orld  to  seek  suffering  souls,  which  were  being  lost. 
From  Jesus  Christ  her  head  she  receives  all  truth  holiness  good- 
ness, power  and  authority.  Her  glories  are  only  for  him  her 
spouse,  that  he  might  freely  give  his  glories  to  us.  "'  I  John  saw 
the  holy  city  tlie  new  Jerusalem  coming  down  out  of  heaven  from 
God  prepared  for  her  husband." "  By  and  through  her  all  the  lost 
children  are  restored  to  our  inheritance  we  lost  in  Adam.  "  And 
I  heard  a  great  voice  from  the  throne  saying.  Behold  the  taber- 
nacle of  God  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and  they 
shall  be  his  people  and  God  himself  shall  be  their  God."' ' 

But  not  every  one  who  belongs  to  the  visible  church  will  be 
saved.  Only  those,  who  free  from  sin  united  to  Christ  and  who 
persevere  in  that  state,  only  these  shall  be  saved.  "  He  that  shall 
overcome  shall  possess  these  things,  and  I  will  be  his  God  and  he 
shall  be  my  son.  "  *  Thus  that,  holy  church  is  formed  of  the 
saints  made' perfect,  "built  only  of  those  sanctified  and  washed  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  "  ' 
She  rises  from  the  earth,  and  penetrating  the  very  skies,  she  en- 
ters the  secret  sanctuary  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  she  takes  her  place 

>  Council  Trld.  Sera,  xxlll.  Can.  vi.  *  Apoc.  xxl.  1.  '  Apoc  xxl.  8. 

*  Apoc.  xxl.  7.  •  Apoc.  xUl.  8. 


k 


52  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  WORKS  SALVATION. 

as  a  member  of,  and  in  co-partmentship  and  in  equality  with  the 
Persons  of  the  Trinity.  "  Blessed  are  they  that  wash  their  robes 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  .  .  and  may  enter  in  by  the  gates  of  the 
city.  "  *  Outside  the  soul  of  the  church  are  the  remains  of  the  fallen 
race  of  Adam,  bending  still  beneath  the  curse  of  the  original  sin,  in 
which  all  were  born.  No  salvation  comes  to  them ,  for  they  do 
not  belong  to  the  body  of  Christ,  ''  Without  are  dogs  and  sor- 
cerers, and  unchaste  and  murderers  and  servers  of  idols,  and  every 
one  that  maketh  a  lie."  "  That  is  outside  the  church  there  is  no 
salvation  for  fallen  man.  For  the  church  being  the  bride,  or  spouse 
of  Christ,  by  her  he  brings  forth  his  children.  Being  his  body,  his 
Spirit,  that  is  the  Holy  Spirit  does  not  work  salvation  outside  his 
body,  no  more  than  the  soul  of  man  works  outside  his  body.  For 
that  reason,  those  who  do  not  belong  at  least  to  the  soul  of  the 
church,  or  bodyof  Christ  they  do  not  belong  to  him,  and  they  cannot 
be  saved.  For  salvation  is  the  taking  up,  the  raising  up  into  the 
Divinity  of  the  fallen  members  of  the  race  of  Adam. 

Christ  is  the  fruitful  source  of  all  grace  and  redemption  for  men. 
He  works  the  salvation  of  mankind  through  the  sacraments  by  the 
indwelling  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  proceeds  from  him  into  the 
souls  of  men.  ^  While  Christ,  from  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeds 
died  for  all  men,  it  is  the  same  Holy  Ghost  who  sanctifies  men. 
He  carries  out  the  work  of  redemption  in  the  world  by  the 
church,  which  he  inhabits.  "  Because  the  Word  is  in  the  Father 
and  the  Spirit  is  given  by  the  Word,  therefore  he  wished  that  we 
would  receive  the  Spirit:  then  having  the  Spirit  of  the  Word  ex- 
isting in  the  Father,  we  would  seem  through  the  Spirit  to  become 
one  with  the  Word  and  through  him  one  with  the  Father.  "  * 
What  a  wonder  for  the  mind  of  man  to  contemplate  us  one  with 
the  members  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  To  live  the  very  life  of  God! 
To  ascend  to  the  heights  of  the  incomprehensible  Godhead!  Men 
are  all  ambitious,  proud.  They  ever  strive  for  something  higher. 
Here  they  can  satisfy  that  natural  longing  for  the  betterand  for  the 
higher.  The  Holy  Ghost  as  St.  Basil  says  *'  is  the  character  of 
the  Son  "  stamped  on  us.  * 

That  redemption  of  Christ  began  on  the*cros8  the  Holy  Ghost 

still  works  in  us  by  the  church  his  organ.     Through  the  clergy 

he  speaks  to  the  world,  and  teaches  men  the  way  of  salvation. 

He  placed  the  pastors  over  the  people.     To  rule  the  Church  of  God 

which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood.  "'     '*  Through  Christ 

its  head,  by  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost  her  soul  the  church  is  united  to 

the  Trinity  and  the  members  ofthechiirch  partake  while  on  earth 

in  that  fellowship  of  the  two  Persons  of  the  Trinity,  and  they  are 

sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  ''     **  The  Spirit  completes  all  that  God 

did  through  the  Son ....  nor  can  the  Trinity  receive  any  separation. 

As  the  Son  receives  from  the  Father  to  be  one  with  nim,  and  to 

be  with  him  the  one  of  the  principle  from  whom  proceeds  the 

Holy  Ghost,  so  in  his  mission  to  the  earth  to  save  mankind  he 

also  retains  that  quality  or  power  of  sending  the  Holy  Ghost!  " 

>  Apoc.  xxii.  14.    *  Apoc.  xxli.  IS.     >  John  xx.  23.    *  St.  Atbanas.  Orat.  iU.  contra  Arianos. 
*  St.  Basil  adv.  Eunoin  L.  V.  *  AcU  xx  28. 


SENDING   THE   HOLY   GHOST.  53 

As  he  sent  his  apostles,  he  also  gave  to  them  and  their  succes- 
sors to  send  the  same  Holy  Ghost  into  the  hearts  and  souls  of  men. 
Thus  the  clergy  partaking  in  the  Priesthood  of  Christ,  like  him 
they  send  the  Holy  Ghost.  Thus  as  Christ  said  to  his  apostles 
when  sending  them  with  the  powers  of  the  priesthood:  ''Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost,  whose  sins  you  shall  forgive  they  are  forgiven, 
and  whose  sins  you  shall  retain  they  are  retained;  "  '  in  the  same 
way  the  clergy  sends  the  same  Holy  Ghost  into  the  hearts  and  the 
souls  of  men.  At  the  consecration  of  a  bishop  the  consecrator  and 
the  assisting  bishops  impose  their  hands  on  the  newly  consecrated 
bishop  saying.  "  Receive  the  Holy  Ghost. ^"*  At  the  ordination 
of  a  priest,  the  bishop  imposes  his  hands  on  the  head  of  the  young 
priest  saying  the  exact  words  of  Christ  when  sending  his  apostles 
into  the  whole  world.  "Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost  whose  sins 
etc.^' ''  At  the  ordination  of  a  deacon  the  bishop  imposes  his  hands 
on  the  head  of  the  young  cleric  saying:  "Receive  thou  the  Holy 
Ghost  for  strength  to  resist  the  devil  and  his  temptations,  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord.^'  *  At  the  ordination  of  the  subdeacon  the  bish- 
op prays  that  the  Holy  Ghost  may  come  down  on  them:  "May 
the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  of  knowledge  rest  upon  them,  the  Spirit 
of  council  and  of  strength,  the  Spirit  of  science  and  of  piety,  and 
fill  them  with  the  S^sirit  of  thy  love."  ^  All  who  are  raised  to  the 
dignity  of  the  minor  order  receive  "  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  by  the 
words  of  the  exorcism  the  unclean  spirits  may  be  driven  out  of  the 
possessed."  *  The  clergy  send  the  Holy  Ghost  into  the  hearts  of 
men,  because  they  partake  in  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  Jesus 
Christ  from  whom  in  eternity  comes  forth  the  same  Holy  Ghost. 

They  send  that  Spirit  of  God  into  the  hearts  and  souls  of  men  to 
sanctify  them  and  make  them  like  unto  the  Son  of  God,  our 
brother,  from  whom  he  the  Holy  Spirit  ever  proceeds.  In  the 
confirmation  of  the  people  the  bishop,  who  is  the  perfect  priest, 
and  who  in  a  more  perfect  manner  represents  the  Lord  Jesus,  he 
sends  the  Holy  Ghost  into  the  newly  confirmed  saying:  "  May 
the  Holy  Spirit  come  upon  you  and  the  strength  of  the  Most  High 
guard  you  from  sin."'  Extending  his  hands  over  them  he  says: 
"send  forth  from  heaven  upon  them  the  septiformal  Paraclete 
Spirit."'  Seven  times  at  every  Mass  the  priest  sends  the  Holy 
Ghost  into  the  hearts  of  the  people  when  he  says  the  "Dominus 
vobiscum"  "the  Lord  be  with  you,"  that  is  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Every  time  a  priest  baptizes  a  person,  he  drives  out  the  demons 
and  sends  into  that  soul  the  Holy  Ghost  to  sanctify  it  with  his 
presence. 

Thus  let  us  better  understand  the  wonders  of  the  hierarchies  of 
the  Trinity  and  of  the  church.  From  God  the  Father,  and  from 
his  only  Begotten  Son  Jesus  Christ,  comes  forth  the  Holy  Spirit 
now  as  it  was  from  the  beginning  and  always  will  be.  That  is 
taking  place  now  and  always  will  be,  for  it  is  the  procession  of  the 

1  John.  XX,  22,  23.     -  Pontif.  Rom.  De  Consecr.  Epis.      '  Pontif.  Rom.  De  Ordinal.  Presbyt. 

^  Pontif.  Roman  De  Ordinal.  Diac.       *  Ponlif.  Roman  De  Ordinal.  Subdiaiiac. 

'  Pontif.  Roman  De  Ordinal.  Exorcist.    '  Pontif.  Rom.  de  Conflrmatione.    *  De  Confirm.  lb. 


54  THE  COMING  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST. 

Persons  of  the  Trinity.  The  Son  is  ever  being  born  of  the  Fath- 
er. From  him  the  head  of  the  church,  the  church  is 'ever  coming 
forth  now  and  forever,  as  it  did  from  his  side  on  Calvary.  From 
both  Father  and  Son  comes  even  now  as  from  eternity  the  Holy 
Ghost.  There  is  the  internal  the  hidden  life  of  God,  which  no 
created  mind  can  understand.  These  processions  of  the  Persons 
of  the  Trinity  are  taking  place  now  in  the  church,  inasmuch  aa 
the  nature  of  weak  created  things  can  bear  the  image  of  the  Trin- 
ity. As  Christ  comes  forth  from  his  Father,  so  the  church  univer- 
sal comes  forth  from  him,  the  diocese  from  the  universal  church, 
and  the  parish  from  the  diocese.  As  the  Father  sends  the  Son, 
his  Image  into  the  world,  so  the  Pope  the  Father  of  all  christians 
sends  the  bishop,  the  image  of  the  Pope  himself,  into  the  diocese 
he  created  as  an  image  of  the  universal  church,  which  he  rules  in 
the  name  of  Christ,  whose  Vicar  he  is.  In  the  same  way  the 
bishop  sends  the  pastor,  the  image  of  himself,  into  the  parish  the 
image  of  the  diocese.  The  Father  in  heaven  is  the  Father  of  the 
other  Persons  of  the  Trinity,  so  they  call  us  priests  fathers.  For 
we  send  the  Son  and  Holy  Spirit  in  the  souls  of  men  to  sanctify 
them  by  his  holy  presence,  as  the  Eternal  Father  sent  his  Son  and 
Spirit  into  the  world.  In  the  administration  of  the  sacraments,  in 
the  Masses  we  offer  up  to  God,  by  the  "  Dominus  vobiscum,^'  in  the 
ministry  of  the  Word  of  God,  in  every  office  and  priestly  function, 
there  we  stand  ministers  of  God,  we  are  ever  sending  into  the 
world  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  spirit  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Father,  to 
purify  the  hearts  of  men  from  sins. 

In  the  days  of  the  apostles,  when  in  fear  and  trembling  they 
gathered  in  the  upper  chamber  belonging  to  the  mother  of  St. 
Mark,  on  that  Pentecost  Sunday,  the  Promise  of  the  Father,  the 
Holy  Ghost  came  down  on  them  in  the  form  of  tongues  of  fire  and 
sat  on  every  one  of  them.^' ' 

That  was  his  first  coming  into  the  universal  church  assembled 
there.  From  the  universal  church,  he,  the  Holy  Ghost,  comes  into 
the  particular  church  the  diocese.  From  the  diocese  he  descends 
to  the  parish,  and  from  the  pastor  into  the  hearts  and  the  souls  of 
the  people  to  heal  them  from  sin  and  to  fill  them  with  the  glories 
of  his  holiness.  The  clergy  are  born  of  God  by  priestly  ordina- 
tion. By  that  we  partake  in  the  eteraal  priesthood  of  Christ.  As 
the  Holy  Ghost  proceeds  from  Christ,  so  we  receive  his  priestly 
powers  by  ordination.  In  our  turn  we  send  him  into  the  souls  of 
the  people  by  our  ministry.  Thus  we  stop  aghast,  astonished  at 
the  wonders  of  the  church  of  God,  wherein  are  reproduced  on  a 
small  scale  the  life  itself  of  the  Trinity,  the  processions  of  the  Per- 
sons of  God. 

Such  therefore  are  some  of  the  wonders  and  beauties  of  our 
hierarchies.  We  are  united  together  in  the  church  by  the  very 
bonds  which  unite  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity.  All  members 
within  the  church  live  in  the  most  holy  bonds  of  peace,  bound  to- 

>  Acts.  u. 


THE  SOUL  OF  THE  CHURCH.  55 

gether  with  the  bonds  of  the  Trinity.  In  ancient  times  the  word 
"  peace"  meant  the  union  of  churches,  and  the  union  of  the  dif- 
ferent members  of  the  church  with  it  and  with  each  other.  For 
that  reason  from  apostolic  times  the  bishops  when  pontificating 
said:  ''  Peace  be  with  you."  That  meant,  let  you  be  always  un- 
ited with  each  other  and  with  me,  and  through  me  with  the  uni- 
versal church,  and  by  that  be  ye  all  united  to  the  Holy  Trinity. 
Then  you  will  have  the  holiness  of  God  and  of  his  Holy  Spirit. 
For  ^*In  the  unity  of  the  Church  the  Trinity  appears  in  the 
unity  of  the  Father,  as  the  principle  in  which  we  unite  the  Son,  as 
the  means  by  which  we  unite  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  the  Love  which 
unites  us  and  all  in  one."  '  The  church  is  holy  because  it  is  an- 
imated and  vivified  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  who  lives  in  it  and 
animates  it.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  soul  of  the  church.  The  holy 
church  is  as  it  were  his  body.  As  Christ  united  to  man  in  the 
Incarnation,  so  the  Holy  Ghost  in  a  certain  way  took  a  body  to 
himself.  That  is  the  church.  As  the  body  and  soul  in  man 
make  one  individual  man,  not  two  beings,  one  the  soul  and  the 
other  the  body,  so  the  church  and  the  Holy  Ghost  may  be  said 
make  one  Person.  As  the  human  soul  gives  life  to  the  body 
which  it  animates,  so  the  Holy  Ghost  gives  supernatural  life  or 
holiness  to  the  church  his  body.  "  The  holy  church  is  the  body 
of  Christ  living  by  one  Spirit,  all  making  one  body,  because  of 
one  Spirit."  ** 

The  church  lives  chiefly  in  the  bishops  the  episcopacy,  the  chief 
members  of  the  hierarchy,  the  successors  of  the  apostles.  Christ 
taught  the  apostles,  and  through  them  he  taught  the  clergy,  while 
the  people  but  dimly  the  mysteries  of  faith.  "  To  you  it  is  given 
to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  to  them  it  is 
not  given.'' ^  The  Apostles  and  the  bishops  received  the  fulness 
of  the  eternal  priesthood  of  Christ.  By  them  chiefly  Christ  brings 
forth  his  spiritual  children  of  whom  his  church  is  formed. 
They  compose  the  different  members  of  his  mystic  body  on  this 
earth.  The  episcopacy  is  not  divided.  The  episcopacy  of  Christ 
is  whole  and  complete  in  each  bishop.  "  We  especially,  bishops, 
who  preside  in  the  church,  we  must  strongly  hold  and  define  its 
unity,  that  we  pro\e  the  episcopacy  one  and  undivided.  The  epis- 
copacy is  one,  of  which  each  bishop  holds  the  completeness."* 
Each  bishop  therefore  is  a  complete  high  jiriest,  for  in  his  consecra- 
tion he  received  complete  sacerdotal  power  from  the  exhaustless 
fountains  of  the  Priesthood  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  there  is  but  one 
Priesthood,  that  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  great  High  Priest  of 
eternity.  Therefore  the  priest,  the  bishop,  all  who  partake  in  the 
Priesthood  of  Christ,  all  are  one  with  him.  Being  one  with  him, 
they  give  to  others  the  sanctifying  Holy  Ghost,  who  proceeds  from 
him  the  Son  of  God.  Therefore  Christ  through  the  Holy  Ghost 
is  the  source  and  the  fountain  head  of  the  holiness  of  the  church 
of  God.     From  the  clergy  the  ministers  of  Christ,  who  are  "  other 

'  Bosuet  Let.  iv.  a  une  Dam.  de  Metz,  n.  7.    '  Hug.  de  St.  Victor  de  Sacr,  L.  II  p.  il.  c.  1.  2 
^  Matt.  xill.  3.  *  St.  Cyprian,  de  Unit.  Eccles.  n.  5, 


66  THE  HOLY  GHOST   SANCTIFIES. 

Christs  "  like  unto  himself  from  them  comes  forth  the  Holy  Ghost, 
who,  sent  by  them  tlie  clergy  comes  into  the  hearts  and  the  souls  of 
the  people  to  sanctify  and  make  them  holy,  pure,  good,  filling 
them  with  grace  drawn  from  the  exhaustless  fountains  of  the 
Crucified.' 

Hence  as  Christ  is  espoused  to  the  whole  church,  the  Pope  is  his 
highest  representative  on  this  earth,  while  the  bishop  in  his  turn 
is  espoused  to  a  part  of  the  church  of  Christ,  to  the  diocese, 
over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  has  placed  him  "  to  rule  the  souls  com- 
mitted to  his  care.""  Whence  St.  Paul  says  **I  have  espoused 
you  to  one  husband,  that  I  may  present  you  as  a  chaste  virgin  to 
Christ." '  The  wonders  of  the  universal  church  penetrate  into 
every  part  of  the  diocese  and  to  the  parish.  The  Holy  Ghost  the 
Sanctifier  is  the  Soul  of  the  church.  He  is  there  and  everywhere, 
in  the  whole  church,  in  the  diocese,  in  the  parish,  in  the  souls  of 
men  sanctifying.  In  him  the  whole  church,  the  diocese,  the  parish, 
and  each  individual  christian  live  move  and  exist,  and  have  their 
supernatural  life  and  being.  What  honor  therefore  should  the 
people  give  their  clergy!  From  them  conies  the  Holy  Ghost  into 
their  souls,  to  there  take  up  his  residence  in  man,  the  greatest  tem- 
ple built  by  the  mighty  hand  of  God.  Above  all  should  they  re- 
spect their  bishop!  For  from  him  comes  the  chief  mystery  of 
our  religion.  "Through  the  bishop  comes  all  orders,  all  myster- 
ies, every  Sacrament."  * 

From  the  moment  the  Pontiff  erects  a  new  diocese,  the  epis- 
copal city  becomes  a  centre  of  spiritual  forces,  and  varied  en- 
ergies of  clergy  spring  up  on  every  side.  The  universal  church 
living  m  the  very  bosom  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  opens  her  fruitful 
womb,  and  brings  forth  a  daughter  to  God,  a  diocese,  the  image 
of  herself.  The  moment  a  new  parish  is  erected  by  the  voice  of 
the  bishop,  spiritual  life,  which  before  perhaps  languished,  spring 
forth  in  all  its  strength,  and  priests  and  people  rise  to  new  and 
more  energetic  endeavors  for  their  salvation.  The  moment  one 
receives  a  sacrament,  he  feels  an  interior  strength,  a  drawing 
nearer  to  God,  and  a  more  lively  sentiment  of  the  things  of  heaven. 
What  is  all  this?  where  does  this  come  from?  It  is  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  given  them  by  the  ministry  of  the  priesthood  of 
Jesus  Christ,  poured  out  upon  a  dying  world.  It  is  the  Holy  Ghost 
healing  suffering  souls  from  the  wounds  of  sin. 

The  Holy  Ghost  is  therefore  *'  the  author  and  finisher  of  our 

faith."  '     He  lives  in  us  completing  our  sanctification.     He  is  the 

source  of  all  holiness,  for  to  him  we  owe  our  spiritual  life.     He 

and   Christ  from  whom  he  proceeds,  live  in  us.     **  And  I  live, 

now  not  1,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."*     Christ  lives  in  the  Father 

who  sent  him;     "  As  the  living  Father  hath  sent  me  and  I  live  by 

the  Father."  '     So  by  him  and  by  his  Spirit,  we  spiritually  live  here 

on  this  earth  the  life  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  a  divine  life,  which  will 

be  completed  only  when  we  see  them  face  to  face  in  splendors  of 

«  I.  Tim.  1. 17.       »  Acts  XX.  28.  »  II.  Cor.  xl.  2.       *  Simeon  Thess.  de  Sac  Ord.  C.  I. 

»  Heb.  xll.  a.         •  Gal.  11.  20.  »  Johaxl.  M. 


THE  UNIVERSAL  CHURCH,  THE  DIOCESE   A.ND  PARISH.  57 

heaven,  Christ,  head  of  the  church,  lives  in  the  persons  of  the 
clergy,  whom  he  sent  forth  with  all  his  powers  and  sanctifying 
sacraments.  "  As  the  living  Father  hath  sent  me  and  I  live  by 
the  Father."  '  So  by  the  clergy,  the  people  are  unite  to  and  enter 
into  the  most  intimate  relations  with  the  Trinity.  In  the  clergy 
the  people  see  the  images  of  the  persons  of  the  Trinity.  "  He  that 
receiveth  you  receiveth  me  and  he  that  receiveth  me  receiveth  him 
that  sent  me."  ^ 

Not  only  that,  but  in  an  other  way  we  see  in  the  wonders  of  the 
church,  the  image  of  the  Trinity.  The  Pope  is  the  head  of  the 
whole  church,  as  well  as  the  head  of  the  particular  diocese  of 
Eome.  He  is  the  Father  of  the  people  of  God.  For  that  he  is 
called  Pope, — Papa,  the  Greek  for  father.  As  the  Son  is  born  of 
the  Father  before  all  ages,'  so  the  bishops  and  the  dioceses  are 
born  of  him.  The  bishops  are  the  spiritual  sons  of  the  Pope,  as  the 
dioceses  are  the  spiritual  daughters  of  the  universal  church.  They 
are  spiritually  begotten  by  the  Pope  and  by  the  universal  church, 
as  the  Son  is  generated  by  the  Father.  The  parish  and  priest 
proceed  from  the  bishop  and  the  diocese,  as  his  son  and  daugh- 
ter, as  the  Son  and  Spirit  come  forth  from  the  Father  in  the 
Trinity.  From  the  priest  and  parish,  the  laity  are  born  sons  and 
daughters  of  Christ,  for  all  who  receive  him  in  the  persons  of  his 
clergy,  to  them  he  gave  the  power  to  be  the  sons  of  God."  *  "  For 
unless  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  he  cannot 
enter  the  kingdom  of  God."  *  "  And  if  sons,  heirs  also,  heirs  in- 
deed of  God,  and  Joint  heirs  with  Christ."  *  In  the  coronation  of 
the  Pope,  in  the  consecration  of  the  bishop,  in  the  ordination  of 
the  clergy,  in  every  sacrament  and  service,  we  find  the  image  of 
the  Son  and  Spirit,  now  and  from  eternity  being  generated  and 
proceeding  from  the  Father,  or  from  the  Father  and  the  Son. 
Such  are  the  wonders  of  the  supernatural  life  of  God  ever  acting 
in  his  church. 

Proceeding  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  the  head  of  the 
church,  the  Holy  Spirit  comes  down  into  the  world,  comes 
into  the  souls  of  men  by  the  ministry  of  the  eternal  priesthood 
of  Christ,  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  by  the  prayers  of  the 
good,  and  there  he  works  the  wonders  of  salvation  and  of  civil- 
ization amongst  men,  raising  them  up  into  himself,  that  with 
Christ  they  may  be  one  with  God.  As  the  pastor  is  the  bridegroom 
of  his  parish,  as  the  bishop^s  bride  is  his  diocese,  as  the  whole  church 
is  the  Spouse  of  Christ,  he  is  the  spouse  of  the  universal 
church.  "As  the  husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife,  as  Christ  is 
the  head  of  the  church,  he  is  the  savior  of  his  body.  Therefore 
as  the  church  is  subject  to  Christ  ....  that  he  might  sanctify  it 
cleansing  it  by  the  laver  of  water  in  the  word  of  life.  That  he 
might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or 
wrinkle,  or,  any  such  thing,  but  that  it  should  be  holy  and  without 
blemish."  '     Thus  as  the  church  universal  is  the  spouse  of  the  Son  of 

'  John  xl.  58.        "'  Math.  x.  40.        ^  Athanas.  Creed.       *  John  1. 17.  »  John  iil.  5. 

«  Rom.  vili.  17.  '  Ephes.  v,  23,  24,  26,  27. 


58  THE  CHILDREN  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

God,  as  the  wife  has  all  the  perfections  and  the  very  nature  and 
flesh  and  blood  with  her  husband,  so  the  church  like  Christ  is 
holy.  Being  the  mother  of  his  children,  as  the  mother  brings  forth 
children  of  the  same  nature  with  herself,  as  the  church  is  the 
mother  of  all  the  saints,  who  ever  appeared  upon  this  earth,  so 
she  in  her  turn  must  be  holy,  or  she  could  not  be  their  mother, 
the  spouse  of  such  a  holy  man  Christ. 

We  can  only  for  a  moment  draw  the  mind  of  the  reader  to  the 
spectacle  of  the  countless  saints  and  martyrs  and  virgins  and  holy 
men  and  women  who  belonged  to  the  church.  They  became  saints 
because  they  belonged  to  her.  It  was  her  sanctity  which  filled 
them.  History  tells  us  of  the  sufferings  of  the  martyrs,  of  the 
constancy  they  showed  in  their  torments,  of  what  they  endured 
before  they  overcame  the  world,  and  flesh  and  blood  to  gain  the 
immortal  crown  of  martyrdom.  No  work  of  history,  no  page  of 
romance,  no  imagination  of  the  greatest  novelist,  can  fancy 
greater  heroism  than  that  of  the  saints  and  martyrs  of  the  church. 
'*  He  that  overcometh  himself  is  greater  than  he  that  overcometh 
a  city.  "  But  the  saints  and  martyrs  not  only  overcame  them- 
selves, that  is  mastered  their  passions,  but  they  also  overcame  the 
world,  the  devil  and  the  flesh  by  their  heroic  virtues  and  their 
constancy.  Following  in  the  footsteps  of  the  greatest  martyr 
of  them  all,  Jesus  Christ,  they  made  up  by  their  lives,  what  was 
wanting  in  his  passion.  "  For  the  servant  is  not  greater  than 
the  master.  "^  If  he  the  head  of  the  church  suffered  so,  why  not 
they  who  come  after  him?  As  they  walk  in  his  footsteps,  so  they 
must  all  enter  the  dark  shadows  of  Calvary.  All  this  he  foretold. 
"If  any  man  will  follow  me  let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his 
cross  and  follow  me.  "  '  It  is  a  surprising  thing  yet  it  is  true, 
that  there  was  never  a  minister  of  Christ  who  did  great  good  in 
the  world,  but  who  was  misunderstood,  belied,  slandered,  perse- 
cuted, and  that  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  good  he  did  to  his 
fellow  men. 

The  church  being  one  with  Christ,  she  partakes  in  his  spiritual 
dignity  and  in  his  authority  over  men.  "  He  that  heareth  you 
heareth  me,  and  he  that  heareth  me  heareth  him  that  sent  me."* 
Therefore  the  church  is  Christ  and  Christ  is  the  church.  To  her 
is  given  to  bring  forth  his  and  her  children,  sons  of  God,  that  they 
may  in  all  things  be  like  to  her  head  and  founder  Jesus  Christ. 
Not  that  they  can  be  the  sons  of  God  by  nature,  for  that  alone 
belongs  to  the  divine  Word,  his  only  begotten  Son.  But  by  grace 
the  sons  of  man  become  like  unto  and  conformable  to  the  Son  of 
God  her  spouse,  for  whom  she  brought  them  forth  the  day  of 
their  baptism,  when  they  were  born  ''again  of  water  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  "  that  they  might  enter  into  the  church,  the  kingdom 
of  God,  his  Father.  From  the  church  alone  we  all  received  from 
God  the  blessing  of  salvation  and  the  "power  to  be  made  the  sons 

>  John,  xill  16.  *  Mark,  rtll,  S4.  *  Mark  (x.  36. 


THE  CHURCH  TEACHING,  SANCTIFYING  AND  KULING.  59 

of  God,  to  them  that  believe  in  his  name."  '     For  the  church  is 
"the  fulness  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God."  * 

The  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  with  the  church  are  therefore 
one.  Through  Christ  the  second  Person  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  she 
is  united  to  and  made  one  with  the  Trinity.  In  the  Trinity  the 
church  lives,  moves,  and  has  her  being.  By  the  grace  of  redemp- 
tion and  the  merits  of  Christ  poured  out  so  abundantly  on  the 
members  of  the  church,  they  begin  on  earth  that  life,  which  ends 
only  in  eternity,  in  the  splendors  of  the  beatific  vision  of  God, 
where  they  live  on  and  Avith  his  eternal  life.  "The  tunic  of 
Christ  that  is  the  church  gets  its  unity  coming  from  above,  that 
is  coming  down  from  heaven  and  from  the  Father."  ^ 

Christ  did  not  choose  to  remain  ever  on  this  earth.  It  was  de- 
creed in  the  councils  of  the  Eternal  that  he  was  to  be  born  man, 
to  die,  to  rise  from  the  dead,  and  to  enter  into  the  glories  of  his 
Father,  which  he  had  with  him  before  the  world  was.  He  then 
went  back  to  heaven  to  prepare  a  place  for  us,  and  he  will  come 
again  at  our  death  to  take  us  to  himself.  "  I  will  come  again  and 
will  take  you  to  myself,  that  where  I  am,  you  also  may  be."  * 
»  John  i.  12.  2  Eph.  1.  23.  '  Cyprian  de  Unit.  Eccl.  n.  7.  *  John  xlv.  3. 


^Aapi( 


;3?   ■(< 


for  the  V 


QrcL.'ikO^^ 


The  Eternal  Priest- 
hood of  Christ. 

fESUS  Christ  at  the  mcar-^ 
nation  was  consecrated  by 
His  Father  the  eternal 
Priest  of  the  human  race:" 
Sending  him  the  Father  said: 
From  the  womb  before  the  day 
star  I  begot  thee.  Thou  art 
a  priest  forever  according  to 
the  order  of  Melchisedech.*"  He 
was  not  made  a  priest  of  the 
old  law  according  to  the  order  of 
Aaron,  for  the  bloody  sacrifices  of 
the  law  of  Moses  were  not  to  last 
forever.  They  only  prepared  for 
the  sacrifice  of  Calvary  which  they 
typified;  they  ceased  at  the  cruci- 
fixion, when  the  veil  of  the  tem- 
ple was  rent,  and  torn  aside  hy 
angel  hands  at  the  death  of 
Christ.  '  He  was  made  a  priest 
according  to  the  order  of  Melchis- 
edech  king  of  Jerusalem  *  who  of- 
fered bread  and  wine  to  God  *  because  his  sacrifice  in  the  Mass  is  to 
go  on  forever,  for  the  atonement  on  the  cross  is  ever  before  the  eyes 
of  God,  his  humanity  which  was  crucified  and  his  blood  which  was 
shed  for  us  men  and  for  our  salvation,  lasts  unto  eternity  and  he 
will  ever  offer  his  passion  before  the  throne  of  his  eternal  Father, 
asking  for  forgiveness  of  sin. 

Melchisedecli  king  of  Salem,  as  Jerusalem  was  then  called,  offer- 
ing bread  and  wine  to  God  was  but  a  figure  of  our  Lord  '  who  at 
Luke  xzili.  45.  *  DuU«pon  concord  Scrip.         *  Gen.  xIt.  18. 


":'''^. 


Pmlm  clxlll.  4. 
Heb.  V.  6,  10 ;  vl.  30. 


60 


THE  PRIESTHOOD  OF  THE  NEW  LAW.  61 

the  last  supper  took  bread  and  wine  and  changed  them  into  his 
body  and  his  blood.  There  he  instituted  the  new  priesthood  of 
the  New  Testament.  There  he  ordained  his  apostles  priests  by  the 
words:  "  Do  this  for  a  commemoration  of  me.''  *  Such  was  the 
origin  of  the  Mass,  wherein  we  see  the  mystic  or  the  typical  repre- 
sentation of  his  coming  and  his  death,  which  is  to  be  offered  on 
every  altar  as  a  memorial  of  him,  till  he  comes  again,  as  St.  Paul 
says:  "For  as  often  as  you  shall  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this 
chalice,  you  shall  show  the  death  of  the  Lord  until  he  comes."  * 

Each  good  person,  every  incident  and  historic  event  of  the  Old 
Testament  pointed  to  the  commg  of  the  Messiah,  the  Redeemer, 
or  to  the  founding  of  the  church.  All  prophecy  prepared  the. 
world  for  his  advent.  The  vast  ceremonial  of  the  Jewish  taber- 
nacle and  temple  pointed  to  his  life  and  death.  When  he  came 
and  died  he  accomplished  all  they  foretold.  At  his  sacrifice  on  the 
cross,  the  sacrifices  of  the  Jewish  law  ended,  God  the  Father  re- 
ceived in  their  place  the  atonement  of  his  Son,  which  they  pre- 
figured and  from  that  moment  God  rejected  the  rites  of  the  Old 
Testament  and  cursed  the  Jews  who  like  Cain  had  put  their 
brother  Jesus  to  death.  To  this  day  they  are  wanderers  on  the 
earth,  like  Cain  without  a  country  or  a  nation,  while  the  abomina- 
tion of  desolation  predicted  by  the  prophets  still  stands  in  the  holy 
places,  and  will  remain  there  until  the  end.  ^  > 

God  having  rejected  the  nation  the  ceremonial  and  the  Jewish 
priesthood,  Christ,  called  the  gentiles  and  instituted  another  priest- 
hood to  take  their  place  to  teach  the  world  his  Gospel  and 
his  truths.  The  old  priesthood  of  Moses  and  of  Aaron  was  to  last 
but  till  the  coming  of  him  the  desired  of  all  nations.  But  his 
new  priesthood  was  institued  so  as  to  partake  in  his  eternal  priest- 
hood and  it  must  last  unto  the  end  of  ages,  even  unto  eternity.  As 
Christ  came  down  from  the  eternal  Father  who  generates  him 
bearing  that  everlasting  Priesthood,  so  the  new  priesthood  of  the 
New  Testament  comes  from  Christ,  who  receives  from  his  Father  God 
all  power  and  might  and  authority  over  men.  To  the  priesthood  of 
the  church  then  he  gave  his  triple  power  of  teaching,  sanctifying 
and  of  ruling  the  people  of  God.  "  All  power  is  given  me  in 
heaven  and  on  earth.*  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations" 
behold  the  teaching  power.  ''^Baptising  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  *  Here  we  see 
the  sanctifying  power  of  the  priesthood.  "Teaching  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you,  and  behold 
I  am  with  you  all  days  even  unto  the  consummation  of  tlie  world.  "* 
And  here  we  find  the  governing  power  of  Christ.  " 

Christ  raised  his  apostles  and  disciples  up  into  his  priesthood, 
for  he  made  them  one  in  power  with  himself.  "  If  you  ask  any- 
thing in  my  name,  that  I  will  do.  "  '  Here  he  solemnly  promises 
that  he  will  do  anything  the  apostles  ask  him.  He  and  his  clergy 
are  one,  and  they  have  but  one  and  the  same  eternal  Priesthood. 

»  Luke  xxii.  19,    "  I.  Cor.  xi.  26.        *  Daniel  Ix.  27. 

"  Math,  xxxili.  19.   «  Matb  xxxUi.  20.   '  Johaxlv.  14.       <  Math,  xxviil,  18.  19. 


62  SUBSTANCE  AND  ACT. 

As  he  is  one  with  his  Father,  so  they  are  one  with  him.  "  In 
that  day  you  shall  know  that  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  you  in  me  and 
I  in  you.  "  '  The  Father,  Christ,  the  apostles  and*^  clergy  of  the 
church  are  one.  Such  are  the  teachings  of  the  church  enlightened 
by  the  Holy  Ghost.  ' '  But  the  Paraclete  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom 
the  Father  will  send  in  my  name,  he  will  teach  you  all  things,  and 
bring  to  your  mind  whatsoever  I  have  said  to  3'ou."'  Let  us 
study  the  workings  of  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  Christ. 

Each  creature  has  not  only  its  substance,  but  also  certain 
powers  or  faculties,  by  which  it  acts.  But  its  faculties  differ  from 
its  substance.  Thus  man  has  not  only  a  body  and  a  soul  but  also 
twelve  different  faculties  or  powers  by  which  the  soul  acts.  These 
faculties  or  powers  of  creatures  differ  from  their  acting  substance. 
Because  of  his  eternal  simplicity  the  substance,  the  essence  and 
the  acts  of  God  are  one.  His  acts  and  his  nature  are  the  same. 
He  has  not  faculties  by  which  he  acts,  for  he  is  the  eternal  simple 
and  most  infinitely  perfect  Act.  Being  ever  living  and  in  act, 
his  internal  act  is  to  produce  the  Son  and  Holy  Spirit  from  his 
mind  and  will.  But  mind  and  will  in  him  are  not  faculties  as  in 
created  man  and  angel,  for  his  mind  and  will  are  his  intellectual 
nature  thinking  and  willing,  and  giving  rise  to  his  only  begotten 
Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  each  a  perfect  and  eternal  Person  like  unto 
the  Father.  ''And  these  three  are  one,  "  '  God  the  Father,  Son 
and  Holy  Ghost.  For  the  Father  generates  the  Son  without 
division  or  separation  of  Godhead,  while  the  Son  and  Father 
produced  from  eternity  and  still  continue  bringing  forth  the  Holy 
Spirit  their  mutual  Love. 

The  Son  is  equal  to  the  Father  in  nature  and  in  eternal  and 
measureless  power.  Sending  his  Son  to  be  the  Redeemer  of  the 
world,  the  Father  crowns  him  with  the  diadem  of  the  eternal 
Priesthood.  Father  and  Son  giving  rise  to  their  Holy  Spirit,  they 
send  him  into  the  world  to  form  and  shape  and  animate  the  church 
born  of  the  Son  in  the  rigors  of  his  death.  That  Pareclete  comes 
in  fiery  tongues  upon  the  infant  church  assembled  in  the  upper 
chamber  belonging  to  St.  Mark^s  mother.  He  then  appeared  on 
that  Pentecost  Sunday  and  since  his  coming  he  remains  ever  with  the 
church  teaching,  inspiring,  directing  and  keeping  her  from  error, 
that  she  may  teach,  sanctify  and  rule  God's  people  bought  by  the 
blood  of  the  Son. 

Behold  the  mystery  of  the  Priesthood  of  the  Son  of  God  coming 
from  the  Father  yet  ever  standing  before  the  eternal  throne  "  the 
Angel  of  the  New  testament  *  always  interceding  for  us."  *  On 
the  throne  of  God  high,  above  all  creatures  there  is  Jesus  Christ 
the  man-God  with  his  eternal  Priesthood  ever  in  act  ever  coming 
forth  from  his  Father,  always  offering  the  fruits  of  our  priesthood 
our  good  works  in  union  with  his  sacrifice  of  calvary  for  the  sup- 
ernatural life  of  the  dead  race  of  Adam.  Substance  and  act  being 
one  and  the  same  in  the  Son  of  God  his  priesthood  never  ceases,  for 
he  is  "  A  priest  forever  according  to  tlie  order  of  Melchisedech."  * 

«  John  xU.  2.    '  John  xlv.  20.    »  John  x.  7    ♦  Canon  Missae.    •  Heb.  xll.  25.  •  Psalm  clx.  4. 


DIFFERENT  RANKS  OF  CLERGYMEN".  C3 

Christ  could  not  give  his  divine  nature  to  his  clergy,  for  that 
would  make  them  sons  of  God  by  nature  as  so  many  Gods.  But 
he  gave  them  his  supernatural  power,  that  is  his  Priesthood,  his 
complete  power  over  his  mystic  body  the  church.  But  the  powers  or 
faculties  and  the  acts  of  creatures  are  not  the  same,  for  they  can- 
not be  infinitely  perfect  like  unto  God,  who  is  the  infinite  Act, 
because  of  his  infinity  simplicity  God  cannot  be  divided.  In  the 
Priesthood  given  to  men  the  power  of  holy  orders  is  the  substance 
while  jurisdiction  is  the  reguhition  of  the  acts,  or  the  exercise  of 
these  holy  orders.  By  ordination  or  by  holy  orders  we  come  forth 
from  Christ,  Then  we  are  born  into  his  eternal  Priesthood.  As 
Adam  is  the  father  of  the  race  according  to  the  fiesh,  so  Christ  is 
the  father  of  christians  according  to  the  Spirit.  By  natural  birth 
we  come  forth  from  Adam  while  by  -supernatural  generation  we 
come  forth  from  Christ.  Each  person  baptised  is  born  again  of 
"Water  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."'  By  comfirmation  we  are 
strengthened  by  his  Holy  Spirit.  But  by  holy  orders  we  receive 
in  a  higher  way  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  for  by  that 
we  enter  into  his  eternal  Priesthood. 

By  holy  orders  therefore  the  clergy  partake  in  the  power  of  the 
Priesthood  of  Christ,  while  jurisdiction  regulates  the  exercise  of 
that  power.  The  clergy  are  in  higher  or  lower  orders  inasmuch 
as  they  partake  in  a  higher  or  lower  degree  in  the  eternal  Priest- 
hood of  Christ.  At  his  consecration  the  bishop  receives  the  ful- 
ness of  that  Priesthood.  For  that  reason  he  stands  at  the  head 
of  the  ranks  of  holy  orders.  Under  him  are  the  priests,  who  have 
all  his  sacerdotal  powers,  except  the  power  of  ordaining  other 
clergymen.  Deacons  can  preach,  baptise,  wait  on  the  priests  and 
tend  to  the  temporal  wants  of  the  church.  The  subdeacons  wait 
on  the  deacons  and  on  the  priest.  The  acolyte  prepares  the  water 
and  wine  for  the  Mass,  the  exorcist  drives  out  the  demons,  the 
readers  read  the  Bible  in  the  church  while  the  porter  stands  at 
the  church  door  to  keep  unworthy  persons  from  entering  the  house 
of  God. 

In  the  various  ranks  of  beings,  the  higher  contains  the  perfec- 
tions of  the  lower,  and  therefore  clergymen  in  superior  orders  have 
all  the  spiritual  power  of  the  lower  ministers.  Clergymen  cannot 
exercise  the  functions  of  orders  they  have  not  received,  even 
the  attempt  is  forbidden  under  severe  punishment.  But  when 
clergymen  exercise  the  duties  of  orders  below  their  rank,  they 
add  to  the  function  all  the  dignity  of  their  superior  order,  Thus 
we  read  that  our  blessed  Lord  deigned  to  exercise  the  duties  of 
every  order.  As  a  porter  he  drove  out  the  buyers  and  sellers  from 
the  temple  ;*  as  an  exorcist  he  expelled  demons  from  the  possessed," 
as  a  reader  he  rose  in  the  synagogue  and  read  the  prophet  Isaias,  * 
as  a  deacon  and  a  subdeacon  he  waited  on  his  priests  the  apostles, 
as  priest  he  said  the  first  Mass  at  the  last  supper,  and  offered 
himself  on  the  cross,  as  a  bishop  he  consecrated  his  apostles  bishops, 
and  sent  the  Holy  Ghost  into  the  church.  Being  God  he  added 
>  John  HI.  57.         "  LLke  x.  1.  »  Math.  iv.  xxlv.  viil.  16.  etc.       *  Luke  iv.  xvi.  to  27. 


64  THE  FULNESS  OP  THE  PRIESTHOOD. 

to  these  religious  rites  a  dignity  belonging  only  to  the  eternal  Son. 
But  he  could  not  go  into  every  congregation  to  every  nation  and 
church  to  preach,  sanctify  and  govern  all  men,  for  he  was  only 
one  man,  who  could  not  be  present  in  a  visible  form  among  all 
peoples  and  tribes  of  the  world.  He  must  then  provide  a  way  by 
which  his  redemption  was  to  be  preached  to  the  uttermost  ends 
of  the  earth,  so  that  not  only  all  nations  but  also  every  future 
generation  might  benefit  by  his  redemption.  He  appointed  clergy- 
men to  do  that  for  him.  *' Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all 
nations."  '  "  Behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even  to  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  world."*  He  died  that  sin  might  be  wiped  out.  He 
gave  power  to  his  apostles  to  forgive  sins  in  his  name.  "  Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost  whose  sins  you  shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven 
them,  and  whose  sins  you  shall  retain  they  are  retained."  '  As  his 
almighty  Father  crowned  him  the  eternal  Priest,  so  he  ordained 
other  priests  to  continue  his  work.  *^  As  the  Father  hath  sent  me, 
so  I  also  send  you."*     "  Do  this  for  a  commemoration  of  me." ' 

Each  apostle  received  from  him  the  fulness  of  his  eternal  Priest- 
hood. They  became  universal  bishops  of  his  universal  church. 
The  bishops  then  are  all  equal  in  holy  orders — even  the  Pope,  is 
but  a  bishop,  not  higher  in  holy  orders  than  other  bishops.  Each 
bishop  and  apostle  received  the  fulness  of  the  priesthood  of  Christ. 
The  apostles  and  the  bishops  of  the  early  church  were  no  higher 
than  the  bishops  of  our  time.  For  the  bishop  at  his  consecration 
receives  the  fulness  of  the  priesthood  of  Christ,  and  more  than  the 
fulness  cannot  be  received.  Christ  is  to-day  with  the  church,  and 
with  all  his  eternal  power  with  the  clergy,  as  he  was  during  his 
life  on  earth.  "  Behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even  to  the  con- 
summation of  the  world."* 

At  Baptism  the  child  of  Adam,  dead  in  original  sin  becomes  the 
child  of  God,  living  his  supernatural  life.  By  holy  orders  he  be- 
comes a  priest  of  God,  a  member  of  the  association  of  Christ,  a 
partner  of  the  firm  of  which  Christ  is  the  head,  whose  business  is 
the  saving  of  souls.  Holy  orders  once  received  impresses  a  char- 
acter in  the  soul,  which  like  the  seal  of  Baptism  and  confirmation 
remains  for  eternity.  Once  a  priest,  a  priest  he  will  remain  for- 
ever even  unto  the  future  life.  The  clergy  then  can  ever  validly 
although  not  always  lawful,  exercise  the  functions  of  their  order, 
and  no  power  can  ever  take  it  away,  for  by  holy  orders  they  become 
the  images  of  the  eternal  Priest,  Jesus  Christ,  whose  priesthood 
ever  remains  in  action  before  the  throne  of  his  eternal  Father. 

In  Christ  as  God  his  essence,  power,  nature  and  acts  are  the 
same.  His  eternal  priesthood  ever  acts,  for  he  continually  offers 
his  sacrifice  on  Calvary  before  the  eyes  of  his  eternal  Father.  In 
God  there  is  no  past  or  future,  for  he  dwells  in  eternity,  where 
all  is  present.  Time  then  is  one  of  the  qualities  of  matter.  All 
being  present  to  God,  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross,  that  supreme  act 
of  the  eternal  priesthood  of  Christ,  he  ever  offers  before  the  throne 

»  Mflth.  xxxlll.  Ifl.  «  Math.  xxxlM.  30.  »  John  xx.  22.  *  John  xx.  21. 

e  Luke  xxxl.  19.  *  Matt,  xxxlli.  30. 


HOLY  ORDEKS  AND  JUKISDICTION".  65 

of  the  Eternal  pleading  for  mercy  for  sin.  In  Christ  then  the 
Priesthood,  his  death  and  the  offerings  of  that  priesthood  aijp  the 
same,  for  he  offered  himself  and  his  offering  and  his  sacerdotal  act 
cannot  be  divided. 

But  this  is  not  so  in  imperfect  men.  The  power  of  holy  orders, 
and  the  exercise  of  these  powers  are  not  the  same.  The  priest- 
hood received  in  holy  orders,  and  the  exercise  of  these  sacerdotal 
powers  are  not  the  same,  for  in  creatures  who  by  nature  are  im- 
perfect the  essence  and  the  act  are  not  identical  as  in  God.  Man 
can  abuse  his  sacerdotal  powers  and  become  unworthy  of  his  office. 
While  the  character  of  holy  orders  ever  remain  imprinted  in  the 
soul,  the  exercise  of  holy  orders  must  be  regulated  by  jurisdiction, 
which  is  the  authority  of  our  superiors  over  us,  in  the  exercise  of 
our  holy  orders  and  sacerdotal  powers.  In  Christ  orders  and  juris- 
diction are  the  same,  while  in  men  they  differ.  For  while  orders 
remain  imprinted  in  the  soul,  jurisdiction  belongs  to  our  superiors 
and  it  can  be  restricted  or  taken  away. 

In  ancient  times  jurisdiction  was  called  hierarchial  union  or 
communion.  By  baptism  the  laity  are  received  into  the  commun- 
ion of  the  church.  By  ordination  the  clergy  are  received  into  the 
communion  of  their  order.  By  sin  a  person  may  lose  these  bene- 
fits.    A  lay  person  by  sin  may  lose  his  faith. 

A  clergyman  may  disgrace  himself  and  be  degraded  from  ex- 
ercising the  functions  of  the  office  or  from  the  church.  A  man  in 
the  lower  orders  may  be  degraded  to  the  ranks  of  the  laity.  A 
priest  may  be  suspended,  a  bishop  reduced  to  the  ranks  of  the 
priesthood.  But  all  this  relates  to  jurisdiction,  not  to  the  power 
of  orders,  but  only  to  the  exercise  of  these  powers.  For  the  char- 
acter of  baptism,  of  confirmation  and  of  holy  orders  remain  forever 
imprinted  in  the  soul.  Taking  away  the  exercise  or  the  acts 
of  these  spiritual  powers  is  called  suspension  for  clergymen. 

The  priest  in  union  with  his  bishop  takes  part  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  diocese,  while  the  bishop  in  union  with  the  Pope  takes 
part  in  the  government  of  the  universal  church.  The  eternal 
priesthood  belongs  not  only  to  the  whole  church  but  also  to  each 
particular  church,  or  to  the  diocese  and  to  the  parish,  for  each 
diocese  and  parish  has  in  the  bishop  and  priest  the  powers  of  teach- 
ing, of  sanctifying  and  of  ruling  souls  bought  by  the  blood  of  the 
immaculate  "Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
world. ^' ' 

Bishops,  priests,  and  ministers  first  belong  to  the  whole  or  to  the 
universal  church.  In  this  respect  they  are  all  equal  according  to  the 
ranks  of  the  orders  they  received.  Thus  in  the  universal  church  the 
bishops  are  all  equal,  in  the  diocese  the  priests  are  all  equal,  in  the 
parish  the  laity  are  all  equal  before  the  church. 

Let  us  better  understand  it.  The  bishops  priests  and  clergy  first 
belong  to  the  universal  church.  They  are  all  under  the  guidance 
and  the  leadership  of  the  head  of  the  universal  church,  the  Pope. 

»  John  1.  29. 


66  THE  ETERNAL  PRIESTHOOD. 

The  priests  and  lower  clergy  next  belong  to  the  diocese,  and  they 
are  al>  under  their  bishop.  In  power  of  orders,  all  in  the  same 
ranks  are  equal,  but  not  in  the  exercise  of  these  powers.  Thus  no 
bishop  can  exercise  religious  functions  in  any  other  diocese  but  his 
own,  without  the  permission  of  the  bishop  of  that  diocese  or  the 
orders  of  the  Pope,  who  has  direct  jurisdiction  over  every  soul 
redeemed  by  Christ,  because  he  is  the  vicar  of  the  Redeemer  of  all 
men.  No  pastor  can  come  into  another  parish  to  exercise  paroch- 
ial duties  without  the  expressed  or  implied  consent  of  the  pas- 
tor, or  of  the  bishop  who  is  the  pastor  of  the  whole  diocese.  No 
assistant  priest  can  assume  to  perform  any  priestly  duty  against 
the  consent  of  the  pastor,  because  they  are  not  his  people,  for  the 
pastor  is  their  shepherd.  Thus  the  powers  of  orders  are  most  beau- 
tifully regulated  by  jurisdiction,  centering  in  the  visible  head  of  the 
church  the  Pope,  the  vicar  of  Christ,  who  is  the  source  and  the  head 
of  all  orders  and  jurisdiction.  Every  act  being  regulated  by  the 
canon  law  of  the  church  there  can  be  no  tyranny  nor  oppression. 

Hence  no  bishop  can  rule  a  diocese  in  opposition  to  the  Roman 
Pontiil,  no  priest  can  be  pastor  without  the  appointment  of  the  bish- 
op, no  assistant  can  administer  the  sacraments  without  the  given 
or  tacit  consent  of  the  pastor  or  of  the  bishop.  Without  the  con- 
sent of  the  superiors  given  in  a  regular  way,  the  clergy  are  forbid- 
den to  fulfil  priestly  functions  for  the  people.  But  such  functions 
are  valid  but  forbidden  and  sinful.  But  the  sacrament  of  penance 
alone  is  null  and  void  without  jurisdiction,  so  as  to  prevent  un- 
known clergymen  from  wandering  around  from  place  to  place  and 
doing  harm.  But  the  otherfunctions  of  holy  ordersare  valid  without 
the  consent  of  the  bishop  even  when  the  clergyman  is  suspended 
from  exercising  the  powers  of  his  orders.  Thus  we  see  th^t  Christ 
is  so  careful  of  his  mystic  body  his  people,  that  he  takes  more  care 
of  them  than  of  the  sacraments  he  instituted  for  their  redemption. 
But  for  serious  reasons,  the  functions  of  holy  orders  may  be  sus- 
pended for  a  time  or  forever.  The  clergy  being  images  of  the 
eternal  Priest  Jesus  Christ,  whose  divine  nature  and  the  acts  are 
the  same,  who  is  ever  in  act  fulfilling  his  office  as  High  Priest  of 
God,  because  of  the  intimate  relation  of  the  clergy  to  him,  only 
the  exercise  of  the  sacrament  of  penance  can  be  completely  taken 
away,  suspended  and  rendered  null  and  void  by  our  superiors. 
For  penance,  being  a  judicial  act,  it  must  be  exercised  on  subjects 
given  the  priest  by  nis  superiors,  while  the  other  functions  of 
orders  are  valid  even  when  forbidden  for  cause,  but  sinful  on  the 
part  of  the  clergyman. 

Each  clergyman  after  ordination  is  usually  assigned  by  his 
bishop  to  a  certain  church,  that  he  may  there  exercise  the  func- 
tions of  his  orders  within  defined  limits,  and  not  encroach  on  the 
limits  of  other  parishes.  In  former  times  no  bishop  was  consecra- 
ted, or  clergyman  ordained,  without  first  being  assigned  a  church. 
From  that  church  he  took  his  title  that  is  his  office  or  dignity.  ' 
That  differs  from  the  title  of  ordination  to  the  title  of  mission,  if 


A  CLERGYMAIS^S  TITLE.  67 

in  a  missionary  country,  of  poverty  if  he  belongs  to  a  mendicant 
order,  or  of  famularity  if  he  belongs  to  the  bishop's  household. 
The  title  of  which  we  speak  then  is  the  appointment  of  a  clergy- 
man to  a  particular  church,  with  communion  and  jurisdiction  com- 
ing from  the  universal  church  and  the  diocese,  by  which  he  par- 
takes in  all  the  honors  and  privileges  attached  to  the  position.  Be- 
cause of  the  high  episcopal  dignity,  no  bishop  is  now  consecrated 
without  a  title.  By  his  title  the  bishop  becomes  the  head  of  the 
diocese,  to  which  he  was  assigned  by  the  Pope.  In  his  turn  the 
bishop  appoints  the  pastor  at  the  head  of  the  parish,  and  nominates 
the  priest,  who  acts  as  assistant  to  the  pastor. 

The  title  of  the  supreme  Pastor  is  Jesus  Christ.  In  Hebrew 
Jesus  means  Saviour.  "  For  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their 
sins."  '  Christ  in  Greek  signifies  the  anointed.  Messiah  also  is 
the  Hebrew  for  the  anointed.  His  titles  are  numberless  in  the 
Bible.  The  title  of  the  Pope  is  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the  successor 
of  Peter,  the  head  of  all  churches,  for  to  Peter  Christ  said :  "  Feed 
my  lambs  feed  my  sheep." '  Each  clergyman  in  holy  orders  is  the 
equal  of  all  others  in  the  same  order.  The  Bishop  of  Rome  is  not 
in  holy  orders  above  or  superior  to  other  bishops.  But  because  of 
his  title  as  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  heir  of  Peter,  he  has  jurisdiction 
over  all  the  other  bishops  and  churches  of  the  world,  for  Rome  is 
the  mother  church,  having  authority  over  all  christians,  because 
to  Peter  her  first  bishop,  Christ  left  the  power  of  ruling  his  lambs 
and  sheep. 

The  church  title  therefore  completes  and  crowns  the  work  of 
the  clergyman.  By  ordination  he  enters  into  communion  and 
equality  with  all  the  others  in  the  same  orders  in  the  church  uni- 
versal. Then  he  receives  jurisdiction  in  the  diocese  and  becomes 
later  a  pastor,  the  equal  of  the  pastors  with  the  same  orders  and 
jurisdiction  in  the  diocese.  After  ordination  the  bishop  may  ap- 
point a  new  priest  to  a  particular  church  as  assistant  to  the  pastor. 
First  the  clergy  receive  orders,  then  jurisdiction  then  their  title. 
For  Christ  first  founded  the  church  universal.  From  her  came 
the  diocese  and  from  the  diocese  the  parish  was  born.  The  hier- 
archy of  orders  begins  with  the  bishop  and  ends  with  the  porter, 
while  the  hierarchy  of  jurisdiction  begins  with  the  Pope  and  ends 
with  the  bishops  of  various  degrees.  The  bishop  is  the  head  of 
holy  orders,  as  the  Pope  is  the  head  of  jurisdiction.  To  the  Pope 
in  the  person  of  Peter  his  predecessor  Christ  said:  ^^  Thou  art 
Peter  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church  and  the  gates  of 
hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it."  *  "  Whatever  thou  shalt  bind  upon 
earth  it  shall  be  bound  in  heaven  and  whatever  thou  shalt  loose 
upon  earth  it  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."^ 

Holy  orders  comes  therefore  before  jurisdiction,  as  the  univer- 
sal church  was  before  any  particular  diocese,  while  jurisdiction 
precedes  the  title,  for  the  diocese  existed  before  the  parish  was 
formed  out  of  it.  A  bishop  without  title  belongs  to  the  universal 
church,  as  a  priest  without  a  parish  belongs  to  the  diocese,  while 

■  Matt.  I.  21.  ^  John  xxi.  15, 16, 17.  ^  Matt.  xi.  18.  <  Math.  xxi.  19. 


68  THE  CLEEGYMAN  ESPOUSED  TO  HIS  CHFKCH. 

a  clergyman  without  a  diocese  belongs  to  the  universal  church. 
His  union  with  the  universal  church  goes  before  and  is  the  foun- 
dation of  his  union  with  the  diocese.  His  union  with  the  church 
universal  and  the  diocese  are  the  foundations  on  which  rests  the 
bishop's  or  priest's  title  to  his  diocese  or  parish.  Therefore  no 
bishop  priest  or  clergyman  can  become  the  head  of  a  diocese  or 
parisn,  or  be  attached  to  any  church  unless  first  he  belongs  to  the 
church  universal.  Each  clergyman  must  first  be  received  into  the 
church,  be  ordained  by  her  and  remain  obedient  to  her  laws  and 
discipline.  While  obedient  to  her,  no  bishop  can  be  deprived  of 
his  diocese,  no  good  priest  can  be  driven  from  his  diocese  or  par- 
ish, nor  can  his  church  title  be  taken  away  without  a  just  cause, 
neither  can  a  priest  leave  his  diocese  till  he  has  first  been  received 
Into  another  diocese. 

The  Church  universal,  in  whose  bosom  dwell  all  Christians,  is 
the  spouse,  the  wife  of  Christ.  She  was  born  of  him  and  wedded 
to  him  m  his  sleep  of  death,  on  the  cross  prefigured  by  the  crea- 
tion of  Eve.'  Bearing  his  eternal  Priesthood,  the  bishop  and  the 
pastor  is  the  husband  of  his  diocese  and  of  his  Church.  From 
Christ,  her  husband,  the  Church  universal  receives  her  power,  her 
honors  and  her  glories.  The  honors  of  the  husband  belongs  to  his 
wife,  and  the  dignities  of  the  wife  belong  to  her  spouse  for  they 
form  one  moral  being,  one  family,  one  flesh,  blood,  and  one  body. 
As  Christ  and  his  church  are  one  so  the  bishop  and  the  diocese 
are  one.  Christ  left  to  Peter  power  to  feed  his  lambs  and  sheep, 
and  he  came  and  chose  Eome  as  his  church,  his  diocese.  When 
Peter  died  Eome  became  the  heir  of  him  to  whom  the  Lord  left  all 
power  and  jurisdiction  in  the  church.  When  the  clergy  of  Rome 
elects  the  successor  of  Peter  over  the  Roman  diocesQ,  God  gives  direct 
to  him  all  the  power  of  Peter.  Thus  the  new  Bishop  of  Rome  re- 
ceives direct  from  God  the  power  given  the  Prince  of  the  apostles. 
When  Evodius  was  put  to  death,  St.  Ignatius  his  successor  in  the  see 
of  Antioch  became  the  Archbishop  of  the  churches  of  Asia.  At  the 
election  of  Simeon  the  successor  of  St.  James,  the  new  bishop  of 
Jerusalem  became  the  overseer  of  the  churches  of  the  holy  city. 
When  the  Pope  erects  an  archdiocese  it  receives  a  part  of  the 
power  of  Peter  over  the  other  churches  in  the  province  and  the 
bishops  of  that  see  become  archbishops. 

Now  we  begin  to  understand  the  nature  of  the  church  titles. 
The  title  of  Jesus  Christ  is  The  Anointed  Saviour  of  mankind, 
because  he  was  anointed  in  an  invisible  manner  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  the  Father  sent  him  into  the  world  to  save  all  men. 
He  appointed  his  apostles  and  their  successors  to  the  work  of  the 
ministry  of  teaching,  sanctifying  and  ruling  souls.  He  consecrated 
the  apostles  bishops,  he  ordained  priests  and  ministers  to  do  that 
work  for  him,  ana  then  he  gave  the  supreme  government  of  that 
whole  organism,  his  mystic  body  into  the  hands  of  Peter  and  his 
successors,  that  all  might  be  carried  out  regularly  and  without 
confusion. 

>  Gen.  xi.  32. 


70  ALL  BISHOPS  AEE  EQUAL. 

Christ  will  never  die  or  cease  to  be  the  head  of  the  church.  But 
all  clergymen  will  die,  and  their  titles  will  then  pass  to  their  suc- 
cessors in  office.  A  clergymen's  title  then  is  the  actuality  by  which 
in  a  certain  church  and  over  the  people  worshipping  there  he  ful- 
fills the  functions  of  powers  received  in  holy  orders.  First  comes 
holy  orders,  by  which  that  power  comes  direct  from  Christ,  then 
the  clergy  receive  jurisdiction  by  which  they  legitimately  exercise 
these  powers  of  the  Priesthood  of  Christ  over  the  laity  given  them 
as  their  spiritual  subjects.  Their  titles  come  from  the  churches 
in  which  they  exercise  these  spiritual  functions.  Their  titles  are 
taken  from  the  churches  to  which  they  are  wedded.  The  clergy 
in  the  universal  church  are  all  equal,  according  to  the  orders  they 
received.  They  may  be  higher  or  lower  in  the  ranks  of  jurisdiction 
according  to  the  rank  of  the  churches  they  rule.  Not  only  are 
they  equal  with  regard  to  place  but  also  regarding  times.  For  the 
bishops  and  priests  are  the  same  as  in  the  days  of  the  apostles. 
For  they  have  the  very  same  power  which  the" Lord  gave  to  the 
apostles  disciples  and  ministers.  The  bishops  are  the  successors 
of  the  apostles  as  St.  Leo  says:  "  With  us  the  bishops  take  the 
place  of  the  apostles."  '  "  Wherever  the  bishop  is  either  at  Rome, 
Constantinople,  or  Alexandria,  he  has  the  same  priesthood.*'" 
"  They  are  all  the  successors  of  the  apostles."  '  for  they  all  bear 
the  eternal  Priesthood  of  Jesus  Christ  who  is  the  same  to-day  and 
forever.  It  follows  therefore  that  one  clergymen  in  the  same  or- 
ders is  the  same  administrator  of  the  sacraments  as  another.  For 
they  are  all  the  ministers  of  Christ  and  Christ  gives  salvation  by 
them  coming  direct  from  the  Lord  through  t\\e  sacraments. 

For  we  must  remember  that  to  Peter  Christ  gave  all  power  in 
spiritual  things.  "  Thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will 
build  my  church  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against 
it."  "  I  will  give  to  thee  the  gates  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and 
whatever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  it  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven 
and  whatever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth  it  shall  be  loosed  also  in 
heaven."*  *' Feed  my  lambs  Feed  my  sheep."  With  these 
words  he  gave  Peter  complete  jurisdiction  over  all  the  members  of 
his  church.  The  Pope,  the  heir  and  the  successor  of  Peter,  is  the 
head  of  the  hierarchy  of  jurisdiction,  as  the  bishop  is  the  head  of 
the  hierarchy  of  orders.  Under  the  bishop  are  priests,  deacons  and 
the  lower  clergy,  the  creations  of  his  priesthood.  Under  the  Pope 
are  patriarchs,  primates,  archbishops  as  so  many  images  of  the 
Papacy. 

They  are  the  delegates  of  Christ  who  gave  them  the  power  of 
ruling  souls  under  the  authority  and  direction  of  the  Pontiff.  Only 
through  his  spouse  does  man  bring  forth  his  child,  another  like 
himself.  By  and  through  Eve  did  Adam  bring  forth  his  children. 
Only  through  the  church  hisspiritual  spouse  Christ  brings  forth  his 
sons  and  daughters.  For  in  baptism  when  mc  are  born  of  water 
and  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  we  made  "  comformable  to  the  like- 

>  Epiat.  84.  *  St.  Jerome  Epist.  146  ad  Evang.  n.  I.  *  Ibidem.       *  MaUi.  ul.  19. 


THE  VALUE  OF  OUR  MINISTRY.  71 

ness  of  the  son  of  God/' '  But  after  the  child  is  born  it  is  nour- 
ished by  the  mother.  So  after  our  spiritual  birth  in  baptism, 
we  are  nourished  by  the  church.  But  not  only  on  the  substance 
of  mother  church  do  we  live,  but  on  the  flesh  and  blood  and  on 
the  graces  of  our  Father  Jesus,  live  we  our  supernatural  life. 
Therefore  those  outside  the  pale  of  the  church  receive  no  nourish- 
ment from  our  Father  Christ. 

Now  let  us  draw  near  and  see  more  clearly  these  wonders  of  the 
supernatural.  Let  us  better  understand  how  those  exhaustless 
streams  of  grace  flow  down  from  the  head,  the  finisher  of  our  faith, 
Jesus,  penetrating  even  to  the  poorest  and  humblest  soul  living  in 
and  dwelling  in  the  house  of  God,  safe  in  the  bosom  of  the  church 
the  spouse  of  Christ  and  the  mother  of  his  children. 

Man  works  not  only  with  his  hands  but  he  also  uses  tools.  It 
is  impossible  to  do  with  his  bare  hands  what  he  can  do  with  tools. 
Men  work  not  only  themselves,  but  they  can  also  work  by  others. 
We  say  a  man  built  such  a  house,  a  priest  erected  a  church,  where 
he  may  never  have  laid  a  hand  to  the  buildings.  We  say  they  built 
them  because  they  got  other  men  to  do  the  work  for  them  and 
under  their  direction.  Business  men  appoint  others  to  do  busi- 
ness for  them,  and  they  are  the  agents  of  those  for  whom  they 
work.  Men  in  the  legislature  and  in  congress  represent  us  and 
make  laws  in  our  name  because  they  are  our  representatives. 
Each  government  has  at  the  seat  of  other  governments  their  minis- 
ters, who  represent  the  sovereign  government,  and  their  official 
acts  bind  the  government  which  sent  them.  Thus  when  we  use 
a  thing  without  reason  to  do  our  work  it  is  called  a  tool,  when  we 
use  another  man  to  do  business  for  us  he  is  an  agent,  a  man  who 
makes  laws  for  us  is  a  representative  or  a  congressman,  while  one 
who  represent  a  supreme  government  atthe  seat  of  another  supreme 
government  is  called  a  minister.  By  holy  orders  men  receive  from 
Christ  supreme  spiritual  power  in  holy  things  for  the  salvation 
of  the  whole  race.  For  that  reason  the  clergy  are  the  ministers  of 
Christ,  his  agents,  his  representatives,  his  tools  for  the  saving  of 
mankind.  By  virtue  of  the  supreme  Priesthood  of  Christ,  which 
they  received  at  their  ordination,  their  official  acts  bind  Christ. 
In  their  official  functions  and  acts  it  is  not  a  man  but  Christ  who 
acts  in  and  by  them  for  he  chose  other  men  to  act  for  him  they 
do  that  work  for  him.  They  are  the  reasonable  living  tools  he  uses 
to  do  his  work  in  saving  souls.  They  are  his  agents,  his  ministers. 
They  are  the  clergy  of  the  church,  the  ministers  of  God.  They 
did  not  choose  him  but  he  chose  them.  "  You  did  not  choose  me 
but  I  chose  you.''  *  He  took  them  from  the  world  and  gave  them 
full  spiritual  power  to  go  and  tell  the  tidings  of  his  redemption 
unto  all  the  children  of  earth.  He  sent  them  with  all  the  power 
and  authority  which  he  received  from  his  Father.  "  As  the 
Father  hath  sent  me,  so  I  also  send  you.  Going  forth  therefore 
teach  ye  all  nations,  baptising  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 

'  Rom.  vlli.  29.  '  John  xv.  16. 


72  THE  MINISTRY  OF  CHRIST. 

and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." '  "  In  the  name"  that  is 
by  the  power  of  the  holy  Trinity.  For  the  grace  of  salvation  does 
not  come  from  the  one  who  administers  the  sacraments,  but  all 
grace  comes  from  the  Son  of  God,  who  dies  that  all  might  live. 

It  matters  not  whether  he  be  a  sinner  or  a  saint  who  administers 
the  sacraments.  He  only  says  the  words.  He  goes  through  the 
ceremony,  but  Jesus  Christ  himself  gives  the  grace  and  pours  the 
saving  healing  graces  into  that  soul.  Hence  it  matters  not  to  the 
christian  what  may  be  the  personal  sanctity  of  his  priest  or 
bishop.  The  great  High  Priest  and  Bishop  of  our  souls  Jesus  is 
the  Saviour  himself,  and  no  one  can  stand  between  us  and  salvation. 
Here  again  we  see  the  goodness  of  Christ,  Avho  lets  not  the  salva- 
tion or  the  damnation  of  his  people  depend  on  the  good  or  bad 
lives  of  the  ministers  of  his  church.  The  public  ceremonies  of 
the  ministers  of  his  church,  their  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments and  their  official  acts  are  the  acts  of  Christ  himself.  Their 
private  lives  belong  to  themselves,  for  their  good  or  bad  actions 
their  sins  belong  to  confession  and  they  will  have  to  give  an  ac- 
count on  the  day  of  death  and  judgment  just  the  same  as  the 
laity. 

Thus  let  us  understand  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  Christ.  As 
the  Father  sent  his  Son  into  the  world  to  redeem  mankind,  so  the 
Son  sent  his  apostles  disciples  and  minister  whom  he  brought  forth 
as  the  Father  brought  him  forth  saying:  "  Going  forth  therefore 
teach  ye  all  nations.  "'  "  He  that  heareth  you  heareth  me,  and  he 
that  despiseth  you  despiseth  me,  and  he  that  despiseth  me,  de- 
spiseth  him  that  sent  me.  "  * 

As  the  Father  and  he  are  one,  so  his  clergy  and  he  are  one.  Be- 
cause it  was  not  meet  that  he  would  remain  in  this  world  of  misery 
and  of  suffering  unto  the  end  of  time,  for  he  suffered  once  enough 
for  the  salvation  of  all  men.  It  was  in  the  designs  of  his  Father 
that  he  would  return  to  him,  and  take  his  place  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  glory  of  the  Deity  there  to  always  make  intercession  for 
us.  *  Thus  he  came  died  and  founded  his  church  and  appointed  his 
bishops  and  priests  to  administer  his  sacraments  "that  wo  might 
have  life  and  have  it  more  abundantly. "  ' 

The  perfections  of  the  head  belong  to  the  body.  The  head  and 
body  are  one  for  the  whole  man  partakes  in  the  learning,  culture 
power  and  eminence  of  the  head  Avherein  the  soul  directs  every 
member  of  his  body.  From  the  head  all  vital  force  flows  do\vn 
into  the  body.  The  head  of  the  church  being  Christ  from  him 
the  authority,  learning,  light,  holiness  of  his  eternal  Priesthood  flow 
down  into  every  member  of  the  clergy.  The  clergymen  rule  be- 
cause of  the  authority  they  receive  from  the  head,  Christ  in  holy 
orders.  Inasmuch  as  they  partake  in  his  authority,  and  learn- 
ing, 80  they  should  be  like  unto  him  in  holiness  and  sancity.  For 
the  spirit  of  the  church  has  always  been  to  promote  to  her  highest 
offices  only  men  of  learning,  sanctity,  bearing  the  spiritual  perfec- 

>  Matb.  zzzUl.  19.     *  Matb.  xxviii.  10.     *  Luke  z.  16.     *  Heb.  TlL  SS.     •  Jobn  z.  10. 


THE  HEAD  OF  ORDERS  AND  OF  JURISDICTION.  73 

tions  of  the  Lord.  This  we  see  in  the  manner  of  addressing  the 
higher  officials  of  the  church.  The  Pope  is  called  His  Holiness, 
or  Most  Blessed  Father,  for  he  reflects  the  boundless  holiness  of 
God  the  Son,  whose  place  he  holds  as  visible  head  of  his  visible 
church.  A  cardinal  is  addressed  as  Your  Eminence,  for  he  is  a 
member  of  the  august  and  venerable  Senate  of  the  universal 
church.  We  call  an  archbishop.  Most  Kev.,  because  he  should 
be  more  holy  than  his  suffragan  bishops,  who  are  entitled  Rt.  Rev. 
bishops.  Their  holy  office  bearing  the  power  of  jurisdiction  re- 
quires more  sancity  than  a  simple  priest  with  episcopal  authority 
as  a  vicar  general  a  rector  of  a  seminary  or  a  dean  before  whose 
name  we  prefix  Very  Rev.,  for  they  are  over  simple  priests,  dea- 
cons and  subdeacons,  who  are  simply  Rev.,  because  they  should 
be  more  holy  than  the  laity.  Holiness  thus  is  reverenced,  for 
sanctity  is  but  the  grace  of  Christ  the  Holy  Ghost  working  in  the 
souls  of  men. 

As  the  bishop  is  the  head  and  source  of  holy  orders  in  the  diocese, 
so  the  Pope  is  the  head  and  fountain  of  jurisdiction  in  the  whole 
church.  For  to  Peter  the  first  Bishop  of  Rome,  Christ  gave  the 
care  of  his  whole  flock.  As  Christ  could  not  preach  the  Gospel 
in  every  land,  he  appointed  his  apostles  and  their  successors  to  go 
forth  and  preach  that  Gospel  unto  every  intellectual  creature  on 
the  face  of  the  earth.  The  Pope  cannot  preach  rule  and  govern 
in  every  church  of  the  world.  He  appoints  other  bishops  equals 
of  himself  in  holy  orders,  as  Christ  is  equal  in  divinity  to  the 
Father,  who  sent  him  to  the  world.  The  Bishop  of  Rome  ap- 
points other  bishops  with  jurisdiction  over  bishops.  Such  was 
the  origin  of  the  patriarchs,  primates  and  archbishops,  whose 
honor  are  attached  to  their  dioceses,  and  their  successors  will  al- 
ways be  of  the  same  rank  as  long  as  the  see  retains  its  jurisdiction 
over  the  other  bishops  of  the  provinces.  But  Rome  can  erect, 
disestablish,  change  or  modify  the  power  of  the  metroplitans  as  the 
changed  circumstances  of  the  churches  require.  As  long  as  the 
diocese  remains  the  seat  of  a  patriarch,  primate  or  archbishop, 
so  long  will  the  bishops  be  patriarchs,  primates  or  archbishops, 
for  the  spiritual  wife  gives  her  honors  to  her  husband,  for  husband 
and  wife  are  one  moral  person. 

But  the  Pope  can  appoint  another  to  represent  him  in  such  a 
way,  that  the  appointment  belongs  to  the  clergymen  and  not  to 
the  place.  Such  is  the  origin  of  the  legates,  nuncios,  ablegate  and 
representatives  of  the  Holy  see.  They  are  personal  and  not  local 
like  the  metroplitans.  The  office  being  generally  personal,  it 
ceases  when  revoked  or  dies  at  the  death  of  the  person,  and  descends 
not  to  his  successor.  The  Bishop  of  Rome  will  always  be  the  Pope, 
for  the  title  is  attached  to  the  place  or  city.  If  the  Pope  would 
resign  the  diocese  of  Rome,  his  successor  would  be  the  Pope  in  his 
place.  Because  of  the  nearness  of  the  Pope  to  Christ  and  by 
reason  of  his  peculiar  relation  to  the  whole  church,  as  Vicar  of  the 
Redeemer,  he  remains  Pope  till  his  relations  be  broken  by  his  death. 


74  APPOINTING  DELEGATES. 

or  by  resignation.  Bishops  of  other  sees  besides  Rome  are  bishops, 
archbishops  or  patriarchs,  according  to  the  ranks  of  the  episcopal 
sees  they  govern.  Their  church  is  called  the  cathedral,  for  in 
each  bishop's  church  stands  his  episcopal  chair,  or  cathedra  in 
Greek,  from  which  throne  as  a  judge  he  rules  that  part  of  the 
flock  of  Christ  placed  under  his  care  by  the  Roman  Pontiff. 
Whence  the  seat  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  is  called  the  Holy  See, 
as  from  that  throne  of  the,  fisherman  Peter,  he  rules  all  the  other 
churches  of  the  world,  while  the  other  bishops  rule  dioceses  or 
spiritual  states  under  and  subject  to  him,  as  our  blessed  Lord  said 
to  the  apostles,  his  first  bishops.  "I  will  give  to  you  to  sit  on 
twelve  thrones  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."' 

Appointing  delegates,  the  superior  can  extend  or  limit  their 
power,  reserve  certain  cases  to  himself,  or  at  any  time  recall  their 
appointment.  When  the  Holy  See  appoints  a  delegate,  the  latter 
receives  his  instructions,  the  limits  of  his  authority  are  marked 
out  for  him,  and  at  any  time  his  mission  may  be  recalled.  For 
cause  the  Bishop  of  Rome  may  ask  a  bishop  to  resign,  suspend 
him  revoke  his  jurisdiction  or  lower  him  to  the  exercise  of  only 
priestly  power.  But  never  can  the  episcopal  or  priestly  character 
be  taken  away,  for  that  is  impressed  by  God,  on  the  soul  in  holy 
orders. 

A  bishop  may  not  be  able  to  exercise  any  of  his  episcopal  or 
priestly  functions,  even  in  his  own  diocese,  as  when  a  bishop  con- 
secrated to  the  title  of  a  diocese  which  flourished  in  former  times, 
but  is  now  overrun  by  infidels,  and  under  the  jurisdiction  of  a 
missionary  bishop,  the  titular  bishop  of  that  see  when  travelling  in 
that  infidel  county,  so  as  not  to  have  any  conflict  of  authority,  the 
bishop  bearing  the  title  of  that  see  he  cannot  exercise  any  epis- 
copal functions  in  that  diocese.  Such  bishops  with  the  titles  of 
these  old  sees  act  as  coadjutors  of  disabled  bishops,  as  missionary 
bishops,  or  as  Vicar  apostolics.  They  often  belong  to  the  Roman 
courts,  or  they  may  live  as  retired  bishops.  For  a  clergyman  may 
become  incapable  of  ruling  a  diocese  or  of  administering  a  parish 
and  still  retain  his  title.  In  that  case  a  coadjutor  bishop  or  assis- 
tant pastor  will  be  appointed  to  his  aid,  and  he  Avill  be  the  admin- 
istrator. As  in  the  early  ages  no  bishop  or  clergyman  was  conse- 
crated without  first  being  appointed  to  some  church,  following 
that  custom  no  bishop  to-day  is  consecrated  without  the  title  of 
some  diocese. 

In  God  every  act  takes  place  with  regularity  and  according  to 
the  eternal  laws  of  his  divine  Being;  and  in  the  church,  the  image 
of  God,  everything  should  work  with  harmony  and  regularity,  and 
according  to  the  laws  and  canons  which  regulate  the  movements 
of  that  vast  organization.  The  Popes  and  councils  enacted  wise 
laws  and  rules  according  to  which  each  movement  takes  place. 
Xo  superior  can  be  arbitrary,  headstrong  or  oppressive  on  his  sub- 
jects.    Nothing  the  church  so  abhors  as  tyranny.     Jesus  Christ, 

>  Luke  xxil.  30. 


THE  OFFICE  OF  VICAR.  75 

the  head  and  source  of  both  hol}^  orders  and  of  Jurisdiction  rules  in 
the  person  of  his  prime  minister  the  Poj^e,  his  Vicar.  The  Pope 
being  one  in  government  with  Christ,  the  Papacy  is  not  an  order 
between  Clirist  and  the  bishops;  it  follows  that  all  the  perfections, 
of  orders  and  of  jurisdiction  centre  in  Christ's  Vicar,  the  Pastor 
of  the  universal  and  visible  church.  In  the  particular  church  or 
diocese,  the  head  of  orders  and  of  jurisdiction  is  the  bishop.  As 
the  diocese  is  an  image  of  the  universal  church,  so  the  bishop,  who 
represents  Christ,  takes  a  priest,  raises  him  up  from  the  ranks  of 
the  other  priests,  and  makes  him  the  vicar  general,  making  him 
-one  in  authority  with  himself,  as  the  Pope  is  one  in  authority  with 
Christ  over  the  church  universal.  In  a  still  more  imperfect  way, 
the  pastor  in  the  parish  gives  his  authority  to  the  assistant,  his 
vicar,  who  is  one  with  him  in  authority.  Thus  the  wonders  of  the 
universal  church  reproduce  themselves  throughout  the  whole  vast 
organization. 

Jurisdiction  is  the  power  of  ruling  and  of  governing  the  faith- 
ful in  the  name  of  Christ  flowing  down  from  Christ's  Vicar  on  all 
spiritual  rulers  in  the  church.  In  a  certain  way,  all  the  bishops 
of  the  church  aid  the  Pope  in  a  general  council  in  making  laws 
and  ruling  the  whole  church.  In  a  diocesan  synod,  the  priests  of 
the  diocese  aid  the  bishop  in  making  rules  and  regulating  discipline 
for  the  whole  diocese.  In  this  country  priests  have  jurisdiction 
in  all  parts  of  the  diocese,  while  in  parts  of  Europe,  the  pastors 
have  not  that  power  except  in  their  own  jjarishes.  It  follows  then 
that  the  priest  can  exercise  faculties  outside  his  own  church  and 
parish  with  the  consent  of  the  bishop  and  in  another  diocese  with 
the  permission  of  the  authorities  of  the  diocese.  Without  juris- 
diction the  sacrament  of  penance  would  be  totally  null  and  void, 
while  the  other  sacraments  and  functions  would  be  valid,  but  sinful. 

Jusus  Christ,  being  God,  the  purest  Act,  his  essence,  power  and 
acts  are  one  and  the  same;  in  him  eternal  Priesthood,  jurisdiction 
and  divinity  are  one  and  undivided.  But  in  creatures  we  find  no 
such  perfections.  For  their  power,  faculties  and  acts  are  not  the 
same.  They  cannot  ever  be  in  action,  but  they  must  rest  and  sleep. 
Holy  orders,  is  the  foundation  of  communion,  of  jurisdiction  and 
of  priestly  power,  while  the  title  completes  orders.  Therefore  the 
laity  are  incapable  of  any  church  authority,  for  they  lack  the 
foundation  or  holy  orders,  although  the  Pope  could  delegate 
a  layman  to  transact  church  business.  But  a  man  elected  to  a 
church  can  take  possession  in  hope  of  receiving  orders.  A  bishop 
has  jurisdiction  in  his  diocese  the  moment  of  his  appointment, 
before  his  consecration,  for  the  benefits  of  the  Priesthood  of  Christ 
was  poured  out  on  the  holy  ones  of  the  Old  Testament  before  he 
came,  for  they  were  redeemed  by  the  foreknowledge  of  his  atone- 
ment on  the  cross,  for  Christ  is  the  same  "  to-day,  yesterday  and 
forever. '^ "  A  bishop  elect  takes  possession  of  his  diocese  before 
his  consecration,  and  his  consecration  completes  his  title  to  the 

>  Heb.  xiii.  8. 


76  THE  COMMUNION  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

diocese.  The  same  may  be  said  regarding  priests  appointed  to 
parishes  before  their  ordination.  Such  appointments  frequently 
took  place  in  former  times  but  rarely  at  present. 

An  act  once  done  is  a  truth,  a  fact,  and  it  is  ever  true  that  it  was 
done.  "  The  gifts  of  God  are  without  repentance,"  ^  the  mission 
of  Christ  is  for  eternity,  *  For  that  reason  the  Priesthood  of  Christ 
is  for  eternity.  "  The  Lord  has  sworn  and  he  shall  not  repent.  "* 
He  does  not  work  in  vain.  He  said  to  his  Son  "  Thou  art  a  priest 
forever  according  to  the  order  of  Melchisedech."*  When  baptism 
confirmation  and  holy  orders  has  been  once  received,  they  remain 
forever,  for  they  imprint  a  sacred  character  on  the  soul,  which  can-  , 
not  be  wiped  out  either  in  this  life  nor  in  eternity,  for  they  make 
the  soul  more  like  unto  the  Son  of  God.  Therefore  a  priest  once 
is  a  priest  forever.  The  power  of  orders  still. remain.  But  the  acts 
or  the  exercise  of  these  orders  are  regulated  by  the  will  of  the  su- 
perior or  by  jurisdiction.  A  clergyman  deprived  of  jurisdiction 
because  of  sin  is  said  to  be  suspended.  He  cannot  exercise  his  or- 
ders. But  no  one  can  be  deprived  of  the  communion  of  his  orders. 
For  holy  orders  imj)resses  a  character  everlasting  on  the  soul.  But 
the  clergyman  for  sufficient  reason  may  be  deprived  of  the  exercise 
of  his  orders,  his  care  of  souls  may  be  taken  from  him  if  he  be- 
comes unworthy.  But  no  one  can  resign  his  charge  unless  into  the 
hands  of  his  superior,  only  his  own  bishop  or  Rome  can  punish  him, 
for  other  bishops  have  no  authority  over  him. 

In  Jesus  Christ,  his  eternal  Priesthood  takes  its  rise  in  the  eter- 
nal decree  of  his  Father  sending  him  to  earth  to  be  the  Saviour  of 
men.  Dying  on  the  cross  he  espoused  the  universal  church  then 
born  of  him.  All  priests,  bishops  and  clergyman  are  born  of  him 
by  holy  orders,  and  they  are  married  to  their  churches  when  ap- 
pointed to  their  pastorate.  The  Lord  Jesus  is  the  spouse  of  the 
whole  church,  the  Pope  is  the  husband  of  the  Roman  diocese,  the 
bishop  married  his  diocese  the  day  of  his  consecration,  while  the 
priest  espoused  his  parish  the  day  he  took  charge  of  his  church. 
Their  union  with  their  churches  is  but  a  type  and  a  figure  of  that 
ineffable  marriage  of  Christ  to  the  church  universal.  Christ  is  not 
only  the  husband  of  the  church  universal,  but  he  is  also  the  spouse 
of  the  soul  of  every  christian  washed  from  sin  in  his  blood,  because 
he  redeemed  all  men.  The  Bishop  of  Rome  being  the  Vicar  of 
Christ,  his  chief  agent,  his  vicar  general  for  the  whole  world  the 
diocese  of  Christ,  the  Pope  is  one  with  Christ,  as  the  vicar  general 
is  one  with  the  bishop  in  each  diocese.  It  follows  that  the  Pope 
has  complete  jurisdiction  and  authority  over  every  soul,  both  pas- 
tors, bishops  and  people  in  every  diocese.  * 

The  Jewish  priesthood,  formed  without  an  oath,  *  was  only  for 
the  Jewish  nation.  It  was  imperfect  and  it  passed  away.  It  was 
established  that  it  might  prepare  the  way  for  the  coming  of  Christ 
and  for  the  clergy  of  the  church.  The  clergy  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment were  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  and  of  the  family  of  Aaron.     But 

'  Rom.  xi,  17.  »  Heb.  vl  29.  »  Psalm  clx.  «  Ibid. 

*  Council  Vatican  Const.  Pastor  .fiternus-  *  Heb.  vil,  20. 


THE  UNIVERSAL  AND  TAETICULAR  CHUECH.  77 

the  clergy  of  tlie  New  Testament  are  of  Christ  born  of  him  by  holy 
orders.  Each  priest,  bishop  and  Pope  are  his  spiritual  sons,  "  made 
to  his  image  and  likeness/'  "  conformable  to  the  image  of  his 
Son"  '  we  offer  bread  and  wine  ''according  to  the  order  of  Mel- 
chisedech."  *  But  as  Christ  is  married  to  the  universal  church  and 
can  never  be  divorced  from  her,  like  him  we  are  married  to  our 
churches,  and  only  death  sliould  separate  us  from  our  people; — the 
pastor  is  seldom  changed,  the  bishop  hardly  ever,  the  Pope  ceases 
to  be  Bishop  of  liome  at  his  death  or  resignation,  only  Christ  is  the 
eternal  and  everlasting  Priest  and  husband  of  the  universal  church. 

Jesus  Christ,  husband  of  the  whole  church  and  spouse  of  every 
christian  member,  receives  his  divinity,  power  and  Priesthood 
from  his  eternal  Father,  the  head  of  the  three  Persons  in  God. 
Keceiving  all  he  has  from  his  Father,  from  Avhom  he  comes  forth, 
he  sends  his  Priesthood  down  to  us  by  the  sacrament  of  holy 
orders,  while  he  gives  us  jurisdiction,  or  the  exercise  of  holy  orders 
through  Peter  and  his  successor  in  the  See  of  Kome.  He  works 
these  wonders  of  the  supernatural  in  the  church,  that  the  internal 
and  unseen  life  of  the  Trinity  may  be  eeen  on  eaVth,  and  that  we 
may  at  death  by  him  be  raised  up  to  the  mystery  of  the  internal 

the  life   of  God.     ''For  in  Christ  life  was  manifested, and 

life  eternal  which  was  with  the  Father,  hath  appeared  to  us,, 
that  you  may  have  fellowship  with  us,  and  our  fellowship, 
may  be  with  the  Father  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  ^  The- 
clergy,  raised  up  by  the  direct  act  of  God  in  holy  orders,  partake^ 
in  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  the  divine  Son,  bearing  all  the  super- 
natural powers  of  Christ  himself,  born  of  him  by  orders,  as  he  is  born 
of  his  Father  in  eternity.  The  clergy  come  down  from  the  universal 
to  the  particular  church  to  fertilize  the  souls  of  men  with  the  seed 
of  eternal  life,  flowing  down  from  the  Father  of  Lights  through 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  As  the  Son  came  into  the  world  from  his 
Father,  the  clergy  come  into  the  church  from  him,  and  from  the 
universal  church,  his  spouse.  They  came  into  their  dioceses  and 
parishes,  bearing  with  them  all  the  power  of  the  eternal  Priesthood 
of  Christ,  which  he  received  from  his  Father.  He  came  as  the 
Saviour  of  men,  so  the  Pope,  the  bishop,  the  priest  come  into 
their  churches  as  the  saviours  of  their  people,  bearing  with  them 
life  everlasting  to  dying  souls.  "  I  came  that  they  may  have  life 
and  have  it  more  abundantly."* 

God  works  the  supernatural  only  by  his  divine  Son,  who  comes 
from  him,  and  by  his  Holy  Spirit  who  proceeds  from  both  Father 
and  Son.  The  Father  alone  gives  rise  to  the  Son.  Father  and 
Son  open  their  divine  will  and  give  rise  to  the  Holy  Spirit.  Being 
the  last  production  of  the  act  of  the  divine  nature,  his  special 
work  is  with  God's  creation.  He  moved  over  the  waters.  *  He 
inspired  the  prophets;  he  covered  the  mount  of  Sinai;  he  showed 
his  face  in  the  ceremonies  of  the  temple;  he  made  the  Virgin  con- 
ceive; he  filled  Christ  with  the  glories  of  his  indwelling,  and  he 

1  Rom.  Till.  29.         '  Psalm  cix.  4.        *  I.  John  1.  2.  3.        *  John  x.  10.        »  Gen.  1.  2. 


78  THE  SPIRITUAL  RICHES  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

now  animates  the  clergy,  the  last  and  most  wonderful  work  of 
God.  He  speaks  to  mankind  by  the  mouths  of  the  priesthood,  as 
before  he  spoke  by  the  mouth  of  prophet.  He  ever  works  salva- 
tion in  the  souls  of  men.  He  is  in  the  priesthood  of  Christ,  dwell- 
ing with  power  in  the  clergy.  The  three  Persons  of  God  form 
one  undivided  Godhead.  What  one  does  in  nature  all  do,  for 
creation  was  the  work  of  all  three  acting  as  one  creative  principle.' 

The  Father  is  the  Head  of  the  divinity,  as  the  Pope  is  the  head 
of  the  church.  From  the  Father  comes  the  Son.  From  the  Pope 
and  the  universal  church  comes  the  diocese.  The  Son  has  all  the 
riches  and  the  perfections  of  the  Divinity.  The  diocese  has  the 
riches  and  the  perfections  of  the  universal  church,  "  a  temple  not 
made  with  hands,"  "  Conformable  to  the  image  of  the  divine 
Son."  '*  The  same  essence  which  is  in  the  Father  is  Fatherhood 
in  the  Son  it  is  his  Sonship. "  But  christians  cannot  become  sons 
of  God  by  nature,  as  that  alone  belongs  to  the  divine  Son.  But 
they  are  made  like  unto  his  perfections  by  his  grace  and  merits. 
That  grace  is  not  natural  to  us,  nor  does  it  belong  to  our  human 
nature,  for  it  is  a  free  gift  of  God.  The  calling  of  men  then  to 
the  priesthood  is  a  supernatural  act  of  God.  "  Let  no  one  take 
to  himself  the  honor,  but  who  was  called  as  Aaron  was."  * 

Christ  as  God  is  equal  to  the  Father,  but  as  man  he  is  less  than 
the  Father,  as  he  says.  "  The  Father  is  greater  than  I."  There- 
fore as  the  Son  in  his  divinity  is  equal  to  the  Father,  he  is  not  the 
eame  in  Fatherhood,  so  the  Pope  by  holy  orders  is  not  higher  than 
the  other  bishops,  but  he  is  higher  in  jurisdiction. 

The  Son  ever  coming  forth  from  his  eternal  Father,  all  power  he 
has  he  gives  to  the  clergy  ever  coming  forth  from  him,  as  he 
comes  from  the  Father.  Being  thus  generated  by  the  Father,  he 
does  not  lower  himself  below  the  Father,  so  the  bisliops  do  not 
lower  themselves  in  receiving  their  spiritual  jurisdiction  and  author- 
ity from  the  Papacy  their  head.  The  Holy  Ghost  receives  all  he 
has  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  from  whom  he  ever  proceeds. 
In  this  he  does  not  degrade  himself.  He  still  retains  all  the  per- 
fections of  the  Divinity,  and  gives  it  to  the  church  he  animates  with 
his  indwelling.  So  the  diocese  coming  forth  from  the  universal 
church,  the  diocese  has  all  the  graces  and  the  riches  of  the  whole 
church. 

In  the  councils  of  the  Divine  Persons  the  Father  presides.  In  the 
councils  of  the  whole  church  the  Pope  presides.  In  a  plenary  coun- 
cil of  all  the  bishops  of  a  nation,  the  primate  or  bishop  of  the  first  see 
by  his  office  is  the  chairman  of  the  meeting.  But  as  to  the  Pope  in 
the  person  of  Peter  was  given  to  "  feed  the  lambs  and  sheep  "  of 
Christ,  and  to  *'  guard  the  deposit  of  faith,"  the  acts  of  every  coun- 
cil must  be  reviewed  by  the  Pope,  for  they  may  have  matters  relating 
to  faith  and  morals,  while  the  decrees  of  a  diocesan  synod  only  re- 
late to  matters  of  discipline  and  church  government  in  the  diocese.* 

»  Condi.  Lat.  Cap.  Firmlter.       •  St.  Tbomas  Sum.  Theol.  I.  Pars  Quest.  42  Art.  tL  adS. 
*  Heb.  T.  4.  *  St.  Itrnatlus  Epist.  ad  Epbis.  n,  ilL 


^ 


jESUS  Christ  the  eternal   Son  of 
God,  coming  into  this  world  re- 
ceived from  his  Father  his  com- 
mission to  become  the  Prophet, 
Priest  and  King   of  the  human   race. 
As  a  prophet  he  was  the  greatest  of  the 
prophets;  as  a  priest  he  was  the  great 
High  Priest  of  the  New  Testament;  as 
a  king  he  is  the  spiritual  King  of  all 
the  earth. 

As  a  prophet  he  taught  true  religion 
to  the  world.  As  a  Priest  he  offered 
up  his  body  and  soul,  his  life  and  suf- 
ferings to  the  Almighty  Father,  as  a 
sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  men.  As  a 
King  he  came  the  heir  of  the  kingly 
throne  of  David  and  of  Solomon,  he 
was  crucified  "  King  of  the  Jews/^  He 
is  the  teacher  of  mankind,  the  true  light 
which  enlighteneth  every  man  who 
Cometh  into  the  world.  "  ^ 

As  Priest  he  sanctifies  souls,  making  them  like  unto  himself. 
*'  For  them  I  sanctify  myself  that  they  also  may  be  sanctified  in 
truth.  "  *  As  king  he  is  the  ''King  of  kings  and  the  Lord  of 
Lords.  "  ' 

The  church  being  one  with  him,  to  her  his  spiritual  spouse,  the 
virgin  mother  of  all  his  children,  to  her  he  gave  his  triple  power  of 
teaching  of  sanctifying  and  of  ruling  all  the  spiritual  sons  and 
daughters  she  brings  forth  to  him. 

Before  going  from  earth  he  chose  and  ordained  his  followers, 
his  ministers.  In  them  he  formed  the  infant  church.  He  sent 
them  forth  as  the  Father  had  sent  him  into  the  world,  with  the 
very  same. spiritual  power  and  authority  which  he  had  received 
from  the  Father,  from  whom  he  ever  proceeds,  as  they  proceed 


»  John  1.  9. 


»  John  xvll.  19. 


Apoc.  xrU.  H 


THE  CHUECH  TEACHING,  SANCTIFYING  AND  RULING  ACCORDING  TO  THE  GOSPELS  FIGURED 
BY  THE  FOUR  ANIMALS,  TYPES  OF  THE  EVANGELISTS. 


LEGISLATIVE,  JUDICIAL  AND  EXECUTIVE  POWEES.  81 

from  liim,  as  lie  did  from  the  Father,  saying,  ''  as  the  Father  had 
sent  me  so  I  also  send  you  '  going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all 
nations.''  Behold  the  teaching  power.  Continuing  he  said:  "Bap- 
tising them  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  "  "  Behold  the  sanctifying  power  of  the  priesthood. 
"  Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  com- 
manded you,  and  behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even  unto  the 
consummation  of  the  world.  "  ^  In  that  you  see  the  kingly  or  the 
ruling  power  given  the  church.  From  the  Father  from  whom  he 
comes  forth,  he  receives  all  the  Divinity,  and  the  Father  has  noth- 
ing which  he  does  not  give  to  the  Son.  In  the  same  way  the  church 
proceeds  from  Christ  and  all  spiritual  power  which  he  receives 
from  the  Father,  he  gives  it  all  to  his  church  saying:  "  All  pow- 
er is  given  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth  going  forth  therefore  teach 
je  all  nations.  " 

From  him  the  church  comes  forth,  in  him  she  lives  moves  and 
has  her  being,  and  to  her  he  gives  all  his  teaching,  sanctifying 
and  kingly  powers.  He  is  with  her  in  all  the  ages  and  through  all 
the  generations  of  men.  "  Behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even 
unto  the  consummation  of  the  world.  "  ^  Let  us  better  under- 
stand the  nature  of  this  triple  power  left  by  Christ  to  his  church. 

Each  civil  government  in  every  nation  has  the  three  powers  of 
making,  of  interpreting  and  of  excuting  laws.  They  are  the  legisla- 
tive, the  judiciary  and  the  executive  branches  of  the  government. 
In  this  country  the  legislatures  of  the  different  states  and  congress 
for  the  United  States  form  the  legislative  branches.  The  courts, 
both  state  and  national  make  the  judicial  branch,  while  for  the 
United  States  the  president  or  governors  of  the  different  states 
form  the  executive  branches.  These  three  officers  of  these  branch- 
es were  elected  to  these  offices  by  the  votes  of  the  people,  who  have 
received  from  God  the  power  of  governing  themselves.  But  it  is 
not  so  in  the  church  of  God.  For  in  the  church  all  power  comes 
not  from  below — from  the  people  up  to  the  clergy,  but  from 
above  down,  from  Jesus  Christ  to  the  clergy,  who  by  holy  orders 
partake  in  his  Eternal  Priesthood. 

The  church  formed  especially  of  the  clergy,  who  are  the  teach- 
ing church,  they  are  the  ministers  of  Christ ;  in  them  is  found  the 
power  of  the  priesthood  of  Christ.  Each  clergyman  is  at  the  same 
time  a  prophet  a  priest  and  a  king,  because  he  partakes  in  the 
everlasting  priesthood  of  Christ,  which  he  received  in  holy  orders, 
and  he  renews  in  the  church  the  divine  life  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 

The  Divinity  is  the  head  of  Christ  and  Christ  is  the  head  of  the 
church.  Sitting  now  at  the  right  hand  of  his  eternal  Father  as 
man  and  God,  Christ  reigns  supreme  as  head  of  the  glorious  church 
of  angels  and  saints  in  the  splendors  of  the  skies.  As  head  of  the 
church  on  earth,  he  appoints  other  men  with  his  spiritual  teaching 
sanctifying  and  ruling  authority  to  preside  over  churches  in  his 

»  John  XX  21.  '  Matth.  xxvlli.  19.        '  Mattb.  xxviii.  20.  •<  Matth.  xxvlll.  18.  1. 

*  Matth.  xxvlll.  20. 


82  THE  PROPHETS,  PRIESTS    AND  KINGS. 

name.  By  holy  orders  they  receive  his  priesthood.  His  Yicar 
the  Pope  is  the  visible  head  of  his  visible  universal  church  on 
earth.  The  bishop  is  the  head  of  the  particular  church,  the  dio- 
cese. The  pastor  is  the  head  of  the  imperfect  church  the  parish. 
Each  Pope  and  bishop  is  a  spiritual  prophet  priest  and  king,  receiv- 
ing from  Christ  power  to  teach  sanctify  and  rule  the  people  of 
God  in  his  name.  Before  going  back  to  heaven  Christ  appoint- 
ed them  to  teach  sanctify  and  rule  all  the  children  of  Adam,  say- 
ing: "  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations,  baptising  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you.  He  that  heareth  you  heareth  me  and  he  that  heareth  me 
heareth  him  that  sent  me.  "  "  And  behold  I  am  with  you  all 
days  even  to  the  consummation  of  the  world;"  words  falling  from 
divine  lips  filled  with  power  and  authority,  not  only  for  the  apostles 
but  for  their  successors  "even  unto  the  consummation  of  the 
world."  ' 

A  prophet  is  a  teacher.  Thus  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment came  as  images  of  the  last  and  the  greatest  teacher,  Jesus 
Christ,  the  teacher  of  the  whole  race,  "  the  light  of  every  man 
who  Cometh  into  the  world."".  Being  God  the  Son,  the  Image,  the 
Word  of  the  Father,  the  product  of  the  eternal  mind  of  God,  in 
him  is  intellectual  light  "and  light  was  the  life  of  men."  The 
beauties  of  all  creatures  are  but  so  many  natural  revelations  of  his 
perfections,  for  every  thing  God  made  he  made  it  to  the  image  of 
the  divine  Word,  his  only  begotten  Sou.  The  Son  being  eternal 
Truth,  it  was  just  and  right  that  he  reveal  the  truths  of  God  to- 
mankind  sitting  in  the  shadows  and  the  darkness  of  spiritual  death. 
The  Church  being  his  mystic  body,  he  being  her  head,  in  him  and 
by  him  she  teaches  his  truths  to  mankind.  By  his  Spirit  the 
prophets  spoke  to  the  Jews  of  his  coming,  of  his  redemption  they 
foretold.  Every  incident  and  person,  or  historic  fact  in  the  Old 
Testament  pointed  to  his  coming.  Every  Pope  and  bishop  and 
priest  and  clergyman  of  the  Church,  preach  his  doctrines  and  tell 
of  him  crucified.  To  bind  them  together,  he  appointed  Peter  th& 
head  of  the  Church  universal,  and  he  nominated  the  other  apostles 
to  be  the  teachers  of  the  churches.  Each  of  these  in  a  higher  or 
lower  degree  partakes  in  the  teaching  sanctifying  and  governing 
powers  of  Christ. 

The  Church  is  the  teacher  of  mankind,  for  to  her  was  given  the 
sublime  commission:  *'  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations.  "  * 
Christ  was  the  teacher  of  his  disciples  and  his  followers.  The 
three  years  of  his  public  life  were  devoted  to  that  work  of  teaching. 
The  Church  devotes  all  her  energies  to  that  saving  work,  for  sh& 
finds  that  her  greatest  enemy  in  the  ignorance  of  men.  Each  bish- 
op and  priest  being  a  follower  of  Christ,  having  received  his  spirit, 
bearing  a  part  of  his  eternal  Priesthood,  each  bishop  and  priest  is  a 
teacher  of  his  people.    He  ever  enlightens  their  minds  with  heavenly 

'  Mattb.  xirlli.  28.  *  3<Am  i.  9.  *  Matt.  xzTtll.  19. 


WHAT  IS  A  COISrSTITUTIOl^.  '  83 

truth,  drawing  them  nearer  to  God  by  showing  them  the  way  of 
salvation.  Now  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God  is  the  Truth  of  the  Fath- 
er. He  is  the  Truth  of  the  Father  ever  coming  forth  from  the  al- 
mighty mind  of  the  Eternal.  Each  truth  or  idea  coming  forth 
from  the  human  mind,  is  but  a  weak  image  of  the  Son  of  God  pro- 
ceeding from  the  Father  now  and  in  eternity.  ''  I  am"  he  says, 
"  the  way,  the  Truth  and  the  life.  "  Now  and  ever  during  eter- 
nity, he  as  the  Truth,  he  is  coming  from  the  Father.  From  the 
Father  he  received  all  truth  and  he  preached  that  truth  to  men. 
"  Because  the  words  which  thou  hast  given  me  I  have  given  to 
them."  *  Being  the  eternal  Truth  of  God  in  him  all  other  truths 
are  found.  During  his  earthly  life,  he  taught  his  followers  all 
supernatural  truth  received  from  his  Father  which  was  necessary 
for  their  salvation.  Then  he  finished  his  work.  "  I  have  finished 
the  work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do."  *  By  his  preaching  he 
founded  his  kingdom  on  the  earth,  his  Church  which  he  had  built 
up  and  which  he  had  formed  out  of  the  broken  remains  of  the  fal- 
len children  of  Adam,  that  Adam  whom  the  demon  had  conquered. 
Up  to  his  coming  the  demon  was  then  the  prince  of  this  world  and 
he  always  filled  the  minds  of  men  with  the  hatred  of  the  followers 
of  Christ.  "  I  have  given  them  thy  word  and  the  world  hath  hated 
them,  because  they  are  not  of  the  world."  * 

The  laws  given  by  Christ  to  the  apostles  are  the  constitution  of 
the  Church.  A  constitution  is  the  framework,  the  general  prin- 
ciples on  which  an  organization  is  founded.  The  constitution  of 
the  Church  was  laid  down  by  its  founder  Christ.  It  is  found  in 
the  Bible  and  in  the  traditions  of  Christianity.  These  are  the  two 
sources  of  the  truths  preached  to  the  apostles  and  by  them  spread 
to  the  whole  Avorld.  Truth,  being  a  revelation  of  the  divine  Son, 
truth  is  that  Avhich  is.  Therefore  every  truth  is  immortal,  eter- 
nal, unchangable  and  indestructible,  like  unto  the  Son  of  God  of 
which  it  is  the  image.  Truth  first  lived  and  dwelled  in  the  bosom 
of  God  from  eternity.  Truth  was  with  God  as  his  divine  Son,  as 
the  word  of  God,  "and  the  Word  was  God."  "  In  the  second  place 
that  same  Word  came  down  from  heaven  "  and  was  made  man 
and  dwelled  among  us,  and  we  saw  his  glory,  as  it  were  of  the  only 
begotten  Son  of  God,  full  of  grace  and  truth." ' 

Thus  the  constitution  of  the  Church  came  forth  from  the  Son 
of  God  as  he  comes  forth  from  his  Father,  as  the  truth  of  the 
Father  so  the  constitution  of  the  Church  comes  forth  from  him 
the  Truth  of  the  Father.  Such  were  the  truths  he  taught  to  his 
apostles.  Truth  being  immortal  and  unchangeable,  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  Church  must  remain  ever  the  same,  unchangeable  as  it 
was  when  it  was  first  proclaimed  to  the  world  from  the  lips  of 
Christ.  The  constitution  of  the  Church  depends  on  the  free  will 
of  God  and  he  could  have  made  it  liable  to  change. 

Thus  we  begin  to  see  that  the  Church  cannot  change.     For  no 

>  .lolin  xiv.  6.  «  John  xvU.  8.  *  John  xvil.  4         *  John  xvl.  14.         ^  John  i.  1. 

e  John  i.  14. 


84  THE  CHURCH  CHANGES  NOT. 

one  can  change  truth.  Thus  the  truths  of  the  multiplication  ta- 
ble, the  truths  of  mathematics  are  as  eternal,  and  as  unchangeable 
as  the  Son  of  God,  of  which  they  are  so  many  natural  revelations 
through  the  reason  of  mankind.  Whence  it  follows  that  tlie  morals 
of  men  have  no  bearing  on  the  Church  of  God.  For  let  us  sup- 
pose that  all  the  men  of  all  the  ages  from  now  back  to  the  time  of 
Christ  were  all  without  a  single  exception  corrupt  and  bad.  That 
would  not  corrupt  the  constitution  of  the  Church,  for  it  is  com- 
posed of  the  immortal  truths  revealed  by  Christ  to  man  contained 
in  the  Bible  and  in  tradition,  and  these  truths  being  unchangeable 
and  immortal,  they  cannot  be  corrupted.  Thus  the  Holy  Bible  is 
the  same  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  the  apostles.  We  see  therefore 
how  foolishly  those  argne,  who  think  that  they  can  find  an  excuse 
for  not  coming  into  the  Church,  because  they  think  that  the 
Church  has  changed  by  the  badness  of  men.  In  the  same  way  if 
all  the  citizens  in  the  United  States  for  a  whole  generation  were 
bad  and  corrupted  in  their  public  and  private  lives  that  would 
not  corrupt  the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  because  it  con- 
sists of  a  written  instrument,  a  series  of  laws  immortal  and  above 
the  lives  of  men. 

We  know  that  the  collection  of  laws,  which  form  the  cousti- 
tution  of  the  church,  which  were  revealed  and  left  to  us  by  our 
Lord  that  to-day  they  are  the  very  same  as  they  were  wlien  the 
apostles  received  them  from  Christ.  They  are  the  same  unchanged 
as  he  in  his  turn  received  them  from  his  Father  from  whom  he  re- 
ceives his  divinity,  *'  The  only  begotten  Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father  he  hath  declared  him."' 

Christ  is  a  King.  He  said  to  Pilate:  "  I  am  King  for  this  I 
was  born,  and  for  this  I  came  into  the  world,  that  I  should  give 
testimony  to  the  truth.  Every  one  who  is  of  the  truth  heareth 
my  voice."  *  Having  Jesus  as  our  Teacher,  having  him  the  Truth 
of  the  Father,  he  reveals  to  us  all  truth  which  we  require  for  our 
salvation,  and  we  know  that  we  are  safe  when  we  follow  his  voice. 
But  how  are  we  to  know  that  the  voice  of  Christ  calls  to  us  amid 
the  ceaseless  voices  of  all  the  churches  around  us?  we  are  to  look 
for  the  church,  which  our  Lord  founded.  There  are  certain  marks 
by  which  the  true  church  of  Christ  may  be  known  from  all  the 
other  organizations  claiming  to  be  his  churches,  and  which  are 
but  stumbling  blocks  to  the  Christians  of  every  country  and  to 
every  age. 

The  Church  of  Christ  is  infallible  in  her  head,  that  is  it  cannot 
teach  error  to  the  children  of  men.  All  the  perfections  of  the 
creature  centre  in  the  head.  For  that  reason  all  the  holiness, 
and  the  sanctity,  and  the  teaching  power  of  the  church  are  in  the 
head  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  our  High  Priest.  Having  therefore  a 
High  Priest  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  in  him  the  teaching  powers  of 
the  church  centres.  But  he  lives  not  now  in  a  visible  form  in  the 
midst  of  men,  as  he  was  before  he  returned  to  his  Father.    He  has 

'John  1.18.  »  John  XTlIl.  8T. 


'IT  IS  FINISHED."  "  FATHER  INTO  THY  HANDS  I  COMMEND  MY  SPIRIT."— LUKE  XXIII,  46. 


86  THE  CHURCH  CANNOT  ERK. 

another  his  vicar,  the  Pope,  who  takes  the  place  of  the  Saviour  wha 
has  gone  away  to  heaven.  The  Pope  then  takes  his  place  as  the 
teacher  of  the  world.  To  him  the  Lord  said  in  the  person  of 
Peter  *'I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and 
whatever  thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth  it  shall  be  bound  also  in 
heaven  and  whatever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth  it  shall  be  loosed 
also  and  in  heaven."  Here  we  see  the  most  astounding  powers  ever 
given  to  men,  the  power  of  opening  and  of  closing  the  gates  of 
heaven  to  the  races  of  men.  Again  he  said  to  Peter  ''Feed  my 
lambs  feed  my  sheep."  '  Our  Lord  at  the  last  supper  said  to  Peter 
that  the  Demon  had  desired  to  grind  him  as  wheat  but  that  he 
prayed  for  him  that  his  faith  fail  not  and  that  he  being  converted 
that  he  might  confirm  his  brethren.  *  Thus  we  see  that  the  Lord 
did  not  leave  his  church  to  the  mercy  of  every  wind  of  doctrines  on 
a  shoreless  sea  of  human  frailty  without  a  guide  or  a  rudder.  Peter 
was  the  captain  of  the  ship  of  Christ.  Such  is  the  infallibility  of  the 
Pope,  when  speaking  to  the  whole  human  race  in  matters  of  faith 
and  morals  as  the  successor  of  Peter  the  first  Pope. 

Here  appears  in  all  its  beauty  the  teaching  power  of  the  church 
of  God,  a  power  which  comes  forth  from  God,  as  the  Son  from 
his  Father.  "  I  do  nothing  of  myself  but  as  the  Father  hath 
taught  me  these  things  I  speak.  " '  As  Christ  can  teach  only 
what  he  received  from  his  Father,  his  head,  so  the  church  teaches 
only  what  she  received  from  Christ  her  head,  from  whom  she  pro- 
ceeds as  he  said,  "  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations. 
Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you,  and  behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even  to  the  consummation 
of  the  world."*  The  church  therefore  because  of  the  infallibility 
of  her  head,  she  is  kept  from  error  by  a  direct  act  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who  animates  and  vivifies  the  ^hole  church.  In  the  ere-  • 
ations  of  God  all  the  perfections  of  every  animal  are  in  the  head. 
For  that  reason  all  the  perfections  of  the  visible  church  are  at  the 
same  time  in  the  head  of  the  visible  church  the  Pope.  *'  Where 
Peter  is  there  is  the  church"  says  St.  Ambrose.  The  Pope  there- 
fore as  the  visible  head  of  the  church,  the  vicar  of  Christ  on  this 
earth,  he  takes  the  place  of  Christ  the  great  Bishop  of  our  souls, 
who  has  entered  into  his  rest  in  the  bosom  of  his  Father,  where  he  is 
now  glorified  with  the  "  glory  which  he  had  before  the  world  was."  " 
He  did  not  desert  us  abandoned  to  every  wind  of  doctrine  during 
his  absence.  Before  going  he  appointed  Peter  as  his  Vicar  Gen- 
eral over  all  the  world,  his  universal  church,  his  vast  diocese,  that 
by  his  infallible  doctrines  he  might  keep  the  other  churches  from 
falling  into  error  in  the  faith.  Whence  to  understand  the  mystery 
of  the  headship  of  Christ  over  the  church  and  his  way  of  teaching 
through  the  Pope,  we  must  refer  to  the  following  chapters  of  this 
work. 
Not  only  through  the  church  ha  teaches  the  world,  but  at  the 

>  John  xxi.  15, 16.  17.  *  Luke  zzii.  88.  *  John  rlli.  88.  *  Matt.  xxTtU.  80. 

*  Jobn  xvli.  5. 


THE  NATURE  OF  HOLINESS.  87 

same  time  Christ  sanctifies  the  soul  of  men  through  the  church 
his  spouse.     There  we  see  the  sanctifying  powers  of  the  church. 

The  church  sanctifies  the  souls  of  men.  But  let  us  understand 
the  deep  meaning  of  the  word  sanctifying.  The  word  sanctifying 
and  saint  come  from  a  Latin  word  which  signified  blood.  Thus 
among  the  pagans,  all  things  which  were  dedicated  to  the  use  of 
religion  were  dipped  and  sprinkled  with  blood,  and  by  that  they 
were  dedicated  to  the  services  of  the  gods.  Sanctity  and  religion 
mean  very  nearly  the  same  thing,  and  Cicero  and  Virgil  seem  to 
confound  them  as  having  one  meaning.  '  In  the  old  Law  every 
altar  and  the  utensils  dedicated  to  the  use  of  the  Lord  in  the  tem- 
ple were  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  the  victims  sacrificed  to  the 
Lord.  So  in  the  church  all  objects,  every  person  dedicated  to  the 
services  of  the  Lord  are  sanctified,  not  with  the  blood  of  the  vic- 
tims of  the  Old  Law,  but  by  the  blood  of  the  Victim  of  the  world, 
the  Lord  Jesus.  Thus  we  dedicate  churches  persons  and  things  to 
the  services  of  religion  by  special  ceremonies,  by  which  in  an  in- 
visible manner  we  sprinkle  the  blood  of  our  Lord  on  them.  By 
him  they  partake  in  his  infinite   holiness. 

Holiness  is  freedom  from  moral  defects  or  sacredness.  Sanctity 
means  devoted  to  the  work  of  God,  and  the  more  one  is  devoted  to 
God's  work  the  holier  is  he.  The  salvation  of  souls  is  the  highest 
and  the  holiest  work  one  can  do,  for  the  more  saved  the  greater 
glory  will  they  give  to  God.  Christ  came  into  this  world  and 
died  for  men  that  he  might  save  them.  The  clergy  having  re- 
ceived from  him  in  their  ordination  his  zeal  and  his  desire  for 
the  salvation  of  souls  for  the  greater  glory  of  God,  the  more  they 
devote  themselves  to  that  work  the  holier  they  become.  For  the 
holy  Spirit  ever  lives  in  them,  inspiring  them  to  work  more  for 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  work  of  the  ministry.  Whence  the  people 
are  inspired  to  work  out  their  salvation  by  the  works  and  words  of 
their  pastors  and  their  priests.  That  work  of  the  ministry  of  the 
clergy  is  the  work  of  the  sanctification  of  souls.  But  human 
nature  inspires  them  not  to  that  work,  but  the  Spirit  of  Jesus, 
whose  Priesthood  they  received  at  the  time  of  their  ordination. 
Salvation  then  is  not  the  work  of  men  but  of  Christ.  For  he  is- 
the  great  High  Priest  of  our  fallen  race,  now  sitting  at  the  right 
hand  of  his  Father,  ever  offering  up  our  works  to  God.  The  clergy 
are  called  by  ordination,  to  a  higher  state  of  holiness  than  the 
laity.  For  they  are  dedicated  to  the  work  of  the  salvation  of  souls. 
Soul  and  body  they  belong  to  the  Lord.  From  the  Lord  they  received 
the  sacrament  of  holy  orders,  by  which  they  obtain  a  part  of  hi» 
eternal  priesthood,  all  coming  from  his  blood,  from  his  merits  on 
the  cross.  Christ  ever  lives  in  the  persons  of  his  clergy.  They 
did  not  choose  him,  but  he  chose  them  and  makes  them  the  best 
and  the  most  perfect  of  men. 

The  clergy  of  the  church  are  the  ministers  of  Christ,  the  dispen- 
sers of  his  mysteries,  the  saviour  of  his  people,  the  fathers  of  hi» 

»  Cicero  De  OfHc.  Lib.  I.  Virpril  ^neid.  Lib.  xil. 


88  THE  BLOOD  OF  CHRIST. 

children,  the  shepherds  of  his  flock.  The  Pope  is  the  chief  minis- 
ter of  Christ.  Rather  he  is  Christ  himself.  For  as  the  agent  and 
the  one  for  whom  he  acts  form  one  moral  person,  so  Christ  and 
his  Vicar  form  one  moral  person  the  person  of  Christ  himself. 
Thus  the  bishop  the  chief  minister  of  Christ  in  the  diocese  is  one 
with  Christ.  Each  priest  in  his  public  ministry  is  Christ  himself, 
and  he  binds  Christ  by  his  official  acts.  By  and  in  the  ministry 
of  the  clergy,  the  people  become  the  children  of  God  the  heirs 
of  everlasting  life,  '  and  partakers  of  the  divine  nature. 

Among  the  Romans  before  the  time  of  Christ  who  touched  the 
blood  of  the  victims  sacrificed  to  the  false  gods  were  supposed  by 
that  to  have  been  sanctified  and  cleansed  from  their  sins.  That 
ceremony  was  commanded  by  the  law.  Thus  ancient  nations  felt 
by  instinct  that  man  had  been  called  to  a  higher  state  which  by  sin 
they  had  lost.  True  holiness  consists  in  tending  toward  that  state, 
to  that  supernatural  end .  "^  The  victim  of  the  world  is  the  Lord 
Jesus,  who  died  for  man  and  bought  holiness  for  the  wliole  race. 
From  him,  the  head  of  the  church  his  body,  in  ceaseless  unseen 
streams  flow  down  that  blood  of  holiness  on  men.  But  it  comes 
through  the  channels  of  the  sacraments,  the  external  means  he 
founded  for  the  sanctification  of  souls.  To  the  church  he  left 
these  sacraments  and  holy  rites,  that  by  them  the  church  might 
redeem  all  the  generations  of  the  children  of  Adam,  as  they  are 
born  into  this  world.  As  in  the  Old  Testament,  the  altars,  the 
tabernacles,  the  vestments,  the  utensils  and  all  things  used  in  the 
divine  worship  were  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  the  victims,  so 
the  blood  of  Christ  fills  the  Church,  washing  souls,  purifying 
hearts,  healing  passions,  and  purifying  all  her  members.  "The 
whole  world  is  red  with  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  slain  from  the 
foundations  of  the  world." 

Each  Sunday  and  holiday  the  people  gather  at  the  church  where 
the  clergy  oiler  the  Mass  to  God.  We  see  the  tragedies  of  Shakes- 
pere  or  the  representation  of  historic  facts  acted  by  artists,  who  re- 
present as  taking  place  some  great  tragedy  of  the  past.  We  are  • 
entertained  and  delighted  by  the  vivid  manner  in  which  they  make 
believe  in  the  play,  that  they  are  the  real  personages  of  the  striking 
scene.  But  nothing  on  any  stage  ever  equalled  the  ]\[ass.  There 
the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments,  the  prophets  and  patriarchs,  the 
kings  and  priests  of  the  old  law,  the  prophets  and  disciples  of  the 
new  law,  the  coming  and  the  life  of  Christ,  the  last  supper  and  the 
crucifixion,  the  death  and  resurrection  of  our  blessed  Lord  are  all 
brought  before  us  in  the  Mass,  and  there  he  comes  into  the  world 
and  dies  again  in  mystic  ceremonies  for  man.  There  the  priest 
typifies  him,  and  in  virtue  of  his  eternal  priesthood,  he  offers  again  to 
the  eternal  father,  the  life  and  the  death  of  Christ  for  the  salvation 
of  mankind.  Thus  in  the  Mass,  the  greatest  event,  the  most  won- 
derful tragedy  of  earth  again  takes  place  on  our  altars,  and  over 
and  over  again  Christ  dies  for  us  men  and  for  our  salvation. 

'  John  1. 12.       *  St.  Thomas  Sum.  Tbeol.  1 1,  Queat.  Ixxx.  A.  rilL 


■  WHILE  THEY  LOOKED  ON,  HE  WAS  RAISED  UP  AND  A  CLOUD  RECEIVFD  HIM  OUT  OF 
THEIR  SIGHT." -ACTS  I,  9. 


90  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  WOHKING  IX  THE  SOUL. 

In  him,  by  him,  and  through  him  the  services  of  the  church  are 
offered  to  the  eternal  Father  as  a  sweet  oblation  in  his  sight. 
Standing  at  the  right  hand  of  the  awful  throne  of  God,  as  the  An- 
gel of  or  messenger  between  God  and  man,  as  the  mediator  between 
a  sinful  world,  and  an  outraged  God,  he  receives  our  prayers  and 
offers  them  in  union  with  his  atonement  to  his  Father  for  the  sins 
of  his  brethren.  The  High  Priest  of  the  heavens,  the  Aaron  of 
the  tabernacle,  the  David  according  to  the  heart  of  God,  the  great- 
est of  the  prophets,  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of 
the  world,  the  Bishop  of  our  souls,  the  real  Pope,  the  spiritual 
ruler  of  mankind,  he  now  stands  the  only  Christ  and  Redeemer. 
Popes,  Bishops,  priests,  ministers,  every  churchman,  all  they  who 
labor  in  his  vineyard  are  but  feeble  images  of  him.  We  are  his 
spiritual  agents.  "What  we  do  for  the  salvation  of  souls  he  does 
through  us.  They  are  his  people,  for  he  created  and  redeemed  them, 
and  to  them  we  give  his  sacraments.  "  So  let  a  man  so  account 
of  us,  as  the  ministers  of  Christ  and  the  dispensers  of  the  mysteries 
of  God.'' ' 

The  sacred  blood  of  Christ,  streaming  down  on  suffering  souls, 
heals  all  spiritual  diseases  of  mankind.  No  state  or  condition  of 
life  but  feels  the  influence  of  that  grace  and  redemption.  The 
father  generates  the  child  and  the  mother  feeds  it  on  her  own  sub- 
stance. Christ  is  our  father  and  the  church  our  mother.  They 
generate  us,  feed  and  nourish  us  after  our  spiritual  birth,  doing  that 
in  a  more  wonderful  manner  than  our  natural  parents.  First  we 
are  born  of  the  race  of  Adam,  but  dead  to  grace  and  to 
heaven,  the  curse  of  his  sin  still  pressing  on  us.  When  the  child 
is  baptized,  it  is  born  of  water  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  By  that 
ceremony  it  becomes  the  child  of  Christ  and  of  the  church.  Then 
the  first  supernatural  life  of  God  is  implanted  in  the  soul  by  the 
faith,  hope  and  Charity,  with  the  other  divine  gifts,  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  implants  in  that  person.  Then  begins  the  first  dawn  of  the 
supernatural  life  of  God,  without  which  the  person  belongs  not  to 
God,  and  has  no  part  with  him  or  in  the  benefits  of  redemption. 

But  the  first  workings  of  grace  given  by  baptism  is  weak.  Like 
a  new  born  child  it  is  liable  to  die.  Twenty  or  more  years  are  re- 
quired to  obtain  the  full  natural  growth  of  man.  By  confirmation 
full  spiritual  growth  and  strength  are  given.  Such  is  the  sacra- 
ment which  makes  us  strong  and  perfect  Christians,  soldiers  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  full  members  of  his  church. 

When  the  child  comes  into  the  world  it  must  live  for  a  time  on 
its  mother's  milk.  So  in  the  Church  from  Christ  her  head,  we 
receive  his  body  and  his  Blood  the  food  of  all  christians,  which  they 
receive  in  Holy  Communion.  No  father  feeds  his  children  on  his 
own  flesh  and  blood.  No  mother  opens  her  side  and  pours  her 
blood  into  the  mouth  of  her  child,  so  that  the  little  one  may  live. 
Only  our  blessed  Lord  so  loves  his  children  as  to  feed  them  on  his 
flesh  and  blood,  his  bones  and  sinews. 

«  I.  Cor.  Iv.  1. 


REDEEMING  BY  THE  SACEAMENTS.  91 

Children  get  sick,  and  unless  tended  they  die.  So  the  children 
of  the  church,  forgetting  the  benefits  they  receive  fall  into  mor- 
tal sin.  Left  to  die  in  this  state  they  would  be  damned.  But  Our 
Lord  has  provided  a  way,  by  which  these  sins  may  be  forgiven. 
It  is  the  sacrament  of  penance,  by  which  the  sins  committed  after 
baptism  are  forgiven,  a  wonderful  means  of  grace  by  which  again 
and  again  we  wash  our  souls  bright  and  clean  from  the  stains  of 
sin. 

Penance  is  the  applying  of  the  merits  of  Christ  to  our  souls.  He 
took  upon  himself  our  sins  and  wiped  them  all  out  with  the  ruddy 
gore  of  his  blood. 

But  sin  makes  a  wound  in  the  soul.  Sin  dims  the  brightness 
of  the  mind,  even  when  wiped  out  it  leaves  a  stain  and  a  scar  in 
the  spiritual  substance  of  the  souls.  So  there  is  another  sacra- 
ment which  takes  away  the  remains  and  the  scars  of  sin.  That  is 
Extreme  Unction  or  the  last  putting  on  of  oil.  Christ  instituted 
this  sacrament  so  that  the  soul  at  death  may  stand  bright  and 
pure  before  its  Maker. 

By  holy  orders  certain  men,  the  chosen  of  the  Lord,  become  in- 
corporated into  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  Christ.  By  it  they  be- 
come his  agents  to  carry  out  his  work  for  the  salvation  of  their 
brethren.  From  him  their  Model,  their  Master,  and  their  Head 
they  receive  the  powers  of  teaching,  sanctifying  and  of  ruling  the 
members  of  his  mystic  body  the  church  ''  which  he  purchased  by  his 
blood." ' 

In  christian  marriage  the  image  of  the  union  of  Christ  with  his 
church  husband  and  wife  receive  love  and  tender  affection  for  each 
other,  with  the  grace  to  bring  up  well  their  children  so  that  from 
their  union  may  spring  peace,  joy,  pleasure,  and  mutual  help,  that 
they  may  bring  forth  children  to  the  race  of  Adam  their  father. 

These  holy  rites  pour  healing  graces  into  our  souls.  These  are 
the  seven  Gates  of  Heaven,  the  channels  of  salvation  drawing  their 
healing  powers  from  the  fountains  of  the  Crucified.  While  our 
prayers  and  other  good  works  give  us  grace,  because  of  the  good  dis- 
positions we  have  and  the  work  we  perform,  these  sacraments  by 
themselves  do  their  work,  if  Ave  put  nothing  in  the  way  of  the  grace 
of  God.  Thus  the  sleeping  child  or  the  unconscious  man,  if  before 
he  had  tliB  intention  to  receive  it  may  be  baptized  or  ordained  a 
priest,  for  these  sacraments  draw  their  powers  directly  from  the 
wounds  of  the  suffering  Lord  on  the  cross. 

The  church  sanctifies  as  well  as  teaches.  In  that  she  differs 
from  other  teachers.  For  she  is  more  than  a  simple  school  or  a 
government.  Her  teachings  and  her  government  are  for  the  sanc- 
tification  of  souls,  for  their  salvation  through  Christ.  Schools  were 
founded  to  enlighten  the  mind,  while  governments  are  for  the  tem- 
poral and  worldly  good  and  happiness  of  the  people  in  this  world. 
The  holy  church,  our  mother,  acts  not  altogether  on  the  mind  as  a 
teacher,  or  on  the  will  alone  as  a  ruler,  but  on  the  whole  human 

>  Acts  IX.  28. 


92        HOLINESS  KOT  REQUIRED  IX  A  MINISTER. 

being  as  a  saiictifier.  She  teaches,  sanctifies  and  rules,  to  soften 
the  flinty  hearts  of  men,  to  bring  them  back  to  God,  to  civilize 
them  in  this  world,  that  they  may  be  prepared  for  the  other  world, 
where  they  will  reign  with  God  their  Head  their  Saviour  and  their 
Lord. 

The  passion  and  death  of  Christ,  the  sanctity  of  the  Virgin 
Mother,  the  holiness  of  the  saints,  the  sufferings  of  the  martyrs, 
the  good  works  of  all  those  who  went  before  and  sleep  the  sleep  of 
the  just,  all  these  form  a  vast  and  unfathomable  ocean  of  merits 
and  of  graces,  the  treasures  of  the  church.  These  the  church  day 
by  clay  pours  out  upon  the  world.  Christ  as  the  head  has  given 
these  benefits  and  merits  into  the  hands  of  holy  church  for  the  heal- 
ing of  the  nations. 

As  his  agents,  the  clergy  have  the  fulness  of  this  sanctifying 
power.  The  bishop  being  the  chief  minister,  to  him  belongs 
to  preach  the  Gospel  to  dispense  the  ministry  of  the  word  and  to 
oversee  the  work  of  the  salvation  of  souls.  ''  It  belongs  to  the 
bishop  to  judge,  to  interpret,  to  consecrate,  to  offer  sacrifice,  to 
baptize  and  to  confirm. "" '  The  bishop,  in  whom  dwells  the 
fulness  of  the  eternal  priesthood  of  Christ,  by  the  ceremony  of  the 
imposition  of  his  hands  on  the  young  levite,  he  sends  down  on  him 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  propagates  his  priesthood. 

As  Christ  chose  his  apostles  and  disciples  from  the  laity,  and 
made  them  partakers  with  him  in  the  work  of  saving  souls,  so  the 
bishop  chooses  certain  men  in  the  diocese,  he  ordains  them  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry  of  Christ,  he  gives  them  power  to  preach 
sanctify  and  to  govern.  For  **  it  belongs  to  the  priest  to  offer 
sacrifice,  to  bless  to  preach,  to  preside  and  to  baptize."  *  But 
from  Jesus  Christ  himself  direct,  and  not  from  the  bishop,  priest, 
or  minister  comes  the  powers  and  the  graces  of  the  sacraments. 
For  the  sacraments  belong  to  Christ  and  not  to  the  priest.  Al- 
though the  priestly  character  ever  rests  in  the  priest  even  during 
eternity,  yet,  because  of  the  government  of  the  church,  he  cannot 
exercise  that  sacerdotal  power  without  the  authority  of  the  bishop, 
otherwise  there  would  be  no  regularity  in  the  church  of  God. 
"  The  high  priest,  who  is  the  bishop  has  the  power  of  baptizing, 
and  after  him  the  presbyter,  but  not  without  the  authority  of  the 
bishop,"  says  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  fathers.' 

No  matter  how  good  or  how  saintly  may  be  the  minister  of  the 
sacraments,  or  how  bad  may  be  his  life  and,  morals,  that  makes  no 
difference  in  the  sacraments.  Whether  administered  by  saint  or 
sinner,  they  are  all  the  sacraments  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  alone  the 
supreme  High  Priest  gives  them  through  his  agents  his  consecrated 
mmisters.  He,  not  men  is  the  fountain  head,  the  real  source  of  all 
the  graces  and  the  blessings  of  salvation  for  mankind,  for  he  alone 
redeemed  men  on  the  cross. 

The  Christiana  are  not  therefore  independent  of  the  pastor,  nor 
is  fhe  priest  exempt  from  the  power  of  the  bishop,  nor  can  the 

'  Pontlf.  Roman  De  con  Episc  '  PontlX.  Roman  De  Ord.  presbyterli. 

»  Turtul.  de  Bap.  C.  17. 


THE  G0VERN3IENT   OF   THE    C'HUKCH.  93 

bishop  be  free  from  the  authority  of  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  as  the 
latter  depends  on  his  Father  from  whom  lie  proceeds.  Thus  he 
said:  ''In  the  head  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me  that  I  do  thy 
will  0  God." ' 

As  the  Father  is  tlie  head  of  Christ,  the  Pope  is  the  head  of  the 
Bishop,  the  bishop  is  the  head  of  the  diocese,  the  pastor  is  the  head 
of  the  parish.  Pope,  bishop  and  priest  have  certain  priestly  acts, 
common  to  them  all,  as  to  say  Mass,  to  administer  each  of  the  sacra- 
ments except  Holy  Orders,  which  belongs  to  the  bishops  alone. 
This  is  but  an  image  of  the  workings  of  the  Trinity.  For  the 
Father  is  not  subject  to  any  one.  For  he  is  not  generated  like  the 
other  Persons.  The  Son  is  subject  to  the  Father,  from  whom  he 
comes  forth,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  obedient  to  both  Father  and 
Son,  for  he  proceeds  from  both.  In  all  things  the  August  Persons 
of  the  Trinity  are  obedient  to  the  one  from  whom  they  proceed. 
They  ever  and  ceaselessly  obey  the  changeless  laws  of  their  nature, 
while  they  have  in  common  the  Divinitv,  which  belongs  to  the 
Three. 

But  creatures  cannot  fully  imitate  the  eternal  and  internal  life 
of  God;  nor  can  we  look  for  a  perfect  model  of  the  Trinity  in  the 
church  formed  of  imperfect  members.  Therefore,  except  penance 
aad  confirmation  by  a  priest,  the  sacraments  may  be  given  by  any 
priest  or  bishop,  even  without  jurisdiction,  for  they  depend  on  holy 
orders,  which  no  power  on  earth  can  take  away  from  the  soul. 
•The  bishop  may  make  certain  regulations  for  the  internal  admin- 
istration of  the  diocese,  the  pastor  may  do  certain  things  for  the 
good  of  his  parish.  Thus  matters  of  small  importance  are  left  to. 
the  home  rule  of  superiors  in  the  diocese  and  in  the  parish. 

Now  the  reader  begins  to  understand  the  wonders  of  the  church^ 
By  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  the  children  of  Adam  are  tanghfc- 
the  way  of  salvation.  They  are  called  to  partake  of  the  bene- 
fits and  the  riches  of  redemption.  When  they  come  into  her  bosom, 
they  are  then  sanctified  by  the  Sacraments.  The  wounds  of  the 
Crucified  pour  his  blood  into  their  souls;  then  invisible  graces  sof- 
ten them  and  prepare  them  for  the  glory  of  the  skies.  Then  they  are 
governed  as  one  flock  of  the  sheep  of  Christ,  they  are  ruled  by 
their  pastors  who  speak  in  the  power  of  God. 

The  Son  of  God  born  of  the  Father  before  all  ages  "  True  God 
of  True  God,  begotten  not  made,  one  in  divine  substance  with  the 
Father  by  whom  all  things  were  made,"^  at  the  command  of  his 
Father,  he  came  down  from  the  heights  of  heaven,  and  became  man 
for  us  sinners  and  for  our  salvation.  As  God  the  Son,  he  is  always 
subject  to  the  Father,  obedient  to  the  eternal  decrees  of  his  mys- 
terious generation  now  and  always  taking  place.  No  discord,  rebel- 
lion or  irregularity  can  ever  disturb  the  harmonious  relations  of  the 
processions  of  the  Persons  of  the  Deity,  As  man  he  was  subject  to 
his  Mother  and  supposed  father  ''  And  he  went  down  to  Nazareth 
with  them  .  .  .  and  he  was  subject  to  them."  ^ 

^  Psalm  xxxix.  8.  ^  Nicene  creed.  ■"  Luke  ii.  51. 


04  CHRIST   SPIRITUAL   RULER    OF   NATIONS. 

As  God  he  was  subject  to  and  obedient  to  his  Father,  Son  of  man 
he  became  subject  to  his  Mother,  to  give  us  all  an  example  of  obe- 
dience. As  the  Son  is  obedient  to  the  Father,  so  the  church  obeys 
Clirist,  so  the  people  should  obey  the  clergy,  the  parishioners  then- 
pastor,  the  priests  their  bishop,  and  the  bishops  the  Pope.  Subject 
to  the  Father,  the  Father  gave  him  all  power,  '*  All  power  is  given 
me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  "  *  He  gives  all  power  in  heaven  and 
on  earth  to  his  church  "As  the  Father  hath  sent  me  so  I  also  send 
you.  "  *  His  Father  from  whom  he  comes  forth  gave  him  all  au- 
thority over  all  the  nations  of  the  earth;  "  Ask  of  me  and  I  will 
give  thee  the  Gentiles  for  thy  inheritance  and  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth  for  thy  possession.  Thou  shalt  rule  them  with  a  rod 
of  iron."'  To  the  church  his  body,  one  with  him  he  said: 
"  He  that  heareth  you  heareth  me,  he  that  despiseth  you 
despiseth  me,  and  he  that  despiseth  me  despiseth  him  that  sent  me."* 
At  the  moment  of  his  death  he  purchased  salvation  for  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth,  and  at  that  moment  they  were  given  him  to  teach 
them,  sanctify  them  and  rule  them,  and  by  that  to  save  them  from 
death  and  hell. 

He  raises  up  his  clergymen  to  a  partnership  with  him  in  his 
priesthood.  To  them  he  gave  the  power  of  preaching  his 
doctrines,  of  administering  his  sacraments,  and  of  ruling  his  peo- 
plein  his  name  and  by  his  authority.  The  church  being  the  spouse 
of  Christ,  she  brings  forth  his  children  to  him.  As  the  wife  and 
husband  have  the  same  authority  over  the  children,  so  the  church  * 
has  the  authority  of  a  mother  over  all  the  children  she  brings  forth 
to  Christ,  Like  a  mother  she  feeds  them  with  his  truths  and 
sacraments.  For  to  Peter  he  said  "Feed  my  lambs  feed  my  sheep"  * 
As  the  Pope  is  the  chief  shepherd  of  the  sheepfold  of  Christ,  so  to 
Peter  the  first  Pope  the  Lord  said  these  words.  By  and  with  the 
authority  of  Christ,  the  clergy  are  the  regal  rulers  of  the  people 
of  God. 

The  Pope,  heir  and  successor  of  Peter,  is  the  visible  head  and 
ruler  of  all  peoples  here  below.  He  is  the  spiritual  ruling  mon- 
arch of  the  "City  of  God,"  the  "  New  Jerusalem"  the  "Kingdom 
of  Christ."  Through  her  and  in  her,  we  are  all  united  to  Christ. 
In  her  Christ  still  sits  upon  the  spiritual  throne  of  David,  "  and 
of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end,  "  *  for  the  church  is  to  last 
till  the  end  of  time,  to  save  all  generations  of  men,  as  they  are 
born  of  the  fallen  race  of  Adam. 

The  church  therefore  is  a  perfect  form  of  a  spirituaT  government, 
a  complete  society,  rising  above  and  independent  of  all  earthly 
governments.  She  alojie  is  subject  to  Christ,  who  rules  her 
through  his  vicar  the  Pope,  while  dioceses  and  parishes  are  ruled 
by  the  bishops  and  pastors  under  him.  The  church  is  ruled  by 
God  and  not  by  men.  All  power  comes  down  from  God  and  not 
from  below  up,  as  in  civil  and  in  politicaf  affairs  and  governments. 
From  this  it  follows  that  the  influence  of  civil  governments,  or  the 

>  Mark  zxvUl.  10.       *Jobnxx.  21.       *  Psalm.  1. 8.    «  Luke  x.  16.       *  John.  zxl.  15, 17. 
•  Luke  i.  38. 


HOW    CHRIST    GOVERNS   THE    CHURCH.  95 

interferences  of  the  laity  in  the  spiritual  affairs  of  the  church  is 
wrong,  and  contrary  to  its  constitution  and  contrary  to  common 
sense.  As  well  might  we  expect  the  body  to  rule  the  soul,  the  ma- 
terial to  rule  the  spiritual,  as  to  allow  the  laity  to  rule  in  the  spirit- 
ual matters  of  the  church.  But  church  rules  and  regulations  ex- 
tend only  to  matters  of  faith  and  morals,  to  spiritual  things,  and 
but  indirectly  to  world  interests.  As  the  spiritual  rules  the  material, 
as  the  soul  rules  the  body,  so  the  church  rules  the  spiritual  order 
through  the  world.  It  is  not  an  earthly  or  a  temperal  government, 
nor  does  it  interfere  with  the  civil  government  of  the  world.  It 
deals  only  with  matters  of  faith  and  morals,  for  Christ  said  "My 
Kingdom  is  not  of  this  world."  ' 

Christ  rules  his  church  through  his  Vicar,  the  Pope,  who  fol- 
lows the  constitution  partly  laid  down  for  him  in  the  Bible,  in  holy 
scriptures  and  in  the  constitutions  of  his  predecessors.  He  cannot 
do  as  he  wishes,  for  his  authority  is  not  his  own,  over  things  revealed 
by  God.  He  is  the  Vicar  of  Christ  whom  he  represents.  United 
with  him,  all  the  pastors  and  bishops  make  but  one- government. 
The  rules  and  regulations  according  to  which  the  church  shall  be 
administered  are  made  either  in  general  councils  or  by  the  Popes 
themselves.  But  no  living  man  can  change  either  the  laws  given 
by  God  nor  the  natural  laws  of  human  reason,  for  they  are  the 
dictates  of  the  reason  of  God,  and  like  himself  they  are  eternal 
and  unchangeable.  The  church  then  cannot  change  any  revealed 
truths,  for  truth  is  eternal  and  cannot  change.  That  is  one  of  the 
greatest  marks  of  the  true  church,  that  it  cannot  change,  but 
must  ever  remain  the  same  as  it  was  when  Christ  founded  it. 

The  authority  Christ  left  the  church  is  legislative  or  the  power 
of  making  laws,  judicial  or  the  power  interpreting  her  own  laws, 
and  of  interpreting  the  holy  Scripture,  and  executive  or  the  poAver 
of  enforcing  laws.  All  power  of  Christ  has  he  gave  the  universal 
church  and  from  the  universal  church,  this  mighty  spiritual  power 
comes  down  to  the  bishop,  who  by  that  power  of  Christ  rules  his 
<3iocese.  Christ  being  the  real  head,  not  only  of  the  universal 
but  also  of  the  particular,  and  of  the  imperfect  church  the  parish. 
He  governs  all  his  members  in  the  persons  of  the  pastors  who  rule 
peoples  in  his  name.  AVhence  Christ  being  the  real  head  and  ruler 
of  each  and  every  church,  both  universal  and  particular  and  imper- 
fect churches,  it  follows  that  no  other  authority  in  this  world  can 
in  any  way  be  likened  to  the  church,  neither  can  any  earthly 
power  control  or  command  her.''  Will  the  City  of  Babylon,  con- 
ceived in  sin,  control  the  City  of  Sion  born  of  Christ  ?  Thus  we 
see  that  the  clergy,  representatives  and  bearers  of  the  fulness  of 
the  power  and  Priesthood  of  Christ,  rule  the  church  which  he 
purchased   with    his   blood. 

Multitudes  of  souls  are  lost  because  of  rebellions  against  the  ruling 
authority  of  the  church.  Whole  nations  fall  away  by  rebellion 
against  the  church,  the  soul  of  the  world.    For  as  the  body  without 

«  John  xvili.  36.  *  Concil.  Vat.  Const.  Eccl.  I.  CI. 


96  THE  GLORIES  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

the  soul  is  dead,  so  Christendom  and  society  cannot  live  without  the 
church.  Withouther  civilizingand  vivifying  influence  peoples  and 
nations  soon  die.  '  Jesus  Christ  is  not  only  the  ruler  and  head  of 
the  church  but  also  the  ruler  of  every  creature  made  to  his  image  and 
likeness. '  His  spouse,  the  church,  one  with  him  received  from  him 
power  over  all  the  creatures  of  God. '  From  him  and  through  him 
flowsdownuponthechurch,  all  civilization,  all  learning,  aliadvance- 
ment.  The  learning  and  spiritual  authority  of  her  ministers  direct 
all  in  human  affairs  to  the  greater  glory  of  God.  Every  citizen  she 
commands  to  obey,  foster  and  uphold  government,  law  and  order. 

Woe  to  the  people  or  the  nation  which  will  not  serve  her:  "For  the 
kingdom  and  the  nation  that  shall  not  serve  thee  shall  perish  '*'* 

Born  of  God,  a  stranger  on  the  earth,  she  blesses  the  inhabitants 
of  the  world,  who  come  in  through  her  holy  gates.  The  great  and 
powerful  rulers  of  the  earth  have  come  and  knelt  at  her  altars,  and 
learned  wisdom  from  the  lips  of  her  humblest  priests,  ''  For  the 
lips  of  the  priest  shall  guard  wisdom,  and  they  shall  seek  the  law 
at  his  mouth." 

Through  her  from  Christ  descends  the  blessings  of  heaven.  She 
spoke  by  the  prophet  saying:  "  Behold  I  will  lift  up  my  hand  to  the 
Gentiles,  and  I  will  set  my  standard  to  the  people.  And  they  shall 
bring  their  sons  in  their  arms,  and  carr}'  their  daughters  upon  their 
shoulders,  and  kings  shall  be  their  nursing  fathers,  and  queens 
their  nursers,  they  shall  worship  thee  (the  church)  with  their  faces 
to  the  earth,  and  they  shall  lick  up  the  dust  of  thy  feet.  * 

The  church  then  one  with  Christ,  is  a  spiritual  government  abova 
and  independent  of  the  governments  of  this  world.  Civil  govern- 
ments are  but  so  many  aids  and  props  to  uphold  her,  and  in  her 
turn  she  blesses  them.  Of  her  Isaias  foretold:  "  In  the  last  days 
the  mountain  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  be  prepared  on  the 
top  of  mountains,  and  it  shall  be  exalted  on  the  top  of  hills  and  all 
nations  shall  flow  into  it "  *  She  is  the  guide  of  nations  as  well  as^ 
of  individuals,  and  nations  and  governments  should  serve  her  as 
well  as  the  individuals.  By  her  we  are  all  placed  in  battle  array,  ^ 
fighting  against  the  darkness  of  hell,  conquering  ignorance  in  the 
minds  of  men  poisoned  by  error  "  For  the  weapons  of  our  warfare 
are  not  carnal  but  mighty  to  God. .  .  .and  bring  into  captivity  every 
understanding  unto  the  obedience  of  Christ."  * 

Every  one  can  serve  the  church  in  some  way:  "  For  he  that  is 
not  for  me  is  against  me"*  says  Christ.  The  world, to-day  is  af- 
flicted by  the  rebellion  of  nations  and  peoples  against  the  church. 
We  see  the  sad  example  of  ancient  Egypt,  of  Syria,  of  Arabia,  of 
Asia  Minor,  of  peoples  of  the  north  of  Africa.  Once  they  were 
highly  civilized  and  flourishing  nations,  till  they  fell  away  into  re- 
bellion and  sciiism,  which  cut  them  off  from  the  fountain  of  grace 
and  holiness,  the  church. 

So  with  the  individual  or  family  in  the  parish  when  they  rebel 

*  Syllabus  Prop.  56,  28.  7!,  78,  etc.     «  I.  Cor.  x?.  86. 88;  Philip.  II. »,  M.      »  I.  Cor.  xxlU. 

*  Lsaiu  Ix.  18.  *  Isaias  xxii.  S,  8.  *  Isaias  11.  2. 

*  Cant.  vl.  3.  "  II.  Cor.  x.  3,  4,  5.  •  Matt.  xll.  30. 


THE  GLORIES  OF  THE  CHURCH.  97 

against  their  pastor  sooner  or  later  they  go  to  ruin  and  lose  the 
faith.  Sad  examples  are  seen  in  every  parish.  The  punishment 
of  such  rebellion  is  loss  of  faith  and  eternal  damnation,  the  most 
terrible  spiritual  chastisement.  "  He  that  will  not  hear  the  church 
let  him  be  to  thee  as  the  heathen  and  the  publican."'  The 
church  cannot  bend  to  the  ideas  of  any  men.  She  let  all  England 
fall  away  before  she  could  give  a  divorce  to  Henry  VIII.  because 
it  was  beyond  her  power  to  give  a  divorce.  Either  her  children 
must  remain  obedient  to  her  laws  and  discipline,  or  go  out  from 
her  to  perdition. 

Such  then  are  the  three  primeval  elements  of  the  church,  her 
teaching,  sanctifying  and  ruling  powers.  There  are  not  in  the 
church  an  order  of  teachers,  another  of  sanctifiers  and  a  third 
of  rulers.  For  the  priesthood  of  Christ  is  not  divided — but  one. 
Lifted  to  a  union  with  Ciirist,  animated  with  the  Holy  Spirit, 
all  priests,  each  bishop,  has  these  three  powers  undivided.  "  To 
one  indeed  by  the  spirit  is  given  the  word  of  wisdom,  to  another  the 
word  of  knowledge to  another  faith  in  the  same  spirit,  to  an- 
other the  working  of  miracles,  to  another  the  interpretation  of 
speeches.  For  as  the  body  is  one  and  hath  many  members,  and  all 
the  members  of  the  same  body,  whereas  they  are  many,  yet  are 
one  body,  so  also  is  Christ.  * 

Vie  must  remember  that  the  Father  rules  Christ  because  he  gen- 
erates him.  Christ  rules  the  church  because  she  comes  fi-oni  him, 
the  Pope  rules  the  bishops  because  they  are  appointed  by  him,  the 
bishop  rules  the  pastors  because  he  ordains  and  sends  them,  the 
pastor  rules  the  people  because  he  brings  them  forth  in  baptism 
and  feeds  them  on  the  sacraments.  As  the  mother  rules  her  chil- 
dren, wdiom  she  generates  according  to  the  law  of  Nature,  so  Christ 
givesthis  his  power  to  the  church,  his  wife,  his  spouse,  because  by  and 
in  and  through  her,  he  brings  forth  his  spiritual  children.  She  is 
their  mother  and  they  are  the  sons  of  God  and  the  children  of 
Christ.  First  comes  into  play  the  i^reaching  power  of  the  Church. 
For  how  can  they  believe  unless  they  hear.  First  the  nations  must 
be  taught.  Then  they  are  sanctified  by  the  holiness  of  Christ,  by 
the  sacraments  of  the  Church,  The  Church  calls  the  nations,  not 
from  the  nothingness  of  dark  night  and  chaos  as  God  bid  the  world 
come  forth  at  Creation,  but  she  seeks  them  in  the  darkness  of  error, 
in  infidelity  and  the  blindness  of  the  sin  of  Adam, — she  calls  them 
into  the  Avonderful  light  of  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God. 

When  the  fallen  children  of  Adam  hear  her  voice,  she  pours  in- 
to their  souls  the  saving  graces  of  salvation,  coming  from  the  foun- 
tain of  all  graces  Christ.  Sanctified  and  through  her  made  new 
creatures,  children  of  God,  heirs  of  heaven,  then  she  rules  them 
unto  Christ  making  them  •'  conformable  to  the  image  of  his  glory." 
At  death  she  sends  these  redeemed  souls  to  God  the  Son,  her 
Spouse.  Thus  ever  harvesting  the  souls  of  men,  she  is  carrying  out 
the  great  work  of  redemption  begun  by  Christ. 

1  Math,  xvlli.  ir.  2  I.  Cor.  xll.  8-10, 12. 


CARDINAL  NEWMAN. 


(^^IMLY  in  the  Old  Testament 
4]^))  but  clear  and  distinct  in 
(;U^  the  New,  God  revealed  to 
the  human  race  that  he  is 
one  in  nature  and  Three  in  Divine 
Persons.  The  Father  com  i  ng  from 
none, — the  Son  ever  generated 
from  the  eternal  Mind  of  the  Fath- 
er,— the  Holy  Spirit  ever  proceed- 
ing from  the  will  of  both  Father 
and  Son.  These  three  form  the 
mighty  hierarchy  of  the  blessed 
Trinity,  they  are  one  and  the  same 
Deity,  the  Eternal,  the  Incompre- 
hensible who  created  the  whole  uni- 
verse both  material  and  spiritual. 
Each  created  being  is  an  image  of 
God  subject  to  the  laws  which  direct  its  movements.  A  law  to  them- 
selves, the  persons  of  the  Trinity  proceed  one  from  the  other,  they 
made  the  laws  governing  the  movements  of  creatures  representing 
the  eternal  laws  which  the  divine  persons  are  unto  themselves. 
The  Son  organized  the  church,  as  the  last  creation  of  God,  with 
her  hierarchies  of  laity,  of  priests  of  bishops,  with  the  Pope  at  their 
head  as  the  Father  is  the  head  of  the  Trinity. 

Having  all  perfections  in  themselves,  the  Son  is  the  Reason  of 
God,  and  no  perfection  can  be,  but  which  is  the  Son,  infinitely  Per- 
fect containing  all  perfections  for  any  imperfection  cannot  be  in 
the  God.  When  God  made  the  world  he  made  man  to  the  image 
of  himself — to  the  likeness  of  the  divine  Son,  for  he  could  not  make 
it  like  to  anything  not  in  him,  for  he  being  infinitely  perfect  has 
all  perfections. 

The  mind  conceives  truth  and  every  right  idea  in  the  mind 
is  a  truth.  The  image  or  Idea  in  the  mind  of  God  is  the 
Son.       But   when   Adam   sinned,  God  revealed   still  farther  the 


100  ONE  GOD,   ONE   CHCBCH. 

wonders  of  his  Word  his  Son.  He  then  decreed  the  incarnation, 
by  which  he  restored  man  again  to  the  supernatural  state,  which 
Adam  lost.  The  Son  being  the  truth  of  God  revealed  to  man, 
that  revelation  of  Truth  in  the  Son  is  one.  Being  a  revelation 
of  the  Son,  religion  is  one  and  undivided.  The  Father  has  his 
only  begotten  Son.  That  Son  has  his  only  church,  which  he 
alone  founded.  Only  the  religion  established  by  God  among  the 
Jews  of  old  was  the  religion  of  God.  The  sacrifice  of  Moses, 
the  ceremonies  of  the  temple,  the  priesthood  of  Aaron,  these  only 
pleased  the  Lord  of  hosts  in  the  days  of  yore,  while  all  the  false 
religions  of  the  pagan  nations  were  abominable  in  the  eyes  of  God. 
Only  in  the  church  of  Christ,  in  the  church  established  by  him  are 
prayers  and  sacrifices  received  in  heaven.  AVhere  are  the  countless 
millions  of  the  pagan  nations  who  lived  before  the  time  of  Christ? 
They  were  lost.  Tiiey  had  not  the  true  religion.  So  it  is  to-day. 
There  is  but  one  only  church  of  God,  where  in  his  Truth  is  preached, 
wherein  his  sacraments  wash  souls,  there  his  government  exists, 
there  his  people  are  redeemed.  All  other  churches  are  unpleasing 
before  his  eyes,  he  receives  not  their  services  for  they  drag  people 
from  his  church.     "  He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me." 

Who  can  suppose  that  Adam  had  more  than  one  spouse  or  wife? 
Only  by  Eve,  taken  from  his  side,  did  he  bring  forth  his  children. 
So  our  dear  Lord  has  but  one  spouse,  born  of  him  in  the  tor- 
ments of  the  cross  shown  visibly  in  the  water  and  with  the 
blood  flowing  from  his  side.  The  man  who  marries  more  than  one 
woman,  who  has  at  the  same  time  many  wives,  all  living  and  co- 
habiting with  him,  he  and  they  commit  a  crime.  Can  any  one 
think  that  Christ  has  a  lot  of  spouses  and  concubines,  numerous 
churches  all  married  to  him?  Could  he  be  a  Mohammedan,  a  pagan, 
a  Mormon  with  all  the  churches  united  to  him  in  that  spiritual 
wedlock  by  each  bringing  forth  spiritual  children?  Can  a  people 
found  a  church  and  marry  her  to  Christ  without  his  consent? 
And  where  in  the  Bible  do  we  read  that  he  was  married  to  all 
these  churches?    • 

Man  and  wife  are  one  bone,  flesh  and  nature.  Yet  all  these 
different  churches  in  the  world  are  not  one  and  the  same,  for  each 
one  is  of  a  different  nature,  having  each  its  own  peculiar  teaching, 
doctrines  and  discipline.  Each  church  being  different,  thev  can- 
not be  all  at  the  same  time  the  churches  of  Christ.  A  man  and 
woman  must  both  give  their  consent,  or  the  marriage  will  be  null 
and  void.  For  a  union  of  a  church  with  Christ,  both  the  latter 
and  the  church  must  give  a  mutual  consent.  Yet  where  do  we 
hear  of  such  a  union  of  Christ  with  churches  founded  1,500  years 
after  he  went^ack  to  heaven. 

As  the  Scriptures  says,  as  the  prophets  foretold,  Christ  is  the 
head  of  the  church.  Her  members  are  bone  of  his  bone  and  flesh 
of  his  flesh.  Tliat  union  with  Christ,  which  begins  in  the  church 
on  earth,  becomes  completed  in  heaven,  where  dwell  the  perfect 
church  formed  by  the  saints  and  the  good  who  have  passed  away. 


CHUECH  GOVERNMENT.  101 

'Kow  they  reign  with  him  in  glory.  Unless  that  union  with  Christ 
begins  on  this  earth  before  death,  in  the  other  life  the  soul  will  be 
separated  from  God,  and  that  is  hell, — the  loss  of  God  in  the  spirit 
world  Avhere  minds  and  wills  cling  unchangeably  and  fixedly  to  prin- 
ciples true  or  false,  for  that  is  the  nature  of  beings  in  the  world  of 
spirits. 

The  church  is  the  mystic  body  of  Christ.  He  is  her  head. 
What  head  has  a  lot  of  bodies  all  united  to  it,  all  receiving  power  and 
life  from  that  single  head.  God  does  not  create  in  that  monstrous 
manner.  Every  head  has  but  one  body.  The  visible  is  but  an 
image  of  the  spirit  world.  Christ  is  the  spiritual  head  of  the 
church,  and  he  has  but  one  church,  one  body,  the  image  of  the 
body  he  assumed,  when  he  was  born  of  Mary.  The  other  churches 
which  were  rose  centuries  after  Christ  and  formed  from  the  catholic 
church,  of  which  he  is  the  head,  these  churches  could  not  become 
other  bodies  attached  to  him  as  their  head.  They  may  claim  him 
as  their  head,  but  they  are  like  headless  bodies,  seeking  to  be  at- 
tached to  the  head  of  a  great  man,  because  they  have  no  head  of 
their  own. 

The  church  is  a  kingdom.  Such  was  she  foretold  to  be  by  the  pro- 
phets. A  kingdom  has  but  one  king,  one  government,  one  auth- 
ority, one  code  of  laws,  one  form  of  administration.  AVhen  a  part 
of  the  nation  throws  off  the  authority  of  the  kingdom,  the  citi- 
zens of  that  section  belong  no  more  to  that  kingdom.  They  are 
no  longer  subjects  of  that  king,  for  they  have  rejected  his  author- 
ity. So  it  is  with  the  churches.  When  a  people  reject  the  catho- 
lic church,  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  that  kingdom  he  established 
before  he  left  the  earth,  they  no  longer  belong  to  him,  for  while 
on  earth  he  founded  his  kingdom,  the  church  he  established  in  the 
persons  of  his  apostles,  disciples  and  followers,  akingdomjstill  ruled 
by  his  Vicar,  his  prime  minister,  Peter,  and  his  successors  in  the 
See  of  Rome. 

The  church  is  a  society,  a  spiritual  government,  a  constitutional 
monarchy  with  Christ  at  the  head.  It  is  a  visible  government, 
extending  over  all  the  earth,  ruling  the  souls  and  the  consciences 
of  men.  Other  governments  rule  the  whole  man  in  his  tempor- 
al civil  welfare,  taking  into  account  the  external  actions  of  citi- 
zens, but  unable  to  penetrate  into  the  hidden  secrets  of  the  heart. 
But  the  church,  being  a  spiritual  society,  she  rules  the  souls  of  men. 
She  teaches  them  to  hear  her,  she  penetrates  into  the  conscience 
of  her  subjects  in  the  confessional,  she  comes  into  direct  contact 
with  the  m'ind  and  will,  and  regulates  the  highest  and  noblest  part 
of  man,  his  immortal  soul.  In  this  all  civil  laws  are  imperfect. 
For  they  can  see  only  the  external  act,  while  the  church  passes 
judgment  on  the  most  secret  sins  and  shortcomings  of  man  revealed 
in  the  secrets  of  confession.  By  her  dogmatic  teachings,  she 
tells  men  to  believe  the  truths  God  revealed  to  the  human  race. 
By  this  she  enlightens  mens'  minds.  By  her  moral  principles  she 
tells  people  what  to  do,  what  is  siu,  the  difference  between  good 


102  PROTESTANT  CHURCHES. 

and  bad  actions.  By  this  she  regulates  the  will  of  all  peoples  and 
nations.  Bnt  she  has  but  one  and  tlie  same  doctrines  for  all 
men.  In  tliis  she  is  one  and  the  same.  Her  priests  and  bishops 
reflect  the  light  which  shines  on  them  from  the  Roman  Pontiff 
to  whom  was  given  to  confirm  his  brethren. 

All  other  churches  are  more  or  less  national.  They  bear  more  or 
less  the  peculiar  marks  of  race  characteristics  and  prejudices.  The 
Episcopal  church,  formed  of  the  catholic  teachings,  which  for  a 
thousand  years  had  penetrated  all  the  ranks  of  that  people,  the 
church  of  England  partakes  of  the  wealth  culture  and  customs  of 
the  English  race.  The  Lutheran  church,  founded  by  the  bad  priest 
Luther  holds  to  the  German  character.  The  Presbyterian  church 
founded  by  John  Knox  in  Scotland  on  the  remains  of  the  catholic 
church  driven  out,  still  preaches  the  singular  doctrines  of  Calvin. 
The  Methodist  church  depends  mostly  on  physical  excitement  and 
on  the  feelings,  as  taught  by  her  founders  John  and  Charles  Wesley. 
The  Congregational  churches  founded  first  in  England  but  intro- 
duced into  the  country  by  the  first  colonists  of  New  England,  when 
they  organized  *' a  state  without  a  king,  and  a  church  without  a 
bishop"  is  a  purely  American  church,  each  church  and  congregation 
being  free  and  independant  from  all  other  congregations.  The  Bap- 
tists hold  to  the  necessity  of  immersing  the  whole  person  in  the 
waters,  without  which  they  say  the  baptismal  rite  is  not  valid.  So 
all  modern  churches  are  infected  with  peculiar  doctrines  to  which 
they  hold,  to  which  they  give  prominence,  to  the  forgetfulness  of 
the  other  teachings  of  the  Gospel.  They  were  founded  on  a  bad 
interpretation  of  the  Scriptures,  which  does  not  give  the  true  mean- 
ing of  the  word  of  God,  which  a  writer  says  has  25,000  false 
doctrines  and  more  than  200,000  mistakes.  '  A  new  version  was 
made  in  late  years,  but  the  work  of  the  King  James'  Bible  had 
gone  on  for  300  years,  still  leading  men  from  the  true  fold  of 
Christ. 

The  church  is  a  sheepfold.  Around  Jerusalem  and  in  the  Holy 
Land  may  still  be  seen  the  sheep  pens,  where  the  shepherds  shut  up 
their  flocks  at  night  safe  from  the  wild  beasts.  They  guarded 
them  during  the  day  while  they  fed.  There  our  Lord  found  the 
figure  of  the  sheepfold.  He  is  the  shepherd,  "I  am  the  good  shep- 
herd I  know  my  sheep  and  my  sheep  know  me.'"  The  shepherd  or 
pastor  guards  his  sheep  from  the  wolves  and  the  wild  beasts  of  every 
bad  doctrine.  The  Lord  still  feeds  his  sheep  by  the  shepherds  or 
pastors  he  has  placed  over  them.  There  is  but  one  visible  shepherd 
in  the  world,  the  Vicar  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  and  all  others  rule  his 
flocks  and  feed  his  sheep  by  delegated  power,  coming  down  from  the 
successor  of  Peter,  to  whom  the  Lord  said  ''  Feed  my  lambs  Feed 
my  Sheep."  * 

'These  other  churches  are  not  the  sheepfolds  of  Christ,  "And 
other  sheep  I  have  that  are  not  of  this  fold,  them  also  I  must  bring, 

•  Ward's  ErraU  of  the  Protestant  Bible.  '  John  x.  11.  *  Jotao  zz.  16. 


THE  TKOTESTANT  SERVICES.  103 

and  they  shall  hear  my  voice,  and  there  shall  be  one  fold  and  one 
shepherd/" 

Nothing  so  startles  a  thinking  man  as  the  failure  of  the  other 
churches  to  hold  the  people.  Not  one  in  ten  among  them  go  to 
churcli  each  Sunday  in  the  year  to  worship  God.  The  larger 
part  of  the  population  in  Protestant  countries  are  practically  white- 
washed pagans.  Religion  is  something  second  to  their  business. 
They  are  attracted  by  the  show  or  the  society  of  the  congregations, 
or  they  take  the  occasion  of  showing  their  wealth,  but  the  majority 
go  not  for  the  reason  of  '' worshipping  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth''.  * 
When  they  do  go  each  church  is  a  stage  whereon  the  minister  comes 
to  preach  what  he  believes  is  the  word  of  God,  and  what  will  please 
them  as  they  hire  him  for  that;  the  choir  sings  nice  hymns  in 
English,  which  pleases  the  hearers;  the  people  see  each  other  and 
meet  socially;  the  minister  dismisses  them  with  his  benediction, 
and  they  go  home  thinking  they  belong  to  the  church  of  Christ 
and  that  they  have  worshipped  God.  They  practically  worship  the 
good  sermon  and  the  music.  If  they  do  not  come  each  Sunday, 
the  minister  goes  to  their  houses  to  ''drum  them  up."  The  men 
women  and  children  believe  what  they  wish,  and  reject  what  they 
do  not  like.  Each  is  his  own  pope,  and  there  are  as  many  churches 
as  members,  for  no  two  believe  alike.  Thus  outside  the  catholic 
church  there  is  no  true  religion,  no  sacrifice  of  the  divine  Son,  no 
worship  received  by  God  through  Jesus  Christ. 

Each  generation  outside  the  church  drifts  farther  from  the  doc- 
trines given  their  forefathers.  They  are  gradually  losing  the 
sublime  teachings  given  by  the  catholic  church,  which  they  admire, 
when  they  find  it  in  their  churches.  There  is  then  but  one  church, 
one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  the  father  of  all,  who  rejects  all 
worship,  but  that  coming  up  to  the  eternal  throne  from  the  church 
and  spouse  of  his  Son  through  the  Eedeemer,  ''who  always  makes 
intercession  for  us.'' ^ 

The  church  is  the  image  of  the  Trinity.  In  heaven  the  Son  is 
in  the  Father,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  in  the  Father  and  in  the  Son, 
and  the  Father  is  in  both.  *'I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father 
is  in  me."  "He  that  seeth  me  seeth  the  Father."  *  By  the  mystery 
of  the  incircumsession,  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity  are  one  and  un- 
divided. So  in  the  church.  The  diocese  is  in  the  universal 
church,  and  the  parish  is  in  the  diocese,  and  both  diocese  and 
parish  are  in  the  church  universal.  The  diocese  is  not  to  be 
taken  as  a  part  of  the  church  universal,  but  one  with  it;  the 
parish  is  not  be  considei'ed  as  a  part  of  the  diocese,  but  one  with 
it,  and  one  with  the  church  universal.  All  the  churches  of  a  na- 
tion must  not  be  taken  as  a  part  or  branch  of  the  church,  but  one 
with  it.     They  are  all  one  of  which  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the   Soul. 

God  cannot  be  divided.  For  division  belongs  not  to  spirits  but  to 
material  things.  Christ  has  not  many  mystical  bodies  nor  parts  of 
bodies,  but  one  body  the  church.     Thus  it  is  impossible  for  the 

>  John  X.  16.  2  John  iv.  2^,  ^  Heb.  vll.  25.  *  John  xlv. 


104  THE  VINE  AND  BRANCHES. 

church  to  be  divided,  nor  can  dioceses,  or  parishes,  or  pastors,  or 
peoples  divide  from  her  and  form  other  churches.  If  they  divide 
and  separate  from  her.  they  cut  themselves  from  the  body  of 
Christ.  Then  being  dead  they  receive  no  nourishment  from 
her  head,  Christ,  and  soon  they  begin  to  disintegrate  and  fall  to 
pieces  for  want  of  the  one  Spirit  of  God.  They  become  like 
,these  parts  of  the  human  body  cut  off  which  dies.  It  is  not  a 
church  but  the  withered  image  of  what  was  once  a  church,  which 
before  the  division  was  united  to  Christ  through  and  by  the  uni- 
versal church,  his  mystic  body.  "I  am  the  true  vine,  and  my  Fa- 
ther is  the  husbandman.  Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not 
fruit,  he  will  take  away.'^ '  Where  are  the  great  churches  of  Asia^ 
of  Egypt,  of  the  cradle  lands  of  the  faith?  They  bore  not  fruit. 
They  separated  from  the  central  trunk,  the  Koman  Pontiff,  and 
they  died,  and  these  once  fair  regions  are  now  cursed  with  every 
heresy. 

"  I  am  the  vine  you  are  the  branches,  as  the  branch  cannot 
bear  fruit  of  itself,  unless  it  abide  in  the  vine,  so  neither  can  you 
unless  you  abide  in  me."*  Look  at  a  grape  vine,  notice  a  spruce 
or  pine  tree.  Every  branch  shoots  from  the  main  trunk,  an  image 
of  the  central  stem,  a  perfect  copy,  each  limb  having  other 
branches  shooting  forth  from  it.  So  every  diocese  in  the  world 
springs  forth  from  the  central  trunk,  Rome,  bringing  forth  othei- 
churclies  and  parishes,  the  images  of  itself.  It  is  the  im- 
age of  the  Roman  church,  of  which  Christ  is  the  head, 
giving  it  spiritual  jurisdiction,  life,  grace,  supernatural  sap  and 
heavenly  nourishment,  from  whence  it  flows  down  into  all  the 
other  churches  of  the  world.  Let  one  of  the  churches  or  a  dio- 
cese, or  a  member  either  of  the  clergy  or  laity  divide  from  Rome 
and  they  witlier  and  die,  for  they  receive,  no  sap  or  supernatural  life, 
for  the  channels  of  grace,  the  arteries,  carry  no  more  to  it  the  life- 
giving  blood  of  redemption,  flowing  from  the  head,  the  Crucified. 
"  If  any  one  abide  not  in  me,  he  shall  be  cast  forth  as  a  branch 
and  shall  wither,  and  they  shall  gather  him  up,  and  cast  him  into 
the  fire."'  The  head  nourishes  the  body  with  life  and  vital 
force,  flowing  down  into  it  through  the  great  central  nerve  trunk 
the  spinal  cord.  Cut  that  spinal  cord  and  the  body  dies  in  an  in- 
stant, for  it  is  then  separated  from  the  head,  Christ  teaches  and 
nourishes  the  church  with  his  teachings  coming  down  through 
the  central  trunk  the  Bishop  of  the  diocese  of  Rome.  The 
church,  the  people,  the  nation  dies  when  they  separate  from  that 
marrow  of  religion.  They  may  for  a  time  continue  in  the  eyes  of 
men  as  a  church,  they  will  seem  on  the  outside  to  the  eyes  of  men 
as  a  church,  but  they  are  a  body  spiritually  dead.  For  a  time 
they  will  keep  the  shape  and  the  appearance  of  a  living  ciiurch,  but 
like  all  these  churches  separated  from  Rome,  they  instatitly  die. 
They  have  no  supernatural  life.  They  did  not  abide  in  him  the 
head  of  the  churcli.     'J'hey  will  keep  for  years  the  form  and  ap- 

•  John  XV.  1,8.  »  John  xv.  5.  *  John  xv.  6. 


HOW  MANY  CHURCHES  BELONG  TO  CHRIST  ?  105 

pearance  of  a  church,  they  will  attract  people  by  the  teachings  of 
Christ,  they  received  from  the  catholic  church  before  their  sep- 
aration, but  little  by  little,  they  will  lose  the  forms,  the  customs, 
the  teachings  of  the  true  church,  they  will  fall  away  from  gener- 
ation to  generation,  into  infidelity.  The  younger  generation  become 
infidels  in  sjjite  of  the  attractions  of  society,  the  continual  "  drum- 
ming up^'  of  the  minister.  This  we  see  takes  place  what  the 
prophet  says:  '' The  nation  and  the  kingdom  that  will  not  serve 
thee  shall  perish." ' 

It  is  evident  then  that  other  ciiurches  do  not  belong  to  Christ. 
They  were  formed  at  the  reformation  from  the  remains  of  the 
teachings  and  the  doctrines,  they  received  from  the  catholic 
church.  They  were  founded  for  the  most  part  on  some  peculiar 
doctrines,  which  became  prominent  at  that  time  of  religious  and 
political  excitement.  Every  doctrine,  every  custom,  every  church 
form  of  government  they  have  kept  as  parts  of  the  catholic  church. 
Whatever  people  admire  in  other  churches,  what  speaks  to  human 
reason,  religious  teachings  and  things  men  love  and  venerate  in 
other  church  denominations,  they  will  find  them  in  the  catholic 
church,  but  perhaps  under  another  name,  or  more  or  less  hidden 
in  our  vast  ceremonial.  Then  persons  coming  from  another 
church  into  the  catholic  church,  must  not  give  up  anything 
they  admire  in  their  own,  or  throw  off  these  things  which  speak 
to  reason.  Let  them  keep  all  these,  believe  a  little  more  get 
cleared  up  their  ideas  about  God,  Christ,  the  Eedemption,  and 
the  way  of  saving  souls.  Let  them  keep  what  they  learned  at 
their  mother's  knee,  come  into  the  bosom  of  their  true  mother 
the  spouse  of  Christ,  let  them  break  off  from  that  church  founded 
by  men,  and  come  back  to  the  church  of  their  fathers,  and  there 
draw  from  the  fountains  of  the  Saviour  grace,  peace,  rest,  redemp- 
tion, salvation. 

No  people  can  form  by  themselves  a  congregation  or  church, 
claiming  that  they  follow  the  teachings  of  Christ.  For  number- 
less are  the  false  churches  thus  organized.  They  must  be  born  of 
the  parish  and  of  the  diocese,  who  in  their  turn  come  from  the 
Roman  Pontiff.  St.  Augustine  truly  says:  "Heretics  think  false 
things  about  God,  and  call  it  their  faith.  Schismatics,  by  bad  dis- 
putes, cut  themselves  off  from  brotherly  charity,  although  they 
believe  what  we  believe."  "  "^  No  heretics  who  separate  from  the 
church  but  believe  that  they  still  hold  the  right  doctrine,"  says 
St.  Jerome.  No  people  yet  separated  from  the  church,  but  who 
supposed  that  they  were  doing  right.  They  lost  their  faith 
planted  in  them  by  the  Holy  Spirit  at  their  baptism,  and  by  some 
continued  sin,  by  their  neglect  of  the  sacraments,  or  by  some 
allurement  of  the  world,  the  devil  or  the  flesh,  they  lost  that 
faith  and  left  the  church. 

The  unity  of  the  church  comes  from  the  one  Holy  Spirit,  the 
hearts  of  the  people,  united  to  Christ,  as  St.  Paul  says:  "  Who  hath 

*  Isalas  Ix.  12.  ^  pg  pj^jg  gj  Syrab. 


106  UNIOX  ox  FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLES. 

delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and  hath  translated  us 
into  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of  his  love.  .  .  .  who  is  the  image  of 

the  invisible  God,  the  first  born  of  every  creature, And  he 

is  the  head  of  the  body  the  church.  . .  Yet  now  he  hath  in  the 
body  of  his  flesh  through  death,  to  present  you  holy  and  blame- 
less before  him."  '  How  false  it  is  to  say  that  all  christians  may 
be  united  on  fundamental  principles,  and  divided  on  non-essential 
doctrines  Will  appear  in  the  following  pages.  No  nation  can 
allow  citizens  to  judge  the  laws  they  will  keep,  and  break  or 
allow  them  to  reject  the  laws  they  do  not  like.  Where  can  you 
find  a  body  of  men  in  business,  in  an  army,  in  a  nation,  in  a 
company,  even  a  few  men  working  on  a  railroad  without  a  head 
or  a  man  over  them  Avho  binds  them  together  by  his  authority? 
How  insane  in  religion  must  be  the  people,  who  try  to  found  a 
church,  without  a  head.  There  is  an  element  of  insanity  in  re- 
ligious matter,  or  there  would  not  be  so  many  churches,  all 
claiming  to  be  the  church  of  Christ. 

Human  reason  relates  to  the  things  of  this  earth,  while  re- 
ligion is  the  bond  of  union  between  God  and  man.  As  religion  is 
the  supernatural  in  man,  the  supernatural  is  above  reason  and 
above  nature  which  guides  man  on  earth  and  is  incapable  of  the 
things  of  God.  From  this  it  follows  that  only  God  can  tell  men 
the  way  he  will  be  worshipped,  the  service  he  will  receive.  No 
worship  will  God  regard  but  that  which  comes  to  him  through 
Christ,  his  Son,  who  in  the  incarnation  united  man  and  God  and 
opened  heaven  to  his  brethren.  As  the  Bible  is  the  word  of  God 
given  to  man,  to  the  church  belongs  the  power  of  defining  its 
meaning.  If  God  wished  that  every  one  would  understand  the 
Bible  he  would  have  written  it  as  easy  and  as  plain  as  the  sun- 
light. But  it  is  so  difficult,  that  the  most  learned  men  cannot 
understand  it.  Even  the  greatest  and  most  learned  saints 
admitted  they  could  not  understand  its  meaning.  The  division 
of  churches,  all  following  the  Bible,  show  they  differ  as  to  its 
meanings.  There  must  then  be  some  court,  some  tribunal 
established  by  God,  to  teach  mankind  the  meaning  of  his  re- 
vealed word, — That  is  the  church  which  through  her  visible  head, 
officially  proclaims  the  meaning  of  the  Scriptures. 

How  often  find  we  the  kingdom  of  God  mentioned  in  the  Bible? ' 
The  prophets  foretold  so  often  the  coming  of  his  kingdom,  that  the 
Jews  supposed  the  Messiah  would  come  and  make  of  them  rulers 
over  all  the  earth.  That  error  had  been  so  ingrafted  into  them,  that 
they  refused  to  receive  our  blessed  Lord  because  he  came  so  poor 
and  lowly.  Everywhere  the  Old  Testament  tells  us  of  the  *'  house 
of  God  ■'  "  the  kingdom  without  end  "  '*  the  house  of  David  the  line 
of  Judah.  "  On  almost  every  page  the  New  Testament  proclaims 
the  beauties  of  the  church,  the  founding  of  his  kingdom,  the 
members  of  his  members,  the  beauties  of  his  religion.     No  pas- 

I  C0I088. 1.  13, 15, 22.  *  Matt.  xli.  ». 


INTERIOR  OF  THE  CATHEDRAL,  MEXICO.— THE  LARGEST  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA. 


108  SEARCH  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

sage  of  Holy  Writ  speaks  of  many  churches  or  of  more  than  one 
church.  Search  the  Scriptures  for  the  purposes  and  perfections 
of  his  only  church.  Read  the  1st  and  5th  Epist.  of  St.  Paul  to 
the  Ephesians:  the  12th  to  the  Corinthians;  the  5th  to  the  Rom- 
ans ;  the  1st  to  the  Colossians  ;  the  3rd  to  Titus  ;  the  5tli  to  the 
Galatians,  and  the  revelations  given  to  St.  John  in  the  last  book 
of  the  Bible.  Study  the  Apostles  Creed,  the  Creed  of  the 
Councils  of  Nice  and  of  Constantinople.  Study  the  writings  of 
the  fathers,  and  you  will  find  that  there  is  but  one  only  church 
of  Christ,  and  there  can  be  but  that  one  form  of  religion  found- 
ed by  Christ,  for  the  teaching  of  the  nations,  for  the  saving  of 
souls.  That  church  lived  and  survived  the  storms  of  all  ages  from 
now  back  to  the  time  when  the  Saviour  walked  the  earth. 

Each  person,  who  recites  the  creed  says  "1  believe  in  one  holy 
catholic  and  apostolic  church.  "  Such  is  the  burden  of  the  service 
which  ascends  from  every  church  which  believes  in  God  the 
Saviour.  The  church  one  holy  catholic  and  universal,  presided 
over  by  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  overshadows  all  the  dioceses.  They 
live  in  her  bosom.  The  diocese  extends  over  all  the  parishes  and 
churches  within  her  limits.  They  receive  their  life  from  her,  and 
she  gets  her  existence,  her  teaching,  her  redemption  from  theuniver- 
sal  church.  The  diocese  comes  from  the  universal  church  as  the 
Son  comes  from  the  Father.  The  parish  comes  from  the  church 
universal  and  from  the  diocese,  as  the  Holy  Spirit  comes  from 
both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  All  the  Son  has  he  gets  from  the 
Father,  all  the  Holy  Ghost  has  he  receives  from  both  the  Father 
and  the  Son.  All  power  and  life  and  doctrines  in  the  diocese  come 
down  from  the  church  universal,  from  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  who 
officially  proclaims  Avhat  Christ  has  revealed  in  the  Bible  and  in 
the  traditions  of  Christianity.  From  the  church  universal,  and 
from  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  the  parish  receives  its  sacraments, 
its  teachings,  its  regulations,  its  power,  which  bind  it  back  into 
that  one  whole  organization,  the  universal  church,  Christ's  king- 
dom on  tiie  earth. 

«From  Christ  who  came  to  fulfil  all  prophecy,  the  church  univer- 
sal received  her  teachings  and  her  doctrines.  Her  head  the  Vicar 
of  Christ  finds  in  the  Bible,  in  the  traditions  of  the  apostles,  in  the 
works  of  the  fathers,  in  the  traditions  of  all  nations  and  churches 
the  true  teachings  of  the  Lord.  In  his  official  capacity,  as  head 
of  the  church,  as  the  confirmer  of  his  brethren,'  he  teaches  all 
men  the  truths  revealed  to  the  churches.  1'he  bishop  comes  down 
from  him  and  from  the  church  universal,  from  which  he  received 
episcopal  consecration,  down  he  comes  to  the  diocese,  and  thus  he 
comes  bearing  with  him  all  the  riches  of  the  universal  church.  He 
comes  to  his  diocese,  to  whom  the  Pope  sends  him  as  the  father  sent 
the  Son  into  the  world  to  teach  the  world  the  way  of  salvation. 
From  the  universal  church  and  the  diocese  the  priest  comes  down 
into  the  parish,  bringing  with  him  the  Bible,  the  sacraments  and 

•  Luke  xxil.  32. 


DEAD  SBPAEATED  BRANCHES.  109 

the  means  of  redemption  and  salvation  to  the  members  of  his  parish. 
All  he  receives  from  the  Father  the  Son  brought  to  the  earth.  All 
spiritual  riches  the  bishop  receives  from  the  church  universal, 
he  brings  to  the  diocese.  All  power  the  priest  gets  from  the  diocese 
and  the  universal  church,  he  carries  with  him  to  the  parish  and 
deals  out  these  mysteries  of  redemption  to  the  souls  under  his  care. 
Who  can  suppose  the  Son  separated  from  his  Father  ?  What 
bishop  can  separate  from  his  father  the  Pope  ?  what  priest  can  be 
divided  from  his  father  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  ?  what  congre- 
gation can  separate  from  their  pastor  ?  what  nation  can  be  in- 
dependent in  Spiritual  things  of  the  Vicar  of  Christ  who  died 
to  redeem  the  nations  ?  The  church  then  cannot  be  separated 
into  branches.  The  branch  cut  off  from  the  trunk  of  a  tree  at 
once  dies ;  the  member  cut  from  the  human  body  withers  ;  the 
church  which  separates  from  the  Soman  Pontiff  separates  from 
Christ  of  whom  he  is  the  Vicar. 

There  must  be  some  judge  to  decide  the  questions  of  religion, 
these  vital  issues  which  rise  every  year  and  everywhere  among 
men.  The  judges  of  the  civil  courts  cannot  decide  matters  of 
religion,  for  they  pass  only  on  civil  and  criminal  disputes  between 
men.  "  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations.  "  The  church 
is  the  teacher  of  every  man  in  every  nation.  The  civil  judges, 
of  nations  cannot  teach  her.  There  must  be  then  a  supernatural? 
tribunal,  like  the  tribunal  established  by  Moses  for  the  ending  of 
disputes  about  religion.  He  must  be  a  judge,  before  whom  alii 
men  will  bow  and  who  receive  his  words  his  final  sentence,  to 
end  the  controversy.  In  the  churches  outside  the  catholic  church 
there  is  no  end  of  disputes,  of  misunderstandings,  of  the  divisions 
of  churches,  of  the  founding  of  different  beliefs.  In  the  church 
of  God,  there  is  but  one  belief,  one  faith  one  form  of  religion.  The 
moment  that  the  Bishop  of  Rome  proclaims  that  such  a  doctrine 
has  been  revealed  by  God  and  that  it  is  contained  in  the  deposit 
of  faith,  the  dispute  ends.  Peter  has  spoken  by  the  words  of  his 
successor,  and  all  minds  in  the  church  bend  before  his  official  de- 
cree. The  living  teaching  power  of  the  highest  court  of  the 
church  ends  all  dispute,  and  thus  the  church  is  one.  Outside  the 
church,  these  who  reject  this  teaching  power,  try  to  set  themselves 
up  their  own  teacher,  they  claim  that  they  can  interpret  the 
Bible  by  the  light  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  this  way  they  deny  the 
teaching  power  of  the  Pope,  and  make  themselves  their  own  pope 
and  teacher  of  God's  word. 

Therefore  the  teaching  power  of  the  church  is  clear  to  all  minds. 
They  believe  what  the  church  teaches,  whether  they  understand 
it  or  not.  The  wise  and  the  ignorant,  the  simple  and  the  learned, 
the  women  and  the  children,  all  feel  that  they  are  safe  within 
her  fold,  as  the  prophet  foretold  of  the  church.  "  And  a  path 
and  a  way  shall  be  there  ;  and  it  shall  be  called  the  holy  way,  the 
unclean  shall  not  pass  over  it,  and  this  shall  be  to  you  a  straight 
way,  so  that  fools  shall  not  err  therein.  " 

'  Isalas  XV.  8. 


110  THE  CHURCH  IK  THE  BIBLE. 

Many  times  in  the  Gospel  the  Lord  uses  the  word  church;  but 
he  means  one  church  and  he  speaks  not  of  many  churches.  Thus 
He  says  "  He  that  will  not  hear  the  church  let  him  be  to  tJiee  as 
the  heathen  and  the  publican. '^ '  He  speaks  of  the  church  in 
numerous  figures.  Thus  he  tells  us  of  the  "  city  on  the  moun- 
tain which  cannot  be  hid.'"'  He  frequently  mentions  his  "King- 
dom''  ''the  house  of  God''  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Speak- 
ing to  Peter,  Christ  says  "Upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church'" 
not  churches,  for  he  came  not  to  build  many  but  only  one  church 
in  union  with  him  through  Peter  and  his  successors. 

Forty-seven  times  the  word  church  is  found  in  the  Old  Testament 
and  in  each  passage  it  means  but  one  church,  one  way  of  worship- 
ping the  Lord  before  the  coming  of  Christ.  That  was  the 
Jewish  church,  tlie  religion  and  the  law  of  Moses  established  by 
God.  From  no  other  altars  did  God  receive  the  sacrifice  of 
prayer.  They  were  all  abominations  to  him.  The  law  of  Moses 
and  the  religion  of  the  Jews  were  but  preparations  and  figures  of 
the  church  of  God. 

The  church  being  one  with  Christ,  and  through  him  one  with 
the  Persons  of  the  Trinity,  it  follows  that  she  has  the  same  author- 
ity as  God.  Thus  Christ  says  "  Amen  I  say  to  you  whatsoever 
you  shall  bind  upon  earth  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven  and 
whatsoever  you  shall  loose  upon  earth  it  shall  be  loosed  also  in 
heaven."*  Twenty-four  times  the  church  is  mentioned  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  you  find  but  one  church  mentioned. 
Sixty-eight  times  St.  Paul  speaks  of  the  church  in  his  Epistles, 
everywhere  meaning  but  the  one  church  of  God.  Fifteen  times 
St.  John  mentions  the  church  in  his  revelations  in  the  Book  of 
the  Apocalypse,  and  in  every  text  where  he  uses  the  word,  he 
tells  us  of  one  church.  Nowhere  do  we  find  even  the  faintest  hint 
of  the  many  churches  into  which  to-day  the  world  is  divided. 
On  the  contrary  we  are  warned  in  many  passages  against  divisions. 
Sometimes  it  is  tru'e  St.  John  speaks  of  the  church  at  Ephesus,  at 
Smyrna,  at  Philadelphia,  etc.,  but  these  were  the  different  dioceses 
into  which  the  church  was  divided  at  that  early  date.  They  all 
belonged  to  the  universal  church  under  Peter. 

For  according  to  the  constitution  of  the  church  laid  down  by 
our  Lord,  the  universal  church  centers  in  the  Primacy  of  Peter,  to 
whom  Christ  gave  the  charge  of  feeding  his  lambs  and  sheep. 
The  universal  church  built  on  the  Papacy,  the  Eock  of  Peter,  takes 
in,  embraces,  absorbs,  holds  in  its  fruitful  bosom  all  the  particu- 
lar churches  or  dioceses  of  the  world,  as  each  diocese  in  its  turn 
holds,  embraces  all  the  different  parishes  into  which  the  diocese 
in  its  turn  is  divided  which  it  brought  forth.  But  these  particu- 
lar churches  the  dioceses  live,  have  their  being,  derive  their  life 
from  the  universal  church,  of  which  they  are  so  many  images  and 
daughters,  whom  the  universal  church  brought  forth  to  Christ 
for  the  universal  church  is  his  spouse.    The  parishes  and  dioceses 

>  Matt,  xvlll.  17.  »  Matt.  v.  14.  »  Matt.  xvl.  18.  *  Matt.  xvUl.  18. 


HOW  CHRIST  ORGANIZED  THE  CHURCH.  Hi 

depending  from,  coming  forth  from,  deriving  all  their  being, 
life  and  very  existence,  from  the  universal  church,  through  her 
they  are  united  to  Jesus  Christ. 

Christ  prefigured  the  ministers  and  priest  by  the  seventy-two  dis- 
ciples, and  he  organized  the  episcopacy  in  the  persons  of  twelve 
apostles.  That  was  but  the  frame  work  of  the  universal  church,  and 
he  left  to  the  apostles  the  labor  of  carrying  out  the  details  of  that 
wonderful  organization.  We  see  the  same  thing  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  United  States.  The  wise  founders  of  the  republic 
first  only  laid  down  the  general  plan  of  the  Constitution, 
while  they  left  the  carrying  out  of  the  details  to  their  successors. 
In  the  same  way  Christ  only  laid  down  the  general  plan  or  out- 
line of  the  constitution  of  the  church,  while  he  left  to  the  supreme 
Pontiffs,  the  successors  of  Peter,  the  authority  of  carrying  out  the 
numerous  details,  by  these  words  to  Peter  and  in  him  to  all  his 
successors:  "I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  and  Avhatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth  it  shall  be 
bound  also  in  heaven,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth 
it  shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven." ' 

The  one  cliurch  coming  forth  from  God,  as  the  universal 
kingdom  of  Christ,  liolds  in  its  fruitful  breast  all  the  churches  of 
the  world,  the  dioceses,  the  parishes  the  congregations,  the  peoples 
of  the  earth.  'JMi rough  their  pastors,  their  bishops  and  the  Pope, 
through  these  they  all  unite  into  one  church,  one  kingdom  of 
Christ,  nil  animated  by  one  Spirit  of  Christ  the  Holy  Ghost,  who 
comes  forth  from  Christ  as  the  Son  comes  from  his  Father  God, 
"  itself  being  a  mystery  of  unity.  "  ^  "Although  the  church 
appears  to  be  many,  still  it  is  single.  Even  if  it  seems  by  its  lo- 
cation to  be  divided,  nevertheless  in  its  completeness,  the  mystery 
of  its  internal  union  cannot  be  corrupted."  ^ 

The  race  of  Adam,  having  lost  their  head  by  sin,  having  lost 
the  bond  which  united  them,  after  the  sin  of  Adam  they  scattered 
over  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  and  gradually  thus  they  gave 
rise  to  the  various  races  of  men.  Having  lost  their  natural  ruler 
and  their  i^aterntil  king  Adam,  they  replace  him  as  best  they  can 
by  electing  rulers  in  his  place.  The  government  of  Adam  being 
the  first  established  by  God's  natural  providence  and  that  having 
been  overturned  by  sin  they  replace  it  by  choosing  their  rulers  by 
election.  For  that  reason  no  civil  government  can  be  perfect. 
Civil  governments  all  bear  the  impress  of  the  weakness  of  human 
nature.  Hence  the  discords  of  rulers,  the  divisions  of  politics, 
the  wars  of  nations,  the  disputes  between  politicians,  the  divisions 
between  diverse  peoples,  the  peculiar  customs  and  manners  of  na- 
tions, the  different  tribes  tongues  and  nations  of  the  earth.  These 
divisions  are  results  of  the  sin  of  Adam  and  of  his  death  the  natural 
father  of  the  race. 

Christ  came  to  repair  the  sin  of  Adam,  to  unite  again  the  divid- 
ed human  race.      Being  the  second  Adam  he  takes  his  place,  the 

»  Matt.  xvi.  19.  2  St.  Peter  Dam.  L.  Dom.  Verb.  n.  6.  »  Ibid.  c.  5,  6. 


112  HOW  CHRIST  ORGAXIZED  THE  CHURCH. 

new  Adam  as  the  head  of  the  whole  race.  He  founded  the 
church  to  replace  the  lost  kingdom  of  Adam.  Therefore  the 
church  is  one  not  many,  as  the  race  is  one  not  many.  The  church 
''  The  Bride  of  the  Lamb,  "  she  who  came  forth  from  him  in  death 
on  the  cross  as  Eve  from  the  side  of  Adam,  she  brings  forth  her 
children  to  Christ.  She  seeks  out  the  scattered  races  of  Adam's 
lost  kingdom  and  she  absorbs  them  into  her  bosom.  She  incor- 
porates them  into  the  mystic  body  of  Christ,  and  by  that  she 
leads  them  up  and  into  the  society  of  the  adorable  Trinity  in 
membership  with  the  eternal  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit. 

The  Spirit  of  Christ,  the  Holy  Ghost  who  comes  forth  from 
Christ  as  the  Son  from  the  eternal  Father,  that  same  Spirit  of  God 
is  the  soul  of  the  church.  As  the  soul  of  man  animates  and  makes 
one  body  out  of  the  different  materials  of  which  the  human  body 
is  composed,  so  the  Holy  Spirit  animates,  vivifies,  binds  together 
and  forms  one  church  out  of  all  the  members  of  the  race  of  Adam. 
Both  Christ  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  whole  and  complete  in  the 
church,  one  is  the  head,  the  other  is  the  soul  of  that  church,  the 
mystic  body  of  Christ,  which  is  "  his  fullness."  While  Christ  is 
her  head,  the  Holy  Spirit  is  in  each  and  every  part,  whole  and  com- 
plete, as  the  human  soul  is  whole  and  complete  in  each  and  every 
part  of  the  human  body.  From  the  human  head  comes  through 
the  nerves  all  the  vital  activity  in  the  human  body.  The  head  of 
the  church  being  Christ,  from  him  comes  forth  the  Holy  Ghost 
into  the  church  his  body.  As  the  vitality  of  the  soul  comes  down 
into  the  living  body  from  the  brain  the  head  of  the  nervous  sys- 
tem, thus  all  supernatural  life  in  the  church  comes  down  into  her 
his  body,  from  Christ  her  head.  But  the  human  body  even  united 
with  the  head  could  not  live  without  the  soul.  So  the  church 
could  not  live  an  instant  separate  from  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  soul 
of  that  body  is  the  Holy  Spirit  who  comes  forth  from  Christ  the 
Son  of  God.  As  the  soul  animates  the  head  as  well  as  the  body, 
80  the  Holy  Spirit  animates  the  whole  church,  the  head  Christ  as 
well  as  his  body,  his  church. 

Each  spirit  is  one  complete  and  whole,  complete  in  each  and 
every  part.  Thus  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  the  soul  of  the  church 
is  whole  and  complete  in  each  and  every  member  and  part  of  the 
church,  as  the  human  soul  is  whole  and  complete  in  each  and  every 
part  of  the  body.  Thus  the  diocese,  the  parish,  the  particular 
church,  each  member  or  individual  belonging  to  the  parish  has  all 
the  privileges  and  the  benefits  of  the  universal  church,  whole  and 
complete  in  as  far  as  they  are  useful  or  necessary  for  salvation. 
Thus,  each  diocese,  each  parish  each  congregation  has  Christ  as 
its  head,  Christ  lives  in  and  through  the  bishop,  the  pastor  or 
clergyman  at  their  head,  as  well  as  the  universal  church  has  him 
at  its  head  in  the  person  of  the  Pope  his  Vicar  overall  the  churches. 
Living  in  and  by  the  universal  church,  these  particular 
churches  partake  in  all  her  riches,  as  they  come  forth  as  her 
children  and  her  heirs.     For  she  brings  them  forth  to  Christ. 


EOME  THE  HEAET  OF  THE  CHURCH.  113 

^'  The  gift  of  God  belongs  to  each  as  much  as  it  belongs  to  the 
whole.  " '  Each  church  can  say  :  ''  For  a  child  is  born  to  us,  a  son 
is  given  to  us  and  the  government  is  upon  his  shoulder  ....  the 

Prince  of  Peace his  empire  shall  be    multiplied  ....  he 

shall  sit  upon  the  throne  of  David  and  upon  his  kingdom  "  *  He, 
the  heir  of  the  kingdom  of  David,  he  is  the  head  and  of  all  churches 
and  kingdoms,  not  only  of  the  universal  church  but  also  of  each 
particular  church  or  congregation  throughout  the  world. 

As  in  the  human  body  the  head  and  the  heart  are  the  chief  cen- 
tres of  vital  actions,  so  Christ  the  head  of  the  universal  church 
has  his  chief  place  of  activity  the  heart  and  the  centre  of  the  uni- 
versal church.  That  is  Rome  the  heart  and  the  head  of  the  christ- 
ian world,  there  the  Vicar  of  the  Lord,  one  with  Christ,  sits  and  rules 
the  church  his  body,  by  his  power  and  in  his  name.  From  the  hu- 
man heart  the  life-blood  sweeps  in  crimson  streams  through  the 
arteries  to  nourish  every  member,  and  it  is  driven  even  to 
the  smallest  cells  which  it  penetrates  to  vivify  and  nourish.  So  it 
is  with  the  church  of  God.  From  Rome  its  heart  the  powers  and 
impulses  of  Christ  come  forth  through  regular  channels,  through 
patriarchs,  primates,  archbishops  and  bishops,  till  it  comes  into 
hearts  and  souls  of  the  poorest  and  most  humble  members  of  the 
church  of  God.  Cut  away  a  member  from  the  body  from  heart's 
blood  and  it  dies.  All  in  union  with  the  centre  of  authority  at 
Rome,  all  feel  the  life-blood  of  the  Son  of  God  penetrating,  healing, 
binding  up  the  wounds  made  in  them  by  sin.  Those  churches,  peo- 
ples and  congregations  who  are  not  in  union  with  the  heart  and 
with  the  centre  Rome,  and  with  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  those  do  not 
belong  to  the  mystic  body  of  Christ.  They  are  not  in  union 
with  him.  They  receive  not  his  graces,  his  redemption.  For  they 
can  no  more  receive  salvation  without  belonging  to  the  body  of 
Christ,  than  a  stick  or  a  stone  can  receive  the  life-blood  from  the 
human  heart,  when  they  do  not  belong  to  the  body  of  the  man. 

The  reader  then  will  understand  that  the  members  of  the  fallen 
race  of  Adam,  the  congregations,  the  parishes,  the  dioceses,  the  nat- 
ions, the  races  of  men,  all  together  when  baptized,  all  form  the 
whole  church  of  God  the  body  of  Christ.  All  these  compose  the 
one  and  only  universal  church.  The  congregations,  the  parishes 
the  dioceses,  the  national  churches,  all  came  forth  from  the  uni- 
versal church,  as  she  in  her  turn  came  forth  from  Christ  on  calvary 
as  he  in  eternity  came  forth  and  is  now,  and  always  will  be 
coming  forth  from  his  eternal  Father,  as  the  Second  Person  of  the 
Trinity. 

Thus  on  every  side  we  begin  to  see  the  wonderful  works  of  God 
in  his  church.  The  Son  born  of  the  Father  before  all  ages,  "Light 
of  Light,  true  God  of  true  God  "  comes  forth  into  this  world  for  us 
men  and  for  our  salvation.  Arising  from  on  high,  he  comes  and 
takes  upon  himself  our  nature,  and  becomes  a  man.     Sent  into 

1  John  Iv.  10.    St.  Cyprian  de  Unltate  Eccl.  n.  5,  «  Isaias  ix.  6,  7. 


114  THE  CHURCH  GIVING  ALL  LIFE. 

the  world  for  that  by  his  Father,  from  whom  he  came  and  is  ever 
coming  forth,  here  he  founds  the  universal  church  his  body,  by 
which  he  embraces  all  the  children  of  Adam.  He  the  Word  of  the 
Father,  he  founds  the  church  in  the  persons  of  his  apostles,  whom 
he  sent  to  preach  his  word. 

Wonderful  is  the  mystery  of  the  church  of  God,  because  it  is  the 
most  wonderful  image  of  the  Trinity  we  have  as,  it  were  the  last 
work   of  God  upon  this  earth,  a  continuation  of  the  Incarnation. 

The  faithful  people  live  in  and  by  the  parish — the  parish  par- 
takes of  spiritual  life  in  and  by  the  diocese, — the  diocese  lives  and 
has  its  being  in  and  by  the  universal  church,  the  universal  church 
is  the  body,  the  bride  the  wife  of  Christ,  in  and  by  Christ  she  lives 
in  and  by  the  Father  from  whom  he  is  ever  generated.  "As  the 
living  Father  hath  sent  me  and  I  live  by  the  Father:  so  he  that 
eateth  me  the  same  also  shall  live  by  me,  " '  says  Christ,  As  he 
lives  by  the  Father  so  the  church  lives  by  him.  "  So  do  you  also 
reckon  that  you  are  dead  to  sin,  but  alive  unto  God  in  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord.''*  The  diocese  lives  in  the  universal  church.  "For 
whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord;  or  whether  we  die  we  die 
unto  the  Lord.  Therefore  whether  we  live  or  whether  we  die  we 
are  the  Lord's.  "  *  Each  member  of  the  church  lives  the  superna- 
tural life  of  Christ  and  of  God.  "  And  I  live  now  not  I  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me.  And  that  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  in  the  faith 
of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me  and  delivered  himself  for  me. "  * 

The  church  of  God  therefore  is  one,  indivisible,  indestructible, 
unchangeable,  eternal  as  the  world  and  as  tlie  human  race  she  was 
sent  to  save.  The  spouse  of  the  Lamb,  the  Mother  of  his  children, 
the  Virgin  who  conceives  and  brings  forth,  while  remaining  still  a 
Virgin,  as  the  Father  brings  forth  the  Son  in  heaven,  so  the  univer- 
sal church  brings  forth  the  dioccvse,  these  bring  forth  the  parishes, 
and  these  parishes  in  their  turn  bring  forth  and  give  birth  to  the 
people  of  God  without  division  or  change,  for  she  still  remains  the 
Mother  Virgin  wife  of  Christ.  The  propagation  of  the  species  in 
nature  takes  place  by  division  of  substance.  But  it  is  not  so  in 
the  church  for  there  can  be  no  division  in  her,  for  she  is  spirit- 
ual  like  God  and  has  no  parts  and  therefore  she  cannot  be 
divided.  She  multiplies  her  children  over  the  whole  face  of  the 
earth,  and  nourishes  them  with  the  body  and  blood  and  graces  of 
her  head,  Jesus  Christ.  She  feeds  them  on  his  Body,  and  his 
Blood.  "  For  we  being  many  are  one  bread,  one  body,  all  that  par- 
take of  one  bread.  "  *  "  In  him  and  by  him  and  througli  him  we 
are  one  church  all  united  through  him  to  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost,"ashe  said.  "And  I  in  them  and  thou  in  me,  that  they 
may  be  perfect  in  one.  "  * 

This  surprising  oneness  and  unity  of  the  church  is  what  separates 
and  distinguishes  her  from  all  false  and  counterfeit  churches,  which 
were  established  by  men.     The  oneness  and  unity  of  the  church 

»  John  Tl.  88.  »  Kom.  rl.  11.  »  Rom.  xlv.  8.  *  Qalat.  11. ». 

•  I.  Cor.  X.  17.  •  John  xvll.  23. 


THE  SOUL  OF  THE  CHURCH.  115 

extends  beyond  this  world  and  takes  in  all  the  saints  who  now 
rejoice  in  heaven.  It  stretches  to  the  suffering  souls  of  purgatory 
and  soothes  those  who  are  waiting  for  the  coining  of  their  salva- 
tion, the  day  of  their  delivery.  The  church  therefore  extends 
to  heaven  to  purgatory  and  is  spread  through  the  earth. 

It  is  a  living  body  or  organism  animated  by  his  Spirit,  the  Holy 
Ghost,  for  it  is  his  body.  As  head  and  body  cannot  be  divided,  so 
the  church  or  any  part  of  it  never  be  separated  from  Christ  its 
head.  Each  organism  has  a  spirit,  a  soul,  which  holds  it  together. 
The  soul  of  the  church  is  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Spirit  of  the  Son 
of  God.  Pie  promised  that  the  Holy  Spirit  would  teach  and  speak 
in  the  church.  '•'  For  "  he  says  ''  it  is  not  you  that  speaketh  but 
the  Spirit  of  your  Father  that  speaketh  in  you.^' '  No  one  could 
enter  that  church  unless  he  was  born  of  that  Spirit  by  the  waters 
of  baptism.  ''Unless  a  man  be  born  again  of  water  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven.""  Life  in 
a  living  body  comes  from  the  animating  soul  within.  So  in  the 
church  "It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth."  '  Christ  promised  to 
send  the  Holy  Ghost  to  his  church  to  remain  in  her  forever,  "  I  will 
ask  of  the  Father  and  he  will  give  you  another  Paraclete,  that  he 
may  abide  with  you  forever,  the  Spirit  of  truth  whom  the  world 
cannot  receive."* 

That  Spirit  of  Christ  is  to  teach  man  all  things  necessary 
for  salvation.  "  But  when  he  the  Spirit  of  truth  is  come,  he 
will  teach  you  all  things."  ^  He  calls  him  the  Spirit  of  truth 
because  he  comes  forth  from  himself  who  is  the  Truth  of  the 
Father.  Proceeding  from  him  in  eternity,  to  show  that  divine 
procession  "■  He  breathed  on  them  and  he  said  to  them:  Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost.""  Fifty  times  the  Holy  Ghost  is  mentioned 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  everywhere  guiding  directing  and 
sustaining  the  infant  church.  Ninety  times  the  same  Holy 
Spirit  is  found  in  the  rest  of  the  New  Testament.  The  church 
therefore  having  only  one  Spirit  must  be  one,  for  one  Spirit 
or  soul  always  animates  only  one  organism  or  body. 

St.'  Paul  writing  from  his  prison  house  to  the  Ephesians  says: 
"  Careful  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,, 
one  body,  one  Spirit  as  you  are  all  called  in  the  hope  of  your 
calling,  one  Lord,  one  faith  one  baptism,  one  God  the  Father  of 
all,  who  is  above  all  and  through  all  and  in  us  all.  Until  we 
meet  in  the  unity  of  faith  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
God."^  Who  will  say  that  there  can  be  more  than  one  true 
church  wherein  "  he  gave  some  to  be  apostles  and  some  prophets 
and  some  others  evangelists  and  other  some  pastors  and  doctors 
for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,^ 
for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ."  * 

The  church  is  one  and  undivided,  because  it  is  the  most  perfect 
mage  of  the  oneness  of  the  undivided  Trinity.    From  eternity  the 

>  Matt.  X.  30.  2  John  Hi.  5,  ^  John  vi.  ft4.  ••  John  xlv.  16,  17. 

s  John  xvl.  13.  «  John  xx.  22.  '  Eph.  iv.  3,  4,  5,  6.         "^  Eph.  iv.  11,  13. 


116  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  COMES  DOWN  TO  US. 

Pather  and  the  Son  dwell  together,  but  their  union  is  completed 
and  perfected  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  comes  forth  as  the  mutual 
love  of  both.  The  Son,  the  Second  Person  of  the  Trinity  comes 
forth  from  "the  bosom  of  his  Father."  *  Coming  forth  from 
the  sanctuary  of  eternity  he  comes  into  the  world  on  his  mission 
of  salvation.  ^  He  becomes  man  *'  and  dwelled  amongst  us,  "  * 
to  redeem  us.  He  comes  to  become  the  head  of  the  church,  the 
head  of  the  regenerated  children  of  Adam.  "Full  of  grace  and 
truth  we  have  all  received  from  his  superabundance."*  From 
eternity  the  Father  loved  him  and,  because  of  him  he  also  loves  us, 
made  to  the  image  and  likeness  of  the  divine  Son.  He  is  in  us  and 
we  in  him,  "  I  in  them  and  they  in  me  that  they  may  be  perfect  in 
one,  and  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me  and  hast  loved 
me." "  "  Thou  hast  loved  me  before  the  creation  of  the  world."* 
*'  That  the  love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me  may  be  in  them  and 
I  in  them."  ^  But  the  Love  spoken  of  here  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
Love  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son. 

Contemplate  for  a  moment  the  Love  of  the  Father  and  of  the 
Son  coming  down  from  the  highest  heavens,  from  the  adorable 
Trinity  into  the  church  which  is  one  with  the  Trinity.  Through 
Jesus  Christ  the  Second  Person  of  the  Trinity  that  Spirit  em- 
braces the  whole  church  animates  it,  gives  life  to  it,  fills  us 
with  charity,  for  "  the  charity  of  God  is  poured  forth  in  our 
hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  who  is  given  us,"  *  he  comes  into  the 
church  because  he  comes  from  the  head  Christ  the  Son  of  the 
Father.  As  he  is  the  head  of  the  church,  as  head  he  sends  the 
Holy  Ghost  into  the  whole  church  his  body  that  he  may  give 
life  to  the  whole  organism.  That  Spirit  of  Christ  broods  over 
the  whole  church,  covering  it,  sanctifying  it,  blessing  it,  penetrat- 
ing it,  animating  it,  binding  it  together,  uniting  all  its  members 
into  one  body  which  belongs  to  Christ  its  head.  Coming  into  the 
church  from  Christ  its  head,  from  whom  he  proceeds  in  eternity, 
he  animates  the  lowest  member  and  sanctifies  him,  and  continually 
works  to  make  him  more  and  more  like  unto  Christ  the  head. 
He  calls  the  clergy  to  their  vocation,  he  sanctifies  souls  by  the 
sacraments,  he  inspires  men  with  good  thoughts,  he  entices  them 
to  do  good,  he  calls  sinners  to  repentance,  he  goes  after  the  stray 
sheep,  he  pours  out  the  graces  of  Christ  on  dying  souls.  All  the 
wonders  of  the  supernatural  life  are  worked  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
*'  No  man  can  say  the  Lord  Jesus  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost."* 

"  But  in  all  these  things  one  and  the  same  Spirit  worketh.  For 
as  the  body  is  one  and  hath  many  members,  and  all  the  members  of 
the  body,  whereas  they  are  many  yet  one  body,  so  also  is  Christ. 
For  as  in  one  Spirit  were  we  all  baptized  into  one  body.  For  the 
body  is  also  not  one  member,  but  many,  that  there  might  be  no 
schism  in  the  body.  Now  you  are  the  body  of  Christ  and  mem- 
bers of  member,  and  God  indeed  hath  set  some  in  the  church  first 

>  John  1. 18.  »  John  vlU.  42.  »  John  1. 14  «  Rom.  t.  17. 

•  John  xvll.  28.  •  Ibidem  24.       »  lb   26.       •  Rom.  t.  6  •  1.  Cor.  xl.  8. 


WHA.T  IS  HOLIifESS?  11? 

apostles,  secondly  prophets,  thirdly  doctors,  after  that  miracles 
then  the  graces  of  healings  "  etc.  '  The  Holy  Ghost  then  is  the 
*'Sign  of  Salvation,  " '  the  "  Seal  of  redemption"  " 

The  church  is  holy.  Her  holiness  comes  from  Christ  as  St. 
Paul  says  "  Christ  also  loved  the  church,  and  delivered  himself 
up  for  it,  that  he  might  sanctify  it,  cleansing  it  in  the  laver  of  water 
in  the  word  of  life."  *  Holiness  is  freedom  from  sin  and  firmness 
in  keeping  the  laws  of  God.  Sanctity  comes  from  the  Latin,  and 
means  washed  in  blood, — that  is  purified  from  every  sin,  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  *  The  tabernacle  and  all  things  used  in  the  ser- 
vices of  the  temple  were  sprinkled  with  blood, '  typifying  that 
every  member  of  the  church  is  washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb 
of  God.  For  no  one  in  sin  is  clean  before  the  Lord.  Then  cleaned 
from  the  filth  of  wickedness,  from  the  passions  which  drag  it 
down,  the  soul  of  the  christian  stands  firm  in  the  law,  in  every 
virtue  of  the  christian.  "  He  that  loveth  me  keepeth  my  com- 
mandments." ' 

Holiness  comes  into  man  by  the  infusing  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  comes  from  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God,  whose  blood  washed  the 
soul  from  sin.  Then  the  church  is  holy  in  her  members,  because 
her  head  Christ  is  holy.  For  he  was  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost, 
*'full  of  grace  and  truth."*  She  is  holy  because  she  too  is  filled 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  on  pentecost  Sunday,  came  down  in  the 
form  of  firey  tongues,  and  sat  on  every  one  of  the  apostles  and 
disciples. " 

Coming  down  from  the  Father  and  from  the  Son  from  whom 
he  proceeds  in  eternity,  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  into  the  church, 
and  takes  up  his  abode  in  the  purified  hearts  of  the  redeemed. 
Ever  coming  forth  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  he  ever  proceeds 
into  the  souls  of  men,  and  there  he  works  in  them  his  holiness, 
giving  rise  to  every  virtue,  coming  into  generations  and  gener- 
ation of  countless  saints  who  live  in  every  age. 

Who  can  tell  the  hidden  virtues  of  the  saints  of  the  church? 
The  constancy  of  the  persecuted,  the  chastity  of  the  virgins,  the 
heroism  of  the  clergy,  the  firmness  of  those  martyrs  who  died? 
Who  could  describe  sufferings  of  the  church?  the  torn  limbs,  the 
ghastly  wounds,  the  flowing  blood,  the  cold  and  hunger,  the  mental 
anguish,  the  fierce  hate  of  men,  the  rage  of  hell  poured  out  from 
the  days  of  the  crucifixion  to  the  present  time?  The  history  of 
the  church  is  a  tale  of  blood  known  only  to  God.  We  admire  the 
hero,  but  the  world  never  saw  a  heroism  which  could  in  any  way 
€qual  or  approach  the  wonders  of  the  saints  and  martyrs  of  the 
church,  who  suffered  and  died  from  the  time  of  Christ  the  first 
and  greatest  martyr. 

The  nations  have  profited  by  her  holiness.  From  the  day  when 
Christ  first  sent  his  apostles  forth  to  teach  the  nations,  she  has 

» I.  Cor.  xii.  '  Eph.  1. 13  '  Ibidem  Iv.  30.  *  Ephes.  v.  25,  36. 

»  See  St.  Thomas,  Quest.  Ixxxi.  Art.  8.  «  Heb.  Ix.  21,  23.  •?  John  xlv.  15. 

«  John  i.  14.  »  Acts.  11.  3. 


118  WHAT  IS  A  MTKACLE? 

never  ceased  to  raise  them  up  from  paganism  and  sin  to  a  higher 
life,  a  better  form  of  civilization  a  more  virtuous  mode  of  life.  All 
great  movements  for  the  bettering  of  man  took  rise  in  her  and 
from  her  spread  to  the  uttermost  ends  of  tlie  earth.  Everywhere 
her  missionaries  scattered,  "  preaching  Christ  and  him  crucified  "  * 
almost  without  an  exception  the  first  missionaries  were  martyred 
by  the  people  they  came  to  save.  Thus  Christ  and  his  holiness, 
living  in  his  church  is  still  crucified  in  his  members. 

The  chief  marks  of  holiness  are  miracles  in  Avhich  God  inter- 
feres with  the  course  of  nature  and  the  laws  of  the  universe  given 
at  the  creation.  A  miracle  is  a  wonder,  worked  by  God  to  attract 
the  eyes  of  men  to  reward  the  faith  of  the  good,  and  to  draw  men 
to  the  church.  In  the  early  church  many  wonders  were  worked 
so  as  to  attract  men  to  the  church  and  to  show  the  world  her 
divinity.  The  saints  in  every  age  performed  miracles  for  their 
holiness  was  such  that  God  with  all  his  power  was  Avith  them. 

After  thQ  ascension  of  the  blessed  Lord,  the  apostles  went  forth 
and  "preached  every  where,  the  Lord  working  with  all  and  con- 
firming the  word  with  signs  that  followed."''  Many  were  the 
wonders  the  apostles  and  their  disciples  wrought,  by  which  the 
ancient  world  was  drawn  to  their  teachings.  St.  Augustine  says. 
"  The  consent  of  peoples  and  of  nations  holds  me  in  her  bosom. 
Her  authority  begun  by  miracles  keeps  me."  "  At  many  confirma- 
tions in  the  early  church  the  Holy  Spirit  worked  the  most  stu- 
pendous miracles.  All  these  signs  and  wonders  showed  that  the 
holiness,  the  wisdom  and  the  supernatural  power  of  God  was  with 
the  church.  God  is  the  author  of  nature,  and  he  can  change 
nature's  laws  and  physical  workings,  when  he  wishes.  This  he  did 
that  the  human  mind  might  be  drawn  to  the  church  founded  by 
his  Son  for  the  salvation  of  mankind.  No  one  but  a  stupid  fool 
would  say  God  cannot  suspend  or  change  the  laws  he  made  for 
the  government  of  the  universe  he  created. 

'  1.  Cor.  11.  2.  »  Mark  xvl.  20.  »  St.  Aur.  Con.  Epist.  Fund.  C.  4. 


is  catholic,  that  is 
for  universal.  That 
name  was  given  her  in  the  very 
days  of  the  apostles,  who  often 
preached  in  that  cultured  language. 
The  church  is  catholic  or  universal 
both  with  regard  to  time  and  place. 
She  is  the  very  same  now  as  in  the  time 
,of  the  apostles,  going  back  to  the  very 
days  of  the  apostles^  and  she  spread 
among  all  nations  where  there  are  souls 
to  save.  The  church  is  called  Roman 
catholic,  for  her  visible  head  the  vicar 
of  Christ  is  the  Bishop  of  Korae. 
Without  the  Papacy  there  would  not  be  to-day  a  man  believing  or 
teaching  the  religion  of  Christ,  for  on  this  Rock  the  Lord  built  his 
church  "  and  the  gates  of  hell  did  not  prevail  against  her."  ' 

The  Church  is  universal  Avith  regard  to  time.  We  trace  the 
venerable  line  of  the  Roman  Pontiffs  from  Leo  XIII.  back  through 
long  reigns  of  spiritual  rulers,  to  the  day  when  Peter  was  cruci- 
fied. Not  a  link  of  that  golden  chain  was  ever  broken.  We  read  , 
the  histories  of  the  bishops  of  Palestine,  of  Asia,  of  Egypt,  of 
France,  of  Spain,  of  England  and  of  every  country  where 
the  Gospel  was  preached,  and  we  find  that  many  of  the  first  bish- 
ops of  these  countries  were  sent  by  Peter  or  by  his  successors  to 
preach  the  faith.  They  were  all  the  spiritual  sons  of  the  Prince 
of  the  apostles.  We  find  no  change  of  faith  in  the  church.  In 
the  church  to-day  we  read  the  writings  of  the  apostolic  men  and  of 
the  converts  of  the  apostles,  when  we  study  the  Augustins,  the 
Gregories,  the  Chrysostoms,  the  Basils,  the  Jeromes,  the  Leos, 
the  Cyrils  but  we  find  no  change.  The  chief  ideas  of  this 
book,  the  sublime  principles  of  the  Church  universal;,  the  diocese, 
the  bishop,  the  presbyteries,  the  form  of  church  government 
may  be  found  in  the  writings  of  St.  Ignatius,  the  disciple  of  St. 
Peter,  the  second  after  him  to  sit  on  the  archiepiscopal  throne  of 
Antioch.     The   ideas  of  the   hierarchies  of  heaven  and  of  the 

1  Matt.  xvi.  18. 

119 


TUE  HEAD 


OK  THE  CHURCH. 


A  BOOK  ON  THE  CHURCH.  121 

Church  may  be  found  in  the  writings  of  St.  Dionysius,  the 
Greek,  who  at  Athens  cried  out  when  he  saw  the  sun  darkened  at 
the  crucitixion,  "  Either  the  God  of  the  universe  is  dying  or  the 
machinery  of  nature  is  dissolving.'^  '  When  St.  Paul  later  came 
to  Athens  there  preaching  Christ  crucified,  Dionysius  remem- 
bered the  darkening  of  the  sun,  he  became  a  convert,  and  first 
preached  to  the  people  of  Letitia,  ancient  Paris. 

The  writer  spent  the  early  years  of  his  priesthood  reading  the 
great  fathers  of  the  church,  the  men  taught  by  the  apostles,  and 
there,  in  the  cradle  of  the  faith,  he  finds  his  ideas  of  the  Church. 
The  man  who  writes  a  book  on  the  Church  ever  lives  in  history, 
and  all  ages  to  the  end  of  time  will  profit  by  his  work.  The 
Church  cannot  preach  new  doctrines.  He  who  explains  her 
teachings  gives  her  old  dogmas  in  a  new  dress,  adapted  to  our 
age.  When  new  doctrines  arise  and  spread  among  men,  we 
search  the  Bible,  the  traditions  of  churches,  the  histories  of  na- 
tions, the  writings  of  the  apostles,  the  traditions  of  Christianity 
to  see  if  they  have  been  revealed  by  God.  That  tends  to  clear  up 
the  truths  held  in  "the  deposit  of  faith.""  If  such  truths  are 
found  in  the  Scriptures  and  in  the  traditions  of  Christianity,  the 
head  of  the  Church,  he  to  whom  was  given  to  "Feed  his  lambs 
and  sheep,"  he  who  was  commissioned  to  confirm  his  brothers,  he 
the  heir  of  Peter,  he  officially  pronounces  that  they  were  re- 
vealed and  then  they  become  dogmas  of  faith  for  all  mankind. 
If  these  doctrines  are  not  found  in  the  Bible  and  in  tradition  they 
are  condemned  as  error,  for  revelation  was  ended  and  completed 
by  the  coming  of  Christ,  who  while  on  earth  taught  all  things  re- 
quired for  salvation. 

The  Church  is  catholic,  that  is  it  spreads  everywhere.  For  as 
the  Saviour  died  for  all  the  children  of  Adam,  she  was  founded 
for  them  all.  She  has  no  peculiar  mark  or  character  of  any  na- 
tion or  people.  She  is  as  universal  as  the  race.  They  partake  in 
her  doctrines,  her  graces,  her  beauties,  her  perfections.  To  all 
men  the  Church  comes  preaching  salvation,  peace,  redemption, 
charity,  brotherly  love.  In  every  man  she  sees  the  image  of  God, 
the  likeness  of  the  divine  Son  made  man.  To  every  man  she 
teaches  the  rights  of  men,  the  laws  of  God,  the  rights  of  proper- 
ty, of  life,  of  justice.  In  every  nation  she  taught  the  sacredness  of 
life,  the  horror  of  war,  the  value  of  souls,  the  laws  and  principles 
of  the  Gospel.  From  her  the  kings  and  governments  learned  the 
misfortunes  of  slavery  the  rights  of  subjects,  the  way  of  government. 

From  her  constitution  of  the  papacy,  the  episcopacy,  the  dio- 
cese and  parish,  men  in  former  ages  learned  the  constitutional 
form  of  civil  christian  governments.  Parliaments  and  Sen- 
ates were  founded  by  the  teachings  of  her  clergy  in  England, 
France  and  other  European  nations.  From  them  came  our  form 
of  government,  where  the  rights  of  the  people  are  respected,  a  form 
of  government  spreading  over  all  the  earth.  She  is  the  living  force 

»  Brev.  Rom.  9  Oct.  2  i,  xim.  vl.  20. 


122  CATHOLIC  MEANS  UNIVERSAL. 

which  brought  forth  our  present  civilization  from  the  chaos  of 
paganism,  and  established  the  Christianity  of  our  day.  Every 
good  comes  down  tlirough  her  from  God  the  Father  of  lights  to 
man,  raising  him  up  towards  heaven  through  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 
She  is  now  spread  over  the  world,  teaching,  refining,  convert- 
ing and  softening  the  hard  and  stony  hearts  of  men,  left  in 
S2)iritual  death  by  the  sin  of  Adam. 

To  the  king  upon  his  throne  she  teaches  the  way  of  salvation 
the  same  as  to  those  who  dwell  in  cabins.  To  the  rich  and  poor, 
to  the  holy  and  the  sinner,  to  the  wise  and  ignorant,  to  the  na- 
tions and  to  individuals,  to  the  weak  and  strong,  to  sick  and 
well,  to  every  creature  of  the  human  race  she  preaches  the  very 
same  doctrines,  to  all  she  says  this  is  the  way  of  eternal  life,  do 
this  and  thou  shalt  live,  come  into  my  bosom  and  be  saved;  hear 
me  not  and  thou  shalt  be  damned.  He  that  heareth  you  heareth 
me.  "     '■'  He  that  believeth  not  shall  be  condemned."  ' 

With  her  striking  ceremonial,  her  ancient  dead  Latin  lan- 
guage, her  Mass  and  sacraments,  her  ritual  and  Gospel,  her  un- 
changing truth  she  comes  to  all  men,  seeking  them  out  every- 
where they  have  wandered,  and  to  them  all  she  tells  the  glad 
story  of  salvation  and  redemption. 

The  church  is  catholic  that  is  universal.  The  sun  never  goes 
down  upon  her  spiritual  empire  over  the  souls  of  men.  In  the 
forests  of  the  south,  amid  the  snows  of  the  frozen  north,  on  the  fiery 
sands  of  Africa,  amid  the  ancient  religions  of  Asia,  in  the  halls  of 
^statesmen,  in  the  courts  of  kings,  on  vessels  plowing  the  oceans, 
in  the  professor's  chair  of  great  schools,  in  the  laboratories  of 
of  the  learned,  in  the  busy  marts  of  commerce,  in  the  family, 
everywhere  you  find  the  doctrines  of  Church  penetrating  deep  into 
every  heart. 

No  other  church  ever  claimed  to  be  catholic.  The  other 
churches  were  ever  national,  and  did  not  extend  beyond  the  na- 
tion or  the  race  where  first  they  took  their  rise.  The  religion  of 
the  Jews  was  only  for  the  people  of  Israel,  they  were  chosen  that 
the  Lord  might  be  born  of  them,  that  they  might  prepare  for  the 
coming  of  his  Son.  Born  of  Abraham  they  guarded  the  revela- 
tion first  given  to  Adam  till  Christ  came  to  found  his  universal 
church  for  all  men. 

The  Church  is  apostolic  that  is,  it  comes  down  to  us  un- 
broken from  the  time  of  the  Apostles,  her  clergymen  descend  in 
an  unbroken  line  from  the  Apostles,  who  ordained  them,  and  who 
in  turn  were  ordained  by  Christ.  She  preaches  the  very  same 
doctrines  and  truths  which  the  Apostles  preached  in  the  days  of 
the  early  Church.  "The  Apostles"  says  Tertulian  "founded 
churches  in  every  city,  whence  all  the  other  churches  received  the 
doctrines  of  faith,  by  this  they  became  churches  and  children  of 
the  apostolic  churches,  whence  although  there  are  many,  there  is 
but  one  the  first  Church,  from  which  all  others  come. 

»  Mark.  xvl.  16. 


THE  MEANING  OF  MATTHEW  AND  MARK,  133 

After  the  Ascension  the  Apostles  made  Jerusalem  their  home. 
From  the  holy  city  they  went  forth  to  convert  the  Jews,  who  were 
first  called  to  the  faith.  But  after  Peters  vision  at  Joppa,  they 
preached  to  the  Gentiles.  Among  the  jDagan  nations  they  founded 
many  churches.  St.  James  the  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem  was  put 
to  death  by  Herod.  Simeon  was  consecrated  the  second  bishop 
of  the  holy  city.  ' 

St.  Matthew,  in  Hebrew,  gift  of  Jehovah  jireached  first  in  Judea. 
He  wrote  his  Gospel  in  Hebrew  for  the  Jews  of  Palestine.  Then 
he  went  to  the  East  and  converted  many  of  the  Persians,  Parth- 
ians  and  Ethiopians,  performing  numerous  miracles  among  them. 
At  one  time  he  raised  the  king's  daughter  from  the  dead,  when 
the  royal  family  and  the  whole  province  came  into  the  church. 
When  this  king  was  succeeded  by  Hirtacus,  the  latter  wished  to 
marry  Iphigenia,  daughter  of  the  dead  king,  Avhom  St.  Matthew 
had  raised  from  the  grave  and  whom  he  had  induced  to  take  a 
vow  of  virginity.  When  the  king  could  not  force  her  to  become 
his  queen,  he  commanded  his  servants  to  put  St.  Matthew  to  death, 
which  they  did  as  he  was  saying  Mass  at  the  altar.  ^ 

St.  Mark,  in  Hebrew,  a  sign,  or  from  the  Greek  for  hammer,  a 
Jew,  the  disciple  of  St.  Peter,  he  was  converted  by  him  after  the  as- 
cension. Some  think  he  only  translated  into  Greek  the  Gospel 
St.  Peter  had  written.  He  wrote  the  Gospel  at  the  request  of  the 
Romans,  recalling  to  them  what  he  heard  from  St.  Peter,  Avhom 
he  accompanied  many  years  in  his  travels,  visiting  with  him  all 
the  churches.  St.  Peter  revised  his  Gospel  and  commanded  that 
it  to  be  read  in  all  the  churches.  St.  Peter  sent  him  to  found 
churches  in  Aquilia  and  Egypt,  where  he  became  the  first  bishop 
of  Alexandria,  after  Rome  then  the  second  city  of  the  world  and 
noted  for  its  wealth,  learning  and  culture.  It  was  in  the  year  60, 
the  seventh  of  the  reign  of  Nero,  that  Mark  came  to  Egppt  to  be- 
come the  archbishop  of  Alexandria,  the  second  see  of  the  world. 
Evodius  at  that  time  had  been  appointed  by  Peter  at  Antioch  to 
report  to  him  at  Rome  the  state  of  the  churches  of  Asia. 

St.  Mark  landed  first  at  Cyrene,  in  Pentopolis,  bordering  on 
Egypt,  where  he  performed  numerous  miracles.  In  this  ancient 
land,  where  the  gigantic  works  of  a  former  civilization  still  stood, 
there  he  first  preached  the  religion  of  Christ.  For  twelve  years  he 
traveled  up  and  down  the  Nile  valley  before  he  took  his  seat  as 
first  bishop  of  the  great  city,  founded  by  Alexander  and  called 
after  his  name.  He  converted  many  of  the  Jews,  whose  fore- 
fathers had  come  to  Egypt  in  the  days  of  the  Ptolemies  and  en- 
gaged in  trade.  But  his  success  roused  a  persecution  against  him, 
and  consecrating  his  disciple  Anianus  bishop,  he  retired  to  Pento- 
polis. When  after  two  years  again  he  returned  to  Alexandria  the 
pagans  called  him  a  magician  because  of  his  wonderful  works.  On 
the  feast  of  the  god  Serapis,  they  found  him  saying  Mass.  They 
tied  him  with  ropes,  dragged  him  during  the  whole  day  over  the 

1  Brev.  Roman  Off.  *  Brev.  Roman,  of  St.  Math.  Sept.  21. 


124  STS.    LUKE   AND  JOHN. 

ground  and  stones.    At  night  they  threw  him  into  prison,  and  the 
next  day  Monday  April  25  in  the  year  68  put  him  to  death. 

St.  Luke  a  native  of  the  great  city  of  Antioch  the  metropolis 
of  Syria,  educated  in  her  celebrated  schools  early  became  the  dis- 
ciple of  St.  Paul  in  his  wanderings.  He  was  a  physician  and  a 
painter.  As  many  fables  and  peculiar  histories  of  our  Lord  were 
written  about  this  time,  which  tended  to  bring  ridicule  on  relig- 
ion, which  are  probably  contained  to-day  in  the  Apocryphal  Gos- 
pels, St.  Luke  wrote  his  Gospel  to  refute  them.  St.  Paul  is 
generally  believed  to  have  corrected,  and  some  say  took  part  in 
the  actual  composition  of  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke. 

In  the  year  56,  St.  Paul,  the  Latin  for  little,  sent  him  with  Titus 
to  Corinth.  Latter  he  went  with  St.  Paul  to  Rome,  whither  in 
61  the  latter  was  sent  as  a  prisoner  from  Jerusalem.  For  two  years 
St,  Paul  with  Luke  lived  in  a  hired  house  in  Eome,  where  now 
stands  the  church  of  St.  Mary.  There  St.  Luke  wrote  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles.  Later  St.  Luke  preached  in  Italy,  France,  Del- 
matia,  and  Macedon.     He  died  by  crucifixion. 

The  apostle  St.  John,  in  Hebrew  the  gracious  gift  of  God,  called 
by  the  Greeks  the  Divine,  was  the  most  beloved  of  all  the  apostles 
and  dearest  to  the  heart  of  our  Lord.  He  lived  70  years  after  the 
ascension,  the  last  member  of  the  apostolic  college.  He  never 
married  because  he  loved  the  Lord.  Into  his  care,  Christ  gave 
his  holy  Mother,  who  lived  with  him  as  his  adopted  mother  till 
her  death.  He  attended  Peter  in  his  ministry  at  Jerusalem.  He 
was  with  the  other  apostles  when  they  met  so  often  in  the  upper 
chamber  belonging  to  the  mother  of  St.  Mark,  where  the  last 
supper  was  celebrated,  and  where  the  Holy  Spirit  came  down  on 
the  apostles,  St.  Jerome  and  the  breviary  say  he  lived  till 
old  age.  When  in  51  the  first  general  council  of  the  church  was 
called  at  Jerusalem,  John  was  there  with  all  the  other  apostles 
and  disciples  of  our  Lord.'  He  made  Jerusalem  his  residence  for 
a  long  time  after  the  ascension,  going  on  missions  into  many 
places,  especially  to  Parthia,  preaching  and  converting  many  of 
the  people  of  this  province.  Even  in  our  day,  some  of  the  cities 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Tigris  and  the  Euphrates  say  their  forefathers 
were  converted  by  St.  John.  In  62  he  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
where  all  the  other  apostles  had  gathered,  where  they  elected  Simeon 
bishop  of  Jerusalem  after  the  martyrdom  of  St.  James. '  Diony- 
sius,  converted  by  St.  Paul  at  Athens  came  to  see  St.  John,  and 
there  he  met  the  mother  of  our  Lord.  He  says  that  her  appear- 
ence  was  so  striking,  that  if  he  did  not  know  that  there  was  a 
God  he  would  have  fell  prostrate  before  her  and  worshipped  her  as 
a  goddess. 

St.  John  ever  appears  as  a  missionary  bishop,  taking  possession  of 
no  particular  see.  He  preached  especially  in  Lesser  Asia,  making 
Ephesus  his  home,  of  which  St.  Timothv  the  disciple  of  St,  Paul 
was  the  first  bishop.     In  all  histories  the  authority  of  St.  John 

>  St.  aementof  Alexandria.  *  Euseblus  L.  iif.  c.  it,  p.  105. 

*  Dyooes.  De  Dlvln.  Nomia. 


TYPES  OF  THE  FOUR  EVANGELISTS.  135 

appears  as  that  of  an  archbishop,  with  metropolitan  jurisdiction 
over  the  churches  of  Asia  Minor,  which  he  founded  and  governed 
till  he  died.  He  consecrated  bishops  and  appointed  them  to  the 
different  cities  and  towns.'  As  each  of  the  apostles  received  apos- 
tolic power  in  the  universal  church,  he  appears  to  have  established 
all  the  first  bishops  of  Asia  Minor.  To  his  last  day  he  continued 
to  visit  the  bishops  and  the  churches  he  established.  He  deposed 
a  priest  who  wrote  a  false  account  of  the  voyages  of  St.  Paul  and 
Thecla. 

Soon  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Ronians  under 
Titus  in  73,  Ebion  taught  that  Christ  was  not  the  Son  of  God,  but 
a  created  angel,  conceived  and  born  like  other  men,  but  that  he 
became  the  Son  of  God  when  the  Holy  Spirit  came  down  on  him. 
Cerinthus  also  preached  that  the  Jewish  ceremonies  of  circumcis- 
ion, etc.,  bound  christians,  that  the  world  was  not  created  by  God, 
that  God  was  only  an  angel,  as  \Yell  as  other  errors  in  matter  of 
faith.  To  refute  these  errors  St.  John  composed  his  Gospel. 
He  wrote  especially  to  defend  the  divinity  of  our  Lord.  It  is  said 
he  asked  all  the  churches  to  pray  for  him  before  he  began  his  sub- 
lime description  of  the  birth  of  the  Son  from  the  Father.  ^  In  95. 
he  was  arrested,  sent  to  Eome,  thrown  into  a  vat  of  boiling  oil,, 
saved  by  a  miracle,  banished  to  the  Isle  of  Patmos  by  the  emperor- 
Domitian,  where  he  wrote  the  Apocalypse  or  Revelations,, 
which  close  the  Bible.  In  97  he  returned  to  Ephesus,  where: 
Timothy  had  been  put  to  death  a  short  time  before,  and  he  took 
on  himself  the  government  of  that  vast  diocese  which  he  held  till; 
the  reign  of  Trajan.  His  disciple  St.  Polycarp  tells  us  that  ha- 
wore  on  his  forehead  a  plate  of  gold  when  saying  Mass. 

The  evangelists  were  seen  in  vision  by  the  prophet  Ezechial 
under  the  form  of  mysterious  animals,  which  commentators  say 
represented  the  four  authors  of  the  Gospels.  St.  John  because  of 
his  sublimity  of  thought  is  the  eagle.  St.  Luke,  because  he  begins 
by  the  history  of  the  sacrifices  in  the  temple  is  typfied  by  the  ox, 
one  of  the  chief  victims  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  temple.  St.  Mark 
begins  by  the  preaching  of  St.  John  the  Baptist  like  a  lion  roar- 
ing in  the  desert  and  calling  men  to  his  baptism  of  penance  for 
the  coming  of  the  Lord,  while  St.  Matthew  begins  his  Gospel  by 
the  geneology  of  Christ  as  a  man,  and  for  that  reason  he  is  repre- 
sented as  a  man.  Such  are  the  types  of  the  four  Evangelists.  The 
word  evangel  comes  from  the  Greek  and  means  good  tidings  of 
redemption.  Gospel  is  an  Anglo-saxon  word  and  signifies  a  good 
word,  a  joyful  history,  or  God's  word  to  mankind. 

Apostle  is  a  Greek  word  which  means  a  messenger,  one  sent, 
for  the  apostles  were  sent  by  our  Lord  to  preach  his  doctrines  to 
the  whole  world.  ''  As  the  Father  hath  sent  me  so  I  also  send 
you. "  ^   Going  forth  therefore  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.  * 

The  apostle  Andrew,  the  Greek  for  manly,  was  a  native  of  Beth- 
saida  on  the  banks  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee.     He  was  first  a  disciple 

'  Tertullian  L.  4.  Contra  Marcion.  ^  John  i.  1.       *  John  vi.  29.  *  Luke  x?j.  15. 


126  HISTORY  OF  ST.   JAMES. 

of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  but  when  he  heard  our  blessed  Lord, 
he  was  attracted  to  him  b}'  his  grace  and  brought  his  brother  Simon 
called  later  Peter  to  the  Lord.  After  the  descent  of  the  Hoi}' 
Ohost,  Andrew  preached  the  Gospel  in  Scythia,  Sogdiana,  to  the 
Colchis  and  the  Greeks,  where  he  silenced  the  learned  philosophers 
of  Athens.  Authors  say  he  travelled  into  Kussia,  even  to  the  bor- 
ders of  Poland.  He  was  crucified  on  a  cross  made  like  an  X  in 
the  city  of  Patrae. 

St.  James  from  Jacob,  the  supplanter,  called  the  Great,  the 
brother  of  John  the  Evangelist  was  the  son  of  Salome  the  cousin 
of  our  Lord's  Mother.  He  was  12  years  older  than  Christ.  Li 
the  year  30,  the  persecution  in  which  St.  Stephen  perished  raged 
jigainst  the  church  in  Judea  and  the  apostle  fled  preaching  even  to 
Spain.  Herod  Agrippa,  son  of  Herod  the  Great,  gained  the  confi- 
dence of  the  lioman  emperor  Caligula,  who  gave  him  a  part  of  his 
father's  dominions,  and  later  the  emperor  Claudius  added  to  them 
Judea,  Samaria  and  the  surrounding  country.  Li  the  year  43,  to 
please  the  Jews  at  the  ceremonies  of  the  Passover,  he  began  to 
persecute  the  Christians,  arrested  St.  James  and  condemned  him 
to  be  beheaded,  a  martyrdom  which  he  suffered  with  great  courage. 

St.  James  the  Less,  the  son  of  Alpheus  and  Mary,  the  sister  of 
the  blessed  Virgin,  was  the  first  cousin  of  our  Lord.  Some  au- 
thors say  our  Lord  gave  charge  of  the  church  of  Jerusalem  to  St. 
James,  and  he  became  its  first  bishop.  In  this  case  it  appears  that 
here  we  first  find  the  appointment  of  bishops,  to  a  particular 
See,  made  in  the  person  of  St.  James.  All  the  apostolic  churches, 
Eome  alone  excepted,  lost  their  lines  of  bishops  at  some  time  dur- 
ing the  years  of  persecution,  and  this  brings  still  brighter  before 
lis  thelineof  the  Eoman  Pontiffs,  going  backunbroken  to  St.  Peter. 
Saying  Mass  St.  James  wore  on  his  forehead  a  plate  of  gold,  the 
first  mitre  of  the  bishop.  It  was  a  lamina  of  pure  gold  worn  at 
the  same  time  by  Sts.  John  at  Ephesus  and  Mark  at  Alexandria. 
It  was  copied  after  the  mitre  of  the  high-priest  in  the  ceremonies 
of  the  Jewish  temple.  The  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem  was  noted 
for  his  singular  piety  and  self-denial.  He  worked  so  many  miracles 
that  even  the  Jews  held  him  in  great  veneration.  Kneeling  often 
in  prayer,  his  knees  became  hardened  like  a  camel's  knees.  He  com- 
posed an  Epistle,  which  he  sent  to  all  the  churches,  showing  them 
that  faith  alone  without  good  works  will  not  save  souls,  lie  ar- 
ranged a  liturgy  or  form  of  saying  Mass  and  administering  the 
eacraments,  which  first  learned  by  heart  was  later  written  by  the 
saints  and  reformed  by  St.  Chrystom.  It  gave  rise  to  the  Greek 
and  other  Eastern  rites. 

The  Jews,  maddened  by  the  appeal  of  St.  Paul  to  Caesar,  called  a 
meeting  of  the  Sanhedrim,  a  council  of  the  chief  authorities  of 
the  temple  under  the  high-priest  Ananus,  son  of  Annas,  who  put 
our  liord  to  death.  They  called  St.  James  for  trial  before  them, 
accused  him  of  breaking  the  laws,  condemned  him  to  be  stoned  to 
death.     First  they  took  him  to  the  top  of  the  temple,  and  asked 


A  LETTER  FROM  OUR  LORD,  127 

t 

him  to  renounce  Jesus.  Eefusing,  he  preached  from  the  battle- 
ments to  a  great  assembly,  who  had  come  to  celebrate  the  Pass- 
over. They  then  threw  him  down.  Nearly  killed,  he  had  barely 
strength  to  rise  to  pray  for  liis  murderers,  when  the  rabble  smashed 
him  with  stones,  and  one  hit  him  on  the  head  with  a  club  which 
broke  his  skull.  His  death  took  place  April  10  in  the  year  62,  the 
7th.  year  of  the  reign  of  Nero.  * 

St.  Philip,  the  Greek  for  a  lover  of  horses,  born  at.  Bethsaida  in  Gal- 
ilee was  a  married  man  who  became  a  great  saint.  After  the  sep- 
aration of  the  apostles,  he  preached  in  the  two  Phrygias.  St.  Poly- 
carp  the  disciple  of  St.  John  the  second  bishop  of  Ephesus  after 
St.  Timothy,  lived  for  a  time  with  Philip.  St.  Polycretes,  the 
successor  of  Polycarp  at  Epliesus,  says  that  after  his  martyrdom, 
St.  Philip  was  buried  at  Hierapolis  in  Phyrgia. 

Bartholomew,  meaning  Son  of  Tholomew  or  of  a  warrior,  was 
first  named  Nathaniel.^  He  was  a  doctor  or  teacher  of  the  Jewish 
law,  and  at  first  one  of  the  72  disciples.^  He  penetrated  to  the  In- 
dies, converting  numberless  persons.  He  usually  preached  from 
the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew,  which  he  carried  with  him.  Eeturn- 
ing  he  went  into  Lacaonia,  the  people  of  which  country  he  brought 
into  the  church.  From  there  he  penetrated  into  greater  Armenia, 
where  attacking  the  worship  of  idols,  he  was  arrested  and  put 
to  death.  Some  say  he  died  by  crucifixion,  others  that  he  was 
flayed  alive. 

St.  Thomas,  in  Hebrew  and  Chaldaic  a  twin,  after  the  descent 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  appointed  Thaddeus  to  instruct  and  baptise 
Abgar  king  of  Edessa,  who  had  before  written  a  letter  to  Christ, 
asking  him  to  come  and  heal  him  of  a  disease  with  which  he  was 
afflicted.  * 

Our  Lord  replied  to  his  letter,  that  he  must  fulfil  the  things  for 
which  he  came,  and  return  to  his  Father,  who  sent  him,  but  that 
after  his  ascension,  he  would  send  one  of  his  disciples,  who  would 
heal  him  and  bring  health  to  all  his  family.  This  promise  was 
fulfilled  by  Thaddeus,  after  the  ascension  who  came  cured  the  king, 
baptised  all  his  family  and  planted  the  faith  in  that  country.  When 
the  apostles  divided  the  world  and  assigned  a  part  to  each,  Parthia 
a  part  of  Persia  fell  to  the  lot  of  our  apostle.  He  labored  among 
the  Medes,  Persians  and  other  nations  in  these  parts,  penetrating 
even  to  the  Indias  and  Ethiopia,  as  the  south-east  of  Arabia  was 
then  called.  He  suffered  martyrdom  at  Meliapor  on  the  west 
bank  of  the  Ganges,  where  he  was  pierced  with  lances  till  he  died, 
because  he  had  converted  some  members  of  the  royal  family.  The 
remains  of  christian  doctrines  are  found  in  Thibet,  Tartary  and 
in  the  East  said  to  have  been  taught  them  by  this  apostle. 

St.  Jude,  praised,  called  also  Thaddeus  that  is  the  wise,  first 
labored  in  the  kingdom  of  Edessa,  where  he  converted  the  royal 
family  and  members  of  the  court,  although  some  say  this  Jude 

>  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints.  *  Am.  Cyclopedea  Bartholomew. 

'  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints.  ♦  Euseblus.  Hist.  L.  L  C.  13  p.  36. 


128  STS.  SIMOX,  MATTHIAS  AND  JUDAS. 

• 

wasanotlier  person  one  of  the  73  disciples.  He  preached  in  Judea. 
Samaria,  Edumia,  Mesopotamia,  L^bia  and  neighboring  coun- 
tries. After  the  death  of  his  brother,  St.  James,  he  returned  to 
Jerusalem  in  G2,  where  he  assisted  at  the  election  of  his  other 
brother,  St.  Simeon,  as  the  second  bishop  of  the  hol}^  city  after  the 
martyrdom  of  St.  James.  He  then  wrote  an  Epistle  to  all  the 
churches,  which  became  a  part  of  the  New  Testament.  He  com- 
posed it  especially  against  the  heretical  Simonians,  Nicholites  and 
Gnostics.  Then  he  travelled  into  Persia,  where  at  Ararat,  in 
Armenia,  he  was  shot  to  death  by  arrows,  or  as  others  say  he  was 
crucified. 

St.  Simon,  in  Hebrew  hearing  with  acceptance,  for  his  zeal  called 
the  Zealot  went  first  to  Mauritania.  Some  writers  say  he  also 
preached  in  Britain.  He  spent  some  time  in  Egypt  and  other 
parts  of  Africa.  He  was  martyred  at  Suanar  in  Persia,  being  put 
to  death  by  the  pagan  priests. 

St.  Matthias,  in  Hebrew  gift  of  Jehovah,  one  of  the  72  disciples 
of  our  Lord  was  elected  an  apostle  in  the  place  of  the  traitor  Ju- 
das. *  After  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  preached  es- 
pecially the  obligation  of  self-denial  and  the  mortification  of 
our  passions.  The  traditions  of  the  Greek  church  say  that  he 
planted  the  faith  in  Cappadocia  and  along  the  shores  of  the 
Caspian  Sea,  fixing  his  see  at  the  little  city  of  Issus.  He  was  mar- 
tyred at  Colchis. 

All  know  the  history  of  Judas  who  sold  his  divine  Master  for 
about  118.  Getting  sorry  he  brought  the  money  back  to  the  Jew- 
ish priests.  When  they  would  not  take  it  he  threw  it  to  them, 
saying  he  had  betrayed  an  innocent  man.  Falling  into  despair  he 
took  a  rope  and  hanged  himself  to  a  fig-tree  on  the  side  of  Cal- 
vary. The  next  morning  the  rope  broke  and  the  body  burst,  and 
when  the  crowds  accompanying  our  blessed  Lord  to  the  crucifixion 
passed  by  the  wild  dogs  of  Jerusalem  were  feeditig  on  his  flesh. 

>  Acts. 


Christ,  "true 


*'  The  Lord  of 
the   "  King    of 


true  God," 
lords''  and 

kings,"  the  last  heir  of  the 
throne  of  David  comes  down  from 
the  ** Father  of  lights"  to  become 
the  supreme  spiritual  ruler  of  the 
Church.  By  right  of  creation  and 
of  redemption  he  governs  his  Uni- 
versal Church,  each  diocese,  each 
parish  and  each  soul  baptized,  who  by  that  becomes  his  child  sub- 
ject to  the  laws  of  the  Church  his  empire. 

Before  he  left  the  earth  he  gave  his  ministers,  his  priests  and 
bishops  supreme  authoritv  over  his  people  and  sent  them  forth 
with  all  his  power.  On  them  he  built  his  church  which  he  organ- 
ized according  to  the  eternal  decrees  and  truths,  which  he  receives 
with  his  nature  from  his  eternal  Father.  His  last  forty  days  be- 
tween the  resurrection  and  the  ascension,  he  spent  with  his  fol- 
lowers explaining  to  the  apostles  the  wonderful  organization  of  his 


PETER  STILL  TEACHING  THE  ONI  VERSA  L  CHURCH. 


CHRIST'S  PRIME  MINISTER.  131 

church  his  kingdom  on  the  earth.  St.  John  says  that  if  all  he 
told  them  were  written,  the  world  would  not  hold  all  the  books.' 
We  find  these  teachings  in  the  Acts,  in  the  Epistles  of  the  New 
Testament,  in  the  church  organization  and  in  the  writings  of  thf> 
early  fathers  who  gathered  up  the  teachings  of  the  apostles.  We 
must  now  see  how  Christ  now  rules  and  governs  this  spiritual  em- 
pire of  souls  purchased  by  his  blood.  Kings  and  emperors  rule 
not  by  themselves  but  by  others  to  whom  they  delegate  their  au- 
thority. Emperors,  Kings  and  Queens,  the  President  of  the 
United  States  cannot  personally  oversee  all  the  details  of  their 
governments.  They  delegate  departments  of  the  government  to 
their  ministers.  They  often  appoint  a  prime  minister  to  take  charge 
of  the  universal  external  department  of  the  scate,  while  inter- 
nal affairs  are  in  the  hands  of  other  heads  of  the  departments  or 
bureaus. 

Christ  was  a  wise  and  farseeing  statesman.  He  appointed  and 
ordained  his  apostles  bishops  over  the  priests  and  ministers  he 
ordained.  In  the  apostles  the  priests  and  ministers  he  founded  the 
universal  church."  Then  to  bind  them  all  into  one  universal 
sheepfold,  he  raised  up  one  of  the  apostles  to  be  his  prime  minister, 
his  ruler,  one  with  him,  bearing  his  delegated  authority,  ruling 
his  constitutional  empire  of  religion,  that  his  church  might  re- 
main one  and  indestructible,  till  the  end  of  time.  That  visible 
head  of  the  church  was  Peter.  His  office  was  to  descend  to  Peter's 
successors  in  the  See  of  Rome.  He  chose  Peter  one  of  the  apos- 
tles, so  that  the  church  might  be  ruled  by  an  apostle,  a  bishop, 
and  not  by  one  of  the  inferior  ministers,  the  higher  by  the  lower. 
As  the  government  of  Christ  was  to  last  as  long  as  the  church,  so 
the  heir  of  Peter  was  to  ever  be  the  visible  head  of  the  church. 
Then  he  returned  to  the  glory  of  the  Father,  which  he  had  with 
him  before  the  world  was,  for  he  was  not  to  ever  live  in  the  suffer- 
ings of  this  world,  for  he  suffered  once  and  that  was  enough  to 
redeem  us. 

In  holy  orders  the  bishops  are  equal.  ''Wherever  the  bishop 
is,  either  at  Rome  or  at  Eugubius,  he  has  the  same  merit  and 
the  same  priesthood."^  "The  other  apostles  were  the  same  as  Peter — 
all  equal  with  the  same  power  and  honor."'  "For  Peter  and 
John  were  equal  in  honor  and  dignity,  and  the  bishop  of  Rome  is 
no  greater  in  orders  than  the  bishop  of  any  small  city."  "  How 
many  reading  such  texts  go  astray,  not  thinking  that  all  this  re- 
lates to  holy  orders  and  not  to  jurisdiction.  In  holy  orders 
bishops  are  all  equal,  for  all  receive  the  fulness  of  the  Priesthood 
of  Christ.  But  in  jurisdiction,  or  in  the  power  of  ruling  spiritual 
subjects,  they  are  not  equal,  for  to  Peter,  Christ  gave  full  power 
of  binding  and  of  loosing,  of  feeding  his  lambs  and  sheep.  The 
Bishop  of  Rome  the  successor  of  Peter  is  at  the  head  of  the  universal 
visible  church,  while  the  bishop  is  at  the  head  of  his  diocese. 

1  John  xxl.  2,  5.  2    concil.  Trident.  s  st.  Jerome  Epist.  140  ad  Evang.  n.  I. 

*  St.  Cyprian  De  Unitate  Eccl.  n.  4.  *  St.  Cyril  Alexandria. 


132  THE  OFFICE  OF  VICAR. 

Then  the  Pope,  as  the  heir  of  Peter,  has  a  power  and  an  authority 
over  the  church  not  fou^nd  in  holy  orders,  which  comes  from 
his  position  as  bisliop  and  head  of  the  diocese  of  Peter,  whom 
Christ  made  the  rock,  the  corner-stone  of  the  whole  church 
the  one  foundation  with  him. 

For  Christ  and  Peter  became  one  authority  and  government.  For 
'the  agent,  the  prime  minister,  the  vicar  form  but  one  government 
with  the  ruling  power  who  appoints  him.  "Thus  there  are  not 
many  but  one  government,  and  not  one  body  like  a  monster 
with  two  heads,  namely  Christ  and  Peter,  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  and 
the  successor  of  Peter,  the  Lord  himself  saying  to  Peter,  **'  Feed 
my  sheep"  he  said  generally  not  singularly  these  or  those." ' 

The  church  universal  being  the  diocese  of  Christ,  and  each 
diocese  proceeding  from  the  universal  church,  in  each  diocese  we 
find  an  image  of  the  universal  church  her  mother.  Each  bishop 
chooses  from  the  ranks  of  the  priests  his  vicar -general,  who  be- 
comes one  in  authority  with  the  bishop,  for  they  form  one  govern- 
ment over  the  diocese.  The  vicar-general  does  not  get  his  power 
from  the  election  of  the  priests,  for  they  have  no  episcopal  juris- 
diction. The  vicar  of  the  bishop  has  jurisdiction  and  power  over 
them,  which  he  receives  from  the  bishop.  Not  from  his  priest- 
hood or  from  holy  orders  does  the  power  of  the  vicar-general  of 
the  diocese  come,  but  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop.  What 
the  vicar-general  does  in  his  office  as  vicar  of  the  bishop,  binds 
the  bishop  and  no  one  can  appeal  from  the  vicar  to  the  bishop,  but 
to  the  archbishop  for  they  are  one  and  the  same  authority.  The  par- 
ish is  an  image  of  the  diocese  and  of  the  universal  church,  and  the 
vicar  of  the  pastor  is  one  authority  with  the  pastor.  The  vicar  or 
assistant  of  the  pastor  does  not  get  his  authority  from  the  people, 
whom  he  rules,  but  from  the  bishop  and  the  pastor.  Thus  we  see 
that  the  office  of  vicar  runs  all  through  the  church  from  the  Pope 
down  to  the  bishop  of  the  diocese.  The  vicar  has  the  fulness  of 
the  power  of  him  he  represents,  as  the  prime  minister  of  a  king,  the 
cabinet  minister  of  the  president,  the  congressman  the  agent  have 
the  fulness  of  the  power  of  the  persons  for  whom  they  act.  Thus  the 
vicar-general  in  a  diocese,  forms  one  governing  power  with  the 
bishop,  the  Pope  is  one  with  Christ  in  the  whole  church.  Christ 
and  the  Pope  are  one  and  the  same  governing  power  and  authority 
over  the  universal  church. 

The  governing  power  and  jurisdiction  over  the  whole  church 
then  is  one  not  double  but  one,  as  the  episcopal  authority  in  the 
diocese  is  one.  Thus  Christ  rules  his  church  through  and  by  his 
vicar,  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  In  order  not  to  lower  the  episcopacy, 
Christ  did  not  make  the  Papacy  an  order  over  the  bishops,  stand- 
ing as  it  were  between  him  and  the  bishops,  who  have  received 
the  fulness  of  his  spiritual  power  in  holy  orders,  for  there  can  be 
no  order  higher  than  that  of  the  bishop,  for  each  bishop  is  a  per- 

*  Boniface  viii.  Unam  Sanctam. 


THE  FOUNDATION  ROCK  OF  THE  CHURCH.  133 

feet  priest,  and  nothing  can  be  more  than  perfect.  But  .he  made 
Peter  one  with  him  in  jurisdiction.  There  is  the  rock,  the  founda- 
tion on  which  he  built  the  church,  Christ  still  being  the  head  of 
each  diocese  and  the  head  of  the  universal  church,  individualized  in 
the  Bishop  and  diocese  of  Rome.  He  is  then  the  everlasting 
source  of  power  and  of  jurisdiction  of  the  whole  church.  For  to 
the  other  apostles  he  conferred  only  holy  orders.  Then  to  these 
spiritual  powers  he  added  in  the  case  of  Peter  full  jurisdiction 
saying,  "  Feed  my  lambs.  Feed  my  sheep." ' 

Thus  Peter  is  the  key-stone  of  that  wonderful  arch,  the  church 
build  of  every  diocese  and  parish  and  congregation  throughout 
the  world.  The  Pope  then  is  not  like  a  chairman  elected  by  the 
bishops  to  preside  over  their  deliberations.  His  authority  does 
not  come  from  the  votes  of  the  other  bishops.  For  they  have  not 
authority  over  the  church  universal,  they  rule  only  in  their  own 
dioceses,  and  what  they  have  not  they  cannot  give.  The  authority 
of  the  Pope  over  the  universal  church  comes  to  the  Bishop  of 
Rome  through  Peter,  who  received  it  from  Christ,  whom  he 
made  one  with  him.  For  the  church  has  only  one  head,  one 
government,  one  teacher,  one  sanctifier,  one  king  and  supreme 
ruler  Jesus  Christ  ever  visible  in  his  Vicar.  This  the  council  of 
Florence  defined  "  The  Roman  Pontiff  is  the  true  Vicar  of  Christ, 
{ind  the  head  of  the  whole  church."* 

While  on  earth  Christ  organized  his  church.  To  guide  her 
till  the  end  of  time,  he  gave  his  apostles  her  constitution,  her  rules 
and  laws  which  were  to  direct  her  movements,  for  ''of  his  king- 
dom there  shall  be  no  end."^  That  constitution  must  not  be 
changed.  For  things  which  change  perish  by  change.  The  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  cannot  change  our  constitutiou.  The 
same  power  which  gives  a  constitution  is  required  to  change  it. 
Only  Christ  himself  could  change  the  constitution  of  the  church. 
No  one  now  is  equal  to  Christ  in  the  church.  We  are  only  his 
ministers,  his  administrators.  The  vicar-general  in  the  diocese,  the 
Vicar  of  Christ,  the  Pope  cannot  change  the  laws  made  by  their 
superiors.  They  only  administer  them.  Thus  the  Pope  cannot 
make  any  new  doctrine.  He  must  keep  the  "deposit  of  faith  " 
revealed  by  Christ  when  he  was  on  this  earth,  which  is  contained 
in  the  Bible  and  in  holy  tradition.  This  the  Vatican  Council  pro- 
claimed: "  For  the  Holy  Spirit  did  not  give  to  Peter  and  to  his 
successors,  that  he  revealing  they  might  teach  new  doctrines,  but 
that  by  his  aid  they  might  guard  the  revelation  given  by  the 
apostles  and  faithfully  teach  it."  ' 

At  the  beginning  of  his  public  life,  our  Lord  unfolded  to  his 
apostles  his  grand  design  of  establishing  the  Papacy,  that  one  au- 
thority to  rule  the  others  in  order  to  keep  his  church  one  and  un- 
divided.    At  Cesarea  Philipi  he  tested  the  faith  of  his  apostles. 

1  John  xxl.  18.  2  concil.    Florent.  Apiid.  Lab.  T.  xii.  col.  515. 

^  Luke  i.  .33.  ■•  Concil.  Vatican,  held  in  1870.  Pastor  ^ternus. 


134  MEANING  OF  PETER  AND  THE  KEYS. 

**Jesus  said  to  them:  But  whom  do  you  say  I  am?"  While  the 
others  gave  different  answers  Simon  replied:  "  Thou  art  Christ  the 
Son  of  the  living  God."  *  As  a  reward  for  his  lively  faith,  our  Lord 
said  to  him:  "  Thou  art  Peter  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build 
my  church  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it,  and 
I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  whatso- 
ever thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth  it  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven, 
and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth,  it  shall  be  loosed  also 
in  heaven/" 

The  word  for  "  keys  "  here  means  in  Greek  a  key,  a  bolt,  any- 
thing which  fastens  a  door  or  trunk,"  Although  in  ancient  times 
they  had  no  locks, yet  they  had  many  things  to  fasten  with  were  called 
keys.  The  one  who  had  the  key  could  open  or  close  the  door  to 
any  other.  To  give  the  keys  of  a  city  to  a  man  is  to  honor  him 
with  the  freedom  of  the  city.  Thus  Christ  gave  the  opening  or 
the  shutting -of  heaven  to  Peter.  The  word  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  means  in  Greek,  not  only  a  kingdom,  but  also  power  of  a 
hereditary  monarchy.*  It  means  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  the 
heavens,  for  in  Greek  and  Latin  heaven  is  in  the  plural.  By  these 
words  the  Lord  makes  Peter  his  agent  to  bind  or  loosed  in  heaven 
by  his  official  acts,  and  to  rule  men  as  the  minister  of  Christ,  for 
his  official  acts  bind  Christ  who  sent  him. 

Later  Christ  gave  the  power  of  loosing  and  of  binding  to  Peter 
and  all  the  apostles  together.  For  the  Pope  and  bishops  assem- 
bled in  council  have  the  power  of  binding  and  of  loosing,  by  the 
laws  and  enactments  they  make  for  the  discipline  and  government 
•of  the  whole  church. 

He  then  and  there  changed  his  name  to  Peter  that  is,  "  The 
Rock  "  on  which  the  church  was  built.  Before  that  his  name 
was  Simon  Bar-Jona.  When  God  before  gave  any  man  a  re- 
markable work  to  do,  he  changed  his  name.  Thus,  the  first  man 
he  called  Adam  that  is  of  the  earth,  the  first  woman  Eve,  the 
mother  of  all  the  living.  Abram,  "  the  father  of  light,"  he  changed 
to  Abraham,  "  the  father  of  a  multitude,"  and  Jacob,  "the  sup- 
planter,"  he  changed  to  Israel,  '^  ruling  with  God,"  In  our 
day  Popes  change  their  names  on  ascending  the  throne  of  Peter, 

Following  these  customs  our  Lord  changed  Simon^s  name  to 
Peter,*  meaning  in  Hebrew,  Syro-Chaldaic,  Greek,  Latin,  French, 
etc.,  •  The  Rock.  Christ  is  the  "  Rock  of  Ages  "  struck  by 
Moses  in  the  desert,  from  which  flowed  the  waters  of  life  to  heal 
the  hearts  and  souls  of  men  wounded  by  sin.'  He  is  the  "corner 
stone"  of  the  universal  church,  *  rejected  by  the  bad  and  wicked 
Jews,  which  became  the  head  of  the  corner.  He  is  the  foundation 
of  the  universal  church.  For  that  reason  each  church  has  a  corner- 
stone, laid  with  great  ceremony,  representing  Christ  the  rock  on 
which  the  universal  church  rests. 

>  Math.  xvl.  15, 16.  *  Math.  xvl.  18,  19.  *  Homer's  Od.  21.  6. 

••  Thuo.  1.  la ;     Arist.  Pol.  ill.  14.  »  See  Greek  Testament. 

•  The  Syro-Chaldftic  has  not  genders  as  In  other  lanfoiages.  '  Num.  xx.  10. 

•  Mark  xil.  10. 


THE  ROCK  OF  AGES.  135 

He  made  Simon  Bar-Jona  one  with  him,  the  corner-stone  of 
the  whole  church,  and  in  the  Popes  that  corner-stone  will  last  till 
the  end  of  time. 

The  prophet  Daniel  saw  that  stone  of  the  Papacy  ''  cut  out  of 
the  mountain  not  made  with  hands  "  that  is  the  divinity  of  our 
Lord,  and  he  looked  till  "  it  struck  all  the  empires  of  idolatry  and 
of  paganism  and  filled  the  whole  earth.'  Isaias  saw  that  stone  in 
the  shape  of  a  mountain.  *'In  the  last  days  the  mountain  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord  shall  be  prepared  on  the  top  of  mountains,  and  it 
shall  be  exalted  on  the  above  the  hills,  and  all  the  nations  shall 
flow  into  it."' 

Thus  did  the  inspired  prophets  see  the  glories  of  the  house  of 
Peter,  centuries  before  the  coming  of  our  Lord.  But  it  is  only  the 
glories  of  Christ  himself.  For  as  the  agent,  the  minister  is  one 
with  he  who  sends  him,  so  the  Vicar  of  Christ  and  Christ  are  one, 
as  St.  Leo  says:  "He  united  him  with  himself  in  an  undivided 
unity,  and  wished  him  to  be  called  by  the  same  name,  saying 
''  Thou  art  Peter,"  etc.  '  "As  to  say  I  am  the  Rock— the  inde- 
structible stone  on  which  the  church  is  built,  I  will  make  thee  Sim- 
on The  Peter,  that  is  The  Rock  on  which  I  will  build  my  church, 
that  the  foundations  may  rest  unshaken  for  eternity,  and  not  be 
laid  on  the  changing  and  shifting  sands  of  worldly  teachings."  * 
For  the  church  was  to  be  built  so  that  "the  gates  of  hell  should  not 
prevail  against  it."  * 

Thus  numerous  other  diocese  fell  away  from  the  church,  they 
went  down  because  of  the  infidelity  of  the  people,  because  of  the 
sins  of  christians,  because  of  the  infidelity  of  pastors,  because  of 
the  misfortunes  of  politics,  because  of  the  horrors  of  war  and  of 
conquest,  as  seen  in  the  destruction  of  the  great  historic  churches 
of  the  East.  The  lamp  of  faith  which  once  burned  in  them  was 
taken  away  as,  St.  John  prophesies  in  his  Revelations.  The  Roman 
diocese  ever  stood  because  of  the  faith  of  Peter.  And  still  she 
stands  like  a  vast  pillar  of  light  to  the  nations,  her  feet  on  earth 
her  head  in  heaven,  tossed  by  storms  of  error  still  she  stands,  her 
head  upheld  in  heaven  by  the  Son  of  God,  who  said  that  "  The 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  her."  '  Christ  gave  to  Peter 
the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  the  heavens.  AVhat  a  wonderful  power 
to  open  or  lock  the  doors  of  heaven,  where  God  dwells  with  saints 
and  angels,  that  no  man  of  the  fallen  race  of  Adam  can  enter 
there  unless  Peter  opens  to  souls  suppliant  at  the  feet  of  Peter 
and  his  successors  in  the  See  of  Rome!  Who  does  not  wish  to 
go  to  heaven?  That  is  written  in  the  very  nature  of  men.  For 
all  seek  joy  *nd  happiness.  But  to  go  back  to  heaven  and 
leave  the  key  of  the  door  to  one  man,  that  is  v/onderful:  but 
that  Christ  did,  that  we  might  know  the  power  he  left  to  Peter, 
so  that  no  one  might  doubt  Peter's  authority  as  one  with  that  of 
Christ. 

>  Dan.  11.  "M,  3.5.  -  Isaias  11.  2.  '  Eplst.  x.  n.  4.  *  St.  Leo  Sermo  83  n.  I. 

5  Matt.  xxl.  18.  «    Malt.  xvl.  18. 


136  PETER  AVENT  FISHIKG. 

When  our  Lord  was  at  the  last  supper,  when  all  the  apostles 
were  at  the  table,  at  that  solemn  moment,  before  his  death  he 
said  to  Peter,  "  Simon,  Simon,  behold  satan  hath  desired  to  have 
you,  that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat.  But  I  have  prayed  for  thee 
that  thy  faith  fail  not,  and  thou  being  once  converted  confirm 
thy  brethren."  * 

In  the  Vulgate  and  other  Latin  versions  of  the  Gospel,  the  word 
which  is  translated:  'Miatli  desired  to  have  you,"  means  to  reach, 
seek  after,  desire  or  wish  to  get  you,  that  is  not  Peter  alone,  but 
all  tiie  apostles — you  being  the  plural  of  thee.  The  Greek  word 
used  by  St.  Luke  means  to  examine  into  you,  to  belong  to  or  re- 
view you,  to  join  you.  To  sift  you  all  as  wheat,  that  is  to  separate 
the  good  wheat  from  the  chaff  the  bad,  alluding  to  Judas  and 
those  who  fall  away  from  the  church.  Tlie  word  translated  "  thy 
faith"  in  the  Greek  is,  thy  faith  thy  trust,  belief,  faithfulness,  or 
means  of  persuasion  and  argument  over  others.  Such  are  the 
meanings  of  the  word  when  used  by  Plato,  Sophocles,  Aristotle,  &c. 
St.  Luke  uses  the  word  "pote,"  meaning  "and  when  thou  art  con- 
verted later  confirm  your  brothers."  He  gives  the  Greek 
*'sterizon,"  which  means  to  confirm  to  firmly  fix  like  the  fixed 
stars,*  to  make  the  other  apostles  immovable  in  the  faith.  What 
remarkable  words  to  show  that  Peter  is  to  be  the  converter,  the 
power  and  the  strength  of  the  apostles  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil. 

After  the  resurrection  and  before  the  ascension,  when  all  the 
apostles  gathered  at  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  Peter  said  he  was  going 
fishing.  The  other  apostles  said  they  would  go  with  him.  All 
night  they  fished  and  caught  nothing.  When  in  the  morning 
the  Lord  Jesus  came  he  told  Peter  to  cast  his  net  on  the  right 
hand  side  of  his  boat. 

"And  now  they  were  not  able  to  draw  it  for  the  multitude  of 
fishes.     Simon  Peter  went  up  and  drew  the  net  to  the  land  full 

of  great  fishes And  although  there  were  so  many,  the  net  was 

not  broken.  When  therefore  they  had  dined,  Jesus  said  to  Simon 
Peter,  Simon  son  of  John  lovest  thou  me  more  than  these?  He  said 
to  him:  Yea  Lord  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  He  said: 
Feed  my  lambs.  He  said  to  him  again.  Simon  son  of  John 
lovest  thou  me?  He  said  to  him:  Yea  Lord,  thou  knowest  that 
I  love  thee.  He  said  to  him:  Feed  my  lambs.  He  said  to  him 
the  third  time,  Simon  son  of  John  lovest  thou  me?  Peter  was 
grieved  because  he  said  to  him  the  third  time:  Lovest  thou  me? 
And  he  said  to  him:  Lord  thou  knowest  all  things,  thou  know- 
est that  I  love  thee.     He  said  to  him:     Feed  my  sheep." 

Such  was  the  triple  commission  given  by  St.  Jehn  an  eye-wit- 
ness. Nowhere  in  the  Scriptures  did  God  repeat  three  times  his 
orders.  But  this  Christ  did,  so  that  there  would  be  no  mistake, 
that  the  apostles  and  all  men  might  know  that  Peter  was 
appointed  the  head  of  the  apostolic  college,  the  ruler  of  the  sheep- 

>  Luke  zxil.  81.  82.  *  Arat.  280,  274. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  THE  GREEK  TESTAMENT.  137 

fold  of  Christ.  Twice  he  told  him  to  "  feed  his  lambs,"  the  laity, 
and  the  third  time  he  gave  him  power  to  feed  his  sheep,  the  other 
dioceses  and  churches,  the  motliers  of  his  laity  his  lambs.  Some 
Latin  versions  of  the  Testament  say  that  the  first  time,  Christ 
said,  "Feed  my  lambs"  and  the  two  last  times  he  said  ''Feed  my 
sheep."  ' 

But  the  full  beauties  of  Christ's  words  come  out  in  the  rich 
Greek  in  which  St.  John  wrote.  The  first  and  second  times 
that  Christ  asked  Peter  if  he  loved  him,  St.  John  uses  the  Greek 
"agaj^as"  which  means  to  treat  with  regard  and  affection.  In 
such  a  sense  Homer  and  the  other  Greek  writers  use  it. "  Xeno- 
phon  and  later  writers  use  the  word  to  mean  sexual  love  or  affec- 
tion. °  Xenophon  used  it  in  the  sense  of  being  satisfied  or  grati- 
fied with  any  one.  * 

In  the  three  replies  of  Peter  to  Christ,  the  Greek  Testament  says 
Peter  used  the  word  "Phileo."  The  Greek  authors  employ  this 
word  to  signify  the  love  of  the  gods  for  men,  or  to  express  the 
higest  kind  of  love.  *  As  the  ancients  knew  nothing  of  the  virtue 
of  charity,  which  is  the  love  of  God  above  all,  they  had  no  word 
to  express  so  sublime  a  virtue,  whence  charity  comes  from  earns, 
dear.  When  they  wished  to  express  the  highest  kind  of  love  the 
Greeks  used  the  verb  "phileo."  In  the  first  two  questions  Christ 
used  the  word  "agapas,"  expressing  friendship.  In  the  last  inter- 
rogation he  used  the  word  ''phileo"  expressing  the  highest  and  most 
sublime  love.  Thus  the  early  christians  used  to  gather  at  a  feast 
and  invite  their  friends  to  the  banquet,  and  they  called  these 
meetings,  their  love  feasts,  their  ''agapas."  Because  of  the  abuses 
at  these  feasts  at  which  they  celebrated  the  last  supper  or  the 
Mass,  St.  Paul  reproves  them.  ®  But  when  they  wished  to  express 
a  higher  and  more  sublime  love,  they  used  the  word  ''phileo." 
From  this  comes  philanthropy,  the  love  of  mankind,  philosophy 
the  love  of  learning  and  numerous  words  expressing  high  and 
pure  love. 

Each  time  Peter  replied  he  used  the  word  "phileo."  Now  we 
begin  to  see  the  beauties  of  the  Greek  Gospel  written  in  that 
language  by  the  beloved  apostle.  The  two  first  times  our  blessed 
Lord  asked  Peter,  doest  thou  love  me  with  the  love  of  friendship. 
Peter  replied  I  do  and  more  I  love  thee  with  charity,  the  highest 
kind  of  love,  higher  than  that  of  friendship.  The  last  time  Jesus 
said  to  him,  doest  thou  love  me  with  the  love  of  charity?  Peter 
saddened  because  his  Master  seems  to  doubt  him  replies,  I  love 
thee  with  the  love  of  charity.  ' 

But  there  are  other  beauties  in  the  Greek  which  neither  the 
Latin  nor  the  English  translations  show.  When  Our  blessed 
Lord  said  to  Peter  the  first  time,   "Feed  my  lambs,"  St.  John 

1  Novum  Testamentum  Ariae  Mont.  Vulg.  Vei-s.  Douay  Bible.&c.  ^  Od.  L.  C.  2.  224. 

^  Luc.  Jup.  Trap.  2.        ■•  Xen.  Mem.  I.  5,  4. 

«  lb.  2.  197  Od.  &  11.  146  &  15,  245  Soph.  Ant.  .54.3,  &c,  &c.  «  I.Cor.  11. 

'  See  the  Greek  Testament  of  St.  John  by  J.  Leusden,  published  by  Llpplncott,  Philadelphia, 
the  Greek  for  city  of  brotherly  love. 


138  "FEED  MY  LAMBS  FEED  MY  SHEEP." 

uses  a  Greek  word  for  lambs  which  has  no  nominative  case.  ' 
The  Greek  word  for  "  feed  "  means  to  nourish,  uphold,  support.  ' 
The  next  time  Christ  said  'Teed  my  lambs,  "  St  John  uses  the 
Greek  word  Poimaino,  signifying  to  herd,  cherish,  guide,  govern, 
conduct.  In  Hebrew  it  is  Rahah,  that  is  to  govern,  or  rule  as  a 
prince,  with  external  jurisdiction  and  authority.  In  Isaias,  Cyrus. 
King  of  Babj'lon,  is  called  by  the  name  rahah,  the  pastor  of  God. 
"  Who  say  to  Cyrus  :  Thou  art  my  shepherd.  "  '  In  the  same 
word  the  Acts  say  the  apostles  are  placed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
rule  the  church  of  God.  *  Homer  in  the  same  way  calls  Aga- 
memnon the  ruler  of  men.  The  Greek  Gospel  gives  each  time 
the  plural  case  for  sheepfold  in  the  second  and  third  orders  to  Pe- 
ter, so  that  Peter  received  the  power  to  feed,  rule  and  govern  the 
sheepfolds,  that  is  the  churches  of  Christ.  Besides  this  Christ 
used  three  distinct  words  for   lambs  and  sheep. 

But  that  is  not  all.  With  prophetic  eye  our  divine  Master  sees 
that  Peter  will  go  to  Eome,  there  establish  his  eternal  See  as  head 
and  ruler  of  his  everlasting  sheepfold,  that  there  he  will  stretch 
out  his  hands  like  him  upon  the  cross,  his  head  down,  thus  will 
he  die  at  Rome,  his  body  will  be  buried  on  the  Vatican  hill,  that 
Rome,  his  diocese,  may  receive  all  these  spiritual  powers  over  the 
universal  church  just  given  him,  and  that  his  successors  will  be  the 
rulers  of  the  people  of  God.  The  Son  of  God  continuing  says  to 
him. 

*'  Amen,  amen  I  say  to  thee,  when  thou  wast  younger,  thou  didst 
gird  thyself  and  did  walk  Avhere  thou  woiildst.  But  when  thou 
shalt  be  old,  thou  shalt  stretch  forth  thy  hands,  and  another  shall 
gird  thee,  and  lead  thee  whither  thou  wouldst  not.  And  this  he 
said  signifying  by  what  death  he  should  glorify  God.  And.  when 
he  had  said  this  he  said  to  him:     Follow  me."  ' 

Such  was  the  appointment  three  times  given  to  Peter,  by  which 
he  became  the  supreme  Shepherd  of  souls,  the  Vicar  of  Christ. 
*'  There  is  certainly  but  one  Shepherd,  and  one  sheepfold,  the 
church  of  Christ,  of  whom  Christ  is  the  supreme  Pastor  ruling  in 
heaven,  and  he  left  one  supreme  Vicar  on  earth,  in  whose  voice 
the  sheep  heard  the  words  of  Christ."' 

From  the  time  that  our  Lord  changed  his  name  from  Simon  to 
Peter,  the  latter  always  appeared  as  the  head  of  the  apostolic 
college.  In  the  Syro-Chaldaic  there  is  no  distinction  of  mascu- 
line and  feminine  words  as  in  the  Greek  and  Latin,  and  the  words 
of  Christ  were  "thou  art  no  more  Simon  but  The  Rock,  and  on 
thou  the  Rock,  I  will  build  my  church, "  etc.  From  that  time 
whenever  the  apostles  were  named  together,  Peter  was  always 
named  first.  He  alone  walked  upon  the  waters  with  the  Lord. 
To  him  the  Father  revealed  the  divinity  of  the  Son.  '  To  him 
alone  the  Saviour  said  "  On  this  Rock  I  will  build  mv  church  and 
the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it,  "  '  while  he  says  noth- 

>  Boske  ta  arnia.  *  See  Homer  Od.  11.  865.        *  Isaias  zllT.  2&  *  Acts  xx.  28 

*  Jobn  xxl.  18, 19.         •  Plus  vl.  Bref.  Super  Solid.  ^  Matt.  xvl.  16.  «  Matt.  xvl.  18. 


PETERS    FIRST  WORKS.  139 

ing  about  the  other  churches  or  dioceses  represented  by  the  apos- 
tles. As  St.  Augustine  says,  "  He  is  the  Rock  and  the  proud 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  conquer  him." 

To  Peter  alone  our  Redeemer  said  that  whatever  he  should  bind 
upon  earth  it  would  be  bound  in  heaven.  When  he  said  the  same 
to  all  the  apostles,  he  meant  that  when  the  apostles  and  bishops  of 
the  world  met  in  council  with  Peter  and  his  successors  at  their 
head,  that  the  laws  they  would  make  for  the  church  universal, 
would  bind  the  consciences  of  men  before  God  in  heaven.  The 
blessed  Lord  went  into  Peter's  boat  and  told  him  to  put  down  his 
net,  when  he  caught  a  miraculous  lot  of  fish.  Christ  prayed  alone 
for  Peter  at  the  last  supper,  that  his  faith  might  be  fixed  so  he 
might  confirm  the  others.  To  Peter  he  first  appeared  after  his 
ascension,  before  he  showed  himself  to  any  of  the  other  apostles. 
As  St.  Augustine  says  he  first  washed  the  feet  of  Peter.  To  him 
alone  he  first  revealed  his  death  and  resurrection.  ' 

Peter  called  the  apostles  together  that  they  might  elect  a  suc- 
cessor to  Judas.  After  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  Peter 
first  spoke  in  defence  of  the  others.  At  his  first  sermon  3,000 
<!onverts  joined  the  church.  He  worked  the  first  miracle  by  heal- 
ing the  lame  man  at  the  gate  Beautiful.  St.  Chrysostom  says  that 
after  the  resurrection,  Peter  passed  from  church  to  church  visit- 
ing all  as  their  universal  bishop.  He  exposed  the  hypocrisy  and 
lying  of  Ananias  and  Saphira  who  at  his  word  fell  dead.  *  To 
him  at  Joppa  God  revealed  that  the  Gentiles  had  been  called 
to  the  faith.  ^  When  he  was  thrown  into  prison,  the  whole 
church  prayed  for  him,  as  they  recognized  in  him  their  supreme 
Pastor,  *  which  was  not  done  when  James  or  Stephen  were  arrested. 
At  the  first  council  of  Jerusalem j  the  voice  of  Peter  decided 
points  of  dispute.  To  him  St.  Paul  came  to  give  an  account  of 
his  labors.  °  The  traditions  of  the  church  carry  out  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Scriptures  regarding  the  supreme  apostolate  of  Peter. 

Having  raised  Peter  from  the  ranks  of  the.  other  apostles  up  to 
the  same  supreme  spiritual  power  with  himself,  after  having 
made  him  his  Vicar  or  the  principal  minister  of  his  eternal 
jurisdiction  with  authority  over  the  universal  church,  there  is  but 
one  ruling  power  in  the  church,  that  is  the  government  of  Christ 
himself,  who  bore  to  earth  all  the  power  and  might  he  received 
from  his  Father  with  his  divine  nature.  "All  power  is  given  me 
in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  na- 
tions. He  that  heareth  you  heareth  me.  As  the  Father  hath 
sent  me  so  I  also  send  you,  he  that  heareth  me  heareth  him  that 
sent  me.  "  That  was  his  commission  to  the  whole  church  given 
the  persons  of  the  apostles.  They  were  the  first  bishops  and  rul- 
ers of  the  different  dioceses  or  spiritual  states,  of  which  these 
apostles  were  to  become  the  first  governors  and  rulers.  Later 
in  the  church,  the  bishops  had  under  them  the  priests  and    min- 

>  John  xxi.  2  Acts  v.  '  Acts  x.  ■•  Acts  xii.  «  Gal.  1. 


140  A    CENTRALIZED     GOVERNMENT. 

isters  attached  to  the  parishes  or  counties,  into  which  the  dioceses 
are  now  divided. 

But  a  centralized  and  overshadowing  power  was  required  to 
bind  all  these  apostles  or  bishops,  with  their  dioceses  or  spiritual 
states  into  one  kingdom  and  empire.  For  if  there  were  no  su- 
preme ruling  government,  to  which  the  other  diocese  would  belong 
and  from  which  they  would  be  born,  there  would  not  be  one 
church,  but  as  many  churches  as  dioceses.  Christ  saw  the  mis- 
fortunes of  divided  churches.  To  unite  them  he  takes  Peter  from 
the  ranks  of  the  apostles,  he  raises  him  up  to  himself  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  his  church,  he  gives  him  his  authority  over  the  other 
churches  and  pastors.  But  he  does  not  leave  Peter  or  his  suc- 
cessors to  rule  by  arbitrary  power.  They  must  follow  the  con- 
stitution of  the  church  given  in  the  Bible  and  in  tradition,  as  the 
president  must  follow  the  laws.  Peter  then  and  his  successors  ar- 
under  the  law,  which  Christ  gave  to  his  church,  as  Christ  him- 
self follows  the  eternal  principles  relating  to  his  Personality  and 
his  nature  received  from  his  Father. 

The  agent  has  full  power  from  the  one  who  appoints  him  to  do 
business  for  him.  The  prime  minister,  the  chief  minister  of  the 
congress  or  parliaments  of  kingly  governments,  the  cabinet  min- 
isters at  Washington  have  full  power  with  their  chief  to  bind  the 
subjects  of  the  king,  or  the  people  of  the  whole  nation.  In  the 
same  way  Peter,  and  his  heirs  in  his  See  of  Rome,  received  from 
Christ  full  power  to  bind  Christ  in  their  official  acts.  The  official 
acts  of  the  Pope  are  the  acts  of  Christ.  What  he  binds  or  loosens, 
Christ  ratifies,  binds  and  loosens  in  heaven.  For  in  the  nation, 
in  the  kingdom,  in  the  church,  there  are  not  many  but  one  gov- 
ernment. There  is  but  one  authority  in  the  church,  the  author- 
ity of  Christ.  But  worldly  governments  are  built  on  the  moving 
sands  of  politics.  T'hey  rise  and  fall,  they  come  and  go  and  change, 
according  to  the  changed  condition  of  those  nations,  whom  God 
gives  the  power  of  electing  their  rulers.  But  the  church  of  God 
is  as  perpetual,  while  the  human  race  lasts  as  the  nature  of  the  Deity 
from  whom  it  comes  through  Christ  to  Peter,  and  by  him  to  his 
successors  in  his  everlasting  See,  built  on  the  Rock  of  eternity, 
Christ  our  Redeemer  and  our  blessed  Lord.  "  As  Christ  received 
the  fulness  of  power  from  his  Father,  all  this  he  gave  to  Peter 
and  to  liis  successors  "  says  St.  Cyril.    ' 

The  ruler  both  in  religion  and  in  politics  governs,  not  for  him- 
self but  for  the  good  and  for  the  prosperity  of  his  subjects.  Christ 
died  not  for  himself  but  for  us.  He  founded  the  church  for  our 
salvation.  He  consecrated  bishops,  he  ordained  priests,  he  sent 
them  forth  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  He  appointed  Peter  liead 
of  the  Church  for  the  union  and  the  welfare  of  the  church.  Su- 
periors in  the  church  rule  in  and  by  the  name  of  Christ,  ever  seek- 
ing the  salvation  of  immortal  souls  purchased  by  his  blood.    Kings 

>  Bib.  Tbesur.  quoted  by  St.  Thomas,  Opus.  I.  C  xxxll.  Suarez  L.  111.  de  prim.  Rom.  PonUff 
0.175. 


142  THE  HUMAX  AND  DIVINE   ELEMENTS. 

and  presidents  rule  by  the  authority  of  God,  for  there  is  no  au- 
thority but  from  God,  coming  from  him  as  the  Creator  to  the  peo- 
ple, who  elect  their  civil  rulers,  or  coming  from  him  as  the  Kedeem- 
er  into  the  church.  But  civil  power  rests  in  the  people  to 
whom  God  gave  the  power  of  ruling  and  they  delegate  it  to  the 
civil  authorities,  but  church  authority  comes  down  direct  from 
God  the  Son  to  the  clergy,  and  it  does  not  pass  through  the  peo- 
ple. The  church  is  the  supernatual  act  of  God  working  the  won- 
ders of  the  Holy  Trinity  in  men.  Therefore  while  politics  are  sub- 
ject to  the  changes  of  opinions,  while  thrones  tremble  and  fall, 
while  people  throw  off  forms  of  government  and  establish  others, 
the  church  is  eternal  as  God  who  created  it,  as  the  last  and  most 
wonderful  of  his  creations.  From  this  it  follows  that  the  See  of 
Peter  has  stood  the  test  of  time.  No  royal  house,  no  government 
on  earth  can  be  compared  to  the  Papacy,  which  stood  by  and  saw 
the  birth  of  all  the  governments  and  nations,  which  goes  back  to 
days  of  the  apostles,  and  the  Popes  will  be  here  at  the  death  and 
burial  of  every  government  of  the  earth,  for  it  is  the  Rock  of  ages, 
the  Eternal  See. 

Christ  came  as  God  and  man,  his  two  natures  being  united  in 
the  one  Personality  of  the  divine  Son,  the  Word  of  God.  He 
founded  his  church  having  the  very  same  double  nature,  compos- 
ed of  both  human  and  divine  elements.  Christ  came  as  the  Truth 
of  the  Father.  All  truth  he  received  of  the  Father  he  gave  to  the 
church.  The  truths  God  revealed  to  the  human  race  are  in  the 
Bible  and  in  the  traditions  of  Christianity  and  they  form  the  ever- 
lasting unchangeable  constitution  of  the  church.  The  Holy  Spirit 
ever  proceeding  from  Christ  and  from  the  Father,  ever  speaks  by 
the  mouth  of  Peter  in  the  See  of  Rome. — There  are  the  divine  ele- 
ments of  the  church.  The  human  elements  are  the  members  of 
the  human  race,  the  baptized  laity,  the  ordained  priesthood,  the 
consecrated  bishops,  the  sublime  Papac}'.  But  while  the  divine 
elements  of  the  church,  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the  eternal  truths  re- 
vealed to  man,  remain  the  same,  for  they  are  either  God  or  his 
eternal  truth,  the  human  elements  being  formed  of  men,  they  bear 
the  imperfections  of  the  creature.  Men  are  sinful,  liable  to  fall 
away  from  the  light  which  comes  down  from  God  through  Jesus 
Christ.  We  must  not  then  be  surprised  to  find  that  sometimes 
the  clergy  fall  from  the  church  or  give  scandal,  for  "it  must  be 
that  scandal  cometh  "  '  owing  to  the  weakness  of  men.  Only  in 
their  official  function  do  the  clergy  bind  Christ.  Every  official 
act  of  any  clergyman  binds  Christ,  for  whom  they  act  as  his  agents, 
his  ministers.  In  their  private  life  their  acts  belong,  not  to  Christ, 
but  to  themselves,  and  if  they  sin  they  sin  as  private  men.  But 
the  Pope  being  so  closely  united  to  Christ,  his  faith  fails  not 
because  our  Redeemer  prayed  for  Peter,  that  his  faith  fail  not. 
Hence  nothing  so  disturbs  the  church  as  an  attack  on  the  Papacy. 

■  Matt,  zrlli.  7. 


CHRIST  HAS  TWO  BODIES.  143 

*'If  the  See  of  Peter  is  shaken  the  whole  episcopacy  is  disturbed  '* 
say  the  ancient  bishops  of  France."  ' 

Such  then  is  that  supreme  authority,  that  wonderful  power  of 
ruling  and  administrating  the  whole  constitution,  which  our  bles- 
sed Kedeemer  gave  to  Peter,  and  through  him  to  the  Popes  and  to 
the  church.  From  the  da^'s  of  the  apostles,  the  whole  church 
obeyed  him  as  the  supreme  ruler  of  the  people  of  God. 

By  holy  orders  Christ  ordained  ministers,  priests  and  bishops. 
By  that  he  gave  tliem  power  over  his  real  body.  He  made  them 
the  ministers  of  the  sacraments,  for  the  healing  of  the  nations, 
for  the  salvation  of  souls,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  for  the  exer- 
cise of  his  eternal  Priesthood.  There  is  the  substance  of  a  holy 
power,  which  acts  in  the  souls  of  men,  spreading  and  scattering  ta 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  the  salvation  bought  by  Christ  upon  the 
cross.  But  each  substance,  each  thing  acts  according  to  the  laws 
of  its  being.  So  the  powers  of  holy  orders,  which  Christ  left  in  the 
world,  must  act  in  saving  men  according  to  the  church  laws.  The 
right  of  administering  the  powers  received  by  holy  orders  belongs 
to  jurisdiction.  Then  jurisdiction  gives  the  right  to  exercise  the 
powers  of  holy  orders  over  the  people  of  God,  who  compose  the 
body  of  Christ  his  holy  church. 

For  Christ  has  not  only  his  natural  body,  born  of  his  mother 
Mai'y,  but  he  has  another  body,  born  of  him  in  death,  his  mystic 
body,  his  church,  formed  of  living  stones  and  timbers,  his  christian 
people,  born  of  him  by  the  waters  of  baptism  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  power  of  ruling  souls  is  called  jurisdiction.  Thus 
each  government  has  supreme  jurisdiction,  that  is  the  power  of 
making  laws,  of  interpreting  its  laws  and  of  enforcing  its  laws- 
They  are  the  legislative,  the  judicial  and  the  executive  powers  or 
branches  of  the  government.  Congress  makes  laws,  the  supreme 
court  interprets  law,  and  the  president  puts  them  in  force.  Christ 
gave  these  three  elements  of  jurisdiction  to  Peter,  from  whom 
they  descended  to  his  successors  in  the  See  of  Kome.  The  Pope 
then  is  the  source  of  jurisdiction  for  the  whole  church,  as  the 
bishop  is  the  source  of  holy  orders  for  the  diocese.  In  him  cen- 
ters the  legislative,  the  judicial,  and  the  executive  departments  of 
the  government  of  the  church. 

The  foundation  of  all  spiritual  authority  in  the  church  is  the 
commission  given  her  by  Christ,  given  direct  by  God  by  the  laying 
on  of  the  hands  of  tlie  bishop.  Any  bishop  can  ordain  or  conse- 
crate a  bishop,  for  one  of  the  perfections  of  living  beings  is  to 
bring  forth  another  like  himself.  For  Christ  is  the'head  of  every 
diocese,  as  well  as  he  is  the  head  of  the  church  universal.  Each 
diocese  then  is  incomplete  church  a  spiritual  state  living  within  the 
bosom  of  the  universal  church  her  mother.  But  while  the  source 
of  universal  jurisdiction  is  the  universal  church,  as  the  bishop  is 
the  source  of  holy  orders,  the  Bishop  of  Eome,  the  visible  head  of 
the  universal  church,  becomes  the  Vicar  of  Christ.     Christ  is  the 

>  Sr.  Arvit.  Epis.  Lab.  T.  IV.  col.  1363. 


144  PETER  THE  HEAD  OF  JURISDICTION. 

head  and  fountain  of  both  holy  orders  and  of  jurisdiction,  the 
exercise  of  holy  orders.  Therefore  no  bishop  or  pastor  can  exer- 
cise his  orders  without  the  consent  of  the  Pope,  whom  Christ  ap- 
pointed in  the  person  of  Peter  to  feed  his  lambs  and  sheep  belong- 
ing to  his  whole  flock. 

The  agent,  the  Vicar,  the  prime  minister,  being  one  and  the 
same  moral  person  with  the  one  who  appoints  him,  it  follows  that 
the  Pope  is  one  and  the  same  power  with  Christ.  He  rules  the 
bishops  of  the  whole  church,  as  the  bishop  governs  the  pastors  and 
priests  of  the  diocese.  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  diocese,  and  the 
bishop  is  but  the  image  of  him,  the  bishop  of  our  souls.  But  to 
keep  the  church  one,  with  one  the  same  jurisdiction  over  all 
the  churches  of  the  world,  he  chose  Peter  as  the  rock,  the  founda- 
tion-stone on  which  to  build  that  structure  of  eternity,  that  the 
gates  of  error  might  not  prevail  against  her,  that  he  might  rule 
and  govern  her  by  the  laws  and  the  constitution,  which  at  her  founda- 
tion he  laid  down.  In  raising  a  bishop,  the  head  of  holy  orders, 
up  to  be  one  in  spiritual  and  supreme  power  with  himself,  Christ 
crowned  the  episcopal  order  with  the  authority  of  jurisdiction  over 
the  church,  giving  her  the  same  power  and  authority  he  had  received 
from  his  Father.  The  Pope  then  is  the  Vicar  of  Christ  his  chief 
minister.  In  him  the  church  receives  her  crown.  This  is  why 
we  give  such  honors  to  the  Pope,  for  he  is  the  Vicar  of  the  Re- 
deemer, and  to  Christ  all  honors  belong  and  go  back  to  our  Eedeemer 
when  offered  to  his  Vicar. 

The  constitution  of  the  church  is  the  work  of  Christ.  For  he 
came  not  only  to  die  for  men,  but  also  to  organize  his  church,  that 
she  might  shower  the  benefits  of  his  redemption  to  every  son  and 
daughter  of  Adam,  so  that  his  saving  graces  and  the  benefits  of  his 
death  might  save  all  coming  generations  to  the  end  of  time.  The 
church  then  takes  the  place  of  Christ,  who  at  the  resurrection  finished 
his  work.  *'Ihave  finished  the  work  which  thou  hast  given 
me  to  do.*'  *  That  work  he  ended  was  the  redemption  of  the 
race,  and  the  founding  of  the  church.  He  was  first  the  teacher 
of  the  human  race,  and  the  church  is  the  teacher  of  mankind. 

As  the  Pope  is  one  with  Christ,  so  he  is  first  the  teacher  of  the 
world  in  the  place  of  our  Lord,  for  Christ  teaches  by  and  through 
him,  his  Vicar.  Christ  cannot  teach  error,  for  God  can  neither 
deceive  nor  be  deceived.  If  the  Pope  would  teach  error  in  his 
office,  as  Vicar  of  Christ,  Christ  himself  who  would  teach  falsity 
through  his  Vicar,  and  God  would  deceive  the  human  race  in  the 
most  important  things  of  life,  the  salvation  of  immortal  souls. 
Then  the  Lord  by  his  Holy  Spirit  in  the  church  speaks  to  the  world 
by  the  mouth  of  the  chief  minister  of  the  church  the  Pope.  That 
is  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope. 

The  Pope  being  the  Vicar  of  Christ  and  his  chief  minister,  it 
follows  that  he  has  all  the  power  of  Christ  over  all  the  children  of 
God  born  to  Christ  by  the  waters  of  baptism.    **  All  power  is  given 

*  Jobn  ZTil.  4. 


PETEE    IS    ONE    WITH    CHRIST.  145 

me  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth.'' '  '^  As  the  Father  hath  sent  me  so  I 
also  send  you.  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations/'  "com- 
manding them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you,  and  behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even  to  the  consummation 
of  the  world." " 

The  Pope  then,  the  Vicar  of  Christ  has  the  very  same  power  as 
Christ.  For  the  agent  has  the  same  power  as  the  one  who  appoints 
him.  Christ  having  redemeed  all  men,  it  follows  that  he  has  direct 
and  complete  authority  over  all  christians.  For  this  reason  the 
Vatican  Council  defined:  "If  any  one  says  that  the  Roman  Pon- 
tiff has  only  an  office  of  inspection,  or  direction,  but  not  a  full  and 
supreme  jurisdiction  over  the  church  universal,  not  only  in  things 
which  belong  to  faith  and  morals,  but  also  in  things  relating  to 
discipline,  and  which  belong  to  the  church  scattered  over  all  the 
earth,  or  that  he  has  only  the  larger  part,  but  not  the  fulness 
of  this  supreme  power,  or  that  this  his  power  is  not  ordinary  or 
direct  in  each  and  every  church,  and  over  each  and  all  the  pastors 
and  faithful,  let  him  be  an  anathema."' 

It  is  evident  that  the  Papacy  was  to  last  till  the  end  of  time.  For 
without  the  supremacy  of  the  bishop  of  Rome  over  all  the  other 
bishops  and  churches  of  the  earth,  the  whole  church  would  in  a 
few  years  divide  and  split  up  into  many  sects  and  churches.  This 
we  see  among  those  religious  sects,  who  at  different  times  fell 
away  from  the  church  universal.  For  the  Papacy,  being  one  with 
Christ,  speaking,  teaching  and  ruling  in  his  name,  it  follows  that 
by  and  through  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the  whole  church  derives  its 
whole  unity  power  life  and  strength.  Then  all  jurisdiction  over 
the  fountains  of  grace  and  salvation  comes  down  from  him  "the 
Father  of  lights,"  into  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  into  his  Vicar 
into  all  the  members  of  his  mystic  body  the  church,  scattered  over 
all  the  earth.  As  without  the  head^  the  body  dies,  so  the  church 
visible  cannot  be  separated  from  her  visible  head  the  Bishop  of  the 
Roman  diocese. 

Christ  first  founded  the  church  universal  in  the  persons  of 
Peter,  the  apostles,  the  priests  and  the  ministers  he  ordained. 
To  the  apostles  as  the  first  bishops  he  gave  the  constitution  of  the 
church,  the  fundamental  principles  of  faith,  the  primary  truths 
of  the  christian  religion.  Under  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
these  fundamental  doctrines  have  developed  into  the  vast  organi- 
zation of  the  church,  which  astonishes  all  men  who  study  her 
constitution.  Christ  consecrated  the  apostles  universal  bishops  of 
the  universal  church,  appointing  them  to  no  particular  cities. 
To  St.  James,  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  the  apostles  fix  the  title 
of  his  see,  when  they  gave  him  the  care  of  the  church  at  Jerusa- 
lem." Then  the  apostles  were  at  first  missionary  bishops.  Peter 
chose  Rome  as  his  See,  the  seat  of  his  labors.  When  the  other 
apostles  died,  their  universal  apostolate   died  with  them,  as  St. 

»  Matt,  xxviii.  18.  2  jjatt.  xxviil.  19,20.  »  Vatican  Council,  Sess.  Iv.  Caput.  111. 

*  Butler's  lives  of  the  Saints,  St  James. 


146  THK  POPE  THE  HEIR  OF  PETER. 

James  excepted,  they  had  no  titular  episcopal  sees.  But  the  su- 
preme apostolate  of  Peter  remained  in  the  Roman  diocese.  It 
devolved  on  his  successor,  and  lives  in  him  to  this  day.  That  it 
why  it  is  called  the  Apostolic  See.  Then  Peter  and'  James  ex- 
cepted, the  apostles  had  no  fixed  sees  or  episcopal  cities  and  titles. 
When  a  bishop  without  a  title  dies  at  the  present  time,  his  authority 
falls  back  into  the  universal  church  to  which  he  belonged,  while 
when  a  bishop  dies,  who  has  the  title  to  an  episcopal  see,  his  suc- 
cessor in  that  see  becomes  his  heir  to  all  the  spiritual  authority  he 

As  the  family  honors  and  the  wealth  of  the  husband  at  death 
belong  to  his  wife  and  family,  so  the  spiritual  riches  of  the  bishop 
remain  in  his  church  his  diocese,  of  he  has  the  title,  or  when  he 
has  no  diocese,  they  go  back  from  whence  they  came  to  the  church 
universal,  to  which  Avhile  living  he  belonged.  The  successor  then 
of  the  bishop  consecrated  to  a  see,  acquires  all  the  honors,  digni- 
ties, jurisdiction  and  power  attached  to  the  see  over  which  he  pre- 
sides, unless  the  Holy  See  otherwise  disposes,  for  they  are  local, 
attached  to  the  see,  and  not  personal,  belonging  only  to  and  dy- 
ing with  the  bishop.  Thus  the  bishop  consecrated  to  an  archi- 
episcopal  see,  by  that  becomes  an  archbishop,  with  authority  over 
the  bishops  and  churches  in  the  province,  over  which  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  archidiocese  extends.  From  this  it  follows  that  the 
clergyman  elected  to  the  See  of  Rome,  at  that  moment  receives 
direct  from  God  universal  authority  and  jurisdiction  over  all  the 
churches  of  the  earth.  For  he  is  the  heir  and  the  successor  of 
Peter,  whom  Christ  made  his  Vicar  to  "  feed  his  lambs."  to  '*  feed 
his  sheep."  By  his  union  with  the  Roman  diocese  Peter  made 
her  one  with  himself.  There  he  labored  and  there  he  died,  that 
there  might  be  no  dispute  about  his  heir  and  successor.  These 
principles  were  so  well  known  by  the  apostolic  men,  that  there  was 
no  disputes  in  the  early  church  about  the  successor  of  Peter  the 
Fisherman.  They  all  looked  to  the  Roman  Bishops  as  the  suc- 
cessors of  Peter. 

Here  we  see  the  deep  designs  of  God,  who  reigns  in  history. 
The  guiding  Providence  of  the  Almighty  is  with  the  great  move- 
ments of  the  human  race,  but  his  designs  do  not  at  first  appear  to 
the  eyes  of  men.  He  chose  Abraham  to  be  the  father  of  those 
who  believed,  that  the  first  revelation  given  to  Adam  might  not 
be  lost  to  the  world,  but  that  it  might  be  preserved  by  the  Jews. 
He  selected  Moses,  that  the  Israelites  might  not  be  lost  among  the 
pagan  nations.  The  functions  of  the  priesthood  he  gave  to  the 
tribe  of  Levi,  and  the  government  of  his  people  to  the  family  of 
David  for  300  years,  while  the  members  of  the  family  of  Aaron 
were  the  high  priests  of  the  Old  Law.  Jesus  Christ  was  born  of 
these.  The  blood  of  Abraham,  of  Moses,  of  I^evi,  of  Aaron  and  of 
David  flowed  in  his  veins,  for  he  was  to  be  the  Prophet  Priest  and 
King  over  all  the  members  of  his  church,  the  Kingdom  of  God. 
In  the  same  manner  the  light  of  ancient  civilization  first  rose  over 


ROME  MISTEESS  OF  PAGANISM.  147 

Egypt,  because  of  the  children  of  Israel,  who  dwelled  within  its 
confines.  The  empire  of  Babylon  lived  to  preserve  the  records  of 
the  captive  Jews.  The  empire  of  Alexander  spread  over 
Greece,  Egypt,  Syria,  Palestine  and  Mesopotamia,  to  scatter  the 
Greek  language  and  spread  the  Bible  into  pagan  nations,  for  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles  who  preached  and  wrote  in  Greek. 

Following  the  same  providential  designs,  with  a  mighty  hand 
the  Lord  God  had  beforehand  prepared  the  foundations  of  the 
•city,  which  was  to  be  the  seat  of  the  Papacy.  When  the  finger 
of  God  shaped  the  shores  of  the  continents,  he  dug  the  deep 
channel  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea  between  Europe  and  Africa, 
so  as  to  give  free  access  to  the  very  heart  of  the  old  continent, 
while  by  an  upheaval  of  a  geological  era,  the  Italian  continent  rose 
from  the  bosom  of  the  deep  giving  free  access  on  every  side. 

'•Between  the  Tyrehenean  Sea  and  the  dark  summits  of  the  Ap- 
pennine  mountains,  a  handful  of  brigands  had  built  their  cabins 
around  the  hills.  In  digging  the  first  foundations  for  their  ram- 
parts, they  found  a  bloody  head,  and  the  oracle  declared  that  the 
city  would  become  the  head  of  the  world.'"  Such  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  foundations  of  Eome,  a  city  which,  with  the  glories  of 
her  sons,  fills  history,  and  attains  the  highest  eminence  in  the 
christian  civilization.  Eome  the  city  of  the  seven  hills  grew 
and  conquered  all  her  enemies.  She  sent  her  valiant  soldiers  to 
every  clime,  and  victory  after  victory  crowned  their  wonderful 
discipline.  At  first  a  republic,  it  was  later  changed  into  an  em- 
pire. At  the  time  of  Christ,  tlie  Roman  empire  had  spread  from 
the  frozen  regions  of  the  north,  to  the  burning  sands  of  Africa, 
and  from  the  Straits  of  Gibralter  to  the  rivers  of  India.  The 
Eoman  soldiers  had  overrun  the  world  and  brought  nearly  every 
nation  of  the  earth,  bowed  and  suppliant  to  the  feet  of  the  Cassars. 
The  worship  of  every  false  god,  the  peculiar  religious  ceremonial 
of  every  pagan  nation  came  with  conquered  kings  and  peoples, 
chained  to  the  chariot  of  the  victorious  Eoman  generals,  till 
Eome  became  the  seat  of  the  worship  of  every  superstitious  race. 
The  wealth  of  empires,  the  learning  of  Greece,  the  civilization  of 
Egypt,  the  traditions  of  India,  the  pagan  might  and  power  of  the 
«arth  came  to  Eome  with  her  victorious  armies.  -At  the  preach- 
ing of  the  apostles,  Eome  was  the  heart  of  the  universe,  pulsating 
with  the  very  life  of  the  ancient  world. 

But  the  Providence  of  God  had  prepared  her  for  a  still  higher 
and  a  nobler  destiny,  and  the  city  of  the  seven  hills,  the  mistress 
of  the  world,  was  to  receive  a  power,  of  which  her  former  great- 
ness was  but  the  shadow.  Christ  took  Peter,  a  poor  ignorant  and 
uncultured  fisherman  of  Galilee,  made  him  his  Vicar  on  earth, 
gave  him  his  power,  the  Keys  of  his  mighty  spiritual  kingdom, 
and  sent  him  forth  as  the  Father  in  heaven  had  sent  him.  Fear 
not  Peter  the  Lord  is  with  thee.  Thou  and  thy  heirs  shall  save 
Eome  from  the  fate  of  Babylon  and  of  the  mighty  empires,  which 

1  Lacordalre,  Conferences  on  the  Church,  4.  con.  8. 


148  AV AS  PETER  BISHOP  OF  ANTIOCH? 

have  fallen.  By  you  Rome  will  become  the  eternal  city.  Why  did 
not  Peter  set  up  his  imperial  Chair  at  Jerusalem,  the  capital  of 
Judea?  From  the  words  of  Christ,  from  the  prophecies  of  the 
Old  Testament,  by  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  Peter  knew 
that  the  Jews  were  rejected  for  crucifying  their  God,  and  that 
like  Cain  they  were  to  wander  over  the  earth  till  the  end  of  time 
with  the  blood  of  their  brother  Christ  upon  them.  Knowing  the 
calling  of  the  gentiles,  Peter  turned  towards  Rome,  that  in  the 
city  of  idolatry  he  might  destroy  the  pagan  religions  there 
enthroned.  Peter  was  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  he  came 
to  the  imperial  city  and  there  he  fixed  his  See.  Because  of  the 
Jewish  religion,  and  because  of  the  life  and  death  of  Christ,  Jer- 
usalem is  called  the  "  Mother  of  Churches."  It  was  the  first 
diocese  erected  in  the  world.  Like  a  wise  and  careful  general  grad- 
ually advancing  on  the  breastworks  of  the  enemy,  St.  Peter  ad- 
vanced carefully  on  Rome  the  Mistress  of  the  world.  He  stopped  for 
seven  years  at  Antioch,  to  survey  from  afar  the  seat  of  his  empire, 
the  See  of  Rome,  the  mother  diocese  of  the  christian  world.  Yearly 
the  Church  celebrates  the  Feast  of  "  The  Chair  of  Peter  at  Antioch." 

But  was  Peter  ever  the  real  titular  bishop  of  Antioch,  as  he 
was  of  Rome.  We  think  not.  An  old  tradition  of  the  Greeks  of 
Asia  Minor  says,  that  the  Lord  appeared  to  Peter  in  the  night  and 
said:  "Arise  Peter  and  take  possession  of  the  West.  It  wants 
thee.  Show  them  the  light  of  thy  face,  and  I  will  be  with  thee."' 
St.  Gregory  says  he  never  sat  as  bishop  of  Antioch,  but  that  he 
stopped  at  the  latter  city  only  for  a  time,  on  his  famous  journey  to 
Rome.  *  Pope  Innocent  holds  that  he  only  lived  there  tempor- 
arily, that  it  was  only  his  residence,  that  he  never  assumed  the 
episcopal  title  of  that  city,  no  more  than  he  took  the  title  of  Jeru- 
salem, where  he  also  lived  for  some  years  during  his  first  apos- 
tolate,  and  that  his  title  was  only  completed  at  Rome.' 

For  some  years  before  their  final  separation,  the  apostles  made 
Jerusalem  their  home.  According  to  St.  Leo,  when  they  began 
their  labors,  they  divided  the  whole  known  world,  giving  each  one 
his  part.  Some  authors  say  our  Lord  gave  the  church  at  Jerusa- 
lem into  the  care  of  St.  James.  His  was  the  first  episcopal  title 
and  the  model  of  all  the  others.  Then  the  episcopal  titles  were 
established  by  the  Redeemer  himself. 

Peter  lived  for  seven  years  at  Antioch,  overseeing  all  the  other 
churches  of  Asia.  There  he  established  the  first  Archiepiscopal 
See.  Before  he  left  for  Rome  he  consecrated  his  beloved  disciple 
Evodius  bishop  of  Antioch  giving  him  charge  of  the  churches  of 
Asia.  But  Peter,  so  say  the  best  writers,  was  never  the  titular 
bishop  of  Antioch.  He  was  still  a  missionary  bishop,  waiting  till 
Providence  prepared  the  way  for  him  to  take  possession  of  his  own 
See  of  Rome.  We  must  understand  that  the  Pope  can  be  at  the 
same  time  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  rule  other  dioceses,  for  he  is 

■  Apud  Boland  T.  xxvii.  p.  877.  *  L.  vii.  Epi«t.  xl.  ad  EulOR. 

^  I.  Epist  xxiv.  ad  Alex.  Antiocb. 


STS.   PETER  AND  PAUL.  149 

the  Vicar  of  Christ,  with  universal  jurisdiction.  Thus  Pope  Leo 
IX.  was  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  at  the  same  time  ruled  the  diocese  of 
Toul,  and  for  seventy  years  the  Popes  lived  at  Avignon  as  bishops 
of  the  latter  place  yet  being  at  the  same  time  Bishops  of  Eome. 

To  better  understand  the  nature  of  the  Papacy,  we  must  remem- 
ber that  Christ  has  supreme  and  direct  authority  over  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  church.  The  Pope  being  his  Vicar,  he  has  the  same 
authority  as  Christ  himself.  Therefore  the  Pope  is  the  supreme 
Bishop  over  the  whole  world  as  the  Vatican  Council  declares.  * 
Peter  exercised  direct  episcopal  functions  at  Jerusalem,  at  Antioch 
at  Joppa  and  at  other  places,  as  seen  in  the  Acts.  He  presided 
at  the  council  of  Jerusalem.  He  chose  an  apostle  in  the  place  of 
Judas.  He  ordained  the  deacons.  He  condemned  Ananias  and 
Saphira.  He  did  all  that  without  trampling  on  the  rights  of 
James,  the  bishop  of  Jerusalem.  ''  After  the  ascension  of  our 
Lord,  he  held  the  priestly  chair  for  four  years,  then  he  came  to 
Antioch  after  having  overcome  Simon  Magus  at  Samaria,  then  at 
Antioch  he  erected  his  pontifical  Chair,  which  he  held  for  seven 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  came  to  Rome,  and  worthily  he 
presided  over  the  Roman  church  for  twenty-five  years,  seven 
months  and  eight  days."  "* 

It  was  customary  in  these  times  to  write  on  the  dyptics,  or 
official  Records,  the  names  of  those  who  founded  the  church,  besides 
the  names  of  the  different  pastors  or  bishops  of  the  see.  In  that 
way  St.  Peter  was  called  bishop  on  the  dyptics  of  the  church  he 
founded  at  Antioch,  although  St.  Evodius  was  its  first  titular  bishop. 
In  our  day  we  say  that  both  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  were  the 
founders  of  the  church  of  Rome,  although  only  Peter  was  the  first 
bishop  of  Rome,  while  St.  Paul  was  only  a  missionary  bishop  of  the 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  he  never  had  an  episcopal  title.  Yet  by 
his  preaching,  he  founded  many  churches.  No  diocese  or  church 
can  have  more  than  one  bishop  or  pastor,  for  no  body  can  have 
more  than  one  head.  Although  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  are  said  to 
have  founded  the  Church  at  Rome,  yet  only  Peter  was  the  Bishop 
of  that  great  city.  Like  the  other  apostles,  at  their  consecration 
by  Christ,  the  whole  world  was  the  diocese  of  St.  Paul  the  apostle 
of  the  Gentiles. 

Although  St.  James  the  less,  became  the  first  bishop  of  Jerusa- 
lem, yet  for  fourteen  years  the  other  apostles  made  the  holy  city 
their  home,  when  resting  from  their  labors  on  the  missions  among 
the  Gentiles.  Thus  St.  John  lived  at  Ephesus,  but  he  was  not  the 
bishop  of  that  city.  St.  Paul  consecrated  Timothy  bishop  of  Ephe- 
sus, and  Titus  bishop  of  Crete.  When  St.  Paul  was  arrested  at 
Jerusalem,  because  he  was  a  Roman  citizen  he  appealed  to 
Caesar  ''Whose  faith  is  spoken  of  in  the  whole  world"'  because 
of  St.  Peter  the  Roman  church  was  the  mistress  of  all  churches. 
St.  Paul  expressly  says,  that  he  was  not  sent  to  administer  the 

1  Const.  Pastor  ^ternus.       '  Acta  S.  Gudillse  Bolland.  ad  diem  22  Feb.       *  I.  Rom.  vlU. 


150  ST.  MARK  AND  EXODIUS,  FIRST  ARCHBISHOPS. 

sacraments  to  the  people  of  any  particular  diocese,  but  to  be  a 
missionary  bishop,  "For  Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize  but  to 
preach  the  Gospel," '  because  one  bishop  cannot  be  the  bishop  of 
a  diocese  belonging  to  another.  Therefore  St.  Paul  says  "  I  have 
so  preached  this  Gospel,  not  where  Christ  was  named,  lest  I  should 
build  on  another  man's  foundation, ....  but  now  having  no  more 
place  in  these  countries."" 

The  foundations  of  the  Roman  diocese  had  already  been  laid  by 
St.  Peter,  and  St.  Paul  could  not  sit  on  the  episcopal  throne  of 
another  bishop,  *'on  another  man's  foundation."'  But  the 
apostle  of  the  Gentiles  came  to  Rome  to  sanctify  it  with  his  pres- 
ence, to  consecrate  the  Roman  church  with  his  martyrdom  and 
with  his  tomb.  He  was  the  greatest  missionary  bishop  of  the 
churches,  he  brought  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the  fruit  of  his 
vast  labors  to  Rome,  and  there  with  the  Pnmacy  of  Peter,  there  they 
rest  with  his  hallowed  bones  under  the  great  St.  Peter's  church. 
Eusepius,  the  most  ancient  church  historian  says  that  Christ  him- 
self told  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  to  remain  twelve  years  in  Judea,  to 
give  the  Jews  a  chance  of  embracing  Christianity  and  after  that  he 
told  them  to  preach  to  the  whole  world.* 

Peter  then  with  the  other  apostles  established  the  diocese  of 
Jerusalem,  with  James  at  its  head.  He  did  that  for  the  conver- 
sion of  the  Jews  to  whom  the  Kingdom  of  God  was  first  to  be 
preached.  Then  he  left  for  Antioch  the  chief  city  of  Asia,  where 
he  founded  the  first  seat  of  an  archbishop.  He  also  sent  St.  Mark 
his  beloved  disciple  to  Alexandria  the  chief  or  metropolitan  see  of 
Africa.  When  that  was  done  he  started  for  Rome.  ''The  Mis- 
tress of  the  Gentiles,"  that  in  her  thecentre  of  the  pagan  world,  he 
might  establish  the  centre  and  seat  of  his  spiritual  empire,  "Thus 
St.  Peter  brought  to  Rome,  the  prerogative  of  his  faith  and  the  au- 
thority of  his  discipline."*  To  Rome  therefore  Peter  brought  all 
the  machinery  of  the  central  government  of  the  church  universal. 
He  made  the  Roman  church  his  spiritual  spouse.  There  under 
that  monster  of  cruelty  Nero,  he  died.  The  central  government  re- 
mains to  this  day  with  his  successor  the  Father  of  bishops.  "The 
bishop  therefore  is  called  in  worthy  subordination  to  him,  the 
Prelate,  who  is  the  heir  of  the  place  and  of  the  teachings  of  Peter, 
and  is  worthily  the  origin  and  foundations  of  unity, ...  .no  one  is 
allowed  to  raise  a  teaching  chair  against  him."' 

The  new  Pontiff  receives  direct  from  Christ  his  authority  as 
Pope.  But  we  must  see  in  the  next  chapter  the  workings  of  the 
authority  given  by  Christ  to  Peter  and  his  successors. 

«  I.  Cor.  I.  17.  «  Rom.  xw.  20, 2S.  »  Rom.  xv.  30. 

*  Eusep  Htst.  V.  18.  *  Bossuet  Lit  It.  a  une  Dam.  de  Metz. 

*  III.  CouDcIl  of  Baltimore  Cap.  I.  do.  II. 


tHE  fundamental  constitu- 
tion of  a  nation  is  not  so 
much  the  written  instru- 
ment, as  their  customs, 
their  manners,  their  education, 
and  their  forms  of  social  every- 
day life.  If  their  constitution 
and  their  government  be  the  ex- 
pression of  the  genius  and  man- 
ners of  the  whole  people,  they 
will  be  happy,  prosperous  and 
contented,  for  it  fits  them, 
whereas  if  the  government  comes 
not  from  them,  as  the  expression 
of  their  deep-seated  customs  and 
manners,  but  forced  on  them  by 
conquest,  they  will  be  rebellious, 
restless  and  unhappy. 

Like  the  constitutions  of  most 
of  the  European  nations,  the 
divine  constitution  of  the  church  is  not  a  written  instrument  like 
that  of  the  United  States.  For  our  dear  Lord  wrote  it  not.  He 
taught  it  to  his  followers  from  whom  it  comes  down  to  us  for  he 
wished  to  show  all  men  that  the  church  he  founded  to  take  his 
place  was  to  be  a  living  teacher  of  the  human  race,  and  not  a 
dead  book,  like  the  Bible,  for  all  men  to  take  any  meaning 
they  liked  from  its  sacred  pages.  The  apostles  went  forth  as 
the  teachers  and  spiritual  rulers  of  the  nations  they  converted. 
They  impressed  the  constitution  of  the  universal  church  on  every 
church  they  founded,  and  each  convert  they  taught  the  fundamental 
doctrines  they  had  heard  from  their  divine  Master.  Hence  we  find 
that  every  one  of  the  churches  founded  by  the  apostles,  had  the 
very  same  fundamental  doctrines  although  they  differed  in  litur- 
gies and  modes  of  discipline. 

Jesus  Christ  founded  his  church   therefore  as  a  most  perfect 

151 


"*^^ 


A  PUBLIC  RECEPTION  AT  THE  VATICAN  IN  THE  PAULINE  (HA PEL. 


LEGISLATIVE,  JUDICIAL  AND  EXECUTIVE  POWERS.  153 

spiritual  government  over  the  souls  of  men.  Living  in  the  world 
till  the  end  of  time,  saving  all  the  generations  of  mankind,  a  per- 
fect government  with  the  three  functions  of  making,  of  interpret- 
ing and  of  executing  its  own  laws  and  statutes,  the  church  must 
have  a  visible  head  to  enforce  and  execute  her  spiritual  laws.  In 
our  own  beloved  country,  congress  makes  laws,  the  supreme  court 
interprets  tliem,  and  the  j^resident  puts  them  in  force  for  the 
whole  nation,  while  different  states  into  which  this  nation  is  divi- 
ded has  also  these  three  functions  in  their  legislatures,  their 
courts,  and  their  governors. 

But  Christ,  the  wisest  statesman  who  ever  walked  this  earth 
knew,  that  the  bishops  of  the  whole  world,  scattered  throughout 
all  nations  and  countries  governing  their  dioceses,  he  knew  they 
could  not  gather  each  year  in  congress  or  council  to  make  laws 
for  the  whole  church,  because  they  would  be  taken  up  with  the 
internal  administration  of  their  own  dioceses.  Yet  he  did  not 
appoint  a  few  learned  bishops  to  form  a  supreme  court  to  pass 
judgment  on  disputed  points,  for  the  church  has  one  not  many 
heads  and  that  one  head  is  the  Pope  his  Vicar.  He  did  not 
found  the  constitution  of  the  church  so  the  Pope  would  be  elected 
by  the  people,  for  that  would  have  been  impracticable.  We  know 
how  popular  elections  excite  the  people,  dividing  them  into  hostile 
parties,  and  in  our  day  few  nations  are  so  trained  and  educated  as 
to  carry  out  an  election  without  great  disturbances. 

The  foundations  of  the  church  were  laid  deep  on  principles  of 
wonderful  wisdom  by  the  Divine  Wisdom  himself,  who  established 
another  way  to  frame  her  laws,  to  interpret  her  constitution  and 
to  execute  her  discipline.  As  a  wise  statesman,  our  blessed  Lord 
united  these  triple  functions  of  government  in  one  man,  Peter 
and  his  successors  in  the  See  of  Kome.  For  the  church  to  remain 
one  and  undivided,  it  was  necessary  to  unite  all  functions  of  the  spir- 
itual government  of  the  church  in  one  ruler,  the  Vicar  of  Christ, 
whose  decisions  are  the  same  as  those  of  Christ,  for  he  and 
Christ  make  one  and  the  same  government  of  the  whole  church. 

A  congress  or  a  parliament  meets  each  year  to  change  the  laws 
which  do  not  suit,  or  to  make  others  to  take  their  place,  for  rul- 
ers, politicians  and  statesman  are  only  trying  to  find  a  way  of 
governing  mankind  who  lost  their  first  ruler  Adam,  and  the 
mind  and  will  of  man  still  remain  weakened  by  his  sin.  Civil  govern- 
ments then  change,  for  they  are  only  trying  to  take  the  place  of  Ad- 
am and  rule  his  children  fallen  from  the  supernatural  state.  But  a 
congress  of  the  bishops  of  the  whole  church  meets  but  seldom.  It  is 
called  an  ecumenical  council.'  It  is  a  congress  of  the  whole 
church,  which  meets,  not  for  the  changing  of  the  constitution  of 
the  church,  which  made  by  Christ  no  power  on  earth  can  change, 
but  to  receive  from  the  successor  of  St.  Peter  the  rules  he  makes, 
and  the  laws  he  enacts  for  the  better  government  of  the  universal 
church.     Then  while  the  council  under  its  head  may  legislate  for 

1  The  Greek  for  the  whole  earth. 


154  WHY  ALL  THE  APOSTLES  DID  NOT  WKIIE. 

tlie  cliurch,  yet  they  cannot  cliange  the  fundamental  principles  of 
her  divine  constitution,  which  God  revealed.  Even  the  congress 
of  this  country  cannot  change  the  constitution,  for  that  was  made 
by  the  wliole  people,  and  they  the  sovereign  nation  alone  can 
change  it. 

When  the  supreme  court  of  this  country  defines  an  article  of 
the  constitution,  or  interprets  one  of  its  principles,  all  take  it  as  an 
oracle  of  human  wisdom.  When  the  highest  court  of  the  queen's 
bench  of  judges  defines  an  article  of  the  British  constitution,  al- 
though their  constitution  is  not  a  written  instrument,  but  written 
in  the  customs  and  manners  of  the  English  people,  all  take  it  as 
a  truth.  So  we  must  look  for  the  constitution  of  the  church  in 
the  teachings  of  God,  in  the  Holy  Bible,  in  the  writings  of  the 
early  fathers,  in  the  great  councils  of  the  church.  By  them  the  Holy 
Ghost  spoke,  as  before  he  spoke  to  the  Jews  by  the  prophets. 
Let  us  see  what  the  Fathers  and  the  councils  say  about  Peter  and 
his  successors  the  Roman  Pontiffs. 

The  apostles  being  the  universal  bishops  of  the  universal  church, 
travelling  into  various  nations,  founding  churches,  arguing  with 
the  pagans,  combatting  errors,  instructing  the  people,  they  found 
no  time  to  write.  Their  apostolic  labors  for  the  spread  of  the 
faith  left  took  up  all  their  time.  They  left  that  duty  of  writing 
to  their  followers.  Sts.  Matthew  and  John  only  wrote  Gospels, 
and  they  did  it  for  peculiar  reasons,  while  Sts.  Mark  and  Luke 
disciples  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul,  wrote  the  other  two  Gospels. 
But  the  converts  of  the  apostles,  especially  those  educated  in  the 
famous  schools  of  Judea,  of  Egypt,  of  Gre.ece,  of  Rome  etc.,  were 
educated  men,  and  they  wrote  the  teachings  of  Christ,  which  they 
received  from  the  hallowed  lips  of  the  apostles.  These  holy  men 
gathered  up  the  traditions  and  the  teachings  of  the  apostles. 
They  wrote  the  doctrines  of  the  church.  To  them  we  must  look 
for  the  belief  of  the  early  church  regarding  its  fundamental  con- 
stitution. Their  writings  have  ever  been  received  as  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Christ.  In  every  age  they  received  the  honor  due 
to  the  word  of  God.  No  christian  church  refused  to  bow  before 
them,  as  the  exponents  of  the  early  church.  In  their  writings  we 
will  find  the  constitution  of  the  church.  They  are  called  the 
fathers  of  the  church.  Let  us  see  what  these  apostolic  men  say 
about  the  apostolic  Chair  of  Peter. 

Before  leaving  the  earth  Christ  promised  to  send  upon  the  apos- 
tles the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  who  would  to  teach  them 
all  things  and  to  abide  with  them  forever.  '  The  Holy  Spirit 
speaks  through  and  by  the  councils  of  the  bishops.  The  entire 
episcopacy  and  great  churchmen  of  the  world  meet  in  these  coun- 
cils, and  they  aie  free  to  vote  as  they  wish.  If  at  any  time  they 
believe  that  the  bishop  of  Rome  were  not  the  teacher  of  the 
world,  or  that  the  whole  body  of  the  bishops  is  infallible,  they 
would  have  declared  it  in  one  of  the  councils.     But  that  they 

>  John  x\1. 18. 


PETER  LEAVING  ANTIOCH.  155 

never  did.  They  ever  proclaimed  that  the  Roman  Pontiff  alone 
was  the  mouthpiece  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Not  only  that,  but  by 
their  oath  of  office,  they  were  obliged  in  conscience  and  under 
pain  of  a  great  sin  to  resist  any  encroachments  of  any  bishop  or  of 
the  bishop  of  Rome  over  them.  This  encroachment  of  the  Pope 
is  not  found  in  the  records  of  the  councils  or  in  the  writings  of  any 
age. 

Men  cling  to  power.  No  body  of  men  are  so  jealous  of  their 
power  as  a  branch  of  government.  No  bishop  ever  obtained 
power  over  another  bishop,  which  did  not  come  from  his  office,  for 
the  bishop  is  always  bound  to  guard  his  rights  of  office.  The 
Bishop  of  Rome  could  never  have  got  power  over  other  bishops  un- 
less it  were  given  by  Christ.  In  the  early  ages  no  council  was  ever 
held  as  valid  unless  called  by  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  The  Acts  of 
these  councils  were  never  binding  till  confirmed  by  the  Holy  See. 

Leaving  Antioch  in  the  year  42  where  during  his  seven  years 
residence  he  had  established  a  flourishing  church,  where  the  fol- 
lowers of  Christ  were  first  called  Christians,  St.  Peter  started  on 
his  journey  to  take  possession  of  the  eternal  See  of  Rome.  During 
the  years  he  lived  at  Antioch,  his  most  devoted  disciples  were  Sts. 
Evodius  and  Ignatius,  one  a  Jew  the  other  a  gentile,  and  to  Evo- 
dius  he  gave  charge  of  Jewish  converts,  while  he  placed  Ignatius 
over  the  gentiles.'  Some  authors  say  that  Evodius  succeeded  him, 
and  that  the  great  martyr  Ignatius  sat  the  second  after  Peter  on 
the  patriarchal  see  of  Antioch.  But  history  is  dim  relating  to  the 
details  of  Peter's  administration  of  the  church  at  Antioch,  as  his 
long  administration  of  the  church  at  Rome  overshadows  his  short- 
er reign  at  the  Asiatic  city  of  culture.  Of  the  exact  time  when 
he  appointed  his  beloved  disciple  and  Evangelist  St.  Mark,  as  su- 
pervising bishop  of  the  churches  of  Egypt,  with  his  see  at  Alexan- 
dria, history  is  silent.  We  only  know  that  St.  Mark  came  there,  that 
he  converted  many  of  the  Egyptians,  that  he  bore  with  him  the 
authority  of  Peter,  and  that  there  he  died  a  glorious  death  for  the 
faith.' 

At  the  time  of  which  we  write,  St.  John  the  Evangelist 
lived  at  Ephesus,  with  jurisdiction  over  the  churches  of  Asia 
Minor.  To  Ephesus  St.  Paul  had  sent  his  disciple  Timothy,  the 
first  titular  bishop  of  that  famous  city.  St.  John  never  became  the 
titular  bishop  of  any  particular  city,  because  Christ  had  established 
the  apostles  as  universal  bishops  of  his  universal  church,  not 
giving  them  titles  of  any  particular  city  or  diocese,  if  we  except 
St.  James,  whom  some  writers  say  our  beloved  Lord  told  the  day 
of  the  ascension  to  look  after  the  christians  of  Jerusalem.*  Then 
only  Sts.  Peter  and  James  became  titular  bishops  of  particular 
churches,  for  being  teachers  of  the  infant  church  already  in  their 
lives  spread  to  all  the  ends  of  the  earth,  the  other  apostles  had  to 
travel   from  place   to  place,  superintending  and  overseeing   the 

•  Eusebius  Hist.  L.  3  C.  22,  36  Am.  Cyclopedia  St.  Ignatius  Baronlu?  Butler's  lives  of  the 
Saints  Feb.  Isl  Note&c. 
^  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints.  &c.  '  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints.  St.  James. 


156  THE  BOOK  HERMAS  WROTE. 

other  bishops,  everywhere  preaching,  regulating  discipline,  found- 
ing liturgies  and  modes  of  worship,  correcting  abuses  and  seeing 
that  the  sacraments  were  administered  to  the  people. 

No  fact  of  history  stands  out  so  powerfully  or  can  be  so  brilliant- 
ly proved  as  the  supremacy  of  the  See  of  Peter  in  the  early 
church.  Every  church  looked  to  Eome  for  light  and  government, 
knowing  that  to  her  first  bishop,  Peter,  the  Lord  said :  ''Feed  my 
lambs  Feed  my  sheep  ."  Numberless  facts  of  history,  countless 
passages  of  the  early  writers  show  us  that  supreme  and  universal 
Pastorate  or  Primacy  of  Peter  extending  over  the  whole  church, 
and  no  church,  diocese  or  congregation  was  free  or  independent  of 
the  See  of  Rome.  No  fact  of  history  stands,  nor  can  we  prove  so  well, 
as  that  Peter  came  to  Rome,  that  there  fixed  his  See,  and  that 
there  he  died.  If  we  deny  that  Peter  ever  came  to  Rome,  we  must 
reject  all  history,  all  facts  which  come  to  us  by  the  testimony  of 
the  generations  who  have  gone  before  us,  we  must  believe  only 
what  we  see  ourselves,  and  the  human  race  has  no  knowledge  of 
the  past.  Let  us  see  what  history  tells  us  of  the  Primacy  of  the 
See  of  Rome  in  the  early  church. 

When  Hernias  a  disciple  of  St.  Paul  wrote  a  book  which  he  called 
"The  Pastor,"  he  tells  us  himself  that  he  was  obliged  to  send  it  for 
examination  to  Clement  Bishop  of  Rome,  as  the  writer  must  send 
this  book  to  Very  Rev.  Father  Gabriels,  whom  the  bishop  of 
Syracuse  had  appointed  to  examine  it,  to  see  that  there  be  nothing 
in  it  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  the  church.  St.  Clement  Bishop 
of  Rome  had  succeeded  St.  Cletus,  who  had  succeeded  St.  Linus, 
who  had  followed  St.  Peter  as  Bishop  of  the  eternal  city.  Hernias 
had  written  that  book  in  the  year  90  or  91,  when  St.  John  still  lived 
the  last  of  the  apostles  taught  by  our  blessed  Lord  himself,  whose 
learning  had  given  him  the  title  of  the  Theologian,  whose  sublime 
Gospel  was  then  read  in  nearly  every  church.  St  John  was  then 
living  at  Ephesus  the  last  of  the  apostolic  college.  Why  was  not 
Hermas  obliged  to  send  his  book  to  St.  John,  who  had  heard  the 
doctrines  of  God  from  the  lips  of  our  blessed  Lord  himself,  in  place 
of  sending  his  composition  to  Clement,  the  third  after  St.  Peter, 
if  the  whole  Christian  church  did  not  look,  not  to  St.  John,  but 
to  the  heir  of  Peter  as  the  teacher  of  the  faith  and  the  morals  of 
the  early  church? 

St.  Ignatius,  converted  by  Peter  himself,  taught  by  St.  John  the 
Evangelist,  says:  "The  teachings  of  the  Sucessorsof  Peter  are  au- 
thoritative: " '  Born  in  the  year  82  at  Smyrna,  of  which  city  he  later 
became  bishop,  St.  Polycarp  was  long  the  disciple  of  St.  John 
the  Evangelist.  In  the  year  167,  he  went  to  Rome,  to  ask  Pope 
Anacletus  what  he  would  do  regarding  the  celebration  of  Easter 
for  while  living  at  Ephesus,  St.  John  had  given  the  christian 
converts  leave  to  celebrate  Easter  on  the  same  day  the  Jews  cele- 
brated their  Passover,  while  the  Romans,  taught  by  St.  Peter, 
held  the  feast  of  the  resurrection  on  the  first  Sunday,  following  the 

^  St.  Ignatius  Martyr  "  Quae  decendo  pnecipistfs  "  &c. 


IRENEUS,  TERTULLIAN,  OEIGIK,  &C.  157 

full  moon  after  the  vernal  equinox.  According  to  the  teachings 
of  St.  John,  the  christians  of  Palestine,  of  Syria,  of  Egypt,  of 
Africa  and  of  parts  of  Europe,  held  the  festival  on  the  same  day 
as  the  Jews,  and  there  was  a  division  in  the  early  church.  Why 
did  one  of  the  oldest  bishops  of  the  church,  one  who  was  for  long 
years  a  disciple  of  St.  John,  why  did  he  undertake  such  a  danger- 
ous and  difficult  journey  to  the  throne  of  Peter,  to  sit  at  the  feet 
of  Peter's  heir  and  there  to  learn  wisdom  at  its  fountain  head,  if 
it  was  not  well  known  that  all  the  bishops  and  churches  of  that 
time  know  that  they  must  be  taught  by  the  successor  of  Peter? 

St.  Ireneus  born,  in  the  year  135,  a  disciple  of  St.  Polycarp  writes 
at  least  according  to  the  sense  of  his  words:  ''All  the  churches 
must  depend  on  the  church  of  Kome  as  their  source  and  head .... 
The  higher  Principality  of  the  Eoman  church  exists  because  of  the 
supremacy  of  Peter,  which  is  of  apostolic  tradition.  By  it  we  eas- 
ily beat  the  malice  of  those,  who  either  by  pride  or  bad  faith,  preach 
new  doctrine."'  This  father  came  from  the  East  to  France  and  be- 
came the  Bishop  of  Lyons.  In  the  year  177  he  was  sent  by  the 
churches  of  Lyons  and  Vienna  to  Rome  to  consult  Pope  Eleuther- 
ius  on  church  doctrines. 

Tertullian  born  at  Carthage  in  150  calls  the  church  of  Rome  : 
''The  blessed  church,  which  the  Princes  of  the  apostles  Peter  and 
Paul,  sealed  with  their  blood,  from  which  all  authority  comes 
forth."*  He  says  about  an  edict  in  another  place:  "  I  learn  that 
a  very  peremptory  decree  has  been  issued.  The  Sovereign  PontifE,^ 
the  Bishop  of  bishops  declares,"  &c.  ' 

In  the  beginning  of  this  century  St.  Hippolytus,  offering  his 
head  to  the  executioner  said:  "  We  are  bound  to  profess  that  faith 
which  is  guarded  by  the  Chair  of  Peter."* 

Origin  the  great  writer  of  the  early  church,  born  at  Alexandria 
in  the  year  185,  and  who  with  Tertullian  was  one  of  the  mightiest 
genius  of  the  early  christian  ages  says:  "Consider  what  must  be 
the  power  and  authority  of  Peter,  the  living  rock  upon  which  the 
church  was  built,  and  whose  decisions  have  as  much  force  and  va- 
lidity as  oracles  coming  from  the  very  mouth  of  Christ  himself."* 

St.  Cyprian,  the  great  bishop  of  Carthage  in  254  writing  to  Pope 
Cornelius  says:  "All  heresies  and  schisms  have  sprung  from  a 
disregard  for  the  one  Priest  and  Judge,  to  whom  Christ  delegated 
his  power.  For,  if  according  to  the  intention  of  our  Lord,  every 
one  would  obey  in  the  church,  no  one  could  divide  the  church."* 
"  They  dare  come  to  the  Chair  of  Peter,  not  thinking  that  they 
are  Romans  among  whom  no  errors  can  come." '  "  One  God  one 
Christ  and  one  church  founded  by  our  Lord  on  Peter."  *  "  You 
wish  me  to  send  your  letter  to  Cornelius  "  he  writes  to  Anthoney 
' '  because  you  want  to  satisfy  his  Holiness  that  you  are  one  with  him 
and  with  the  Catholic  Church."  * 

St.  Athanatius  in  373  writes  to  Pope  Felix  II:     "You  are  the 

>  Irea5us  Lib.  IH.  Advers.  Haeres.  ^  ^rsss.  C.  27.  »  Lib.  De  Pud. 

*  Martyr.  Romau.  '  Orijr.  Oaten.  »  Epist.  Iv.  ad  Corn.  Ponst. 

^  On  Novatians  &c.  *  Epist.  xlylii.  xlix.        '  Epist.  xliii. 


158  BAZIL,  JEROME,  AUGUSTINE  AND  OTHERS. 

nprooter  of  heresies,  which  destroy  the  church,  you  are  the  teacher 
and  prince  of  sound  doctrine  and  unspotted  faith." ' 

When  the  bishops  of  Egypt  assembled  in  council,  they  sent  a 
letter  of  felicitation  to  Pope  Felix  II.  They  acknowledged  that 
he  was  the  immovable  foundation  placed  by  Christ,  upon  which 
the  whole  church  rested.  When  the  terrible  Arian  heresy  broke 
out  in  the  IV.  century  denying  the  divinity  of  Christ,  all  the  church- 
es looked  to  the  Chair  of  Peter  for  assistance.  Against  th'at  Rock 
of  Peter  was  directed  all  the  hatred  of  these  heresiarchs,  who  de- 
nied the  divinity  of  Christ. 

When  the  great  St.  Bazil  wrote  to  Pope  Damasus  in  378  he  said : 
**  To  your  Holiness  is  given  to  tell  the  spurious  and  adulterated 
from  the  pure  and  orthodox  belief,  and  to  teach  without  adulter- 
ation the  faith  of  our  forefathers There  is  no  one  but  your 

Holiness  to  whom  we  can  turn  for  help."' 

Optatus  bishop  of  Melevi  in  390  wrote:  "  Thou  knowest,  and 
thou  darest  not  den}^  that  at  Rome,  Peter  established  the  epis- 
copal Chair,  Avhicli  he  was  the  first  to  occupy."' 

The  great  bishop  of  Milan  St.  Ambrose  writing  to  Pope  Siric- 
ius  in  397  says:  "  In  the  pastorals  of  your  Holiness,  we  see  the 
■care  of  the  Shepherd,  who  watches  the  entrance  of  the  sheep-fold," 
•etc.  In  one  of  his  sermons  he  says:  "  Where  Peter  is  there  is 
the  church."  *  *'  Peter  is  the  immovable  Rock,  which  supports  the 
whole  superstructure  of  Christianity."'  Again  he  says  that  the 
*' Roman  church  may  be  sometimes  tempted  but  never  changed.  " 

The  forcible  words  of  St.  Epiphaniusat  the  end  of  the  fourth 
century  and  of  St.  Chrystom,  archbishop  of  Constantinople  at  the 
beginning  of  the  fifth  century,  acknowledging  the  supremacy  of 
the  Papacy,  form  some  of  the  most  eloquent  expressions  of  these  two 
famous  doctors  of  the  early  church.  *  St.  Jerome  called  the  great- 
est expounder  of  the  Bible  wrote  to  Pope  Damasus:  "  I  hold  fast 
to  the  Chair  of  Peter,  upon  whom  the  church  is  built.  Decide  as 
you  please.  If  you  order,  I  shall  not  hesitate  in  my  belief  in  three 
hypostaces." '  "  If  any  one  is  firm  in  his  allegiance  to  the  Chair  of 
Peter,he  is  of  my  mind,  for  I  hold  with  the  successor  of  the  fish- 
erman."* '*  The  Roman  Church  cannot  hold  error,  even  if  an 
angel  should  come  to  teach  it."  * 

St.  Augustine  teaches  in  the  strongest  terms  the  supremacy  of 
the  Chair  of  Peter.  We  can  find  space  for  only  a  few  of  the  most 
striking  of  the  passages  in  his  works.  Writing  against  the  Dona- 
tists,  he  says:  ^'  Count  all  the  High  Priests  who  followed  each  other 
in  that  holy  line,  every  one  of  them  is  that  Rock  against  which  the 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail.""  He  answers  the  Pelagians  by 
telling  them  that  two  councils  had  referred  a  certain  matter  to  the 
Holy  See,  which  decided  the  dispute.  "Rome  "  he  says  "has  spoken, 
the  case  is  settled."  "     Again  he  said:     "  By  the  letters  of  Inno- 

'  Eplst.  Syn.  ad  Felecem  II.  *  Eplst.  71,  74,  77.  »  Coutra  Parnem. 

•  Sermon  xlvll.  •  Lib  U  de  Fide  ad  Gratlan. 

•  Hoiii.  11.   in  Acta  Anost.  Horn,  a*  In  Math.  xl.  &c.  '  Three  Persons  In  God. 

•  St.  Jerome  In  year  420.  »  Conra  RuQnus.  •*  In  Ps  Contra  DonaUsts. 
"  In  Sermo  de  Verb.  Apost 


WRITEKS  OF  THE  EA.RLY  CHURCH.  159. 

cent  all  doubt  on  this  question  has  been  removed."'  Writing 
against  Julian  he  says:  "Why  do  you  ask  for  an  examination, 
since  it  has  already  been  made  by  the  Apostolic  See?"*  In  a  let- 
ter he  says:  "The  old  catholic  faith  gets  so  much  strength  and 
support  from  the  words  of  the  Apostolic  See,  that  it  is  sinful  to 
have  any  doubts  about  it." '  "  In  the  Catholic  church  I  adhere  to 
the  Chair  of  Peter,  because  the  Lord  gave  him  the  care  of  the 
faithful,  and  because  his  authority  has  come  down  through  an  un- 
interrupted line  of  successors  to  our  time.  Again  the  divine 
Shepherd  said:  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice  and  follow  me."  This 
voice  speaks  to  me  in  the  clearest  manner  from  Rome.  Whoever 
does  not  wish  to  stray  from  the  true  fold,  must  follow  this  voice."* 
No  man  ever  born  of  the  human  race  uninspired  was  endowed  with 
greater  natural  talents  and  abilities  than  St.  Augustine.  Up  to 
his  time,  he  was  the  most  learned  man  the  world  produced,  yet 
when  the  Pope  spoke  he  humbly  bent  his  gigantic  genius  before 
that  divine  oracle. 

Two  members  of  the  religious  community,  which  he  established 
at  Hippo,  were  Prosper  and  Fulgentius,  whom  for  many  years  he 
had  taught  and  instructed  in  the  true  faith  while  members  of  his 
household.  The  former  writes:  "  Rome  the  See  of  Peter  was  made 
the  head  of  the  world  in  pastoral  honor,  whatever  she  does  not 
capture  by  war  she  holds  by  religion.  "  *  Prosper  writes  to  Pope 
Zosimus  saying:  "  to  add  force  to  your  decision  and  with  the  right 
hand  of  Peter  strike  to  the  detruncation  of  the  wicked  for  he 
strengthens  all  bishops."  '  In  another  place  he  says:  "Let  not 
your  courage  fail,  have  recourse  to  Rome,  the  Mother  of  the  true 
faith.     What  Rome  believes,  all  Christianity  believes."  ' 

Maximian,  Patriarch  of  Constantinople  in  the  same  age  writes: 
"  From  the  fartherest  ends  of  the  world,  the  confessors  of  the 
true  faith  look  up  to  Peter  as  to  the  sun.  God  has  raised  him  to 
the  teacher's  chair,  with  the  right  of  holding  it  forever;  who 
wishes  to  know  anything  deep  must  run  to  this  oracle  of  doc- 
trine." ' 

In  444  St  Cyril  bishop  of  Jerusalem  writing  to  Pope  Celestine 
about  his  relations  with  the  impious  Nestorius  says:  "  As 
members  of  the  mystical  body  of  the  church,  it  behooves  us  to 
follow  our  head,  the  Roman  Pontiff,  who  holds  in  trust  the 
deposit  of  the  apostolic  faith.  From  him  we  are  to  learn,  what 
we  are  bound  to  believe  think  and  hold."'  "We  venerate  and 
consult  the  Bishop  of  Rome  before  all  others,  because  he  alone  is 
to  reprimand,  to  correct,  to  command,  to  dispense,  to  bind  and 
loose  in  the  place  of  Him  who  made  him,  and  no  others  have  full 
power  but  he  (Christ)  gave  it  to  him  alone,  to  whom  by  divine 
right  all  bend  the  head,  and  the  prelates  of  the  earth  obey  him 
as  Jesus  Christ."'" 

1  Lit  li.  C.  3.  Con   2  Ep.  Pelag.  *  Lib.  11.  Adv.  Julian.  "  Letter  157. 

*  De  Unltate  Eccl.  C.  xil.  *  Carmen  de  Ingrat.  •  Contra  Collatorem. 

^  Fulgentius  C.  I.  X.  xli.  *  Eplst.  ad  Orieutales.  *  Hard  vlU. 
*"  Lib.  Thausurus. 


160  TESTIMONY  OF  THE  ELDERS. 

In  the  year  450  St.  Peter  Chrysologus  wrote  to  the  heretic  Euty- 
ches  who  denied  that  Christ  has  two  natures  which  error  he  taught 
the  300  monks  under  him;  "  We  ask  you  to  hear  especially  the 
decision  of  the  Pope  at  Rome^  with  all  readiness  in  his  final  sen- 
tence, because  the  Blessed  Peter,  who  lives  and  governs  in  his 
own  See,  gives  to  those  who  consult  him  the  truth  of  faith/^' 

About  the  same  time  Socrates,  a  Greek,  wrote:  "  Without  the 
Bishop  of  Rome  nothing  of  importance  can  be  done  in  the  church 
of  God."'  About  the  same  age  another  Greek  Father  wrote: 
"  Whatever  is  done  without  the  approval  of  the  Roman  Bishop  is 
null  and  void.''' 

When  the  great  writer  Theodoret  in  460  as  bishop  of  Cyprus 
was  deposed  by  the  local  Synod  at  Ephesus,  he  appealed  to  the 
Holy  See  against  the  unjust  decision  of  the  prelate  who  assembled 
and  condemned  him  at  the  Command  of  the  emperor.  At  once  he 
wrote  to  the  Pope,  in  these  words:  "  If  Paul  a  preacher  of  truth  ran 
to  the  great  Peter,  regarding  those  who  were  fighting  at  Antioch, 
that  he  might  solve  the  difficulty,  how  much  more  do  we  appeal 
to  your  apostolic  See?  "  While  his  case  was  under  consideration 
at  Rome,  he  asked  Cardinal  Renatus  to  urge  the  Pope  to  decide 
the  trouble  and  restore  him  to  his  See,  of  which  he  had  been 
so  unjustly  deprived.  He  says:  'Tor  the  See  of  Rome  has  the 
headship  and  the  direction  of  all  the  churches  throughout  the 
world,  and  that  for  many  reasons,  but  especially  because  she  has 
been  ever  free  from  heretical  wounds,  nor  has  any  one  ever  taught 
contrary  to  the  faith  of  him  who  sat  in  her  Chair." 

This  doctrine  was  so  perfectly  engrafted  into  the  early 
christians,  that  it  is  found  in  the  mass  books  of  the  early  ages. 
When  the  bishops  of  Spain  met  in  a  plenary  council  at  Tarragon 
in  the  year  465  they  wrote  to  Pope  Hilary:  "  We  rely  on  that 
faith,  whose  praise  was  in  the  mouth  of  the  apostle,  we  are  seek- 
ing for  an  answer  from  that  See,  where  there  is  no  error  because 
presided  over  by  Pontifical  thought." 

About  the  same  year  St.  Avitus  writing  in  the  name  of  all  the 
bishops  of  France  to  the  Roman  clergy  in  relation  to  the  election 
of  Pope  Symraach  says:  "When  any  doubt  occurs  about  a  Papal 
election,  not  one  bishop  but  the  whole  hierarchy  appears  to  be 
wavering."  In  another  letter  he  says:  "  When  any  differences 
arise  in  church  matters,  it  is  our  duty  to  abide  by  the  decisions 
of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  as  members  following  our  head."  "  The 
truth  is  known  to  me  inasmuch  as  the  Pontiff  of  the  Roman 
City,  by  the  privilege  of  his  authority  is  pleased  to  reply  to  those 
who  ask  him."  *  We  have  given  but  a  small  part  of  the  writings 
of  the  early  Fathers  from  the  days  of  the  apostles  to  the  end  of 
the  fifth  century.  According  to  the  testimony  of  all  christians, 
the  pure  doctrines  of  Christ  flourished  in  all  their  vigor  during 
the  first  five  centuries. 

>  Eplst.  af  Eutyh.  Inter.  Ecta  Concll  Ephes.  »  Socrat.  II.  15  17  &  Iv.  87. 

*  Sozomenus  ill.  8,  0,  &c.  vl.  89.  <  See  Gall.  zi.  p.  746. 


IN  THE  SIXTH  CENTURY.  161 

In  the  beginning  of  the  sixth  century  St.  Pocessor  a  bishop  of 
Africa  thus  addressed  the  bishop  of  Rome:  "  Whom  can  we  ask  with 
greater  stability  of  faith,  than  the  one  who  presides  in  his  See, 
whose  first  Rector  heard  from  Christ:  "  Thou  art  Peter  and  upon 
this  rock  I  will  build  my  church." 

About  this  time  Ferandus,  the  learned  archdeacon  of  Carthage 
in  505  wrote  to  a  clergyman  of  Constantinople:  "We  are  ready 
to  learn  and  not  to  teach.  If  you  are  anxious  to  know  the  truth 
you  must  address  the  head  of  the  Apostolic  See.  Rome  is  the  head 
of  the  world." 

Stephen  archbishop  of  Larissa  was  badly  treated  and  imprisoned 
by  Epiphanius,  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  and  sent  Theodosius, 
one  of  his  suffragan  bishops  with  a  letter  appealing  to  the  Pope  say- 
ing i "  No  ecclesiastical  rank  can  exceed  the  authority  given  you  by 
the  Saviour  and  first  Pastor  of  all."  Still  unmoved  by  the  popular 
cry,  Stephen  who  wrote  the  above,  faced  all  opposition,  because  he 
appealed  to  the  Pope  saying:  "  In  the  confession  of  whose  church 
all  the  churches  of  the  world  rest." 

Such  was  also  the  faith  of  the  catholics  of  the  early  African  church 
as  shown  by  the  writings  of  Facundus  Hermi.*  The  belief  of  the 
British  Isles  appears  by  the  writings  of  Gildas  in  570  and  the 
other  early  Saxon  writers."  In  the  year  515  the  celebrated  St.  Co- 
lurabanus  asked  the  Pope  to  settle  the  disputed  question  about  the 
time  of  celebrating  Easter.  After  referring  to  the  traditions  of 
the  Scotch  and  Irish  churches  relating  to  the  matter  he  added: 
"It  is  not  our  place,  nor  does  it  belong  to  our  rank  to  question 
your  great  authority,  which  would  be  ridiculous,  for  you  legiti- 
mately sit  in  the  chair  of  Peter,  who  holds  the  keys.  My  western 
friends  ask  about  the  Easter"  &c.^  At  another  time,  when  a  dif- 
ficulty arose  relating  to  the  Three  Chapters,  he  wrote:  "  I  told 
the  Irish  that  the  Roman  See  would  never  give  its  support  to  any 
one  who  held  heretical  doctrines.  For  to  Thee  belongs  the  danger 
of  the  whole  army  of  the  Lord.  Thee  only  they  except  because  you 
have  the  power  of  regulating  all."  .  .  ."We  have  no  hope  except  in 
the  power  you  have  inherited  from  St.  Peter.".  .  .  "Though  Rome 
is  great  and  well  known,  by  this  Chair  alone  it  is  great  and  cele- 
brated among  us.".  .  ."Never  did  the  Caesars  place  their  imperial 
standards  on  the  shores  of  Ireland,  but  your  Holiness  reigns  over  the 
islands  of  the  sea,  as  well  as  in  your  capital.  W^e  are  a  province 
of  the  new  Rome,  which  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  if  we  are  allowed  to 
so  speak,  has  made  almost  heavenly."  Historians  tell  us  that  at  this 
time  the  whole  christian  world  stood  astonished  at  the  crowds  of 
pilgrims  from  the  British  Isles,  who  flocked  to  Rome  to  show  their 
respect  and  devotion  to  the  Holy  See.* 

The  churches  of  the  East  showed  no  less  devotedness  to  the 

Papacy.     Soon  after  Sophronius  ascended  the  chair  of  St.  James 

in  the'patriarchate  of  Jerusalem,  he  declared  that  the  mandate  of 

Pope  Leo  in  636  was  to  be  his  rule  of  faith.     He  also  said  that  all  the 

*  Hermianensis  in  553.       ^  increpatio  in  Clerum.       '  Galland  xU.  345.       ■•Berc.  vl.  274. 


162  JERUSALEM  APPEALS  TO  ROME. 

papal  bulls,  briefs  and  constitutions  emanating  from  the  Popes  up 
to  the  time  of  Christ,  the  same  should  be  received  in  Jerusalem  as 
though  they  came  from  St.  Peter  himself.  These  respectful  senti- 
ments of  devotion  were  fully  indorsed  by  all  the  bishops  belong- 
ing to  the  regions  around  Jerusalem.  The  bishops  of  Palestine 
appointed  Stephen  the  bishop  of  Dora  to  undertake  a  journey  to 
Rome  to  see  the  Pope  to  ask  his  assistance  against  the  false  doctrine 
of  the  Monothelites,  who  claimed  that  Christ  had  only  one  will. 
They  gave  him  a  letter  to  hand  the  Pope,  containing  among  other 
sentiments  of  obedience  the  following:  "Peter,  from  whom  you 
hold  the  plenitude  of  Apostolic  authority,  was  not  only  commis- 
sioned to  keep  the  Keys  of  Heaven  and  to  feed  the  lambs  of  the 
Lord,  but  he  was  moreover  endowed  with  infallible  faith,  and 
commanded  to  confirm  his  faltering  brethren." 

Then  says  Stephen,  Sophornius  the  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  led  me 
to  Calvary,  and  on  the  spot  sanctified  by  the  awful  mystery  of  our 
redemption, he  gave  me  this  solemn  pledge :  "Hurry  in  all  haste  to  the 
Apostolic  See,  where  the  foundations  of  the  orthodox  faith  exist. 
Urge  the  "Vicar  of  Christ  to  pronounce  his  judgment,  with  that 
apostolic  prudence,  which  is  fi-om  God,  that  we  may  root  out  of 
the  church  the  novelties,  which  have  of  late  sprung  up  among 
us.''  For  this,  he  says  to  the  Pope,  coming  here  I  have  approached 
your  Apostolic  footstool,  expecting  and  praying  that  you  would  hold 
out  your  hand  to  the  tottering  faith  of  Christians.  Grant  then 
this  request.  Holy  Father,  which  I  present  in  the  name  of  all  the 
Orientals.  You  hold  as  a  lamp  the  word  of  life  for  the  whole  world, 
which  when  you  introduce,  you  extinguish  the  darkness  of 
heresy." 

About  the  same  time  37  Archimandrites,  Priests,  Deacons  and 
clergymen  of  the  Eastern  church  drew  up  a  petition  regarding  these 
matters  presented  by  Stephen,  concluding  with:  "We  pray,  we 
appeal,  and  we  conjure  the  Apostolic  See  to  pronounce  on  this  mat- 
ter. "  On  the  same  occasion  Sergius  bishop  of  the  island  of  Cyprus 
wrote  the  Pope:  "As  the  Divine  Word  has  truly  pronounced,  you 
are  Peter  and  upon  you  the  fundamental  faith,  the  columns  of  the 
church  are  founded.  .  .You  keep  the  Keys  of  the  Kingdom  of 
heaven,  you  have  the  power  of  binding  and  of  loosing  botli  in  hea- 
ven and  on  earth,  you  are  the  Censor  of  hurtful  errors,  thou  art  the 
prince  and  the  teacher  of  unspotted  faith." 

The  same  hurtful  errors  having  spread  into  Africa,  the  bishops 
of  Numidia,  of  Mauritania  and  of  Byzantium  presented  an  address 
to  the  Pope  saying:  "  There  can  be  no  doubt,  that  like  a  pure  and 
exhaustless  spring,  the  Apostolic  See  pours  its  waters  in  constant 
streams  over  the  whole  christian  world.  Whence  no  matter  in 
what  regions,  soever  remote,  nothing  shall  be  done  or  received,  un- 
less it  is  first  sent  to  your  nourishing  motherly  See,  that  it  may  be 
strengthened  by  a  sentence  of  your  just  authority. "  Farther  on  they 
declare:.  "From  the  See  of  Rome  the  other  churches  of  the  world 
derive  all  their  strength  and  authority. "   In  looking  over  the  works 


THE  FIRST  MISSIONARIES  OF  EUROPE.  163 

of  this  early  age  we  are  struck  with  the  simil?irity  of  the  language 
used  by  all  bishops  nations  and  sections  of  the  church  in  Europe 
Asia  and  in  Africa.  With  one  voice  they  all  recognized  the  doctrin- 
al authority  of  the  Roman  Pontiffs  in  matters  of  faith  and  of  morals. 

St.  Maximus,  master  of  the  great  Anastasius,  from  his  secluded 
retreat  near  Chalcedon  wrote  about  the  errors  of  Phyrrus:  "If 
Phyrrus  wants  to  clear  himself  of  the  charge  of  heresy,  let  him 
publicly  justify  his  conduct.  Let  him  prove  his  innocence  to 
the  Pope  of  the  Roman  church,  that  is  to  the  Apostolic  See,  which 
to  the  fullest  extent,  has  the  power  of  binding  and  of  loosing. 
Because  it  is  the  Eternal  Word  Himself,  who  from  the  highest 
heavens  binds  and  loosens  in  the  person  of  the  Roman  Bishop  his 
Vicar  upon  earth.  If  then  Phyrrus  justifies  himself  before 
prelates  of  an  inferior  rank  in  the  church,  in  place  of  before  the 
Sovereign  Pontiff  himself,  he  is  like  a  man  who  when  arraigned  for 
murder  or  other  crime,  tries  to  evade  the  law  by  establishing  his 
innocence  before  unauthorized  persons,  and  not  before  the  Judge, 
who  has  the  right  of  aquitting  or  of  condemning  him." 

In  the  early  ages  of  the  Christian  religion,  the  missionaries  went 
from  Rome  to  christianize  the  different  nations,  and  from  the  Holy 
See  they  received  their  commissions.  Whence  we  read  that  Pope 
Celestine  sent  St.  Patrick  into  Ireland;  Gregory  sent  St.  Augus- 
tine to  England;  another  Pope  sent  St.  Dennis  to  convert  the  people 
ancient  of  Paris;  Pope  Grregory  commissioned  St.  Boniface  to  carry 
the  tidings  of  the  Gospel  to  the  Germans.  So  we  could  go  on 
and  tell  how  all  civilization  in  the  world  came  from  the  Holy  See. 

When  consecrated  a  bishop,  St.  Boniface  the  first  aspostle  of 
Germany,  as  customary  swore  to  guard  inviolate  the  rights  of  the 
Papacy  saying:  "  Because  the  Blessed  Peter,  the  Apostle,  is  the 
head  of  the  Apostolate  and  of  the  Episcopate."  He  used  to  ask  the 
advice  of  the  Pope  on  many  points  of  doctrine.  One  time  the  Pope 
replied  to  his  question:  "  We  answer  not  of  ourselves,  as  of  our- 
selves, but  by  power  of  our  Apostolic  authority."  Boniface  writing 
of  the  christian  Germans  of  his  time:  "  They  look  for  the  doctrine 
of  primitive  Christianity  in  the  living  Oracles  of  Christ's  Represen- 
tative, rather  than  in  the  holy  pages  or  the  traditions  of  our 
ancestors." 

In  England,  that  great  light  of  the  early  church  Venerable 
Bede,  thus  speaks  the  Pope  and  of  the  early  English  belief  in 
the  primacy  of  Peter's  successors:  "  Together  with  full  judicial 
power  on  all  disputed  points  of  doctrine,  Peter  received  the  keys 
of  heaven,  as  a  sign  to  all  the  children  of  the  church,  that  if  they 
separate  from  the  one  faith  which  he  teaches,  they  give  up  all 
hope  of  being  acquitted  of  their  guilt  and  of  entering  the  eternal 
portals."  '  Writing  about  king  Oswio,  the  same  author  says: 
"^  This  Saxon  recognized  the  Roman  Church  as  the  catholic  and 
apostolic  church,  because  her  sovereign  Pontiffs  have  succeeded 
each  other  in  an  unbroken  line  from  St.  Peter  down."     The  stat- 

1  Horn,  de  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul. 


164  THE  FOUR  GREAT  CHURCHES. 

utesof  the  Synod  held  at  Calchut,  signed  by  all  the  bishops  and 
the  chief  clergymen  of  England  living  at  that  time,  and  which 
were  sent  to  Rome  for  approval,  contains  the  most  hearty  obedi- 
ence of  the  English  church  to  the  Pope. 

There  was  no  greater  champion  of  the  faith  in  that  time  than  the 
great  St.  John  Damascene.  Writing  against  the  heretics  of  his  age 
he  says:  "  Hear  ye  people  and  nations  of  every  tongue.  Hear 
ye  young  and  old.  Depart  not  from  the  doctrine  of  the  Apostolic 
church,  even  though  an  angel  should  teach  you  otherwise." ' 

When  the  Abbot  Stephen  was  confined  in  prison  by  the  emper- 
or, the  latter  called  a  council  to  further  his  evil  designs,  calling 
it  the  Seventh  General  Council.  The  bishops  who  sat  in  it  came 
to  announce  its  proceedings  to  Stephen,  who  at  once  exclaimed: 
'^  How  can  a  council  meet  and  legislate  without  the  authority  and 
consent  of  the  Apostolic  See?'""  Callistus  reporting  his  answer  to 
the  emperor  said:  "AVe  are'  conquered,  it  is  impossible  to  resist 
the  learning  and  the  reasoning  of  that  man.'" 

At  that  time  the  four  gi*eatest  churches  after  Rome  were  Con- 
stantinople, Antiocli,  Alexandria  and  Jerusalem,  The  patri- 
archs of  these  ancient  sees,  together  wrote  to  the  emperor  say- 
ing, that  because  of  the  conquests  of  the  Mahomedans  in  their 
countries,  they  could  not  attend  the  council,  stating  at  the  same 
time  that  their  absence  would  not  invalidate  the  proceedings,  pro- 
vided the  decrees  were  confirmed  by  the  Pope,  at  the  same  time 
citing  the  Sixth  General  Council,  the  decrees  of  which  had  been 
accepted  all  over  the  world,  although  the  same  three  provinces 
mentioned  above  were  not  represented  in  that  council,  saying  that 
the  decrees  had  the  very  same  authority  as  a  General  Council  over 
the  whole  church,  because  they  were  confirmed  by  the  Pope. 

At  this  time  the  great  emperor  Charlemagne  associated  with  him 
the  celebrated  and  learned  Alcuin,  in  the  restoration  of  the  litera- 
ture of  Europe,  after  it  had  been  nearly  destroyed  by  the  incursions 
of  the  Barbarians  from  the  north,  when  they  destroyed  the  Roman 
Empire.  To  the  newly  elected  Pope  Adrian  he  wrote:  **  As  I  ac- 
knowledge you  for  the  Successor  of  St.  Peter,  so  I  also  recognize  you 
as  the  heir  of  his  wonderful  authority.  I  therefore  surrender  my- 
self entirely  to  you.  Blessed  be  the  tongue  of  your  mouth,  which 
speaks  the  saving  words  of  life,  at  whose  bidding  the  portals  of 
Heaven  are  opened  to  the  believer."  In  his  celebrated  book  On 
the  Divine  Offices,  he  speaks  in  splendid  language  of  the  Pope.  In 
another  letter  to  Pope  Leo  III  he  says:  "  In  you,  faith  is  resplendent. 
Under  your  pastoral  care  the  flock  of  the  Lord  increases.  You  are 
the  consolation  of  the  afflicted,  the  help  of  the  oppressed,  the  hope  of 
them  that  call  on  you,  the  light  of  life,  the  ornament  of  religion."  * 

In  the  same  age  Agilram  bishop  of  Metz  writing  to  Charlemagne 
says:  "Everyone  knows  that  the  Pope,  wielding  the  power  of 
St.  Peter,  is  authorized  to  pass  sentence  on  all,  the  churches,  and 
that  he  is  not  subjected  to  the  judgment  of  any  other," 

»  Sermo  de  Transfis:.  '  Butler  xvll.  p.  368.  *  Baron,  ad  an,  772. 


to    rfi 
O    H 

O  M 


166  LETTERS  TO  THE  POPE. 

The  Caroline  Books  show  us  the  faith  of  ancient  France  and 
Germany  in  that  early  age.  They  state  that:  "the  Holy  See  ad- 
ministers the  chalice  of  her  preachings  to  all  the  churches  of  the 
world."'  ''From  her  after  Christ  they  might  get  aid  for  the 
nourishing  of  their  faith,  because  the  Holy  See  has  neither  spot 
or  stain,  for  she  always  crushes  the  proud  heads  of  heretics,  and 
strengthens  the  hearts  of  the  faithful  in  the  faith."  **  Wlience 
it  always  receives  the  unction  of  faith."  The  same  sentiments 
are  given  by  Agabond  in  his  Letter  to  king  Lewis  the  Pius. ' 

The  religious  teachings  of  the  early  French  church  may  be 
found  in  the  Synods  held  at  Soissons, "  all  teaching  the  infalli- 
bility of  the  Pope,  and  his  supremacy  over  all  the  churches  of  the 
world,  ^neas  of  Paris  wrote  a  book  about  this  time  to  show  that 
the  Pope  received  his  power,  not  from  any  council,  or  from  other 
authority,  but  from  Christ  by  and  through  Peter.  For  proofs 
he  cites  numerous  historical  documents,  from  the  time  of  Ignatius 
the  martyred  archbishop  of  Antioch,  to  the  days  of  Photius  the 
author  of  the  Greek  schism.  * 

Theodore  Studitain  a  letter  to  Leo  IIL  calls  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
"The  Head  of  all  heads."  Condemning  the  Greeks,  then  about 
to  fall  into  schism,  he  says:  "  Whenever  those  who  err  from  truth 
try  to  change  anything  in  the  catholic  church,  it  is  necessary  to 
refer  it  to  Peter  or  to  his  successor."  To  Leo  L  he  wrote  these 
words:  "  Imitate,  we  pray  thee,  the  Pontiffs  who  bore  your  name, 
and  who  sprang  up  like  lions  when  the  Eutychian  heresy  rose." 
"  Besides  it  belongs  to  him,  led  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  make  known 
the  wishes  of  God  by  whom  other  churches  as  well  as  this  is  ruled 
and  governed." "  Again  he  says: ' '  I  declare  before  God  and  man, 
that  in  separating  themselves  from  tliat  chief  See,  in  which  Christ 
has  placed  the  keys  of  faith,  against  which  the  gates  of  hell  have 
never  prevailed,  nor  will  prevail  as  he  promised,  who  does  not  lie 
in  separating  from  it,"  "  they  have  separated  from  the  body  of 
Christ."*  In  his  letter  to  Pope  Paschal  he  says:  "For  you  are 
Peter  crowning  and  governing  the  See  of  Peter."  **  Confirm  then 
your  brethren.  This  is  the  proper  time.  Come  from  the  West 
and  stretch  out  your  saving  hand  to  the  East." 

The  Greeks  and  the  national  church  of  Russia  on  the  1 1th  of 
Nov.  each  year  read  the  following,  all  relating  to  the  Pope:  "Stretch 
out  your  hand  to  help  the  Church  of  Constantinople,  and  prove 
thyself  the  successor  of  the  first  Leo.  Listen  favorably  to  our  peti- 
tion because  thou  art  Peter  to  whom  Christ  said:  "Confirm  thy 
brethren.  " ' 

Again  in  the  West  rose  the  great  Hincmar  of  Rheims.  In 
852  making  his  profession  of  faitli  before  the  Council  of  Douzi  he 
said:  "The  Roman  See  is  the  Mistress  of  all  the  Churches 
throughout  the  whole  world."  He  continually  declared  that  all  dis- 

*  Lib  Carol.  »  Delnstltutlon  Retria. 

'  rt<!7.    DonzlRTl.    Pontlgny  876.  Troyefl878.    Tribur  895.      <  Speoll  D'ArcheryHS,  148. 
»  Bar  an  80».  Berc  vlll.  142.  •  Hard.  Ix.  005. 

'  De  Malstre  Du  Pap.  page  90. 


THE  WRITERS  OF  THE  MIDDLE  AGES.  167 

puted  points  once  brought  before  that  Holy  See  were  ended 
for  all  time,  by  the  sentence  of  the  Roman  Pontiff.  In  a  letter 
to  his  nephew  he  said,  that  "it  is  the  source  of  religion,  from 
which  flows  all  discipline  and  canonical  jurisdiction.  "  ' 

Eatramnus  of  Corby  and  Paulinus  of  Aquileia,  both  contempor- 
ary with  Hincmar,  tell  us,  that  such  was  the  faith  and  the  contin- 
ual teachings  of  the  church  in  their  days.  The  former  says:  ''  All 
ecclesiastical  decisions  must  be  submitted  to  the  judgment  of  the 
Pope,  that  what  is  proper  may  remain  and  what  is  wrong  may  be 
corrected.  "  ^  The  latter  writing  of  the  continual  troubles, 
which  disturbed  the  East,  and  contrasting  it  with  the  peace  and 
tranquility  of  the  church  in  the  West,  or  in  Europe  says:  "  We 
strongly  stand  within  the  limits  of  the  Apostolic  doctrine  and  of 
the  Holy  Roman  Church,  adhering  to  her  most  approved  author- 
ity and  following  its  most  holy  doctrines." 

The  celebrated  Raban  Maur  in  the  year  856  wrote  the  following 
to  Pope  Gregory  IV. :  "Thou  the  golden  light  of  the  Apostolic  See 
of  Rome,  thou  the  teacher  of  the  peoples,  the  nourishing  love  and 
the  ornament,  ....  Your  tongue  closes  or  opens  heaven.  For  all 
ages  you  are  united  to  the  Apostolic  prince  Peter.  On  earth 
you  carry  his  power.  " 

Lupus  the  friend  and  contemporary  of  Raban  and  of  Hincmar  in 
the  year  863  wrote  of  the  See  of  Rome:  "  She  neither  deceived  her- 
self, nor  was  she  ever  deceived  by  another.  "  About  the  end  of 
the  same  century  Hatto  archbishop  of  Mayence,  with  the  bishops 
of  Germany  and  of  Bavaria,  sent  written  communications  to  Pope 
John  IX.  concluding:  "  That  whatever  may  be  wrong  it  may  be 
corrected  by  your  authority.  "  Such  are  but  a  few  proofs  taken 
from  the  writings  of  the  early  fathers  and  writers  of  the  church. 
We  could  give  more  but  we  hurry  to  other  matters. 

When  councils  meet,  the  bishops  come,  not  because  they  can 
define  matters  of  faith  and  of  practice,  but  that  with  and  under 
their  head,  they  may  examine  the  doctrines  attacked,  that  by  them 
the  definitions  may  receive  more  weight,  be  given  more  formality, 
be  defined  by  the  Pope  with  more  solemnity,  and  that  they  may  be 
carried  back  by  the  bishops  to  their  dioceses  in  every  part  of  the 
world,  and  there  taught  to  both  clergy  and  laity,  as  coming  from 
the  heir  of  him  to  whom  Christ  gave  the  feeding  of  his  lambs  and 
sheep.  No  greater  defenders  of  the  supremacy  and  authority  of 
the  Bishops  of  Rome  can  be  found  than  the  bishops  themselves  in 
the  early  councils.  Let  us  now  see  what  the  councils  of  the  early 
church  say  regarding  the  headship  of  the  Bishops  of  Rome. 

The  first  council  of  the  church  was  held  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  under  the  chairmanship  of  Peter  at  Jerusalem. '  In 
that  assembly,  they  deliberated  relating  to  the  keeping  of  the 
Jewish  ceremonials  and  customs.  For  while  the  Jewish  con- 
verts kept  the  law  of  Moses,  the  gentiles,  who  had  entered  the- 
church,    refused   to    follow   the   regulations    of    the    Israelites. 

1  Hist.  Rem.  111.  13.  ^  Nat  Alexander,  xli.  *  Acts  vi.  vil. 


168  THE  COUNCIL  OF  NICE. 

The  dispute  waxed  warm,  till  Peter  rising  in  the  midst  of  the 
council;  "  The  multitude  held  their  peace,"'  for  the  first  Pope 
was  about  to  pronounce  sentence,  and  Peter's  decision  settled  the 
matter.  St.  James,  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  rose  to  introduce  a 
point  of  discipline,  but  in  matters  of  faith  he  submitted  to  the 
judgment  of  Peter. 

The  next  general  council  of  the  church  was  held  at  Nice,  in  325, 
under  the  patronage  of  the  emperor  (/onstantine.  It  was  called 
by  Pope  Sylvester,  who  was  not  himself  present,  but  he  delegated 
Osius  bishop  of  Cardova  and  two  priests  as  his  companions  to  pre- 
side in  his  name.  Bishop  Osius,  with  the  two  priests,  occupied  the 
highest  place  in  the  assembly,  over  the  great  patriarchs  and  arch- 
bishops of  the  other  famous  historic  Sees,  because  they  represented 
the  Papacy.  '  Here  we  see  in  a  year  325,  bishojDS  coming  from  all 
parts  of  the  world,  still  bearing  the  marks  of  suffering  in  that  age 
of  faith.  They  assemble  in  council,  and  two  simple  priests  take  po- 
sitions above  all  the  ranks  of  the  hierarchy  of  bishops  and  of  arch- 
bishops, because  they  reflected  the  rays  of  the  authority  of  the  Pope. 
There  two  simple  priests  sit  on  the  throne  of  the  absent  Pope,  yet 
not  one  word  of  protest  rose  from  the  patriarchs  and  archbishops  of 
the  great  apostolic  chairs  of  Jerusalem,  of  Alexandria,  of  Antioch, 
of  Ephesus,  of  Caesarea,  for  they  all  acknowledged  the  Primacy 
of  Rome  even  at  that  early  day.  Not  only  that,  but  before  the 
meeting  of  the  council,  the  three  Legates  of  the  Pope  condemned 
beforehand  the  heresy  of  Arius,  who  denied  the  divinity  of  Christ. 
Before  sending  them  as  his  delegates.  Pope  Sylvester  drew  up  the 
articles  of  faith  relating  to  the  Divinity  of  our  Lord,  and  the 
rules  of  procedure  and  of  discipline,  which  he  desired  to  be  followed. 
Not  one  found  a  word  of  fault,  because  they  all  recognized  the 
power  of  Peter  in  his  successor  St.  Sylvester.  At  that,  the  first  great 
meeting  for  the  first  time  of  all  the  bishops  of  the  whole  world 
gathered  at  Nice,  because  they  could  not  meet  at  Rome  before,  on  ac- 
count of  the  persecutions  of  the  pagan  world.  At  one  end  of  the  great 
hall  of  the  assembly  sat  the  three  legates  of  the  absent  Pope,  vested 
in  cope  and  mitre,  and  at  the  other  in  all  the  splenders  of  royalty  sat 
Constantine  glittering  in  purple  and  gold,  the  first  christian  ruler 
of  the  vast  Roman  Empire.  At  the  close  of  the  council,  the  Acts 
were  sent  to  Rome  for  the  confirmation  of  the  Pope.  Before  this 
confirmation  they  were  not  held  as  having  weight. 

To  this  afterwards  referred  Pope  Felix  IIL  in  the  year  483  when 
he  said  to  the  clergy  of  the  East  *'The  three  hundred  and  eighteen 
Fathers  meet  at  Nice,  remembering  the  words  of  the  Lord  **Thou 
art  Peter  "  **  transmitted  all  the  decrees  of  the  Council  to  the 
Roman  Church  for  confirmation.  "  Pope  Gelesius,  his  successor 
elected  in  the  year  402,  a  hundred  years  before  the  conversion  of 
England,  remmded  the  bishop  of  Darania  that  the  Acts  of  no 
Council  bind  till  confirmed  by  the  Pope,  saying  **  As  that  which, 
the  Roman  See  did  not  sanction  could  not  stand,  thus  what  she 

'  Acts  zl.       *  Sozom.  L.  I.  C.  xtI.  Concil  Cbal.  Act.  i.  and  Act.  xrtU.  Condi  ConsUnt  111. 


THE  FIRST  COUNCIL  OF  CONSTANTINOPLE.  169 

judges  right,  the  whole  church  receives.  The  whole  thing  is  placed 
under  the  power  of  the  Apostolic  See.  What  the  Apostolic  See 
confirms  from  her  it  receives  strength,  what  she  rejects  cannot 
have  any  strength." 

We  must  remember  that  the  Council  of  Nice  assembled  in  the 
year  325.  It  was  the  first  council  of  any  importance,  and  the 
only  one  in  which  all  the  bishops  of  the  world  assembled  since 
the  days  of  the  apostles.  The  39th  Canon,  very  probably  authentic 
reads:  "  The  incumbent  of  the  Eoman  See  acting  as  the  Vicar  of 
Christ  over  the  whole  church  is  the  head  of  the  patriarchs  as 
Peter  was.  "  '     This  canon  is  not  positively  authentic. 

Pope  Boniface  I.,  elected  in  the  year  418,  said  to  the  bishops  of 
Thessalonica:  "The  Fathers  of  the  council  did  not  legislate  any- 
thing for  the  Eoman  See,  because  they  saw  that  they  could  not 
impose  anything  upon  her,  for  they  knew  from  the  words  of  the 
Lord  that  he  had  given  all  power  to  her." 

The  next  General  Council  was  held  at  Constantinople  in  the  year 
381.  At  first  it  was  but  a  simple  provincial  Synod  of  the  bishops 
subject  to  the  archbishop  of  that  imperial  city.  They  assembled 
by  command  of  Pope  Damasus,  who  called  them  against  the  her- 
etical doctrines  of  the  Appolarians,  Macedonians,  &c.  According 
to  the  testimony  of  Sozomenus,  they  believed  that  these  disputes 
had  already  been  ended  by  the  decision  of  Pope  Damasus.  The 
words  of  Sozomenus  are  ''Whence  it  happens  that  by  the  judgment 
of  the  Eoman  Church,  the  dispute  is  finished,  they  are  at  rest,  and 
it  appears  that  an  end  has  come."  But  as  the  false  teachers  did  not 
stay  quiet,  the  Pope  determined  to  comdemn  them  in  a  more 
solemn  and  public  manner,  the  emperor  Theodosius  the  great 
called  the  council.'*  The  bishops  of  the  Eastern  or  Asiatic  churches, 
headed  by  Bazel,  the  primate  of  the  province  of  Cappadocia, 
addressed  a  letter  to  Pope  Damasus,  asking  that  the  Papal  Eescript 
condemning  the  heretics  be  also  published  in  the  East,  as  well  as 
in  the  West,  saying:  "  We  ask  that  it  be  published  and  promul- 
gated in  all  the  churches  of  the  East."  The  Pope  replying 
reminds  them,  that  they  must  render  him  reverence  and 
obedience,  concluding  with  "  Let  above  all  your  charity  render 
the  required  obedience  and  reverence  to  this  Apostolic  See." 
When  the  council  met,  the  same  Pope  rejected  their  disciplinary 
canons.^ 

For  nearly  a  thousand  years  these  disciplinary  canons  re- 
mained without  force,  till  they  were  at  last  confirmed  by  a  re- 
script of  Pope  Innocent  III.  in  the  thirteenth  century.  But  those 
parts  of  the  council  not  confirmed  by  the  Holy  See,  were  never 
considered  as  of  any  binding  force  in  the  church.  The  Pope  saw 
no  necessity  for  issuing  a  bull  condemning  Timothy  the  heretic, 
after  the  council  met,  because  he  had  already  given  a  formal  con- 
demnation of  him  before  the  assembling  of  the  bishops.     AVhence 

»  Acta  Concll.  Nicaena  Can.  39.  ^  Baronius  ad  Aa  381  N.  19. 

*  Gregor.  Mag.  ad  Patriarch.  Alexan.  and  to  Cyriacus  Constantinople. 


170  THE  COUNCIL  AT  EPHESUS. 

he  wrote  to  the  assembled  bishops:  "  For  we  have  ah-eady  given 
the  formula,  that  those  who  confess  themselves  as  christians  that 
they  hold  it.  Why  then  do  you  ask  me  a  second  time  to  condemn 
Timothy  'i" 

When  in  the  year  431  the  council  of  Ephesus  was  called  at  that 
city,  by  the  invitation  of  the  emperor  Theodosius  in  order  to  con- 
demn the  errors  of  Nestorius,  who  taught  that  Christ  had  two 
Persons,  one  of  God  the  other  of  man,  before  the  meeting  of  the 
bishops.  Pope  Celestin  issued  a  bull  to  take  effect  ten  days  after 
being  received,  in  which  he  excommunicated  Nestorius,  if  he  did  not 
retract  his  errors  within  that  time.  The  conditions  laid  down 
by  the  Pope  were,  that  he  should  be  deposed  from  the  See  of  Con- 
stantinople. The  Pope  authorized  Cyril  patriarch  of  Alexandria 
to  proceed  against  him  according  to  the  following  words  of  the 

Pope  to  Nestorius:     "  You  know  our  sentence,  that  unless 

within  ten  days  you  openly  and  in  writing  condemn  your  errors, 
you  are  deposed  from  the  communion  of  the  Catholic  and  univer- 
sal Church."'  Besides  this  letter  to  Nestorius,  the  Pope  sent  an- 
other mandate  to  the  bishops  of  the  East  declaring  himself  above 
and  independent  of  them,  or  of  all  the  Bishops  of  the  world  even 
when  assembled  in  a  General  Council:  '*  We  command  you  "he 
wrote  to  his  Legates,  "  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  the  Apostolic 
See.  When,  therefore,  any  discussion  arises,  you  shall  pass  sen- 
tence on  the  opinions  advanced,  but  you  must  not  enter  the  lists  as 

disputants But  what  we  have  already  decided,  you  shall 

not  interfere  with."  When  the  Papal  Legates  read  these  instruc- 
tions to  the  assembled  bishops,  the  latter  replied:  "From  the 
earliest  ages  of  the  church,  it  has  always  been  held  as  indisput- 
able, that  the  Prince  of  the  apostles,  the  pillar  of  truth,  the 
foundation  stone  of  the  Catholic  Church,  is  Peter,  who  received 
the  Keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  He  always  lives  in  his  succes- 
sors, and  pronounces  his  judgment  by  their  lips." 

In  the  most  solemn  manner  the  bishops  at  the  council  condemned 
Nestorius  and  his  errors.  But  when  the  council  officially  notified 
the  emporer  of  their  condemnation,  they  said  that  they  acted  thus 
according  to  the  instructions  of  the  Pope,  whose  previous  con- 
demnation directed  them  to  do  so,  while  the  Pope  rested  his 
authority  entirely  on  the  authority  of  Peter.  AVhile  the  sessions  of 
the  council  were  being  held,  Theodore  bishop  of  Ancyra  rose  and 
said:  '*The  Lord  of  the  universe,  hath  showed  by  the  letter  of 
Celestin,  that  the  sentence  of  condemnation  promulgated  by  the 
Synod  is  just."  In  a  letter  they  wrote  to  the  Pope,  asking  him 
to  confirm  the  decrees  of  the  council,  they  stated  that  they  had 
followed  his  instruction  in  all  things.  Afterwards  Celestin's  suc- 
cessor, Sixtus,  writing  to  John,  patriarch  of  Constantinople  about 
the  matter  says:  "  You  may  judge  from  the  transactions  of  the 
Council  at  Ephesus  what  is  meant  by  conforming  to  the  judgments 
of  the  holy  See.     St.  Peter  has  transmitted  to  his  successors  the 

>  Hard.  1.  1299. 


THE    FOURTH  GENERAL  COUNCIL.  171 

power  received  from  Christ."  Even  to-day,  the  Liturgical  books 
of  the  Russian  church  say  that  the  errors  of  Nestorius  were  de- 
stroyed by  Pope  Celestin,  and  not  by  the  council  at  Ephesus.  * 

In  440,  Leo  the  G  reat  sat  on  the  throne  of  Peter.  Eutyches  in  the 
cloisters  of  Constantinople  had  more  than  300  monks  under  him. 
While  combatting  the  errors  of  Nestorius  who  claimed  that  Christ 
had  two  persons,  Eutyches  went  to  the  other  extreme,  and  taught 
that  Christ  had  but  one  nature.  His  doctrines  soon  became  popu- 
lar in  tlie  schools  of  Arabia  and  of  Alexandria.  The  emporer  Mar- 
xian wrote  to  Pope  Leo  the  Great,  asking  him  to  call  a  council  of 
the  bishops  of  the  universal  Church,  that  the  error  might  be  con- 
demned, ''as  it  were,"  he  says,  "by  the  Blessed  Peter  himself." 
Yielding  also  to  the  empress  Pulcheria,  the  bishops  of  the  world 
were  called  with  a  letter  concluding  with  the  words  "that  the 
rights  and  the  honors  of  the  Apostolic  See  of  Peter  may  be  saved." 
More  than  630  bishops  came  to  this  council  from  all  parts  of  the 
christian  world.     Paschasius  was  the  Legate  of  the  Pope. 

Opening  the  assembly  in  451,  he  declared  in  the  name  of  the 
Pope,  that  Dioscorus,  having  held  a  council  without  the  author- 
ity of  the  Holy  See,  that  therefore  he  had  forfeited  his  seat  in  this 
council  of  the  universal  church.  Acting  on  the  orders  of  the 
Pope's  legate,  he  was  excluded  from  the  assembly.  The  council 
then  entered  on  the  deliberations,  acting  on  the  instructions  of 
the  Pope.  They  all  drew  up  a  form  of  belief  or  articles  of  faith, 
to  Avhich  each  gave  his  assent,  except  the  Papal  legate,  who  re- 
fused to  receive  his  faith  except  from  the  Pope  himself.  Having 
by  this  reversed  the  decisions  of  the  fathers  of  the  former  council, 
they  all  exclaimed:  "What  Leo  believes  we  all  believe.  Anath- 
ema be  he  who  believes  otherwise.  Peter  has  spoken  thiough  Leo." 
Then  Acropius  spoke  up:  "  His  Holiness  the  Pope  sent  us  a  form- 
ula of  faith.  We  are  bound  to  follow  it,  and  to  subscribe  to  its 
requirements."  Then  the  members  of  the  council  cried  out: 
"  That  is  what  we  wanted,  no  better  exposition  of  faith  can  be 
had."  When  the  council  adjourned  this  session,  as  had  been  cus- 
tomary from  the  apostolic  age,  they  sent  the  decrees  of  the  coun- 
cil to  the  Pope  for  confirmation,  saying  in  the  letter  they  for- 
warded him:  "We  have  a  rock  of  refuge  in  Peter,  who  alone  has 
the  absolute  right  of  deciding  in  the  place  of  God,  because  he  alone 
has  the  keys  of  heaven.  All  his  definitions  therefore  bind  as 
coming  from  the  Vicegerent  of  Christ."  The  council  then  de- 
posed the  bad  bishop  Dioscorus  with  the  words:  "He  that  is  the 
foundation  stone  of  the  faith,  has  divested  him  of  the  episcopal 
dignity,  Leo  the  Bishop  of  Eome,  but  re-echoes  the  sentence  of 
blessed  Peter.  Whosoever  shall  not  abide  by  the  instructions  of 
his  Holiness  is  a  heretic."''  In  memory  of  this  contest  the  Rus- 
sian Church  still  says  in  its  liturgy:  "How  shall  I  extol  thee 
Leo,  heir  of  the  invincible  rock?" 

1  Hard.  1.  1299  Nicephorus  xiv.  34  Hard.  1.  1503  Condi.  T.  ill.  p.  136  Malstre  Du  Pape   1.  91. 

2  Acta  Concil.  Iv.  Sess. 


172  THE  FIFTH  AND  SIXTH  GENERAL  COUNCIL. 

We  now  come  to  the  fifth  General  Couueil,  which  was  the  second 
held  at  Constantinople.  It  opened  in  the  year  553.  The  emperor 
Justinian  had  before  invited  Pope  Vigilius  to  visit  him  at  the 
imperial  city  of  Constantinople.  But  the  Pope  could  not  agree  to 
the  usurpations  of  the  emperor,  who  wanted  to  interfere  in  the 
church  government,  and  who  had  confiscated  church  property  and 
encroached  on  the  rights  of  the  Holy  See.  The  emperor  got  mad  and 
put  the  Pope  his  guest  in  prison.  In  going  to  prison  the  Pope  said 
to  the  emperor:  *'  Remember  that  although  you  have  enchained 
Vigilius,  you  cannot  imprison  Peter.''  The  emperor  then  resorted 
to  violence.  Soon  afterwards,  getting  out  of  prison,  the  Pope  took 
refuge  in  the  church  of  St.  Sophia  at  Chalcedon.  From  tliere  he 
issued  an  anathema  against  all  who  dare  to  teach  the  condemned  er- 
rors, while  beforehand  he  pronounced  void  and  null  all  acts  or 
statutes  enacted  by  a  council  which  the .  emperor  had  called. 
When  the  emperor  called  the  bishops  of  the  Roman  Empire  to 
the  council,  he  invited  also  the  Pope,  who  refused  to  attend, 
to  show  that  the  Pope  alone  had  authority  to  call  and  preside 
over  a  council  of  the  universal  church.  When  the  bishops  assem- 
bled, they  followed  to  the  most  minute  detail  the  instructions  of 
the  Pontiff,  stating  in  the  letters  they  sent  him:  "We  profess 
that  we  receive  the  letters  of  the  Roman  Pontiff  with  the  same 
faith  as  we  do  the  four  Gospels."'  After  all  this,  such  sus- 
picions hung  around  this  council,  that  it  was  many  centuries  be- 
fore it  was  received  as  authentic  in  the  church,  until  it  was 
known  certainly  that  the  decrees  were  confirmed  bv  the  Holy 
See. 

In  the  year  680  Pope  Agathon,  at  the  request  of  the  emperor 
Constantine  the  Bearded,  called  a  council  of  the  whole  episcopacy 
at  Constantinople,  to  condemn  the  teachings  of  those  who  held 
that  our  Lord  had  only  one  will,  the  Divine  will.  The  heretics 
taught  at  that  time  that  he  had  no  human  will. 

The  Legates  of  the  Pope,  presided  over  them.  The  Pope  sent 
them  these  Avords:  "They  shall  not  presume  to  increase,  dimin- 
ish or  change,  but  keep  the  traditions  of  this  Apostolic  See,  as 
given  and  instituted  by  the  Apostolic  Pontiffs."  In  his  letter  to  the 
emperor,  the  Pontiff  reminds  him  of  the  faith  of  the  See  of  Rome: 
"  This  Apostolic  church  never  turned  from  the  way  of  truth,  or 
held  any  kind  of  error This  is  the  true  rule  of  faith.  All  bish- 
ops, priests  and  laics,  who  wish  to  please  the  God  of  truth,  must 
study  to  conform  to  the  Apostolic  rule  of  the  primitive  faith, 
founded  on  the  rock  Peter,  and  kept  by  him  from  error." 

In  his  letter  to  the  council,  the  Pope  tells  the  bishops  that  they 
must  not  dare  to  debate  the  questions,  but  to  embrace  in  a  com- 
pendious manner  the  articles  he  before  had  sent  them,  and  then  to 
promulgate  them  his  doctrines  all  over  the  world.  Before  the 
council  met,  the  Pontiff  had  already  pronounced  on  the  disputed 
questions,  and  no  one  was  allowed  even  to  debate  in  the  cQuncil, 

>  GreR.  Mag.  Ub.  Ul.  Ep.  27.  Facand.  Ub.  U. 


THE  IMAGE  BREAKERS.  173 

the  questions  he  had  already  settled  by  his  infallible  decision.  Even 
the  bishops  at  the  council  exclaimed  at  one  of  the  sessions:  ''It 
seemed  to  us  paper  and  ink,  but  Peter  has  spoken  through 
Agathon."  Demetrius,  bishop  of  Persias,  remarked  at  the  council: 
"  I  received  the  instructions  of  Agathon,  as  dictated  under  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  blessed  Peter,  the  prince  of  the 
Apostles."  In  their  letter  to  the  emperor,  the  bishops  said  that 
they  received  the  letters  of  the  Pope  as  coming  from  heaven. 
Even  the  same  sentiments  were  re-echoed  by  the  emperor  himself. 
Soon  after  he  wrote  to  the  Pope  these  words:  ''We  all  received 
your  dogmatic  words  with  open  arms,  and  thought  that  we  had, 
when  receiving  them,  the  pleasure  of  embracing  Peter  himself, 
when  he  confessed  the  Divinity  of  Christ."  When  the  emperor 
sent  these  decrees  of  the  council  around  into  every  city  of  the 
Greek  empire,  of  which  he  was  the  head,  he  sent  them  not  in  the 
name  of  the  bishops  of  the  whole  world  in  council,  but  in  the 
name  of  the  Pope  himself. 

The  errors  of  the  Imagebreakers  rose  some  time  later  in  the 
East.  In  the  year  787  Pope  Adrian  I.  condemned  them  by  two 
letters,  one  to  the  emperor,  the  other  to  the  empress  and  required' 
that  these  letters  be  received  as  matters  of  faith  from  him,  because 
he  sat  on  the  chair  of  Peter.  He  said  of  the  Popes  his  predeces- 
sors: "  To  whom  in  Peter  the  Lord  gave  the  power  of  authority, 
and  he  also  transmitted  it  by  divine  right  to  the  Pontiffs  his  suc- 
cessors." "From  her"  the  Roman  Church,  "  the  other  churches; 
receive  the  documents  of  faith."  , 

We  must  remember  that  the  seat  of  the  Roman  Empire  had  been 
removed  from  Rome  to  Constantinople  by  Constantine  about  the 
year  312,  and  that  from  that  date,  Rome  the  City  of  the  Popes, 
was  but  a  small  city  compared  to  Constantinople,  the  seat  of  the 
great  Empire  of  Rome.  From  that  time,  Rome  and  her  Pontiffs 
gave  the  faith  to  the  whole  world.  The  power  of  the  Papacy  rose 
over  other  churches  therefore,  not  from  the  importance  of 
its  position,  but  it  rested  its  authority  in  the  successor  of  St.  Peter 
himself.  At  the  opening  of  the  II.  council  of  Nice,  the  legates  of 
Pope  Adrian  I.  presided  over  all  the  bishops,  and  they  first  read 
the  dogmatic  letters  of  his  Holiness,  defining  from  the  Chair  of 
Peter  the  doctrines  in  dispute.  Then  the  presiding  legate  asked 
in  a  most  solemn  manner  of  the  archbishop  of  Cpnstantinople: 
"  Let  the  Patriarch  tell  us,  let  the  council  tell  us,  do  they  agree 
to  the  letters  of  the  most  holy  Pope,  the  senior  of  Rome  or  not  ? 
because  as  his  Judgment  is  irreformable,  neither  reason  nor  faith 
will  allow  us  to  change  it.  "  All  the  Fathers  of  the  council  without 
a  single  exception  replied:  "  We  follow  him.  We  admit  the  let- 
ters. We  agree  with  him. "  In  signing  the  acts  every  bishop 
added  before  his  name:  "  With  the  grace  of  Christ  our  Lord, 
the  true  God,  I  believe  and  profess  whatever  is  contained  in  the 
letters  of  his  Holiness  the  Pope  of  Rome.  My  faith  is  that  of 
Pope  Adrian.  "      Tarasius  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  writing 


174  THE  GREEK  SCHISM. 

afterwards  to  the  Pope,  made  liis  profession  of  faith  in  these  words: 
*' Your  Holiness  has  attained  the  Chair  of  Peter  the  Apostle" 
and  speaking  of  the  official  definition  of  the  Pope  sent  to  the  coun- 
cil, before  the  meeting  of  the  bishops,  he  says:  "These  are  the  Di- 
vine Oracles. " 

About  the  middle  of  the  ninth  century,  by  the  treachery  of 
Photius,  again  the  religious  peace  of  Europe  was  threatened.  In 
the  year  870  the  VIII.  General  Council  was  called  at  Constantinople, 
it  being  known  as  the  IV.  of  Constantinople  under  Adrian  II. 
He  was  aided  by  the  emperor  Bazel,  who  took  a  great  deal  of  pains 
to  gather  together  the  bishops  at  Constantinople,  the  capital  of  the 
"Greek  empire.  Before  the  first  session  of  the  council,  the  Pope 
had  sent  a  letter  to  the  emperor,  commanding  the  bishops  of  the 
universal  church  under  the  most  severe  censures,  to  burn  the  acts 
and  decrees  of  the  former  meeting  of  the  few  bishops  under  Photius, 
who  claimed  independence  of  the  Holy  See,  and  who  was  even  then 
beginning  the  division,  which  later  resulted  in  separating  the  Greek 
church  from  the  seat  of  unity  at  Rome.  This  division  exists  to 
our  day  in  the  Russian  church  and  the  separated  schismatics  of  the 
East  or  Asiatic  churches.  The  Pope  wrote:  "  Let  not  one  iota,  or 
tittle  remain  of  these  decrees,  for  the  clergymen  who  do  so,  will 
be  deprived,  not  only  of  their  right  as  clergymen,  but  also  of 
the  dignity  of  the  whole  christian  name.  "  Having  carefully  ex- 
•ecuted  the  commands  of  the  Pope,  the  Fathers  of  the  council  ex- 
claimed with  one  voice:  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  has  deigned 
to  accept  some  satisfaction  for  your  Holiness.  " 

Before  this  Pope  Adrian  had  sent  to  the  council  a  rule  of  faith 
called  "  The  Libellus.  "  It  contained  all  the  chief  articles  of  the 
catholic  faith.  In  it  the  Pope  stated  that  unless  the  bishops  sub- 
scribed to  it,  they  could  not  hope  to  be  reconciled  with  the  church 
and  with  the  Holy  See.  The  first  article  of  this  statement  says: 
"  Our  Lord  said  to  Simon  ;  *  Thou  art  Peter  and  upon  this  rock 
I  will  build  my  church. '  "  He  then  decreed  that  history  proves 
that  this  promise  of  the  Saviour  has  been  kept.  Then  he  con- 
tinues: "  What  has  been  said  proves  the  effect  of  these  things, 
because  the  holy  catholic  religion,  and  its  famous  teaching  has 
been  kept  and  guarded  unspotted  by  the  Apostolic  See.  " 

After  the  council  had  passed  the  decree  as  commanded  by  Pope 
Adrian,  the  bishops  signed  the  Acts  of  the  council,  every  bishop 
signing  his  na\ne  with  the  formula:  "  In  the  presence  of  the  un- 
dersigned witnesses  I  (name  of  bishop)  have  affixed  my  signature 
to  the  profession  of  my  faith,  drawn  up  by  the  most  blessed  Adrian, 
the  supreme  Pontiff  and  universal  Pope.  "  At  the  second  session 
of  the  council,  all  the  bishops  who  had  fallen  into  the  schism  by 
following  Photius,  were  separately  asked  if  they  still  persisted  in 
their  course. 

After  they  had  heard  the  "  Libellus"  of  Pope  Adrian  read,  they 
replied  to  the  legate:  "  We  accept  your  judgment  as  that  of  the 
person  of  the  Son  of  God.  "    In  the  third  session  the  legates  read 


KICHOLAS  I.   AGAINST  THE  COUNCIL.  175 

still  another  letter  from  Pope  Adrian  to  the  patriarch  Ignatius, 
archbisliop  of  Constantinople,  in  which  the  bishop  of  Rome  de- 
clared, that  the  decisions  of  the  Papacy  are  irrevocable.  In  Igna- 
titus'  reply  to  Nicholas  I.  the  predecessor  of  Adrian,  which  was 
read  in  the  third  session  of  this  council,  he  says:  "  For  the 
trouble  of  the  body  there  are  many  physicians,  but  for  the  wounds 
of  the  soul  there  is  but  one  the  bishop  of  the  soul.  "  "  l^hey,  the 
Popes,  are  the  rooters-oat  of  heresies,  and  the  destroyers  of  the 
tares  and  weeds  of  heresies.  "  "  Whence  we  consider  the  blessed 
Pope  Nicholas  and  his  most  holy  successor  Adrian  as  being  the 
organ  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  "  All,  including  the  emperor,  wrote, 
asking  the  Pope  to  recognize  as  valid  the  holy  orders  administer- 
ed by  the  intruder  Photius,  who  was  related  to  the  emperor,  but 
who  ordained  clergymen,  who  still  required  jurisdiction  for  some 
of  the  sacraments.  This  was  the  request  of  a  general  council, 
strengthened  by  the  whole  force  of  the  empire,  a  powerful  proof 
of  the  belief  of  the  whole  world  at  that  day.  They  requested  in 
vain.  The  Bishop  of  Rome  refused  to  recognize  the  orders  admin- 
istered by  the  man,  who  had  intruded  himself  into  the  See  of  St. 
Ignatius.  The  Pope  replied  '•  It  is  not  in  us.  It  is  and  it  is 
not.  We  cannot  contradict  ourselves.  ''  He  replied  thus,  because 
before  the  council  had  met,  he  stated  that  he  would  not  consider 
as  legitimate  the  holy  orders  administei'ed  by  the  bad  usurping 
bishop  Photius,  even  with  the  whole  power  of  the  Roman  empire 
behind  him. 

Such  is  a  brief  history  of  the  VIII.  first  important  councils  held 
in  the  East,  which  show  in  striking  manner  the  Bishops  of  Rome 
independent  of  and  above  all  councils  of  the  church.  During 
these  centuries  numerous  other  councils,  no  less  famous,  had  been 
held  in  the  West,  that  is  in  Europe,  and  they  also  show  the  Roman 
Pontiffs  in  the  same  light  as  the  Supreme  Shepherds  of  souls.  But 
we  have  given  the  story  of  the  Eastern  councils,  for  the  East  was 
«oon  to  fall  into  the  Greek  schism,  inte  which  they  still  remain 
plunged. 

Thus  in  her  great  writers  and  in  her  councils,  we  find  the  divine 
•constitution  of  the  church  so  clearly  proved,  that  any  unbiased 
mind  must  see,  that  Peter  in  his  successors  still  feeds  the  sheep 
and  lambs  of  Christ. 

Such  therefore  is  Rome,  the  city  of  Peter  and  of  Paul,  the  head 
and  the  capital  of  the  christian  world.  Let  us  end  this  chapter 
by  the  words  of  two  great  christian  fathers, regretting  that  no  trans- 
lation can  give  their  original  beauties.  St.  Leo  says  preaching  to 
the  Romans  long  ago  on  the  feasts  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul:'  "  For 
these  are  the  men  by  whom  the  Gospel  of  Christ  was  preached  at 
Rome,  which  city  was  first  the  Mistress  of  error,  but  which  later 
became  the  disciple  of  truth.  These  were  your  fathers  and  your 
true  pastors.  They  built  another  empire  for  you,  and  led  you  into 
a  more  heavenly  kingdom,  much  greater  than  the  kingdom  con- 

1  29th  June. 


176  STS.  LEO  AND  CHRTSTOM. 

quered  by  your  fathers,  better  than  the  one  Avhom  your  founder 
soiled  by  a  brother's  death.'  These  apostles  led  you  into  this  glory, 
that  you  might  be  a  holy  nation,  a  people  elect,  a  priestly  and  & 
royal  city.  By  the  holy  See  of  blessed  Peter,  you  became  the  head 
of  the  whole  world,  that  by  a  divine  religion  you  might  rule  wider 
and  by  a  power  greater  than  by  any  earthly  dominion. . .  .For  it 
better  agreed  with  divine  providence,  that  many  kingdoms  might 
unite  in  your  one  empire,  so  that  later  to  many  people  the  same 
preaching  might  extend,  which  the  power  of  one  city  held.  But 
this  city,  knowing  not  the  destiny  of  providence  over  her,  when  she 
had  conquered  nearly  all  nations  she  served  and  believed  in  the 
errors  of  all.  Then  she  received  a  religion  which  had  no  error, 
whence  inasmuch  as  she  was  held  by  the  strength  of  the  devil, 
she  was  delivered  more  wonderfully  by  Christ.*  "  Whence  these 
two  wonderful  seeds  of  the  divine  Word  sprouted  and  brought 
forth  their  harvest,  the  thousands  of  Martyrs,  emulating  the  tri- 
umphant   death  of    the  apostles    reddened  our  City  with   their 

blood,  and  shone  forth  far  and  wide  to  other  peoples But  in 

the  superiority  of  these  Fathers  we  give  greater  glory,  for  the 
grace  of  God  raised  them  to  the  highest  pinnacle  among  all  the 
members  of  the  saints,  among  those  who  form  one  body,  of  which 

Christ  is  the  head.' 

''Yes,  if  we  were  there  we  would  see  him  (Peter)  although  we 
stand  not  near,  we  will  see  near  by  him,  a  royal  throne  shining 
forth,  where  the  Cherubim  worship  God,  where  the  Seraphim  fly; 
there  Ave  will  see  Paul,  with  Peter  the  chief  and  the  prince  of  the 

choir  of  saints,  and  we  will  rejoice  in  their  double  charity And 

therefore  I  love  Rome,  and  for  other  reasons  I  look  to  her  than  for 
her  size,  her  ancient  glories,  her  beauties,  her  numerous  popula- 
tion, her  power,  her  riches  and  for  the  wonderful  things  done  iu 
her.  But  all  these  thrown  aside,  I  call  her  blessed,  because  Paul, 
while  he  lived  was  kind  to  her  citizens,  and  therefore  he  loved 
them,  he  preached  to  them,  and  later  among  them  he  ended  his 
life,  they  have  his  holy  body,  and  therefore  this  city  has  become 
great,  greater  than  all  other  human  things,  and  as  the  full-grown 
body  has  two  sparkling  eyes,  thus  she  has  the  bodies  of  these 

two Here  Paul  was  carried,  here    Peter.      Think   and  be 

frightened  at  the  scene  Rome  is  to  see, — Paul  with  Peter  rising 
above  to  meet  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  What  kind  of  a  rose  will 
Rome  send  to  Christ  ?  By  what  kind  of  a  double  crown  will  this 
City  bedecked?  * 

>  He  alludes  to  the  Roman  empire  founded  bv  Romulus  who  killed  his  brother  soon  after 
Rome  was  founded.  '  St.  Leo  Sermo  I  In  Nat.  SS  Ap.  Petri  et  PauU. 

>  Ibidem  in  Fine.  *  St.  Cbrystom  Sermo  9i  In  moral.  E.  host. 


:g?!p(itpSp^^^|l^^P^i^!!?!?^^ 


fHE  Father  opens  his  divine 
intelligence  and  gives  rise 
^viiz/'  to  his  Thought,  his  mental 
Word,  who  "In  the  begin- 
ning was  the  Word  and  the  Word 
was  with  God  and  the  Word  was 
God.'"  The  Word  is  the  Son  re- 
vealed to  man  from  the  time  his 
human  nature  was  created.  He 
came  down  from  heaven  to  earth, 
that  he  might  teach  mankind  the 
way  to  heaven,  that  he  might  govern 
his  Kingdom  on  this  earth,  thus 
preparing  us  for  the  Glories  he  had 
with  his  Father  before  the  world  was. 
All  revelation  then  may  be  re- 
duced to  two  kinds  of  supreme  prin- 
ciples or  series  of  truths. — one  relat- 
ing  to  what  we  must  believe — the 


I  John  i.  1. 


1;7 


1 

fli^^lrn ' 

1 

1 

THE  CHURCH  TEACHES  FAITH  AND  MORALS.  179 

other  to  what  we  must  do  in  order  to  be  saved.  This  agrees  with 
the  nature  of  man,'  whose  mind  sees  truth  and  whose  will  rules 
his  moral  actions.  Mind  and  free  will  in  action  make  our  reason, 
making  us  differ  from  beasts,  who  are  ruled  by  instinct  and  by 
passion.  By  reason  then  man  rises  to  the  serene  sphere  of  an  in- 
tellectual being,  like  the  angel  and  like  unto  God,  whose  divine 
Intelligence,  the  Son,  by  his  laws  rules  all  creation. 

The  Intelligence  or  Truth  of  God  is  his  only  begotten  Son,  ever 
generated  from  the  Father,  whose  images  are  the  thoughts  of 
every  created  mind,  bringing  forth  faint  reflections  of  his  infinite 
perfections.  The  Good  of  God  is  the  Holy  Spirit  to  whose  like- 
ness we  foi-m  each  good  thought  and  action.  In  creation  God 
made  each  creature  to  the  image  and  the  likeness  of  his  divine 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  who  "moved  over  the  waters"  on  the 
morning  of  creation  now  rules  his  church,  the  last  and  most  won- 
derful of  created  things.  In  the  revelation  of  God  to  man,  the 
divine  Son  acts  in  the  mind  by  the  truths  revealed  of  him,  and  la 
the  will  the  Holy  Ghost  acts  by  his  grace.  Dogmatic  theology 
treats  of  the  truths  of  revelation  proposed  to  the  human  mind, 
and  moral  theology  tells  the  will  what  to  do,  that  the  minds  of 
men  may  be  enlightened  by  his  truths  and  that  the  actions  of 
men  may  be  right  and  according  to  the  Will  of  God.  Thus 
while  the  Son  enlightens  the  intelligence  of  the  race,  the  Holy 
Ghost  strengthens  the  wills  of  men  by  his  indwelling  in  the  soul. 
Thus  the  Son  and  Spirit  of  God  poured  out  upon  the  world,  act 
on  the  noblest  faculties  of  mankind,  raising  them  up  to  a  super- 
natural state,  and  preparing  them  for  the  coming  glories  of  heaven. 

The  church  being  the  organ  of  God,  she  acts  in  the  mind  by  teach- 
ing truth,  and  on  the  will  by  pouring  grace  into  the  soul.  Thus 
the  Son  and  Spirit  of  God  teaches  and  sanctifies  mankind.  The 
church  alone  has  received  from  God  the  right  and  the  power  of 
saying  what  God  has  revealed,  and  telling  which  actions  are  good 
and  which  are  bad.  She  is  then  the  teacher  of  faith  and  of  mor- 
als, she  is  the  spiritual  government  of  mankind.  But  the  church 
is  composed  of  a  great  many  persons.  The  laity  sit  at  her  feet  and 
listen  to  her  teaching.  They  are  not  the  teachers  but  the  listen- 
ers. The  bishops  are  the  teaching  officers  of  the  church  while 
the  priests  under  them  are  their  aids  and  helpers.  But  the  mem- 
bers of  the  mystic  body  of  Christ  do  not  speak  for  themselves. 
For  the  head  speaks  by  and  through  the  mouth.  The  head  alone 
directs  the  body.  The  head  of  the  church  teaches  and  directs  the 
members  of  the  body.  Thus  in  nature  the  head  directs  the  body. 
The  Bishop  of  Rome  is  the  head  of  the  church.  He  is  the  teach- 
er of  faith  and  morals.  To  him  in  the  person  of  Peter,  Christ 
gave  the  supernatural  power  of  feeding  his  lambs  and  sheep,  and 
of  confirming  his  brethren  in  the  episcopacy.  Every  priest  and 
bishop  in  the  church  but  reflects  the  intellectual  light  which  flows 
out  from  him  the  Bishop  of  Rome  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  keeps 
from  error. 


180  IX  WHAT  THE  POPE  IS  NOT  INFALLIBLE. 

The  Pope  is  not  the  teacher  of  the  church  in  his  private  life, 
but  in  his  public  and  official  life.  Heir  of  Peter  sitting  on 
the  eternal  throne  of  the  Fisherman  he  teaches  the  universal 
church  what  God  has  revealed,  what  we  are  to  believe,  and  what 
we  must  do  in  order  to  be  saved.  His  teaching  power  has  noth- 
ing to  do  with  his  private  life.  It  is  attached  to  his  office  as  the 
visible  head  of  the  visible  church.  Because  he  is  the  Vicar  of  our 
Eedeemer,  the  Holy  Spirit  keeps  him  from  error,  so  that  he 
may  not  deceive  the  people  of  God.  He  cannot  manufacture  any 
new  doctrines;  he  cannot  increase  or  weaken  what  God  has  re- 
vealed as  found  in  the  holy  Bible  or  in  the  traditions  of  the 
christian  church;  his  office  as  teacher  is  to  "  keep  the  deposit  of 
truth  "  revealed  in  the  Bible  and  in  tradition  to  the  world,  a  rev- 
elation finished  and  ended  by  the  coming  of  our  blessed  Lord. 

He  is  not  infallible  in  appointing  bishops,  in  forming  rules  for 
particular  dioceses  or  provinces  of  the  church,  in  arranging  treat- 
ies and  concordances  with  nations,  in  passing  judgments  in  par- 
ticular cases  of  discipline,  in  teaching  a  part  of  the  church,  but 
leaving  out  some  of  the  clergy  or  people,  in  correcting  abuses  in 
certain  dioceses,  in  appointing  men  to  offices  in  the  church,  or  in 
writing  private  letters.  He  is  infallible  only  when  as  Head  of  the 
whole  church  ,he  defines  matters  of  faith  and  morals  revealed  by  God 
in  the  Bible  and  in  tradition,  and  in  teaching  the  whole  world  what 
God  has  taught  in  the  Bible  and  in  all  truths  necessarily  connected 
with  the  preservation  of  religion.  Many  authors  say  that  by  the 
words  of  Christ  to  Peter  "  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  Peter,  that  thy 
faith  fail  not,  and  that  thou  being  once  converted  confirm  thy 
brethren,"  '  means  that  the  catholic  faith  is  secured  to  the 
Bishop  of  Eome  as  heir  of  Peter's  power,  and  that  he  will  never 
fall  into  even  private  error  acting  as  a  private  man.  In  fact  his- 
tory does  not  give  us  the  example  of  any  Pontiff  falling  from  the 
faith  of  Christ.  Even  in  their  private  lives  they  were  all  men  of 
the  soundest  faith  and  purest  morals,  and  this  seems  reasonable. 
For  it  would  be  difficult  to  suppose  a  Pope  proclaiming  to  the 
whole  church  as  a  truth  revealed  by  God,  what  he  did  not  in  his 
heart  firmly  believe. 

All  writers  both  within  and  without  the  church  agree  that  the 
Pontiff,  even  after  advising  with  his  cabinet  could  err  in  a  dis- 
puted point  regarding  any  particular  fact  except  a  dogmatic  fact, 
proved  by  the  testimony  of  men.  All  catholics  say  that  he  may 
err  as  a  private  man  in  his  private  opinions  regarding  faith  and 
morals,  the  same  as  any  other  man.  They  also  agree  in  saying 
that  the  Pontiff  presiding  over  a  general  council  cannot  err  in 
decrees  of  faith  and  morals.  We  cannot  suppose  a  general  coun- 
cil of  all  the  bishops  of  the  world  meeting  without  their  natural 
and  only  head  and  chairman,  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  personally  or 
by  his  legate  presiding  over  them.  The  bishops  in  such  a  univer- 
sal council  taken  separately  are  not  the  infallible  teachers  of 

>  Luke  xxli.  82. 


MEANING  OF  THE  WORD  INFALLIBLE.  181 

faith  and  morals,  and  when  they  assemble  in  a  council  they  do 
not  change  their  nature  and  become  infallible  teachers.  Taken 
separately  from  their  natural  head,  the  Pontiff,  either  scattered 
in  their  dioceses,  or  united  in  council  they,  are  not  infallible.  For 
not  to  the  apostles  did  Christ  say  "  Feed  my  lambs  Feed  my 
sheep",  but  to  Peter  alone  said  the  Lord  these  words.  The  un- 
failing teacher  of  the  church  then  is  the  heir  and  the  successor  of 
Peter,  lighting  up  the  whole  church  by  the  teachings  of  his  super- 
naturally  enlightened  mind.  The  Pope  is  the  head  of  the  gener- 
al council,  and  the  head  speaks  but  not  the  members  of  the  body. 
Thus  the  council  of  the  whole  church  cannot  reform  the  decrees 
of  the  Pope  as  the  Vatican  council  defined.' 

Each  organism  comes  into  the  world  more  or  less  imperfect, 
but  by  the  lapse  of  time  it  develops  into  a  perfect  animal  or  man. 
God  revealed  to  the  human  race  all  things  wanted  for  the  salva- 
tion of  mankind.  But  these  truths  were  not  given  so  clearly  that 
all  men  might  see  them  at  once.  By  lapse  of  time  they  became 
more  and  more  clear  to  the  human  mind,  as  the  organism  of  the 
church  developed  from  age  to  age.* 

The  word  infallible  comes  from  the  Latin  and  means  not  liable 
to  err.  Thus  any  one  who  teaches  truths  coming  from  human 
reason  isiilfallible.  But  the  Pope  is  infallible  only  when  he  teaches 
the  supernatural  truths,  that  is  what  God  revealed  in  the  Bible 
and  in  holy  tradition.  The  constitution  of  the  church  is  found  in 
the  Bible  and  in  tradition.  But  the  Holy  Spirit  does  not  give 
every  one  the  power  of  interpreting  the  Bible.  That  belongs  to 
Peter  and  to  his  successors  in  the  See  of  Rome,  in  office  as  confirmers. 
of  their  brothers  the  other  bishops.  The  Pope  is  infallible  only 
when  he  speaks  from  the  chair  of  Peter  as  the  teacher  of  the  whole 
world  teaching  matters  belonging  to  faith  and  morals.  If  he  were 
to  leave  any  one  out,  or  teach  only  a  section  of  the  world,  or  pro- 
claim a  thing  not  pertaining  to  revelation,  then  he  would  not  be  in- 
fallible. From  this  the  reader  will  see  that  the  Pope  only  claims 
what  all  members  of  the  Protestant  churches  claim  for  themselves, 
the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  interpretation  of  religion. 
Therefore  what  Protestants  call — the  private  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures, — and  which  they  think  belongs  to  all  persons,  the  church 
holds  as  belonging  only  to  the  head  of  the  church,  to  the  Pope 
the  successor  of  St.  Peter.  The  infallibility  of  the  Pope  consists 
in  this,  that  he  is  the  divinely  appointed  Interpreter  of  revelation, 
the  Guardian  of  the  ''Deposit  of  Faith,  the  Teacher  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  and  the  Vicar  of  Christ." 

The  church  is  infallible  in  her  teachings  because  of  the  infalli- 
bility of  her  head.  The  head  and  body  cannot  be  divided,  for 
that  would  be  the  death  of  the  body.  To  the  church  Christ  said : 
"  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations."  "  Behold  I  am  with 
you  all  days  even  to  the  consummation  of  the  world."  *    The  Holy 

*  CoDcil.  Vat.  Cap.  iv.  ^  See  Card.  Newman,  Development  of  Chrtstlan  Doctrine. 

8  Matt,  xxvill.  20. 


182  BISHOPS  ARE  NOT  INFALLIBLE. 

Spirit  animates  the  whole  body  of  the  church,  as  the  soul  of  man 
animates  his  body.  The  soul  of  man  speaks  through  and  by  his 
mouth  in  the  head.  So  the  Holy  Ghost  speaks  through  and  by 
the  head  of  the  church.  Whence  the  Pope  is  infallible  by  the  as- 
sistance of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  former  days  the  same  Holy  Ghost 
spoke  by  and  through  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testament.  In  the 
same  way  he  now  speaks  in  and  by  the  Pope  but  in  a  different 
manner.  For  the  inspiration  of  the  prophets  was  a  direct  and  a 
positive  act  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  But  in  the  Pope  the  action  of 
the  indwelling  Spirit  of  God  is  not  so  prominent  as  in  the  prophets. 
For  the  Holy  Ghost  only  keeps  the  Pope  from  teaching  error  to- 
the  world,  when  sitting  on  the  Chair  of  Peter. 

Whence  that  infallibility  given  to  the  church  through  and  by 
Peter  is  a  special  and  direct  act  of  the  supernatural,  so  that  the 
Vicar  General,  the  prime  Minister  of  Christ  may  not  deceive  the 
human  race,  and  in  the  name  of  Christ  teach  what  is  false;  that 
the  church  might  keep  bright  and  unspotted  the  series  of  truths 
revealed  to  mankind.  Thus  the  church  is  a  ''path  and  a  way, 
there  shall  be,  and  it  shall  be  called  the  holy  way,  the  unclean 
shall  not  pass  ovc*  it,  and  this  shall  be  unto  you  a  straight  way  so- 
that  fools  shall  not  err  therein  ?"  '  Therefore  whosoever  follows  the 
teachings  of  the  infallible  church,  shall  be  sure  of  their  salvation, 
even  if  they  are  unlearned,  because  they  shall  be  taught  by  Jesus 
Christ  himself,  who  speaks  to  them  by  the  mouth  of  his  Vicar  the 
Pope. 

The  Pope  therefore  is  infallible  because  he  is  the  teacher  of  the 
universal  church.  The  bishop  and  clergy  are  also  infallible  be- 
cause they  teach  what  the  Pope  teaches  and  reflect  the  rays  of  his 
infallibility,  like  the  planets  which  shine  not  by  their  own  light 
but  by  the  light  of  the  sun  around  which  they  revolve.  "  In 
Peter  therefore  the  firmness  of  all  is  strengthened,  and  the  aid  of 
divine  grace  is  so  ordained,  that  the  strength,  which  was  given  by 
Christ  to  Peter,  through  Peter  it  was  confirmed  on  the  apostles."  * 
The  infallibility  of  the  Pope  comes  not  from  his  union  with  the 
bishop  but  from  his  union  with  Christ,  while  the  infallibility  of 
the  other  bishops  and  the  priests  of  the  whole  church  comes  from 
him,  and  it  is  but  the  reflection  of  his  individual  infallibility. 

The  Pope  being  the  Vicar  and  the  prime  minister  of  Ciirist. 
what  he  does  in  his  office  as  Pope  binds  Christ.  For  to  him  in 
the  person  of  Peter  Christ  said:  "  I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  whatever  thoushalt  bind  on  earth  it 
shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven,  and  whatever  thou  shalt  loose  up- 
on earth  it  shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven."'  In  the  Pope  there- 
fore the  three  powers  of  teaching,  sanctifying  and  of  ruling  the 
people  of  God  exist  in  the  highest  and  most  eminent  degree.  As 
the  teacher  of  the  church  Christ  said  to  him:  "Confirm  thy 
brethren."*   As  the  chief  minister  of  the  Lord  he  said:  "  Feed  my 

'  Isalas  XXV.  S.  »  St.  Leo  Sermo.  Iv.  8.  *  Matt.  xvl.  19. 

*  Luke  xxll.  32. 


THE  HEAD  RULES  THE  BODY.  183 

lambs  Feed  my  sheep."'  As  the  head  and  ruler  of  the  whole 
church  he  said  to  him:  ''Whatever  thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth 
it  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven  "  &C.'' 

It  is  false  then  to  suppose  that  the  church  is  infallible  and  that 
the  Pope  is  only  the  mouthpiece  of  the  infallible  church,  and  that 
he  is  not  infallible  in  his  own  person.  For  each  of  the  bishops 
are  not  infallible  when  considered  separately,  and  when  they  meet 
in  council  they  cannot  give  an  infallibility  which  they  have  not. 
For  in  the  councils  of  the  church,  they  derive  their  infallibility 
from  their  head  the  Eoman  Pontiff,  who  in  his  turn  obtains  his 
infallibility  from  his  remarkable  union  with  Christ.  It  is  the  in- 
fallibility of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  who  dwells  in  him. 

The  Spirit  of  Christ,  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  "  Spirit  of  Truth,"  the 
Soul  of  the  church,  he  teaches  the  world  through  the  Pope,  and 
that  Spirit  of  Christ  keeps  him  from  teaching,  erring  and  deceiving 
the  world  in  the  name  of  Christ.  For  Christ  "  gave  to  Peter, 
and  gave  to  him  alone,  all  the  fulness  of  what  belonged  to  him- 
self." ^  ''The  Roman  Pontiff  has  been  always  called  the  head  of 
the  church."-  "The  bishop  of  the  catholic  church."'  "The 
source  and  the  origin  of  the  episcopacy."  *  "The  chief  of  bish- 
ops."^ To  sum  all  up  we  say  with  St.  Ambrose:  "Where  Peter 
is  there  is  the  church."  * 

The  diocese  of  Rome  has  stood.  The  Papacy  is  eternal.  For  Christ 
is  the  Son  of  God,  infinite  and  he  is  all  powerful  to  save  from 
falling  the  corner  stone  of  the  universal  church  he  founded.  For 
that  reason  the  Popes  live  forever  in  an  atmosphere  of  the  super- 
natural. For  they  are  the  Vicars  of  Christ,  the  mouthpiece  and 
the  organ  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  That  grace  given  to  Peter  was  not 
for  him  alone,  not  for  him  personally,  but  also  for  his  successors 
in  the  See  of  Rome.  That  commission  was  given  him  personally 
for  the  universal  church.  That  grace  was  to  govern,  confirm,  and  to 
strengthen  all  his  brethern  in  the  episcopacy,  in  the  work  of  the 
apostolate,  to  uphold  the  other  diocese  by  the  strength  Christ 
gave  to  Peter,  and  by  him  to  the  Popes. 

For  if  the  head  is  strong  and  enlightened,  the  whole  body  par- 
takes in  its  wisdom,  and  the  organism  advances  sure  on  the 
road  to  perfection.  For  that  reason  the  Lord  gave  power  to  Peter 
to  direct  the  whole  church  confided  to  his  care.  Being  the  one 
Rock  with  Christ,  Peter  and  his  successors  form  with  him  one 
authority,  one  government.  But  lest  they  might  direct  the  world 
wrong,  lest  they  might  compromise  the  teachings  left  to  the  world 
and  deceive  the  human  race,  to  avoid  these  terrible  evils,  the  Lord 
gave  to  Peter  and  in  him  to  the  Popes  infallibility  in  teaching  mat- 
ters of  faith  and  morals,  when  sitting  on  the  episcopal  throne  of 
Peter. 

The  Vicar  of  Christ  then  is  the  religious  teacher  of  mankind. 

1  John  xxi.  19.  ■  Matt.  xvl.  19.  '  St.  Leo  L.  Cit.  p.  140,  2. 

■•  St.  Chrystom  Hom.  80,  ad  prop.  ^  Concil.  Chal.  et  Constantinople  In  Epit  Synod. 

«  St.  Cvp'ren  Eplst.  45,  ad  Cornel. 

^  Synod  Afric.  ad  Tbeod.  St.  Jerome  Cont.  Jovin  Tertul.  de  Pudlc.  cl.       "  In  Psl.  40.  n.  30. 


184  HOW  DOCTRINES  ARK    DEFINED. 

By  divine  right  it  belongs  to  Peter  to  define  what  God  has  taught 
in  the  holy  Bible,  what  Christ  left  to  the  apostles,  and  what  may 
be  found  in  the  traditions  of  the  church.  Being  head  of  the  vis- 
ible church,  he  is  the  mouthpiece  of  the  whole  mystic  body  of 
Christ.  For  the  body  speaks  by  the  head  in  any  organization, 
because  the  mouth  is  always  in  the  head.  But  the  head  receives 
nourishment  and  completeness  from  the  body.  So  the  Pope  is 
aided  by  the  body  of  the  whole  episcopacy  of  the  church,  but  above 
all  he  finds  his  help  in  the  body  of  the  cardinals,  the  chief  clergy 
of  the  Eoman  diocese,  who  have  especially  preserved  the  teachings 
of  Peter  their  first  bishop. 

When  heretics  attack  any  doctrine  of  the  church,  the  Pope  ap- 
points the  most  learned  men  of  Eome  to  examine  the  teachings  of 
God  in  the  Bible,  the  traditions  of  the  church,  the  writings  of 
the  holy  fathers  and  all  the  traditions  of  Christianity  in  the  fathers 
who  wrote  the  teachings  of  the  apostles.  The  matter  passes 
through  the  college  of  cardinals,  and  when  it  is  found  in  the 
Bible  and  in  the  deposit  of  faith,  then  the  Pope  as  vicar  of  Christ 
publicly  proclaims  that  it  was  taught  by  God,  and  that  it  is  a 
part  of  the  constitutions  of  the  church.  He  does  not  then  man- 
ufacture any  new  doctrines,  but  he  proclaims  the  old  held  from 
the  foundations  of  the  christian  religion.  Then  Rome  and  the 
whole  world  shine  with  a  brighter  lustre  by  the  truths  of  God 
revealed  to  the  human  race. 

The  judge,  the  president,  the  king  may  sin  in  their  private  lives, 
and  still  be  good  rulers,  or  give  correct  decisions.  For  one  is  an 
act  of  private  life  and  the  other  a  public  act,  and  each  is  independ- 
ent of  the  other.  Yet  when  it  happens,  no  one  appears  to  say  the 
whole  nation  or  the  courts  have  gone  to  ruin  nor  the  church  fallen 
into  error  when  any  clergyman  falls  away  from  the  sanctity  of  his 
state.  The  Pope  therefore  in  his  private  life  is  like  any  other  man, 
liable  to  sin.  For  only  Christ  and  his  Mother  lived  free  from  sin. 
But  we  suppose,  that  being  surrounded  by  so  many  safeguards,  the 
Pope  does  not  sin  as  much  as  others.  But  if  he  does,  he  has  to 
go  to  the  sacraments  like  other  men. 

The  office  of  the  Papacy  is  then  to  define  what  God  has  re- 
vealed to  man  as  contained  in  the  Bible  and  in  traditions,  and  to 
pronounce  what  actions  are  good  and  what  actions  are  bad.  Faith 
dwells  in  the  mind  of  man,  and  morals  in  the  free  will.  The  doc- 
trines of  faith  revealed  by  God  to  the  human  race  are  proposed  to 
our  belief  by  the  church,  as  contained  in  the  Bible,  explained  by 
the  traditions  of  the  church,  and  in  every  historic  monument  of 
the  past.  The  Papacy,  as  head  of  the  church,  solemnly  defines 
that  these  principles  of  truths  have  been  revealed  by  God  to  the 
human  race,  and  that  they  are  contained  in  *'the  deposit  of  faith."  ' 
To  be  saved  all  men  must  believe  these  truths,  and  "  He  that  bliev- 
eth  not  shall  be  condemned.  " '  The  Pope  then  is  the  teacher  of 
faith  and  morals.     But  let  us  understand  morals. 

'  1  Tltn.  vl.  30.  «  Luke  xvl.  16. 


WHAT  IS  A  HUMAN  ACT  ?  185 

Man,  by  nature  a  mineral,  a  vegetable,  and  an  animal  and  an 
intellectual  being,  he  has  many  acts,  which  belong  to  these  four 
great  divisions  of  creation,  actions  ruled  by  varied  laws  which  God 
made  to  rule  this  forefold  orders  of  creatures.  When  man  acts 
unconsciously,  not  knowing  what  he  does,  his  acts  belong  to  the 
rank  of  the  creatures  below  him,  who  are  not  capable  of  sin,  for. 
they  know  not  what  they  do.  But  when  he  acts  deliberately, 
knowing  what  he  does,  his  acts  are  good,  bad  or  indifferent.  If 
they  are  good,  they  have  their  reward,  if  they  are  bad,  they  carry 
with  them  a  punishment.  When  therefore  a  man  acts,  not  know- 
ing what  he  does,  because  of  want  of  knowledge,  from  forgetful- 
ness  or  want  of  thought,  his  act  is  like  that  of  any  animal,  having 
neither  punishment  nor  reward.  But  when  a  man  acts  with  in- 
tention and  attention,  it  is  not  an  animal  but  a  human  act,  for  in 
that  case  the  mind  and  will,  which  are  man's  reasonable  and  an- 
gelic faculties,  take  part  in  it,  and  it  is  good,  bad  or  indifferent, 
according  to  the  intention  and  attention.  A  human  act  then  is 
good  or  bad  according  as  it  agrees  or  disagrees  with  the  rules  of 
morals,  that  is  with  the  laws  which  regulate  mens'  free  actions. 

We  must  first  take  into  account  the  laws  of  natural  right  and 
wrong,  which  the  God  of  nature  has  written  in  our  hearts,  next 
the  laws  which  God  revealed  in  the  Bible  and  in  holy  tradition, 
thus  the  laws  which  the  church  makes,  and  the  laws  which 
the  state,  makes'  for  our  guidance  and  for  the  temporal 
welfare  of  mankind.  These  laws  are  universal  and  external 
to  us.  Knowing  these  laws,  we  say  to  ourselves  this  action  is  ac- 
cording to  or  contrary  to  reason,  or  to  the  law  of  God  in  revelation, 
or  to  the  church,  or  to  the  state.  Then  we  conclude  that  we  can 
or  cannot  do  it  without  breaking  a  law.  Such  are  the  reasonings 
of  the  mind  in  every  human  act.  That  is  a  conclusion  of  con- 
science. Thus  conscience  concludes  and  judges  in  all  our  human 
acts  relating  to  good  and  bad  acts. 

To  the  head  of  the  church  belongs  the  power  and  authority  of 
defining  what  are  the  good  and  bad  actions  of  men.  For  while 
good  acts  lead  man  to  heaven,  bad  actions  lead  him  to  hell. 
Therefore  as  the  shepherd  of  souls  redeemed  by  Christ  the  Church 
through  her  head  tells  men  the  good  and  the  bad  actions.  He  is  not 
infallible  in  politics,  in  the  natural  sciences,  in  disputes  among 
men  about  historic  facts,  for  his  infallibility  extends  only  to  the 
truths  revealed  by  God  to  mankind,  and  to  dogmatic  facts  con- 
tained in  the  Bible  and  in  holy  tradition. 

In  making  Peter  and  his  successors  head  and  teacher  of  the 
whole  church,  Christ  did  not  lower  but  rather  crowned  the  whole 
episcopal  order,  and  placed  as  a  light  to  mankind  the  great 
See  of  Peter.  The  bishops  who  especially  form  the  teach- 
ing church,  are  not  to  receive  their  teachings  from  the  priests 
under  them,  but  from  their  father  over  them,  from  that  Bish- 
op who  has  not  only  complete  orders  like  themselves,  but  also 
who  made  them  by  his  ofiBcial  appointment  and  who  has  the  com- 


186  WHAT  IS  A  VIRTUE  ? 

plete  jurisdiction  over  all  the  souls  of  Christ,  to  whom  Christ  said: 
"Feed  my  lambs/'  "Feed  my  sheep,"  "  Confirm  thy  brethren." 

The  words  of  our  Lord  to  Peter  were:  "Thou  art  Peter  and  up- 
on this  rock  I  will  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail  against  it,  and  1  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth,  it  shall 
be  bound  also  in  heaven,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon 
earth  it  shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven."'  *'I  have  prayed  for 
thee  Peter,  that  thy  faith  fail  not,  and  that  thou  being  once  con- 
verted confirm  thy  brethren."  "  Feed  my  lambs  Feed  my  sheep," 
etc.  By  these  words  Christ  made  Peter  the  teacher  of  the  faith 
and  of  the  morals  of  the  christian  church.  He  has  the  power  of 
opening  and  of  closing  heaven,  of  binding  and  loosening  the  con- 
sciences of  men,  and  of  feeding  Christ's  sheepf olds  and  lambs  in 
all  the  dioceses  and  churches  of  the  world.  If  the  Pope,  whom 
in  the  person  of  Peter,  Christ  made  the  head  of  the  church,  would 
teach  error,  then  he  would  do  so  in  the  name  of  the  Christ. 

The  Pope  then  is  the  teacher  of  the  human  race  in  the  place  of 
Christ.  He  is  the  official  interpreter  of  the  Bible,  the  guardian 
of  the  truths  God  revealed  to  the  human  race.  These  truths 
are  of  two  kinds,  the  revelations  of  faith  and  of  morals.  Faith  be- 
ing in  the  mind  and  morals  in  the  free  will  the  Pope  enlightens 
and  strengthens  these  two  angelic  faculties,  by  which  man  rises 
above,  and  is  superior  to  animals,  and  by  which  he  is  like  unto 
the  angels  and  like  unto  God.  The  Pope  then  is  the  divine- 
ly appointed  custodian  of  the  faith  and  the  morals  of  man- 
kind. 

But  let  us  see  what  is  faith.  Faith  is  a  virtue  infused  into  our 
souls  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  inclining  us  to  believe  what  he  has  re- 
vealed as  taught  by  the  church.  A  virtue  in  a  habit  of  acting 
rightly.  By  often  doing  right  we  get  so  accustomed  to  doing  so, 
that  it  becomes  easy  to  us.  By  doing  wrong  often,  we  soon  get  so 
used  to  it  that  wickedness  comes  easy  to  us.  Then  a  good  habit 
is  a  virtue,  and  a  bad  habit  is  a  vice.  We  see  then  by  experience 
how  we  should  ahva\"s  do  right  and  shun  badness. 

A  virtue  being  an  acquired  habit  of  acting  rightly,  it  is  called  a 
natural  virtue.  But  a  virtue,  which  we  did  not  acquire  ourselves, 
but  which  comes  by  the  grace  of  God,  is  an  infused  virtue,  be- 
cause it  com"es  not  from  us  or  from  nature  but  from  God.  Vir- 
tues are  again  called  moral  or  theological  according  to  the  object 
towards  which  they  tend.  There  are  four  primary  cardinal  na- 
tural virtues,  prudence,  justice,  fortitude  and  temperance,  natural 
to  the  heart  of  every  man,  and  by  which  he  controls  his  passions 
and  the  beastly  tendency  of  his  nature  to  drag  him  down.  But  there 
are  three  chief  supernatural  virtues  implanted  in  the  soul  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  at  baptism,  which  may  be  compared  to  three  eyes  or  powers 
given  to  man  in  addition  to  what  he  has  from  nature.  They 
tend  to  elevate  him  and  to  raise  him  to  God.    These  can  never  be 

>  Matt.  zn.  19. 


NATUKAL  AND  SUPERNATUEAL  FAITH.  187 

acquired  without  the  grace  of  God,  as  they  have  for  their  object 
Ood  the  Supernatural,  working  above  nature,  although  every  man 
has  besides  a  natural  faith,  hope  and  love.  Fallen  man  cannot 
rise  to  God  unless  by  and  through  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  the  Auth- 
or and  the  source  of  grace,  lifting  mankind  from  earth  towards 
heaven. 

Faith  is  the  assent  of  the  mind,  because  of  the  authority  of  the 
teacher.  It  is  of  two  kinds,  natural  and  supernatural,  inasmuch 
as  it  comes  from  nature  or  from  grace.  If  you  set  a  dog  to  hunt 
for  a  rat,  he  will  hunt  because  he  imagines  that  there  is  an  animal 
to  be  hunted  even  before  he  finds  the  animal  to  be  killed.  AVe  be- 
lieve that  Alexander  conquered  an  empire,  altliough  we  never  saw 
him,  because  we  believe  what  historians  tell  us.  The  dog  will  hunt 
for  the  rat  because  his  hunting  instincts  tell  him  to  find  him.  We 
labor  each  day  because  we  hope  to  get  our  pay  for  our  labor.  The 
animals  love  each  other  and  their  young,  as  the  mother  loves  her 
•childre!!.  But  these  are  only  natural  virtues  implanted  in  nature 
by  the  Creator  for  the  good  of  his  creation. 

But  tliere  is  another  kind  of  faith,  hope  and  love,  which  comes 
from  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  still  farther  complete  man,  and 
directs  him  on  his  way  to  heaven.  They  are  found  only  in  the  chris- 
tian. Their  object  is  not  the  natural  but  the  supernatual  in  the 
other  life.  The  object  of  faith  is  God  and  his  words,  truths  re- 
vealed to  man.  The  object  of  hope  is  God  and  his  rewards  in 
heaven.  The  object  of  charity  is  God  himself  and  our  neighbor 
for  the  love  of  God.  We  believe  what  God  has  revealed  because 
Ood  can  neither  deceive  nor  be  deceived.  We  hope  because  of 
God's  goodness  to  us.  We  love  him  because  of  his  goodness 
and  perfections  in  himself.  We  believe  his  truths,  we  hope  in  his 
goodness  and  we  love  himself.  Such  are  the  virtues  God  implants 
in  us  by  his  grace,  the  first  fruits  of  our  redemption.  Thus  God 
bends  down  to  us,  making  of  our  souls  and  bodies  the  temples  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  that  by  these  supernatural  virtues,  he  may  lift  us 
up  to  himself.  But  faith,  being  the  belief  of  things  we  see  not 
now,  in  heaven  where  we  will  see  God  and  his  truths  face  to  face, 
there  will  be  no  faith.  Hope  looks  for  the  rewards  of  God  in 
heaven,  and  when  we  go  there  we  will  have  no  more  hope,  for  then 
we  will  have  God  himself,  and  live  his  own  supernatural  life.  But 
in  heaven,  charity  will  increase,  because  the  goodness  and  the  per- 
fections of  things  inspire  love,  for  we  love  not  the  deformed — there 
in  heaven,  where  our  minds  will  bask  in  the  streams  of  intellectual 
light  flowing  forth  from  the  face  of  the  Eternal  Son,  where  the  Lord 
the  Holy  Spirit  will  fill  them  with  charity,  the  love  of  God  above 
will  last  during  all  the  endless  ages  of  eternity. 

Faith  then  is  a  supernatural  virtue,  supernaturally  implanted  in 
the  soul,  by  which  the  mind  fixedly  believes  all  the  truths  which 
the  church  proclaims  that  God  has  revealed  to  the  human  race. 
We  believe  because  of  the  authority  of  God  speaking.  Two 
things  force  us  to  believe — first  the  authority  of  God — second  the 


188  THE  OBJECT  OF  FAITH. 

authority  of  the  church,  he  founded  to  teach  what  he  has  re- 
vealed. God  spoke  first  by  the  prophets,  and  his  revelations  are 
found  in  the  Bible  and  in  the  traditions  of  Christianity.  At  last 
in  the  fulness  of  time,  his  Son  came,  the  greatest  of  the  prophets, 
resuming  in  his  sacred  Person,  and  fulfilling  in  his  life,  all  prepa- 
rations for  his  coming.  Then  he  founded  his  church  to  teach  all  men 
his  revelations,  to  live  till  the  end  of  time,  so  as  to  preserve  clear, 
uudefiled  and  unbroken,  all  the  revelations  and  teachings  of  God. 

The  object  then  of  faith  is  the  truth  of  God  revealed.  Our 
faith  therefore  is  founded  on  the  infinite  wisdom  of  God,  who  can- 
not be  deceived,  and  on  the  truthfulness  of  God  who  cannot 
tell  a  lie  or  deceive  anyone.  By  the  true  faith  then  God  is  known 
from  all  false  gods,  from  paganism,  which  is  the  worship  of  de- 
mons, from  Mohammedanism,  which  rejects  Christ  and  puts  Mo- 
hammed in  his  place  as  the  last  of  the  prophets,  and  from  heretical 
churches,  which  hold  but  a  part  of  our  holy  religion,  and  which 
reject  other  articles  of  God's  revelation.  Faith  therefore  is 
founded  on  the  wisdom  of  God,  who  knowing  all  things  cannot  be 
deceived — and  on  the  goodness  of  God,  who  wishes  all  men  to  be 
saved,  and  to  partake  in  his  everlasting  happiness  in  heaven. 

By  faith  we  believe  in  God  and  in  the  truths  he  has  revealed. 
But  God  can  be  known  by  two  ways,  naturally  and  supernaturally. 
God  is  known  naturally  by  the  study  of  the  world  and  its  wonders, 
its  laws,  its  movements,  its  mathematical  foundations  and  its  laws, 
which  guide  the  movements  of  its  varied  non-living  and  living 
beings.  As  the  traditions  of  the  Babylonians  say,  thus  Abra- 
ham first  studying  the  stars,  rose  to  a  natural  knowledge  of  the 
Creator.  Then  God  gave  him  a  supernatural  faith  in  him.  First 
he  concluded  that  the  universe  was  not  made  by  the  gods  his 
father  made  to  sell  to  idolaters,  but  by  some  great  Creator.  But 
this  was  only  a  natural  faith,  while  the  supernatural  faith  given 
him  later,  and  of  which  we  write  has  for  its  object  not  only  God  in 
nature,  but  a  faith  which  comes  from  the  grace  of  God  infused  into 
the  soul,  inclining  us  to  believe  what  God  has  revealed,  because  the 
church  proclaims  his  revelation  to  the  human  race.  Therefore 
all  men,  who  have  not  been  baptized,  or  who  have  not  a  supernatural 
faith,  and  have  only  natural  faith  in  what  they  know  and  have 
learned,  without  this  supernatural  faith  which  God  sometimes  gives 
as  he  did  to  Abraham,  they  do  not  believe  what  the  church  teaches, 
for  they  have  not  the  supernatural  faith  or  grace  of  believing. 
They  are  spiritually  blind,  they  have  not  that  eye  of  the  soul, 
faith,  they  are  of  the  earth  earthly,  they  cannot  rise  of  themselves 
above  their  nature,  and  they  do  not  believe,  for  they  cannot  see. 
The  church  is  the  teacher  of  the  things  God  has  revealed.  She 
is  the  organization  founded  by  God  to  teach  the  world  his  revela- 
tion, to  guard  his  sacred  truths,  to  proclaim  his  doctrines.  We 
believe  because  she  tells  us  that  God  has  revealed  these  things, 
that  these  are  found  in  the  "deposit  of  faith,  "  and  that  they  are 
a  part  of  the  revelation  of  God  to  man.     The  Son  of  God  founded 


THE  ACTS  OF   FAITH.  18& 

the  church  before  there  was  a  Bible.  Only  at  the  III.  council  of 
Carthage  was  the  canon  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  proclaimed, 
and  by  a  decree  of  the  Bishop  of  Kome,  the  Bible  was  given  to  the 
world  as  the  inspired  Book  written  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  books 
were  then  separated  from  the  Holy  books,  which  up  to  that  time 
had  been  held  by  the  Jews  and  christians  as  the  historical  writings 
both  of  the  Old  and  of  the  New  Testaments,  then  they  were 
separated  from  the  authentic  inspired  books,  and  they  are  known 
to-day  as  the  Apocrypha,  curious  specimens  of  ancient  literature. 

The  learned  in  religion  may  believe  in  one  article  of  faith  after 
another,  or  the  unlearned  may  say  :  I  do  not  understand  all  the 
church  teaches,  but  I  believe  all  she  asks  me  to  believe,  although 
I  do  not  understand  the  reasons  why.  The  clergy  believe  each 
article  of  faith  they  study  while  the  laity  believe  what  the  church 
teaches.  It  is  not  then  necessary  for  the  laity  to  spend  long 
years  in  the  study  of  the  revelation  of  God.  They  have  only  to 
believe  what  the  church  teaches  in  order  to  be  saved.  But  as 
the  clergy  must  teach  the  laity,  as  they  are  the  officials  of  the 
church,  they  must  know  the  doctrines  of  the  church,  that  they  may 
teach  others.  But  they  do  not  teach  their  private  ideas  of  the 
Bible  and  of  religion  they  only  reflect  the  teachings  of  the  church. 
The  body  speaks  by  the  head,  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  He  is  the 
Teacher  of  the  church  and  the  clergy  teach  what  they  know  from 
the  Bible  and  tradition,  under  the  supervision  of  the  Pope. 

In  the  catholic  church  then  no  priest  or  bishop  preaches  hi& 
own  private  belief,  or  inflicts  on  the  people  his  own  peculiar  notions. 
The  priest  preaching,  governing  his  parish,  administering  the 
sacraments,  and  fulfilling  his  duties,  follows  the  line  of  action  laid 
down  for  him  by  the  church.  He  acts  as  the  official  of  the  church 
bound  by  her  laws,  acting  as  her  minister,  as  the  religious  agent  of 
the  Redeemer.  His  doctrines,  his  decisions  in  confession,  his 
mode  of  administering  his  parish,  his  daily  ministerial  acts 
were  regulated  for  him  by  the  church.  From  the  church  univer- 
sal and  from  the  diocese  he  gets  these  spiritual  riches,  and  he 
gives  these  holy  things  to  the  people,  who  belong  not  to  him  but 
to  Christ.  Therefore  the  man  is  absorbed  up  into  the  priest,  and 
he  preaches  not  himself  but  Christ  and  him  crucified,  the  way  of 
salvation  such  as  the  Bishops  of  Rome  have  officially  proclaimed  as 
revealed  by  God  in  the  Bible,  and  in  tradition. 

We  have  said  that  the  Pope  is  the  teacher  of  faith  and  morals. 
Morals  are  the  doctrines  relating  to  the  free  actions  of  men. 
Religion  dwells  in  the  mind  and  will  of  man.  Faith  enlightens 
the  mind  and  lights  up  the  intellect  of  man,  with  the  truths 
which  God  revealed  to  the  human  race.  But  morals  are  the  doc- 
trines which  regulate  the  free  will  of  man. 

In  Adam  first  made  to  the  image  and  the  likenes  of  his  creator, 
all  his  movements  were  subject  to  the  light  of  reason.  But  in  fallen 
man  passion  rebels  against  reason,  and  when  the  will  consents  it 
is  sin.     But  the  good  of  man  required  that  certain  laws  be  given 


190  PfiOTESTANT  SERVICES. 

him  to  rule  his  acts,  telling  him  what  actions  are  good  and  what 
are  bad.  God  gave  the  primary  principles  of  man's  action  in  the 
Ten  Commandments  and  in  many  other  parts  of  the  Bible.  It 
then  belongs  to  the  Pope  to  define,  what  is  good  and  what  is  bad 
in  the  actions  of  man,  to  say  what  is  and  what  is  not  sin,  accord- 
ing to  the  laws  of  God  and  the  principles  of  virtues  and  of  sins. 

The  reader  then  can  see  that  the  Bible  was  not  written  as  a  book 
•of  history,  of  science  or  of  literature,  but  as  a  book  of  faith  and 
■of  morals  for  the  hu  man  race.  The  Lord  appointed  the  head  of  his 
church  as  the  official  expounder  and  explainer  of  that  wonderful 
book  written  by  his  inspired  prophets  and  apostles* 

Then  when  the  people  attend  a  Protestant  church  the  minister 
monies  forth,  gives  out  the  hymn,  which  the  choir  sings,  the  min- 
ister then  preaches  his  private  opinions  of  the  meaning  of  the 
Bible,  again  the  choir  sings  and  he  dismisses  them  with  liis  bene- 
diction. The  members  of  the  congregation  go  home  with  the  idea 
that  they  have  worshipped  God,  when  they  have  only  listened  to 
the  music,  and  to  a  private  man  giving  them  his  private  ideas  of 
what  he  thinks  the  text  of  the  Bible  means.  But  in  the  catholic 
church,  the  priest  is  the  minister  of  Christ.  He  renews  in  mystic 
rites,  in  vast  ceremonial  the  whole  history  of  the  human  race,  the 
preparations  for  the  coming  of  the  Redeemer,  the  life  and  preach- 
ings of  Christ,  the  last  supper,  the  crucifixion,  the  ascension,  and 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  into  the  whole  world.  To  the  Eternal 
J'ather  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross  is  offered  up  on  every  altar, 
and  the  atonement  is  renewed  before  the  eyes  of  God  and  man. 
Thus  we  worship  the  Godhead  by  and  through  his  Son,  immolat- 
ed for  the  supernatural  life  of  man.  The  priest  preaches,  not  his 
thoughts  or  his  ideas  of  the  Bible,  but  he  proclaims  the  teachings 
of  the  universal  church.  From  the  altar  and  from  the  jiulpit,  you 
hear  the  infallible  doctrines,  Miiich  God  revealed  to  man,  as  de- 
fined by  the  heirs  of  Peter  on  the  eternal  throne  of  the  Fisherman. 

Then  the  Mass  each  Sunday  is  the  sacrifice  of  God's  Son,  offered 
up  again  to  the  eternal  Father,  that  sublime  mystery  where  all  the 
people  gather,  that  prayer  of  the  whole  parish  ascending  up  before 
the  everlasting  throne  of  God,  asking  blessings  on  us  all,  giving 
thanks  unto  almighty  God,  for  his  blessings  in  the  past  and  seek- 
ing for  his  benefits  in  the  future.  Well  then  among  the  oriental 
rites  the  Mass  is  called  the  "  Mystery,"  for  it  is  filled  with  all  the 
wonderful  mysteries  of  the  prophecies,  the  life  the  coming  and 
the  death  of  our  blessed  Saviour.  The  traditions  of  Rome  tell  us 
that  the  services  of  the  mass  were  substantially  comj)osed  by  St. 
Peter  in  the  Latin  tongue,  while  the  other  apostles  composed  like 
services  in  the  languages  of  the  people  to  whom  they  went  to  preach, 
and  therefore  even  to  our  day,  the  holy  mysteries  are  offered  up  in 
various  rites  and  languages,  while  we  follow  the  Latin  rite,  establish- 
ed by  St.  Peter,  and  beautified  by  his  successors  in  the  See  of 
Rome. 

The  Pope,  then,  the  successor  of  Peter,  the  head  of  the  church 


192  THE  CHURCH  IS  AN  EMPIRE. 

universal,  is  the  interpreter  of  the  bible,  the  guardian  of  the  tradi- 
tions, the  definer  of  morals,  the  supreme  court  of  the  church,  the 
tribunal  of  last  resort.  To  him  alone  belongs  to  say  what  God 
has  revealed  to  the  human  race,  what  actions  are  morally  good  and 
bad,  what  is  virtue,  what  is  vice,  what  are  sins  and  what  are  good 
actions.  The  Bishop  of  Rome  then  is  the  teacher  of  faith  and  of 
morals. 

Jesus  Christ  is  not  only  the  teacher  of  mankind  but  he  is  also  the 
Lord  of  lords  and  the  King  of  kings.  He  came  to  found  a  king- 
dom, iiis  cliurch,  a  spiritual  empire  extending  to  the  uttermost 
ends  of  the  earth,  embracing  the  whole  human  race  for  which  he 
died.  In  this  the  church  differs  from  othei"  governments.  For 
while  governments  rule,  they  do  not  teach  their  subjects,  nor  do 
they  feed  them  on  the  body  and  the  blood  of  the  ruler. 

This  kingdom  of  Christ  was  so  clearly  foretold  by  the  prophets 
of  the  Old  Testament,  that  the  Jews  looked  for  a  Prince  of  the 
house  of  David,  whom  they  thought  would  come  and  make  them 
political  rulers  overall  the  earth.  They  expected  a  civil  temporal 
kingdom,  but  not  a  spiritual  empire  of  religion  like  the  church. 
Their  minds,  distorted  by  worldly  wisdom,  they  refused  to  receive 
the  Son  of  God,  born  of  the  royal  house  of  David  and  heir  of  Sol- 
omon; they  would  have  no  king  but  Caesar,  whose  successors  later 
scattered  them  from  their  country  and  their  home  when  they  des- 
troyed Jerusalem. 

An  empire  is  a  perfect  government  of  men,  ruled  by  an  emperor 
with  kings  under  him,  partaking  in  this  authority.  In  the  ancient 
world,  we  find  striking  images  of  the  church,  the  spiritual  empire 
of  Chri§t.  The  ancient  empire  of  Babylon  extended  over  the 
plains  of  Mesopotamia,  from  which  came  Abraham  called  by  God 
to  be  the  father  of  the  Hebrews.  But  it  was  a  kingdom  of  con- 
quest and  not  of  love  and  learning  like  the  church.  Alexander, 
with  the  disciples  of  Aristotle,  in  the  fourth  century  before  Christ 
went  forth  as  a  conquerer  from  Greece,  spreading  Grecian  civiliza- 
tion over  the  East  of  Europe,  the  North  of  Africa,  the  East  of  Asia, 
preparing  the  nations  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  later  written  in 
Greek.  The  Romans  began  their  conquests  in  the  ninth  century 
before  Christ,  and  they  spread  the  Latin  language  wherever  their 
armies  had  penetrated.  But  these  were  empires  of  blood  and  of 
carnage.  Tliey  were  foiced  on  conquered  peoples  by  the  sword. 
They  subdued  the  bodies,  but  they  left  the  minds  of  men  still  slaves 
of  error,  bowing  down  before  pagan  idols.  They  were  but  feeble 
imjiges  of  the  church  the  empire  of  religion,  founded  by  the  Son 
of  God,  not  for  the  enslavement  of  men  but  for  their  delivery  from 
the  chains  of  demons. 

Thus  while  civil  empires  and  Governments  rule  men,  they  con- 
trol only  their  external  actions.  They  ciinnot  penetrate  into  the 
minds  of  men,  judge  their  motives,  i)urify  the  heart,  elevate  the 
mitid,  deliver  men  from  sin  and  sorrow  or  lead  them  up  to  heaven. 
While  earthly  governments  rule  the  civil  actions  of  men,  the  churcb 


THE  COUNCIL  OF  NICE.  193 

rules  the  souls  of  men.  Man  is  composed  of  a  visible  body  and  of 
iin  invisible  soul.  Civil  governments  rule  the  civil  actions  of  men 
while  the  church  rules  the  souls.  These  are  the  only  two  kinds  of 
authority  in  the  world  now  ruling  the  human  race.  There  is  no 
power  but  from  God.  The  civil  authority  comes  from  God  through 
the  people,  while  the  spiritual  government  of  the  church  comes 
direct  from  Jesus  Christ  in  jurisdiction  given  to  Peter.  The  ex- 
ercise of  jurisdiction  belongs  to  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  the  heir  of 
Peter,  to  whom  Christ  gave  the  power  of  binding  and  of  loosing 
and  of  feeding  his  lambs  and  sheep.  AVhence  the  traditions  of 
Christianity  call  the  successor  of  Peter  **  The  Prince  of  the 
Church;"  " The  Bishop  of  Bishops;"  "the  Supreme  Pastor;"' 
The  Foundation  Eock  ;"  "The  Leader  of  christians  ;"  "The  eternal 
Monarch,"  of  that  vast  empire  of  souls,  washed  in  the  blood  of 
the  spotless  "Lamb  of  God  slain  from  the  foundations  of  the  world." 
Let  us  see  what  apostolic  tradition  and  the  councils  say  of  him. 

In  the  year  325  met  the  bishops  of  the  world  in  the  memorable 
council  of  Nice,  the  first  meeting  of  the  bishops  since  the  days  of 
the  apostles.  The  Arabic  decrees,  perhaps  not  authentic,  but  giving 
the  spirit  of  this  famous  council  preserved  in  a  remarkable  manner 
tell  us  that  there  the  clmi'ch  decreed:  "He  who  holds  the  See 
of  Pome  is  the  Head  and  the  prince  of  all  the  patriarchs.  Indeed 
he  is  the  first,  like  Peter,  to  whom  was  given  power  in  all  christian 
princes,  and  over  their  peoples,  so  that  he  is  the  Vicar  of  Christ 
our  Lord  overall  peoples,  and  over  the  universal  christian  church, 
and  he  who  would  contradict  him  will  be  excommunicated  by  the 
council."'  Here  at  the  very  first  meeting  of  the  whole  church 
which  took  place  since  the  apostolic  days,  the  church  decrees  the 
supreme  empire  of  the  church  over  all  princes  and  peoples  with  the 
successor  of  Peter  at  the  head.  The  first  christian  emperor  Con- 
stantine,  clothed  in  the  red  vestments  of  the  Roman  emperors, 
crowned  with  the  diadem  of  the  Caesars  rulers  of  the  world,  there 
at  the  further  end  of  the  hall,  he  sits  opposite  the  legates  of  the 
Pope.  The  first  christian  ruler  of  the  whole  civilized  world  takes 
part  in  that  first  meeting  of  the  whole  church,  where  he  hears  and 
agrees  to  a  decree  proclaiming  the  spiritual  supremacy  of  the  Heir 
of  Peter  over  the  whole  world  over  the  nations,  over  the  rulers  and 
over  the  clergy. 

The  other  councils  of  the  church  proclaimed  the  same  teachings 
as  the  doctrine  of  Christ.  The  council  of  Florence  decreed:  "We 
define  that  the  holy  apostolic  See  holds  the  primacy  over  the  whole 
earth,  that  the  Roman  Pontiffs  are  the  successors  of  blessed  Peter, 
the  Head  of  the  apostles.  He  is  the  true  Vicar  of  Christ,  the  head  of 
the  whole  church,  the  Father  and  the  teacher  of  all  christians. 
To  him  in  blessed  Peter,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  gave  the  full  power 
■of  ruling  and  of  governing  the  universal  church.""  Again  the 
council  of  Trent  proclaimed:  "Because  of  the  supreme   authority 

•  Mansi  Arabic  Decrees  of  Nice  Tom.  11.  col.  935.  2  concll.  Flor. 


194  THE  CHURCH   LIKE  A    MOAAJfCHY. 

given  them  over  tlie  universal  churcli,  above  all  the  Pontiffs  have 
reserved  cases  of  great  crimes  to  their  own  judgment.'" 

In  our  day  the  V'atican  council  proclaimed"  in  striking  words  the 
supremacy  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  over  the  whole  church:  "11 
any  one  should  say  the  Roman  Pontiff  has  only  the  office  of  in- 
spection and  of  direction,  and  not  the  full  and  supreme  power  of 
jurisdiction  in  the  universal  church,  not  only  in  things  which  be- 
long to  faith  and  morals,  but  also  in  these  matters  which  relate  to 
discipline,  and  to  the  government  of  the  church  scattered  through- 
out tlie  whole  world,  but  that  he  has  only  the  larger  parts,  but  not 
the  fulness  of  this  supreme  authority,  or  that  this  his  power  is  not 
ordinary  or  direct  in  each  and  every  church,  or  over  all  pastors 
and  faithful,  let  him  be  anathema."'  The  documents  of  every  age 
proclaim  that  the  whole  christian  world  held  the  doctrine  of  the 
supremacy  of  the  Roman  church  from  the  very  days  of  the  apostles. 

Christ  gave  the  form  of  a  monarchy  to  the  church  constitution.* 
To  deny  that  would  be  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  the  church,  for 
it  belongs  to  faith.  Christ  did  not  found  the  church,  so  as  to  ad- 
minister it  as  a  republic,  where  bishops  and  pastoi-s  would  be  elect- 
ed by  the  laity.  For  all  power  in  the  church  comes  down  from 
Christ  the  King  to  his  clergy,  and  thus  the  authority  of  the  clergy 
comes  not  from  the  people  up  to  them.  But  the  church  partakes 
in  the  perfections  of  both  the  democratic,  of  the  aristocratic  and 
of  the  kingly  forms  of  governments.  For  the  Popes  and  bishops  de- 
scend not  from  ruling  families,  the  clergy  have  no  children  like  the 
priesthood  of  the  old  law,  but  they  are  elected  to  their  offices  by 
ways  which  will  be  described  farther  on.* 

The  doctrine  of  the  unity  and  the  supremacy  of  the  Roman  See, 
from  the  days  of  the  apostles,  was  so  impressed  on  the  world  from 
apostolic  days,  that  we  have  ever  been  called  Roman  Catholics. 
That  is  Rome  is  the  city  and  the  See  of  the  visible  head  of  the 
church,  while  catholic  is  the  Greek  for  universal.  We  are  one  be- 
cause of  the  one  headship  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  we  are 
catholic  or  universal,  because  the  one  universal  church  extends 
to  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  holds  within  her  bosom  every  church 
which  teaches  the  faith  of  Christ.  But  the  scattered  churches  are 
all  one,  because  they  all  come  forth  from  and  bow  down  before 
the  supremacy  and  power  of  the  Roman  church,  the  Mother  of 
them  all. 

In  the  holy  Scriptures  the  church  was  foretold  by  the  prophets, 
and  described  by  our  Lord  as  the  sheepfold,  the  kingdom  and  the 
body  of  Christ.  Peter  became  the  shepherd  of  the  lambs  and 
sheep  of  Christ,  the  confirmerof  his  brothers,  the  guardian  of  the 
keys  of  heaven,  the  holder  of  the  power  of  binding  and  of  loosing, 
the  foundation  on  which  the  other  churches  rest.  "Because  of  it» 
higher  principality,  to  this  church  every  church  must  come,  where- 
ever  are  the  faithful."* 

'  Concil.  Trid.  Sob.  xIx.  Cap.  vll.  *  Concll.  Vat.  Sosw.  Iv.  Caput.  Hi.  ad  flnem. 

»  Brev.  PU  vi.  Super  solid.  *  Bellarmln  De  Bom.  Pontlf.  L.  I.  et  111. 

*  St.  Irenlus  CoQtra  Uaeras.  L.  111. 


COULD  THE  PAPACY  BE  TAKEN"  FROM  ROME  ?       195 

Each  king  and  ruler  has  some  central  city,  his  capital,  from 
which  he  rules  his  kingdom.  The  cliurch  being  the  Kingdom  of 
Christ  on  the  earth  it  has  its  capital,  the  eternal  city  Kome  where 
dwells  her  earthly  head.  From  her  flow  out  all  power  and  author- 
ity of  Jurisdiction  into  all  the  churches  of  Christendom.  In  a 
kingdom  the  ruler  appoints  men  under  him,  to  rule  distant  prov- 
inces and  parts  of  his  dominions.  With  him  they  rule.  If  the  con- 
stitution of  the  kingdom  allow,  he  can  at  once  take  away  that  an-- 
thority  from  those  he  appointed  to  partake  with  him  in  it.  But 
while  the  bishops  have  their  jurisdiction  from  the  PontifE,  the}'^ 
govern  their  dioceses  in  their  own  name,  for  they  are  the  titular 
bishops  of  their  sees,  while  the  Pope  is  the  titular  Bishop  not  of 
their  sees,  but  of  the  See  of  Peter,  of  the  eternal  city  Rome. 

We  ask  the  question.  Could  the  primacy  over  the  whole  church 
be  taken  away  from  the  city  of  Rome  and  attached  to  any  other 
city?  "As  Peter  fixed  his  See  at  Rome  and  there  he  died,  crowned 
with  a  glorious  martyrdom,  if  he  did  that  by  an  express  revelation 
of  God  given  especially  to  Peter,  although  depending  on  the  will  of 
Peter,  it  happened  that  the  supreme  Pontificate  remains  adherent 
to  the  Roman  See,  so  that  he  who  succeeds  Peter,  must  also  suc- 
ceed in  the  primacy  of  Peter  in  tlie  whole  church.^"  The  whole 
church  without  the  Pope  could  not  take'  that  primacy  from  Rome 
and  give  it  to  any  other  see.  But  could  the  Pope  himself  do  so? 
"That  cannot  be  easily  decided,'"  It  is  a  disputed  point  among 
authors.  Few  authors  say,  that  if  while  living,  the  Pope  should 
move  the  See  from  Rome  to  another  city,  that  there  the  Primacy 
of  Peter  would  rest.  They  claim  that  as  Christ  did  not  choose 
Rome,  but  Peter,  that  not  to  Rome  but  to  Peter  he  said:  "Feed 
my  lambs  Feed  my  sheep",  therefore  what  Peter  did  in  choosing  a 
see,  his  successors  can  later  do. 

But  nearly  all  writers  say  that  Peter  chose  Rome,  that  there  he 
died,  and  that  from  Rome  must  the  Roman  Pontiff  take  his  title. 
For  if  the  Popes  could  change  their  See  from  Rome,  civil  govern- 
ments would  try  to  change  the  supreme  Pontificate  from  Rome, 
moved  by  political  reasons,  and  the  church  would  be  disturbed. 
All  Popes  ruled  as  Bishops  of  Rome.  If  they  should  change  their 
titles,  doubts  would  arise  regarding  the  successors  of  Peter,  there 
would  be  schisms  and  divisions  in  the  church,  for  many  would 
claim  that  such  a  translation  of  the  Roman  See  was  contrary  to 
the  very  constitution  of  the  church,  which  even  the  Pope  cannot 
change.  The  councils  have  often  declared  that  the  Bishop  of 
Rome  holds  the  primacy  in  the  whole  church.  The  whole  voice 
of  tradition  tells  us  that.  Whence  we  conclude  that  the  Pope 
cannot  change  his  title  as  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  become  the  titular 
bishop  of  any  other  city.  That  is  why  we  are  called  Roman  Cath- 
olics. While  the  Popes  may  be  driven  from  Rome  for  a  time  by 
political  or  other  causes,  and  history  tells  us  that  they  were  driven 

•  Benedict  xiv.  De  Synod.  Dieo  L.  ii.  Cap.  I.  n.  1. 
2  Idem  De  Primat.  See.  I.  p.  19  p.  m. 


196  THE  FIRST  THREE  CENTURIES. 

many  times  from  the  eternal  city,  yet  when  the  storm  passes  by, 
they  return  again  to  the  city  of  Peter. 

History  tells  us  that  for  the  first  three  centuries,  before  a  gen- 
eral council  of  all  the  bishops  could  meet,  the  Bishops  of  Rome 
ruled  the  universal  church,  and  condemned  false  doctrines  in 
every  part  of  the  christian  world.  They  oflBcially  condemned  Cel- 
cius  and  Ebion,  Avho  in  Asia  Minor  while  St.  John  lived,  taught 
that  Christ  was  not  the  Son  of  God  but  a  man  born  of  Mary.  Why 
did  not  St.  John  the  beloved  apostle  condemn  these  heretics,  in 
place  of  leaving  them  to  the  judgment  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  liv- 
ing so  far  away,  if  he  did  not  well  know,  that  it  belongs  to  the 
heir  of  Peter  to  keep  the  faith? 

Born  in  the  East  in  the  year  157  St.  Ireneus  came  to  Lyons, 
France,  of  which  city  he  became  the  first  bishop.  From  there  he 
wrote:  ''Because  of  its  more  principality,  every  church  must  come 
to  this  church,  all  those  who  are  of  the  faith,  because  in  it  the 
traditions  of  the  apostles  is  guarded."  '  Then,  giving  the  names 
of  the  Bishops  of  Rome  from  St.  Peter  up  to  his  time,  he  contiu- 
ues:  ''This  is  the  ordination  and  the  succession  by  which  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles  have  come  down  to  us." 

St.  Cyprian,  who  became  bishop  of  Carthage  in  the  year  248, 
says  regarding  the  heretics  who  went  to  Rome  to  deceive  the  Pope: 
"They  dare  to  undertake  a  voyage  to  the  episcopal  chair  of  Peter, 
from  whence  the  unity  of  the  priesthood  rises,  bringing  letters 
from  impius  heretics,  not  thinking  that  they  are  the  Romans, 
whose  praiseworthy  faith  was  preached  to  them  by  the  apostles."  ' 
Again  he  writes: 

"  Who  would  leave  the  chair  of  Peter,  upon  which  the  church 
was  built?*  "In  his  XLV.  Letter  he  calls  the  Roman  church 
*'  The  mother  and  the  root  of  all  churches."  In  another  place 
he  says  that  "  Christ  the  Lord  founded  one  church  on  Peter,  which 
in  the  reason  and  the  origin  of  unity."*  The  unity  of  its  origin 
from  the  beginning,  he  disposed  coming  from  this  authority." 
"  Although  from  the  resurrection,  he  gave  an  equal  authority  to 
the  apostles,  that  their  unity  might  be  evident,  he  so  disposed 
that  the  origin  of  that  unity  might  come  from  one  authority. 
Really  the  other  apostles  were  like  Peter,  equal  partakers  of  power 
and  authority,  but  the  begining  comes  from  unity,  that  the 
church  of  Christ  might  be  shown  as  one."  Thus  from  his  words 
tile  Roman  church  is  the  bond  of  unity  between  all  the  churcliea 
of  the  world. 

In  the  Third  century  Aurelianus,  the  Roman  emperor  was  at 
Antioch,  .where  Paul,  the  former  bishop  of  that  city  had  been  de- 
posed because  of  his  heresy  by  a  synod  of  70  bishops  over  which  pre- 
sided the  patriarch  of  Alexandria.  Domnus  was  elected  in  his 
place.  The  former  would  not  agree,  and  the  bishops  appealed  to 
the  emperor.     The  emperor,  knowing  that  no  bishop  could  rule  a 

'  Contra  Haer.  L,  111,  Cap.  Ill,  *  Epist.  Iv.  ad  Cor.  Papaio. 

»  De.  Unit.  Eccl.  p.  liM.  Ed.  Pam.  ♦  EpIst.  UxlU. 


OLD  TESTIMONIES.  197 

ohurch  unless  he  was  in  union  with  the  Bishop  of  Eome,  decided 
that  the  bishops  should  write  to  the  Pope.  Thus  the  Bishop  of 
Rome  was  so  well  known  in  that  age,  that  even  the  pagan  emper- 
or of  Eome  knew  that  he  alone  could  decide  the  dispute. 

St.  Optatus  who  died  in  384  says  of  the  Donatist  hereitcs: 
"  You  cannot  deny  that  you  know  Peter  first  placed  the  epis- 
copal chair,  on  which  sat  Peter  the  first  head  of  all  the  apostles, 
whence  he  was  called  Cephas,  by  which  one  chair  the  unity  of 
all  is  preserved  by  all,  lest  the  other  apostles  might  each  claim 
supremacy,  and  now  he  would  be  a  schismatic  and  a  sinner,  who 
would  raise  another  chair  against  it.  Therefore  there  is  but  one 
only  chair,  which  is  the  first  church  with  the  notes  (of  the  church) 
in  which  first  sat  Peter,  then  Linus  succeeded  him,  to  Linus  succeed- 
ed Clement".  .  .here  giving  the  names  of  the  Popes  to  St.  Siricius, 
he  continues:  "  who  is  our  comrade,  with  whom  we  with  the 
whole  world  agree  and  form  one  communion."  '  The  same  an- 
cient writer  says  in  another  book:  '•'  Because  of  unity,  the  blessed 
Peter  merited  to  be  preferred  to  the  other  apostles.  ...  A.  chair 
by  which  Peter  belongs  to  us."  "^ 

To  Eusebius  bishop  of  Versellens  Pope  Liborius  wrote  in  373: 
"  Most  beloved  brother,  for  the  consolation  of  the  present  life, 
let  thy  strong  faith  rise,  by  which  thou  followest  the  commands 
of  the  Gospel,  in  no  way  differ  from  the  union  of  the  apostolic 
See.  " 

St.  Ambrose  the  great  bishop  of  Milan,  who  died  in  397,  in- 
vited a  bishop  to  come  and  baptize  his  brother  Satyrus,  rescued 
from  a  shipwreck.  But  fearing  that  the  bishop  might  be  a  heretic 
he  wrote  to  him:  "  Are  you  in  union  with  the  catholic  bishops, 
that  is  with  the  Eoman  church  ?"  In  explaining  the  Psalms  St. 
Ambrose  says  "  He  is  Peter  to  whom  He  said  :  '  Thou  art  Peter 
and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church.'  Therefore  where 
Peter  is  there  is  the  church.  Where  is  the  church  there  is  not 
death  but  everlasting  life." '  Preaching  against  the  Novatians, 
the  same  great  father  of  the  early  church  says  :  "  Those  who  have 
not  the  Seat  of  Peter  have  no  inheritance  of  Peter,  which  by  an 
impius  division,  they  tear  assunder."* 

The  bishops  assembled  at  Aquilia  in  381  thus  wrot*  to  Gratian 
the  emperor:  "  Beseeching  thy  clemency,  lest  the  most  holy  faith 
of  the  apostles  might  be  disturbed,  that  is  the  Eoman  church,  the 
head  of  the  whole  city  of  Eome.  From  him  flows  all  rights  of 
that  venerable  communion."^ 

Before  his  death  in  384  Pope  Damasus  wrote  to  Paulinus  pa- 
triarch of  Antioch  enclosing  in  his  letter  for  him  the  chief  articles 
•of  faith  saying  :  "  Let  not  scruples  disturb  thee,  ....  We  have 
«entour  faith  not  only  to  thee,  for  thou  art  united  with  us  in  the 
same  belief,  but  to  these  whose  names  are  written  in  it,  that  they 
may  be  united  to  thee  and  to  us  through  thee."  ^     Damasus  wrote 

1  Lib.  11.  con.  Parmen.  Cap.  il.  ^  Lib.  vU.  Cap.  ill.  ^  In  Psalm,  xl.  n.  .30. 

*  Operum  St.  Am.  T.    11.  col.  399.  Benedict.  *  Lab.  T.  11.  col.  999  ed.  Par.  1671. 

<  Eplst.  V. 


198  EARLY  TROUBLES  A.T   ANTIOCH. 

to  the  bishops  of  the  East  as  given  by  Sozominus,  these  words: 
*' As  these  disputes  were  agitated  and  the  controversy  increased, 
the  Bishop  of  the  city  of  Rome  wrote  to  the  Oriental  churches, 
that  they  should  consider  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity  as  of  one 
nature,  and  honor  them  with  equal  glory,  as  do  the  bishops  of  the 
West.  That  being  done,  the  dispute  ended  by  the  judgment  of 
of  the  Roman  church,  and  the  question  received  its  end."  ' 

When  in  the  IV.  century  many  Arian  bishops  denied  the  divinity 
of  Christ,  by  the  aid  of  the  civil  powers  they  took  possession  of 
the  churches  of  the  Roman  empire  forcibly  holding  them,  after  hav- 
ing driven  out  the  bishops  in  union  with  Rome.  On  his  election  to 
the  throne,  the  Emperor  Gratianus  wished  to  restore  these  churches 
in  his  vast  empire  to  the  catholic  bishops,  saying  in  his  decree:  "Let 
the  holy  places  be  given  to  those  who  are  in  union  with  Pope  Damas- 
ns."^  Three  bishops,  Meletius,  Paulinus  and  Apollinaris  strove 
for  the  episcopal  see  of  Antioch.  The  priest  Flavius,  espousing  the 
cause  ofhis  bishop  Meletius  wrote  to  him  saying:  "Friend,  if  you  hold 
communion  with  Damasus,  show  us  the  likeness  of  his  teaching."  * 
Paulinus  had  received  letters  of  union  from  Pope  Damasus,  but  as 
he  did  not  believe  in  the  three  Persons  of  the  Trinity,  Flavius 
would  not  receive  him  saying:  "  Show  us  then  your  agreement  in 
his  doctrine,  and  take  the  churches  as  the  law  lays  down."*  To 
Apollinaris  he  said:  "  I  am  surprised  at  you, my  friend,  to  see  you 
so  impudently  resist  the  truth ,  when  you  know  that  Damasus  teaches 
that  he  (Christ)  was  a  perfect  man,  assumed  by  God. . .  .Now  at  least 
renounce  the  novelty,  which  3'ou  imagined.  Receive  the  doctrine 
of  Damasus,  and  then  you  can  receive  the  churches."  *  Prudentius 
composed  in  the  IV.  century  a  latin  hyrnn  s. lowering  down  curses 
on  the  Donatists,  calling  them  schismatics  and  calling  on  them  to- 
hold  only  the  faith  of  Peter's  chair. 

St  Jerome,  the  great  teacher  of  the  early  church  born  in  the  year 
331,  wrote  about  the  apostles:  "whence  among  the  twelve,  one  was 
selected  as  the  head,  so  that  the  danger  of  any  division  might  be 
taken  away." '  Writing  to  Pope  Damasus  he  says:  "  Therefore  I  be- 
lieve that  it  is  well  for  me  to  praise  the  Chair  and  the  faith  of  Peter 

the  precious  pearl,  where  the  body  is  there  gather  the  eagles, 

....  with  yau  alone  remains  uncorrupted  the  inheritance  of  the 
Fathers, ...  .1  follow  no  one  but  Christ,  the  first,  and  I  unite  witii 
your  holiness  that  is  with  the  chair  of  Peter.  Whoever  outside  this 
house  eats  a  Iamb  is  profane,  who  is  not  in  this  arch  of  Noe  will 

perish  in  tiie  flood, I  follow  your  colleagues  of  Egypt, ....  I  do 

not  know  Vitalis,  I  spurn  Meletius,  I  ignore  Paulinus.  Who  does 
not  gather  with  thee  scatters,  that  is  he  who  is  not  of  Christ  is 

anti-Christ the  teachers  of  the  Arians  ask  of  me,  a  Roman,  to 

believe  in  three  hypostases, Give  your  decision.    If  you  please 

I  will  not  bear  to  say  there  are  three  Persons,  ..  Let  me  Know 
with  whom  I  am  to  communicate  at  Antioch,"  &c.    Here  we  see  the 

>  Lib.  v1.  Hist.  Cap.  JUdl.       »  Thodoretus  Hist.  L.  V.  II.        »  Theodor.  Hist.  L.  7  c  111. 
*  Ibidem.  •  Ibidem  '  Adv.  Jovlnn.  26. 


TESTIMONY  OF  ST.  JEROME.  199 

most  learned  man  in  the  early  church,  a  man  whom  the  great  St. 
Augustine  wished  to  come  and  teach  him  the  meaning  of  the  dif- 
ficult parts  of  the  Bible,  this  great  saint  and  doctor  writes  to  Pope 
Damasus  for  his  infallible  decree  about  the  errors  of  the  Arians, 
and  the  disputes  in  the  church  at  Antioch.  While  he  lived  in  Syria, 
preparing  by  a  study  of  the  Hebrew  and  of  tlie  holy  places  for  his 
great  translation  of  the  Bible  into  Latin,  he  wrote  to  Damasus: 
"  The  church  here  is  divided  into  three  parts,  each  trying  to  draw 
me  into  their  faction.  But  I  recognize  only  the  ancient  authority 
of  the  monks.  In  the  meantime  I  cry  out.  He  who  belongs  to  the 
chair  of  Peter  is  mine,  Meletius,  Vitalis  and  Paulinus  say  they 
adhere  to  you.  If  only  one  said  so,  I  could  believe  him,  but 
I  believe  they  are  all  lying.  Therefore  I  beseech  your  Holiness 
write  to  me,  and  tell  me  to  whom  I  shall  unite  while  I  am  in 
Syria."' 

St.  Jerome  lived  at  Bethlehem  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  bish- 
op of  Jerusalem ,  who  got  into  a  controversy  with  Theophilus,  patri- 
arch of  Alexandria.  To  the  latter  Jerome  wrote  in  reply  to  a  letter 
he  had  received  about  these  troubles:  "I  am  much  obliged  for  the 
ecclesiastical  cannons  you  draw  my  attention  to.  Nothing  is  dearer 
to  us  than  to  keep  the  rights  of  Christ,  nor  do  we  go  outside  the 
limits  of  the  fathers.  We  always  keep  the  Eoman  faith,  praised  by 
apostolic  lips,  and  we  glory  in  partaking  in  the  church  of  Alexan- 
dria."'* St.  Jerome  had  translated  some  of  the  books  of  origin 
from  Greek  into  Latin,  and  Rufin  wrote  that  the  Latin  reader  would 
find  nothing  in  them  against  his  faith.  Jerome  says:  "The  Latin 
reader  will  find  nothing  in  them,  which  differs  from  our  faith.  What 
faith  does  he  mean?  Is  it  that  belief  which  is  found  in  Origin^s 
books?  Or  rather  that  faith  which  the  Roman  church  holds  ?  If 
it  is  the  Roman  faith,  then  we  are  catholics,  because  we  did  not 
give  any  error  in  translating  Origin."  ^ 

In  the  year  418  Pope  Zozimus,  writing  to  the  bishops  of  Africa, 
who  were"then  holding  a  council  at  Carthage. says:  "The  tradition 
of  the  fathers  gives  such  authority  to  tlie  apostolic  See,  that  no  one 
dares  to  dispute  its  judgment,  for  by  the  judgments  of  all,  canon- 
ical antiquity  gives  such  power  to  this  Apostle,  so  that  by  the 
promise  of  Clirist,  he  could  untie  the  bound  and  tie  the  free.  The 
same  power  is  given  to  those  who  are  the  heirs  of  this  See,  for  he 
saying,  they  merited  it.  For  because  of  where  he  sits,  he  has  the 
care  of  all  the  churches,  nor  does  he  allow  any  privilege  to  disturb 
his  golden  sentence  ....  Whence  therefore  Peter  is  the  head  of 
such  power,  which  the  study  of  our  elders  strengthens,  that  both  hu- 
man and  divine  laws  and  disciplines  strengthen  the  Roman  church. 
It  is  not  hidden  from  you  that  we  have  come  into  the  power  of  rul- 
ing in  his  name,  for  you  know  it,  most  dear  brethren,  as  all  priests 
should  know,  nevertheless  as  such  authority  has  come  down  to  us 
so  that  no  one  can  dispute  our  sentence."*  ....     Here  we  see  a 

1  Editio.  Benedict.  Epist.xvl.  T.  4  col.  S2.  ^  Ibidem  58  col.  597. 

3  Apol.  Adv.  Ruf .  L.  I.  *  Lab.  T.  ii.  col.  1572. 


^00  ST.  AUGUSTIN. 

Pope  in  the  V.  century  teaching  all  the  bishops  of  the  province  of 
Africa  assembled  in  a  solemn  council. 

The  greatest  doctor  of  tliat  age  Avas  St.  Augustin,  the  bishop 
of  Hippo,  the  greatest  intellect  which  ever  appeared  on  this  earth. 
Born  in  the  year  354,  his  works  have  ilkmiined  the  world.  Explain- 
ing the  Psalms  against  tlie  Donatist  heretics,  he  says:  "Come, 
brethren,  if  you  wish  to  be  grafted  on  the  vine.  We  feel  bad  to 
see  you  cut  off  and  thrown  away.  Number  the  priests  who  have 
sat  on  Peter's  Seat  and  in  their  order  you  will  see  who  succeed- 
ed these  fathers.  She  is  the  Rock  against  which  the  proud  gates  of 
hell  have  not  prevailed."  '  In  one  of  his  letters  against  Generosus 
he  says:  'Tor  if  you  consider  the  order  of  bishops  succeeding  each 
other,  how  much  more  safely  and  certainly  we  number  them  from 
Peter,  to  whom  in  the  figure  of  the  whole  chuj-ch  the  Lord  said: 
"On  this  Hock  I  will  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  conquer  her.  "  "  For  to  Peter  succeeded  Linus  Clement  to  Linus" 
then  giving  a  list  of  all  the  Bishops  of  Rome  to  Siricius  he  con- 
tinues: "Anastasius  succeeded  Siricius.  In  tliis  order  of  succes- 
sion no  Donatist  bishop  is  found."  "^  When  the  bishops  of  that 
part  of  Africa  met  at  Carthage  in  416  to  condemn  the  Pelagians, 
St.  Augustin,  who  took  an  active  part,  wrote  to  Pope  Innocent  I. 
in  the  name  of  the  bishops:  "This  was  done  brother  Lord,  which  we 
have  shown  to  your  holy  charity,  that  the  statutes  of  our  poor 
abilities  may  have  also  the  authority  of  your  Apostolic  See,  in 
order  to  guard  the  faith  of  many,  and  also  to  correct  the  evil  of 
others."  ' 

The  same  year  met  the  fathers  of  the  council  of  Milevit,  who 
wrote  to  the  same  Pope: "  Because  the  Lord  in  liis  grace  placed 
the  chief  duty  on  the  Apostolic  See,  .  .  .we  beseech  thee  to  deign  to 
take  greater  care  of  the  weak  members  troubled  with  many  dan- 
gers." Then  St.  Augustin  wrote  to  bishop  Hilary  to  tell  him 
iibout  the  Pelagian  heresy,  and  of  the  two  councils  already  held  in 
Africa,  saying:  "A  new  heresy  has  risen  against  the  grace  of 
Christ,  and  the  church  of  Christ.  But  they  are  evidently  not  yet 
separated  from  the. church.  Now.while  I  am  writing  these  things, 
we  know  that  an  episcopal  council  in  the  church  of  Carthage  has 
issued  a  decree  against  them,  by  a  letter  directed  to  the  venerable 
Pope  Innocent,  and  by  direction  of  the  council  in  Xumidia,  we 
have  likewise  written  to  the  Apostolic  See."*  Innocent  I.  gave  his 
reply  in  the  year  417.  But  as  the  letter  is  long  we  will  give  only  a 
few  words  from  it:  "Knowing  what  belongs  to  this  Apostolic  See, 
when  all  know  that  those  in  this  place  wish  to  follow  the  apostles 
from  whom  the  whole  episcopacy  and  the  whole  authority  of  this 
name  arises,....  that  whatever  shall  arise  or  is  done,  in  no  matter 
how  far  distant  or  remote  the  province,  it  should  not  be  finally 
defined,  till  the  notice  of  it  has  first  came  to  the  knowledge  of 
this  See,  that  the  sentence  may  be  pronounced  with  the  strength 
of  this  authority,  whence  other  churches  get  theirs,  from  which  all 

1  In  Psalm  Con.  Donat.  2  Eplst.  111.  8  EpLst.  175.  4  Eplst.  178. 


THE  MONAIiCH  OF  EELIGIOK.  201 

other  churches  are  born  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  that  they 
may  remain  pure  united  to  their  head"  &c. 

'  The  early  writers  are  filled  with  the  proofs  of  the  Primacy  of  the 
Apostolic  See  over  the  other  churches,  but  we  cannot  find  space 
for  the  texts.  There  sits  in  Rome  the  head  of  the  universal  church. 
According  to  the  constitution  of  the  church  her  form  of  govern- 
ment differs  from  other  governments.  For  while  other  rulers 
govern  only  in  matters  of  public  welfare,  the  church  teaches  both 
matters  of  faith  and  morals.  Whence  the  Roman  Pontiff  is  both 
the  centre  of  faith  and  of  government.  All  christians  must  believe 
what  God  has  revealed.  The  Pope  is  the  teacher  of  the  doctrines 
of  Christ  the  supreme  court  of  the  church  the  definer  of  her  con- 
stitution. The  clergy  and  laity  must  obey  the  laws  of  the  church 
made  for  their  good,  because  they  compose  the  body  of  Christ, 
which  like  all  other  organizations  must  be  governed  by  law.  The 
bishop  of  Rome  rules  the  whole  church,  because  he  is  the  visible 
head  of  the  visible  organism.  Such  has  been  the  ever  living  voice- 
of  tradition  as  seen  in  the  writings  of  the  fathers  of  the  early  ages. 

The  council  of  Ephesus,  held  in  431,  says:  "There  is  no  doubt,. 
yes,  and  it  was  known  to  all  ages,  that  the  holy  and  most  blessed 
Peter,  the  prince  and  the  head  of  the  apostles,  the  column  and 
the  foundation  of  truth,  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  received 
the  keys  of  heaven  ....He  lives  and  exercises  judgment  even  to 
our  time  in  his  successors."  *  The  council  of  Chalcedon,  held  in 
the  year  451,  decreed:  "The  holy  and  blessed  Peter  is  the  head  of 
the  universal  church  ....  Leo  is  endowed  with  the  dignity  of  the  , 
apostle  Peter,  who  is  the  foundation  and  the  rock  of  heavenly  faith, 
and  he  is  called  the  janitor  of  the  heavenly  kingdom."  ^ 

The  principality  of  the  Roman  Pontiff  over  the  whole  church  is 
like  that  of  a  monarch  of  religion.  Now  every  government  mon- 
arch or  ruler  has  supreme  power  over  the  subjects.  The  nature  of 
this  authority  given  to  Peter  was  to  guard  the  unity  of  faith,  to 
govern  the  whole  church,  that  this  supreme  government  in  his 
successors  might  be  visible  to  all  men.  It  was  given  to  one  man, 
to  one  bishop  to  one  who  was  to  ever  remain  visible  in  his  suc- 
cessors sitting  on  that  one  supreme  See.  No  other  bishop  or 
meeting  of  bishops  ever  claimed  that  supreme  power.  The  Bishops 
of  Rome  have  ever  claimed  that  they  received  it  from  Christ, 
through  their  predecessor  Peter.  The  bishops  of  the  universal 
church  never  met  till  the  beginning  of  the  IV.  century,  yet  we 
find  that  far  beyond  that  time,  the  Popes  claimed  universal  do- 
minion in  religious  matters  over  the  churches  and  bishops  of  the 
whole  world,  and  the  one  who  questioned  their  universal  jurisdic- 
tion Avas  at  once  condemned  by  all  as  a  heretic. 

The  supreme  power  in  a  nation  not  only  makes  but  also  ex- 
ecutes laws  and  enforces  them  by  punishments.  The  Bishop  of 
Rome  then  can  not  only  make,  but  also  enforce  the  laws  of  thfr 
church.     He  does  all  things  required  for  the  unity  of  the  church^ 

1  Apud  Lab.  T.  Hi.  col.  626  Pails  1671.  2  Lab,  T.  iil.  Col.  1419  ed.  1671. 


202  DID  THE  PAPACY  COME  FROM  THE  CJESARS'? 

He  defines  what  all  must  believe  as  revealed  in  the  holy  Scriptures 
and  in  tradition  and  what  laws  shall  be  enforced.  He  can  abrogate 
all  laws  of  the  church,  suspend  them  for  some  or  enforce  them  for 
others,  punish  with  censures  and  with  suspensions  or  excommuni- 
cate those  who  disobey.  To  him  belongs  the  power  of  taking 
away  the  exercise  of  the  powers  of  holy  orders  or  of  jurisdiction, 
both  in  the  case  of  cardinals,  patriarchs,  primates,  archbishops, 
bishops,  priests  and  ministers.  As  the  Vatican  council  declares, 
he  is  the  direct  and  immediate  pastor  of  every  soul  redeemed  by 
Christ,  for  he  is  our  Redeemer's  Vicar.  At  all  times  during  the 
past  ages  they  exercised  this  power  of  binding  and  of  loosing  the 
€onsciences  of  men,  by  the  laws  they  made  or  abrogated,  when  the 
requirements  of  the  times  demanded  a  change  in  the  policy  of  the 
church. 

The  Bishop  of  Rome  then  has  the  supreme  monarchial  power 
received  from  Christ,  and  he  rules  the  whole  church  /is  the  Vicar 
of  Christ.  The  schismatic  Greeks  hold  nearly  all  the  doctrines 
of  the  church,  but  they  deny  the  supremacy  of  the  Roman  Pon- 
tiff, giving  him  only  a  kind  of  honor  or  dignity  among  the  other 
bishops.  Other  schismatics  hold  that  he  has  only  an  honorary 
office,  but  no  jurisdiction  over  the  church  universal,  or  tbat  he  sits 
only  as  chairman  in  a  council  of  the  universal  church.  Accord- 
ing to  some  he  has  certain  powers  over  the  church  taken  apart  at 
a  time,  but  not  over  the  church  taken  all  together,  so  that  at  a 
meeting  of  the  bishops  of  the  whole  church,  he  is  appointed  by 
them  their  chairman,  but  that  when  he  is  considered  separately 
from  the  bishops  in  council,  he  has  no  power  which  they  did  not 
give  him.  Others  say  that  he  has  no  right  to  interfere  in  the  reg- 
ulations of  the  civil  laws  regulating  divine  worship,  or  that  he 
must  follow  the  canons  of  the  church  made  by  his  predecessors. 
From  these  erronious  doctrines  many  evils  in  modern  times  have 
fallen  on  the  cnurch,  especially  in  Europe. 

Members  of  other  churches,  not  knowing  history,  try  to  make 
out  that  the  Popes  got  their  power  over  other  bishops  and  church- 
es from  the  Roman  empire.  But  they  should  remember  that  for 
300  years,  from  the  days  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul,  the  pagan 
empire  of  Rome  persecuted  the  church  and  the  pagans  hated  the  very 
name  Christ,  and  put  nearly  all  the  early  Bishops  of  Rome  to  death. 
Up  to  the  time  of  the  conversion  of  Constantine  in  310,  two  pow- 
ers in  Rome  disputed  universal  jurisdiction.  They  were  the  civil 
government,  represented  by  the  emperors,  and  the  church,  repres- 
ented by  the  popes.  The  gates  of  hell  rose  up  against  the  Bishops 
of  Rome,  and  fo'*  centuries  rivers  of  the  blood  of  martyrs  filled 
the  eternal  city.  The  church  at  last  washed  paganism  from  the 
face  of  the  civilized  world.  When  Constantine  was  converted,  he 
moved  his  Roman  empire  to  the  new  city  he  founded  on  the  site 
of  Bizantium,  and  called  it  Constantinople.  There  his  Greeko- 
Roman  empire  found  a  capital,  till  it  was  destroyed  t>y  the  Turks 
in  the  XV.  century.     But  as  history  shows,  the  emperors  of  Con- 


ALL  BISHOPS  LOOKED  TO  EOME.  203 

stantinople  were  nearly  always  unfriendly  to  the  Pope.  It  was  then 
impossible  for  the  Bishops  of  Rome  to  derive  their  universal  power 
from  an  hostile  and  unfriendly  power.  No  one  can  give  what  he 
has  not.  and  how  could  the  civil  power  give  supreme  spiritual 
authority  to  the  Popes,  when  they  never  claimed  that  they  had 
that  spiritual  dominion  themselves? 

History  proves  this.  When  in  the  year  382  Nectarius  was  con- 
secrated archbishop  of  Constantinople,  the  emperor  Theodosius, 
knowing  that  his  jurisdiction  would  not  be  valid  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  Pope,  sent  his  legates  to  Pope  St.  Damasus,  asking 
him  to  confirm  the  election.'  AVhen  in  449  Anatolius  was  elected 
to  the  same  see  of  Constantiople,  Leo  the  Great  refused  to  receive 
him  into  the  communion  of  the  church,  until  he  had  made  his 
profession  of  faith  before  the  legate  of  the  Holy  See,  sent  to  Con- 
stantinople for  that  purpose.''  When  Maximns,  contrary  to  the 
canons,  ascended  the  patriarchial  see  of  Constantinople,  both 
clergy  and  laity  refused  to  obey  him,  because  his  election  was  not 
regular.  And  when  the  council  of  Chalcedon  met,  the  bishops 
asked  the  legates  of  the  Holy  See  to  confirm  his  election,  which 
they  did.  In  the  tenth  session  of  that  council,  they  decreed  that 
the  acts  of  the  council  would  be  valid  only  relating  to  the  bishop 
of  Antioch,  before  the  Pope  had  received  it,  because  Pope  Leo  had 
judged  him  worthy,  and  had  received  him  into  the  communion  of 
the  church.^  In  the  year  48^,  when  John  had  been  consecrated 
archbishop  of  Alexandria,  he  asked  the  confirmation  of  Pope  Sim- 
plicius,  who  replied  to  Acacius,  that  as  it  had  been  related  to  him 
that  Timothy,  archbishop  of  Alexandria  was  dead,  and  that  John 
had  been  elected  by  the  votes  of  the  clergy  and  laity,  he  would 
therefore  confirm  his  election  and  consecration,  although  the 
emperor  had  falsely  accused  him  of  the  crime  of  perjury.  When 
at  the  death  of  Acacius  Flavitas  was  elected  to  his  see,  he  re- 
fused to  ascend  his  patriarcheal  throne  of  Constantinople,  till  he 
had  received  the  consent  of  the  Bishop  of  Eome.  That  was  not  the 
custom  at  that  time,  for  the  Popes  had  before  conceded,  that  as 
soon  as  any  one  was  elected  to  an  episcopal  throne,  he  should  at 
once  take  possession  of  his  cathedral,  and  then  send  to  Rome  for 
the  confirmation  of  the  Pope.  Felix  at  once  confirmed  his  election. 
When  in  490  Enphemiuse,  became  archbishop  of  Constantinople, 
Pope  Felix  refusing  to  confirm  his  election.  Even  when  a  syond 
of  bishops  was  called  on  the  matter,  the  letter  of  the  Pope  was 
read  to  the  bishops  refusing  to  receive  him  into  the  communion  of 
the  church. 

The  Popes  exercised  their  powers  as  rulers  of  the  church  in  va- 
rious parts  of  the  East.  Thus  Pope  Gelasius  wrote  in  492  that 
the  Holy  See  ''had  deposed  Timothy  of  Alexandria,  Peter  of 
Antioch,  Peter,  Paul  and  others",  not  only  once  but  often  when 
they   presumed  to   exercise   their  sacerdotal   power  without  the 

'  Epist.  Rom.  Pont.  Col.  1043.  '  Opera  Leonis  Mag.  T.  I.  col.  1149. 

^  Ses.  10  Concll.  Calched. 


204  EARLY  APPEALS  TO  ROME. 

authority  alone  of  the  apostlic  See.  So  says  the  letter  of  St, 
Gelasius.  Damasus  likewise  deposed  Flaviauus,  patriarch  of 
Antioch.  Pope  St.  Agapitus  deposed  Anthimus  of  Constanti- 
nople, and  in  his  place  he  ordained  Massilles.'  He  djd  this  against 
the  vehement  protests  of  the  emperor,  and  of  many  powerful 
princes,  because  the  former  had  obtained  the  episcopal  see  by 
gifts,  being  therefore  guilty  of  the  crime  of  simony.  Sixtus  III. 
deposed  Polychronins,  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  while  Pope  Nicholas^ 
1.  enumerates  oight  patriarchs  and  archbishops  of  Constantinople 
deposed  by  the  Roman  Pontiffs.  In  254  Basilides  appealed  ta 
the  Bishop  of  Rome  against  a  provincial  council  of  the  bishops  of 
Baetica,  which  had  deposed  him,  and  Pope  Stephen  restored 
him  to  his  see.  St.  Julius  1.  restored  St.  Athanasius  to  the 
see  of  Alexandria,  Paul  to  Constantinople,  and  Marcellus  to 
Ancyranus;  when  they  had  been  deposed  by  Oriental  councils. 
St.  Leo  restored  Theodoret  to  his  see  whom  the  second 
council  of  Ephesus  had  deposed.  When  the  ecumenical  council  of 
Calchedon  met,  the  first  act  of  all  the  assembled  bishops  of  the 
world  was  to  call:  *' The  most  Rev.  Bishop  Theodoret  to  take 
part  in  the  council,  because  he  had  been  restored  to  his  epis- 
copacy by  the  holy  Archbishop  Leo  ''  then  Bishop  of  Rome. 

From  the  days  of  the  apostles  members  of  the  church 
aggrieved  by  the  acts  of  pastors  or  of  bishops  appealed  to 
Rome,  the  highest  court  in  the  church,  to  restore  them  to  their 
rights.  Thus  in  142  Marcion,  excommunicated  by  his  bishop  in 
Pontus,  appealed  to  Rome  to  be  restored  and  absolved,  a& 
Epiphanius  says."  In  205  Montanus,  Florianus  and  others  con- 
demned by  the  courts  of  their  dioceses,  appealed  to  Pope  Zephirin 
to  be  restored  to  their  churches.*  Towards  the  year  251,  bishop 
Privatus,  condemned  by  a  council  at  Carthage,  appealed  to  the 
Holy  See  against  the  action  of  the  council.  In  252  Fortunatus 
and  Felix  of  Africa,  condemned  by  St.Cyprian,  crossed  the  Medit- 
erranian  sea  to  lay  the  matter  before  Pope  Cornelius.  In  254 
bishops  Basilid  and  Martial,  deposed  by  the  provincial  synod  of 
Baetica  appealed  to  Pope  Stephen,  who  restored  them  to  their 
churches.  In  342  St.  Athanasius  and  otlier  bishops  deposed  by 
two  synods  held  at  Ephesus  appealed  to  Julius  I,  who  called 
them  and  their  accusers  to  Rome,  that  the  cases  might  be  settled 
by  the  Holy  See.  The  Arianian  bishops,  who  had  condemned 
them,  refused  to  come  to  Rome,  and  Pope  Julius  restored  them 
to  their  dioceses,  calling  the  Arianian  bishops  sycopliants.  To- 
wards the  year  350,  a  presbyter  Pistus,  condemned  by  the  council 
of  Nice  appealed  to  Pope  Julius.  In  401  the  great  St.  Chrystora, 
patriarch  of  Constantinople,  was  deposed  by  Theophilus  of  Alexan- 
dria, whom  the  bad  empress  Eudoxia  had  turned  against  him. 
He  appealed  to  Innocent  who  commanded  both  to  come  to  Rome 
to  be  there   judged.*     In  417  Patroclus  bishop  of    Orleans  ap- 

»  Llberatus  Brer.  C.  xxl.  p .  147.  *  Haeresl.  xlU. 

*  Cbrbt  Lup.  de  Rom.  Ap.  T.  L  p.  882.  *  Am.  Cyclopedia  Cbrystom, 


THE  POPES  REPLIED  TO  APPEALS.  205 

pealed  to   Pope    Zozimus  against  the  sentence  of  Proclus  bishop 
of  Marseilles  and  against  the  sentence  of  a  council  of  bishops  held 
in  that  city.     In  418  Briccius,  bishop  of  Tours  deposed  from  his 
diocese  by  a  provincial  council,   apppealed   to    Pope   Zozimus. 
In  the  same  year  Coelestius,  a  presbyter  excommunicated   by  a 
council  of  Carthage,  appealed   to  Zozimus.     Marius  an   intimate 
friend  of  St.  Augustin  tells  us  that  he  "  believed  that  he  appealed 
to  the  examination  of  the  Roman    Bishop."     To   the  same    Pope 
appealed  Tuentius   a  presbyter   of  Gaul.     In  427   many    bishops 
and  clergymen  whom  Nestorius  condemned  in  a   synod   appealed 
to  Rome.'     About  the  year  449   Theodoret    bishop   of   Cyren, 
Eusebius  of  Dorelen,   and  Flavins  bishop  of  Constantinople   ap- 
pealed to    Pope  Leo  the  Great,  against   the  sentence  of  the  illegal 
council   of  Ephesus  deposing  them  saying  :  ''We  wait   the  sen- 
tence of  your  apostolic   See.     For  that   most  holy   See  has  the 
principality  over  all  the  churches  of  the  world.  "^  In  450  Eutyches 
appealed  to  St.  Leo.^     To  the  same  Pope  appealed  the  archdeacon 
Aetius  of  Constantinople.*     To  the  same  Pope  appealed   bishop 
Lupicin,  deprived  of  his  diocese  by  a  synod  of  bishops  in  Maurit- 
ania.    Replying  to  the  bishops  who  deposed  him,  the  Pope  says  : 
''  We  command  you  to  hear  the  case  of  bishop  Lupicin,  and  we 
restore  him,  asking  so  many  times  to  be  restored   to  communion^ 
Because  he   brought  the  case  before  us,  we  do  not  think  it  right, 
to  suspend  him  from  communion  while  the  case  is  being  tried.*' 
Chilidonius,  deposed  from  his  diocese  by  Hilarius  of  Aries,  ap- 
pealed to  St.  Leo,  who  restored  him  to  his  rights  in  the  church. 
To  the  same  Leo  appealed  Sabianus  and  Leo,  priests  of  the   dio- 
cese of  Narbon  suspended  by  Rusticus,  bishop  of  that  diocese.    But 
they  did  not  prosecute  their  appeal,  because  in  Leo's  letter  to  Rus- 
ticus, the  Pope  said  that  they  did  not  act  in  good  faith,  and  the 
Pope  left  them  to  their  bishop  to  deal  with  them    as  he  saw  fit.* 
In  526  Acasius  patriarch  of  Constantinople,    suspended  and  de- 
posed Salomen  a  presbyter  of  that  city,  who  at  once    appealed  to 
Pope  Felix  III.  who  restored  him  to  his  rights,  sending  a  letter  to 
the  clergy  of   the  diocese.     Towards  the   year  535  a  council  of 
bishops  deposed  Contumeliosus   and  condemned  him    to  a  mon- 
astery.    He   appealed  to  the  apostolic  See,  and  Pope  Agapitus 
replied  to  the   bishop: '' Having    appealed  to  the  apostolic   See, 
he    wished  an  examination."     Towards  the  year  558  a  number  of 
priests   of  the  diocese  of  Aries  appeared  against  their  bishop  to 
Pelagius  I.     When  Katalis  deposed   Honoratus,  an  archdeacon, 
Gregory  the  Great,  elected  in  590,  restored  him  to  his  office,   and 
in  the  two  letters  which  the  Pope  wrote  to  Natalis,  he  threatens 
him  with  the  punishment  of  being  deprived  of  the  pallium  and 
with  excommunication.''     So  many  appeals  were  heard  coming 
from  all  parts  of  the  church  after  the  time  of  Gregory  the  Great, 
that    we    have   not  the   time    to   give    them.      They    all   show 

1  St.  Coelest.  Epist.  xlx.  ^  Epist.  Coelest.  cxvi.  ^  Lab.  Concll.  T.  Iv.  col.  10. 

*  Ibiden  T.  Hi.  col.  1.341.  s  Concll.  Lab,  T.  lii.  col.  1.594. 

'  Concll.  Lab.  T.  ill.  col.  1404.  '  Epist.  ad  Joannem  Just. 


206  VICARS  OF  THE  POPE. 

the  authority  and  supremacy  of  the  Popes,  over  the  bishops 
and  councils  of  the  church,  so  that  from  that  time  there  rests 
not  a  doubt  of  the  power  of  the  Popes  over  the  whole  church. 

The  Popes  in  the  early  ages  appointed  certain  clergymen  as 
their  vicars  in  all  parts  of  the  church.  Leo  the  Great  appointed 
Anastasins,  bishop  of  Thessalonica,  his  vicar  overall  the  churches 
•of  the  East.  And  because  he  M-as  the  vicar  of  the  Pope  numer- 
ous clergymen  remained  at  Thessalonica,  till  the  council  of 
•Sardonica  made  a  law  that  strange  clergymen,  who  came  from 
:all  parts  of  Greece  should  not  be  received  from  other  dioceses.' 
lieo  also  appointed  Pontentius  his  vicar  over  the  churches  of  Af- 
rica. '  When  the  case  of  the  heretic  Nestorius,  patriarch  of  Con- 
stantinople came  up.  Pope  Celestin  appointed  Syril  of 
Alexandria  as  his  vicar  to  govern  the  diocese  of  Constantinople 
while  the  case  was  being  heard;  Nes^orius  being  in  the  mean- 
time deposed  by  the  Pope.  When  Pope  Gelasius  suspended  tlie 
Archbishop  of  Alexandria,  he  appointed  Acacius,  patriarch  of 
Constantinople  to  rule  the  vacant  church  of  Alexandria.  He  then 
wrote  to  the  bishops  of  Dardania:  "  Why  did  not  Acacius  refer  the 
matter  to  the  apostolic  See,  from  which  he  received  the  care  of 
these  regions?  "  Pope  Hormistas  appointed  bishop  Sallustius  his 
vicar  over  the  churches  of  Spain  and  of  Portugal.  Gehisius  nomi- 
nated Vergilius,  bishop  of  Aries,  as  his  vicar  over  the  churches  of 
France  reserving  to  himself  the  most  important  cases.' 

Being  the  supreme  legislator  of  the  universal  church  the  Pope 
can  make  laws  for  the  whole  church,  and  dispense  in  all  laws  and 
enactments  made  either  by  himself  or  by  his  predecessors.  In  the 
year  443  Leo  the  Great  wrote  to  all  the  bishops  of  the  world  re- 
garding discipline  and  the  laws  of  the  church.  *  •  The  same  Pope 
wrote  to  Julius,  archbishop  of  Aquilia,  directing  him  to  quickly 
and  carefully  put  in  force  all  things  required  for  the  good  of  re- 
ligion. He  also  wrote  to  Dorus  bishop  of  Benevent,  accusiug  him 
of  not  keeping  the  church  laws,  but  of  wilfully  trampling  on  them. 
He  wrote  to  the  bishops  of  Sicely  forbidding  tliem  to  give,  sell  or 
alienate  the  properties  of  the  churches,  without  the  consent  of  all 
the  clergy,  "  because,"  he  says,  **  it  is  not  for  the  prosperity  of  the 
church."  ^  He  made  two  laws  for  the  church  at  Alexandria,  which 
he  sent  to  Dioscorus,  patriarch  of  that  city,  saying:  "This  also 
we  wish  you  to  follow."*  In  the  year  405  Pope  Hilary  decreed 
in  the  council  of  Rome:  **  No  one  can  stand  without  danger 
unless  he  keep  the  divine  constitutions,  or  the  decrees  of  the 
a,postolic  See."  ^  When  Gregory  the  Great  conceded  certain  priv- 
ileges to  the  monastery  of  St.  Medard,  he  added  to  the  decree: 
"  If  kings  or  bishops  violate  the  decrees  of  this,  our  apostolic  au- 
thority, they  will  be  deprived  of  their  honors.'*' 

The  Popes  in  every  age  used  their  power  of  dispensing  in  the  laws 
of  the  church.     Gelasius  I.  wrote  to  the  bishops  of  Lucania:  "  We 

•  St.  Leo  Eplst.  Ixxxlv.  "  Leo  Eplst.  Ixxxvll.  '  Mb.  Iv.  Eplst.  111. 

«  Condi.  \ja\>.  T.  111.  col.  ISM.       »  Lab.  T.  111.  rol.  143Rand  1440.       *  Eplst.  Lelnls  L  Ixxxl. 

»  Lab.  T.  Iv.col.  1060.  •    L»b.  T.  v.  col.  15»4. 


THE  EARLY  POPES  INFLICTING  CENSURES.  207 

are  forced  by  the  times  to  give  dispensations,  we  unite  in  the 
moderation  of  the  apostolic  See  to  annul  the  decrees  and  canons 
of  our  fathers,  and  to  mitigate  the  decrees  of  our  predecessors  "  &c. 
Gregory  wrote  to  Felix  Bishop  of  Sicily,  that  he  had  dispensed 
the  Eiiglish  from  the  impediments  relating  to  marriage  within  the 
forbidden  degrees,  saying  that  he  did  the  same  regarding  the  peo- 
ple of  Sicily.  These  impediments  had  been  enacted  and  formulated 
by  the  first  general  council  of  the  whole  church  held  at  Nice  in 
the  year  325.  ' 

The  Popes  inflicted  the  punishment  of  censures  on  the  guilty 
members  of  the  church  in  all  ages.  Pope  St.  Victor,  who  was 
elected  in  the  year  192,  threatened  to  excommunicate  all  the 
bishops  of  Asia  unless  they  celebrated  the  feast  of  Easter  on  Sunday 
according  to  the  custonis  of  the  Roman  Church, '^  although 
St.  John  the  Evangelist  had  established  the  custom  of  holding  it 
on  a  week  day,  the  same  as  ihe  Jew?.  At  the  earnest  request  of 
St.  Irenius,  St.  Victor  did  not  put  the  punishment  into  execu- 
tion. St.  Innocent  I.  excommunicated  the  Emperor  Arcadius  and 
his  empress  Eudoxia  for  their  sins,  using  these  words:  "  Therefore 
I  the  least  and  a  sinner,  to  whom  the  throne  of  the  great  apostle 
was  given,  1  separate  thee  and  her  from  partaking  of  the  mysteries 
of  Christ  our  God.  And  the  bishop  or  clergyman  who  will  dare 
to  administer  them  to  you,  from  the  hour  when  they  will  be  bound 
by  these  my  letters,  I  will  degrade  from  his  dignity."  ^  Pope  In- 
nocent excommunicated  the  emperor  of  Constantinople,  and  for- 
bade any  clergyman  to  administer  to  him  the  sacraments.  Gregory 
III.  excommunicated  the  emperor  Leo.  Nicholas  I.  excommunicated 
Lotahrius  the  king,  and  Waldrada  the  bad  woman  with  whom  he  was 
living  in  sin,  as  well  as  the  archbishops  of  Cologne  and  of  Treviren. 

The  Popes  exercised  their  supreme  powers  over  the  whole  church 
in  thecases  of  public  sinners,  when  their  crimes  disturbed  the  church 
and  they  did  that  regardless  of  the  positions  they  held.  No  rank 
in  church  or  state  was  independent  of  their  powers  as  Vicars  of 
Christ. 

The  Pope  being  the  rnler  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  he  can  dis- 
pense in  all  laws  and  exactment  made  by  the  church  by  his  prede- 
cessors, for  the  equal  in  power  can  take  away  what  his  equal  did. 
But  no  Pope  can  ever  dispense,  abrogate,  nullify  or  interfere  with 
the  divine  constitution  of  the  church.  That  comes  from  God,  and 
only  God  can  change  it  and  not  the  Pope,  or  all  the  bishops  or 
powers  of  the  world,  for  they  too  must  obey  the  laws  made  by  God 
in  the  Bible.  The  people  of  a  nation  can  change  their  laws,  annul 
and  modify  their  statutes,  and  that  they  do  every  year  in  legisla- 
tures and  in  parliaments.  They  can  even  change  their  constitutions 
or  change  from  one  form  of  government  to  any  other.  But  by  these 
continual  changes  of  politics,  nations  fall,  and  from  their  ruins  rise 
other  nations  and  other  people,  for  they  are  built  on  the  moviiig 
sands  of  human  policy  and  of  politics.    But  the  divine  elements  ia 

1  Lib.  xil.  Eplst.  xxxi.       ^   Eusebius  Hist.  L.  V.  c.  xxiv.  'Epist.  ad  Arcadius. 


208  UKDER  CHRIST  BUT  OVER  THE  CHURCH. 

the  church,  her  constitution  coming  down  from  God  to  us  are 
found  in  the  words  of  God  in  the  Bible  and  in  tradition,  and  no 
power  on  earth  can  change  them.  The  Pope  is  bound  to  follow 
the  divine  constitution  of  the  Church,  for  in  it  he  finds  the  laws 
and  the  enactments  determining  his  lines  of  action.  They  come 
from  God,  his  Superior,  and  in  the  acts  of  his  Master  Jesus 
Christ  he  cannot  interfere.  He  stands  under  these  divine  enact- 
ments as  the  whole  church  lives  under  the  laws  he  or  his 
predecessors  made  for  the  guidance  of  the  whole  church. 
The  Pope  then  is  under  the  laws  of  Christ,  the  bishops  are  un- 
der the  laws  of  Christ  and  of  the  Popes,  the  clergy  and  laity  are 
bound  by  the  laws  of  God  of  the  Popes  and  of  the  bishops.  Thus 
God  governs  his  kingdom  by  laws  which  Christ  the  Popes  and  the 
bishops  enact  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  church  the  empire 
of  religion. 


DIVINITY  BUILDING  OF  THE  CATHOUC  UNIVERSITY,  WASHINGTON    D.  C. 


The  First  Bishops  of  Rome 


OME  has  ever  been  the  cen- 
tral sun  around  wliich 
circled  all  other  dioceses, 
churches,  parishes  and 
clergymen,  all  receiving  from  her 
Pontiff  spiritual  light,  power 
and  strength.  Every  civilized 
nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth 
traces  back  its  culture  and  free- 
dom to  Kome  and  to  her  bishops. 
Like  pillars  of  fire,  burning 
with  the  light  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  Popes  have  stood  the  teach- 
ers of  Christendom,  From  them 
the  clergy,  the  bishops,  the 
kings,  the  rulers,  the  statesmen 
received  their  spiritual  light  and  guidance,  for  the  Lord^s  Vicar 
stands  as  a  light-house  guiding  all  mankind,  for  like  him  they  are 
the  '•  light  of  every  man  who  cometh  into  the  world."  '  We  will 
give  the  chief  historic  facts  of  the  Popes  for  the  first  six  centuries 
of  the  early  church,  showing  in  a  surprising  manner,  the  suprem- 
acy and  authority  of  the  Bishops  of  Rome  over  the  churches  of 
the  world  at  that  early  date.  We  regret  that  we  cannot  give  the 
complete  history  of  the  Pontiffs  for  that  would  require  an  entire 
book. 

J  John  i.  9. 


MASS  IN  THE  CATACOMBS  DURING  THE  PERSECUTIONS. 


LINUS,  CLETUS  AND  CLEMENT.  211 

The  Popes  have  been  the  teachers  of  mankind,  of  peoples  and 
of  nations,  not  only  in  a  spiritual,  but  also  in  a  worldly  point  of 
view,  because  from  them  the  whole  civilized  world  derived  the 
fundamental  knowledge  of  the  rights  of  man,  freedom  from 
oppression  and  modern  civilization.  At  Caesarea  Peter  met  and 
converted  a  young  man  named  Clement,  who  waited  continually 
on  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul.  Coming  with  the  former  to  Eome,  he- 
became  his  vicar  general  and  ruled  the  church  in  his  absence.  ' 
Tertulian  tells  us  that  Peter  consecrated  him  a  bishop,  so  that  in 
the  very  days  of  the  apostles,  the  Roman  diocese  had  bishops  be- 
longing to  her  clergy.  On  the  death  of  the  two  great  apostles,, 
Clement  was  elected  to  the  See  by  the  votes  of  the  clergy  and  peo- 
ple, "  but  he  declined  the  honors,  and  Linus  was  selected  in  his- 
place. 

Born  in  Etruria,  Linus  had  written  a  history  of  the  reign  of 
Peter.  In  G6  or  67  he  was  elected  in  his  place.  He  ordered  that 
women  should  enter  the  church  with  their  heads  covered,  a  cus- 
tom which  prevails  to  our  day.  Having  great  power  over  de- 
mons, he  delivered  the  daughter  of  Saturninus  from  their  vexa- 
tions, and  converted  her  to  the  faith.  For  this  Saturninus  put 
him  to  death.  He  had  reigned  over  eleven  years.  He  was  buried 
near  the  bodies  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  on  the  Vatican  hill. 

In  the  year  78  Cletus  son  of  Faustinus  on  the  Celian  hill  of  a 
noble  family  became  Bishop  of  Eome.  He  reigned  during  the 
government  of  Vaspasius  and  Titus,  who  had  destroyed  Jerusa- 
lem and  captured  the  Jews  and  carried  them  to  Rome  in  chains. 
During  Peter's  life  he  was  a  great  Avorker  and  divided  the  city 
into  seven  districts.  lie  was  one  of  the  chief  officials  of  the  Ro- 
man diocese.  By  Peter's  direction  during  the  life  of  the  Prince 
of  the  apostles,  he  divided  Rome  into  twenty-five  districts  with  a 
priest  attached  to  each.  This  was  the  origin  of  parishes,  first 
founded  by  St.  Peter  himself.  The  pastors  of  these  parishes  are 
the  chief  officials  of  the  Roman  church.  In  later  ages  the  parish- 
es of  Rome  were  divided  and  augmented,  so  that  there  are  now 
many  more  parishes  with  titular  pastors.  Cletus  first  used  the 
words  ''  Health  and  Apostolic  Benediction."  After  reigning 
twelve  years  he  was  put  to  death  by  the  impious  Nero  and  buried 
near  the  body  of  St.   Peter. 

Clement  who  before  had  declined  the  Chair  of  Peter  although 
consecrated  a  bishop  by  St.  Peter  after  his  conversion  from  Ju- 
daism, now  became  bishop  of  Rome.  He  is  called  by  many  an 
apostle.*  St.  Paul  says  that  his  name  is  in  the  book  of  life." 
He  was  held  in  great  esteem  by  the  apostles  and  christians  of 
Rome  while  acting  as  the  vicar  general  of  St.  Peter  in  his  absence.* 
In  this  early  day  a  trouble  arose,  which  has  more  than  any  other 
disturbed  the  discipline  of  the  church,  the  desire  of  changing  pas- 
tors.    At  Corinth  the  people  rose  up  against  their  priests  and  de- 

'  Epiphaniiis  HaB.  27.  C  6.  ^  Tertul.  Prescr.  C.  32. 

=*  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints.  Nov.  23d.  "•  Phil.  Iv.  3. 

^  Epiphanlus  User.  27    C. 


212  ANACLETUS,  EVABISTUS  AXD  ALEXANDER. 

sired  to  change  them  although  they  were  good  priests.  From 
Rome,  Clement  addressed  them  an  epistle,  among  other  things 
stating  that  the  laity  could  not  either  appoint  or  change  their 
pastors.  He  wrote  many  epistles,  which  became  famous  in  the 
early  church,  ranking  next  to  those  of  St.  Paul  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. He  wrote  them  in  the  name  of  the  Roman  Church,  and 
as  some  think  in  the  days  while  the  apostles  Peter  and  Paul  lived. 
This  shows  what  the  authority  of  the  Roman  Church  was  in  the 
very  days  of  the  great  apostles.  Fortunatus,  mentioned  by  St. 
Paul,  had  come  from  the  unfortunate  church  of  Corinth  to  Rome 
to  seek  from  the  head  of  the  church  at  Rome  spiritual  doctrine  and 
medicine,  to  heal  the  divided  factions  of  that  Greek  city.  Pope 
dement  dispatched  at  once  four  messengers  to  the  Corinthians 
with  his  first  letter.  '  In  his  third  and  fourth  letters,  he  extols 
virginity  above  married  life.  He  was  put  to  death  in  the  year  100 
in  the  third  of  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Trajan. 

In  the  year  100  Pope  Anacletus  ascended  the  throne  and 
ruled  the  universal  church,  while  Trajan  ruled  the  Roman  Em- 
pire. He  was  born  at  Athens,  then  famous  for  learning.  He 
ruled  with  great  wisdom.  He  decreed  that  every  bishop  should 
be  consecrated  by  not  less  than  three  bishops,  that  the  clergy 
should  be  publicly  ordained  in  the  church  by  their  own  bishop, 
and  that  after  the  consecration  of  the  Mass  all  present  should  re- 
ceive Holy  Communion.  He  built  a  tomb  over  the  body  of  St. 
Peter  on  the  Vatican  hill,  and  set  apart  a  cemetery  for  the  burial 
of  bishops.  When  martyred  his  body  was  buried  on  the  Vatican, 
near  the  tomb  of  St.  Peter. 

St.  Evaristus  followed  him  as  the  successor  of  St.  Peter.  He 
was  born  in  Greece,  of  a  Jewish  father,  but  he  was  educated  in  the 
best  schools  of  Athens.  He  gave  the  titles  to  the  chief  churches 
of  Rome,  and  appointed  the  chief  priests  of  the  Roman  clergy  as 
pastors  of  these  churches,  and  the  pastors  of  these  churches  ever 
afterwards  bear  the  titles  of  the  churches  over  which  they  presided. 
He  is  the  author  of  the  titles  of  the  lower  clergy  all  over  the 
world,  by  which  they  are  appointed  to  work  in  a  particular  church 
or  diocese  in  place  of  being  wandering  missionaries.  He  also  or- 
dained, that  when  the  bishop  went  to  preach,  he  should  be  at- 
tended by  seven  deacons,  in  memory  of  the  seven  deacons  ap- 
pointed by  the  apostles.  "  He  commanded,  that  from  a])ostolic 
tradition,  marriage  should  be  entered  into  not  secretly,  but  pub- 
licly contracted  before  the  church  unless  for  some  grave  reason, 
and  that  the  contracting  parties  should  receive  the  blessing  of  the 
pastor.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  Nuptial  Mass.  He  too  died  a 
martyr's  death  and  was  entombed  near  the  Prince  of  the  apostles  on 
the  Vatican  in  the  year  112. 

The  clergy  and  Roman  people  then  elected  Alexander.  In  re- 
membrance of  the  passion  of  our  Lord,  he  commanded  that  at 
Mass  these  words  should  be  said:  '*  Who  the  day  before  he  suf- 

>  Butler's  Lives  St.  Clement  Nor.  23.  '  AcU.  vi. 


8IXTUS   A.ND  TELESPHOKE.  213 

fered,  took  bread  in  his  holy  and  venerable  hands,  and  raising  his 
eyes  to  thee,  God,  his  almighty  Father,  giving  thee  thanks,  he 
blessed  it,  broke  it,  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples  saying:  'Keceive 
ye  all  of  this. ' "  He  regulated  the  amount  of  bread  and  wine 
which  should  be  used  in  celebrating  Mass,  so  as  to  prevent  abuses; 
he  directed  that  at  mass  water  should  be  added  to  the  wine  in  mem- 
ory of  the  water  which  flowed  from  the  side  of  our  Lord;  he  ordained 
that  when  the  clergy  blessed  holy  water  that  they  should  use  salt, 
and  that  this  holy  water  could  be  used  with  prayer  in  all  places 
against  the  power  of  the  spirits  of  darkness.  A  great  preacher 
and  orator,  under  his  eloquence  many  noble  Romans  became 
members  of  the  church.  Many  of  his  converts  were  the  senators 
or  belonged  to  the  first  families  of  Rome.  For  this  reason  a  per- 
secution rose  against  him,  and  he  was  arrested,  accused  of  being  a 
christian  and  put  to  death  with  the  most  horrible  sufferings. 

Sixtus  I.  took  his  place.  He  was  a  Roman  born  in  the  Wide 
Way,  one  of  the  seven  regions  of  the  eternal  city  well  knowing 
the  people  and  clergy  of  Rome.  In  his  reign  paganism,  purified 
from  the  gross  forms  of  mythology  took  the  form  of  agnosticism 
which  divided  into  many  branches.  The  materialists  claimed  that 
matter  is  eternal;  the  pantheists  that  matter  is  God;  the  dualists 
that  good  and  evil  are  eternal  principles,  while  many  held  that 
matter  emanates  by  the  work  of  inferior  creators  from  one  infin- 
ite principle.  These  errors  rose  first  in  the  schools  of  Alexandria, 
which  from  the  times  of  the  Ptolemies  had  become  the  centre  of 
ancient  learning.  These  false  teachings  modified  in  many  ways, 
led  to  a  persecution  of  the  christians,  and  paved  the  way  for  the 
errors  of  Arius,  who  in  the  fourth  century  denied  the  divinity  of 
Christ.  One  of  the  last  victims  of  this  persecution  under  the 
emperor  Adrian  was  Pope  Sixtus,  who  was  put  to  death  in  128, 
after  reigning  10  years.  Before  his  death  he  decreed  that  only 
the  clergy  should  teach  holy  things;  he  added  to  the  Mass  the 
"  Sanctus  ",  and  ordained  that  bishops  who  had  been  called  to 
Rome,  should  not  return  to  their  sees,  till  they  had  received  let- 
ters from  the  Holy  See  in  form  of  greetings  to  their  people. 

Telesphore,  a  monk  ascended  the  Throne  of  Peter  in  128. 
About  this  time  this  Pope  ordained  that  they  alone  should  pre- 
side over  the  meetings  of  the  christians  in  the  catecombs;  tliat 
the  clergy  should  be  ordained  about  Christmas  and  Trinity  and  be 
consecrated  bishops  to  take  the  place  of  the  martyred  pastors. 
He  regulated  the  forms  of  divine  worship;  he  appointed  bish- 
ops all  over  the  chief  cities  of  the  world,  and  divided  the  ecclesi- 
astical year  into  the  seasons  of  Advent,  Lent,  &c.,  according  to  the 
customs  of  the  apostles.  St.  Telesphore  commanded  the  seven 
weeks  of  Lent  to  be  held  each  year  before  Easter,  that  Mass  should 
be  celebrated  at  nine  in  the  "morning,  and  ordered  the  angelic 
hymn  "  Gloria  "  to  be  said  at  Mass. 

The  holy  city  of  Jerusalem,  laid  waste  by  Titus  and  Vaspasian 
was  rebuilt  by  orders  of  Adrian.     The  stones  of  the  ruined  tern- 


314  HYQINUS,  PIUS,  AND  ANICETUS. 

pie  were  used  to  build  a  theatre;  over  one  of  her  ruined  gates  was 
erected  a  marble  hog,  an  animal  detested  by  the  Jews  as  un- 
clean; a  statue  of  Jupiter  Avas  set  on  the  site  of  the  holy  sepulchre 
of  our  Lord,  and  another  of  Venus  on  Calvary,  and  the  Jews  pur- 
chased with  money  the  privilege  of  weeping  over  the  destruction 
of  their  city  on  the  anniversary  of  its  capture.  Only  gentiles 
were  allowed  to  live  in  the  restored  city.  To  weaken  the  proph- 
esies of  the  Lord  in  tiie  Old  Testament,  the  Jews  then  began  the 
composition  of  the  Thalmud,  a  compilation  of  foolish  oral  tradi- 
tions, a  book  which  has  blinded  them  to  our  day.  After  ten  years 
of  a  glorious  reign  St,  Telesphore  died  a  martyr's  death  in  142.  ' 

After  the  martyrdom  of  Telesphore  in  the  year  142,  Hyginus 
was  placed  in  the  Chair  of  Peter.  Lender  his  reign,  Cerdo  came 
from  Syria  to  Rome,  and  began  to  preach  that  there  were  two 
Gods,  one  rigorous  and  severe,  the  anchor  of  the  Old  Testament, 
the  other  good  and  merciful,  the  author  of  the  New  Testament 
and  the  Father  of  Christ,  who  sent  Christ  to  redeem  mankind 
from  the  punishments  of  the  first  god.  According  to  him  Christ 
was  not  really  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  neither  was  he  a  true 
man,  being  such  only  in  appearance.  Hyginus  at  once  condemned 
him,  cut  him  off  from  the  church,  and  condemned  his  teachings. 
The  heretic  imposed  on  Hyginus  with  signs  of  conversion.  He  was 
afterwards  received  into  the  church,  but  continuing  to  preach  his 
errors  secretly,  he  was  again  excommunicated.  Another,  Valin- 
tine,  jealous,  because  he  was  not  elected  a  bishop  in  Egypt,  came 
to  Rome  and  revived  the  errors  of  Simon  Magus.  He  too  was  con- 
demned for  his  errors  by  the  mild  Pope  Hyginus,  who  died  in  142. 

In  158  Pius  I.  was  selected  in  his  place.  He  belonged  to 
Aquilia,  and  had  been  made  a  presbyter  of  the  Roman  church  be- 
fore his  election.  This  was  the  first  time  that  any  clergyman 
from  another  diocese  had  been  incorporated  into  the  diocese  of 
Rome.  Before  his  time  many  of  the  christians  celebrated  Easter 
during  week  days  as  the  Jews,  but  this  Pope  ordered  that  for  all 
future  time  the  feasit  of  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord  should  be 
held  only  on  Sundays,  reversing  the  discipline  established  by  St. 
John  the  Evangelist.  He  changed  the  house  of  tlie  convert  Pra-K- 
edis  into  a  church,  in  which  he  used  to  celebrate  Mass  and  gave  it 
the  title  of  a  pastoral  church. 

Anicetus  succeeded  him.  Soon  after  his  accession  he  com- 
manded that  the  clergy  should  shave  their  beards,  and  forbade 
them  to  wear  their  hair  long.  Having  been  a  native  of  Syria,  he 
brought  many  of  the  customs  of  Palestine  to  Rome  and  introduced 
them  to  the  clergy  and  laity  of  the  imperial  city. 

Soterus  began  his  reign  in  175.  He  ordained  that  virgins,  nuns 
and  deaconesses  should  not  touch  the  holy  vessels  or  vestments 
of  the  church,  that  incense  should  be  used  in  the  services  of  the 
church,  and  that  all  present  at  the  Mass  should  receive  Holy  Com- 
munion on  Holy  Thursday  unless  guilty  of  mortal  sin. 

»  Dairas  Hist,  of  the  Church,  Vol.  I.  p.  108  &c. 


ELEUTHERIUS,   ZEPHYRINU8,    CALIXTUS  AC.  215 

Eleiitherius  his  immediate  successor  ascended  the  throne  in  182. 
A  native  of  Greece,  Pope  Anicetus had  ordained  him  a  deacon  of 
the  Roman  church  before  his  death.  He  ruled  the  church  uni- 
versal during  the  reign  of  emperor  Comodus.  In  the  beginning 
of  his  pontificate  he  sent  letters  to  Lucius  king  of  the  Brittany  (  a 
part  of  France)  humbly  asking  that  he  would  treat  well  the 
christians  in  his  kingdom.  Afterwards  he  sent  the  pious  and  holy 
men  Fugatius  and  Damianus  into  Brittany,  where  they  converted 
both  the  king  and  nearly  the  whole  kingdom.  During  his  time  the 
great  Ireneus  bishop  of  Lyons,  France,  came  to  Eome  and  was  be- 
nignly received  by  this  Pope.  The  church  then  enjoyed  great 
tranquility  and  the  faith  spread  with  great  rapidity  all  over  the 
world,  lie  was  succeeded  by  St.  Victor,  of  whom  we  find  little 
relating  to  the  universal  church. 

St.  Zephyrinus  who  reigned  in  his  stead  began  the  government 
of  the  church  in  203.  He  ordered  that  those  who  were  to  be 
raised  to  holy  orders  should  be  ordained  only  at  the  quarter  tenses 
or  the  four  seasons,  and  that  the  imposition  of  the  bishop's  hands 
should  take  place  publicly  before  the  whole  clergy  and  people  of 
the  church;  that  only  men  noted  for  their  piety  and  learning 
should  elect  the  candidates  for  holy  orders.  He  directed  that 
when  the  bishop  pontificated,  all  the  clergy  should  be  present.  He 
commanded  that  no  patriarch,  primate,  or  achbishop  should  pro- 
nounce any  sentence  against  a  bishop,  till  they  had  received  the 
authority  of  the  Papal  See.  He  was  put  to  death  under  Antoninus 
and  buried  on  the  Appianian  Way,  in  the  cemetery  of  St.  Calix- 
tus,  who  was  elected  in  his  place. 

Pope  Calixtus  enacted  a  statute,  that  according  to  the  Jewish  cus- 
tom, the  four  seasons  of  the  year  should  be  officially  consecrated  by 
prayer  and  fasting  in  the  churches.  They  are  called  the  ember-days 
or  the  quarter  tenses.  He  beautified  and  enlarged  the  old  ceme- 
tery on  the  Appianian  Way,  which  bears  his  name,  and  he  buried  in 
it  the  remains  of  numerous  martyrs.  He  built  the  historic  church 
across  the  Tiber  and  dedicated  it  to  the  Mother  of  Christ.  He 
was  put  to  death  in  the  year  217  under  the  reign  of  the  emperor 
Alexander. 

In  223  Urban  succeeded  Calixtus.  It  was  the  third  year  of  the 
reign  of  the  emperor  Alexander.  Then  the  church  enjoyed  peace 
in  the  Roman  Empire.  In  his  letter  toValerianus  and  Tiburtius, 
he  laid  down  the  principle  which  the  whole  christian  world  has 
since  accepted:  "  The  gifts  of  the  people  which  are  offered  to  tlie 
Lord  cannot  be  used  for  any  other  purpose  than  for  the  church, 
or  for  the  use  of  the  poor  or  the  orphans,  for  they  are  the  gifts  of 
the  people,  the  price  of  sins  and  the  inheritance  of  the  poor.  '"' 
He  died  in  227. 

Pontian  was  the  choice  of  the  clergy  and  people  of  Rome.  The 
church  enjo5'ed  peace.  But  in  a  short  time  Maximus  the  emper- 
or banished  him  to  the  isle  of  Sardinia,  where  he  died  after  ruling 
the  church  but  five  years. 


216  AXTERUS,  CORNELIUS,    STEPHEN    AND    DENNIS. 

Anterus  reigned  only  a  month,  when  he  too  was  put  to  death. 
When  tlie  clergy  and  people  of  Rome  met  in  a  large  room  to  vote  for 
the  Pontiff  to  the  surprise  of  all,  a  dove  appeared  and  settled  on 
the  head  of  a  layman  named  Fabian,  a  stranger  to  them  all.  They 
took  it  as  a  sign  from  heaven,  and  elected  him  to  the  Chair  of 
Peter.  He  appointed  a  deacon  in  each  of  the  seven  regions  of 
Rome  to  look  after  the  widows  and  tl)e  orphans.  About  the  same 
time  he  ordained  seven  subdeacons  and  appointed  them  to  churches 
as  notaries,  to  gather  the  remains  of  those  put  to  death  for  the 
faith  and  write  the  lives  and  acts  of  the  saints  and  martyrs.  This 
was  the  origin  of  attaching  the  lower  clergy  to  particular  churches 
and  these  were  the  first  notaries  ever  appointed  by  any  authority. 
He  commanded  that  on  Holy  Thursday,  the  old  oils  should  be 
burned,  and  new  oils  consecrated  by  the  bishops,  as  given  in  the 
ceremonies  of  Holy  Week. 

Cornelius  began  his  reign  in  the  year  250.  He  moved  the  bodies 
of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  buried  by  Lucina  in  her  garden  to  the 
more  honorable  church  of  St.  Peter's  on  the  Vatican.  As  he  con- 
verted many  Romans  to  the  faith,  he  was  banished  into  exile, 
where  he  was  consoled  by  the  letters  of  St.  Cyprian  the  great 
archbishop  of  Carthage.  When  recalled  to  Rome,  he  refused  to 
sacrifice  to  the  statue  of  the  god  Mars  and  was  put  to  death. 

AVhen  Stephen  came  to  the  throne  in  the  year  253,  he  ordained 
that  priests  and  deacons  should  wear  their  sacred  vestments  only 
in  the  church.  Before  this  time  the  vestments  had  been  copied 
more  or  less  after  the  vestments  of  the  priests  of  the  Jewish  temple, 
and  the  costumes  of  the  nobility  of  that  age.  W'hen  the  cele- 
brated question  of  the  re-baptism  of  heretics  rose  in  the  African 
church,  they  sent  the  dispute  to  the  Roman  Pontiff  to  be  decided. 
Pope  Stephen  in  his  reply  to  St.  Cyprian  archbishop  of  Carthage 
wrote  these  celebrated  words:  "Let  nothing  be  changed,  hold  only 
what  is  given  in  tradition."  '  When  persecutions  rose  againsi  the 
church,  he  retired  to  the  Catecombs,  and  there  he  held  a  synod  of  the 
Roman  clergy.  Wliile  saying  Mass  in  the  cemetery  of  St.  Lucina,  he 
was  surrounded  by  the  officers  of  the  government,  and  while  on 
his  pontifical  throne  they  cut  off  his  head.  Sixtus  IL  his  successor 
did  not  reign  long  before  he  too  was  captured  and  led  to  tiie  place 
of  execution.  St.  Lawrence  the  deacon  used  to  assist  him  in  say- 
ing Mass.  When  the  latter  asked  him  if  he  was  going  to  offer 
sacrifice,  without  a  minister,  the  Pope  predicted  that  he  too  would 
soon  lollow  him  to  the  martyr's  crown. 

Pope  Dennis  was  a  monk  when  he  was  selected  to  the  chair 
made  vacant  by  the  martyrdom  of  St.  Sixtus.  He  wrote  against 
the  Sabellians,  who  taught  that  there  was  only  one  Person  in  God, 
that  the  eternal  Father  suffered  in  Christ  and  against  those  who 
denied  the  divinity  of  Christ.  Dennis  the  saintly  archbishop  of 
Alexandria  was  accused  of  a  heresy  before  Pope  Dennis.  The 
Pope  called  at  once  a  synod  of  the  clergy  of  Rome  to  examine  the 

>  Brev.  Rom. 


FELIX,   MARCELINUS    AND    MAKCELLUS.  217 

case.  Bui;  as  the  archbishop  of  Alexandria  repeatedly  wrote  to 
Rome  that  the  accusations  were  false,  and  the  Pope  absolved  him. 
He  appointed  pastors  to  all  the  chief  churches  of  Rome,  erected  new 
parishes  in  the  eternal  city,  and  formed  new  dioceses  in  many 
parts  of  the  world.  lie  impressed  his  personality  on  the 
whole  church  before  his  death. 

In  269  Felix  began  to  reign.  He  commanded  that  Mass  should  be 
said  only  over  the  remains  of  the  martyrs.  Whence  from  him 
arose  the  discipline  of  enclosing  the  relics  of  the  martyrs  in  the 
altar  stones.  This  was  evidently  suggested  by  the  custom  of  say- 
ing Mass  on  the  tombs  of  the  martyrs  in  the  Catecombs  during 
the  persecutions  of  the  preceding  years. 

St.  Eutychianus  took  the  chair  in  275.  He  ordered  that  the  fruits 
of  the  earth  and  the  things  brought  by  the  people  to  the  church 
should  be  blessed  at  the  altar,  that  the  clergy  should  wear  the  dal- 
matics and  purple  vestments  when  burying  the  bodies  of  the  mar- 
tyrs. 

In  the  year  283  the  clergy  and  Roman  people  elevated  Oaius  to 
the  throne.  He  came  from  Dalmatia.  One  of  his  first  acts  was 
to  ordain  that  no  one  should  be  consecrated  a  bishop,  till  he  had 
received  in  their  proper  order  the  office  of  porter,  reader,  exorcist, 
acolyte,  subdeacon,  deacon  and  priest. 

When  Marcelinus  was  elected  in  296,  the  terrible  persecution  of 
Dioclesian  raged  against  the  christians  of  Rome  and  tliroughout  the 
empire.  It  is  said,  but  still  disputed  by  the  learned,  that  Marcel- 
inus, frightened  by  the  fear  of  a  terrible  death  by  martyrdom,  of- 
fered incense  to  the  false  gods  of  Rome  so  as  to  save  his  life,  think- 
ing that  his  external  act  was  harmless  while  in  his  heart  he  still  re- 
mained a  christian.  But  soon,  recognizing  his  error,  he  called  a 
council  of  bishops  to  Rome,  where  clothed  in  sackcloth  and  ashes, 
he  entered  the  council.  Publicly  and  before  them  all  he  confessed 
what  he  had  done  with  tears  streaming  down  his  face.  But  not 
a  bishop  rose  to  condemn  him.  With  one  voice  they  all  cried  out: 
"You  are  judged  by  your  own  mouth.  For  no  one  can  judge  the 
first  See.  For  Peter  also  fell  into  the  same  weakness  of  mind, 
and  he  asked  God's  forgiveness  with  the  same  tears."  Returning 
to  Rome,  he  publicly  and  boldly  went  before  the  emperor  and 
accused  him  of  tempting  him  to  sacrifice  to  idols.  At  once  he 
was  arrested  and  put  to  death  in  the  year  296. 

Marcellus  his  successor  was  a  Roman  citizen,  well  knowing  the 
clergy  and  people  of  Rome.  He  reorganized  the  2/>  divisions  of 
the  city  into  which  it  had  been  divided  by  his  predecessor  St. 
Cletus,  appointing  pastors  to  each,  and  giving  them  the  titles  of  the 
churches  to  which  they  were  thus  attached.  Many  years  later  the 
clergy  belonging  to  these  churches  began  to  be  called  cardinals, 
while  at  this  time  they  were  called  the  titulars  of  the  churches  of 
Rome.  These  divisions  were  called  regions  or  dioceses.  This  Pope 
directed  that  the  people  living  in  these  quasi  parishes  should  go  to 
their  own  pastor  for  baptism,  confession  and  for  the  arrangements 


218  EUSEPIUS  AND  MELCHIADES. 

of  the  funerals  of  the  martyrs,  who  belonged  to  these  parishes. 
These  regulations  were  later  extended  to  the  whole  church,  and 
they  are  the  rules  of  every  diocese  of  the  world  to-day. 

When  Pope  Marcellus  was  imprisoned  for  the  faith,  he  sent  letters 
to  be  read  in  the  various  churches  which  he  founded  in  various 
parts  of  the  world.  Through  the  patriarch  of  Antioch,  he  wrote 
to  tiie  bishops  and  archbishops  of  that  part  of  the  East,  defending 
the  supremacy  and  authority  of  the  Roman  See  over  all  the  bishops 
of  the  world. 

In  the  year  309  Eusepius  became  the  head  of  the  universal  church. 
He  instructed  and  baptized  Eusepius,  son  of  Restitutaanoblelady 
of  Sardiuia  and  called  him  after  his  own  name.  This  young  man 
became  the  great  and  celebrated  bishop  and  writer,  who  sustained 
the  waning  faith  of  the  church  in  the  East. 

Melchiades  began  his  reign  in  311,  a  native  of  Africa,  he  had 
been  incorporated  into  the  diocese  of  Rome.  While  a  priest,  he  sent 
letters  to  the  Emperor  Maxentius,  asking  him  to  mitigate  the  per- 
secutions of  the  christians.  Soon  after  this  Maxentius  was  con- 
quered by  Constantino  in  battle,  and  the  latter  being  couverted, 
declared  the  freedom  of  worship.  At  that  time  the  Donatist  her- 
esy began  to  make  trouble.  They  believed  that  the  true  church 
only  remained  then  in  Africa,  that  all  the  rest  of  the  world  was 
heretical  and  that  no  baptism  except  given  by  them  was  valid.  They 
re-baptized  catholics  who  joined  them;  taught  that  those  who  com- 
mitted suicide  were  martyrs,  and  asked  others  to  kill  them  as  well 
as  practising  other  fanatical  errors.  A  deputation  from  them  came 
to  Constantino  asking  him  to  condemn  Ca?cilianus  archbishop  of 
Carthage.  Constantine  replied :  "You  ask  of  me  a  judge  of  worldly 
things  to  give  my  sentence,  when  I  am  awaiting  for  the  sentence  of 
Christ  himself.  Nevertlieless  three  bishops  as  judges  have  been 
sent  to  Rome,  to  Melchiades  the  Pontiff,  that  for  the  unity  and  the 
peace  of  the  brethren  a  bvnod  may  be  called. "  When  these  three  bish- 
ops from  Africa  came  to  Rome  accompanied  by  fifteen  others,  un- 
der Pope  Melchiades  they  held  a  council  at  the  house  of  Faustus 
at  the  Lateran  Palace, where  they  all  pronounced  Cjecilianus  inno- 
cent of  the  accusations  of  the  Donatists.  Thei*  sentence  was  at 
once  confirmed  by  Pope  Melchiades.  lie  ordained  that  when  a 
dispute  rose  between  bishops  regarding  a  diocese,  the  oldest  in 
episcopal  orders  should  be  preferred,  and  that  the  defeated  bishops 
should  be  appointed  to  some  other  sees.  He  commanded  that  no 
one  should  fast  on  Sunday  or  on  Thursday,  because  on  tlu^se  days 
the  Pagans  celebrated  their  superstitious  rites:  that  the  offerings 
of  the  people  blessed  by  the  bishop  phould  be  divided  among  the 
churches  of  the  diocese,  and  that  while  governing  a  parish  or 
celebrating  the  services  of  the  church  no  pastor  could  be  separated 
from  the  authority  of  the  bishop.  During  his  reign,  the  church 
began  to  enjoy  peace  from  persecutions,  as  the  emperor  Constan- 
tine had  already  began  to  study  the  church,  and  had  become  more 
and  more  attracted  to  the  teachings  of  Christ. 


SYLVESTER  AND  COKSTANTINE.  319 

When  the  foregoing  Pontiff  died  in  the  year  314  Sylvester  be- 
came his  successor.  From  his  youth  he  was  educated  in  the  chris- 
tian doctrines  by  Cyriuus  whom  his  father  Rnfinus  selected  as  his 
tutor.  When  he  was  30  years  old.  Pope  Marcellinus  made  him  a 
presbyter  or  cardinal  of  the  Eoman  church.  During  this  time  he 
excelled  all  the  other  clergy  in  piety  and  learning.  It  is  said  that 
Constantine  the  emperor  had  been  at  this  time  afflicted  by  an  in- 
curable leprosy,  and  baths  of  blood  were  recommended  by  his  phy- 
sicians. At  niglit  it  is  said  the  holy  apostles  Peter  and  Paul  ap- 
peai-ed  to  him,  and  told  him  that  if  he  wislied  to  be  cured  from  that 
loathsome,  incurable  disease,  he  must  go  to  Pope  Sylvester.  The 
latter  instructed  and  baptized  him,  when  at  once  he  was  healed 
of  the  fatal  disease.  In  all  parts  of  the  Eoman  empire  Constan- 
tine gave  liberty  to  the  christians.  He  erected  and  restored  the 
churches,  gave  Pope  Sylvester  the  Lateran  palace,  the  residence 
of  the  Roman  emperors  from  the  time  of  Nero.  Up  to  this  time 
St.  Helena  the  pious  mother  of  Constantine,  had  quietly  pre- 
pared a  chamber  in  the  palace  where  Sylvester  used  to  secretly  say 
Mass.  Under  the  advice  of  this  holy  and  learned  Pope,  Constan- 
tine did  much  for  the  church.  Before  going  into  his  battle  against 
Maxeutins,  lie  prayed  for  light,  when  suddenly  there  appeared  to 
him  and  to  the  whole  army  a  cross  of  light  in  the  sky,  while  over  it 
sparkled  the  words  in  Latin:  "In  this  Sign  you  will  conquer.'' 
From  that  time  the  cross  of  Christ  became  the  sign  of  the  Roman 
armies.  He  rebuilt  the  old  church  of  St.  Peter's,  tlie  tomb  of  St. 
Peter  on  the  Vatican.  He  laid  the  bodies  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  in 
-a  metallic  casket,  on  the  lid  of  which  he  placed  a  cross  of  solid  gold 
weighing  150  lbs.  and  deposited  the  casket  to  rest  forever  under  the 
altar  of  the  great  St.  Peter's  church.  There  it  remains  even  to  our 
time.  Tiiere  all  the  bishops  of  the  world  must  come  at  regular 
times  to  give  an  account  of  the  state  of  religion  in  their  dioceses 
to  the  Successor  of  Peter  the  Father  of  souls. 

At  this  time  Arins  a  priest  of  Alexandria  began  to  revive  the 
errors  of  Celsius  ;  teaching  that  Jesus  Christ  was  not  the  Son  of 
God,  but  the  most  perfect  creature  that  God  could  make.  When 
his  errors  began  to  disturb  the  whole  church,  an  ecumenical 
council,  the  first  of  nineteen  or  twenty  ever  held  was  called  at 
Nice,  where  the  legates  of  Sylvester  presided  in  his  name,  the 
emperor  being  present.  There  were  assembled  318  bishops  from 
all  parts  of  the  world,  many  of  them  bearing  the  marks  of  the 
persecutions,  which  they  had  suffered  for  the  faith.  When  the 
acts  of  the  council  condemning  Arius  and  defining  the  divinity  of 
Christ  were  laid  before  him,  Sylvester  confirmed  them  and  en- 
acted most  important  matters  relating  to  the  celebration  of  Easter 
and  other  disciplinary  measures,  which  we  practice  even  in  our 
day.  Like  all  teachers  of  error,  Arius  would  not  submit.  An- 
other council  was  called  by  Sylvester  at  Rome,  where  84  bishops 
again  condemned  his  errors  relating  to  the  divinity  of  Christ. 
He  promulgated  wise  laws  for  the  good  of  the  church,  decreeing  that 


220  PEACE  GIVEN  BY  CONSTANTINE. 

holy  chrism  could  be  blessed  by  only  one  bishop,  that  a  priest  should 
anoint  the  top  of  the  head  of  the  baptized  when  baptizing  ;  that 
deacons  should  wear  the  dalmatics  in  the  church;  that  the  clergy 
should  wear  the  maniple  on  the  left  hand  ;  that  Mass  should  be 
said  with  linens  ;  that  the  clergy  should  be  ordained  at  stated 
times  ;  that  they  should  exercise  each  order  before  ascending  to 
a  higher  grade  of  orders ;  that  the  laity  should  not  accuse  the 
clergy  of  crimes,  and  that  no  clergyman  should  be  tried  before  any 
civil  judge,  but  before  the  ecclesiastical  tribunals.  As  the  pagans 
had  dedicated  the  days  of  the  week  to  their  false  gods,  from  which 
custom  came  the  names  of  the  week  days  he  decreed  that  Sunday 
should  be  called  the  Lord's  day,  that  Saturday  should  be  called  the 
Sabbath  day  as  was  customary  among  the  christians  from  the  days 
of  the  apostles,  and  that  the  other  days  should  be  named  ferials, 
because  the  clergy,  freed  from  worldly  work  and  cares,  could  de- 
vote their  entire  time  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  during  the 
week  as  on  Sundays.  He  directed  that  poor  clergymen  should  live 
with  wealthy  pastors  so  as  to  partake  in  their  livings  ;  that  the 
church  should  support  nuns  and  virgins  consecrated  to  God,  be- 
sides other  measures  for  the  whole  church. 

When  the  emperor  Constantine  now  converted  to  Christ  had 
studied  the  constitution  of  the  church,  he  saw  that  her  visible 
head  was  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  with  universal  jurisdiction  over  all 
the  bishops  of  the  world.  He  learned  that  Christ  had  founded  an 
immortal  spiritual  empire,  and  that  her  primal  See  was  the  city 
of  Rome,  It  was  evident  that  the  two  great  empires,  the  civil,  of 
which  he  was  head,  and  the  spiritual,  of  which  the  Bishop  of 
Rome  was  head,  could  not  live  in  peace  in  one  city  Rome.  Ho 
looked  over  the  world  for  a  new  seat  for  his  civil  government.  On 
the  shores  of  the  Bosphorus  separating  Europe  from  Asia,  stood  a 
little  city  Byzantium,  whose  bishop  was  subject  to  the  archbishop  of 
Heraclea.  From  that  site  the  emperor  saw  he  could  easily  govern 
Europe,  Asia  and  Africa,  over  which  his  vast  empire  ruled.  There 
he  laid  the  foundations  of  the  great  historic  city  of  Constantinople, 
called  after  himself,  and  which  has  since  so  figured  in  history  as 
the  seat  of  the  Greek  or  Byzantium  empire,  of  which  it  remained 
the  capital,  till  captured  by  the  Turks  in  1453.  Leaving  Rome 
to  the  Popes,  Constantine  moved  the  seat  of  his  vast  empire  to 
the  new  capital.  It  was  a  stroke  of  statesmanship  which  all  gener- 
ations have  admired.  From  that  time  the  Bishops  of  Rome  were 
free  from  the  blighting  influence  of  a  pagan  empire  dwelling  in 
their  city  and,  which  had  persecuted  them  from  the  days  of  St. 
Peter. 

When  Sylvester  died  in  336  Mark  succeeded  him.  During  the 
reign  of  Constantine,  he  directed  that  the  bishop  of  Ostia,  who 
always  consecrates  and  crowns  the  Pope,  should  wear  the  pallium 
of  an  archbishop.  He  built  two  beautiful  churches  in  Rome  which 
Constantine  enriched. 

St.  Julius,  son  of  Rusticusa  Roman,  came  to  the  Chair  of  Peter» 


222  JULIUS  AND  LIBORIUS. 

after  the  death  of  St.  Mark.  The  Arian  heresy  denying  the  di- 
vinity of  Christ  had  made  great  progress  in  tlie  East,  many  of  the 
bishops  of  Arabia,  of  Egypt  and  of  Asia  Minor  being  driven  from 
their  episcopal  sees,  by  tiie  Arians.  Athanasius  a  deacon  of  Alex- 
andria, and  later  the  successor  of  Alexander  in  the  archiepiscopal 
see  of  St.  Mark,  was  the  greatest  opponent  of  Arius  at  the  council 
of  Nice,  called  m  325  to  examine  the  new  doctrine.  The  greai 
historic  churches  of  the  apostles  in  the  East  were  now  disturbed 
by  the  errors  of  Arius  and  his  followers.  Arianism  became  the 
greatest  foe  of  the  christian  religion.  The  whole  fury  of  hell  ap- 
peared to  concentrate  now  on  the  devoted  head  of  Athanasius. 
When  they  could  not  ruin  him  by  getting  a  woman  to  swear  against 
him,  they  drove  him  into  exile  from  his  episcopal  city  of  Alexan- 
dria. He  came  to  Rome  to  lay  his  troubles  before  the  Pope,  the 
Father  of  the  whole  church.  Pope  Julius  received  him  with  the 
greatest  kindness,-  and  defended  him  with  the  whole  weight  of  his 
Pontifical  authority.  The  Arian  bishops  then  held  a  council  at 
Tyre.  There  they  proclaimed  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Divinity  of 
Christ  defined  at  Nice  was  not  correct,  and  that  Christ  was  not 
the  son  of  God  but  a  creature.  Pope  Julius  at  once  condemned  all 
the  bishops  present  at  this  council.  Again  be  proclaimed  the  Di- 
vinity of  Christ. 

Then  the  Arian  bishops  held  another  council  at  Antioch,  where 
they  went  through  the  same  process  and  again  they  were  condemned 
by  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  The  latter  then  called  two  councils  at 
Rome,  where  the  exiled  bishops  were  ordered  to  give  an  account 
of  their  exile.  The  Pope  then  restored  the  right  bishops  to  their 
sees,  and  deposed  and  drove  the  Arian  bishops  out  of  the 
episcopal  sees  they  had  usurped.  Under  the  influence  of  Constan- 
tius  the  emperor,  Pope  Julius  restored  St,  Athanasius  to  his  see 
of  Alexandria.  He  rejected  the  formula  of  faith  composed  by  the 
Arian  bishops,  in  the  second  synod  of  Antioch.  He  called  a  coun- 
cil of  the  bishops  of  both  the  East  and  of  the  West  to  Sardica, 
where  he  sent  his  legates  to  preside,  there  he  restored  the  ancient 
discipline  of  the  church.  Again  he  defined  the  catholic  faith  re- 
lating to  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  and  enacted  many  useful  measures 
of  discipline  for  the  church  universal,  which  are  in  force  even  in 
our  day.  He  commanded  that  the  clergy  should  bring  their  dis- 
putes only  before  an  ecclesiastical  judge,  and  that  all  documents 
relating  to  church  affairs  should  be  sworn  to  before  church  notaries. 

When  Liborius  took  upon  himself  the  government  of  the  uni- 
versal church,  John  a  wealthy  Roman  belonging  to  the  highest 
nobility  with  his  wife  of  equal  rank.  They  were  both  pious  people 
of  Rome,  but  they  had  no  children.  They  prayed  to  our  Lord  for 
light  to  know  what  to  do  with  their  great  riches.  On  the  night 
of  the  5th  of  August,  when  all  Rome  is  usually  oppressed  with  the 
heat,  snow  in  the  morning  covered  the  top  of  the  Esquilian  hill, 
the  Virgin  appeared  to  these  good  persons,  telling  them  to  build  a 
church  in  her  honor,  or  the  spot  where  they  would  find  the  snow. 


THE  WORKS  OF  DAMASUS.  223 

When  John  went  to  the  Pope  in  the  morning,  he  found  that  the 
Pontiff  had  seen  the  same  vision  during  the  night.  The  fame  of 
the  prodigy  quickly  spread  all  over  Kome,  and  in  a  little  while  the 
clergy  and  people  of  the  city,  with  the  Pope  at  their  head  came  to 
the  top  of  the  hill,  where  they  found  it  all  white  covered  with  snow. 
They  began  at  once  the  building  of  the  great  church,  dedicated 
to  the  Virgin  Mother  of  God.  They  called  it  Mary  at  the  Snows, 
the  Basilica  of  St.  Liborius,  or  St.  Mary  at  the  Manger.  But  as 
many  churches  from  almost  the  apostolic  age  had  been  dedicated 
to  the  Mother  of  God  in  Rome,  as  this  was  most  magnificent  of 
them  all  they  called  it  St.  Mary  Major.  That  was  the  origin  of 
the  great  and  famous  church  of  that  name.    Liborius  died  in  366. 

When  Constantius  had  banished  Liborius  to  Beroea  and  tried 
to  put  up  Felix  as  an  anti-pope,  Damasus,  who  had  lived  for 
many  years  as  a  presbyter  of  the  Eoman  church,  with  the  title  of 
the  church  of  St.  Lawrence,  had  become  the  archdeacon  of  the 
Roman  church.  He  followed  the  Pope  into  his  exile,  but  soon 
returned.  Liborius  then  condemned  the  decrees  of  the  council  of 
Rimini,  wherein  the  bishops  upheld  the  errors  of  the  Arians.  He 
lived  for  some  time  in  the  catecombs,  and  then  he  appointed 
Damasus  to  oversee  the  government  of  the  whole  church.  On 
the  death  of  Liborius,  Damasus  when  60  years  of  age  became  Pope. 
Ursinus  got  mad  because  he  had  not  been  elected  in  his  place^ 
gathered  a  crowd  of  people  in  the  church  of  St.  Mary  Major,  and 
got  Paul  of  Tivoli  to  consecrate  him  bishop  of  Rome,  all  of  whichi 
was  contrary  to  the  ancient  discipline.  In  381  the  matter  irt 
dispute  was  settled  by  a  great  council  held  at  Aquileia,  where  the 
regular  election  of  Damasus  was  confirmed. 

The  Eunomians  held  all  the  errors  of  the  Arians.  But  they 
differed  from  the  latter  by  teaching  more  explicitly  than  the 
others,  then  called  Semiarians,  that  the  three  Persons  of  the  Trin- 
ity differed  in  ns.ture,  thus  making  out  three  Gods.  They  bap- 
tized with  the  words:  "  In  the  name  of  the  uncreated  Father,  in 
the  name  of  the  created  Son,  and  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
the  Sanctifier,  created  by  the  Son.  " '  They  re-baptized  the 
catholics  who  joined  them,  teaching  that  they  could  understand 
the  nature  of  God  as  well  as  he  understood  himself  ;  that  the  Son 
did  not  take  a  human  soul,  but  that  the  Divinity  animated  his 
body;  that  the  saints  were  to  be  despised;  that  the  miracles  per- 
formed by  them  were  the  work  of  the  demons,  and  that  if  we  be- 
lieve, no  matter  what  sins  we  commit,  we  will  be  saved.  These 
were  also  the  errors  of  the  Macedonians,  Semiarians  and  Arians, 
who  likewise  believed  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  created  as  the  em- 
bassador of  God  to  man.  The  Apollonarians  taught  that  Christ 
had  not  a  reasonable  but  an  animal  soul  ;  that  the  Persons  of  the 
Trinity  were  not  equal  to  each  other,  and  that  after  the  last  resur- 
rection we  will  have  to  keep  the  law  of  Moses  in  the  other  life. 

Pope  Damasus  was  a  wise  and  learned  Pontiff.    He  condemned 

'  Gautler  De  Haeres  Sec.  14. 


224  ORIGIN  OF  THE  VULGATE  VERSION. 

nil  these  errors.  He  called  a  council  at  Constantinople,  where 
lie  confirmed  the  decrees  of  the  council  of  Nice.  He  enacted  that 
those  who  falsely  accused  others  should  suffer  the  same  punish- 
ment as  they  wished  to  inflict  on  the  innocent  ;  that  the  Psalms 
of  David  should  be  sung  in  the  churches  by  alternate  choirs,  as 
was  customary  among  the  Jews,  and  that  the  *'  Glory  be  to  the 
Father  "  &c.  be  said  at  the  end  of  each  psalm. 

The  Septuagint  version  of  the  Bible,  used  so  much  by  our  Lord, 
in  the  days  of  the  apostles  had  been  translated  into  Latin,  and 
used  in  every  church.  But  by  the  mistakes  of  those  who  copied 
it,  there  were  many  various  readings.  The  most  celebrated 
translation  was  tlie  Vulgate,  that  is  common  Italian  Version 
used  mostly  in  Italy.  The  most  learned  man  of  the  age  was 
St.  Jerome,  who  later  became  the  private  secretary  of  this  Pope, 
and  some  writers  say  he  became  a  cardiual.  By  command  of  Pope 
Damasus,  St.  Jerome  translated  nearly  all  the  Old  Testament 
into  Latin,  and  revised  the  New  Testament,  thus  giving  a  very 
perfect  rendering  of  the  original  Hebrew  and  Greek  Scriptures. 
Por  years  he  had  lived  in  and  travelled  over  the  Holy  Land,  study- 
ing Hebrew  and  the  traditions  of  Christ  and  of  the  Jews  relating 
to  the  holy  Books,  so  that  of  all  men  he  was  the  best  prepared  for 
this  great  work  in  the  church  of  God,  Damasus  at  once  confirmed 
his  rendition  of  the  Bible,  and  it  was  read  so  often  in  the  churches 
that  it  was  called  even  at  that  time  the  Vulgate,  that  is  the  Com- 
mon Version.  From  that  date  the  Vulgate  of  St,  Jerome  has  been 
the  official  Version  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  church. 

To  reform  abuses.  Pope  Damasus  forbade  the  clergy  to  frequent 
the  homes  of  widows  and  orphans,  or  to  receive  from  them  personal 
gifts.  'I'll is  decree  of  the  Pope  was  read  in  all  the  churches  of 
Pome,  and  later  it  became  a  law  of  the  Koman  Empire.  He  took 
vigorous  measures  against  the  Arians,  who  denied  the  Divin- 
ity of  Christ,  and  condemned  the  Apollinarian  followers  of  bishop 
Apollinarius*,  who  taught  that  Christ  had  not  assumed  a  mind  or 
soul,  but  only  a  body  and  an  animal  soul,  that  the  Divine  Person  of 
the  Son  was  to  him  the  same  as  the  mind  in  man,  and  that  there- 
fore Christ  was  not  a  complete  man.  Damasus  also  condemned 
many  famous  Arian  bishops  so  as  to  root  out  the  terrible  heresy. 

At  that  time  Greece  and  all  the  surrounding  countries,  even  to  the 
shores  of  the  Danube  were  called  Illyricum.  Over  the  churches  of 
these  countries  the  Popes  of  this  age  had  before  appointed  bishops 
and  archbishops  as  their  Vicars  or  legates,  while  the  patriarchs  of 
Constantinople  now  claimed  jurisdiction  over  them*  and  the  right 
of  appointing  all  the  bishops  of  these  countries.  This  Pope 
Damasus  resisted,  as  being  anew  thing  in  the  church,  for  the 
Bishops  of  Rome  had  reserved  the  appointment  of  bishops  in 
in  these  regions  to  themselves.  Damasus  appointed  St.  Ascholius 
bishop  of  Theesalonica  his  vicar  over  this  vast  country,  telling  him 
in  letters  still  extant,  to  watch  lest  nothing  be  done  in  Constanii- 
nople  against  the  faith,  or  against  the  canons,  thus  showing  that  this 


SIRICIUS  AND  ANASTASIUS.  225 

great  Pope  was  even  then  suspicious  of  the  Greeks  at  such  an  early- 
age,  even  then  the  patriarchs  of  Constantinople  claiming  jurisdic- 
tion over  the  Illyricum  viciariate.' 

When  Nectarius  was  elected  archbishop  of  Constantinople,  then 
the  seat  of  the  vast  Roman  empire,  the  emperor  Theodosius 
sent  a  deputation  to  Rome  asking  Damasus  to  confirm  the  election. 
The  delegation  was  composed  of  Sts.  Epiphanius  and  Paulinus  with 
St.  Jerome  as  their  secretary.  The  Pope  retained  St.  Jerome  till  his 
death  in  Rome  and  incorporated  him  into  the  Roman  diocese  ap- 
pointing him  his  secretary.  In  431  the  bishops  of  the  East  official- 
ly proclaimed  that  they  would  follow  the  example  of  Damasus. 
Ambrose,  Athanasius,  &c.,  who  in  the  early  church  were  eminent  for 
their  learning.  He  drained  the  Vatican,  rebuilt  and  ornamented 
his  titular  church  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  did  many  things  for  the 
good  of  the  church.     He  died  in  384. 

Pope  Siricius  was  next  elected  by  the  universal  acclamation  of  the 
clergy  and  people  of  Rome.  He  was  a  Roman  well  known  to  them 
all.  His  first  act  was  to  issue  to  the  bishops  of  Spain  a  decree  relat- 
ing to  the  reformation  of  the  morals  of  the  clergy.  He  then  ordered 
the  bishops  of  Africa  to  hold  a  council.  At  once  they  met 
to  the  number  of  80,  and  put  the  commands  of  the  Pope  into  ex- 
ecution. He  condemned  Jovinian,  who  attacked  the  practice  of 
virginity,  as  well  as  Bonosus,  bishop  of  Sardicensem,  who  denied  the 
divinity  of  Christ,  and  the  virginity  of  Mary  after  the  birth  of  our 
Lord,  and  the  Manichians,  who  held  that  the  universe  was  ruled  by 
two  Gods  one  good  the  other  bad  as  well  as  the  errors  of  the  Euno- 
mians,  Appolarians,  Arians,  &c.  He  commanded  that  they  should 
be  denied  Communion  till  on  their  death-bed,  and  that  they  should 
do  penance  in  a  monastery  when  they  belonged  to  the  clergy.  He 
induced  emperor  Theodosius  to  forbid  idolatry  in  all  parts  of 
the  Roman  empire.  During  his  reign  the  church  rapidly  spread  in 
all  parts  of  the  world. 

Anastasius,  the  son  of  Maxim  us  became  Pontiff  on  the  death  of 
Siricius.  He  was  consecrated  by  the  bishop  of  Ostia  as  customary 
from  the  apostolic  age.  He  at  once  turned  his  attention  to  healing 
the  wounds  of  the  church  universal,  by  condemning  or  reconciling 
those  who  held  the  false  doctrine  of  the  Arianians,  the  Originists 
and  the  other  heretics  of  the  East.  He  condemned  those  who 
persecuted  the  christians  of  the  Orient  in  union  with  the  apostolic 
See  of  Rome.  When  the  bishops  of  Africa  held  a  council,  they 
sent  as  a  legate  to  him,  Venerius  archbishop  of  Milan,  asking  that 
he  would  help  them  in  their  difficulties,  as  they  had  not  sufficient 
clergymen  for  the  needs  of  the  church  in  Africa.  Pope  Anastasius 
sent  them  a  kind  and  paternal  letter,  warning  them  not  to  be  mis- 
lead by  the  errors  of  the  Donatists,  who  at  that  time  afflicted  the 
African  church  with  their  false  doctrines.  By  his  authority  as 
Bishop  of  Rome,  the  Donatist  bishops  and  clergy  of  that  country 
were  received  back  into  the  catholic  church,  after  they  had  abjured 

'  Butler's  Lives  St.  Damasus  Dec.  11. 


226  lifNOCElSTT   I.   AND    ZOSIMUS. 

their  heresy,  and  adhered  to  the  teachings  of  tlie  Roman  church. 
He  ordained  that  no  one  from  a  distance,  or  from  across  the  sea 
should  be  elevated  to  the  ranks  of  the  clergy  without  the  testi- 
mony of  at  least  five  bishops.  He  commanded  that  when  the 
Gospel  was  recited  or  sung,  that  all  the  priests  should  stand  with 
their  heads  bowed.     He  died  in  the  year  399. 

When  Innocent  I.  came  to  tlie  throne,  a  controversy  had  arisen. 
Some  claimed  that  children  born  of  catholic  parents  were  members 
of  the  church  and  would  go  to  heaven  without  baptism.  At  once 
Innocent  decreed  that  the  teachings  of  Pelagius  and  Ccelestin  were 
false,  that  children,  even  when  born  of  christian  parents  should  be 
baptized,  that  they  may  be  born  again  in  Christ,  and  that  the  origi- 
nal sin  in  Avhich  they  were  conceived  and  born  might  be  wiped  out. 
He  commanded  Saturday  to  be  kept  holy  as  a  fast  day  in  memory 
of  Christ's  burial.  A  native  of  Albano  he  lived  in  the  time  of  the 
great  Sts.  Augustine  and  Jerome,  whom  he  much  admired.  Of  this 
Pope  St.  Jerome  wrote  to  Demetriades  the  Virgin:  *'You  must 
hold  the  faith  of  holy  Innocent,  who  has  been  elected  to  the  Apos- 
tolic Chair  of  Anastasius  of  blessed  memory.'^' 

In  417  Zosimus  took  the  reins  of  government.  He  was  a  Greek, 
reared  in  all  the  polite  learning  of  the  famous  schools  of  Athens. 
His  first  important  pontifical  act  was  to  confirm  the  decrees  of 
the  African  councils  against  the  Pelagians,  who  denied  original 
sin,  saying  that  man  can  himself  merit  grace.  This  he  did  so 
as  to  strengtlien  the  hands  of  the  bishops  all  over  the  world 
against  these  impius  heretics.  He  issued  apostolic  letters  to  the 
whole  cHurch  condemning  Pelagius  and  Coelestius.  He  tlien 
took  active  measures  to  reform  the  discipline  of  the  church,  with 
that  object  sending  briefs  and  letters  to  all  the  churches  of  the 
world.  He  enacted  a  law  that  when  boys  were  studying  for  the 
church,  they  should  remain  readers  till  their  twentieth  year  as  was 
customary  from  the  earliest  times,  that  if  they  were  old  when  con- 
verted and  baptized,  they  were  to  remain  in  minor  orders  for  fif- 
teen years,  and  acolytes  or  subdeacons  for  four  years,  before  being 
promoted  to  deaconship,  which  order  they  were  to  exercise  for  five 
years  before  they  could  be  promoted  to  the  priesthood,  which 
they  could  only  attain  by  tlie  votes  of  the  other  priests.  He 
directed  tliat  deacons  should  bless  the  paschal  candle  on  Holy 
Saturday  in  all  parish  churches,  that  deacons  should  wear  the 
stole  on  their  right  side,  that  the  clergy  should  not  use  wine  or 
intoxicating  drink  in  public  houses,  but  rather  they  might  in  the 
iiouses  of  the  members  of  the  church,  especially  in  the  homes  of 
the  clergy,  but  that  they  must  do  so  with  moderation. 

AVhen  Zosimus  went  to  his  reward  in  the  year  417,  Boniface,  a 
sou  of  the  Roman  Jucundus,  a  presbyter  of  the  Roman  church, 
by  the  unanimous  votes  of  the  clergy  and  people  of  Rome  ascended 
to  the  Pontificate.  The  cardinals  and  all  the  clergy  of  Rome 
with  the  bishops  of  nine  provinces  took  part  in  his  election. 

^  Brev.  Boman  Sup.  28  Jan. 


BONIFACE  AND  C(ELESTIN    I.  227 

Although  he  was  unwilling,  they  persuaded  him  to  take  upon 
himself  the  care  of  the  universal  government  of  the  church.  I3ut 
troubles  at  once  arose.  Eulalius,  an  archdeacon,  called  some  of 
the  deacons  and  people  together,  and  in  the  meeting  got  himself 
ordained  in  Constantine's  I3asilica  and  consecrated  as  the  Bishop 
of  Kome.  This  usurper,  being  a  wily  politican,  caused  much 
trouble  in  the  church,  till  at  last  the  matter  was  settled  by  the 
bishops  and  people  of  Home  proclaiming  that  Boniface  was  the 
real  successor  of  St.  Peter.  The  latter  at  once  reformed  the 
manner  of  electing  the  Pope,  so  that  in  future  after  his  death  such 
a  dispute  about  the  Papacy  could  not  take  place  again.  He  had 
the  full  confidence  of  the  Emperor  of  the  Koman  empii'e,  who 
while  he  lived  used  all  his  efforts  to  promote  religion  in  all  parts 
of  the  world.  Although  he  was  a  very  learned  man,  Pope  Zosi- 
mus  asked  the  advice  of  St.  Augustine  in  his  answer  to  the 
attacks  of  the  Pelagians.  In  his  reply  the  great  St.  Augustine 
tells  the  Pope  that  he  sends  his  works  to  him,  not  to  teach  him, 
but  rather  that  the  Pope  may  examine  and  correct  his  writings. 
Tiiat  was  a  remarkable  declaration  or  profession  of  the  supremacy 
of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  by  St.  Augustine,  the  greatest  mind  of 
the  early  church.  The  Pope  corrected  Patroclus,  Bishop  of 
Aries,  who  tried  to  force  himself  into  the  archiepiscopal  see  of 
another  archbishop.  He  sent  letters  to  Hilary,  Bishop  of  Narbon, 
commanding  him  to  do  nothing  except  according  to  the  rights  of 
his  own  metropolitan  and  of  the  apostolic  See.  He  forbade  nuns 
or  Avomen  to  wash  the  paliums  of  the  archbishop.  To  reform 
abuses,  he  ordained  that  no  one  should  offer  incense  in  the  church 
except  the  minister  celebrating  at  the  altar.  He  forbade  clergy- 
men to  become  slaves,  as  slavery  was  quite  common  in  Europe  at 
that  time,  till  it  was  gradually  and  quietly  abolished  by  the  church 
in  after  ages. 

Coelestin  I.  who  had  been  created  a  cardinal  deacon  by  Pope 
Innocent  I.,  now  came  to  the  Eoman  See,  without  any  contest  or 
division  of  the  people.  Knowing  that  it  was  no  use  to  try  to  con- 
vert (ycelestius,  he  ordered  him  out  of  Italy,  as  the  only  way  of 
having  peace  in  the  church,  because  he  was  the  first  and  chief 
disciple  of  Pelagius,  and  he  was  continually  preaching  his  false 
doctrines  and  disturbing  the  people.  Celesius  then  became  the 
leader  of  the  Pelagians.  He  retired  to  the  East  where  he  con- 
tinued to  preach  his  false  doctrines  as  did  his  disciple  Agricola 
one  of  his  disciples,  who  retired  into  England  where  he  poisoned  the 
people  with  his  false  teachings.  To  counteract  the  errors  Pope 
Celestinus  sent  missionaries  into  England,  Avho  met  with  such 
success,  that  they  converted  many  of  the  people.  Having  become 
acquainted  with  the  people  of  the  British  Isles,  he  sent  to  them 
Germanus  as  his  legate  to  Ireland.  Soon  after  he  consecrated 
Palladius  a  deacon  of  the  Roman  church,  and  sent  him  as  the 
apostle  of  Ireland.  At  this  time  St.*  Patrick  was  a  slave  among 
the  Irish.     When  he  was  liberated  he  came  to  Rome  where  he  made 


228  SIXTHS  III.  AND   LEO  THE   GREAT. 

his  studies  and  there  he  received  episcopal  consecration  and  Pope 
Celestine  sent  him  as  the  apostle  of  Ireland. 

In  the  imperial  city  of  Constantinople  now  arose  another  diflB- 
culty.  Nestoriiis  its  archbishop  began  to  preach  that  Christ  was 
only  a  man,  born  of  the  Virgin,  but  not  the  natural  Son  of  God, 
the  divinity  having  been  united  to  him  only  for  his  merits.  Pope 
Celestine  at  once  condemned  him  and  his  teachings.  He  appoint- 
ed St.  Cyril  of  Alexandria  as  his  delegate  to  Constantinople  to 
represent  him  and  examine  Nestorius,  stating  that  he  would  give 
Nestorius  ten  days  in  which  to  retract  liis  errors,  otherwise  he 
would  condemn  him.  When  Nestorius  would  not  retract,  the  Pope 
called  the  third  ecumenical  council  of  the  church  at  Ephesus,  over 
which  Celestine  presided  by  his  Legates.  In  that  great  council  of 
the  church,  the  Pope  condemned  Nestorius,  his  false  doctrines, 
the  Pelagians  and  the  other  heretics.  He  commanded  that  at  the 
time  of  death,  no  one  should  be  denied  absolution;  that  criminals  or 
any  one  from  the  ranks  of  the  laity  should  not  be  directly  pro- 
moted to  the  episcopacy,  that  archbishops,  should  not  exercise  epis- 
copal functions  in  the  province  of  another  archbishop,  that  one  of 
another  diocese  could  not  be  elected  to  a  vacant  episcopal  see,  that 
the  150  Psalms  should  be  sung. 

When  he  died  in  the  year  432  Sixtus  III.  came  to  preside  over 
the  church  universal.  Wonderful  peace  and  harmony  then 
reigned  in  the  church.  While  he  was  a  cardinal  presbyter  of  the 
Roman  church,  the  great  St.  Augustin  highly  praised  him  for  his 
writings  and  his  works  against  the  Pelagians  then  afflicting  the 
church  in  Africa.  One  of  his  first  acts  in  the  chair  of  Peter  was 
to  confirm  the  acts  of  the  council  of  Ephesus,  held  a  short  time  be- 
fore his  election.  With  his  confirmation  he  sent  the  decrees  of  this 
council  to  all  the  churches  both  of  the  East  and  of  the  West,  de- 
fining against  Nestorius  that  Christ  had  two  perfect  natures,  one 
of  God  the  other  of  man  united  in  the  Person  of  God  the  Son.  He 
sent  his  definitions  with  the  decrees  of  the  council  to  Nestorius 
himself,  and  to  all  the  bishops  of  the  East.  To  the  archbishop  of 
Antioch,  he  wrote:  "Nothing  new  is  allowed,  for  nothing  can  be 
added  to  the  old.  Look  for  the  faith  of  the  elders,  and  let  not  our 
faith  be  disturbed  by  a  mixture  of  new  doctrines."  When  he  could 
not  be  induced  or  forced  to  alienate  the  property  of  the  church,  he 
was  accused  of  crimes  by  the  ex-consuls  Anicius  Bassus  and  the 
patrician  Marinianus.  But  a  council  of  56  bishops,  the  emperor 
and  senate  and  the  whole  clergy  of  Rome  being  called  by  him  at 
Rome,  after  examining  the  case  they  declared  him  innocent,  and 
condemned  his  calumniators. 

In  the  year  440  Leo  I.  began  his  reign.  He  was  an  Etuscan.  At 
that  time  the  Roman  empire  was  falling  before  the  inroads  of  the 
barbarians  from  the  North.  Attila  the  king  of  the  Huns,  called 
''the  Scourge  of  God,"  after  laying  the  rest  of  southern  Europe  in 
ruins,  with  fire  and  sword  hcinvaded  Italy.  Tiie  northern  barbar- 
ians were  haters  of  learning,  of  arts,  of  the  science.     They  had 


LEO  I.   MEETING  ''THE  SCOURGE  OF  GOD.  "  229 

destroyed  all  before  them.  Having  captured  Aquilia  with  great 
carnage  they  burned  and  levelled  it.  Then  they  advanced  with  an 
irresistible  army  on  Eome,  the  centre  of  religion  and  of  civilization. 
The  treasures  of  books,  of  bibles,  of  sculpture,  of  the  fine  arts, 
of  architecture,  from  which  the  whole  world  copied,  were  then 
within  the  walls  of  Rome,  and  Rome  was  to  meet  the  fate  of  Troy, 
of  Babylon,  of  Jerusalem.  The  work  of  the  human  race  was  to 
be  blotted  from  the  face  of  the  earth  by  the  legions  of  Attila. 
Under  an  inspiration.  Pope  Leo  put  on  his  pontifical  robes,  accom- 
panied by  all  his  clergy,  he  went  out  and  met  Attila  near  the  river 
Po  on  his  march  to  the  doomed  city,  and  there  with  an  inspired 
eloquence  he  asked  Attila  to  spare  Rome.  At  the  sight  of  the  fear- 
less Pontiff,  Attila  appeared  struck  powerless.  He  turned  his  army 
aside  at  the  voice  of  the  weak  but  brave  Pope,  and  thus  he  spared 
Rome.  When  his  generals  and  his  army  grumbled  at  the  loss  of 
the  spoils  of  the  greatest  city  of  the  world,  Attila  told  them  that 
the  night  before  God  Almighty  appeared  to  him  in  sleep,  clothed 
in  the  same  priestly  robes  worn  by  Leo,  and  threatened  him  with 
instant  death  unless  he  listened  to  the  Pope.  As  the  Nestorians 
and  Eutychians  still  troubled  the  church,  St.  Leo  called  a  coun- 
cil at  Chalcedon,  which  condemned  them  and  there  he  confirmed 
the  decrees  of  that  celebrated  council.  He  built  a  monastery  near 
St.  Peter's  tomb  on  the  Vatican;  he  rebuilt  and  beautified  many 
churches  of  the  city.  He  ordered  that  to  the  canon  of  the  Mass 
should  be  added  these  words:  "The  holy  sacrifice  the  spotless 
host."  He  ordained  that  no  nun  receive  the  veil  till  she  had 
lived  in  virginity  for  forty  years.  While  living,  Leo  had  ap- 
pointed Hilary,  then  a  deacon  of  the  Roman  church,  as  his  legate  to 
preside  as  chairman  over  the  council  of  Ephesus,  called  the  "robber 
council.''  Persecuted  by  the  violence  and  the  fear  of  Dioscorus, 
archbishop  of  Alexandria,  Hilary  fled  from  the  council  and  came 
b*'5k  to  report  to  Ijco.  At  once  Leo  issued  an  encyclical  letter  to  all 
the  churches  of  the  world,  condemning  the  errors  of  Nestorius  and 
Eutyches. 

Li  461  Hilary  was  elected  to  succeed  Leo.  At  his  request  Vic- 
torinus  of  Aquitain  reformed  the  calendar  which  the  whole  chris- 
tian world  used  for  many  centuries.  He  forbade  bishops  to  nominate 
their  successors,  or  be  consecrated  without  the  consent  of  their 
archbishop,  to  move  from  one  diocese  to  another,  or  to  do  any- 
thing forbidden  by  the  canons.  He  forbade  men  twice  married  to 
receive  holy  orders.  He  confirmed  the  four  first  councils  of  the 
church.  He  appointed  Leontius  archbishop  of  Orleans  his  vicar 
in  all  France,  whom  he  commanded  to  call  the  bishops  each  four 
years  together  in  council.  He  commanded  that  lands  belonging 
to  the  church  should  be  sold  only  by  order  of  a  council.  He  ap- 
pointed places  in  the  eternal  city,  where  stations  could  be  held  and 
forbade  the  clergy  to  mix  in  worldly  things.     He  died  in  461. 

Simplicius  Tiburtinus  was  the  son  of  Castorius.  It  was  a  time  of 
great  difficulties  for  the  church,  as  most  of  the  rulers  of  the  world 


230  SIMPLICIUS  TIBURTINUS   AND   FELIX  III. 

were  followers  of  the  Arians,  the  Nestorians,  the  Eutychians  and  of 
other  false  teachers.  These  conspired  and  asked  of  Leo,  the 
emperor  of  the  Greek  empire,  that  the  archbishop  of  Constanti- 
nople might  have  certain  privileges  detrimental  to  the  See  of  Rome. 
Certain  concessions  had  been  apparently  conceded  to  the  see  of 
Constantinople  by  the  bishops  of  the  Orient  assembled  in  the 
council  of  Chalcedon.  But  they  had  been  vetoed  by  former  Popes. 
Simplicius  sent  his  legate  to  the  imperal  city  of  Constantinople, 
to  settle  the  difficnlty.  After  his  report,  the  Pope  decreed  that 
Timothy  ^Elurus,  had  wrongly  invaded  the  see  of  Alexandria,  that 
aided  by  the  power  of  the  central  government  at  Constantinople 
he  had  driven  out  the  right  bishop.  He  did  this  under  the  plea 
or  pretention  that  the  rightful  bishop  of  the  see  was  propagating 
false  doctrines.  But  Pope  Simplicius  condemned  him.  Then  he  re- 
sisted calling  a  new  council  for  the  settlement  of  the  diflflculties  of 
the  church.  Again  Peter  Mogg  invaded  the  episcopal  chair  of  Alex- 
andria, but  Pope  Simplicus  condemned  him,  and  ordered  him  from 
the  city,  so  he  could  not  cause  an  insurrection.  Through  his 
legates,  he  restored  Timothy  the  legitimate  archbishop  of  Alexan- 
dria. Simplicius  absolved  Solofaciolus  after  he  had  asked  forgive- 
ness of  the  Roman  See,  for  having  nominated  Dioscorus  to  holy  or- 
ders, which  was  contrary  to  the  canons  of  thechnrch  then  in  force. 

He  confirmed  the  election  of  the  archbishop  of  Antioch,  which 
took  place  contrary  to  the  rules  of  the  council  of  Nice,  and  de- 
creed that  for  the  future,  the  election  of  the  archbishop  of  Antioch 
should  be  reserved  to  the  bishops  of  the  East  subjects  of  the  patri- 
archate of  Antioch.  He  commanded  that  the  revenues  of  the  church 
should  be  divided  into  four  parts,  one  for  the  bishop,  another  for  the 
clergy,  and  the  others  for  the  building  of  churches  and  the  sup- 
port of  the  widows  and  the  orphans.  He  appointed  Zeno,  one  of 
the  bishops  of  Spain,  his  legate  for  that  whole  country,  and  gave 
him  orders  how  to  keep  the  other  bishops  of  Spain  within  the 
canons  of  the  church.  He  marked  out  the  limits  of  the  regions 
of  Rome,  into  which  the  city  had  been  divided  by  his  predecessors, 
directing  where  the  people  were  to  go  for  the  reception  of  the 
sacraments. 

Felix  III.,  son  of  the  noble  house  of  the  Anicians,  the  great- 
great  grandfather  of  Gregory  the  Great,  ascended  the  throne  of 
Peter  in  483  on  the  death  of  Simplicius.  A  man  of  great  firmness 
of  mind,  when  Rome  was  captured  by  the  Arian  heretics,  he  alone 
and  almost  single  handed,  would  not  cede  the  right  of  the  Papacy, 
although  urged  to  do  so  by  Zeno  the  emperor.  He  issued  an  edict 
condemning  the  invasion;  deposed  Peter  FuUo,  archbiehop  of  Anti- 
och; called  Acasui us  archbishop  of  Constantinople  to  Rome  to  give 
an  account  of  his  false  teachings  and  bad  life,  and  commanded 
him  under  pain  of  excommunication  to  obey  the  Roman  Pontiff. 
He  ordained  that  no  church  could  be  consecrated  except  by  a 
bishop;  that  when  a  person  was  once  baptized  he  must  not  be  bap- 
tized again  under  severe  punishment. 


GEI.ASIUS  AND  ANASTASIUS.  231 

"When  Felix  died  in  492,  Gelasius  of  Africa  rose  lo  the  Roman 
See.  He  was  a  man  of  great  and  ardent  faith,  well  versed  in  all 
learning  of  his  day.  He  defended  his  See  from  her  enemies. 
He  reformed  the  Massbook.  Under  his  short  reign  of  four  years 
the  clergy  rapidly  increased  all  over  the  world.  In  his  day  the 
emperor  Anastasius  was  a  heretic,  and  king  Theodoricns  an 
Arian.  But  such  was  the  eminence  of  the  Roman  See  all  over 
the  world,  that  these  two  powerful  rulers  both  of  the  East  and  of 
the  West  respected  the  power  and  the  authority  of  St.  Gelasius. 
He  delivered  Rome  from  famine,  forbade  pagan  theatricals,  which 
had  remained  as  the  debaucheries  and  deviltries  of  the  pagan  ages  of 
Rome  and  thus  blotted  out  the  last  vestiges  of  idolatry  in  Rome. 
He  ordained  many  things  relating  to  the  beauty  and  dignity  of  di- 
vine worship;  condemned  Euphemius  of  Constantinople;  wrote 
many  beautiful  letters  and  documents  to  the  churches  in  all  parts 
of  the  world;  enlightened  them  regarding  the  true  doctrines  of  the 
church;  confounded  the  Manichians  and  Pelagians  of  Africa; 
condemned  their  writings  to  the  flames;  composed  many  of  the  Lat- 
in hymns  of  the  breviary  and  missal;  issued  decrees  relating  to 
canon  law  and  wrote  fine  articles  against  Arius,  Pelagius,  Nestorius 
and  others  of  his  time.  He  separated  the  canonical  books  of  the 
Bible  from  the  aprocryphal  writings,  and  gave  us  the  canon  of 
Scriptures  as  we  have  them  at  the  present  day.  He  called  a  synod 
of  seventy  bishops  to  Rome,  and  in  that  council,  he  there  officially 
decreed  that  such  would  be  forever  the  authentic  and  canonical 
books  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  The  great  works  he  did  for  the 
church  universal  are  too  numerous  to  mention. 

When  Anastasius  took  upon  himself  the  government  of  the 
universal  church  in  496,  his  ttrst  attention  was  turned  to  the  church 
of  the  East,  then  greatly  afflicted  with  the  false  doctrines  of  the 
Eutychians,  and  the  j)eculiar  teachings  of  the  disciples  of  Origin. 
Using  his  apostolic  authority,  with  zeal  and  prudence,  he  rooted 
out  these  heresies  in  many  parts  of  the  Orient.  He  sent  many  apos- 
tolic letters  and  mandates  to  the  bishops  of  Europe.  He  taught 
the  whole  church  by  his  many  briefs,  encyclicals  and  apostolic  man- 
dates, while  at  the  same  time  he  carefully  guarded  the  discipline  of 
the  clergy  and  people  of  Rome.  When  the  bishops  of  the  African 
church  met  in  plenary  council,  they  sent  to  this  Pope  their  legate 
Anastasius  Venerius,  a  priest  of  Mileri,  asking  the  Bishop  of  Rome  * 
to  send  them  missionary  priests,  which  the  church  in  Africa, 
afflicted  by  the  Arians,  the  Donatists  and  Pelagians  so  much  want- 
ed at  that  time.  By  the  hand  of  Anastasius,  he  sent  them  a  reply 
full  of  fatherly  charity  and  apostolic  zeal  for  the  church  in  Africa, 
warning  them  not  to  be  deceived  by  the  wiles  of  the  Donatists.  By 
the  authority  of  this  Pope,  the  bishops  of  Africa  made  a  law,  that 
no  bishop  or  clergyman  of  the  Donatist  church  could  exercise  their 
orders,  when  converted,  if  it  would  be  an  occasion  of  scandal  to 
the  catholics.  He  made  laws  that  no  stranger  could  be  received 
into  the  ranks  of  the  clergy,  unless  he  had  the  recommendations  of 


232  SYMACHUS  AND  HORMISDAS. 

at  least  five  bishops,  that  when  reciting  the  Holy  Gospel  at  Mass 
the  celebrant  must  not  sit  but  stand  with  bended  head,  out  of 
reverence  to  the  word  of  God. 

Pope  Anastasius  died  in  the  year  498  and  in  498,  St.  Symachus 
was  elected  on  the  fourth  day  after  the  death  of  his  predecessor. 
His  father  was  Fortunatus.  At  the  time  he  was  only  a  deacon. 
The  conclave  met  in  the  basilica  of  Constantine.  The  larger  part 
of  the  Roman  clergy  were  present  with  the  Roman  senators.  But 
many  of  the  laity  , under  the  bad  advice  of  Festus,  the  chairman  of 
the  Roman  senate,  gave  their  votes  for  Lawrence,  the  arch-priest  of 
the  Roman  diocese.  There  arose  then  a  division  and  a  schism. 
But  the  zeal  and  prudence  of  Symachus  who  called  four  synods  of 
the  Roman  clergy,  at  last  put  an  end  to  the  division.  When  peace 
was  restored,  he  laid  down  laws  for  the  election  of  the  future 
Popes  and  the  selection  of  bishops  all  over  the  world,  so  that  such 
divisions  and  contests  could  not  arise  again.  He  made  laws  relat- 
ing to  the  alienation  of  church  property  and  for  the  reforming  of 
abuses.  Following  his  advice  the  bishops  of  Orleans  and  of  Agatho 
held  synods,  in  which  wise  statutes  were  formed  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  dioceses  and  churches  under  their  care.  He  issued 
letters  to  all  the  churches  of  the  christian  world  relating  to  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  that  age  of  war,  bloodshed  and  of 
plunder.  He  gave  both  money  and  clothes  to  the  captives  of  the 
Vandals,  Huns  and  Visigoths,  as  well  as  beautified  many  of  the 
churches  of  Rome  then  held  captive  under  Arianian  and  other 
barbarous  kings. 

When  St.  Symachus  died,  the  clergy  and  laity  of  Rome  met, 
and  on  the  seventh  day  the  deacon  Hormisdas  received  their  UTian- 
imous  votes.  The  election  was  providential.  For  at  that  time 
the  church  wanted  a  man  of  strong  will  and  a  saint  to  cope  with 
barbarian  infidels  and  heretical  knigs.  In  the  eight  years  of  his 
reign  he  changed  the  whole  face  of  the  christian  world.  For  eighty 
years  the  churches  of  the  Orient  had  been  separated  from  the  Ro- 
man See.  He  sent  them  apostolic  letters  borne  by  his  legates,  by 
which  he  brought  them  back  again  into  the  unity  of  the  universal 
church.  He  restored  to  their  Sees  the  orthodox  bishops  of  Africa, 
whom  the  Vandals  had  banished  to  Sardinia.  Remi.  archbishop 
of  Rheims,  had  Clovis  the  king  of  France  a  short  time  before  con- 
verted and  baptized  at  Rheims  and  with  great  ceremony  he  crowned 
him  king  of  the  Franks.  Hormisdas  condemned  the  Maniciiians 
and  publicly  burned  their  false  books  before  the  Constantinian 
basilica.  He  taught  the  whole  church  by  his  numerous  letters  which 
he  sent  to  all  parts  of  the  world.  His  every  act  breathed  zeal  for 
souls.  His  writings  possess  a  singular  beauty  of  style.  He  became 
the  most  famous  literary  man  of  his  age.  Full  of  glory  and  honor, 
esteemed  among  both  pagans  and  christians,  he  died  after  nine 
years  of  a  glorious  pontificate. 

During  the  pontificate  of  the  good  Hormisdas,  John  of  Con- 
stantine was   the    cardinal    priest   or  pastor   of   the   church    of 


FELIX  IV.  AND  BONIFACE  II. 


23^ 


Pammachins.  He  was  elected  Bishop  of  the  universal  church  by 
the  unanimous  votes  of  the  Roman  clergy.  He  ruled  in  the  times 
of  Justinus  the  emperor.  As  Theodoric  the  heretical  king  had  in- 
vaded and  conquered  Italy,  the  Pope  went  to  Constantinople  to  ask 
aid  from  the  Roman  emperor.  When  entering  the  Golden  gate 
of  the  great  city  of  Constantinople,  before  the  whole  people  he 
restored  sight  to  a  blind  man.  At  once  the  Roman  emperor  before 
the  whole  population  prostrated  himself  at  his  feet.  Having  ar- 
ranged to  his  satisfaction  matters  with  the  emperor,  he  returned 
to  Rome,  and  there  issued  letters  to  all  the  bishops  of  Italy  com- 
manding tliem  to  consecrate  the  churches  of  the  Arianians  accord- 
ing to  the  catholic  rite,  and  receive  them  into  the  fold,  adding  to  his 
letters  these  words:  "Because  when  we  were  at  Constantinople, 
both  for  the  catholic  religion  and  for  tlie  cause  of  Theodoric, 
wherever  we  could  find  sucli  churches,  we  consecrated  them."* 
Soon  after  he  Avas  seized  by  the  sameimpius  Theodoric  and  prison- 
ed at  Ravenna  where  he  died. 

In  526  Felix  IV^.  was  elevated  to  the  Throne  of  the  Fisherman. 
He  was  the  son  of  Castor  and  noted  for  his  luimility  and  learning. 
When  Athalaric,  the  successor  of  Tiieodoric,  began  his  reign  as 
emperor  of  Rome,  although  an  Arian  and  denying  the  divinity  of 
Christ,  for  the  honor  of  the  Roman  church,  he  made  a  law  for  the 
members  of  his  vast  empire,  that  according  to  the  apostolic  custom, 
the  clergy  should  not  be  sued  or  cited  before  civil  courts;  that 
tliey  should  first  bring  their  case  or  dispute  before  the  Roman 
Pontiff;  and  that  any  one  who  would  not  do  so  would  be  considered 
as  in  contempt  of  the  Papal  authority,  and  would  have  to  pay  a 
large  fine  into  the  hands  of  their  own  bishop.  This  Pope  con- 
demned the  error  of  those  who  held  that  a  man  ordained  a  priest 
could  return  to  worldly  business.  When  he  died  on  the  30th  of 
January,  530,  Justinian  the  emperor  and  Athalaric  the  king  of 
Italy  came  to  his  funeral  to  do  him  honor. 

Boniface  II.  was  the  first  of  the  Popes  up  to  this  time,  who  does 
not  rank  as  a  saint.  He  was  elected  to  the  headship  of  the  church 
universal  in  the  year  530  by  the  votes  of  the  clergy  and  people  of 
Rome.  He  was  the  son  of  Sigisvult  the  Goth.  When  the  emper- 
ors of  the  Byzantian  empire  had  become  masters  of  Rome,  they 
tried  to  control  the  election  of  the  Popes,  or  at  least  they  claimed 
the  right  of  vetoing  or  of  confirming  such  election.  Followingthis, 
at  the  election  of  Boniface  II.,  Athalaric,  king  of  Italy  presumed 
to  elect  a  pope.  He  tried  to  put  his  tool,  Dioscorus.  on  the  spiritual 
throne  of  Peter.  But  the  death  of  the  latter,  29  days  after  the 
election  of  Boniface,  put  an  end  to  the  threatened  division  in  the 
church.  The  latter  then  took  measures  to  prevent  such  inter- 
meddling political  intrigues  for  the  future  and  appointed  his  succes- 
sor in  the  person  of  Vigilius  the  Deacon.  But  seeing  that  it  was 
contrary  to  the  constitution  of  the  church  for  a  Pope  to  name  his 
successor  he  assembled  a  council  of  bishops  in  Rome,  and  then 
*  "Brev.  Roman"  May  17th. 


•534 


OFFICIAL   DECISIONS. 


publicly  before  them,  he  revoked  and  burned  his  own  mandate. 
Each  year  of  his  pontificate,  he  assembled  a  council  of  bishops 
in  Rome  to  legislate  for  the  universal  church. 

One  council  of  531  bishops  heard  the  appeal  of  Stephen  of  Lar- 
issa,  archbishop  of  Thessaly,  whose  election  Epiphanius  archbishop 
of  Constantinople  contested.  The  latter  then  appealed  to  the 
Roman  See,  because  as  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople  he  claimed 
the  right  of  suspending  Stephen  from  his  episcopal  functions.  Pope 
Boniface  restored  Stephen  to  his  see  reversing  the  sentence  of  the 
patriarch  of  Constantinople;  the  same  year  he  confirmed  the  de- 
crees of  the  council  of  Orange,  which  had  been  laid  before  him 
by  St.  Cesarius  of  Aries.  He  also  condemned  the  teachings  of 
some  of  those  bishops  of  France,  who  claimed  that  the  first  act  of 
religion  comes  from  nature  and  not  from  the  grace  of  Christ.  He 
regulated  the  education  of  students  for  the  clergy;  he  ordained 
the  mode  of  electing  bishops  and  regulated  the  sale  of  church 
property.  In  his  day  rose  that  patriarch  of  the  monastic  life  St. 
Benedict.  Although  before  his  time  religious  houses  had  been 
established  in  the  Westby  Sts.  Augustin,  Ambrose,  Jerome,  Martin 
of  Tours  and  Cassian,  yet  Benedict  in  the  West  first  united  them 
all  under  one  fixed  and  detailed  rule  which  was  soon  almost  every- 
where adopted."' 

John  II.  was  consecrated  Jan.  22,  532.  His  first  act  was  to 
confirm  the  decree  of  his  predecessor  against  the  sin  of  simony 
that  is  selling  spiritual  things  for  money.  His  decree  was  con- 
firmed by  the  emperor  Athalaric,  who  had  it  engraved  on  a  marble 
tablet  and  set  up  before  the  entrance  to  St.  Peter's  church  Rome. 
At  that  time  the  prime  minister  of  the  king  of  Italy,  wrote  to  the 

Pope  these  words:  "  I  have  become  the  judge  of  the  palace 

The  See  of  Peter,  the  admiration  of  the  world,  should  grant  a 
special  protection  to  those  who  are  most  closely  bound  to  it,  as 
rulers  of  Italy  we  feel  privileged  to  claim  from  it  a  larger  share 
of  benevolence."' 

Justinian  the  emperor  sent  to  Pope  John  at  Rome,  Hypatius, 
archbishop  of  Ephesus,  and  Demetrius,  bishop  of  Philippi,  asking 
that  certain  concessions  be  allowed  the  Eutychians  so  they  could 
enter  the  church.  Some  claimed  at  this  time  that  the  Virgin 
was  not  the  mother  of  God,  and  that  it  could  not  be  said  that  one 
of  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity  suffered  for  us.  The  Pope  at 
once  declared  this  to  be  heresy,  citing  the  decision  given  before 
by  Pope  Hormisdas  deciding  that  all  who  held  tliis  doctrine  were 
without  the  food  of  the  universal  church.  He  wrote  his  decision 
to  the  emperor  Justinian,  and  announced  it  to  the  Roman  senators 
saying:  "The  emperor  lias  made  known  to  us  that  three  questions 
have  lately  arisen  in  the  East,  viz.  'Can  Jesus  Christ  be  called  one 
of  the  Trinity?'  Did  he  really  suffer  in  the  flesh  the  Divinity  re- 
maining impassible?  Can  the  blessed  Virgin  be  properly  called 
the  Mother  of  God?  We  have  given  an  affirmative  answer  to 
>  Darras  Hist,  of  tbe  Cburcb  Vol.  II.  S.  ir.  *  Darras  Hist,    of  tbe  Churcb  Vol.  II-  p.  iSt. 


THE  CUAIH  IN   WJIICH  SI.  VEiiJ-iv  bAi'  as  UloxxUi"  uF  ROME. 


236  INTRODUCING    THE   CALENDAR. 

these  questions  *"....  Justinian  placed  the  reply  of  the  Pope  among 
the  laws  of  the  empire,  in  the  second  edition  of  his  Code  of  laws 
published  in  the  year  534.  During  the  last  year  of  his  life,  the 
church  of  France  was  disturbed,  by  the  scandalous  life  of  Contu- 
meliosus,  bishop  of  Eeez.  St.  Cesar,  bishop  of  Aries,  and  the  other 
prelates  of  the  province  examined  the  charges  and  sent  a  report  of 
the  testimony  to  Pope  John  II.  This  was  in  534.  He  at  once 
pronounced  sentence  against  the  bad  bishop,  deposing  him  from 
the  see  he  had  so  disgraced.  He  sent  him  to  a  monastery  to  do 
penance  for  his  sins,  and  at  the  same  time  he  commanded  St.  Ce- 
sar to  appoint  an  administrator  of  the  vacant  See  of  Reez,  till  the 
death  of  the  deposed  bishop.  The  latter  appealed,  but  John  II. 
died  and  his  successor  St.  Agapitus  confirmed  the  sentence  of  his 
predecessor. 

St.  Agapitus,  son  of  Gordianus,  was  an  archdeacon  of  the  Eoman 
church.  Because  of  his  remarkable  learning  and  his  holiness,  he 
was  the  elect  of  the  whole  Roman  clergy  at  the  death  of  John  II. 
Before  his  time  they  used  to  date  the  years  from  the  appointment 
of  the  consuls,  and  the  dates  of  the  chief  historic  events  become  so 
mixed,  that  it  was  getting  almost  impossible  to  tell  when  they 
took  place.  The  Roman  empire,  swept  away  by  the  arms  of  the 
barbarians  from  the  North,  had  so  complicated  the  reckoning  of 
the  years,  that  events  could  not  be  accurately  computed.  Dennis 
the  Little  was  appointed  by  the  Pope  to  carry  out  the  cycle  of  St. 
Cyril,  which  ended  in  the  year  531.  Agapitus  conceived  the  idea 
of  reckoning  events  the  from  birth  of  our  Lord.  Dennis  spent  liis 
wholelifein  this  great  work.  Under  Pope  Agapitns  the  •whole  world 
received  the  calendar  of  the  Roman  church.  To  him  the  human 
race  is  indebted  for  the  christian  era  or  mode  of  counting  the  years 
from  the  birth  of  Christ.  On  learning  of  his  consecration,  the 
empei'or  Justinian  sent  him  his  profession  of  his  faith,  and  asked 
that  the  converted  Arians  might  be  allowed  to  keep  their  ciiurches; 
that  Achilles,  bishop  of  Larissa,  be  received  in  place  of  Epiphanius 
of  Constantinople,  and  that  the  vicariate  of  lllyria  be  changed  to 
Justiniana,  a  city  which  Justinian  was  then  building  in  Dardania. 
In  his  reply  the  Pope  refused  to  recognize  the  holy  orders  of  the 
Arians  as  valid  quoting  an  ancient  canon  against  it.  He  appointed 
legates  to  examine  the  matter  of  bishop  Achilles,  and  deferred  the 
other  questions.  With  the  emperor's  letter  came  to  the  Pope  came 
also  the  acts  of  a  council  of  the  200  bishops  of  Africa  Jissem bled 
at  Carthage,  under  the  presidency  of  their  metropolitan  archbishop 
Reparatus.  Before  deciding  the  question  of  admitting  converts 
from  Arianism  into  the  church,  and  whether  they  should  be  bap- 
tized over  again  at  their  conversion,  the  bishops  of  that  council 
wished  to  submit  the  question  to  the  decision  of  the  Bishop  of 
Rome. 

Agapitus  decided  that  tlie  converted  Arian  bishops  could  not  be 
given  jurisdiction,  but  directed  that  they  live  as  laymen  and  be 

>  Ibidem  p.  IZT. 


THE  POPE  IN    EXILE.  237 

supported  from  the  revenues  of  their  churches,  because  their  orders 
were  invalid,  also  deciding  that  the  Arian  converts  could  not  be 
ordained  to  the  ministry.  He  went  to  Constantinople  to  ask  aid 
of  the  emperor  against  the  persecutions  of  Theodatus  then  ravag- 
ing Italy.  There  he  deposed  the  Anthimus,  the  Entychian  bishiop 
of  Constantinople,  who  had  been  uTilawfully  raised  to  that  see  by  the 
empress  Theodora.  While  in  Constantinople,  the  churches  of  the 
East  asked  his  aid  against  the  Eutychians,  who  continued  to 
teach  their  false  doctrines.  The  death  of  the  Pope  in  the  imper- 
ial city  soon  after  put  a  stop  to  the  good  work  for  the  quieting  of 
the  East.  He  had  the  greatest  funeral  ever  seen  up  to  that  time. 
His  remains  were  brought  to  Kome,  and  laid  beside  those  of  his 
predecessors  in  the  crypt  of  St.  Peter's  church. 

Having  heard  of  the  death  of  Agapitus  at  Constantinople 
King  Theodatus  brought  about  the  consecration  of  the  deacon 
Sylverius,  not  allowing  the  clergy  of  Rome  to  vote.  But  seeing 
that  they  would  be  forced  into  submission  the  Eoman  clergy 
ratified  the  choice  in  June  536.  The  new  Pope  proved  himself 
no  tool  in  the  handa  of  a  bad  king.  He  was  a  worthy  successor 
of  the  noble  Pontiffs  who  preceded  him.  Theodora,  empress  of 
Justinian,  wished  to  place  on  the  Chair  of  Peter,  a  Pope  who- 
would  admit  the  Eutychians  to  the  communion  of  the  church,  re- 
store Anthemus  to  the  see  of  Constantinople  and  reject  the  coun- 
cil of  Chalcedon.  For  that  reason  she  sent  as  delegate  to  Vigilius 
a  deacon,  who  when  he  arrived  at  Rome  found  that  Sylvei-ius  had 
been  elected  to  the  Pontificate,  and  the  project  fell  to  the  ground. 
When  Sylverius  would  not  yield  to  Theodora's  wishes  and  re- 
store Anthimus  to  the  see  of  Constantinople,  Theodore  notified 
Belisarius,  Justinian's  general  commander  in  Italy,  who  invaded 
the  country  near  Rome  and  persecuted  the  Pope.  Then  the 
bishop  of  Patrata  started  for  Constantinople  to  boldly  upbraid 
and  condemn  Justinian,  for  the  way  he  had  allowed  his  forces 
in  Italy  to  treat  Sylverius  the  head  of  the  church.  The  em- 
peror thep  ordered  that  the  Pontiff  be  at  once  sent  back  to 
Rome,  but  the  Pope  was  seized  on  his  way  back  by  Belisarius 
and  died  in  exile  on  the  Island  of  Palmaria. 

After  having  been  stripped  of  his  pontifical  robes  by  Belisarius, 
the  emperor's  general  in  Italy,  who  was  moved  to  this  by  the  lies 
and  calumnies  heaped  on  him  by  his  enemies  and  thus  driven 
into  exile,  the  deacon  Vigilius  called  a  meeting  of  the  clergy  of 
Rome  to  elect  a  Pope  in  the  place  of  the  exiled  Pontiff.  Fright- 
ened by  threats,  or  rather  bribed  by  diverse  influences,  they 
elected  Vigilius  himself  on  Nov.  22  in  537.  When  the  deposed 
Sylverius  was  on  his  way  back  to  Rome,  Vigilius  was  considered 
as  a  usurper,  but  on  the  death  of  the  real  Pope  Sylverius,  the  elec- 
tion of  Vigilius  was  made  valid  by  the  action  of  the  Roman  clergy. 
Thus  his  accession  at  first,  while  the  Pope  lived,  was  irregular  and 
invalid,  but  it  became  valid  and  regular  at  his  death  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  electors.     Although   the   ruler  of  Italy,  Belisarius, 


238  SETTLING  DISPUTES. 

thought  he  had  a  willing  tool  in  Vigilins,  he  soon  found  he  was 
mistaken,  for  the  Popes  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  church 
are  animated  with  a  different  spirit  when  sitting  on  the  everlast- 
ing throne  of  Peter,  than  they  were  before  being  raised  to  that 
highest  office  of  earth.  The  Holy  Spirit  fills  them  with  wisdom 
for  the  government  of  the  universal  church. 

Vigilius  as  Pope  soon  repaired  his  failings  as  a  deacon.  He 
wrote  two  letters,  one  to'  the  emperor  Justinian,  the  other  to 
Mennas,  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  declaring  his  faith  and 
policy  to  be  the  same  as  that  of  Sts.  Celestin,  Leo,  John,  and  his 
other  great  predecess^^ors.  He  again  confirmed  the  four  general 
coun-cils  of  the  church  and  condemned  the  Eutychians,  Arians 
and  especially  Anthemus,  who  persisted  in  holding  the  see  of  Con- 
stantinople against  the  wishes  of  the  Holy  See.  Both  the  empress 
and  Justinian  wished  to  retain  this  bishop  iheir  tool  at  the  seat 
of  their  great  government.  In  547  Vigilius  came  to  Constanti- 
nople, at  the  earnest  request  of  Justinian,  to  settle  the  dispute 
among  the  bishops  of  the  Orient  relating  to  the  matter  contained 
in  the  Three  Chapters.  His  first  act  was  to  condemn  the  patri- 
arch Mennas,  and  excommunicate  the  Eutychians.  Calling  a 
council  of  70  bishops  he  then  examined  and  coudemned  the 
Tiiree  Chapters.  He  wrote  to  Aurelius  bisiiop  of  Aries,  his  legate, 
asking  him  to  warn  all  the  bishops  not  to  give  heed  to  any  of  the 
reports,  which  they  hear,  as  lie  held  to  the  faith  of  his  predecessors 
in  the  Roman  See. 

'During  the  Pontificate  of  Vigilius  Pelagius  was  a  deacon  of  the 
Roman  church.  He  took  part  in  the  condemnation  of  the  Three 
Chapters,  and  this  brought  on  him  the  most  atrocious  slanders, 
which  alienated  from  him  the  clergy  and  people  of  Rome,  so  that 
John  of  Perugia  and  Bunus  only  took  part  in  his  consecration. 
He  rooted  out  simony  then  prevalent  in  many  parts  of  the 
church.  Wiien  some  of  the  bishops  of  Italy,  with  blind  zeal  ex- 
communicated Narces,  the  lieutenant  of  the  emperor  Justinian, 
Pope  Pelagius  revoked  it  and  commended  and  praised  Narces.  He 
wrote  and  corrected  the  false  opinions  of  the  bishops  Of  Tuscany. 
Pelagius  dyijig  on  March  26,  559,  while  building  the  church  of 
the  Twelve  Apostles,  John  III.  came  to  the  chair  His  first  act  was 
to  ratify  what  his  predecessors  had  done.  He  condemned  the 
errors  of  the  emperor  Justinian  and  his  followers.  The  latter 
claimed  that  Christ's  body  could  not  suffer,  and  that  his  passion 
was  not  real.  The  emperor  himself  banished  St.  Eutychius  patri- 
arch of  Constantinople,  and  issued  a  decree  forcing  all  the  bi>»ho])8 
of  the  empire  to  subscribe  to  this  peculiar  faith.  When  Justinian 
the  emperor  died  Nov.  14th,  5GG,  his  niece  Sophia  took  the  reins 
of  government.  She  insulted  Nares  her  lieutenant  in  Italy  who, 
at  once  invited  Alboin,  king  of  the  Lombards,  to  invade  Italy, 
which  he  at  once  conquered.  With  his  whole  army  he  was  an 
Arian,  not  believing  in  the  divinity  of  Christ.  From  this  fatal 
error  the  Popes  again  delivered  Italy. 


THE    ENGLISH    AS    SLAVES.  239 

When  John  III.  died  July  13,  572  the  throne  of  the  Fisherman 
remained  vacant  ten  months,  because  the  Lombards,  besieging 
Eome,  prevented  the  meeting  of  the  Roman  clergy.  Chosroes 
was  devastating  Syria;  the  Arian  king  of  the  Visigoths  were  per- 
secuting the  catholics  of  Spain;  France  was  the  seat  of  civil  wars. 
St.  Leander  the  fearless  bishop  of  Seville  Spain,  after  living 
in  banishment,  established  churches  and  monasteries.  The  cath- 
olic faith  was  then  prescribed  in  many  countries. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  the  christian  world  when  on  May 
16th,  573,  Benedict  was  selected  by  the  Roman  clergy.  He  at 
once  chose  the  deacon  Gregory  to  the  office  of  archdeacon  of  the 
Roman  church.  Tlie  latter  belonging  to  a  senatorial  family  was 
of  the  highest  nobility  of  Rome.  Feeling  himself  called  to  the 
church,  he  resigned  his  pretorian  dignity  to  enter  tlie  religious 
life.  The  house  of  his  uncle,  where  for  generations  his  family  had 
lived  on  the  Celian  hill  shaded  by  the  lofty  pine  trees,  tliis 
palace  he  turned  into  the  monastery  of  St.  Andrew  for  the  pious 
disciples  whom  he  gathered  around  him.  Taking  a  walk  in  Rome 
one  day,  he  saw  among  the  slaves  for  sale  in  the  slave  market  a 
number  of  men  and  women  of  light  fair  complexion.  Struck  with 
their  intelligent  looks  and  their  great  beauty,  he  asked  where 
tliey  were  from.  Tiiey  told  him  they  were  from  pagail  England 
in  Latin  Angles.  "Not  Angles ''  lie  said  "but  they  are  like  Angels." 
With  a  sigh  that  such  a  noble  looking  people  should  be  buried  in 
paganism,  he  begged  of  Pope  Benedict  to  send  him  to  England 
foi'tlie  conversion  of  that  nation.  Touched  with  his  great  zeal 
the  Pope  gave  liis  consent,  and  Gregory  with  thirty  followers  set  out 
at  once.  When  he  had  gone  as  far  as  the  foot  of  the  Alps  on  his 
mission  for  the  conversion  of  England,  a  messenger  came  with  or- 
ders to  return  for  the  Romans  had  rebelled  at  the  departure  of 
one  so  great  and  famous  a  churchman  from  their  midst.  The 
great  archdeacon  returned,  and  for  years  looked  after  the  affairs  of 
the  Roman  church. 

When  Benedict  died  July  31st,  577  the  choice  of  a  Pontiff  fell  on 
a  monk  who  took  the  name  of  Pelagius  IL  Having  come  to  an 
arrangement  with  the  Lombards,  who  at  that  time  had  conquered 
Italy,  Pelagius  recalled  his  legate  the  deacon  Gregory  from  the 
seat^f  the  empire  at  Constantinople,  and  directed  him  to  write  in 
his  name  to  the  bishops  of  the  province  of  Istria,  who  refused  to 
abide  by  the  decisions  of  the  Roman  Pontiffs,  and  of  the  fifth  gen- 
eral council.  When  they  would  not  submit  they  were  called  to 
Ravenna  where  arguments  convinced  them. 

At  this  time  what  is  now  France  was  composed  of  many  little 
nations,  often  hostile  to  their  neighbors,  and  many  councils  were 
held  by  which  the  framework  of  the  present  nation  was  laid  down. 
St.  Gregory  of  Tours  was  then  the  master  spirit  of  all  these  coun- 
cils and  reforms.  When  Sagetarius  and  Salonius,  bishops  of  Gap 
and  Embrun,  gave  up  their  see  to  take  part  in  bloody  wars, 
they  were  deposed  by  the  council  of  Lyons  held  in  5C7,  but  Pope 


240  GREGORY    AS   DEACON. 

Paul  III.  restored  them.  But  not  reforming,  again  they  were  de- 
graded from  the  episcopacy.  When  the  troubles  of  the  East  cul- 
minated in  the  council  held  at  Antioch,  June  589,  against  Greg- 
ory, patriarch  of  Antioch,  John  the  Faster  sat  chairman  of  the 
council.  This  John  had  usurped  the  title  of  Ecumenical  bishop, 
that  is  universal  bishop.  At  once  Pelagius  II.  wrote  to  Constanti- 
nople, and  annulled  the  whole  council.  He  then  reviewed  all  that 
Popes  Julius,  Celestine,  Innocent  and  Leo,  had  proclaimed  to  the 
christian  world  regarding  the  authority  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
over  the  whole  church,  and  he  forbade  his  legate  St.  Gregory  to 
have  anything  to  do  with  John  the  Faster  patriarch  of  Constanti- 
nople.    This  Pope  died  Feb.  8th,  590. 

Gregory  the  deacon  was  the  directing  mind  of  Peter's  bark  in 
the  time  of  tiie  utmost  dangers  and  difliculties.  The  patriarch  of 
Constantinople  claimed  to  be  the  chief  of  the  East.  The  Lombards 
had  invaded  Italy,  England  was  pagan,  France  was  torn  by  civil 
wars,  Europe  lay  bleeding  from  the  fire  of  the  sword  of  the  bar- 
barians of  the  north.  Gregory's  house  turned  into  a  monastery 
stood  on  the  Celian  hill.  Hisfamily  had  given  her  greatest  son  to 
Rome.  His  fame  as  a  preaclier  had  filled  all  Rome,  and  his  homi- 
lies or  explanations  of  the  Bible  had  attracted  all  minds.  The 
clergy,  the  senators  and  the  people  of  Rome  were  unanimous  in 
their  choice.  On  Sept.  3d  Gregory  ascended  the  spiritual 
throne  of  Christ,  although  he  tried  to  escape  the  great  and 
heavy  burden.  In  the  words  of  Bossuet,  "  the  great  Pope  ap- 
peases the  age  with  his  prayers,  he  teaches  kings  and  emperors,  he 
consoles  Africa,  encourages  Spain,  converts  the  Arians,  sends  mis- 
sionaries to  England,  restores  discipline  in  France,  conciliates  the 
Lombards,  saves  Italy  and  Rome  from  being  conquered,  crushes 
the  growing  pride  of  the  patriarchs  of  Constantinople,  teaches  the 
whole  church  by  his  learning,  rules  both  the  East  and  the  West  by 
vigorous  hands,  and  before  his  death  he  brings  back  the  whole 
christian  world  to  the  customs  of  the  apostolic  age."  Even  to  our 
day  we  feel  the  power  of  the  wise  and  vigorous  measures  he  enact- 
ed for  the  discipline  of  the  church.  He  reformed  and  collected 
into  one  book  the  prayers  said  at  Mass,  he  codified  the  rites  of  ad- 
ministering the  sacraments,  he  reformed  the  music  of  the  church, 
and  founded  schools  all  over  the  world.  He  took  the  most  remark- 
able care  of  the  thirty  missionaries,  whom  he  sent  to  England  to 
convert  her  from  paganism.  They  came  from  the  monastery  of  St. 
Andrew  which  he  had  ruled  on  the  Celian  hill  in  the  home  of  his- 
forefathers.  Gregory  the  Great  died  March  12th  604  in  his  64th 
year. 

At  the  pontificate  of  Gregory  I.  began  a  new  epoch  in  the  history 
of  the  church.  At  this  time  the  most  deadly  principles  afflicted 
society.  The  great  Roman  empire  was  tottering  ready  to  fall, 
the  primal  principles  of  morality  had  been  undermined,  paganism 
was  dying  out,  and  festering  corruption  had  everywhere  sapped  the 
foundations  of  law,  order,  peace  and  prosperity. 


APOSTOLIC  MAKTYKS  AND  LEGISLATORS.  341 

But  the  world  began  to  feel  a  new  power,  the  supernatural, 
above  and  superior  to  any  they  had  ever  felt  before.  It  was  the 
Papacy.  The  gates  of  hell  had  not  prevailed.  That  universal 
authority  of  the  Bishops  of  Rome  from  the  days  of  the  apostles, 
rising  above  all  other  authorities,  extending  to  every  part  of  the 
known  world,  bound  peoples,  nations,  tribes  and  tongues  into  one 
solid  body  the  church  catholic.  From  the  days  of  Peter  to  those 
of  Melchiades,  the  Popes  had  resisted  the  gates  of  hell  even  unto 
most  cruel  deaths,  for  without  a  single  exception  they  all  died  as 
martyrs,  offering  their  sufferings,  their  blood  and  their  lives,  as 
witnesses  of  the  realities  of  the  truths  they  taught  the  world. 
From  Melchiades  to  Gregory  the  Great,  they  laid  down  the 
written  laws  of  the  church,  which  became  the  foundations  of 
christian  society.  "  The  first  were  apostolic  martyrs,  the  latter 
apostolic  lawgivers." '  The  first  epoch  saw  sowed  the  seeds  of  the 
ruin. 

In  France  the  archbishops  of  Aries  had  it  seems  been  appointed 
of  the  Roman  empire  while  the  second  epoch  saw  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  modern  christian  society,  whichrose  totake  the  place  of 
paganism.  Up  to  this  time  the  Popes  were  teachers  and  lawgivers 
now  they  appear  as  real  sovereigns,  that  is  as  Bishop  of  Rome,  as 
bishop  of  the  universal  church,  as  temporal  ruler,  Gregory  first 
put  on  the  tiara,  the  triple  crown  representing  this  triple  power. 

When  in  604  Gregory  went  down  to  the  tomb  of  his  fathers,  for 
five  months  the  Roman  See  remained  vacant,  ruled  by  the  clergy 
of  Rome.  Sept.  1st  they  elected  Sabenian,  the  apostolic  nuncio  at 
Constantinople.  He  first  commanded  that  bells  be  rung  to  call 
the  people  to  the  canonical  hours.  His  pontificate  lasted  only  six 
months  as  he  died  Feb.  22,  605. 

Boniface  III.  was  nuncio  at  the  court  of  Constantinople,  when 
on  Feb.  25,  605  he  was  selected  in  the  place  of  Sabenian.  He  had 
before  his  election  sent  to  represent  Gregory  at  the  imperial  court 
because  he  was  of  the  highest  merit.  The  encroachments  of  the 
proud  Constantinople,  and  of  the  Greek  empire  had  given  rise  to 
numerous  difficulties.  Before  the  time  of  Constantine,  the  little 
city  of  Byzantium,  nestled  on  the  banks  of  the  strait  leading  to 
the  Black  Sea.  There  Constantine  built  the  great  city  which 
still  bears  his  name.  Till  it  became  the  seat  of  his  empire,  the 
bishop  of  Byzantium  was  only  a  suffragan  bishop,  subject  to  the 
archbishop  of  Heraclea.  Now  a  new  trouble  arose  for  the  Roman 
Pontiff.  In  606  the  archbishop  of  Constantinople  claimed  to  be 
universal  bishop.  Eighty  years  before  the  great  Justinian,  emperor 
of  Constantinople  and  of  the  Greek  empire,  had  declared  that  only 
the  Bishop  of  Rome  was  "the  Head  of  all  the  holy  Churches,  the 
first  of  all  the  bishops."  The  emperor  Phocas  again  ratified  the 
decree  proclaimed  to  the  world  by  his  predecessor  Justinian. 
Boniface  foresfieing  the  difficulties  raised  in  the  proud  city,  on  the 
Bosphorus,  religious  trouble  which  afterwards  culminated  in   the 

'  Darras  Hist,  of  the  Church  Vol.  II.  p.  195. 


242  THE  TRUE  CROSS. 

Greek  schism,  called  a  council  at  Rome,  where  he  regulati-d  the 
manner  of  electing  his  successors. 

After  his  death  the  Roman  See  was  vacant  10  months,  when 
on  Sept.  18th,  614  Boniface  IV.  was  elected.  He  was  connected 
with  the  imperial  court  at  Constantinople,  and  to  him  Phocas 
gave  the  Pantheon  at  Rome,  which  he  dedicated  to  the  Virgin  and 
to  all  the  saints.  From  that  time  the  feast  of  All  Saints  has  been 
held  on  the  1st  of  Nov.  each  year.  Miletus,  first  bishop  of  London, 
England,  seeing  the  English  church  divided  on  the  question  as  to 
the  time  to  celebrate  Easter,  he  set  out  to  visit  Pope  Boniface, 
who  called  a  council  on  the  matter.  On  his  return  to  England 
St.  Miletus  brought  back  to  England  the  decision  of  the  Pope  re- 
garding Easter  and  matters  relating  to  monastic  life,  besides  let- 
ters to  Lawrence  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  to  king  Ethelbert, 
and  to  the  clergy  and  people  of  the  whole  English  nation.  On 
his  return  in  England  in  610  he  laid  the  foundations  of  West- 
minster Abbey,  on  a  marsh  on  the  west  banks  of  the  Thames, 
hence  the  name, — minster  being  the  old  Saxon  for  monastery,  lie 
dedicated  it  to  St.  Peter,  in  memory  of  the  great  church  at  Rome 
built  by  Constantine  on  the  Vatican,  while  he  dedicated  his  cathe- 
dral to  St.  Paul,  whose  body  rests  with  that  of  St.  Peter  under 
the  great  church  in  Rome,  where  St.  Miletus  was  born  and  reared. 
Under  the  pontificate  of  Boniface  two  important  councils  were 
held,  one  at  Paris  and  the  other  at  Toledo,  enacting  laws  relating 
to  important  matters  of  discipline. 

In  May  614  Boniface  IV.  died  and  Deusdedit  ascended  the  throne. 
A  storm  now  arose  in  the  English  church.  When  in  616  king 
Ethelbert  died,  Eadbald  his  son,  a  pagan  of  bad  morals,  refused 
the  religion  of  Christ,  and  the  people,  led  by  his  bad  example  fell 
back  again  to  heathenism.  Saberet  the  first  christian  king  of 
Essex  banished  St.  Miletus  first  bishop  of  London,  but  the  death 
of  Saberet  and  the  conversion  of  Eadbald  paved  the  way  for  the 
return  of  Miletus.  Deusdedit  died  in  617  and  was  succeeded  by 
Boniface  V. 

Chosroes  II.  king  of  Persia,  carried  away  the  cross  on  which 
Christ  was  crucified,  but  it  was  reconquered  by  emperor  Ileraclius 
and  restored  to  Jerusalem.  As  a  remembrance  of  this  event, 
each  year  the  church  celebrates  the  restoration  of  the  true  cross 
on  the  14th  of  Sept.  At  this  time  rose  Mohammedanism  the  great- 
est enemy  of  the  christian  religion.  The  teachings  of  Zoroaster, 
the  religion  of  the  Jews,  the  paganism  of  the  gentiles,  the  Gospel 
of  Christ,  these  four  religions  had  been  for  centuries  preached 
side  by  side  in  the  East,  when  Mohammed  the  father  of  fanaticism 
began  to  bind  them  into  one  form  of  belief,  teaching  with  fire 
and  sword  that  "  there  is  but  one  God  and  Mohammed  is  his 
Prophet.  "  The  eloquence  and  the  genius  of  this  wonderful  man 
carried  all  before  him.  From  the  fragments  of  the  four  religions 
mentioned,  he  formed  a  new  religion  the  greatest  foe  of  the 
church.     Brought    down    from   heaven    by  the    archangel   Ga- 


THE  ENGLISH  CHURCH  APPEALS  TO  ROME.  243 

brlel  the  Koran  he  claimed  was  the  revealed  repository  of 
his  teachings.  It  was  received  by  them  as  an  inspired  book,  and  to 
this  day  among  them  it  takes  the  place  of  the  Bible.  In  ten  years 
Mohammed  had  spread  his  teachings  from  the  Persian  gnlf  to  the 
Red  Sea.  and  from  the  Euphrates  to  the  Nile.  In  after  ages  his  fol- 
lowers spread  over  the  cradle  lands  of  the  faith,  and  Rome  alone 
excepted,  they  destroyed  every  episcopal  see  established  by  the 
apostles.  Under  the  influence  of  the  Koran,  industry  was  des- 
troyed, women  degraded,  the  fields  lay  untilled,  commerce  was 
smothered  and  all  progress  of  the  race  uprooted. 

During  this  time  the  English  church  called  on  the  Roman 
Pontiff  for  his  protection.'  St.  Justus  and  king  Ethelbold  wrote 
the  Pope  about  the  difficulty  of  keeping  the  English  people  in 
the  faith.  To  him  Boniface  replied  in  a  kind  letter,  congratulat- 
ing him  on  his  apostolic  labors,  and  he  sent  him  the  pallium  the 
insignia  of  an  archbishop,  and  gave  him  power  to  consecrate  bish- 
ops. Edwin  V.  king  of  Northumbria,  wishing  to  wed  Edilburga, 
daughter  of  Ethelbald,  promised  to  allow  her  to  practice  the 
catholic  faith,  as  we  require  now  in  mixed  marriages.  To  him 
Boniface  V.  wrote  consenting,  besides  sending  him  presents  for 
himself  and  for  his  intended  queen. 

Under  his  pontificate  was  held  the  council  of  Rheims,  where 
the  last  remains  of  paganism  was  rooted  out  of  France.  Under 
him  flourished  St.  Anastasius  of  Mount  Sinai,  who  first  wrote  a 
book  of  controversy  in  that  concise  mode  of  argument  called  the 
scholastic  method,  which  has  since  become  the  form  both  of  di- 
vinity and  of  philosophy  in  all  the  schools  of  the  church.  Then 
flourished  the  great  St.  Isidore  of  Seville  in  Spain,  John  Mos- 
chus  of  Rome  author  of  the  Spiritual  Meddow,  and  a  host  of 
Avonderful  men,  who  illustrated  this  epoch  with  their  writings. 
Their  devotion  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome  was  wonderful.  But  we 
have  only  space  for  the  words  of  St.  Isidore  of  Seville  in  his  pref- 
ace to  his  collection  of  the  old  canons  of  the  church.  "To  the 
canons  of  the  councils,  we  add  the  decrees  of  the  Roman  Pontiffs, 
because  their  authority,  standing  upon  the  supremacy  of  the  Apos- 
tolic See,  is  unquestionable.  ""^     Boniface  V.  died  in  625. 

When  Honorius  succeeded  Boniface,  Mohammed  ism,  before 
.confined  to  Arabia,  had  reached  Jerusalem  and  threatened  the 
ruin  of  the  holy  city.  The  new  Pope  was  called  to  settle  the  dis- 
putes relatina:  to  the  Three  Chapters,  which  he  accomplished  by 
deposing  Fortunatus,  archbishop  of  Gradi,  because  he  led  a  re- 
bellious faction  against  the  republic  of  Venice,  which  had  been 
established  by  the  fishermen,  who  had  generations  before  fled 
from  the  horrors  of  Attila:  "The  scourge  of  God."  The  republic, 
weak  because  of  its  small  extent  and  population,  turned  to  the 
Pope  their  father  for  protection.  To  them  the  Pope  wrote:  "This 
is  a  crime  hateful  to  both  God  and  man.  We  therefore  beg  that 
as  soon  as  you  have  restored  Adaloald  to  the  throne  of  his  fathers, 

»  Darras  Vol.  II.  p.  210.  =*  Darras  Hist,  of  the  Church.  Vol.  II.  p.  213. 


244  TRIED  TO  DECEIVE  THE  POPE. 

you  will  send  those  bishops  to  Eome,  that  we  may  treat  their  case 
in  due  form  of  law.  "  ' 

The  reign  of  Honorius  was  distributed  by  the  intrigues  of  Ser- 
gius,  archbishop  and  patriarch  of  Constantinople.  **  The  New 
Rome  "as  they  liked  to  call  it,  Constantinople  the  seat  of  the 
Roman  empire,  the  chief  city  of  the  world,  filled  with  wealth  and 
power,  was  ever  jealous  of  old  Rome,  the  seat  of  the  Pontiffs. 
Constantinople  was  the  mother  of  heresy,  as  Rome  was  the  mother 
of  Christianity.  Macedonius,  its  bishop,  gave  rise  to  a  heresy, 
holding  that  the  Holy  Ghost  was  a  creature.  Nestorius  bishop 
of  the  same  city  claimed  that  Christ  had  two  persons.  Euty- 
ches,  one  of  her  archabbots  taught  that  Christ  had  only  one  na- 
ture. Now  Sergius  held  that  Christ  had  only  one  will.  The 
emperor  favored  and  protected  the  heresy.  To  all  the  bishops  of 
the  East,  Sergius  sent  forged  letters  purporting  to  have  been 
written  by  Pope  Vigilius  favoring  the  error.  He  secured  as  his 
followers  the  archbishops  of  the  two  great  sees  of  Antioch  and  of 
Alexandria,  and  they  spread  the  heresy  among  the  churches  both 
of  Asia  and  Africa.  Sophronius  bishop  of  Jerusalem  alone  op- 
posed the  error.  Sergius  sent  a  guileful  letter  to  Pope  Honorius, 
stating  that  the  emperor  had  asked  him  if  any  of  the  fathers  had 
taught  that  Christ  had  only  one  will:  "  I  answered  him  yes.  and 
sent  him  a  letter  written  by  Mennas  patriarch  of  Constantinople 
to  your  predecessor  Vigilius,"  «&c.  He  complains  to  the  Pope 
about  the  monk  Sophronius,  patriarch  of  Jerusalem,  who  teaches 
that  there  are  two  wills  in  Christ,  that  the  dispute  is  of  little  in- 
terest, and  does  not  hurt  the  faith.  Yet  it  threatened  to  divide 
he  East  into  two  hostile  camps. 

The  Pontiff,  not  seeing  the  crafty  design  of  Sergius,  and  believing 
that  the  error  would  soon  die  out  wrote  him  a  nice  reply,  commend- 
ing his  zeal.  He  did  so  wishing  to  leave  the  question  to  the  dis- 
putes of  grammarians,  rather  than  disturb  the  church  by  a  formal 
discussion.  He  little  saw  that  it  was  to  become  one  of  the  most  dan- 
gerous heresies  of  the  early  church.  But  St.  Sophronius  called  a 
council  at  Jerusalem,  which  defined  that  Christ  had  two  wills,  the 
will  of  God  and  the  will  of  man.  Pope  Honorius  looked  on  this  meet- 
ing at  Jerusalem  as  tending  to  stir  up  discord.  He  at  once  wrote  to 
all  the  bishops  of  the  world  warning  them  not  to  create  disputes  and 
divisions  saying:  "  We  acknowledge  that  the  two  natures  in  Jesus 
Christ  act  and  operate,  each  with  the  participation  of  the-  other, 
the  divine  nature  operates  what  is  of  God,  the  human  what  is  of 
man,  without  division,  without  confusion, without  a  change  of 
the  divine  nature  into  man,  or  of  the  human  nature  into  God.  " 

St.  Sophronius,  archbishop  of  Jerusalem,  sent  his  chief  suffra- 
gan, Stephen  bishop  of  Dora,  to  Rome  to  warn  the  Pontiff,  and 
to  explain  to  him  the  disturbed  state  of  the  Eastern  churclies. 
But  Stephen  reached  Rome  only  to  find  Honorius  dead,"  while 
St.  Sophronius  who  sent  him  died  before  Stephen  returned  to 

»  In  637.  Darras  p.  216.  »  658. 


HAS  CHRIST  ONE  OR  TWO  WILLS  ?  246 

Jerusalem.  Stephen  lived  to  see  Jerusalem  captured  by  Omar, 
the  leader  of  the  fanatical  Mohammedans,  the  crescent,  the  emblem 
of  the  false  prophet,  planted  on  the  top  of  Calvary,  the  name  and 
worship  of  Christ  driven  from  the  holy  city,  while  Stephen  only 
had  time  to  carry  the  cross  on  which  Christ  had  been  crucified  lo 
Rome,  there  to  lay  it  before  the  feet  of  Pope  Honorius.  With  the 
exception  of  about  one  century  from  1099  to  1187  Jerusalem  has 
since  been  under  the  yoke  of  the  Mohammedans.  About  this  time 
Honorius  sent  Birinus  to  convert  the  warlike  inhabitants  of  Wes- 
sex,  England,  and  he  fixed  his  see  at  Dorchester,  of  which  he  was 
the  first  bishop.     Honorius  died  in  638. 

A  vacancy  of  18  months  now  elapsed  before  Severinus  was 
elected  in  his  place.  During  this  interregnum,  the  emperor,  wish- 
ing to  end  the  disputes  about  the  wills  in  Christ,  issued  a  royal 
decree  to  his  whole  empire,  saying  he  did  not  countenance  one  or 
two  operations  in  Christ,  but  that  in  him  all  operations  were 
ruled  by  the  same  divine  Word  incarnate,  thus  favoring  the  Mon- 
othelites.  A  council  of  the  Asiatic  bishops  met  at  Constantinople, 
where  they  favored  the  decree  of  the  emperor,  thus  crowning  the 
intrigues  of  the  patriarch  Sergius,  who  died  in  the  same  year  639. 
Tlie  imperial  troops  then  sacked  the  Lateran  palace  of  the  Popes, 
and  robbed  the  papal  Treasury,  sending  a  part  of  the  spoils  to 
Constantinople.  The  emperor  hearing  that  Severinus  had  been 
elected,  refused  to  confirm  him  till  he  had  signed  the  new  decree 
about  the  operations  in  Christ.  The  emperor  sent  deputies  to 
Rome  for  that  purpose.  They  said  to  the  Pontiff?  "  The  church 
of  Rome  has  received  the  prerogative  of  settling  questions  of  faith, 
she  cannot  then  receive  her  faith  from  any  other."  The  Pope  re- 
mained firm  and  the  emperor  gave  in.  His  first  pontifical  act 
was  to  call  a  council  at  Rome  and  condemn  the  Monothelites  and 
the  emperor's  decree.   He  died  in  640  and  John  IV.  took  his  place. 

The  question  whether  Christ  had  one  or  two  wills  still  agitated 
the  world,  and  John  called  a  council,  wherein  the  one  will  error 
was  again  condemned.  Pope  John  made  this  decree  known  to 
Phyrus  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  and  he  condemned  the  ob- 
stinacy of  those  who  upheld  the  cause  of  error.  Heraclius,  re- 
gretting the  stand  he  had  taken  in  the  controversy,  wrote  the  Pope 
retracting  and  laying  the  blame  on  the  dead  patriarch  Sergius. 
While  these  were  taking  place,  the  Mohammedans  were  overrunning 
Egypt  and  burning  the  great  Library  of  Alexandi'ia,  for  months 
using  the  greatest  works  of  human  genius  to  warm  the  4000  baths 
used  there  at  that  time.  The  loss  of  the  human  race  of  these 
great  works  can  never  be  repaired,  as  numberless  books  were 
then  lost.  Among  them  was  destroyed  the  original  Septuagint 
copy  of  the  Bible,  quoted  so  often  by  our  Lord  himself  in  the 
Gospels.  At  this  time  Constantinople  seemed  the  seat  of  every 
error,  and  her  patriarchs  in  pride  and  power  often  fought  the 
Bishops  of  Rome,  while  the  latter  gave  a  wonderful  firmness  in 
resisting  errors  so  prolific  in  the  Greek  mind. 


246  TROUBLES  IN  CONSTANTINOPLE. 

In  642  John  IV.  died  and  Theodore  I.  ascended  in  his  place.  Hi? 
first  act  was  to  define  that  Christ  had  two  wills.  He  demanded 
that  the  edict  of  the  emperor  be  revoked.  He  condemned  the 
teachings  of  the  Monotiielites.  But  a  new  champion  of  the  truth 
appeared  at  Constantinople  in  the  person  of  the  monk  Maximus, 
whose  lofty  conceptions  and  masterly  eloquence  in  the  cause  of 
Christ,  and  his  explanations  of  his  two  natures  bore  everything  be- 
fore him  as  he  preached  in  fiery  words  to  the  cultured  citizens  of 
the  capitol.  He  writes  against  the  heresy.  He  defends  the 
Popes  and  their  dogmatic  decisions.  He  publicly  discusses  the 
agitated  questions  with  Phyrus,  the  banished  patriarch  of  Con- 
stantinople. Even  the  heretics  admitted  that  the  decisions  of  the 
Popes  ended  every  disputed  question,  but  they  tried  to  prove  that 
the  Popes  taught  their  own  false  doctrines.  When  couvinced  of 
the  meanings  of  the  Pope's  letters,  Phyrus  archbishop  of  Con- 
stantinople candidly  replied:  "My  predecessor  misunderstood 
the  Pontiff's  words,  I  ask  pardon  for  him  and  for  myself.  Ignor- 
ance was  the  cause  of  our  error ....  I  shall  prove  my  sincerity  at 
the  tomb  of  the  holy  apostles,  at  the  feet  of  the  Sovereign  Pon- 
tiffs." *  Asking  Maximus  to  go  with  him,  Phyrus  the  exiled  pa- 
triarch of  the  first  see  after  Rome,  went  to  Rome  and  there  at 
the  feet  of  the  Pontiff  Theodorus  I.  he  made  his  profession  of  faith. 
The  Pope  had  hoped  to  restore  him  to  his  see,  but  his  profession 
of  faith  did  not  last  long.  He  again  fell  into  the  same  errors  and 
was  deposed  by  the  Pope  in  a  council  held  in  Rome  in  648. 

The  emperor  now  forbade  any  further  discussion  of  the  question 
of  one  or  two  wills  in  Christ.  The  bishops  of  Asia  wrote  ta 
Pope  Theodorus  relating  to  Paul  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  suc- 
cessor of  Phyrus  saying:  "  If  Paul  continues  to  dissemble,  it  be- 
longs to  your  Apostolic  See  by  its  authority  to  cut  him  off  from 
the  body  of  the  church.  "  The  Pope  then  deposed  him,  as  he 
would  not  submit,  but  the  emperor  sustained  him  in  the  see  of 
Constantinople.  Theodorus  died  in  649,  and  Martin  I.  rose  in  his 
place. 

Martin  had  been  a  legate  of  the  Holy  See  at  the  emperor^s  court 
at  Constantinople,  and  now  the  latter  claimed  the  right  of  con- 
firming or  of  rejecting  the  choice  of  the  clergy  of  Rome  to  the 
Chair  of  Peter.  The  first  act  of  the  Pontiff  was  to  call  a  council 
in  the  Lateran  palace,  where  105  bishops  assembled  from  nearly  all 
parts  of  the  world. 

St.  Martin  I,  opened  the  council  with  a  statement  giving  his 
reasons  why  he  called  the  council.  Speaking  from  the  "ambo,  " 
he  told  them  of  the  controversy  about  the  one  or  two  wills  of 
Christ;  how  it  still  disturbed  the  world;  how  the  emperor  upheld 
the  error;  that  Phyrus  and  Paul  for  teaching  it  had  been  by  his 
predecessors  in  the  Roman  See  deposed  from  the  patriarchate  of 
Constantinople;  that  letters  had  poured  in  from  all  parts  of  the 
world  to  the  Holy  See  about  the  error,  and  yet  Constantinople 

'Darraa  Hist.  Church  Vol.  IL  p.  228. 


THE   POPE  CONDEMNS  THE  EMPEROR.  347 

upheld  the  false  doctrines  that  Christ  had  only  one  will.  Original 
documents  were  then  read;  five  sessions  were  held,  and  Pope 
Martin  set  forth  the  catholic  doctrine  in  20  canons,  clearly  defin- 
ing the  two  natures  of  Christ  united  in  one  Person  of  the  Word  of 
God. — He  clearly  defined  the  two  wills  in  Christ,  and  condemned 
all  contradicting  doctrines.  The  Bishop  of  Rome  signed  the  de- 
crees in  these  words:  "  I  Martin,  by  the  grace  of  God,  Bishop  of 
the  Holy  Catholic  and  Apostolic  Church  of  the  city  of  Rome, 
have  signed  as  Judge,  this  definition,  which  confirms  the  orthodox 
faith"  &c.  The  bishops  who  could  not  come  to  the  council  also  sent 
their  signatures  and  assent. 

As  the  decree  condemned  not  only  the  bishop  of  Constantinople, 
but  also  the  emperor  and  the  government,  it  was  translated  into 
Greek,  and  sent  to  both  the  Eastern  and  Western  churches.  Know- 
ing the  difficulty  of  treating  with  the  Greeks  of  the  imperial  city, 
St.  Martin  sought  the  aid  of  Clovis  II.  king  of  the  Franks,  ask- 
ing him  for  bishops  of  his  realm  to  be  sent  as  legates  of  the  Holy 
See  to  Constantinople,  as  they  would  be  more  independent  in 
treating  with  the  acute  Greek  minds,  whom  he  had  learned  to 
know  so  well  during  his  residence  at  Constantinople  as  legate  of 
the  Apostolic  See.  But  the  French  king's  ministers  were  at  that 
time  bishops  and  clergymen,  and  they  neglected  the  duty,  and  the 
Pope  sent  the  decrees  direct  to  Constantinople.  He  nominated 
John  bishop  of  Philadelphia  as  his  Vicar,  directing  him  to  appoint 
only  true  believers  to  the  Episcopal  sees  of  the  East,  then  torn  by 
heresy.  He  wrote  fatherly  letters  to  the  bishops  of  the  old  apostolic 
sees  of  Antioch  and  of  Jerusalem,  exhorting  them  to  bear  up  against 
the  inroads  of  the  Mohammedans.  Paul  bishop  of  Thessalonica 
sent  to  Rome  his  profession  of  faith,  but  St.  Martin  found  it  taint- 
ed with  the  error  of  the  only  one  will  heresy.  Paul  would  not  re- 
tract, and  Pope  St.  Martin  deposed  him  from  the  episcopal  office. 

Constans  the  new  emperor  of  Constantinople  -believed  in  the 
one  will  error.  Finding  himself  incapable  of  preventing  the 
voice  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  reaching  to  the  uttermost  ends  of 
the  earth,  defining  that  Christ  had  two  wills,  the  will  of  God  and 
the  will  of  man,  the  emperor  sent  his  chamberlain,  Olympius  to 
murder  the  Pontiff,  who  attempted  to  doit  when  the  Pope  was 
giving  Holy  Communion.  But  he  could  not  find  courage,  or  as 
writers  say,  divine  Providence  shielded  his  Vicar,  who  later  forgave 
the  crime.  To  carry  out  his  bad  design,  the  emperor  accused  the 
Pope  of  not  honoring  the  Virgin,  of  favoring  the  Mohammedans, 
and  of  treachery  to  the  empire,  and  he  sent  Calliopis  with  a  band 
of  soldiers,  who  carried  the  Pope  forcibly  to  Constantinople,  where 
he  was  imprisoned  13  months.  Both  on  the  journey  and  in  the 
city  he  loaded  him  with  insults.  '^IMie  Pope  was  banished  to  the 
Thauric,  Chersonese,  where  in  655,  he  died  a  martyr  to  the  doc- 
trine, he  ever  taught,  that  Christ  had  not  one,  but  two  wills.  "We 
have  given  these  details  to  show  that  the  Popes  were  not  upheld  by 
any  authority  of  the  Roman  empire,  but  that  the  emperor,  the  people 


248  THE  EMPEROR    PERSECUTES  THE  CHURCH. 

and  even  the  bishops  of  Constantinople  nearly  always  opposed  the 
Bishops  of  Rome. 

While  St.  Martin  was  in  exile,  Eugenius  as  his  vicar  ruled  the 
church  of  Rome.  On  the  death  of  the  former,  the  latter  was 
elected  to  the  supreme  ^Pontificate.  Archbishop -Peter,  who  suc- 
ceeded Phyrus  in  the  see  of  Constantinople,  sent  the  new  Pope 
the  usual  letter  of  communion  with  the  Roman  See.  It  was  full 
of  the  one  Avill  error,  and  the  Pope  rejected  it.  The  emperor  con- 
tinued to  persecute  the  church.  He  banished  the  monk  Maximus 
and  his  two  companions  to  Thrace,  because  they  would  not  change 
their  doctrine,  Avhich  they  assumed  up  in  these  words  of  the  dis- 
ciple of  Anastasius:  "  We  do  not  yield  our  firm  belief,  that 
according  to  the  promise  made  to  Peter,  the  seed  of  faith  will 
remain  at  least  in  the  Roman  Church.  "  Such  has  ever  been  the 
way  the  laity  have  tried  to  control  t.'ie  church  and  persecuted  the 
clergy,  when  they  could  not. 

After  t\vo  years  of  a  pontificate,  Eugenius  died  and  St.  Vitalian 
filled  his  place.  The  day  of  Justice  had  come  for  Constans  II., 
who  had  persecuted  the  Papacy.  He  murdered  his  brother 
Theodsius  then  a  priest,  from  whose  hand  he  had  but  a  few  days 
before  received  Holy  Communion.  The  crime  aroused  all  Con- 
stantinople, and  the  emperor  was  forced  to  fly.  He  then  cap- 
tured some  of  the  cities  of  Italy,  entered  Rome,  plundered  her 
churches,  set  out  for  Sicily  and  entered  Syracuse.  There  he  per- 
suaded Maurus  archbishop  of  Ravenna  to  declare  himself  inde- 
pendent of  the  Pope,  depending  only  on  the  emperor.  St. 
Vitalian  summoned  him  to  Rome,  and  not  obeying  the  Pope  ex- 
communicated him,  and  he  died  in  that  state.  Repar.itus  his 
successor  hastened  to  return  to  the  church.  An  officer  murdered 
the  emperor  in  668.  His  son  Constantine  IV.  succeeding  him. 
He  professed  the  catholic  faith  and  gave  peace  to  tiie  church  at 
least  in  the  Greek  empire. 

During  this  time  the  English  church  gave  great  promise.  Her  first 
bishops,  who  came  from  Rome  were  most  devoted  to  her  Pontiffs. 
The  priests  of  Ireland  had  spread  the  faith  into  nearly  every  part 
of  Europe,  wbich  before  had  been  overrun  by  the  baibarians  of 
central  Asia,  but  who  had  spared  Ireland  from  their  depreciations. 
Some  of  the  early  bishops  of  Europe  came  from  the  East,  and 
they  introduced  the  Jewish  customs,  especially  about  Easter,  taught 
them  by  St.  John  the  Evangelist  into  England.  In  664  a  notable 
meeting  was  held  in  the  monastery  of  Streaneshalch  which  was 
attended  by  the  three  bishops  Colman,  Cedde,  Agilbert  and  king 
Oswiu.  There  they  decreed  to  follow  the  Roman  custom  of  cele- 
brating Easter  on  the  first  Sunday  following  the  fourteenth  moon  of 
March,  as  St.  Peter  had  commanded  at  Rome,  and  concluded  to  give 
up  the  Jewish  custom  taught  by  St.  John  the  Evangelist  to  the 
churches  in  Asia  minor.  To  bind  still  better  the  English  people  to 
the  Roman  See,  king  Oswiu  sent  Vigard  bishop  elect  of  the  pri- 
mal English  see  of  Canterbury  to  Rome,  to  be  consecrated  by  the 


A  GREAT  BISHOP  IN  ENGLAND.  249 

Pope,  but  he  dying  on  the  way,  the  Pope  wrote  a  beautiful  letter 
to  the  English  king,  thanking  him  for  his  gifts,  praising  him 
for  his  zeal  and  devotion  to  the  Eoman  See,  and  presented  him 
with  across  made  of  a  part  of  the  iron  which  had  bound  St.  Peter 
in  prison.  '  He  also  sent  St.  Theodore^^once  a  philosopher  of 
Athens,  as  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Wonderful  were  the  works 
of  religion  and  of  civilization  undertaken  by  St.  Theodore,  and  the 
monks  who  came  with  him  from  Rome  to  England.  In  the  year 
673,  he  called  a  council  of  the  English  church  at  Canterbury, 
where  they  introduced  salutary  measures  for  the  government  of 
the  church.  He  founded  a  famous  school  at  Canterbury,  where 
the  sons  of  England  at  that  time  were  educated,  and  the 
English  nation  soon  saw  that  the  words  of  the  Pope  were  realized 
in  his  letter  to  the  king,  when  he  promised  to  send  a  "  learned  and 
pious  man,  a  bishop  adorned  with  every  virtue.  " 

In  a  council  held  at  Eome  in  667  the  Pope  reinstated  John 
bishop  of  Lappa  in  Crete,  unjustly  deposed  by  his  archbishop 
Paul,  and  the  Pope  declared  null  and  void  the  decrees  of  a  coun- 
cil held  by  the  bishops  of  Crete.  St.  Vitalian  died  in  072,  and 
Adeodatus,  a  benedictine  monk  of  St.  Erasmus  Rome,  was  selected 
in  his  place.  He  confirmed  to  the  republic  of  Venice  the  right 
to  elect  their  presidents,  who  were  called  doges;  he  ratified  the 
privilege  given  by  Crotpert  bishop  of  Tours  to  the  monastery  of 
St.  Martin,  by  which  the  monks  became  free  from  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  bishop,  and  he  first  used  these  words:  "  Health  and  apos- 
tolic blessing."     He  died  in  676. 

St.  Domnus,  a  citizen  of  Eome,  was  the  choice  of  the  Roman  cler- 
gy. He  received  into  the  church  archbishop  Raparatus,  successor 
of  the  heretical  Maurus  in  the  see  of  Ravenna,  and  that  gave  the 
death  blow  to  the  schism  raised  by  the  emperor  Constans  II.  At 
this  time  came  into  prominence  the  Maronites.  Taking  their 
name  from  St.  Maro  of  St.  Chrystom's  time,  they  guarded  their 
faith  and  their  devotion  to  the  Roman  See,  living  in  the  caves  and 
fastnesses  of  the  Libanan  Mountains  during  the  storms  of  the  Mo- 
hammedan persecutions.  They  live  even  to  our  day,  still  holding 
the  pure  faith  of  the  church  as  taught  them  by  their  first  bishop 
John  Maro  sent  to  them  by  St.  Martin  I.,  vicar  of  the  Holy 
See  and  bishop  of  Philadelphia. 

Some  of  the  patriarch  archbishops  of  Constantinople  were  good 
catholics,  while  others  believed  in  the  one  will  error.  Such  dis- 
tractions forced  the  emperor  Constantine  Pogonatus  in  666  to  ask 
the  Pope  to  call  the  VI.  general  council  at  Constantinople.  But 
before  Constantine's  letter  reached  Rome,  Domnus  had  died  and 
the  letter  was  handed  to  St.  Agatho,  a  benedictine  monk  selected 
June  26th,  679. 

When  the  embassadors  of  the  emperor  Constantine  arrived  at 
Rome  with  the  letters  to  the  Pope,  th«y  found  that  a  council  had 
been  called  by  the  Bishop  of  Rome  to  inquire  into  the  unjust  de- 

>  Acts. 


250  THE  SIXTH  GENERAL  COUNCIL. 

position  of  St.  "Wilfred archbisliop  of  York,  England,  who  had  ap- 
pealed to  Rome  against  the  proposed  division  of  his  archdiocese 
by  Egfrid  the  Saxon  king.  Directed  by  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the 
council  annulled  all  which  had  been  done  against  him,  and  the 
holy  bishop  returning  to  England,  presented  the  judgment  of  the 
Pope  to  king  Egfrid,  wno  refused  to  submit.  He  first  imprisoned 
St.  Egfrid,  then  banished  him  from  the  kingdom,  and  it  was 
only  at  the  death  of  the  king  in  G80  that  he  could  return  to  his  dio- 
cese. 

The  Pope  now  took  up  the  case  of  the  emperor  Constantino 
Pogonatus.  For  that  he  summoned  100  bishops,  who  condemned 
again  the  error  claiming  only  one  will  in  Christ.  Then  he  se- 
lected the  legates  of  the  Holy  See  at  the  court  of  Constantinople 
during  the  VI.  general  coui'cil,  which  the  Pope  had  called  to  meet 
the  rising  errors  of  that  time.  In  the  letter  to  the  emperor,  the 
Pope  says  among  other  things:  *'  The  catholic  world  looks  upon 
this  Church  as  the  Mother  and  Mistress  of  all  the  other  churches 
&c."  On  the  arrival  of  the  priests  Theodore  and  George,  with  the 
deacon  Joim,  legates  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the  VI.  general 
council  of  the  church  was  called  at  Constantinople  Nov.  Tth,  680. 

When  the  council  met  the  bishops  of  the  universal  church  as- 
sembled in  the  hall  of  the  palace,  with  the  emperor  Constantine 
present  in  person,  the  legates  of  the  Pope  at  his^  right,  the  patri- 
arch of  Constantinople  on  his  left,  with  the  book  of  the  Gospels 
in  the  middle  of  the  hall.  The  legates  speaking  first  reminded 
the  emperor  of  the  errors  regarding  the  one  will  and  one  opera- 
tion in  Christ,  how  it  had  spread,  how  the  Bishop  of  Rome  had 
so  often  condemned  it,  how  other  bishops  of  the  empire  and  of 
the  East  had  upheld  it;  then  they  ask  the  emperor  to  have-  the 
teachers  of  this  #alse  doctrine  show  their  authorities  for  it.  The 
emperor  then  ordered  Macarius,  patriarch  of  Antioch,  to  explain 
the  new  belief.  The  latter  rose  and  said  that  their  doctrine  of 
the  one  will  in  Christ  had  been  held  and  taught  by  the  Popes,  by 
the  councils,  by  the  patriarchs  of  Alexandria,  of  Constantinople 
and  by  others.  The  discussion  thus  opened  before  the  most  dis- 
tinguished assembly  of  the  world,  took  up  18  sessions  of  the 
council.  They  searched  the  Scriptures,  the  Fathers,  the  tradi- 
tions of  all  churches,  the  histories  of  the  apostolic  converts,  every 
tradition  which  could  throw  light  on  a  subject,  which  was  then 
agitating  the  whole  christian  world.  The  imperial  library,  one 
of  the  greatest  of  the  world,  gave  them  all  documents  they 
wanted.  The  letter  of  Pope  Agatho  condemning  the  one  will 
theory  was  at  last  read. 

No  sooner  did  the  bishops  hear  the  clear  doctrinal  decision  of 
the  Bishop  of  Rome,  than  they  cried  out  with  one  voice:  "  Peter 
has  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  Agatho.  We  believe  with  him,  that 
there  are  two  wills  in  Jesus  Christ.  Anathema  to  him  who  up- 
holds the  contrary  opinion."  All  the  bishops  of  the  world  ac- 
knowledged the  teachings  of  the  Pope  excepting  Macarius,  patri- 


THE   ONE  WILL  ERROK    CONDEMNED.  251 

iircli  of  Aiitioch,  who  remained  obstinate  in  spite  of  the  tears  of 
his  friends  and  suffragan  bishops.  He  vas  then  deposed  from 
his  episcopal  office.  His  intimate  friend,  the  monk  Stephen, 
tried  to  defend  him,  but  it  only  aroused  the  ire  of  the  bisiiops, 
who  cried  out:  "  The  question  is  cleared  up,  drive  out  the  heretic." 
We  must  remember  that  this  was  in  the  year  680,  and  that  he 
was  the  bishop  of  Antioch,  where  the  followers  of  Christ  were 
first  called  christians,  and  that  St.  Peter  himself  had  established 
that  see.  All  this  shows  the  supreminent  power  of  the  Bishop 
of  Rome  before  the  whole  christian  world,  and  before  the  emper- 
or. The  bishops  closed  their  labors  of  many  weeks  by  these 
words:  "  By  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  agreement 
with  the  dogmatic  letter  of  our  Holy  Father,  the  Sovereign  Pon- 
tiff Agatho,  we  acknowledge  in  Jesus  Christ  two  natures,  with 
two  respective  wills  and  acts AVe  have  followed  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Pope,  as  he  has  followed  the  traditions  of  the  apostles 
and  of  the  fathers.  If  we  have  worsted  the  enemy,  the  great  chief 
of  the  apostles  fouglit  with  us  by  his  imitator  and  heir,  the  suc- 
cessor to  his  throne,  the  Holy  Pontiff,  whose  learning  is  the  glory 
of  Catholic  truth.  0  Prince,  thou  art  the  new  Constantine  arisen 
to  meet  a  new  Arius,  ancient  Rome  holds  out  to  you  a  profession 
of  faith,  coming  from  God  himself.  A  letter  from  the  West  has 
brought  back  the  light  of  truth.  Peter  has  spoken  by  the  voice 
of  Agatho."  The  bishops  of  the  world  then  signed  the  decrees, 
and  they  were  sent  to  Rome  for  the  signature  of  Agatho.  But 
the  latter  died  before  his  legates  had  returned  to  Rome  and  he 
was  followed  by  St.  Leo  II.  of  Naples. 

St.  Leo  II.  examined  the  decrees  of  the  VI.  general  council 
just  ended,  which  Constantine  had  sent  him  with  the  words: 
**  To  the  holy  and  blessed  Leo,  Pontiff  of  Old  Rome  and  ecumen- 
ical Pope."  St.  Leo  II.  published  them  to  the  world,  and  ratified 
them,  "  with  the  authority  of  Peter,  "  thus  giving  them  the  same 
authority  as  the  five  former  general  councils.  He  regulated  the 
ceremony  of  the  kiss  of  peace  at  Mass,  and  the  sprinkling  of  the 
people  with  holy  water.     He  died  in  683. 

St.  Benedict  II.,  brought  up  in  poverty,  Avas  elected,  and  the  em- 
peror Constantine  IV.  decreed  that  the  election  of  the  Pope  should 
not  need  the  confirmation  either  of  the  emperor,  or  of  the  exarch 
of  Ravenna.  But  it  was  again  revived  by  his  son  Justinian  II. 
Benedict  II.  did  all  he  could  to  convert  Macarius  deposed  by  the 
council,  so  as  to  restore  him  to  his  see  of  Constantinople,  and  daily 
he  sent  a  learned  man  to  confer  with  him  in  Rome.  Not  yielding, 
he  was  forced  to  condemn  him  for  his  obstinacy  in  holding  that 
Christ  had  only  one  will.  Amid  the  crumbling  and  decaying  hu- 
man institutions  of  that  time,  the  emperor  saw  that  only  the 
Papacy  and  the  church  would  last,  and  he  placed  his  two  sons  un- 
der the  protection  of  the  Pope,  who  adopted  them  as  his  sons. 
But  Justinian  II.  showed  himself  unworthy  of  his  foster  father. 
St.  Benedict  II.  died  in  685. 


■«> 


252  THE  POPE  REJECTS  AN  IRREGULAR   COUNCIL. 

John,  one  of  the  legates  of  the  Pope  at  the  late  council  of  Con- 
stantinople was  raised  to  the  spiritual  throne  of  Home  in  the  reg- 
ular way  and  independent  of  politics.  But  he  lived  scarcely  a 
year,  being  succeeded  by  Conon,  who  had  to  seek  the  approbation 
of  Justinian.  But  he  lived  only  a  year  and  St.  Sergius  followed 
him. 

A  new  division  rose  in  the  Roman  church— one  party  tried  to  elect 
Theodore  another  Paschal,  while  the  clergy,  the  judges,  and  the 
larger  part  of  the  people  chose  Sergius.  Theodore  yielded  but 
Paschal  would  not.  The  churches  of  Spain,  of  France  and  of  all 
Europe  subscribed  to  decrees  of  the  late  council  of  Constanti- 
nople. But  the  latter  city,  ever  liking  change,  began  to  show  dis- 
content under  the  intrigues  of  Justinian  11.  who  wished  to  rule  in 
spiritual  as  well  as  in  political  matters.  He  called  a  council  at 
Carthage,  which  drew  up  canons  suitable  to  his  wishes.  This  ir- 
regular council  allowed  the  ordination  of  married  priests,  subjected 
the  election  of  Popes  to  emperor's  whims,  and  passed  other  disciplin- 
ary measures  opposed  to  the  whole  traditions  of  the  church.  When 
the  canons  were  sent  to  Pope  Sergius  for  his  approval,  he  refused 
to  receive  them.  That  angered  the  emperor,  who  sent  his  officer 
Zachary  to  seize  the  Pope  and  bring  him  to  Constantinople.  But 
the  Roman  people,  remembering  the  fate  of  their  former  Pontiff, 
St.  Martin,  rose  and  defended  their  Bishop,  and  Zachary  was 
forced  to  beg  the  protection  of  the  holy  Pontiff.  An  anti-pope 
set  up  by  the  lieutenant  of  the  eniperor  at  Ravenna,  forced  the 
Pope  to  fly  from  Rome,  and  for  seven  years  he  lived  in  exile.  On 
his  return,  he  took  measures  for  the  conversion  of  Germany  and 
the  people  of  the  north  of  Europe.     He  died  in  701. 

John  VI.  was  the  next  Bishop  of  Rome.  The  new  emperor  Ti- 
berius sent  his  lieutenant  at  Ravenna  to  exact  under  threats  unlaw- 
ful measures  from  John,  but  the  people  of  Rome  again  rose  to  de- 
fend him,  and  Italy  ready  to  throw  off  the  rule  of  the  emperors  of 
Constantinople,  defended  the  Roman  Pontiff.  This  was  the  prepa- 
ration for  the  temporal  power  of  the  Popes,  later  given  them  by 
Pepin  and  increased  by  Charlemagne,  by  which  they  were  elevated 
above  the  blighting  changes  and  misfortunes  of  politics. 

In  703  Alcfrid  king  of  Northumberland  called  the  English 
bishops  to  a  council  at  Nesterfield,  and  before  them  summoned 
St.  Wilfred,  whom  he  had  banished  from  his  see.  St.  Wilfred 
came  and  showed  them  the  letters  of  Pope  Agatho,  dated  23  years  be- 
fore, restoring  him  to  his  episcopal  see  of  York.  But  the  king  de- 
manded that  he  resign.  St.  Wilfred  refused,  appealed  to  the 
Holy  See,  and  started  for  Rome  with  the  embassadors  of  the  bad 
king  following  him.  John  VI.  called  a  council  to  examine  the 
case,  and  the  innocence  of  St.  Wilfred  being  established,  the  Pope 
sent  him  back  with  letters  to  the  king  to  restore  him  to  York. 
John  died  in  705. 

John  VII.  then  took  the  government  of  the  church  universal. 
Justinian,  restored  to   his  empire,  now   undertook  to  force   the 


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254  THE  POPE  VISITS  CONSTANTINOPLE. 

Pope  to  approve  the  illegal  council  held  at  Constantinople.  But 
John  VII.  sent  back  the  decrees  without  reading  them  saying : 
"  The  council  was  not  lawfully  held  in  the  presence  of  the  leg- 
ates of  the  Holy  See."  John  VII.  died  in  707,  and  was  followed 
by  Sisinnius,  who  lived  only  20  days,  and  they  elected  Constan- 
tine  of  Syria.  Justinian  II,,  seeing  that  he  could  not  get  the  Pope's 
approval  by  force,  tried  trickery,  and  invited  the  Pope  to  Con- 
stantinople on  the  plea  of  having  many  things  to  regulate  with 
him  regarding  religion  in  his  vast  empire.  Accompanied  by  Ti- 
berius the  emperor's  son,  and  a  great  assembly  of  cardinals  and 
prelates,  the  Pope  set  out  for  Constantinople,  resolved  to  en- 
danger his  life  for  the  peace  of  the  church.  At  their  first  meet- 
ing, crowned  as  he  was  with  the  diadem  of  the  Csesars,  the  emperor 
threw  himself  before  the  Pontiff  and  kissed  his  feet.  They  had  a 
private  conversation  regarding  the  rejected  council  of  Constanti- 
nople, and  the  Pope  appointed  bis  deacon  Gregory,  later  his  suc- 
cessor, to  enlighten  the  emperor  regarding  the  objections  against 
the  illegal  council.  Gregory  soon  convinced  the  emperor  of  the 
faults  and  errors  in  the  decrees.  The  emperor  thus  instructed 
was  converted,  and  showered  every  favor  on  the  Pope,  who  re- 
turned a  year  later  and  re-entered  Eome  his  episcopal  city. 

When  in  711  Justinian  died,  he  was  succeeded  by  Bardanes 
Philippicus,  the  leader  of  a  revolution.  He  believed  that  Christ 
had  only  one  will.  He  drove  every  orthodox  bishop  from  his  em- 
pire, and  filled  their  places  by  heretical  bishops,  who  believed  as  he. 
Nearly  all  the  Greeks  of  the  East  became  followei*s  of  the  one  will 
error.  The  bad  emperor  was  dethroned,  and  Anastasius  II.  suc- 
ceeded him.  He  was  a  catholic.  At  his  coronation  in  the  historic 
church  of  St.  Sophia,  the  people  cried  out  with  one  voice:  **  We 
embrace  the  faith  of  the  sixth  council,"  He  wrote  to  the  Bishop 
of  Rome  his  profession  of  the  faith,  and  the  patriarch  arclibishop 
of  Constantinople  fallowed  his  example.  Thus  the  trreek  christians 
were  ever  ready  for  any  kind  of  a  change  in  religion.  The  Moors 
now  invaded  Spain  at  the  request  of  Julian  of  Cent,  whose 
daughter  Roderic,  a  slave  to  his  passion  for  her,  he  had  carried 
off.  For  700  years  the  Moors  held  Spain.  Constantine  died  in 
715.  Up  to  this  time  89  Bishops  had  sat  on  Peter's  throne,  40 
had  been  chosen  from  among  the  Roman  clergy  or  laymen,  and 
49  came  from  various  other  parts  of  the  christian  world. 

Gregory  II.  took  the  helm  in  times  of  difficulties.  He  began  by 
restoring  monastic  discipline  in  Italy;  he  sent  the  Sts.  George  and 
Dorotheus  to  preach  to  the  Bavarians,  and  he  appointed  Winfrid 
or  as  he  is  better  known  Boniface  to  convert  the  Germans,  Three 
times  this  Englishman,  reared  in  the  monasteries  of  England,  re- 
ceived power  from  the  Popes,  on  his  mission  of  peace  to  the  Ger- 
mans. First  he  came  to  the  Pope  with  his  letters  from  Daniel  his 
English  bishop  to  the  saintly  Gregory,  who  sent  him  to  convert 
the  German  nation.  Again,  when  he  succeeded,  he  came  to  the 
feet  of  the  Pope,  who  called  him  Boniface,  that  is  doing  good,  and 


RELIGIOUS  TROUBLES  IN  THE  EAST.  256 

consecrated  him  as  the  missionary  bishop  of  the  Germans.  For 
the  third  time  he  went  to  Rome  to  receive  the  archiepiscopal 
pallium  of  metropolitan  of  Mayence.  To  Rome  and  to  her  Pontiffs 
therefore  must  the  Germans  look  for  their  christian  faith. 

But  while  the  Gospel  was  spreading  over  the  West,  the  East  was 
the  seat  of  internal  disturbances,  as  well  as  threatened  by  the  fire 
and  sword  of  the  Mohammedans.  Leo  III. ,  son  of  a  poor  peasant  sat 
on  the  imperial  throne  of  the  Cfesars.  He  raised  a  storm  by  claim- 
ing that  christians  worshipped  images  of  Christ  and  of  the  saints. 
By  royal  edict,  he  banished  all  the  images  and  pictures  from  the 
churches.  He  banished  the  bishops  who  would  not  obey.  He  con- 
fiscated the  gold  and  silver  ornaments  of  the  churches.  He  burned 
even  the  libraries.  The  fanaticism  of  the  image  breakers  was  spread- 
ing destruction  into  all  the  churches  of  the  East,  when  alone  and 
unsupported  the  eloquence  of  St.  John  Damascene  rose  against  the 
royal  decree.  He  proves  by  Bible  examples  the  use  and  custom  of 
images  and  pictures.  He  reproves  the  emperor  for  intruding  into 
religious  matters.  The  emperor  then  calumniated  him  and  the 
Mohammedan  Caliph  ordered  his  right  hand  cut  off.  The  people  of 
the  East  looked  to  Rome  for  a  settlement  of  the  discussions,  which 
divided  the  churches  of  the  empire.  Gregory  II.  wrote  the  emperor 
a  clear  difinition  of  the  use  of  images  in  the  churches.  The  emperor 
would  not  he  convinced.  He  sent  Marinus  to  Rome  to  raise  a  con- 
spiracy against  the  Pope.  The  lieutenant  of  the  emperor,  seeing- 
that  the  conspiracy  did  not  succeed,  that  the  assassins  were  arrestedt 
and  put  to  death,  took  up  arms  against  the  Pope  and  advanced  on: 
Rome.  But  the  Romans  flew  to  arms  and  defeated  the  imperial^ 
forces. 

These  continual  interferences  in  religious  matters,  which  belong 
only  to  the  church  and  not  to  the  empire,  hastened  an  event  of 
the  greatest  importance  to  the  church — the  establishment  of  the 
temporal  dominions  of  the  Popes,  by  which  they  became  indepen- 
dent of  worldly  rulers.  The  people  of  Rome  and  of  the  surrounding 
country,  seeing  Marinus  still  trying  to  assassinate  the  Pope,  asked 
the  latter  to  take  upon  himself  a  temporal  dominion,  to  be  their 
ruler,  so  they  could  raise  an  army  to  defend  him  and  the  eternal 
city  from  such  continual  onslaughts.  Leo  and  the  king  of  the 
Lombards  joined  forces  and  laid  siege  to  Rome.  Pope  Greg- 
ory with  his  clergy  went  forth  outside  the  walls,  like  another  St. 
Leo  confronting  Attila,  and  persuaded  the  Lombard  king  that  the 
capture  and  the  sacking  of  the  eternal  city  would  be 
a  misfortune  for  the  whole  world,  that  they  ought  to  .unite 
against  the  Mohammedans,  then  threatening  Christendom.  Luit- 
prand  moved  to  tears,  threw  himself  at  the  feet  of  the  Pontiff. 
Laying  aside  the  vestments  of  a  king,  with  the  Pope  he  enters  St. 
Peter's,  together  they  kneel  at  the  tombs  of  the  apostles  Sts.  Peter 
and  Paul  and  there  they  swear  eternal  friendship  to  the  church, 
and  there  the  king  asked  pardon,  which  was  then  and  there 
granted.     Gregory  II.  died  in  731. 


256  THE  MOHAMMEDANS  THBEATEN  CHRISTENDOM. 

Five  days  later  Gregory  III.  was  elected,  and  waiting  till  they  got 
the  confirmation  of  the  emperor's  exarch  at  Ravenna,  he  was 
crowned.  But  the  emperor  still  carried  on  his  persecution  against 
the  images  and  religious  pictures  in  the  churches.  Under  the 
guidance  of  Gregory,  the  people  of  Rome,  ever  given  to  the  fine 
arts,  adorned  the  interior  of  St.  Peter's  on  one  side  with  images  of 
Ohrist  and  the  apostles,  on  the  other  with  those  of  the  Virgin  and 
saints.  He  wrote  an  indignant  reply  to  the  emperor's  threat 
to  destroy  the  statue  of  St.  Peter  at  Rome,  and  seize  the  person  of 
tlie  Pontiff.  In  a  second  letter  the  Pope  told  him  he  liad  no  au- 
thority in  the  government  of  the  church,  showed  him  the  line  divid- 
ing the  church  from  tlie  state  and  the  priesthood  from  the  empire. 
Laying  his  hand  on  the  keys  adorning  St.  Peter's  tomb  Charles 
Martel,  emperor  of  the  French,  swore  to  protect  the  Holy  See  and 
to  allow  no  one  to  desecrate  the  tomb  of  the  great  apostle.  Greg- 
ory gave  him  a  title  of  Most  Christian  Prince,  a  title  ever  after- 
wards born  by  the  kings  of  France. 

At  this  time  the  Arabs  and  Moors,  with  their  Koran,  teaching 
that  all  comes  to  pass  by  fate,  taking  away  human  liberty,  degrading 
women,  blighting  industry,  stifling  advancement,  these  Mohamme- 
■dans  overran  Europe,  and  poured  in  countless  hosts  into  the  plains  of 
Poitiers.  There  Europe  and  Asia,  the  Koran  and  the  Gospel,  the 
followers  of  Mohammed  and  of  Christ  met,  and  whether  the  world 
was  to  be  Mohammedan  or  Christian  depended  on  the  result  of  the 
battle.  Charles,  king  of  the  Franks  smote  the  Sarasans,  drove 
them  back  to  their  arid  plains  and  Christendom  was  saved.  From 
that  he  was  called  Martel,  the  Hammer.  A  messenger  loaded 
with  gifts  carried  the  good  news  to  Gregory  III.  and  told  him  that 
his  victorious  son  Charles  would  never  allow  the  infidels  or  the  Greek 
emperors  to  insult  the  Father  of  the  christians.  The  emperors 
of  the  empire  of  the  East  now  saw  in  the  powerful  Charles,  a  pro- 
tector of  the  Papacy  they  had  so  long  persecuted. 

The  image  breakers  still  went  on  in  the  East.  The  Pope  called 
a  meeting  of  bishops  at  Rome,  and  formally  condemned  the  error, 
depriving  of  Communion  and  cutting  off  from  the  church  all 
followers  of  the  sect.  The  emperor  Leo  would  not  receive  the  letters 
of  the  Pope,  threw  his  legate  into  prison,  treated  another  embassy 
the  same  way,  raised  a  fleet  to  attack  Italy,  but  it  perished  in  a  storm 
at  sea,  and  his  army  was  defeated  at  Ravenna.  He  stillpersecuted 
the  church  with  great  vigor  both  in  Italy  and  in  the  East.  The 
Pope  now  wrote  Charles  Martel  asking  him  to  protect  the  Holy 
See.  Tiie  French  king  wrote  Luitprand  to  abstain  from  hostili- 
ties against  the  Pope.  But  in  741  died  Gregory  III.,  Charles  his 
defender,  and  Leo  his  persecutor. 

Now  mounts  the  steps  of  Peter's  throne  Zachary,  who  consulted 
no  power  on  earth  before  his  consecration,  for  the  persecutions  of 
the  former  rulers  had  freed  the  church,  from  State  interference. 
He  held  a  friendly  meeting  with  Liutprand,  the  Lombard  king, 
who  gave  back  to  him  many  unjustly  held  cities  of  Italy.     Zacli- 


BONIFACE  IN  GEKMANY.  257 

ary  restored  the  discipline  of  the  church  in  France,  disturbed  by 
the  invasion  of  the  Mohammedans.  He  ordered  a  council  in  Ger- 
many under  St.  Boniface,  which  forbade  clergymen  to  take  up 
arms;  he  allowed  armies  to  take  with  them  chaplains;  he  command- 
ed clergy  to  wear  the  long  gown  or  cassock;  he  forbade  noisy  hunt- 
ing by  the  clergy;  he  rooted  out  the  remains  of  pagan  worship  of 
Wodden,  Thor,  Friga  &c.,  after  whom  the  days  of  the  week  are 
named;  he  also  stopped  the  worship  of  ghosts,  incantations,  dreams, 
charms  &c.,  pagan  customs.  When  Zachary  received  the  decrees 
of  this  German  council  held  by  St.  Boniface,  he  was  pleased  with 
the  church  in  Germany,  and  wrote  a  letter  to  all  the  clergy.  St. 
Boniface  asked  this  Pope  many  questions  relating  to  faith,  morals 
and  discipline,  which  shows  that  the  Bishop  of  Rome  was  the 
only  tribunal  for  the  settling  of  such  matters.  Zachary  settled 
his  doubts,  told  him  to  excommunicate  a  Scotch  priest,  who  taught 
that  baptism  was  a  useless  formality,  as  well  as  another  clergyman,, 
who  taught  that  there  were  men  under  the  earth,  not  redeemed 
by  Christ. 

The  religious  zeal  of  Pepin  son  of  Charles  Martel  was  not  less 
than  that  of  his  father.  The  decrees  of  the  councils  he  called  at 
Soissqns  in  745  were  approved  the  year  following  by  Zachary.  The 
English  bishops  under  St.  Cuthbert  of  Canterbury  gathered  at 
Cliff,  and  decreed,  besides  other  things,  that  ''the  rules  of  the 
Eoman  Church,  which  we  have  in  writing  shall  be  followed  in  all 
the  liturgy.''  St  Egbert  archbishop  of  York,  and  brother  of  king 
Egbert,  composed  the  first  form  of  anointing  the  Saxon  kings, 
and  the  faith  fostered  by  the  Popes,  was  spreading  in  every  part 
of  the  British  Isles,  in  the  Spanish  peninsula  and  in  the  North  of 
Europe. 

But  the  East  was  still  troubled  by  bad  rulers.  The  patriarch 
Anastasius  from  the  very  pulpit  of  St.  Sophia,  the  historic  cathe- 
dral of  Constantinople,  swore  by  the  Cross  of  Christ  that  he  had 
heard  Copronmus  the  emperor  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and 
that  the  bad  emporor  said  he  desired  to  immortalize  his  name  by 
destroying  the  church  in  his  dominions. 

By  the  retirement  of  his  brother  to  the  monastery  of  Monte 
Casino,  Pepin  son  of  Charles  Martel,  by  the  advice  of  Zachary  and 
by  election  became  king  of  Franks,  and  was  consecrated  by  St.  Bon- 
iface at  Soissons.  The  Pope  liberated  numerous  slaves,  which  the 
Venicians  were  about  to  sell  to  the  African  infidels.  He  died  in  752, 
and  the  priest  Stephen,  whom  they  elected  lived  but  a  day  in  the 
Lateran  palace.  Stephen  III.  was  elected  in  his  place  by  the 
clergy  and  people  of  Rome  in  the  church  of  St.  Mary  Major.  He 
was  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  the  multitude  to  his  cathedral  and 
palace  of  St.  John  Lateran.  That  was  the  origin  of  the  ceremony 
of  carrying  the  Pope  on  his  pontifical  chair  by  twelve  of  the  noble 
guards,  a  splendor  and  pomp  never  seen  in  the  coronation  of  any 
temporal  ruler. 

Now  rose  a  new  danger  for  the  Papacy.    Astolphus,  king  of  the 


258  PEPIN  THE  DEFENDER  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Lombards,  desiring  to  rule  all  Italy,  with  his  army,  invaded  the 
Koman  territory,  signed  a  treaty  of  a  40  years  of  peace,  broke  it 
and  laid  siege  to  Rome.  The  Pope  sent  word  to  Constantinople, 
but  the  Greek  emperor  would  do  nothing.  Then  Stephen  III. 
sent  word  to  Pepin  for  help.  The  French  armies  had  recently 
driven  the  Mohammedans  from  the  south  of  France  and  Spain. 
Pepin  now  placed  tlie  armies  of  France  at  the  disposal  of  the  Pope, 
who,  pressed  by  the  Lombard  king,  fled  to  France  for  safety.  Pepin, 
victorious  on  every  battlefield,  met  the  Pope  and  prostrated  him- 
self with  his  family  and  all  his  court  before  him  the  Successor  of 
Peter.  When  the  Pope  rode,  Pepin  held  the  bridle  of  his  horse 
before  his  army.  Thus  in  triumph  all  entered  the  royal  palace  at 
Pontyon,  Jan.  6th,  754.  The  next  day,  in  sackcloth  and  ashes, 
Stephen  III.  prostrates  himself  before  king  Pepin  in  the  presence 
of  both  the  royal  and  the  pontifical  courts,  thus  he  humbly  asks 
him  to  rescue  the  Holy  See  and  the  Eoman  people  from  the  tyran- 
ny of  the  Lombards.  There  prostrated  he  remained  till  tlie  great 
Pepin  gives  him  his  hand,  and  the  nobles  swore  never  to  sheathe 
the  sv/ord,  till  the  Lombards  had  been  punished  for  their  unjust 
invasion  of  the  temporal  dominions  of  the  Popes. 

The  bishops  of  France  took  occasion  of  the  Pontiff's  residence 
among  them  to  settle  many  disputed  points  on  marriage,  baptism, 
and  the  discipline  relating  to  the  clergy.  He  solemnly  crowned 
Pepin  at  St.  Dennis  July  28,  754,  his  queen  and  his  two  sons,  one 
of  them  being  the  great  Charlemagne,  his  successor.  Pepin  with 
his  army  started  for  Italy  to  restore  Rome  to  the  Popes.  Astol- 
phus  king  of  the  Lombards  sent  Carloman,  Pepin's  brother  to  treat 
with  him.  He  was  then  a  humble  monk  at  Monte  Casino. 
But  Pepin  replied  that  he  had  sworn  to  defend  the  Papacy.  The 
Lombards  were  put  to  flight,  the  French  army  conquered  on  every 
field,  and  besieged  the  Lombard  king  in  Pavoa.  The  Pope  be- 
seeched  Pepin  to  spare  christian  blood,  a  treaty  was  drawn  up,  and 
Stephen  III.  the  deliverer  of  Italy  returned  to  the  City  of  the  Popes. 
Escorted  by  Jerome  brother  of  Pepin  and  the  Roman  court,  he  was 
met  on  the  field  of  Nero  by  the  Roman  clergy  and  people  with  the 
cry:  "  Our  Father  has  come  back  to  us." 

But  Astholphus  soon  forgot  his  agreement  and  laid  siege  to 
Rome.  The  Pope  again  called  on  Pepin.  His  army  crossed  the 
Alps,  defeated  the  Lombards,  who  cede  all  the  territory  belonging 
to  the  church,  which  by  solemn  deed  was  given  by  Pepin,  to  the 
Holy  See.  The  keys  of  22  cities  of  Italy,  with  the  deed,  signed 
by  Pepin,  were  laid  on  the  confessional  of  St.  Peter.  Snch  was 
the  beginning  of  the  temporal  dominions  of  the  Popes  which  play- 
ed such  an  important  role  in  the  fnture  histories  of  tlie  Bisliops 
of  Rome. 

When  Stephen  III.  died  in  757,  Paul  was  elected  heir  not  only 
of  the  Papacy,  but  of  the  temporal  rule  for  which  centuries  the 
events  in  Italy  had  been  preparing.  For  the  people  of  Rome  and 
of  the  surrounding  country  had  for  generations  looked  on  the 


DO  CATHOLICS  WORSHIP  IMAGES?  259 

Soveriegn  Pontiffs  as  their  natural  protectors,  even  since  Constan- 
tine  moved  the  seat  of  the  empire  to  Constantinople.  Many  of 
the  first  bishops  of  France  had  come  from  the  East,  and  they  tol- 
erated different  rites  up  to  the  time  of  Pepin.  To  the  latter  Paul 
sent  tlie  liturgical  books  of  tlie  Koman  diocese,  and  the  christian 
king  ordered  that  the  customs  of  the  Holy  See  should  be  intro- 
duced into  his  vast  kingdom .  Paul  now  wrote  to  the  emperor  Con- 
stantine  to  forsake  the  errors  regarding  images,  then  spreading  over 
the  East,  But  the  Greek  emperor  would  not  listen  to  the  voice 
of  the  Father  of  the  faithful.  Then  rose  that  other  error,  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  proceeds  from  the  Father  alone,  and  not  from  both 
Father  and  Son  together.  That  heresy  afflicts  the  Greek  church 
even  to  this  day.  In  767,  Paul  as  well  as  Pepin  his  protector  pass- 
ed from  earth,  followed  in  708  by  his  protector  Pepin,  the  founder 
of  the  carlovingians  kings  of  France. 

Stephen  IV.  rose  to  the  Roman  purple,  while  Charles  the  Great 
ascended  the  civil  throne  of  his  father  Pepin.  A  layman  had  been 
irregularly  elected,  and  he  disputed  the  Chair  of  Peter.  Stephen 
IV.  sent  to  the  French  king  for  bishops  to  attend  the  council  he 
had  called  at  Rome  to  settle  the  disputes.  The  council  declared 
the  election  of  Stephen  regular,  and  to  prevent  disputes  of  that 
kind  in  future,  it  was  decreed  that  only  clergymen  would  be  can- 
dijdates  for  the  Papacy,  that  under  pain  of  excommunication  the 
laity  were  excluded  from  taking  part  in  the  election  of  any  of  the 
Popes.  Thus  disputes  tend  to  regulate  the  discipline  of  the  church. 
The  council  also  condemned  the  iconoclast  error  relating  to  the 
use  of  pictures  and  images  in  the  churches.  Even  to  this  day 
catholics  are  accused  of  adoring  images,  as  they  were  at  that  time. 
The  Lombard  king,  wishing  to  take  the  temporal  power  from  the 
Pope,  proposed  the  marriage  of  his  daughter  to  one  of  the  sons  of 
Pepin,  and  of  their  sister  to  his  son  although  they  Avere  already 
married.  The  Pope  at  once  proclaimed  that  legitimate  marriage 
could  not  be  dissolved,  and  that  the  church  never  allowed  such 
divorces.  Laying  his  letter  on  the  tomb  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul, 
he  said  Mass  and  laid  it  in  the  Confession,  then  he  sent  them  to 
the  French  kings,  threatening  with  excommunication  any  one  who 
would  oppose  the  decrees. 

Stephen  died  in  772,  and  Adrian  I.  came  to  the  Chair,  while 
Charlemagne  took  the  sceptre  of  his  brother  Carloman,  carried  off  by 
death  in  the  beginning  of  his  reign.  Charlemagne  was  a  great 
christian  king,  the  friend  of  religion,  the  protector  of  the  Holy 
See.  The  Lombard  king  now  invades  the  States  of  the  Church, 
the  Pope  calls  on  Charlemagne,  and  the  latter  marches  to  Italy  to 
restore  "the  domain  of  St.  Peter  to  the  Sovereign  Pontiffs,"  and 
he  wipes  out  the  Lombard  kingdom,  which  has  existed  for  200 
years,  ever  threatening  the  independence  of  the  Holy  See.  Charle- 
magne now  confirmed  the  gifts  of  the  temporal  dominions  given  by 
his  father  to  the  Sovereign  Pontiffs.  One  copy  of  the  deed  was 
left  on  Peter's  tomb,  the  other  was  carried  to  France,  and  placed 


260  ORIGIN  OF  THE  "FILIOQUE"  DISPUTE. 

in  the  royal  arcliives.  The  Greek  emperors,  successors  of  the  great 
Coiistantiiie,  far  from  being  like  him,  the  protectors  of  the  Pope, 
became  their  persecutors.  But  in  their  place  rose  another  power- 
ful emperor  monarch  of  the  West,  Charlemagne.  Adrian  became 
the  mediator  of  a  dispute  between  Charlemagne  and  the  duke  of 
Bavaria.  That  was  the  first  time  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  acted  a 
supreme  judge  between  nations  and  rulers,  a  court  of  arbitration 
they  fulfilled  so  often  in  the  following  ages,  thus  acting  as  Vicar 
of  the  Prince  of  Peace  and  preventing  so  often  the  horrors  of  war. 

Europe  now  presented  the  magnificent  spectacle  of  a  religious 
union  under  the  Pope  as  ruler  of  the  church,  and  under  Charle- 
magne as  ruler  of  the  state.  But  a  heresy  arose  in  the  church  of 
Spain.  Some  words  of  the  Mozarbic  liturgy,  then  used  in  that 
country,  gave  rise  to  the  error  that  Christ  is  only  the  Son  of  God 
by  adoption,  supposing  that  there  were  two  Persons  in  Christ. 
Adrian  I.,  often  consul  ted  by  the  Spanish  bishops,  wrote  to  all  the 
bishops  of  Spain  explaining  to  them  the  real  doctrine  of  the  two 
natures  in  Christ  with  only  one  Person,  that  of  the  divine  Word, 
proceeding  from  the  Father,  and  which  had  been  approved  by 
many  councils  held  to  define  the  catholic  doctrine. 

Irene,  empress  and  regent  ot  the  Greek  empire,  wishing  to  re- 
pair the  evils  caused  by  three  centuries  of  the  persecution  of  the 
church  in  the  East,  wrote  Adrian  asking  him  to  call  a  universal 
council  to  put  a  final  end  to  the  errors  and  the  excesses  of  the 
image  breakers.  In  his  reply,  Adrian  reproves  her  for  calling 
Tarasius  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople  a  Ecumenical  or  universal 
bishop,  telling  her  that  the  presidency  or  government  of  all  the 
churches  was  given  to  Peter  by  Christ  and  in  him  to  the  Roman 
Pontiffs.  The  Pope  then  called  the  VII.  general  council,  which 
met  in  787  at  Nice  under  the  chairmanship  of  Adrian's  legates. 
There  the  matters  relating  to  pictures  and  to  images  were  settled. 
The  council  defined  that  they  siiould  not  be  worshipped  witii  divine 
worship,  which  belongs  to  God  alone,  but  that  they  should  be 
honored  because  of  our  Lord,  his  Mother  and  the  saints  they  rep- 
resent. The  decrees  of  this  council,  signed  by  all  the  377  bishops 
present,  by  Irene,  by  her  son  Constantino  VI.  were  then  sent  to 
Pope  Adrian,  who  had  them  translated  from  Greek  into  Latin, 
and  sent  a  copy  of  them  to  Charlemagne,  with  the  joyful  news 
that  the  troubles  of  the  Eastern  churcii  had  found  an  end.  '  But 
unfortunately  the  translator  used  the  word  adore  in  the  sense  of 
the  worship  due  to  God  alone,  in  place  of  the  Greek  word  meaning 
to  honor  J  to  bow,  to  prostrate  before.  The  bishops  of  Germany  and 
France  supposed  the  Greeks  at  Nice  had  decreed  to  adore  images 
as  we  would  adore  God.  Thus  the  world  has  ever  been  afflicted 
by  misunderstandings.  The  bishops  of  the  West  condemned  the 
bishops  of  the  East,  and  the  church  was  on  the  point  of  being 
divided  into  two  hostile  parties  when  Adrian  wrote  to  the  French 
explaining  the  meaning  of  the  council  of  Nice.  After  23  years 
of  a  glorious  pontificate  Adrian  died  in  795. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  TEMPORAL    POWER,  261 

A  new  epoch  now  opened  in  the  world's  history.  The  Empire  of 
the  East,  forgetting  the  dangers  of  the  Mohammedans  threaten- 
ing them  from  the  South,  spent  their  time  interfering  with  the 
spiritual  authority  of  the  church,  fritted  away  their  time  disputing 
about  the  dogmas  of  religion,  while  the  followers  of  the  false  prophet 
had  gathered  almost  at  the  walls  of  Constantinople.  But  a  new 
protector  of  the  Holy  See  arose  in  the  persons  of  the  sons  of 
Charlemagne.  Martel,  united  Europeinto  the  new  AVest,  which 
became  the  seat  of  religion  and  of  civilization  driven  from 
the  East  by  the  curse  of  Mohammedanism.  The  See  of  Peter, 
strengthened  by  the  temporal  power  given  it  by  Pepm  and 
Charlemagne,  now  rose  above  the  floods  of  the  errors  of  the  East, 
the  barbarism  of  the  West,  the  continual  wars  and  carnage  on  all 
sides,  she  towered  aloft  as  the  beacon  of  light,  of  truth  and  of 
peace  to  the  young  nations  rising  from  the  ruins  of  paganism  and 
from  the  ruined  Roman  empire. 

In  795  Leo  HI.  was  crowned  on  the  steps  of  the  Vatican  basilica. 
As  a  temporal  king,  as  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  as  Bishop  of  the  uni- 
versal church  he  wore  the  triple  crown.  When  Charlemagne  re- 
ceived the  Pope's  letter  announcing  his  election,  he  sent  to 
Rome  with  his  reply  the  vast  treasures  stolen  from  the  churches 
and  hoarded  by  the  Huns,  since  Attila  plundered  Italy.  To  his 
father  Pepin  and  to  himself  the  Popes  had  given  the  title  of 
Roman  Patrician,  a  figure  of  the  Popes  in  later  times  giving  the 
titles  of  honor  to  eminent  christian  laymen  of  each  christian  nation. 
Olla,  king  of  the  Mercians,  increased  the  tax  levied  by  Ina  for  the 
support  of  an  English  college  at  Rome,  built  for  the  training  of 
the  English  clergy.  His  successor  Kenilf  asked  the  new  Pope  to 
unite  the  bishopric  of  Litchfield  to  Canterbury,  which  was  granted, 
Alphonso  of  Spain  asked  the  Pope's  prayers  for  the  success  of  his 
army  against  the  Moors,  then  overrunning  his  country.  The  East, 
delivered  from  heresy,  offered  its  congratulations  by  the  empress 
Irene,  But  a  new  persecution  rose  against  Leo,  led  by  two  bad 
clergymen,  who  drove  him  from  the  city,  and  he  was  obliged  to 
take  up  his  residence  in  France,  where  he  was  received  by 
Charlemagne  with  the  highest  honors.  When  he  came,  the  em- 
peror, the  bishops,  the  clergy  and  the  whole  army  prostrated 
themselves  three  times  before  the  feet  of  the  exiled  Pontiff, 
thanksgiving  sevices  were  held,  and  soon  Leo  retui'ned  again  in 
triumph  to  Rome  his  capital.  The  Pope  had  thought  it  well  to 
answer  the  foul  slanders  brought  against  him  by  his  enemies, 
but  the  bishops  assembled  in  a  council  cried  out  with  one  voice: 
"It  belongs  us  not  to  judge  the  Apostolic  See,  the  head  of  all  the 
churches.  That  See  and  its  Pastors  are  our  judges  rather.  " 
Nearly  all  the  bishops  of  the  world,  Charlemagne  and  his  army, 
with  multitudes  from  all  nations  were  present. 

At  that  time  Charlemagne  ruled  that  part  of  Europe  conquered 
by  the  Romans,  which  thus  embraced  the  West  of  Europe,  On 
that  Christmas  night  in  800,  in  the  great  church  of   St.  Peter's, 


262  HOW  CHALEMAGNE  FOSTERED  RELIGION. 

Leo  crowned  Charlemagne  emperor  of  the  West.  Great  heroes 
of  the  past  were  wise  enough  to  learn  from  scholars.  Thus 
Alexander  the  great  was  taught  by  Aristotle.  Constantiue  the  Great 
was  the  humble  pupil  of  Pope  Sylvester,  while  Charlemagne 
profited  by  the  learning  of  an  Englishman,  Alcuin  who  lived 
at  the  court.  This  priest  monk  directed  the  great  ruler  in  his 
restoration  of  literature,  arts,  and  sciences,  ruined  by  the  fall  of 
the  Eoman  empire.  The  Bible  was  corrected,  the  valuable  works 
of  the  Greek  and  Roman  poets  and  writers  w-ere  rescued  from 
destruction.  The  Roman  alphabet  took  the  place  of  the  confused 
letters  of  diverse  peoples,  and  under  this  learned  English  priest, 
the  foundations  of  modern  literature  were  laid.  In  Charlemagne's 
time  were  established  the  historic  schools,  which  later  became  the 
great  universities.  Alcuin  himself  presided  over  the  palace  school 
at  court,  where  he  taught  Charlemagne  himself,  his  sons  and  the 
nobles  of  the  empire.  Broken  down  by  labors  and  old  age,  Alcuin 
returned  to  the  monastery  of  St.  Martin  of  Tours,  given  him  by 
Charlemagne,  which  he  enriched  by  copies  of  the  valuable  manu- 
scripts at  York,  where  he  the  learned  disciple  of  Yen.  Bede,  died 
in  804.  Under  the  impulse  of  the  Pope,  Rome  sent  to  the  em- 
peror of  the  West  the  greatest  scholars,  the  best  books  and  all 
the  sciences  and  the  learning  of  that  time.  Thus  from  Rome  its 
source,  as  Charlemagne  said,  came  the  civilization  of  Europe. 
With  such  scholars,  under  the  bishops,  the  emperor  drew  up  his 
celebrated  Capitularies,  the  foundations  of  the  laws  of  modern 
Europe,  which  he  founded  on  the  Roman  and  Canon  laws. 

Both  in  the  East  and  in  the  West,  rulers  had  for  some  time 
claimed  the  rightof  electing  the  bishops  and  the  pastors  of  the  va- 
cant churches.  Charlemagne  restored  the  election  of  bishops  to 
the  clergy  .ind  the  laity  of  tlie  dioceses,  according  to  the  customs  of 
the  early  church.  lie  consulted  Leo  IIL  regarding  ordinations 
and  church  administrations  made  by  chorebishops,  who  had  re- 
ceived only  the  simple  order  of  the  priesthood.  The  Pope  replied 
that  the  holy  orders  conferred  by  simple  priests  were  invalid.  He 
referred  all  important  cases  to  the  Holy  See,  and  the  decisions 
of  the  latter  became  the  laws  of  his  vast  empire.  Tiie  bishops  of 
Spain  in  the  IIL  council  of  Toledo  had  added  the  word  "Fili- 
oque"  to  the  Creed  of  Constantinople,  showing  that  procession  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  from  the  Son  as  well  as  from  the  father,  and  the 
phrase  had  been  some  time  before  introduced  into  the  churches  of 
France,  and  the  Greeks  of  the  East  found  fault  with  it.  The  em- 
peror called  a  council  at  Aix-la-Chapelle,  where  he  lived,  and  the 
council  sent  envoys  to  Leo  asking  a  formal  decision  from  Peter 
on  the  question,  which  then  began  to  divide  the  East  and  the  West. 
The  Pope  said  that  the  Spirit  came  from  both  Father  and  Son,  but 
he  prudently  advised  the  churches  of  the  West  to  omit  singing  the 
Creed  at  Mass  which  was  then  the  custom  at  Rome.  But  Leo  had 
the  Creed  engraved  on  silver  escutcheons,  each  weighing  100  lbs. 
one  in  Latin,  the  other  in  Greek,  and  he  placed  one  on  each  side  of 


SEEDS  OF  THE  GREEK  SCHISM.  263 

the  Confessional  of  St.  Peter.  After  a  reign  of  47  years,  fortified 
by  the  sacraments  of  the  church  from  the  hands  of  the  archbishop 
of  Cologne  Charlemagne  died  in  814. 

The  seeds  of  division  were  fast  maturing  which  at  last  divided 
the  East  from  the  Papacy.  The  emperor  Nicephorus  led  an 
adulterous  life.  When  two  priests  reproved  him  he  drove  them  into 
exile,  and- they  appealed  to  Leo.  With  the  most  touching  words 
the  latter  made  all  efforts  to  release  them.  Then  his  son  contracted 
an  adulterous  union.  When  the  Pope  would  not  give  his  consent 
to  this  scandalous  union,  the  emperor  joined  the  Manichians,  this 
being  the  first  indication  of  the  woeful  heresy,  which  later  plunged 
the  whole  East  into  the  Greek  schism.  To  Leo  IH.  Sts.  Plato  and 
Theodore  wrote  from  their  exile,  forced  on  them  by  the  wicked 
emperor:  "  Save  us  supreme  pastor  of  the  church  Save  us  we  per- 
ish  Holy  Father  denounce  this  new  heresy,"  &c.  '  Then  the  bad 

emperor  Michael  I.  ascended  the  throne.  But  when  Leo  the  Ar- 
menian raised  a  civil  revolution  against  him,  disregarding  the  re- 
quests of  the  nobles,  the  senate  and  the  people  of  Constantinople, 
he  resigned  the  throne,  and  sent  the  imperial  insignia  to  Pope  Leo 
III.,  as  signs  of  the  latter's  spiritual  supremacy.  Pope  Leo  died  -a 
year  after  the  death  of  Charlemagne. 

Stephen  V.  came  to  the  throne  of  Peter  in  816,  when  Louis  sat 
on  the  throne  of  Charlemagne,  and  Leo  V.  was  emperor  of  the  East. 
Pope  Stephen  went  to  Kheims  to  crown  the  new  manarch.  The 
bishops  and  clergy  of  the  empire  with  the  emperor  Avent  forth  to 
meet  the  Pope  one  mile  from  the  monastery  of  St.  Remigius,  where 
the  emperor  Louis  dismounted  from  his  horse,  helped  the  Pope  to 
dismount,  and  with  his  whole  court,  he  prostrated  himself  at  the  feet 
of  the  Pontitf .  Then  they  embraced.  On  the  following  Sunday  the 
Pope  placed  on  his  head  a  costly  royal  diadem,  which  he  had  brought 
from  Rome.  He  likewise  crowned  the  empress,  to  whom  he  gave  the 
name  of  Augusta.  Under  the  advice  and  directions  of  the  Pope, 
many  measures  for  the  reform  of  discipline  were  enacted  by  the 
councils  held  in  the  empire  of  Louis  the  Mild.  The  latter  sent 
the  regulations  of  the  councils  to  all  the  archbishops  of  the  em- 
pire, ordering  that  they  be  sent  to  the  bishops  and  the  churches, 
stating  that  they  should  be  put  in  practice  within  one  year.  The 
same  year  at  Celchyt,  England,  met  a  council,  which  ordered  that 
the  ceremonies  of  the  Roman  Ritual  should  be  carried  out  in  ad- 
ministering the  sacraments,  and  that  baptism  by  pouring  the  water 
should  be  used  in  cold  countries.  Stephen  died  after  a  pontificate 
of  only  5  months.  He  was  succeeded  by  St.  Paschal  I.,  a  priest  of 
the  Roman  church.  He  officially  informed  Louis  the  Mild  of 
his  election,  and  the  latter  sent  him  letters  confirming  to  him  the 
States  of  the  church,  given  him  by  his  forefathers  as  emperors  of 
the  West,  Louis  the  Mild  restored  to  the  clergy  and  people  of  each 
diocese  the  right  of  electing  their  bishops  according  to  the  decrees 
«f  the  ancient  canons  of  the  church. 
»  Darras  Hist.  Vol.  II.  p.  433 


264  THE  MOHAMMEDANS  THREATEN  EUROPE. 

While  these  things  were  going  on  in  Europe,  the  church  in  the 
East  was  persecuted  by  the  bad  emperor  Leo  the  Armenian.  He 
sent  his  soldiers  to  destroy  all  the  images,  paintings  and  works  of 
art  in  the  churches.  He  banished  every  catholic  bishop  and  abbot 
from  the  empire.  Theodore  the  Studite,  from  his  exile  wrote  to 
all  the  bishops  of  the  church,  asking  their  aid  against  the  emperor. 
To  Pascal  he  wrote:  ""You  who  are  clothed  with  Divine  power,  in- 
trusted with  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  Heaven,  appointed  by 
God  over  the  whole  flock  of  Christ,  the  rock  upon  which  was  found- 
ed the  Catholic  Church,  for  you  are  Peter  since  you  fill  iiis  chair, 
0  come  to  the  assistance  of  his  children,  never  more  cruelly  ex- 
posed to  the  rage  of  the  ravenous  wolves  of  heresy,"  &c.  This  let- 
ter, signed  by  the  abbots  of  nearly  all  the  monasteries  of  Constan- 
tinople, was  answered  by  the  Pontiff,  who  sent  his  legates  to  Con- 
stantinople. That  action  of  the  Pope  inspired  the  faithful  to  re- 
newed fervor.  Leo  fell  under  the  swords  of  conspirators.  Michael 
reigned  in  his  place  and  recalled  the  exiled  bishops.  Pope  Leo 
died  in  824. 

Eugenius  II.  began  his  reign  in  824.  The  first  year  of  his  reign 
was  disturbed  by  a  schism  of  an  anti-pope  called  Zizimus.  Michael 
emperor  of  Constantinople  tried  to  restore  the  Jewish  law,  denied 
Jesus  Christ  as  the  Messiah,  placed  Judas  among  the  saints,  con- 
demned Sunday  worships,  renewed  the  heresy  of  the  imagebreakers,^ 
destroyed  all  books  he  could  find  on  catholic  teachings,  and  con- 
tinually persecuted  the  church.  Eugenius  died  in  827  and  his 
successor  Valintin  lived  only  40  days  after  his  consecration  and  the 
Apostolic  chair  was  filled  by  Gregory  IV. 

The  Mohammedans,  victorious  in  Asia  Minor  and  in  Spain,  threat- 
ened Europe,  captured  the  islands  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  threat- 
ened Constantinople.  Gregory  opposed  them  Avith  all  the  power 
of  the  church.  The  sons  of  Louis  the  Mild  rebelled  against  their 
father,  and  Gregory  came  to  their  camp  to  make  peace  between 
the  armies.  But  the  father's  warriors  fled  to  the  camps  of  his  sons, 
and  the  Pope  returned  to  Rome.  The  king  did  public  penance 
before  a  council.  But  unforeseen  events  restored  him  again  to  the 
French  throne.  Bishop  Ebbe  resigned  according  to  the  desire  of 
Gregory  IV.  The  latter  ordered  the  feast  of  All  Saints  celebrated 
in  France.  In  a  council  at  Aix-la-Chapelle,  the  bishops  were  re- 
strained from  intermeddling  in  temporal  affairs,  and  the  clnirch 
property  taken  by  Pepin,  king  of  Aquitaine  was  restored.  After  the 
death  of  Louis  the  Mild,  his  sons  fought  each  other,  and  Gregory 
tried  to  make  peace  between  them.  But  they  would  not  listen, 
and  the  empire  of  Charlemagne  disappeared  in  cruel  wars,  in 
blood  on  the  battle  field  of  Fontenay,  in  spite  of  every  effort  of  the 
Holy  See  to  prevent  bloodshed. 

In  the  East  the  empire  of  the  Greeks,  ruled  by  Theophilus  was 
rapidly  falling  before  the  inroads  of  the  Mohammedans.  He  was  the 
last  of  the  church  persecuting  emperors  of  Constantinople.  Ha 
filled  the  prisons  of  the  empire  with  bishops,  priests,  christians^ 


THE  LAST  CHRISTIAN  EMPEROR  OF  THE  EAST.  265 

painters,  sculptors  and  artists,  who  dared  to  make  an  image  of 
Christ  or  of  his  saints.  Christian  blood  deluged  the  land.  The 
<3lergyraan  who  preached  catholic  doctrine,  the  artist  who  sketched 
a  religious  picture,  or  carved  an  image  of  our  Lord  was  burned  at 
the  stake.  He  forced  on  the  episcopal  throne  of  Constantinople 
a  bad  man,  John  Lecanomantis,  so  called  from  his  habit  of  giving 
oracles  from  God  by  a  metal  dish.  Alone  the  empress  Theodora' 
remained  faithful  to  the  church  of  her  fathers.  She  was  no  less 
celebrated  for  her  beauty,  than  for  her  piety.  When  her  bad  hus- 
band died,  and  she  became  the  regent  for  her  son  Michael  III.,  she 
banished  the  bad  bishop  John  from  Constantinople,  called  a  coun- 
cil of  bishops  in  the  church  of  St.  Sophia,  where  the  errors  regard- 
ing the  images  were  again  condemned,  the  bad  patriarch  deposed 
from  his  see,  and  MethodiuSj  who  had  defended  the  faith,  elected 
in  his  place. 

These  things  filled  the  heart  of  Gregory  with  gladness.  But  the 
Northmen  began  their  depredations  along  the  coasts  of  France, 
England  and  Ireland,  while  the  Mohammedans  overran  the  south  of 
Europe,  threatened  Rome  and  sacked  St.  Peter's  not  yet  enclosed 
by  the  walls  of  the  city.  To  save  the  eternal  city  Gregory  began 
to  fortify  it,  but  death  carried  him  off  in  844. 

When  Sergius  II,  came  to  the  Chair,  a  deacon  named  John 
gathered  a  faction  to  oppose  him  and  gain  the  triple  crown.  But 
the  people  of  Rome  rose  to  the  defense  of  their  Pontiff.  Avho  was 
crowned,  before  the  embassadors  of  the  emperor  of  the  West  could 
come  to  take  part  in  the  ceremonies.  The  new  Pope  met  the 
emperor's  son  and  suite  at  the  closed  doors  of  St.  Peter's,  saying 
that  if  they  came  for  the  good  of  the  church,  the  doors  would  be 
opened  for  him,  if  not  they  would  remain  closed.  The  king  pro- 
tested that  his  coming  was  peaceable,  and  together  Pope  and  king 
entered  and  prostrated  themselves  at  the  tomb  of  St.  Peter.  The 
Pope  crowned  the  king  and  girded  him  with  the  royal  sword. 
Under  the  impulse  of  this  Pontiff  many  councils  to  reform  abuses 
were  held  in  France. 

The  good  bishops  St.  Methodius  and  Ignatius  successively  sat 
on  the  throne  of  Constantinople,  and  with  the  help  of  the  pious  em- 
press Theodora,  they  kept  the  people  in  union  with  Kome.  They 
sent  Sts.  Cyril  and  Methodius  to  convert  the  people  of  the  Crimea, 
of  the  Slaves,  and  the  Moravians.  The  great  writers  Hinc- 
mar  and  Rabanus  were  bishops  in  the  West,  and  by  their  learning 
they  revived  learning  in  these  parts  of  the  church.  Again  the 
Mohammedans  sacked  Rome  and  all  the  surrounding  country  in 
spite  of  the  able  defence  made  by  Sergius. 

Sergius  II.  was  scarcely  in  his  grave  in  847,  when  the  unan- 
imous voice  of  the  clergy  and  people  of  Rome  raised  a  priest  to 
the  tiara  who  took  the  name  of  Leo  IV.  The  Mohammedans  then 
threatened  Rome,  but  a  tempest  dispersed  them  and  the  waves 
washed  back  to  shore  some  of  the  spoils  of  St.  Peter's  which  were 
again  returned  to  the  church.     Leo  IV.  resolved  to  enclose  the 


266 


THE  LEONINE  CITY. 


Vatican  with  a  wall  and  unite  it  to  the  eternal  city;  hence  that 
part  with  the  Vatican  is  called  the  Leonine  City.  The  Moham- 
medans landed  at  Ostia,  attacked  Rome  but  they  were  repulsed  by 
Leo  IV. ,  and  never  again  did  the  crescent  of  the  Turk  appear  be- 
fore the  eternal  city. 

Thus  far  we  have  given  but  a  rapid  sketch  of  the  chief  acts  of 
the  Bishops  of  Rome  for  the  first  nine  centuries  of  their  glorious 
reigns,  showing  what  they  did  for  the  peace  and  prosperity  of 
the  human  race.  No  line  of  kings  or  human  rulers  can  be  in  any 
way  compared  to  them,  they  have  been  the  fountain  head  and  the 
source  of  all  progress  upon  this  earth.  Through  them  God  speaks 
to  the  world. 

But  we  must  now  speak  of  the  Roman  clergy,  these  noble  men 
of  the  diocese  of  Rome,  who  ever  guard  the  traditions  of  Peter  their 
first  bishop.  For  that  reason  we  tell  in  the  next  chapter  of  the 
College  of  Cardinals  the  chief  clergy  of  the  Roman  diocese. 


BRINGING  FOOD  TO  THE  CARDINAI-S  IN  CONCLAVE. 


tHE  Holy  Persons  looking  down  upon  the  earth  saw  no  living 
plant  or  animal  with  reason  and  free  will  like  unto  them- 
selves. Then  they  said:  '^' Let  us  make  man  to  our  own 
image  and  likeness."  *  Then  "male  and  female  he  created 
them.  ''*  First  he  created  Adam,  that  means  in  the  Babylonian 
language  first  spoken  by  man  "red  earth,"  to  show  him  that  he 
came  from  the  earth  by  the  mighty  hand  of  God.  Then  from 
his  rib,  the  nearest  bone  to  his  heart,  he  created  Eve.      That  was 

»  Gen.  1.  2  Ibidem,  i. 

267 


TllK  CAIJDINAL   lUHiil'  i  <]    o- |  |  .\   (  KoWMNd   IIIK   VnVK. 

THE  TRIPLE  CKOWN  SIGNIFIES  HIS  POWER  AS  UNIVERSAL  BISHOP. 

BISHOP  OF  ROME  AND  TEMPORAL  RULER. 


THE   SPIRITUAL  SPOUSE  OF  PETER.  269 

the  first  marriage,  to  show  that  man  and  wife  are  one  bone  and 
flesh,  that  she  is  the  nearest  to  the  husband's  heart,  and  that 
she  was  to  be  the  same  in  human  nature  with  him,  partaking  in 
his  authority  and  government  over  their  children.  All  was  a  fig- 
ure and  a  preparation  for  that  other  and  more  Avonderful  wedlock 
of  Christ  with  his  church,  born  from  his  side  the  day  of  his  cruci- 
fixion, a  mysterious  union  still  continued  in  the  diocese  of  Eome, 
and  in  every  diocese  throughout  the  world.  Let  us  first  consider 
the  diocese  of  Rome  before  we  descend  to  the  other  dioceses. 

Bearing  all  the  power  Christ  gave  him,  Peter  came  to  Rome  and 
chose  that  church  as  his  spiritual  spouse,  of  which  he  became  the 
first  titular  bishop.  By  that  holy  union  the  Roman  church  re- 
ceived from  him  a  part  of  his  power,  and  a  partnership  in  his 
government  over  all  the  other  churches  scattered  throughout  the 
whole  world.  To  Peter  our  Blessed  Lord  gave  the  power  of  feed- 
ing his  sheep  and  lambs,  an  authority  which  opens  and  closes  the 
gates  of  heaven  to  mankind,  the  authority  of  a  father  over  the 
children  of  God.  But  the  wife  has  the  very  same  power  as  her 
husband  in  the  household,  for  she  too  generates  the  children  of 
her  husband.  From  the  moment  Peter  chose  Rome  as  his  church, 
the  Roman  church  became  his  spouse,  with  authority  over  all  his 
lambs  and  sheep,  the  other  churches  and  dioceses  of  the  universal 
church,  of  which  Peter  was  the  first  shepherd. 

The  Bishop  of  Rome  is  the  heir  of  Peter,  the  inheritoi*  of  all  the 
spiritual  power  and  authority  the  latter  received  from  Christ.  At 
his  election  God  in  heaven  gives  him  direct  all  the  authority, 
which  at  first  he  gave  to  Peter.  But  the  wife  is  the  helpmate  of 
her  husband  in  the  generation  of  others  like  themselves.  So  the 
Roman  church  aids  the  Pope  in  the  government  of  all  the  other 
dioceses,  their  spiritual  children,  whom  they  bring  forth  images  of 
themselves. 

The  honors,  the  perfections,  the  wealth  of  husband  and  wife 
belong  to  both.  The  church  universal  is  great  because  of  her 
head  Jesus  Christ.  The  holiness  and  the  learning  of  St.  Augus- 
tine still  sheds  a  halo  over  the  little  diocese  of  Hippo,  which  'he 
ruled  for  so  many  years,  the  greatness  of  Sts.  Ambrose  and  of 
Charles  Borromeo  still  linger  around  Milan,  the  fortitude  of  St. 
Thomas  A  Becket  adds  glory  to  the  diocese  of  Canterbury,  and 
the  transcendent  works  of  the  Gregories,  of  the  Benedicts,  of  the 
Leos  still  illumine  the  world  from  the  Chair  of  Peter  on  which 
they  sat.  Following  these  simple  rules  the  power  of  the  Bishop 
of  Rome  flows  down  on  the  Roman  clergy.  Therefore  because  of 
greatness  their  Bishop,  the  clergy  of  Rome  are  over  all  the  other 
clergy  and  churches  of  the  world. 

When  Peter  oame  to  Rome,  he  brought  with  him  the  whole  ma- 
chinery of  the  church,  knowing  that  first  God  chose  the  Jews  as 
the  repository  of  his  revelation  to  man.  But  when  Peter  had  un- 
derstood that  God  had  rejected  the  Jewish  nation  because  of  their 
sins,  filled   with  the    Holy  Spirit,  Peter  chose  Rome  the  mistress 


270  THE  ANCIENT  PRESBYTERY  OF  ROME. 

of  the  Gentile  world  the  city  of  destiny  which  had  conquered  the 
world  long  before  the  daj's  of  Christ.  To  the  clergy  and  people 
of  Rome  Peter  preached  for  35  years,  and  Roman  clergy  became 
the  depository  of  his  teachings,  which  they  have  kept  unspotted 
even  to  our  day.  No  error  or  heresy  ever  rose  among  the  Romans, 
for  the  heresies  which  disturbed  the  world   came  from   strangers. 

While  Rome  was  the  city  of  power  at  the  time  of  the  apostles, 
Athens  was  the  city  of  learning  and  of  culture.  Rome  was  the 
Latin  and  Athens  the  Greek  centre  of  learning  and  of  literature. 
When  in  the  VI.  century  the  barbarians  swept  down  from  north- 
eastern Euroj^e  and  from  Asia,  they  wiped  out  the  language  and 
literature  of  Rome,  and  Latin  became  a  dead  language,  from 
which  sprung  the  modern  tongues  of  southern  Europe.  But  they 
never  penetrated  as  far  as  Greece,  whence  Greek  is  still  spoken 
and  written  as  in  the  days  of  Aristotle. 

The  Eternal  Father  in  heaven  does  nothing  without  the  councils 
of  his  Son,  and  this  rule  of  acting  was  from  the  beginning  con- 
ferred on  the  Roman  church.  Before  acting  the  Popes  first  con- 
sulted tlieir  councilors  the  clergy  of  Rome.  We  find  then  that 
the  clergy  of  Rome  from  the  very  beginning  had  three  functions, 
to  advise  their  Bishop,  to  aid  him  in  the  government  of  the  uni- 
versal church,  when  he  died  they  administered  the  whole  church 
during  the  vacancy,  and  they  elected  his  successor.  Such  are  the 
tliree  chief  duties  of  the  venerable  College  of  Cardinals  the  most 
august  and  venerable  legislative  and  consultive  body  of  men  which 
ever  existed. 

The  word  cardinal  comes  from  the  Latin  "cardo,"a  hinge  or 
pivot  around  which  anything  turns  or  circles.  It  means  the 
chief,  the  highest,  the  principal,  the  one  to  whom  others  adhere. 
The  word  was  first  used  by  Pope  Anacletus  in  the  year  84,  when 
he  said  that  the  Roman  church  was  the  cardinal  or  chief  church 
of  the  world.'  It  is  found  in  the  monuments  of  the  council  held 
at  Rome  in  324  under  Sylvester,  although  some  think  that  these 
documents  are  not  authentic.  Numerous  historic  facts  show  us 
that  the  chief  clergy  of  Rome  were  always  afterwards  called  car- 
dinals. 

Each  Bishop  of  the  early  church  had  under  liim  his  aid.s  and 
helpers  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel.  They  were 
called  the  presbytery  or  senate  of  the  diocese  in  the  early  ages, 
and  the  chapters  or  canons  of  the  cathedral  in  more  modern  times. 
Wliile  living  they  helped  the  bishop,  when  he  died  they  adminis- 
tered the  diocese  and  then  with  the  clergy  and  people  of  the 
diocese  they  elected  his  successor.  But  as  the  Roman  church 
ruled  the  whole  christian  world,  the  presbytery  of  the  Roman  church 
took  part  with  their  Bisliop  in  his  supreme  authority.  This  Pope 
Eugenius  decreed, '  and  all  monuments  of  that  early  age  show. 

Writers  say  that  the  senate  of  cardinals  and  the  presbytery  of 
the  diocese  were  established  by  God  himself.     For  when  the  people 

>  Gratianus  C&n.  Sacrosancta  Dlst.  22.  *  Bull.  Rom.  T.  III.  p.  3. 


MEANING    OF   THE    WORD    CARDINAL.  271 

of  Israel  murmured  for  the  flesh-pots  of  Egypt,  God  commanded 
Moses  to  gather  a  council  of  seventy  ancients,  to  help  him  in  the 
government  of  the  people  of  God.  *  Christ  not  only  consecrated 
the  apostles  bishops  of  the  universal  church,  but  he  also  ordained 
priests  and  ministers  to  aid  them,  and  they  ordained  deacons  to 
look  after  the  temporal  business  of  the  churches.  ^  Innocent  III. 
says:  ''The  priests  are  of  the  levitical  order  of  our  brothers,  who 
exist  and  are  our  aids  in  the  fulfilment  of  our  priestly  duties."* 
EugeniusIV.  confirms  the  same,  and  John  VIII.  ''says  that  as  Moses 
had  seventy  elders  to  aid  him,  so  the  Pontiff  has  the  same  number 
of  helpers.  The  emperor  Frederick  II.  writing  to  the  cardinals  in 
1239  says:  ''  As  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church,  and  by  the  name 
Peter  he  founded  the  church  on  that  Rock,  thus  he  ordained  that 
you  are  the  successors  of  the  apostles."  *  One  of  the  Galican  coun- 
cils proclaimed  that  the  Papal  dignity  was  established  in  Peter, 
the  cardinals  and  in  the  other  apostles.  *  The  university  of  Prague 
declared  in  1413  the  same  doctrine. ''  But  some  authors  deny  that 
the  apostles  were  the  first  cardinals,  saying  that  they  could  be  sup- 
pressed by  the  Pope,  which  he  could  not  do  if  they  had  been  founded 
by  God,  as  what  God  did  only  he  can  undo.  But  these  are  idle 
questions,  for  the  college  of  cardinals  always  was  and  always  will  be 
in  the  church  of  God,  and  it  seems  probable  according  to  some 
writers,  that  they  are  of  divine  institution. 

Gregory  the  Great  calls  some  of  the  bishops  of  his  time  cardinals, 
and  the  chief  priests  and  ministers  of  many  dioceses  were  at  that 
time  called  cardinals,  that  is  the  advisers  of  their  bishops.  He 
wrote  to  the  bishop  of  Syracuse  to  call  Cosmaa  pastor  in  the  coun- 
try to  the  cathedral,  and  make  him  a  cardinal  of  that  church  that  is 
a  canon,  because  he  was  so  homesick  in  the  country  that  he  was 
going  to  run  away.  He  wrote  to  another  bishop  of  the  same  city  to 
incardinate  Felix  a  deacon  into  the  cathedral  clergy.  Many  monu- 
ments of  the  early  church  show  us  that  the  clergy  of  other  dioceses 
even  in  the  lower  orders  were  sometimes  called  cardinals.  The 
word  incardinate  meant  the  same  as  incorporate  into  a  strange 
diocese,  for  the  clergy  of  the  cathedrals  were  especially  called  cardi- 
nals, because  above  all  they  aided  the  bishops  in  administering  the 
diocese.  From  the  eighth  century,  these  clergymen  of  other  dioceses 
formed  the  presbytery  of  the  cathedral  and  the  senate  of  the 
diocese. 

After  the  eight  century  only  the  clergy  of  Eome  were  called  car- 
dinals. In  769  under  Stephen  IV.  a  Roman  synod  decreed  that 
no  one  except  a  cardinal  should  be  elected  to  the  honor  of  the  Roman 
Pontificate.  After  this  time  only  clergymen  belonging  to  the  Ro- 
man See  were  called  cardinals,  and  the  cathedral  of  the  Popes,  the 
churcji  of  St.  John  Laceran  was  called  the  "hing"  or  "cardo"  of 
the  city  of  Rome,  because  of  the  Pontiff  who  sat  in  it  as  the  heir  of 
Peter.     Following  the  Roman  custom,  the  chief  clergymen  of  the 

'  Num  xi.  Deut.  xvii.  ^  Acts  vi.  ^  Cap.  per  venerab.  13.  Tit.  17.  L.  4.  Decret. 

*  Bouix  De  Curea  Romana  Fia,  »  St.  Thomas.  Sum.  p.  I.  L.  2,  C.  114. 

«  Concll  Constant.  T.  vi.  p.  18.  '  T.  I.  p.  188. 


272  THE   "VARIOUS   RANKS   OF   CARDINALS. 

other  cathedrals  of  the  world  were  also  called  cardos  or  hinges, 
around  which  the  laity  and  clergy  of  the  diocese  swung  or  united. 
But  the  special  clergymen  or  cardinals  of  all  the  dioceses  of  the 
early  church  formed  the  cathedral  chapters,  the  venerable  presby- 
teries of  the  ancient  churches  of  the  apostles.  At  the  present  time 
only  the  chief  clergy  of  the  Koman  church  are  called  cardinals. 

The  cardinals  are  divided  into  cardinal  bishops,  cardinal  priests 
and  cardinal  deacons,— because  of  the  eminence  of  the  Eoman 
church  over  the  otlier  churches  of  the  world,  all  orders  and  perfec- 
tions of  the  whole  body  of  the  church  are  found  in  her  head,  the 
diocese  of  Rome.  But  these  three  grades  were  not  in  the  early 
church,  for  before  the  year  769  there  were  no  cardinal  bishops  in 
Rome,  while  there  were  always  cardinals,  priests,  aud  deacons  from 
the  time  of  the  apostle  Peter. 

Pope  St.  Cletus,  elected  in  the  year  75,  and  who  lived  with  Pe- 
ter, divided  the  city  of  Rome  into  twenty-five  parish-sections,  and 
appointed  a  body  of  clergymen  to  each  church,  saying  St.  Peter  had 
ordered  him  to  do  so  during  his  life.'  Such  was  the  beginning  and 
origin  of  all  the  parishes  in  the  world.  Evaristus  elected  in  108 
confirmed  the  erection  of  these  parishes.*  These  parishes  and 
churches  of  Rome  were  cardinalates.  As  it  was  customary  in  the 
old  law  to  give  a  name  to  the  altar  where  they  offered  the  sacrifice 
to  God,  so  in  the  early  church  they  gave  names  to  the  houses  or 
places  where  they  offered  the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and  that 
was  the  origin  of  the  titles  of  these  early  tituhir  churches  in  Rome 
from  which  to-day  the  cardinals  take  their  titles. 
^  In  the  time  of  Pope  Dennis  in  259,  there  were  twenty-five  such 
titular  churches  in  the  eternal  city.  Later  they  became  more 
numerous  as  the  wants  of  the  people  required.  '  In  the  days  of 
John  XXII.  five  patriarchs,  seven  titular  bishops  of  sees  near  Rome, 
and  then  thirty-one  cardinal  priests  and  fourteen  deacons  assisted 
the  Pope  in  ruling  the  whole  church  They  then  formed  the  vener- 
able senate  of  the  universal  church.  The  number  of  cardinals 
varied  in  the  different  orders  or  ranks.  The  council  of  Constance 
ordered  that  there  should  be  only  twenty-four  cardinal  priests. 
Paul  IV.  decreed  that  there  should  not  be  more  than  forty  cardinal 
priests,  while  Gregory  XIH.  increased  the  number  to  seventy-six, 
Sixtus  V.  restricted  them  to  seventy  and  assigned  fifty  of  the  titu- 
lar churches  of  Rome  to  them. 

The  ajwstles  ordained  seven  deacons '  and  from  the  days  of  Peter, 
there  were  seven  deacons  in  the  church  at  Rome.  According  to 
Pope  Fabianus,  who  sat  in  136,  they  were  to  look  after  the  widows, 
the  orphans,  the  sick,  and  take  care  of  the  fourteen  parishes  into 
which  tlie  city  had  been  divided  long  before  his  time.  In  tlie  days 
of  Pope  Symmachus  each  deacon  had  a  certain  territory  to  look 
after.  When  the  needs  of  the  church  increased  the  number  of  car- 
dinal deacons  was  doubled.  They  took  their  titles  from  the  par- 
ishes  or  regions  which  they  governed.     Gregory  III.  added  four 

•  Lib.  Pont.  *  TamffDa  Orifrin  de  Card.  P.  4.  cap.  4.  art.  I.  n.  64.  >  Acts  vl. 


BISHOPS,  PRIESTS  AND  DEACONS  MAY  BE  CARDINALS.         273 

more  deacons,  whom  he  attached  to  the  cathedral  of  St.  John  Lat- 
eran,  that  they  might  assist  the  Pope  on  important  ceremonies. 
They  were  called  cardinals  of  the  palace,  that  is  the  Latei'an  palace 
of  tiie  Roman  emperors  given  by  Constantino  to  Pope  Sylvester  in 
312,  where  the  Popes  lived  for  a  1000  years,  before  they  moved 
to  the  Vatican.  In  141 0  there  were  nineteen  cardinal  deacons,  but 
Sixtus  V.  restricted  the  number  to  fourteen. 

In  1057  Victor  II.  ordained  Fredrick  as  a  cardinal  subdeacon. 
After  that  we  find  many  cardinal  subdeacons.  But  for  many  cen- 
turies there  have  been  no  cardinal  subdeacons  in  the  Roman  church, 
because  it  is  not  certain  that  subdeaconship  is  a  holy  order 
instituted  by  Christ,  for  it  began  to  be  considered  as  a  holy  order 
only  from  the  middle  ages. 

Before  the  middle  of  the  eighth  century  we  find  no  records  of 
cardinal  bishops  among  the  Roman  clergy.  They  are  first  mention- 
ed by  a  synod  of  Rome,  held  in  the  year  769  under  Stephen  III., 
which  forbids  bishops,  presbyters  and  deacons  to  become  cardinals 
of  Rome,  without  the  consent  of  the  Pope.  From  this  it  seems 
that  before  this  date  clergymen  in  episcopal  orders  had  become  car- 
dinals. Stephen  IV.  states  that  the  seven  cardinal  bishops  must 
celebrate  Mass  each  Sunday  at  St.  Peter's  altar  in  the  Lateran 
church  and  recite  the  "  Gloria.  "  From  documents  dating  from 
1410  we  find  that  seven  cardinal  bishops  having  no  titles  but  ruling 
the  seven  neighboring  dioceses  near  Rome  in  the  Lateran  church 
waited  on  the  Bishop  of  Rome'.  The  cities  from  which  they  took 
their  titles  were  Ostia,  now  united  with  Velletri,  Porto,  Albano, 
Palestrina,  Sabina,  and  Frascati.  The  bishop  of  Ostia  is  the  dean 
of  the  sacred  college,  wears  the  pallium  of  an  archbishop,  and 
crowns  the  Pope. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  only  six  cardinal  bishops,  fifty 
cardinal  priests  and  fourteen  cardinal  deacons,  making  seventy 
in  all.  Such  this  august  senate  has  been  since  the  time  of  Sixtus  V. 
Paul  II.  commanded  that  they  must  not  wear  purple  or  any  other 
than  red  church  garments.  Those  cardinals  who  belong  to  the 
religious  orders  can  wear  the  habit  of  their  order,  except  the  red 
biretta  and  skull  cap.  An  archbishop  or  patriarch  niay  be  only  a 
cardinal  priest  in  the  Roman  church.  Thus  Cardinal  Newman  was 
only  a  cardinal  deacon  although  in  priest's  orders.  Archbishop 
Manning  is  a  cardinal  priest  in  the  Roman  church,  although  he  is 
the  archbishop  of  Westminster. 

The  very  essence  of  the  cai'dinalate  requires  that  it  be  a  college 
or  senate  forming  a  special  body  of  clergymen  to  aid  the  Pope  in  his 
universal  government.  In  this  they  differ  from  all  other  bodies  of 
clergymen,  who  aid  the  bishops  in  governing  their  dioceses.  The 
chief  office  of  this  holy  senate  of  the  universal  church  is  to  aid  the 
Pontiff  while  living,  when  he  dies  to  administer  the  church  till 
the  new  Pope  takes  his  place,  and  elect  the  Pope.  The  election  of 
the  Bishop  of  Rome  is  not  such  an  essential  office  as  the  two  former, 
for  in   the   early  church   both  the   clergy  and  laity  of  Rome  took 


274  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

part  in  the  election,  till  so  many  political  abuses  rose,  that  the 
election  was  confined  alone  to  the  college  of  cardinals.  Whence 
although  the  chief  priests  of  a  diocese  always  aid  the  bishop  and  ad- 
minister the  diocese  at  his  death,  still  the  canons  of  the  cathe- 
dral chapter  do  not  always  elect  their  bishop,  for  the  election  of  » 
bishop  is  not  essential  to  their  office. 

The  senate  of  cardinals  then  is  a  body  of  clergymen  elected  to 
help  the  Pope  in  his  government  of  the  church  and  to  administer 
it  during  a  vacancy  of  the  See.  From  this  it  will  appear,  that 
they  exceed  in  dignity  all  other  men  in  the  church,  being  over  all 
patriarchs,  primates,  bishops  or  prelates.  The  Pope  alone  is  their 
superior.  This  has  always  been  the  custom  of  the  church  from 
the  very  beginning,  as  Pope  Eugenius  says  when  writing  to  the 
archbishop  of  Canterbury  in  1438.'  In  all  meetings  of  the  bishops 
of  the  church,  the  cardinals,  even  those  only  in  priest's  and  deacon's 
orders  take  their  place  after  the  Pope,  and  ahead  of  all  the  patri- 
archs, primates,  archbishops,  &c.,  because  as  Innocent  III.  says  a 
cardinal  is  not  only  for  the  Roman,  but  for  all  the  churches  of  the 
world."  Their  preeminence  over  all  other  churchmen  was  confirmed 
by  many  councils,  especially  these  held  at  Lyons  and  at  Florence 
and  at  Trent. 

The  college  of  cardinals  then  forms  the  senate  of  the  universal 
church.  We  must  remember  that  to  Peter,  and  not  to  the  college 
of  cardinals  or  to  any  other  person  did  Christ  say:  "Feed  my  lambs 
Feed  my  sheep." "  Therefore  the  Pope  as  successor  of  Peter  rules 
the  church.  Even  without  consulting  the  cardinals,  he  can  do 
what  he  thinks  right.  It  is  a  matter  of  faith  that  he  alone  is  the 
supreme  visible  ruler  of  the  church.  Many  acts  of  the  president 
of  this  country  would  be  invalid  without  the  consent  of  the  senate. 
But  the  president  does  not  get  his  authority  from  one  man  as  the 
Pope  does  from  Christ,  but  from  God  by  and  through  the  election 
of  the  people,  while  the  Pope  is  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  and  gets  his 
authority  direct  from  Christ,  and  his  acts  are  valid  without  the 
consent  of  the  senate  of  cardinals.  Nor  can  we  say  that  the  bish- 
op is  obliged  to  get  the  consent  of  the  chapter  of  the  diocese  be- 
fore he  can  do  certain  things  in  the  diocese,  *  because  the  bish- 
op is  bound  by  the  laws  of  the  church,  while  the  Pope,  being  over 
all  the  church  laws,  having  only  the  laws  of  God  over  him,  he  is 
free.  But  although  such  acts  would  be  valid,  yet  it  would  be 
unusual  for  the  Pope  to  take  such  measures,  which  no  Pope  ever 
did,  for  they  always  first  took  council  with  their  senate  before 
taking  any  important  measures  in  the  church.  That  has  ever 
been  the  custom  of  the  church.  The  Pope  follows  the  constitu- 
tions of  his  predecessors,  unless  the  changed  circumstances  of  the 
times  require  that  he  act  differently.  He  asks  the  opinions  of  the 
cardinals  in  all  matters  relating  to  the  government  of  the  church. 
But  as  God  is  above  all  and  does  as  he  sees  fit,  acting  as  lie  wishes, 
80  the  Pope  having  no  superior  but  God,  he  is  above  the  church, 

>  Const.  Non  medlocrl.  »  8  de  Postul.  Proel.         *  John  xxl.  *  Condi.  BalUm. 


HOW  CARDINALS  ARE  ELECTED.  276 

and  he  may  act  according  to  the  lights  given  him  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  although  in  practice,  he  always  seeks  the  advice  of  his  sen- 
ate, the  sacred  college  of  the  cardinals. 

The  cardinals  are  elected  by  the  Pope.  For  it  is  not  a  sacred 
order,  like  the  priesthood  or  the  episcopacy  instituted  by  Christ. 
Eugene  IV.  decreed  that  no  one  elected  a  cardinal  can  fulfil  that 
office,  till  he  has  been  received  by  the  Pope  according  to  the 
usual  ceremony  of  reception.  When  first  nominated  the  Pope  closes 
the  mouth  of  the  cardinal  elect,  a  ceremony  by  which  he  is  given  to 
understand,  how  useful  it  is  to  be  prudent  in  revealing  the  secrets  of 
the  church,  or  the  line  of  action  of  the  papal  court  before  the  time 
comes.  But  as  Pius  V.  says,  the  election  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  is  the 
chief  duty  of  the  cardinal,  even  before  the  ceremony  allowing  him  to 
open  his  mouth  and  vote,  before  the  ceremony  of  opening  his 
mouth  a  cardinal  can  vote  for  the  election  of  a  Pope  when  the 
Eoman  See  becomes  vacant.  At  his  election  the  new  Pope  takes, 
an  oath,  that  he  will  not  elect  any  cardinal  without  first  consulting 
the  cardinals. 

Most  of  the  cardinals  are  aged  men,  a  number  die  each  year,  and 
their  vacancies  must  be  filled.  When  the  Pope  wisiies  to  create 
others  in  their  place,  he  calls  a  meeting  of  the  sacred  college,  re- 
veals to  them  the  new  men  he  selects,  and  says:  "What  do  you 
think  about  it?"  If  they  are  willing,  each  cardinal  uncovers  his 
head  by  taking  off  his  biretta  and  makes  a  bow.  If  all  agree  a 
decree  is  drawn  up  relating  to  the  matter.  If  the  newly  nominated 
candidates  are  in  Rome,  they  at  once  wait  on  the  Pope,  and  one  of 
the  cardinals  presents  them  to  his  holiness,  who  places  on  their 
heads  the  red  biretta  of  the  cardinal  until  the  public  consistory, 
when  all  the  insignia  of  their  holy  office  will  be  given  them.  They 
are  not  allowed  to  visit  or  receive  visits.  If  the  new  candidate 
does  not  live  in  Rome,  the  Pope  sends  one  of  his  household  to 
bring  him  the  red  biretta.  According  to  the  constitution  of 
Pope  Sixtus  V.  the  new  cardinal  must  swear  that  he  will  go  to 
Rome  within  a  year  then  to  receive  the  full  insigna  of  his  high 
office. 

When  the  proper  time  comes  for  the  reception  of  the  new  car- 
dinals, the  sacred  college  assembles  in  a  public  consistory,  presided 
over  by  the  Pope  vested  in  full  pontificals,  sitting  on  the  throne 
of  the  fisherman.  The  candidates  come  before  the  Pope,  who  in- 
structs them  in  the  duties  of  their  office.  Then  they  kneel  before 
him  and  kiss  his  feet  and  hands,  while  he  receives  them  with  a 
kiss  on  the  lips.  From  the  other  cardinals  they  then  receive  the 
kiss  of  peace.  The  Pope  then  invests  them  in  their  red  vestment 
with  the  words;  '-'Unto  the  praise  of  the  omnipotent  God,  and 
the  adorning  of  the  Holy  See,  receive  thou  the  red  vestment,  the 
sign  of  the  wonderful  dignity  of  the  cardinalate,  which  means  even 
unto  the  shedding  of  blood  and  unto  death,  thou  must  bravely 
work  for  the  spread  of  holy  faith,  for  the  peace  and  prosperity  of 
the  christian  people,  and  for  the  increase  and  the  augmentation 


276  WHO  SHOULD  BE  MADE  CAKDIITALS. 

of  the  most  holy  Roman  church,  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and 
of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen." 

At  a  later  meeting  of  the  consistory,  the  Pope  asks  the  other 
cardinals  if  the  ceremony  of  opening  their  mouths  should  now 
take  place.  All  having  agreed,  the  Pontiff  says:  "We  open  your 
mouth  for  you,  that  you  may  give  advice  both  in  councilsand 
in  the  election  of  the  supreme  Pontiff,  and  in  every  official  act, 
Tphich  relates  to  the  cardinalate,  both  in  consistories,  as  well  as 
outside,  which  belong  to  the  cardinals,  in  the  name  of  the  Fath- 
.  er  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.      Amen.'' 

From  the  very  days  of  the  apostles  the  clergy  of  the  Roman 
church  have  been  noted  for  great  learning,  experience,  diplomacy 
and  faith.  Only  the  most  eminent  men,  says  Paul  II.  should  be 
elected  to  the  office  of  cardinal.  The  council  of  Trent  decreed  that 
the  most  learned  men  in  the  church  should  be  selected  to  aid  the 
Pontiff  in  his  universal  government.  One  having  an  uncle  or  neph- 
ew in  the  sacred  college,  the  illegitimate  one  having  the  defects  pre- 
venting him  beinga  bishop,  or  other  obstacles  cannot  be  a  cardinal. 

The  council  of  Trent  says:  "When  the  most  holy  Roman  Pontiff 
finds  them  worthy  he  will  elect  the  cardinals  from  all  the  christian 
nations."'  Sixtus  V.  decreed  that  the  cardinals  should  be  most 
learned  in  church  matters,  and  that  at  least  four  should  belong  to  the 
religious  and  mendicant  orders. '  From  the  time  of  the  Pope's 
exile  at  Avignon,  the  cardinals  have  been  selected  from  various 
christian  nations,  but  the  larger  number  are  from  Italy,  because 
as  God  chose  the  Jewish  nation  to  be  the  mother  of  Christianity, 
so  Peter  chose  the  Roman  church  as  his  spouse,  and  the  Romans 
above  all  have  preserved  his  teachings. 

The  Cardinals  who  are  besides  bishops  of  other  dioceses  must 
live  in  their  dioceses.  They  are  asked  for  their  advice  when  the 
Pope  is  about  to  legislate  regarding  the  nation  to  which  they  be- 
long. Thus  when  the  question  of  dealing  with  the  Knights  of  La- 
bor in  this  country  came  up,  Leo  XIII.  counciled  with  cardinal 
archbishop  Gibbons  of  Baltimore,  who  advised  that  the  question 
be  dropped.  The  six  cardinal  bishops  of  the  neighboring  dioceses 
live  in  Rome,  for  they  are  so  near  their  dioceses  that  they  can  ad- 
minister their  sees  from  the  eternal  city.  All  the  other  cardinals, 
without  the  express  permission  of  the  Pope,  must  live  at  Rome,  so 
as  to  help  the  latter  in  Ins  universal  government. 

The  six  cardinals  bishops  of  the  cities  near  Rome  mentioned 
above,  have  the  titles  of  the  dioceses  of  which  they  are  the  titular 
bishops.  The  cardinal  priests  have  the  titles  of  the  fifty  chief 
churches  of  Rome,  while  the  cardinal  deacons  have  no  regular 
titles,  being  attached  to  the  deaconates  of  Rome. 

In  former  times  the  cardinals  had  quasi-episcopal  jurisdiction 
over  the  regions  into  which  the  eternal  city  was  divided,  and  they 
ruled  their  flocks  as  pastors.  We  may  then  consider  the  cardinal 
priests  as  pastors  of  the  Roman  diocese. 

*  See.  xxtv.  C.  i.  *  Const.  Postquam.  Art.  1.  n.  2S. 


WHO  CAN  VOTE  FOK  A  POPE  ?  277 

As  the  Pope  is  tlie  emperor  of  religion,  tlie  cardinals  rank  as 
kings  ruling  under  an  emperor.  Hence,  Pius  II.  when  creating 
cardinals  used  to  say:  ^' You  are  like  kings.''  According  to  the 
Roman  ceremonial,  when  catholic  kings  take  part  in  the  Roman 
ceremonials  the  Pope  ranks  first,  then  the  first  cardinal  bishop, 
then  the  kings.  When  there  is  a  dispute  about  an  election  of 
the  Pope,  the  cardinals  call  a  council  of  the  whole  church  to  set- 
tle the  dispute. 

The  cardinal  bishop  of  Ostia  is  the  dean  of  the  holy  senate, 
ranking  next  the  Pope  himself.  If  the  Pope  elect  be  not  a 
bishop,  he  must  be  consecrated  by  the  cardinal  bishop  of  Ostia. 
At  the  coronation  of  a  Roman  emperor,  before  the  ceremony  he 
sits  after  the  bishop  of  Ostia.  But  after  he  is  crowned,  the  em- 
peror sits  between  the  Pope  and  the  cardinal  dean  of  Ostia^  while 
a  king  ranks  above  the  cardinals  and  next  to  the  dean  of  the  sa- 
cred college  the  bishop  of  Ostia,  but  never  before  him,  which  be- 
longs only  to  an  emperor  of  the  Romans.  The  cardinal  bishop  of 
Ostia  wearing  the  pallium  of  an  archbishop,  fills  the  office  of  pre- 
fect of  tlie  Congregation  of  Rites,  and  secretary  of  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  Holy  Office.  The  secretary,  or  clerk  of  the  senate  of 
cardinals,  is  an  Italian.  He  takes  care  of  the  books,  documents, 
and  papers  of  the  senate.  He  had  before  the  reformation  four 
clerks,  which  according  to  the  constitution  of  Urban  VIII.'  he  se- 
lected from  the  German,  the  Spanish,  French  and  English  na- 
tions. In  their  turn  they  helped  him  as  clerk  of  the  senate. 
When  the  whole  college  of  cardinals  meets,  the  Pope  is  their 
chairman. 

Nowhere  in  the  Bible  do  we  find  that  God  ordained  the  way  of 
electing  the  successors  of  St.  Peter.  Then  the  matter  of  electing 
a  Pope  Christ  left  to  the  church.  But  as  to  Peter  he  gave  full 
power  of  ruling  the  church,  then  to  the  Pope  his  heir  it  belongs  to 
appoint  the  manner  of  the  election  of  his  successors.  From  the 
very  beginning  the  Roman  clergy  and  people  selected  their  Pon- 
tiff, and  to  their  Bishop  alone  belongs  the  power  of  defining  the 
mode  of  election.  During  the  first  four  centuries  the  clergy  alone, 
that  is  the  priests  and  deacons  of  Rome  elected  their  Bishop.  From 
the  time  of  Pope  Sylvester  the  laity  of  Rome  took  part  Avith  the 
clergy  in  the  election,  but  they  only  confirmed  the  election.  Many 
rules  were  made  regarding  the  way  of  voting.  For  the  last  four 
centuries  only  the  cardinals  can  vote.  *  During  the  middle  ages 
kings  and  emperors  took  an  active  part.  But  their  action  like 
that  of  the  laity  of  Rome  Avas  a  usurpation,  and  became  later  an  in- 
tolerable abuse,  Avhich  the  church  found  great  trouble  in  rooting 
out.  The  election  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  belongs  by  right  to  the 
Roman  clergy,  for  only  the  wife  can  select  her  husband.  The 
cardinals  are  the  heads  and  the  chief  pastors  of  Rome  and  they  rep- 
resent the  whole  Roman  clergy.  The  clergy  of  Rome  received 
the  power  of  election  from  the  apostles  as  all  writers  say,  and  the 

1  Admonet  nos.  ^  Card.  Petra.  T.  Iv.  ad  Const.  Clem.  vi.  n.  18. 


278  THE  CARDINALS  WHEN  THE  POPE  DIES. 

laity  had  only  a  confirming  but  never  a  deciding  voice  in  the  se- 
lection. In  later  ages  the  clergy  of  Rome  were  called  cardinals, 
so  that  the  election  of  a  Pope  by  the  college  of  cardinals  is  of 
apostolic  origin. 

In  the  times  of  the  persecution  of  the  Roman  empire,  before 
Constantine  gave  liberty  to  the  church  by  his  famous  edict  of  the 
freedom  of  worship,  the  christian  Romans  with  their  Bishop, 
lived  mostly  in  the  underground  catacombs,  although  it  is  true 
that  for  some  time  before  this,  Sylvester  had  privately  lived  in  the 
Lateran  palace,  the  home  of  the  Csesars,  and  that  Helena,  Con- 
stantine's  mother,  had  fitted  up  a  little  chapel  for  him  in  the 
palace.     Yet  the  first  Popes  were  elected  in  the  catacombs. 

The  Pope  is  the  administrator  of  the  churcii  universal,  and  the 
cardinals  are  his  senators.  As  the  Pope  is  not  elected  for  a  term 
of  years  but  for  life,  his  office  becomes  vacant  only  by  deatii  or 
resignation.  Then  the  administration  of  the  whole  church  be- 
longs to  the  supreme  senate,  the  college  of  cardinals.  But  they 
have  not  the  power  of  the  Pope,  neither  while  he  lives  nor  when 
he  dies.  They  can  undertake  no  important  measures  during  a 
vacancy  of  the  Roman  See,  unless  urgent  causes  force  them  to  act. 
This  was  decreed  by  Gregory  X.  in  the  council  of  Lyons  in  127'^. 
They  cannot  create  new  cardinals,  receive  those  cardinals  nom- 
inated but  not  received  by  the  dead  Pope,  appoint  bishops,  nor 
confirm  those  elected  but  not  confirmed  by  tlie  Pope  before  his 
death,  neither  can  they  exercise  any  act  of  jurisdiction  belonging 
to  the  Pope.  Thus  as  a  senate  of  the  universal  church,  in  the  early 
ages  they  exercised  much  more  authority  during  a  vacancy  of  the 
Roman  See  than  at  present,  somewhat  as  the  chapters  of  the 
cathedrals  administered  the  vacant  sees  at  the  death  of  the  bish- 
ops. But  the  Roman  congregations  have  ordinary  jurisdiction, 
and  they  can  exercise  that  authority  during  a  vacancy,  because 
cases  of  great  and  urgent  importance  come  up  before  them  every 
day,  and  they  could  not  be  interrupted  during  a  vacancy  of  the  Holy 
See  without  detriment  to  souls.  That  authority  was  given  them 
by  Sixtus  V.  ' 

In  case  of  great  danger  to  the  church,  in  matters  of  universal 
importance,  the  senate  of  cardinals  has  universal  jurisdiction  over 
the  whole  church  during  a  vacancy,  and  they  can  administer  and 
pass  judgment  on  these  urgent  cases.  When  a  dispute  arises 
about  the  legality  or  validity  of  the  election  of  a  Pope,  as  wheti 
two  are  contending,  each  claiming  to  be  the  legitimate  successor 
of  Peter,  and  a  council  of  the  whole  church  cannot  meet,  the  sen- 
ate of  the  cardinals  can  pass  judgment,  impeach  the  usurper  and 
drive  him  out.  * 

When  the  Pope  dies  the  chief  chamberlain,  aided  by  the  bishop 
of  Ostia  the  dean  or  chief  of  the  cardinal  bisiiops,  the  dean  of  the 
cardinal  priests  and  the  dean  of  the  cardinal  deacons,  form  a  board 
for  the  administration  of  the  universal  church  during  the  vacancy. 

>  Const.  "  Immensa."  '  81  quls  9.  dist.  79. 


TOMB  OF  THE  POPE  OVER  THE  DOOB  LEADING  INTO  THE  VESTRY  OF  ST.  PETER'S. 


PREPARING  TO  VOTE  FOR  A  POPE.  281 

Before  24  hours  have  elapsed  since  tlie  death  of  the  Pope  was  offi- 
cially announced,  the  chief  chamberlain  summons  every  cardinal 
in  the  world  without  an  exception,  to  take  part  in  the  election  of 
the  new  Pontiff.  Even  if  one  cardinal  were  not  allowed  to  cast 
his  vote,  the  election  would  be  invalid.  The  chamberlain  then 
sees  that  the  body  of  the  deceased  Pope  is  inclosed  in  three  coffins 
and  buried  with  great  pomp.  The  body  of  the  Pontiff  was  for- 
merly placed  over  the  door  of  the  choir  leading  into  the  vestry- 
room  of  the  papal  court,  as  shown  in  the  engraving,  where  it 
remained  for  a  year,  a  continual  remembrance  to  the  new  Pope, 
and  to  the  whole  papal  court  of  the  end  of  all  men,  death. 

The  wife  always  selects  her  husband  and  if  she  does  not  give 
her  consent  the  marriage  is  invalid — no  one  can  force  her  to  mar- 
ry a  man  she  does  not  want.  So  the  Koman  clergy  elected  their 
Bishop  from  the  days  of  the  apostles.  Representing  the  Roman 
church  the  spiritual  spouse  of  the  .Pope,  they  elect  the  ghostly 
husband  of  the  Roman  church.  We  have  not  space  to  give  the 
complete  history  of  the  elections  of  the  Popes  from  the  times  of 
the  apostles.  From  time  to  time  the  laity  and  governments  in- 
terfered, so  regulations  had  to  be  made  preventing  abuses  and  po- 
litical intrigues.  But  the  chief  clergy  of  Rome,  which  in  our  day 
are  called  cardinals  nearly  always  voted,  and  their  votes  alone  de- 
cided the  elections. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  college  of  cardinals,  they  read  the 
Bulls  of  Alexander  III.,  Gregory  X.,  Clement  V.,  Clement  VI., 
Julius  II.,  Pius  IV.,  Gregory  XV.,  Urban  VIII .  and  of  Clement 
XII.,  regulating  the  way  of  casting  the  ballots  &c.  The  election 
must  begin  on  the  tenth  day  after  the  Pope's  death.  No  power 
on  earth  can  deprive  a  cardinal  of  his  vote  if  he  be  present.  Bat 
the  senate  will  not  wait  longer  than  ten  days  ai'ter  the  death  of 
the  Pope  for  the  cardinals  living  at  a  distance.  When  the  absent 
cardinals  come,  they  have  a  right  to  enter  the  senate  now  formed 
into  a  solemn  conclave  for  the  election  of  Peter's  successor. 

The  cardinals  first  take  a  solemn  oath  on  the  holy  Gospels,  to 
caretnlly  observe  the  rules  of  the  conclave.  The  Fisherman's 
ring,  worn  by  the  deceased  Pontiff,  is  first  broken  by  the  master  of 
ceremonies,  by  order  of  the  cardinal  chamberlain.  The  funeral 
oration  over  the  dead  is  preached,  and  the  session  of  the  fii'st  day 
comes  to  a  close.  The  next  day  only  political  matters  are  dis- 
cussed; they  confirm  the  officers  of  the  Pontifical  states,  who  come 
forward  and  offer  their  obedience  to  the  sacred  senate;  then  the 
following  three  days  are  devoted  to  electing  the  officers  of  the 
conclave.  On  the  sixth  day  they  allot  the  ceils  wherein  each 
cardinal  will  live  during  the  meeting;  on  the  seventh  day  they 
choose  other  attendants  in  addition  to  the  two  already  selected  by 
the  chamberlain;  they  enter  the  names  of  all  the  officers  of  the 
senate  on  the  books;  on  the  last  day  they  choose  three  cardinals  to 
preside  over  the  meeting. 

In  the  meantime  the  usual  business  of  this  great  senate  has 


282  TBE  CAK DINARS  WALLED  IN. 

been  carried  on;  audiences  have  been  granted;  the  embassadors 
of  foreign  governments  the  ministers  of  nations  come  before  them 
and  bend  the  knee,  as  the}'  stand  before  the  senate  with  uncovered 
heads,  as  before  the  Pope  himself,  for  the  cardinals  now  have  su- 
preme power  in  the  church.  The  dean  of  the  sacred  senate  as 
chairman  replies  to  all  matters  proposed  by  any  governments  in 
the  name  of  all.  The  sermon  before  the  election  delivered  in 
Latin  relates  to  the  importance  of  the  duty  they  are  about  to  per- 
form, at  the  close  of  which  they  march  in  solemn  procession  to 
the  place  where  the  conclave  is  to  sit,  the  papal  choir  singing  at 
the  same  time  the  beautiful  words  of  the  hymn:  •'  Come  Creator 
Spirit."  The  conclave  for  the  election  of  the  Pope  usually  meets 
at  the  Vatican,  but  for  sufficient  reasons  they  can  assemble  at  the 
palace  of  the  Quirinal.  When  they  come  to  "the  chapel,  the  Bulls 
and  constitutions  of  the  Popes  regulating  papal  elections  are  again 
read,  again  they  take  the  solemn  oath  to  do  their  duty  conscien- 
tiously, and  the  cardinal  dean  addresses  them  on  the  importance 
and  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion.  Up  to  this  time  the  cardinals 
can  receive  visitors,  &c.  But  at  the  stroke  of  midnight,  the  mas- 
ter of  ceremonies  rings  a  bell,  and  all  not  belonging  to  the  con- 
clave retire.  Then  the  marshal  in  the  presence  of  the  three 
cardinals  solemnly  closes  the  doors,  and  from  that  time  no  one  is 
allowed  to  go  in  or  out,  except  the  absent  cardinals,  who  may  be 
late  in  coming  from  distant  countries. 

The  word  conclave  comes  from  the  Latin,  and  means  a  key,  be- 
cause the  building  is  entirely  closed,  and  the  cardinals  as  it  were 
are  locked  in  from  all  earthly  influences,  so  as  to  be  free  in  elect- 
ing the  most  worthy,  for  such  a  high  office  in  the  church.  No 
other  assembly  of  cardinals  is  called  conclaves,  but  congregations, 
as  they  are  not  inclosed  when  occupied  with  other  business  of  the 
church. 

By  orders  of  Nicholas  IL  and  Clement  IV.  the  cardinals  must 
meet  at  Rome  for  the  election  of  the  Pope.  But  for  good  reasons 
the  election  can  be  held  at  any  other  place.  But  the  Vatican 
palace  is  the  favorite  place,  because  of  its  nearness  to  St.  Peter's, 
although  Pius  IX.  was  chosen  at  the  Quirinal. 

Each  cardinal  hasa  cell  twenty  feet  square  and  the  same  in  height 
built  of  light  frames  and  covered  Avith  violet  tapestry,  if  elected  by 
the  deceased  Pope,  otherwise  they  are  covered  with  green  or  red. 
It  is  divided  into  two  rooms  one  for  himself  the  other  for  his  at- 
tendants, or  conclavists. 

When  all  have  entered,  the  entrances  to  the  conclave,  the  doors, 
windows  &c.  are  walled  in,  only  one  entrance  being  allowed,  and 
this  is  guarded  with  the  greatest  care.  This  sole  entrance  has  two 
locks,  one  on  the  inside  the  other  on  the  outside.  The  governor 
of  the  conclave  has  the  key  of  one,  the  master  of  ceremonies  the 
other  key.  The  gate  has  four  openings  through  which  the  cardi- 
nals receive  their  meals,  aiul  whatever  else  is  absolutely  required. 
But  great  care  is  shown  that  no  communication  with  the  outside 


HOW  THE  CONCLAVE  IS  ARRANGED.  283 

world  can  take  place,  or  that  the  cardinals  could  be  influenced  in 
their  votes.  Even  the  halls  next  to  the  conclave  are  locked  with 
two  locks,  the  keys  of  which  are  in  the  hands  of  the  cardinal  cam- 
erlango,  the  marshal  of  the  conclave  a  prince  of  the  house  of  Chigi 
has  the  otlier  key.  Under  him  are  drawn  up  the  papal  troops, 
surrounding  the  conclave  and  guarding  the  city. 

These  precautions  are  taken  to  prevent  political  intrigues  or  out- 
side influences,  and  to  stop  any  pressure  brought  by  European 
governments  on  the  election,  so  that  the  cardinals  may  be  free  to 
select  the  man  whom  they  in  conscience  judge  the  best  to  rule  the 
Kiugdom  of  Christ.  Even  the  food  is  carefully  examined  to  see  that 
it  contains  no  letters. 

When  they  are  enclosed,  all  cardinals,  attendants  &c.  without  ex- 
ception take  the  oath  of  fidelity  and  of  secrecy  and  to  observe  the 
rules  of  procedure.  They  then  carefully  examine  the  whole  en- 
closure to  see  that  no  unauthorized  person  is  there,  and  that  the 
walls  and  passages  are  closed.  This  they  do  twice  a  day  after- 
.  wards. 

The  next  day  the  election  begins  without  waiting  for  absent 
cardinals,  who  when  they  come  after  the  conclave  has  been  closed, 
have  the  right  to  enter  in  a  solemn  procession.  Nothing  can  pre- 
vent a  cardinal  from  taking  part  in  the  election.  The  cardinals 
are  entirely  free  to  choose  any  one,  even  a  layman.  From  the  time 
of  Urban  VI.  it  has  been  customary  to  elect  one  of  the  cardinals, 
and  in  modern  times,  because  of  the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope, 
he  has  usually  been  an  Italian.  The  celebrated  canonist  Phillips 
says  that  even  a  married  layman  can  be  elected,  who  would  have  to 
separate  from  his  wife.  Any  member  of  the  catholic  church 
is  a  candidate,  only  pagans  and  heretics  are  excluded.  An  elec- 
tion brought  about  by  money  or  by  influences  of  that  kind  is  in- 
valid, null  and  void. 

The  voting  takes  twice  a  day  morning  and  evening  in  the  chapel, 
where  each  cardinal  takes  his  allotted  seat,  the  first  cardinal 
bishop  of  Osti  sitting  in  the  highest  seat  at  the  left  of  the  entrance, 
while  tlie  first  cardinal  priest  is  opposite  on  the  right.  The  seats 
and  floor  are  draped  in  green,  before  each  seat  is  a  desk  for  writing 
and  praying,  decorated  with  the  cardinal's  coat  of  arms. 

Before  the  election  begins,  the  sacristian  of  the  conclave,  an 
Angustian  monk  says  the  Mass  of  the  Holy  Ghost  for  the  light 
and  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  Mass  over,  all  the  at- 
tendants leave  the  chapel,  except  the  cardinals,  who  prepare  to 
cast  their  votes. 

The  Pope  may  be  elected  in  three  ways — by  quasi-inspiration, 
by  compromise,  or  by  ballot.  The  first  takes  place  when  without 
any  delay,  all  at  once  would  agree  to  the  election  of  a  certain  man, 
all  being  convinced  that  he  is  the  most  worthy.  If  they  could 
not  agree,  but  would  select  two  cardinals  to  vote  in  the  name  of 
all  the  others,  but  on  condition  that  they  would  not  vote  for  them- 
selves, it  would  be  a  compromise.     The  election  would  be  by  bal- 


284  THE  KIND  OF  BALLOTS  USED. 

lot,  were  all  to  cast  their  votes  after  deliberation,  two-thirds  being 
necessary  for  a  choice,  no  one  voting  for  himself.  This  is  the 
usual  way  the  Popes  are  elected.  When  no  candidate  has  receiv- 
ed the  necessary  two-thirds  votes,  the  ballots  are  burned,  the  smoke 
telling  the  Romans  that  no  choice  has  yet  been  made.  Then  the 
cardinals  retire  again  to  their  cells  to  wait  for  the  following  day. 
This  is  done  each  day  till  the  election  takes  place. 

Before  they  vote,  by  lot  they  appoint  three  inspectors  of  the 
election,  three  cardinals  to  take  the  vores  of  the  sick  members 
who  may  be  confined  to  their  cells,  and  three  to  revise  the  election 
and  officially  certify  to  its  regularity.  The  ballots  are  printed 
on  6x5  pieces  of  paper,  divided  into  eight  sections.  The  first  is 
for  the  name  of  the  voter,  the  second  is  a  blank,  the  third  for  the 
cardinal's  seal,  the  fourth  has  the  name  of  the  candidate  he  votes 
for,  the  fifth  a  blank,  the  sixth  for  the  second  seals,  the  seventh  for 
any  motto  or  verse  of  the  Bible,  and  the  eighth  a  blank.  The  oth- 
er side  of  the  ballot  is  so  tilled  up  with  ornamental  work,  that  the 
name  of  the  candidate  written  cannot  be  seen  nor  what  is  on  the 
other  side  of  the  paper.  Each  cardinal  writes  the  name  of  his 
candidate  on  these  ballots  at  the  centre  table,  and  in  the  presence 
of  all  casts  his  vote.  The  ballots  are  so  folded  that  no  one  can 
tell  for  whom  they  vote,  and  they  must  not  use  their  customary 
seals,  but  have  other  seals  made  for  this  occasion.  These  meas- 
ures are  taken  to  insure  secrecy.  At  the  beginning,  they  place 
a  large  chalice  and  paten  on  the  altar,  near  where  the  cardinal 
inspectors  take  their  seats.  Then  the  voting  begins.  The  bish- 
op of  Ostia  Dean  of  the  sacred  college  rising  first,  takes  his  bal- 
lot, approaches  the  altar  kneels,  prays,  then  rises  and  says:  '*  I  take 
Christ  our  Lord  to  witness,  that  1  vote  for  the  one  whom  in  the 
sight  of  God  I  judge  worthy,  and  I  will  do  the  same  in  case  the 
accessus  is  used."  He  then  places  his  sealed  ballot  on  the  paten, 
and  allows  it  to  drop  from  the  paten  into  the  chalice.  In  the  or- 
der of  their  rank,  all  the  cardinals  now  do  the  same.  The  three 
cardinals  above  mentioned  collect  the  ballots  of  sick  cardinals 
with  great  ceremony,  just  after  the  vote  of  the  dean  of  the  college 
has  been  deposited.  All  votes  being  deposited  in  the  chalice,  the 
first  cardinal  inspector  covers  the  chalice  with  the  paten  and 
shakes  it.  The  third  cardinal  inspector  in  the  presence  of  all 
counts  the  ballots  from  one  chalice  into  another.  If  the  number  of 
ballots  does  not  agree  with  the  number  of  cardinal  electors,  they 
are  burned  and  another  election  takes  place.  Besides  other  pro- 
ceedings are  taken  to  insure  secrecy  in  the  voting. 

As  only  the  name  of  the  candidates,  and  the  seal  appears  on 
the  outside  af  the  folded  ballot,  the  first  inspector  of  the  election 
takes  one  ballot  after  the  other,  reads  the  candidate's  names  but 
low  to  himself,  the  second  does  the  same,  and  ])asses  it  to  the 
third,  who  reads  the  names  of  the  candidate  aloud,  so  all  the  other 
cardinals  can  hear  him.  Each  cardinal  writes  the  name,  so 
read,  and  thus  keeps  the  accounts  of  the  number  of  votes  cast  for 


HOW  THE  POPE  IS  ELECTED.  ^85 

the  candidates.  The  third  inspector  after  reading  the  names  of 
the  candidate,  strings  all  the  ballots  on  a  string  and  after  knotting 
the  string  puts  them  back  into  the  chalice. 

All  the  cardinals  now  look  to  see  if  the  necessary  two-thirds 
votes  have  been  given  to  any  candidate,  who  by  that  becomes  the 
Pope.  In  case  they  cannot  agree  on  any  candidate,  they  may  del- 
egate certain  members  of  the  conclave  to  vote  by  proxy  for  the 
whole  assembly.  In  this  case,  there  are  wise  rules  laid  down, 
which  we  will  not  speak  of  now,  as  the  rules  are  about  the  same 
as  given  above  with  certain  measures  for  exactness  &c. 

The  ballots  having  been  examined,  and  it  has  been  found  that 
one  of  the  candidates  has  received  the  required  two-thirds  votes, 
he  is  the  declared  head  of  the  church,  the  votes  are  burned  and 
the  conclave  is  at  an  end.  The  youngest  cardinal  at  the  door  of  the 
chapel  rings  a  bell,  which  calls  the  atteiidant  secretary  of  the  con- 
clave, with  the  master  of  ceremonies,  who  go  to  the  cardinal-dean, 
then  with  him  all  go  to  the  Pope-elect,  and  standing  before  him, 
the  cardinal-dean  asks:  "  Doest  thou  accept  the  canonical  election 
made  of  thee  as  Supreme  Pontiff  ?  "  If  he  replies  "  I  Accept,  " 
at  that  moment  he  becomes  the  Bishop  of  Home,  the  head  of  the 
church,  the  Vicar  of  Christ.  If  he  were  to  refuse,  the  Chair  of 
Peter  would  be  still  vacant,  and  they  would  begin  another  election. 
If  he  does  not  reply  at  once,  the  question  is  asked  three  times. 
When  he  agrees  or  consents  to  accept  the  office,  the  master  of  cere- 
monies claps  his  hands,  the  cardinal-dean  genuflects  before  him; 
all  rise  and  remain  standing,  while  the  dean  asks;  "By  what 
name  wilt  thou  be  called  ? "  He  then  tells  them  the  name  by 
which  he  will  be  known  ever  after.  A  record  of  all  these  cere- 
monies is  taken  down  and  signed  by  the  master  of  ceremonies. 
The  new  Pope  is  thus  taken  by  the  oldest  cardinal  to  the  altars, 
where  after  prayer,  he  is  clothed  in  the  white  robes  of  the  Supreme 
Pontiff.  Having  seated  himself  at  the  altar,  there  he  receives  the 
''obedience"  of  the  cardinals.  When  the  cardinal  chamberlain 
pays  his  homage  to  him  he  places  on  his  finger  the  "Fisherman's 
Ring."  In  the  meantime  the  masons  have  removed  the  wall,  and 
all  go  in  procession  to  the  balcony  over  the  main  entrance  to  the 
Vatican,  ( If  the  election  took  place  at  the  Vatican  ),  and  the  car- 
dinal-deacon proclaims  the  election  to  the  city  and  the  people 
waiting  outside. 

From  the  moment  of  his  election,  the  elect  of  the  cardinals  is 
the  Pope,  and  he  governs  the  whole  church.  Even  Clement  V. 
threatens  with  excommunication  those  who  would  claim  that  his 
orders  are  not  to  be  obeyed  before  he  is  crowned.  If  the  new  Pope 
is  a  layman,  or  in  orders  below  a  bishop,  he  must  at  once  be  or- 
dained and  consecrated  a  bishop.  The  ordaining  and  consecrat- 
ing bishop  in  that  case  is  the  cardinal  bishop  of  Ostia,  the  dean  of 
the  holy  senate  of  the  cardinals.  This  ceremony  of  his  episcopal 
consecration  must  take  place  before  he  is  crowned.  In  later 
time  it  takes  place  in  private. 


286  THE  COEONATION  CEREMONIRS. 

The  coronation  ceremonies  usually  take  place  on  the  following 
Sunday,  or  on  the  next  great  feast  after  the  election.  Headed  by 
the  papal  cross,  preceded  by  all  the  great  dignitaries  of  the  church, 
marching  in  grand  procession,  the  new  Pope  seated  on  his  sedan 
chair  carried  by  the  highest  nobility  of  the  eterual  city,  sur- 
rounded by  the  ministers  and  embassadors  of  foreign  nations, 
guarded  by  the  pontifical  army,  whose  officers  are  nobles,  enclosed 
by  the  Swiss  guard,  they  enter  the  great  basilica  of  St.  Peter's, 
where  he  mounts  the  everlasting  throne  of  the  P'isherman  of  Gal- 
ilee. First  they  come  to  the  chapel  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament, 
where  they  adore  Christ  there  present  and  thank  him  for  the  suc- 
cess of  the  election.  Then  they  enter  the  Clementine  chapel, 
gorgeous  with  the  works  of  the  great  masters  of  art.  When  the 
Holy  Father  comes  to  the  altar,  he  ascends  the  throne,  and  there 
sitting  he  receives  the  homage  of  all  the  great  cardinals,  bishops, 
clergy  and  laity  of  the  church.  He  gives  them  his  apostolic  bless- 
ing and  intones  the  divine  office  of  Tierce,  which  the  papal  choir 
sings  while  he  vests  himself. 

No  man  can  attain  a  higher  office  than  to  be  the  bishop  of  Rome, 
whose  predecessors  made  and  unmade  nations  and  empires.  From 
the  throne  of  Peter,  he  now  looks  down  on  all  the  peoples  and 
races  of  earth  with  benignity  and  fatherly  kindness.  Only  death 
or  resignation  can  deprive  him  of  his  office.  When  again  the  pro- 
cession forms,  lest  he  might  be  carried  away  by  his  exalted 
station,  one  of  the  masters  of  ceremonies  draws  near  the  Pope,  and 
three  times  he  burns  before  him  a  little  flax  on  a  silver  salver,  say- 
ing each  time:  "  Holy  Father  thus  passeth  away  the  glory  of 
this  world." 

The  Mass  begins.  The  Pope  recites  the  "Confiteor,"  two  car- 
dinals read  the  collects  at  the  altar.  The  Pope  now  receives  the 
pallium  from  the  cardinal  dean  which  was  once  the  garment  of 
the  Jewish  high  priest  saying:  "Receive  the  holy  pallium,  the 
fullness  of  Pontificial  authority,  in  honor  of  God  Almighty  "  &c. 
He  then  incenses  the  high  altar  as  a  sign  of  prayer  ascending  to 
the  Most  High.  He  again  receives  the  homage  of  the  cardinals, 
patriarchs,  primates,  archbishops,  bishops,  abbots  and  officers  of 
the  Roman  Courts,  as  a  sign  of  the  complete  power  of  Peter  over  the 
whole  church.  The  high  Mass  continues  to  the  "  Collect,  "  when 
he  again  retires  to  the  throne.  Now  the  cardinal  deacon  with  the 
subdeacons,  auditors,  secretaries  of  the  Roman  church  &c.  go  down 
to  the  "Confession"  of  St.  Peter,  where  respose  the  bodies  of  Sts. 
Peter  and  Paul,  where  he  repeats  three  times  the  words  over  the 
tombs  of  their  most  illustrious  apostles:  "Life  to  our  Lord,  N-(call- 
ing  out  the  name  of  the  new  Pope)  whom  God  has  given  us  as  Bish- 
op, and  Vicar  of  Christ"  to  which  all  reply:  "  0  God  help  him  O 
Mary  aid  him."  Then  returning  the  high  Mass  is  continued  with- 
out interruption  to  the  end. 

With  great  pomp  after  Mass  the  Pope  goes  to  the  balcony  of 
St.  Peter's,  where  seated  on  a  throne,  the  second  in  rank  of  the 


THE    POPE   TAKING    POSSESSION    OF   HIS    CATHEDRA.L.        287 

cardinal  deacons,  removes  the  bishop's  mitre  which  he  has  worn, 
and  the  dean  of  the  college  of  cardinals  places  the  tiara  on  his 
head  saying:  "  Receive  the  tiara  adorned  with  the  triple  crown 
and  know  that  thou  art  the  father  of  princes  and  kings,  the  ruler 
of  the  earth,  the  Vicar  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ."  The  Pope 
then  solemnly  gives  his  blessing  to  the  people  and  receives  the 
congratulations  of  the  cardinals. 

The  last  act  of  the  coronation  ceremonies  consists  in  the  Pope 
taking  possession  of  his  cathedral  the  Ba^licaof  St.  John  Lateran, 
the  Cathedral  of  tlie  Popes,  the  Mother  Church  of  all  the  churches 
of  the  world.  For  more  than  a  thousand  years,  from  the  days  of 
Sts.  Sylvester  and  of  Constantine,  the  Popes  lived  in  the  Lateran 
Palace,  adjoining  the  Church  of  St.  John  Lateran,  but  since  the 
Popes  took  up  their  abode  at  St.  Peter's  at  the  Vatican,  they 
solemnly  take  charge  of  St.  John  Lateran.  Informer  times  after 
a  light  breakfast  the  Pope  started  for  his  cathedral  on  horseback, 
followed  by  all  the  ofticials  of  church  and  state,  all  riding  with 
him  a  most  striking  procession. 

In  our  day  in  his  sedan  chair  the  Pope  is  carried  in  this  pro- 
cession. At  the  bridge  of  St  Angelo,  under  a  triumphal  arch — 
one  of  the  senators  of  Rome,  who  in  the'  times  of  the  Republic 
were  compared  to  kings,  with  his  ivory  staff  the  image  of  the 
•departed  Roman  empire  addresses  the  Pope,  and  swears  to  him  the 
fidelity  of  the  Roman  people.  The  procession  passes  under  the  tri- 
umphal arcli  of  Titus,  built  in  remembrance  of  the  sacking  and  of  the 
capture  of  Jerusalem  according  to  the  prophecy  of  our  Lord,  they 
approach  the  vast  ruins  of  the  Coliseum  built  by  the  captive  Jews, 
where  the  chief  rabbi  of  the  exile  Jews  still  living  in  Rome  hands 
the  Pope  the  five  books  of  Moses,  (a  copy  of  Genesis,  Exodus, 
Leviticus,  Numbers,  Deuteronomy),  asking  his  protection  for  his 
people,  which  the  Pope  at  once  promises,  a  rebuke  to  the  persecu- 
tors of  the  Jews.  At  the  portals  of  the  historic  St.  John  Lateran 
the  cardinal  archpriest  of  tlie  Lateran  Basilica  offers  him  a  golden 
cross,  which  he  kisses.  There  he  receives  the  homage  of  all  the 
clergy  of  his  cathedral.  Now  the  archpriest  presents  him  with 
the  keys  of  the  church,  one  of  gold  the  other  of  silver,  and  then 
he  reads  him  an  address.  The  vast  procession  then  enters  the 
church  and  proceeds  to  the  council  hall,  made  famous  by  the 
long  residence  of  the  great  historic  Popes,  and  by  the  audiences 
given  there  to  the  most  famous  emperors,  kings,  men  of  letters 
and  historic  personages  of  the  past  ages.  The  Pope  then  gives 
to  each  a  medal  struck  in  memory  of  the  event.  From  the  bal- 
cony of  the  church  he  blesses  all  the  people,  money  is  scattered 
among  them,  and  then  he  returns  again  to  his  great  palace  at  the 
Vatican. 

We  see  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  foundation  of  the  United 
States,  the  states  of  Maryland  and  of  Virginia  gave  a  small  part 
of  their  territory  to  form  the  District  of  Columbia,  so  as  to  leave 
•Congress  free  from  state  authority,  and  influence.     That  was  a 


288 


THE  pope's  temporal  DOMINION. 


wise  foresight.  In  the  same  way  the  Popes  liave  had  from  the 
most  remote  times  a  small  territory  around  Rome,  which  they 
governed  as  kings  in  temporal  authority  so  that  they  might  be 
free  from  any  influence  on  the  part  of  the  governments  of  Europe. 
This  is  absolutely  wanted  for  the  freedom  of  the  Pope  in  his 
government  of  the  universal  church.  In  him  then  the  spiritual 
and  temporal  governments  of  the  world  centres.  In  his  person 
the  spiritual  blesses  tlje  temporal  authority  of  the  earth.  But 
his  power  in  the  world  is  spiritual  not  temporal,  for  Christ  whom 
he  represents  said:  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  " 

If  in  former  times,  if  he  has  taken  part  or  settled  disputes  among 
nations,  it  was  because  he  was  asked  to  do  so,  and  because  as  the 
Father  of  the  faithful,  he  wanted  to  have  peace  and  good  will 
among  men. 

The  cardinals  living  in  Rome  meet  once  or  twice  a  week  with 
the  Pope  as  their  chairman,  to  discuss  the  religious  matters  of  the 
whole  world,  the  political  and  social  movements  taking  place  in  all 
nations.  There  they  'shape  the  policy  of  the  Holy  See.  These 
meetings  had  been  held  from  the  time  of  the  apostles.  With  their 
chairman  the  Pope,  heir  of  that  long  and  glorious  line  of  Pontiffs  all 
the  reigning  royal  and  elective  rulers  are  of  yesterday  compared 
to  the  senate  of  cardinals,  all  the  congresses,  parliaments  and  leg- 
islative assemblies  are  young,  and  no  legislative  body  of  men 
can  be  likened  to  that  august  and  venerable  senate  of  the  univer- 
sal church.  The  councils  and  the  histories  of  the  Roman  Church 
are  filled  with  the  accounts  of  these  meetings,  wherein  measures 
were  undertaken  for  all  the  christian  nations  of  the  world. 


EXAMINING  THE  FOOD  FOR  LETTERS  TO  THE  CARDINALS  IN  CONCLAVB. 


agates,  ADiegs 
Vicars    Apostolic,  Notaries,  &e. 


tHE  cardinals,  senators  of  the  universal  church,  aid  the  Pope 
in  his  universal  church  government,  when  he  dies  they  ad- 
,^_^  minister  the  whole  church,  and  then  they  elect  his  successor. 
Stop  for  a  moment  to  study  this  venerable  senate  with  the 
Pontiff  their  head.  There  on  the  chair  of  Peter  the  apostle,  sits 
a  spiritual  ruler  head  of  a  visible  and  universal  spiritual  govern- 
ment, before  which  the  empires  of  Cyrus,  of  Babylon,  of  Alexan- 
der, of  the  Cesars  seem  dwarfed.  No  ruler  of  earth  ever  governed 
men  with  such  a  title.  Jesus  Christ  was  the  founder,  God  is  the 
upholder,  the  Holy  Ghost  makes  the  laws  and  men  bow  before  him, 
knowing  that  rebellion  brings  a  curse  on  earth  and  damnation  at 
death.  No  royal  house  ever  exercised  such  a  sway  over  the  souls 
and  bodies  of  men.  Civil  rulers  govern,  but  their  authority  rests 
on  the  changing  principles  of  politics.  Thrones  tremble,  govern- 
ments rise  and  fall,  nations  change  their  rulei's,  kingdoms  become 
republics  or  empires,  peoples  increase  or  diminish  their  territories 
by  wars  or  by  conquests,  their  restless  subjects  chafing  under  the 
sorrows  of  original  sin  seek  relief  hy  changes  of  constitutions,  by 
throwing  off  the  yokes  of  kings,  while  the  sacred  House  of  Peter 
still  lives  rising  aloft  above  them,  yet  still  surviving,  ruling  the 
universal  church  with  all  the  power  Christ  left  Peter.  Thus,  the 
heirs  of  Peter  the  Roman  Pontiffs  stand  in  spite  of  the  numberless 
revolutions  against  them.  They  were  witnesses  of  the  birth  of  all 
royal  houses  of  to-day,  and  they  will  stand  by  and  see  the  ruin  and 


B 


THE   CHURCH  THE  MOST   ANCIENT.  291 

the  death  of  all  modern  governments,  for  they  are  the  heirs  of 
Peter  to  whom  Christ  said:  ''On  this  Rock  I  will  build  my  church, 
and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  her." 

The  royal  houses  of  the  world  to-day  are  as  children  compared 
to  that  long  line  of  noble  Pontiffs,  wno  sat  on  the  chair  of  the 
humble  Fisherman  of  Galilee.  In  ages  past,  the  Bourbons  of 
France  alone  could  be  likened  to  them.  But  they  died  out  with 
Louis  Philip  of  France  and  the  Papacy  withstood  the  revolutions 
which  unseated  them.  The  llapsburgs  of  Austria  go  back  but 
a  few  hundred  years,  and  in  our  day  it  totters;  often  were  the  royal 
houses  of  England  changed,  and  in  our  time  the  English  govern- 
ment rapidly  changes  to  the  form  of  a  republic;  the  German  empire 
dates  from  1701,  when  the  elector  of  Brandburg  became  king  in 
the  days  of  Luther;  the  house  of  Napoleon  fell  from  the  throne  of 
France;  the  autocratic  Tzars  of  Russia  whose  histories  are  written 
in  blood  took  their  rise  with  Ivan  the  Terrible;  the  Irish  monarchs 
have  vanished  from  the  earth;  the  house  of  Italy  is  of  yesterday; 
the  United  States,  the  gem  of  the  earth  go  back  but  about  a 
hundred  years,  but  compared  to  these  the  Roman  Pontiffs  stand 
alone,  linking  the  old  world  with  the  new,  going  back  to  the  time 
beyond  the  fall  of  the  Roman  empire,  when  all  Europe  was  pagan, 
when  the  smoke  of  the  sacrifices  ascended  from  the  altars  of  the 
false  gods  of  Greece  and  of  Rome.' 

Stop  for  a  moment  and  look  at  that  sacred  college  of  cardinals. 
In  their  veins  flows  the  noblest  blood  of  earth.  They  are  the  sons 
of  the  Romans,  the  children  of  these  wonderful  men  who  ten  cen- 
turies before  Christ  began  the  conquest  of  the  world.  They  are 
the  heirs  of  the  senators  of  Rome,  the  descendants  of  the  Cesars,  be- 
fore whose  sceptres  empires  crumbled,  powerful  emperors  who  made 
and  unmade  nations,  whose  authority  extended  from  the  frozen 
North  to  the  burning  sands  of  Africa,  and  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
rivers  of  India.  Pagan  Rome  was  but  a  figure  and  an  image  of 
christian  Rome,  with  her  greater  and  more  wonderful  empire  of 
God  and  of  his  holy  church.  As  the  Roman  senate  in  the  days  of 
the  pagan  empire  aided  the  Cesars  in  their  empire  of  conquest, 
spreading  an  infidel  civilization,  the  Latin  language  and  literature, 
the  sciences  and  arts  which  come  down  to  us  to  this  very  day,  so 
the  Pontiff  with  his  sacred  senate  still  spreads  religion,  peace  and 
the  laws  of  christian  prosperity  over  a  much  greater  empire  of 
cbristendom,  ruling  and  swaying  souls  even  to  the  uttermost  ends 
of  the  earth. 

From  the  very  days  of  the  apostles  each  bishop  had  his  senate,  or 
body  of  priests,  his  advisers,  which  in  the  early  church  was  called 
the  presbytery  of  the  diocese.  They  met  at  stated  times  to  advise 
and  help  the  bishop  in  his  spiritual  government.  It  is  said  and  is 
probable  that  each  of  the  apostles  had  a  senate  of  clergymen,  copied 
after  the  twelve  apostles,  with  seven  deacons  images  of  the  seven 
deacons  established  at  Jerusalem.^ 

*  See  Macauly  Essay  Ranke's  Hist,  of  the  Last  Four  Popes.  ^  Acts.  vl. 


292  HOW  THE  SENATE  MEETS. 

Because  of  its  universal  government,  the  senate  of  the  Roman 
church  was  formed  of  a  much  larger  number  of  priests  and  deacons. 
The  Koman  Ceremonial  says:  '*But  the  senate  of  the  Roman 
church  was  instituted  by  St.  Peter  under  the  inspiration  of  God,  as 
it  passes  on  all  difficult  business  of  the  church."'  St.  Ignatius  the 
successor  of  Peter  at  Antioch  calls  them:  "The  holy  meeting"  "The 
council"  "The  Assembly  of  the  bishop."  St.  Jerome  says:  "The 
church  has  a  senate,  a  heavenly  presbytery,"  and  St.  Cyprian 
says  that  according  to  the  apostolic  custom,  the  bishop  did 
nothing  without  a  consultation  with  his  council.  All  authors  say 
that  the  senate  of  the  Roman  church  was  introduced  by  St.  Peter 
himself.  Pope  Siricius,  elected  in  384,  called  a  meeting  of  the 
Roman  clergy,  which  was  called  the  presbytery  of  the  church,  and 
with  their  advice  he  condemned  Jovinian,  convicted  of  heresy. 
In  483  Felix  III.  asked  the  advice  of  the  presbytery  of  the  Roman 
priests  and  deacons,  when  he  condemned  and  deposed  the  bad 
Cuapheus  who  had  intruded  himself  onto  the  episcopal  throne  of 
Antioch.  From  numerous  examples  of  the  early  church,  we  may 
understand  the  dignity  of  the  Roman  clergy  united  as  a  senate  or 
legislative  body  with  their  Bishop  as  chairman. 

When  the  cardinals  meet  in  this  senatorial  form  it  is  now  called 
a  consistory,  but  in  the  early  church  they  named  it  the  senate  or 
presbytery  of  the  Roman  church.  In  our  day  the  senate  or  con- 
sistory of  cardinals  have  private,  semi-private  and  public  sessions, 
according  as  the  business  is  private  or  public.  The  senate  now 
meets  twice  a  month,  but  the  Pope  may  call  a  special  session  at 
any  time.  The  Pope  is  the  president  of  the  senate  or  consistory 
of  cardinals.  Each  cardinal  may  speak  privately  with  the  Pope 
before  the  session  opens.  The  cardinals  vote  for  or  against  the 
measures  proposed  to  the  senate,  but  the  Pope  has  always  a  vetoing 
power,  because  he  is  the  supreme  legislative,  judicial  and  executive 
authority  in  the  church. 

In  the  consistory  as  described  above,  they  discuss  the  most  im- 
portant business  of  the  church,  such  as  the  selection  of  new  cardi- 
nals, the  erection  of  archiepiscopalsees,  the  appointment  of  church 
officers  and  other  important  church  dignitaries,  the  changes  of 
discipline,  the  election  or  confirmation  of  bishops,  the  appointment 
of  coadjutor  bishops,  the  creation  of  new  dioceses,  the  unions  or  the 
divisions  of  old  dioceses,  the  giving  of  the  pallium  to  an  archbishop, 
and  generally  matters  of  great  importance,  such  as  dealings  with 
kings,  governments  and  such  important  matters.  In  the  meetings 
of  the  cardinals  the  Pope  often  preaches  in  Latin,  on  the  state  of 
religion,  the  spread  of  the  faith,  the  difficulties  the  church  finds 
on  the  part  of  governments,  rulers  &c. 

The  other  Roman  courts  are  composed  not  only  of  cardinals,  but 
also  of  special  persons  appointed  by  the  Pope  to  aid  him  in  the 
government  of  the  church.  They  are  divided  into  prelates  and 
curials.     The  prelates  are  not  only  bishops  living  in  Rome,  with. 

»  L.  I.  Tit.  I.  8.  ft. 


HOW  BAD  BOOKS  ARE  EXAMINED.  293 

titles  of  dioceses  now  overrun  by  infidels,  but  also  monsignors,  who 
wear  the  purple.  A  monsignor  is  a  clergyman,  not  in  episcopal 
orders  but  attached  to  the  Roman  diocese,  a  member  of  the  papal 
household  and  of  the  Roman  ecclesiastical  courts.  The  honor  is 
-often  conferred  on  distinguished  priests  in  various  parts  of  the 
world.  Attached  to  the  Roman  church  courts,  are  many  magis- 
trates not  in  orders,  besides  lawyers,  solicitors,  notaries,  &c.,  who 
practice  before  the  different  ecclesiastical  courts.  As  much  busi- 
ness coming  from  all  parts  of  the  world  accumulated  before  the 
Holy  See,  which  one  court  alone  could  not  look  after,  the  Popes 
appointed  different  courts,  committees,  congregations  &c.,  to  take 
charge  of  the  business.  They  are  somewhat  like  the  committees, 
or  bureaus  at  Washington  for  simplifying  of  the  business  accumu- 
lating before  the  central  government.  We  will  give  but  a  rapid 
sketch  of  each. 

The  congregation  of  the  holy  office  was  formed  to  look  after 
matters  of  faith.  The  members  of  this  committee  were  first  chosen 
from  the  most  learned  members  of  the  famous  orders  of  Sts.  Dom- 
inic and  Francis.  In  the  XIII.  century  Innocent  III.  gave  thetn 
their  constitution  according  to  which  they  act.  The  Pope  him- 
self is  the  prefect  or  president  of  the  congregation  of  the  inquisi- 
tion, and  the  dean  of  the  sacred  congregation  of  cardinals  is  the 
secretary.  The  number  of  cardinals  belonging  to  this  congregation 
varied  from  time  to  time  as  seemed  fit  to  the  Pope.  All  matters 
relating  to  heresy,  apostasy  from  the  faith,  schisms  in  the  church, 
superstitious  practices,  the  abuse  of  the  sacraments,  &c.,  come 
before  this  tribunal,  which  has  jurisdiction  over  all  patriarchs, 
archbishops,  bishops,  &c.  If  there  be  an  appeal  from  the  other 
congregations  about  episcopal  afairs,  they  bring  it  before  this 
committee.  They  formerly  examined  and  forbid  bad  books,  con- 
demned false  teachings,  and  looked  after  the  most  important  mat- 
ters relating  to  faith  and  morals.  They  are  divided  into  two  houses, 
the  house  of  cardinals  and  the  house  of  consultors.  The  house  or 
congress  of  consultors  meets  each  Monday,  and  deliberate  on  the 
matters  before  the  house.  On  the  next  "Wednesday  the  house  of 
cardinals  meet,  without  the  Pope  as  chairman  and  hear  the  reports 
of  the  consultors.  If  the  matter  be  of  little  importance,  they  then 
pronounce  sentence.  But  usually  after  deliberating,  they  post- 
pone the  final  sentence  till  the  next  day,  when  they  meet  again  with 
the  Pope  as  chairman,  whose  sentence  ends  the  whole  matter.  In 
condemning  a  bad  and  immoral  book  the  congregation  of  the 
index  appoints  a  censor  to  read  it.  If  he  condemn  it,  they  se- 
cretly appoint  another,  when  both  agree  in  condemning  it  the 
book  with  the  parts  marked  which  are  erroneous  or  immoral  is 
brought  before  the  whole  congregation.  If  the  both  readers  do 
not  agree,  they  secretly  appoint  a  third  and  pass  on  the  judgments 
of  the  three  consultors 

The  church  from  its  very  foundation  ever  exercised  the  right  of 
forbidding  bad  and  immoral  books,  for  nothing  so  poisons  the  mind 


294  VARIOUS  GOVERNMENT  BUREAUS. 

of  men  as  bad  and  erroneous  teachings.  Since  the  invention  of 
printing,  the  press  has  become  a  vast  power  for  good  or  evil.  But 
with  greatest  care  the  church  has  ever  forbidden  and  proscribed 
bad  and  filthy  books,  lest  they  might  poison  the  minds  of  the 
faithful.  Paul  III.  conferred  the  duty  of  examining  such  books 
on  the  congregation  of  the  office.  But  when  at  the  reformation, 
the  number  of  such  books  increased,  so  that  the  latter  committee 
could  not  find  time  to  examine  them,  PaulIV.  commanded  that 
they  draw  up  an  index  giving  the  names  of  all  such  bad  books. 
They  published  it  in  1559.  The  council  of  Trent  selected  18  fath- 
ers to  revise  the  catalogue  of  forbidden  books,  but  they  referred  it 
to  the  Holy  See.  Paul  IV.  appointed  the  most  learned  men  in  the 
church  to  look  after  the  matter,  and  Clement  VIII.  in  1594  or- 
dered that  the  list  of  bad  books  be  published  to  the  whole  world. 
As  the  congregation  of  the  office  had  so  much  business  that  they 
could  not  see  after  bad  books,  Paul  V.  appointed  a  special  com- 
mittee for  that  purpose.     It  is  called  the  congregation  of  the  index. 

Pious  IV.  founded  a  congregation  for  defining  and  executing^ 
the  decrees  of  the  council  of  Trent.  Later  Popes  delegated  to 
it  the  examination  of  the  decrees  of  provincial  synods,  the  receiv- 
ing of  the  accounts  of  the  state  of  religion,  and  the  reports  of  the 
bishops  coming  from  all  parts  of  the  world  on  their  visits  to  the 
tombs  of  the  apostles,  replying  to  their  requests,  seeing  to  their 
business,  and  promoting  special  devotions  in  their  dioceses. 

In  1587  Sixtus  V.  formed  the  committee  or  congregation  of  rites 
which  is  composed  of  a  cardinal  prefect,  as  well  as  other  cardinals, 
consultors,  a  secretary,  a  sub-secretary,  a  chancellor  and  other  offi- 
cers. This  bureau  sees  that  the  ancient  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the 
church  are  carried  out  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  They  supervise  the 
masses,  the  divine  offices  and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments. 
They  also  correct  abuses,  revise  aud  correct  the  ceremonial,  and  the 
official  books  relating  to  these  rites.  They  also  examine  the 
case  of  the  canonization  of  the  saints,  and  see  that  kings,  princes 
and  persons  of  authority  coming  to  the  Holy  See  are  received 
with  proper  honors.  But  the  Pope  himself  issues  the  decree  of 
the  canonization  of  the  saints,  after  this  congregation  pronounces 
on  the  proofs  of  the  holiness  of  the  servant  of  God,  which  the  church 
wishes  to  hold  up  as  an  example  to  all  men.  The  church  canon- 
izes a  saint  only  after  the  most  extraordinary  proofs  of  a  holy  life,, 
an  edifying  death,  and  well  attested  miracles  after  his  decease. 

In  1G68  Clement  IX.  formed  the  congregation  of  regulars  for 
Italy,  which  Innocent  X.  and  Innocent  XI.  confirmed  for  the 
whole  world.  They  regulate  matters  relating  to  the  religious 
orders,  their  novitiate,  their  vows,  their  suspensions,  the  exten- 
sion of  the  order,  the  reception  of  members  and  the  confirmation  of 
their  constitutions.  Innocent  XII.  formed  a  branch  of  it  for  reg- 
ulating the  discipline  of  the  religious  orders.  This  was  confirmed 
with  little  change  by  Pius  IX. 

Gregory  XIII.   and   Sixtus  V.  established  the  congregation  of 


THE  CONGREGATION  OF  THE  PROPAGANDA.  295 

bishops  and  regulars,  before  which  come  all  matters  relating  to 
bishops,  the  administration  of  their  dioceses.  This  bureau  hears 
complaints  against  bishops  and  decides  charges  of  a  minor  nature 
against  them,  their  vicars  general,  and  other  officials  of  the  diocese. 
They  also  appoint  administrators  of  the  diocese,  when  the  bishop 
becomes  incapable,  settle  disputes  between  different  religious 
orders,  and  between  them  and  bishops  as  well  as  controversies  of 
that  kind. 

In  1622  Gregory  XV.  instituted  the  congregation  of  the  prop- 
aganda for  the  spreading  of  the  faith  into  all  parts  of  the  world. 
The  church  in  all  countries  where  the  full  machinery  of  the 
diocese  cannot  be  enforced  is  under  the  supervision  of  this  con- 
gregation. 

The  church  throughout  the  world  may  be  considered  in  two 
respects,  where  the  common  law  or  canon  law  prevails,  or  where  the 
bishops  have  not  the  title  of  the  episcopal  see  where  he  lives,  but 
when  he  has  the  title  of  a  see  in  the  hands  of  the  infidels,  and  where 
he  administers  the  churches  not  as  their  bishop,  but  as  the  vicar  or 
delegate  of  the  Pope,  waiting  till  the  diocese  has  grown  so  as  to 
become  a  perfect  church  with  its  own  bishop.  In  the  latter  case 
it  is  a  missionary  diocese,  or  it  is  like  a  territory  waiting  to  be  ad- 
mitted into  the  church  as  a  perfect  diocese,  with  its  own  titular 
bishop.  Thus  where  the  larger  number  of  citizens  are  not  catholics, 
the  church  is  considered  to  be  in  a  missionary  state,  and  it  is  sub- 
ject to  the  congregation  of  the  propaganda,  while  matters  of 
purely  catholic  countries  come  before  the  regular  bureaus  or  con- 
gregations in  Rome.  The  propaganda  then  has  within  itself,  in 
certain  degree,  the  authority  of  all  the  other  committees  at  Eome, 
for  the  settlement  of  matters  belonging  to  missionary  countries. 
Nearly  two-thirds  of  the  countries  of  the  world  are  under  the 
direction  of  this  committee,  whose  authority  is  both  legislative, 
judicial  and  administrative.  But  matters  of  great  moment  go 
before  the  Pope  himself.  According  to  Urban  VIII.  and  Innocent 
X.  when  the  decrees  of  this  committee  are  signed  by  the  cardinal 
prefect  and  the  secretary,  they  have  the  force  of  a  pontifical  law. 
They  educate  young  men  for  the  ministry,  and  send  them  to  all 
parts  of  the  world  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  pagan  and  infidel  na- 
tions, and  receive  clergymen  coming  from  all  parts  of  the  world, 
to  lay  before  the  feet  of  his  Holiness  the  accounts  of  their  labors 
of  the  church.  Almost  all  the  languages  of  the  world  may  be 
heard  within  the  great  palace  of  the  propaganda,  built  for  this  con- 
gregation by  Urban  VIII.  They  spend  vast  sums  of  money  for 
the  support  of  these  numerous  missions.  An  ordinary  meeting 
of  the  congregation  takes  place  before  the  cardinal  prefect  and 
secretary,  where  the  business  to  come  before  the  full  meeting  is 
arranged.  Later  the  whole  committee  discusses  the  business  and 
their  sentence  is  laid   before  the  Pope,  who  confirms  or  vetoes  it. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  century  so  many  political  questions 
came  up,  that  the  other  committees  could  not  find  time  to  attend  to 


296  OTHER   COMMITTEES. 

them,  and  Pius  VII.  in  1814  established  the  congregation  of  extraor- 
dinary church  matters  to  settle  them.  They  are  bound  by  the  most 
solemn  oaths  not  to  reveal  what  takes  place  in  this  committee. 

In  1669  Clement  IX.  delegated  to  the  congregation  of  indul- 
gences and  relics  the  power  of  regulating  indulgences,  settling 
doubts  about  them,  and  the  care  of  the  remains  of  the  saints  and 
martyrs.  They  root  out  abuses  regarding  these  things,  condemn 
false  and  erroneous  teachings  about  relics,  but  they  do  not  pass  on 
matters  of  christian  doctrines,  as  this  belongs  to  the  congregation  of 
the  office  described  above.  The  general  indulgences  granted  by 
the  church  are  null  and  void  unless  they  bear  the  signature  of 
the  secretary  of  this  committee. 

By  the  common  law  of  the  church,  each  bishop  must  live  in 
his  diocese,  and  Urban  VIII.  founded  a  congregation  to  see  that 
these  laws  are  carried  out.  Benedict  XIV.  appointed  a  prosecut- 
ing lawyer,  who  will  proceed  against  a  bishop,  who  breaks  these 
laws  and  oblige  him  to  live  in  his  diocese.  When  for  reasonable 
cause,  the  bishop  must  leave  his  diocese  for  a  time,  the  Holy  See 
will  give  him  the  necessary  permission. 

The  congregation  of  immunity  from  the  interference  of  the 
civil  authorities  was  erected  by  Urban  VIII.,  to  take  measures  to 
protect  the  church  and  her  ministers  from  all  secular  abuses  and 
intermeddlings.  The  business  coming  before  this  committee 
nearly  always  arises  in  the  pontifical  states,  and  in  nations  having 
an  agreement  or  concordate  with  the  Holy  See,  about  the  freedom 
of  divine  worship,  the  support  of  the  church,  &c. 

From  the  very  beginning  the  church  has  shown  her  hatred  and 
abhorrence  of  great  and  atrocious  crimes,  so  that  she  ever  visited 
severe  censures  on  those  guilty  of  them.  These  are  called  ecclesi- 
astical censures  and  punishments.  The  first  Popes  usually  reserve 
to  themselves  tlie  absolution  of  these  great  penalties.  In  1744 
Benedict  XIV.  in  his  constitution  gave  the  reasons  for  forming 
the  tribunal  of  the  penitentiary,  which  is  a  court  for  the  remission 
of  such  great  punishments  and  censures  reserved  to  the  Pope. 
This  court  also  grants  dispensations,  changes  of  vows,  &c.  Some 
writers  find  the  origin  of  this  court  in  the  power  given  certain 
priests  in  the  days  of  Sts.  Cornelius  and  Cyprian,  who  imposed 
penances  on  the  Christians,  who  fell  by  weakness  during  the  per- 
secutions, and  took  measures  to  reconcile  them  to  the  church. 
They  were  called  penitentiary  priests.  Many  later  Pontiffs  ex- 
tended their  powers  and  jurisdiction.  When  a  person  has  commit- 
ted a  great  crime  reserved  to  the  Holy  See,  he  can  write  to  the  card- 
inal of  the  penitentiary  in  any  language,  not  giving  the  name, 
but  the  sin  with  all  the  circumstances  relating  to  it,  as  well  as  the 
name  of  the  clergyman  to  whom  lie  will  direct  his  reply,  and  the 
cardinal  will  empower  a  clergyman  to  absolve  the  sinner  from  the 
censures  and  the  crime. 

The  apostolic  or  chancery  office  sees  to  the  issuing  of  pontifical 
bulls  and  letters  of  the  Pope.     They  are  called  bulls.  Ihtjiusc  they 


IMPORTANT  OFFICIALS.  297 

are  sealed  with  a  little  lead  ball  called  in  Italian  a  "bulla.  "  The 
chancery  of  the  Eoman  church,  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  offices 
in  the  church.  St.  Jerome  says:  "  For  many  years  I  helped  Da- 
masus,  Bishop  of  the  Roman  church,  taking  care  of  his  ecclesiastical 
papers,  and  replying  to  questions  coming  from  synods  both  of  tho 
East  and  of  the  West.  "  '  The  name  chancery  was  given  to  it 
later.  In  the  early  church  it  was  called  the  notary's  or  librarian's 
office,  &c.  In  former  times  churchmen  below  cardinals  held  the 
office.  The  Jurisdiction  of  this  court  or  office  of  vice-chancellor 
ceases  at  the  death  of  the  Pope,  and  then  the  vice-chancellor 
breaks  the  fisherman's  ring  before  the  cardinals.  The  datery  is 
an  office  by  which  the  Pontiff  grants  benefices,  pensions,  honors 
and  dignities  to  worthy  clergymen  and  dispenses  in  irregularities 
in  marriages,  &c. 

The  rota  is  the  most  ancient  court  of  the  Roman  church.  This 
tribunal  in  the  early  church  heard  appeals,  examined  controversies, 
and  replied  to  questions  asked  the  Pontiff  coming  by  people  of 
different  parts  of  the  world.  They  did  not  give  any  decision,  as 
that  belongs  to  the  Pope,  but  they  heard  the  questions  and  in- 
formed the  Pontiff  about  the  matters  asked.  Later  when  the 
Pope  was  so  occupied  that  he  could  not  give  his  time  to  these 
matters,  the  court  of  the  rota  defined  and  settled  such  business. 
John  XXII.  laid  down  the  rules  they  follow  in  the  court.  This 
tribunal  often  settled  civil  disputes  between  nations,  peoples  and 
princes,  thus  often  prevented  war.  The  officers  of  this  court  are 
called  auditors,  from  their  original  duty  of  hearing  the  cases  re- 
ferred to  them  in  the  ancient  church.  They  act  both  as  chaplains 
and  subdeacons  of  the  Pontiff  on  ceremonies.  The  oldest  of  the 
twelve  auditors  presides  as  chairman  of  the  meeting.  Before  the 
French  revolution  they  were  chosen  from  Italy,  Austria,  Spain, 
France,  the  republic  of  Venice,  and  other  christian  nations.  They 
are  France  Venice  two  from  Spain  often  appointed  by  the  govern- 
ments of  these  nations  and  confirmed  by  the  Pope.  In  serving  the 
Pope  on  ceremonies  the  deacon   always  wears  the  episcopal  mitre. 

One  of  the  most  important  officials  of  the  Roman  church  is  the 
cardinal  secretary  of  state,  before  whom  comes  all  political  and 
government  matters,  The  Pontiff,  head  of  a  supreme  spiritual 
empire,  enters  into  relation  with  supreme  nations,  governments 
&c.,  and  the  secretary  of  statedeals  with  them  as  the  prime  minis- 
ter of  the  Pope,  a  spiritual  sovereign  over  the  vast  kingdom  of 
Christ  spread  throughout  the  whole  world,  above  and  independent 
of  all  civil  rulers. 

As  defined  by  the  Vatican  council,  proved  by  the  voice  of  tra- 
dition and  by  the  very  constitution  of  the  church,  the  Roman 
Pontiff  is  the  Vicar  of  Christ  and  has  direct  and  universal  juris- 
diction over  every  soul  redeemed  by  our  blessed  Lord.  On  him 
rests  the  government  of  the  whole  church.  For  the  first  VIII. 
centuries  the  Bishops  of  Rome  used  to  send  vicars  and  churchmen 

*  Eplst  ad  Gerantine  de  Monogam. 


298  ANCIENT  VICAKS  OF  THE  POPE. 

to  every  part  of  the  christian  world  to  represent  him,  and  in  his 
name  to  administer  the  church  laws  and  carry  out  the  discipline. 
From  the  time  when  Constantine  moved  his  empire  to  the  banks 
of  the  Bosphorus,  fixing  his  seat  at  Byzantium,  whicli  he  called 
Constantinople,  the  Pope  had  appointed  his  vicar  at  the  seat  of 
the  Koman  empire,  who  informed  him  on  all  matters  relating  to 
the  church  in  the  Greek  empire.  '  These  vicars  of  the  Pope  liad 
more  or  less  jurisdition  over  the  churches  in  these  co'.intries  to 
which  they  were  sent.'  In  682  Constantinus  Pogonatus  wrote  to 
Leo  II.:  "  I  exhort  your  most  holy  Supremacy,  that  as  soon  as 
convenient  you  send  as  customary  a  legate,  that  all  matters  be  re- 
ferred to  him."'  The  Pope  appointed  Anysius  bishop  of  Thessa- 
lonica  his  vicar  for  the  JUirican  regions,  and  Innocent  I.  con- 
firmed the  office.  Innocent  in  412  appointed  a  new  nuncio  for 
that  country.  In  422  Boniface  wrote  to  that  bishop,  telling  him 
to  look  after  the  dioceses  and  churches  in  these  provinces.  ■•  He 
wrote  another  letter  to  the  bishops  of  the  province  of  Thessaly 
reproving  them  for  not  obeying  the  laws  as  was  customary  with 
their  fathers.  The  Pontiffs  from  the  very  beginning  of  the 
church,  used  to  appoint  such  vicars  over  the  bishops  of  certain 
kingdoms  and  nations,  directing  them  to  see  that  the  laws  and 
disciplines  of  the  church  were  carried  out. 

In  France  the  archbishops  of  Aries  had,  it  seems,  been  appointed 
by  the  Popes  their  vicars  before  the  appointment  of  the  bishops  of 
Thessalonica.  In  461  Hilary  wrote  to  Leontius,  bishop  of  Aries, 
about  Hermetes,  a  bishop  who  had  unjustly  invaded  the  see  of 
Narbon,  reproving  him  for  not  reporting  the  dispute  to  the  Roman 
See.'  In /iM  Hormistas  appointed  Kemigius  his  legate  over  the 
churches  of  the  kingdom  of  King  Clovis,  where  so  many  had  lately 
been  converted  to  the  church. 

Simplicius  elected  in  467  appointed  Zeno  his  vicar  over  the 
churches  of  Spain."  The  same  Pope  nominated  Sallustius  his  vicar 
for  Portugal.  Gregory  the  Great  sent  Peter,  a  deacon  of  the  Roman 
church,  as  his  legate  to  the  churches  of  Sicily,  and  Gregory  II. 
sent  St.  Boniface  as  his  legate  to  the  churches  of  Germany,  thus 
in  all  ages  the  Holy  Pontiffs  looked  after  the  church  in  different 
parts  of  the  world.  For  the  first  eight  centuries  the  bisiiops  of 
the  most  important  sees  acted  as  permanent  agents  or  vicars  of  the 
Popes.  From  the  ninth  to  the  fifteenth  centuries  the  Popes  ap- 
pointed regular  legates.  From  that  time  they  nominated  embas- 
sadors, legates  and  nuncios  to  represent  them  at  the  seats  of  differ- 
ent governments. 

A  legate  of  the  Holy  See  has  ordinary  jurisdiction  in  the  province 
or  country  to  whom  the  Pope  sends  him.  A  legate  differs  from  a 
ablegate  in  this,  that  the  former  has  authority  over  all  cases  brought 
before  him,  while  the  latter  is  appointed  only  for  certain  and 
specified  cases.     Whereas  a  legate  has  the  same  power  as  the  Pope 

»  Hlncmar  T.  II.  p.  20. 206.  »  Ivo  Eptet  50.  »  Ccncll  Hard.  T.  III.  col.  1468. 

*  Lab.  T.  V.  col.  840.  *  Lab.  T.  IV.  ooL  1040.       •  Lab.  T.  IV.  col.  1U68. 


EMBASSADOKS,  LEGATES  AlfD  7ICAKS  OF  THE  HOLY  SEE.      299 

himself,  while  an  ablegate  has  only  a  restricted  authority,  deter- 
mined by  the  Holy  See  on  his  nomination.  But  the 'Pope  can 
restrict  any  embassador  or  nuncio.  Such  embassadors  can  subdele- 
gate  their  power  to  another.  Their  powers  do  not  cease  at  the 
death  of  the  Pope,  who  sends  them.  In  cases  of  appeal  from  the 
episcopal  courts,  the  matter  comes  before  them,  before  being  ap- 
pealed to  the  Holy  See.  This  was  decided  by  Alexander  III. 
against  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  also  by  the  council  of 
Trent.'  But  when  the  Pope  delegates  any  special  case,  another 
legate  cannot  touch  it.  A  legate  has  also  legislative  power  in  the 
province  to  whom  he  is  seiU  and  can  take  measures  for  the  reforma- 
tion of  discipliue.  But  from  the  time  of  the  council  of  Trent,  he 
cannot  proceed  criminally  against  any  bishop  or  archbishop,  that 
being  reserved  to  the  Holy  See.  As  a  general  rule  a  legate  can  do 
what  a  bishop  or  archbishop  can  do  in  his  diocese  or  archdiocese. 

In  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  the  Pope  used  to  appoint  bishops 
over  all  the  archbishops,  bishops  and  churches  within  a  certain 
territory.  They  were  called  the  vicars  of  the  Apostolic  See.  They 
differed  but  little  from  the  legates  of  modern  time.  Thus  Pope 
Damasus  appointed  the  archbishop  of  Thessalonica  liis  vicar  over 
the  neighboring  bishops.  Hermodistas  thus  nominated  the  arch- 
bishop of  Tarracon  his  vicar  in  parts  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  and 
appointed  archbishop  Eemigius  of  Eeims .  his  vicar  over  the 
churches  of  southern  France.  Even  to  our  day  the  cardinal  vicar 
of  the  Pope  rules  the  diocese  of  Rome. 

In  our  day  vicars  apostlic  are  bishops,  whom  the  Pope  appoints 
to  rule  certain  missionary  regions,  where  the  faithful  are  too  few 
and  scattered  for  a  diocese  with  its  own  bishop.  They  admin- 
ister these  churches,  not  in  their  own,  but  in  the  name  of  the  Pope. 
The  bishops  of  the  regular  dioceses  have  in  their  own  name  the 
ordinary  power  of  ruling  both  in  external  and  internal  jurisdiction, 
while  vicars  apostolic  govern  not  in  their  own,  but  in  the  name  of 
the  Pope.  Some  vicars  apostolic  are  bishops  with  the  titles  of  the 
old  sees  now  overrun  by  the  infidels,  w^hile  others  are  only  simple 
priests  with  episcopal  jurisdiction  in  their  vicariates.  The  latter 
are  called  Apostolic  prefects.  They  are  nearly  always  consecrated 
bishops  of  these  old  sees,  so  they  can  confirm  and  ordain  the 
clergy.  The  quasi-dioceses  which  they  govern  are  in  a  territorial 
state,  waiting  till  they  can  be  erected  into  regular  dioceses.  Such 
are  the  numerous  districts  of  Africa,  Asia  and  America,  where  a 
canonical  diocese  cannot  be  formed,  or  the  clergy  and  churches 
supported.  They  are  missionary  countries.  Again  when  the  bish- 
op of  a  diocese  dies,  leaves,  or  becomes  incapable  of  governing  his 
diocese,  a  vicar  capitular  or  an  administrator  is  appointed  to  rule 
during  the  vacancy,  not  as  the  pastor  of  the  diocese,  but  as  the 
vicar  of  the  Holy  See.  According  to  Benedict  XIV.  the  bishops 
.should  appoint  a  vicar  general  who  at  their  death,  becomes  the 
Ticar  apostolic,  during  the  vacancy  of  the  see. 

1  Cap.  Cum  non  Ignor.  I  de  Officio  Legal.  Concil  Trid.  Cap.  20  Ses.  84. 


300  APOSTOLIC  ADMINI8TRATI0N. 

These  missionary  regions,  being  directly  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  propaganda,  this  congregation  makes  laws  for  the  government 
of  the  churches.  All  appeals  come  before  this  tribunal,  but 
matters  of  great  importance  came  before  the  Pope  himself. 

When  because  of  old  age, bad  health,  or  for  other  causes  a  bish- 
op cannot  govern  his  diocese,  the  Holy  See  either  appoints  a  coad- 
jutor to  help  him,  or  an  administrator  of  the  diocese  so  the  churches 
may  not  suffer.  In  these  cases  it  is  customary  to  consecrate  the 
administrator  to  the  episcopal  oflBce,  so  he  may  ordain,  confirm, 
and  carry  out  the  episcopal  duties,  when  he  becomes  the  administra- 
tor. When  the  bishop  retains  the  title  of  the  see,  the  latter  or  titu- 
lar bishop  can  exercise  no  act  of  jurisdiction,  without  the  consent  of 
the  administrator,  for  the  latter  has  the  whole  administration  in 
his  hands. 

In  the  early  ages  of  the  church  Clement  I,  and  Antherus  appoint- 
ed learned  men  to  write  the  histories  and  lives  of  the  martyrs,  so 
that  the  histories  of  their  heroic  deaths  might  go  down  as  examples 
to  posterity.  They  were  called  notaries,  but  when  they  were  hon- 
ored by  special  dignity  they  were  named  proto-notaries.  Former- 
ly they  took  precedence  of  bishops,  but  Pius  II.  ordained  thafc 
bishops  even  elected  and  not  consecrated  should  precede  them.  In 
public  consistories  or  meetings  of  the  cardinals,  when  the  Pope 
takes  possession  of  his  cathedral  of  St.  John  Lateran,  receives 
kings  in  audience,  &c.  four  notaries  sit  next  the  Pope  and  then 
these  notaries  precede  bishops  and  archbishops  not  taking  part  in 
the  pontifical  ceremonies. 


tHE  church  is  like  a  vast  army  of  the  people  of  God,  "  in  bat- 
tle array,"  fighting  out  their  salvation  under  her  different 
grades  of  officers  divided  into  distinct  ranks,  with  author- 
ity which  comes  from  Jurisdiction  and  not  from  holy 
orders.  For  the  power  Christ  left  the  church  divides  into  two 
distinct  streams  ever  flowing  down  from  him.  They  are  holy 
orders  and  jurisdiction.  Holy  orders  relate  to  the  real  body  of 
■Clirist  born  of  the  Virgin  and  to  the  sacraments  he  left  for  the  feed- 
ing of  his  people,  while  jurisdiction  relates  to  the  government  of 

aoi 


ST.  REMUS  BAPTIZING  KINO  CL0VI8  IN  THE  CATHEDRAL  RHEIMS. 


BBAl<fCHES  OF  PETER^S  AUTHORITY.  303 

the  mystic  body  of  Christ,  his  holy  church.  The  head  of  holy 
orders  is  the  bishop  the  chief  administer  of  the  sacraments,  while 
the  head  of  jurisdiction  is  the  Pope  the  chief  ruler  of  the  church. 

The  Lord  while  on  earth  founded  his  church  on  the  apostles, 
heads  of  the  dioceses,  and  in  Peter  the  Papacy.  The  apostles  then 
were  the  heads  of  holy  orders  and  Peter  the  head  of  jurisdiction. 
The  church,  the  mystic  body  of  Christ,  is  a  vast  kingdom,  a  per- 
fect spiritual  government  of  souls,  and  he  rules  his  kingdom  by 
and  through  his  prime  minister,  the  Pope  the  heir  of  Peter  to 
whom  he  gave  all  jurisdiction. 

In  holy  orders  all  the  bishops  of  the  world  are  equal,  as  the 
apostles  were  equal.  But  to  one  to  Peter  he  gave  complete  juris- 
diction saying:  ''  Feed  my  lambs.  Feed  my  sheep."  '  But  for  the 
better  government  of  such  a  vast  empire  over  the  souls  of  men,  it 
was  meet  and  right  that  the  rays  of  complete  jurisdiction  centring 
in  the  heir  of  Peter,  might  flow  unto  other  bishops,  and  that 
the  care  of  the  whole  church  given  to  the  Prince  of  the  Apostles, 
might  be  divided  among  the  other  bishops  scattered  throughout 
the  world.  The  bishops  then  are  equal  in  holy  orders  but  they 
are  not  the  same  regarding  jurisdiction.  For  the  patriarchs,  pri- 
mates and  archbishops  partake  in  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Pope, 
and  they  are  the  aids  and  the  lieutenants  of  the  Roman  Pontiff. 
They  are  appointed  by  him  "not  to  partake  in  the  fulness  of  his, 
power,  but  to  a  part  of  his  care  of  souls."" 

Thus  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  by  appointment,  sends  down  on  some~ 
of  his  brethren  in  the  episcopacy  parts  of  his  supreme  jurisdic- 
tion, by  w|iich  they  preside  over  the  bishops  of  the  surrounding 
country,  and  by  that  he  makes  them  so  many  images  of  himself. 
The  patriarchs,  primates  and  archbishops  partake  in  a  way  in  the 
the  primacy  of  Peter.  They  have  a  share  in  the  care  of  the  Pope 
over  the  bishops  of  the  provinces  under  them.  As  the  Pope  is 
over  the  whole  episcopacy,  so  they  are  over  the  bishops  in, their 
provinces.  One  of  the  peculiar  qualities  of  creatures  is,  that  each 
part  is  but  a  reproduction  of  the  whole.  Thus  any  part  of  a 
metal  has  all  the  perfections  of  the  whole.  As  I  look  through 
the  window  I  see  some  beautiful  spruce  and  pine  trees  before  me. 
But  each  limb  is  but  a  copy  and  an  image  of  the  central  trunk, 
each  limb  is  a  reproduction  of  the  whole  tree.  Our  Lord  himself 
compares  his  church  to  a  vine  of  which  we  are  the  branches, 
to  a  "grain  of  mustard  seed,"  a  peculiar  tree  of  Syria  "which 
filled  the  whole  earth."  ^ 

The  archbishops,  patriarchs,  &c.,  are  but  the  branches  of 
the  Papacy,  ''All  the  apostles  are  equal,  but  to  one  was  given 
to  preside  ever  the  others.  That  is  the  image  of  Peter  thus  im- 
pressed on  the  whole  church,  that  there  might  be  in  each  province 
certain  ones,  who  would  have  the  chief  sentence,  and  again  that 
those  who  were  in  the  larger  cities  might  have  larger  charges,  so 
that  the  care  of  the  whole  church  might  flow  to  the  one  chair  of 

1  John  xxli.  2  §(;_  Leo  Eplst.  xiv.  ad  Anast.  Thess.  n.  I.  ^  jjatt.  .xui.  31,  33,  33. 


304  ORIGIN  OF  ARCHBISHOPS. 

Peter,  and  that  nothing  might  fall  away  from  the  head."  '  Such 
therefore  is  the  nature,  the  origin  of  the  great  foundations  of 
these  archiepiscopal  sees  we  find  so  celebrated  in  history.  These 
bishops  became  heads  over  their  neighboring  bishops  and  churches, 
not  because  they  were  elected  to  that  office  by  the  bishops,  because 
the  bishops  being  all  equal,  they  could  not  give  what  they  did  not 
have,  authority  over  each  other.  That  power  and  authority  of 
the  metropolitan  cities  came  from  the  Successor  of  Peter,  who 
alone  received  that  power  from  Christ.  Tlie  archbishops  are  as  so 
many  little  papacies  over  their  suffragans  and  the  churches  under 
them. 

We  find  that  they  were  established  at  the  very  beginning  of  the 
church.  They  are  not  archbishops,  because  they  are  the  succes- 
sors of  the  apostles,  but  because  they  were  established  by  the 
Eoman  Pontiffs.  Thus  the  apostles  with  Peter  appointed  St. 
James  the  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem.  But  neither  James  nor  his 
successors  in  that  old  and  venerable  see,  had  any  authority  over 
the  neighboring  bishops.  He,  like  them,  was  subject  to  the 
archbishop  of  Oesarea.  St.  John  the  Evangelist  lived  the  latter 
part  of  his  life  at  Ephesus,  of  which  St.  Timothy  was  the  first 
bishop.  But  he  and  his  successors  in  that  see  were  subject  to  tlie 
patriarch  of  Antioch,  Peter's  first  church.  St.  Timothy  as  well 
as  St.  Titus,  consecrated  bishops  by  St.  Paul,  became  subject  to 
the  patriarch  of  Antioch.  It  is  true  that  now  Jerusalem  is  the 
seat  of  a  patriarch,  but  for  many  centuries  in  the  early  church  it 
was  only  a  simple  bishopric.  All  these  are  striking  examples 
among  the  many  other  historic  facts  which  we  could  cite  from 
the  very  apostolic  days,  proclaiming  the  Primacy  of  Peter  and  the 
supremacy  of  the  Popes. 

Who  knows  the  intimate  and  familiar  counsels,  advices  and  di- 
rections which  Christ  gave  the  apostles,  and  especially  to  his  chief, 
Peter,  during  the  three  and  a  half  years  he  lived  among  them? 
St.  John  says  the  world  would  not  contain  all  the  books  if  all  the 
Lord  told  them  were  written  down.  For  several  years  after  the 
ascension  the  apostles  lived  at  Jerusalem.  They  were  all  then 
missionary  bishops.  They  went  back  and  forth  establishing 
churches  and  missions.  The  title  of  bishop  of  Jerusalem  was 
first  given  to  St.  James.  Why  was  not  that  city  of  the  scenes  of 
life  and  death  of  our  Lord  made  the  centre  of  the  church?— be- 
cause of  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  and  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles. 
When  the  apostles  separated,  it  was  to  preach  to  the  Gentiles  sit- 
ting in  the  darkness  of  the  shadows  of  death. 

After  his  vision  at  Joppa  of  the  clean  and  unclean  animals,  St. 
Peter  turned  his  face  towards  the  great  West.  First  he  stopped  at 
Antioch.  There  for  seven  years  he  lived  and  labored.  Then,  either 
inspired  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  following  the  directions  given  him 
by  Christ  before  the  ascension,  he  turns  his  steps  towards  Rome, 
and   there  on  the  very  steps  of  the   Caesar's  throne   ho  fixes 

*  St.  Leo  Epist.  zlT.  ad  Anast  Tbess.  n.  I. 


ST.  PETER  ESTABLISHES  ARCHBISHOPS.  305 

his  apostolic  Chair.  He  brought  the  whole  machinery  of  the 
government  of  the  church  from  Jerusalem  to  the  imperial  City, 
and  there  the  heart  of  the  church,  Peter  lives  till  this  very  day  in 
his  successors  the  Popes. 

He  consecrated  his  companion,  and  disciple  St.  Evodius,  as 
bishop  of  Antioch.  Before  this  he  had  sent  his  disciple  St.  Mark 
to  become  the  first  bishop  of  Alexandria.  While  living  at  Anti- 
och Peter  directed  the  missionary  labors  of  the  other  apostles.  It 
is  said  that  while  he  lived  at  Antioch  he  gave  the  care  of  the  Jew- 
ishjcon verts  to  St.  Evodius  a  Jew,  and  that  St.  Ignatius  a  Gentile 
took  care  of  the  converts  coming  from  the  Gentiles.  When  leav- 
ing for  Eome  he  gave  the  care  of  the  churches  to  his  two  chief 
disciples  Sts.  Evodius  and  Mark,  because  they  had  lived  long 
with  him  and  had  become  imbued  with  his  spirit.  Evodius 
looked  after  the  churches  of  that  part  of  Asia,  while  St.  Mark 
superintended  the  aifairs  of  the  church  in  Egypt  and  Lybia. 
Such  was  the  beginning  of  the  archbishops,  primates  and  patri- 
archs in  the  church.  In  the  early  church  they  came  from  Peter 
like  all  great  church  movements,  as  to-day  they  come  by  appoint- 
ment of  Peter's  successors. 

Therefore  we  see  that  Peter  first  laid  the  foundations  of,  and 
presided  over  the  establishment  of  the  three  great  historic  sees  of 
Antioch,  of  Alexandria  and  of  Eome.  The  first  was  the  chief  city 
of  Asia,  the  second  the  metropolis  of  Egypt  and  of  Lybia,  while 
the  third  was  the  great  central  city  of  Europe.  Then  by  him- 
self or  through  his  two  intimate  disciples,  Peter  gave  the  faith 
to  the  three  great  geographical  divisions  of  the  old  continents. 
But  there  is  another  lesson  to  learn  from  these  first  metropolitan 
cities  of  Peter.  The  first  bishops  of  Antioch  presided  over  the 
bishops  of  all  the  neighboring  countries  of  Asia,  while  the  suc- 
cessors of  St.  Mark  supervised  the  churches  of  Egypt  and  of  Lybia, 
yet  Antioch  and  Alexandria  rest  not  in  the  centres  of  countries 
over  which  their  first  bishops  presided  as  patriarchs,  images  of 
Peter.  These  cities  are  on  the  borders  of  the  Mediterranean 
Sea,  so  that  they  can  at  once  communicate  with  Rome  the  central 
city  where  Peter  lived  so  long.  The  bishops  of  these  cities  were 
to  become  the  channels  of  communication  between  these  churches 
and  the  head  the  Popes  of  Rome. 

We  are  sometimes  astonished  why  writers  do  not  see  the  real 
reason  why  Peter  stopped  at  Antioch  on  his  way  to  Rome.  Was 
it  not  to  establish  the  patriarchate  of  Antioch  as  a  striking  exam- 
ple to  all  future  ages,  to  show  that  the  archbishops,  primates  and 
patriarchs  came  from  no  other  source  but  from  the  Papacy?  Be- 
sides we  would  naturally  conclude  that  Antioch  would  be  the 
chief  see  after  Rome,  but  it  is  not.  During  all  the  early  ages, 
Alexandria  was  the  chief  see  af  terRome.  When  Constantine  found- 
ed on  the  site  of  the  little  city  of  Byzantium  the  imperial  city  of 
Constantinople,  when  he  moved  there  the  seat  of  the  vast  Roman 
Empire,  the  bishops  of  the  imperial  city  of  Constantinople  became 


306  HISTORIC  ABCHDIOCESES. 

very  prominent.  Before  the  founding  of  the  great  city,  the  bish- 
ops of  Byzantium  were  subject  to  the  archbishops  of  Heraclea. 
Because  of  the  prominence  of  the  city  of  Constantinople,  as  the 
seat  of  the  Koman  empire,  it  soon  became  the  seat  of  an  archbish- 
op, and  soon  it  applied  for  the  first  place  after  Eome,  which  Alex- 
andria held  at  that  time.  But  that  question  was  agitated  in  the 
council  of  Chalcedon,  and  the  measure  was  passed  but  it  was 
later  disapproved  by  the  Pope.  Thus  Constantinople  got  the 
honor  of  being  the  first  patriarchate  after  Rome  from  Pope 
Innocent  III.  at  the  Lateran  council.  From  the  days  of 
the  apostles,  the  chief  cities  of  the  converted  world  became 
the  seat  of  Archbishops,  each  having  under  him  a  more 
or  less  numerous  episcopate.  Thus  while  Jerusalem,  the  very 
fountain-head  of  the  christian  religion  and  of  the  Gospels,  re- 
mained for  some  time  the  seat  of  a  simple  bishop,  successor  of 
St.  James  put  lo  death  by  the  impious  Ilerod,  Cesarea,  Herac- 
lea, Carthage,  1'oledo,  Constantinople,  Ephesusj  Antioch,  Alexan- 
dria and  other  cities  early  became  the  seats  of  celebrated  archbish- 
ops, and  centres  of  great  religious  activity.  They  looked  in  the 
early  church  for  guidance  not  to  Jerusalem,  the  see  of  James,  nor 
to  Ephesus  the  home  of  John  the  see  of  Timothy,  not  to  Alex- 
andria where  Mark  lived,  but  to  Eome  where  Peter  died. 

The  whole  history  of  the  apostolic  ages  tells  us,  that  Peter 
founded  the  three  great  sees  of  Rome,  of  Alexandria  and  of  Anti- 
och. The  other  great  cities  of  the  world  by  consent  of  Petei'^s 
successors  soon  became  the  seats  of  archbishops,  primates  and 
patriarchs.  But  the  church  also  showed  that  she  is  not  obliged 
to  follow  the  civil  and  political  divisions  of  countries.  That  she 
proved  in  the  establishment  of  the  primitive  episcopal  sees  of 
Asia  Minor,  of  Pontus,  of  Thrace  and  of  Gaul.  When  Pope  Syl- 
vester in  325  called  the  bishops  of  the  world  together  to  deliberate 
regarding  the  celebration  of  Easter,  and  to  condemn  Arius  for  de- 
nying Christ's  divinity,  nearly  every  chief  city  was  the  residence 
of  an  archbishop.  In  the  expressive  Greek  languages  they  were 
called  metropolitans,  which  means  the  mother  cities.  This 
may  be  seen  in  the  provincial  councils  called  by  the  Popes  who 
lived  a  few  years  removed  from  Peter  and  the  apostolic  age.  ' 
But  antiquity  shows  us  the  Roman  Pontiff,  rising  like  a  pillar. of 
light  from  the  supreme  Throne  of  the  Fisherman,  above  the 
archbishops,  the  primates  and  the  patriarchs  of  every  country  of 
the  ancient  world.  As  St.  Boniface  says:  "  The  universal  custom 
of  the  rising  church  was  to  derive  all  from  the  primacy,  in  honor 
of  blessed  Peter,  in  which  his  authority  and  primacy  consisted 
...  all  this  was  given  by  the  word  of  the  Lord.  The  council  of 
Chalcedon  attended  by  318  bishops  re-echoed  tte  voice  of  an- 
tiqjuity  by  proclaiming:  "  That  the  Roman  church  always  held  the 
primacy.^' '     These  ancient  councils  and  monuments  of  antiquity 

»  See  Labbe  Concll.  '  St.  Boniface  I.  Eptet.  ad  Eplacop.  Thess.  T.  iv.  col.  1706. 

»  Concll.  Chalcld.  act.  xvl.  col.  812. 


ARCHDIOCESES  IN  ANCIENT  TIMES.  307 

show  us,  that  the  priesthood,  the  episcopacy  and  the  Papacy  were 
established  by  the  Lord  Jesus  himself.  But  the  patriarchs,  pri- 
mates and  the  archbishops  are  purely  church  institutions,  and  de- 
rive all  their  force  from  church  polity  and  ecclesiastical  law. 
They  are  the  images  and  the  shadows  of  the  Papacy. 

The  highest  representatives  of  St.  Peter  in  the  world  are  there- 
fore the  patriarchs.  St.  Peter  first  founded  them  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  Sts.  Evodiiis  and  Mark,  to  the  cities  of  Antioch 
and  of  Alexandria.  They  were  to  represent  him  in  the  churches 
of  Asia  and  of  Africa,  while  he  was  the  great  patriarch  of  the 
West,  living  at  the  seat  of  the  Roman  empire.  He  reserved  in  a 
special  way  to  himself  the  Latin  nations  conquered  and  governed 
by  the  Romans,  with  the  North-west  of  Africa  and  the  Greek  j)onin- 
sula.  Tliat  was  to  show  in  a  striking  way  the  primacy  of  Peter  over 
all  the  otiier  apostles.  As  St.  Gregory  says:  "Although  there  were 
many  apostles,  nevertheless  the  See  of  one,  of  the  prince  of  the 
apostles,  prevailed  over  all  in  authority.  It  is  in  three  places, 
yet  it  is  of  one.  He  raised  up  his  see  in  which  he  was  to  rest  and 
end  his  life.  He  honored  the  see  to  which  he  sent  his  disciple  the 
Evangelist.  He  strengthened  the  see  in  which  he  lived  for  seven 
years.  "^    .     In  the  words  of  the  Hincmar:  ''The  chief  sees  of  the 

cliurcli  are  at  Rome,  at  Alexandria  and  at  Antioch although 

they  are  separated  by  distance,  they  are  but  the  one  see  of  the 
great  Peter,  Prince  of  the  apostles.'" 

Antiquity  tells  us  that  St.  Peter  founded  many  episcopal  sees 
besides  the  three  above  mentioned,  but  these  were  his  in  a  special 
manner.  They  were  the  organs  or  the  channels  by  which  he  com- 
municated witli  these  vast  regions  of  the  world.  ^  The  reader 
will  now  see  that  the  patriarchs,  primates  and  archbishops  partake 
in  a  part  of  the  primacy  of  the  Pope,  that  with  him  they  have  a 
certain  authority  over  their  suffragan  bishops  both  clergy  and 
people,  not  that  they  were  elected  to  tliat  office  by  the  latter,  but 
they  were  appointed  to  it  by  the  Roman  Pontiff,  whom  they  rep- 
resent. " 

The  patriarchs  are  the  occupants  of  the  oldest  and  most  vener- 
able sees  m  the  world  after  Rome.  We  have  already  spoken 
enough  of  the  patriarchs  of  Alexandria  and  of  Antioch.  The 
Pope  having  in  his  august  person  all  the  perfections  of  tlie  clergy 
below  him,  he  has  always  been  the  patriarch  of  the  West,  as  well 
as  the  primate  of  Italy,  the  archbishop  of  the  Roman  province, 
and  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  Soon  after  the  time  of  the  Apostles^ 
the  cities  of  Ephesus,  Heraclea  and  of  Cesarea  became  the  seats  of 
archbishops.  In  later  times  the  archbishop  of  Aquila  received 
the  honor  of  being  called  a  patriarch. 

All  know  how  the  Greeks  separated  from  us  in  the  eleventh 
century.  But  they  have  in  many  cases  come  back  again  and  be- 
come reconciled  to"  the  church.     This  reconciliation  of  the  schis- 

>  Greg.  Mag.  Eulog.  Alexander.  L.  vli.  Epist.  xl.         2  pjjnp  Qpp.  t.  li.  p  431  Ed  Miirne 
3  St.  Leo  Episl.  xiv,  ad  Anast.  ■»  Coucil.  Lugd.  II.  ap.  Lab.  T.'  xi.  col.  966! 


308  PATBIARCHS,  PRIMATES  AND  ARCHBISHOPS. 

matics  has  increased  the  number  of  the  patriarchs.  For  to  keep 
them  in  union  with  us,  the  Holy  See  allowed  their  chief  bishops  to 
retain  the  old  and  venerable  title  of  the  patriarchate.  Thus  we 
have  the  patriarchs  of  Constantinople,  of  Alexandria  and  of  Jeru- 
salem, both  for  the  Latin  and  Greek  liturgies,  a  third  of 
Alexandria  and  of  Antioch,  for  the  Coptic  and  Maronite  Rites. 
Besides  these  there  are  others  for  the  Ethiopians,  the  Armenians, 
the  Chaldeans,  the  Syrians  and  one  for  the  East  Indies. 

The  patriarchal  sees  we  have  mentioned,  do  not  exhaust  all 
the  riches  of  the  Papacy.  These  vast  regions  over  which  Peter 
appointed  his  disciples,  Evodius  and  Mark,  were  in  their  turn 
divided  up  again  into  ecclesiastical  provinces,  each  presided  over 
by  a  primate  or  an  archbishop.  The  primate  from  the  Latin  primus 
is  the  first  bishop  in  a  nation,  the  archbishop  is  the  chief  bishop 
of  a  province,  while  a  patriarch  from  the  Latin  father  is  the 
father  of  bishops.  Hence  a  patriarch  is  a  bishop  of  one  of  the  old 
apostolic  sees,  a  primate  sits  on  the  first  seat  of  a  nation  while  an 
archbishop  is  a  bishop  of  the  chief  or  metropolitan  city. 

Then  the  patriarchs,  primates  and  archbishops  are  but  so  many 
branches  of  the  Papacy.  They  represent  and  carry  out  in  their 
person  the  power  and  authority  given  to  Peter:  "  Feed  my  lambs 
Feed  my  sheep;"  by  that  supreme  apostolate  ruling  other  bishops 
and  churches  under  them.  Whence  they  always  preside  over  the 
other  bishops  of  their  provinces,  or  nations,  or  patriarchates  under 
them.  When  the  decision  of  the  bishop  is  disputed  the  appeal  is 
taken  before  the  archbishop,  and  if  the  latter's  sentence  seems  not 
just  the  appeal  is  taken  to  Eome.  The  archl)ishops  in  our  age 
have  authority  only  in  provincial  councils,  in  visitations  and  in 
appeals.  In  former  times  because  of  the  difficulties  of  travelling, 
or  of  acquainting  Rome  with  the  details  of  administration  of  far 
distant  countries,  the  archbishops,  primates  or  patriarchates  as  dele- 
gates of  the  Holy  See  approved  the  election  of  bishops,  and  regu- 
lated many  things  now  reserved  to  the  Popes.  That  was  the 
ancient  discipline  because  of  the  difficulty  of  laying  these  matters 
before  the  Roman  Congregations,  which  did  not  exist  in  the  early 
ages.  ' 

The  patriarch,  primate  and  archbishop,  presiding  over  these 
bishops,  are  so  many  images  of  the  Papacy  over  the  whole  chris- 
tian world.  St.  Peter  rules  them  in  the  person  of  the  metropolitan 
wearing  the  pallium  taken  from  the  tomb  of  the  Prince  of  the 
apostles.  For  that  reason  St.  Leo  calls  them  "  The  forms  of  Peter 
offered  to  the  episcopacy."  The  reader  now  sees  that  one  bishop 
can  have  no  authority  over  another  except  it  comes  from  the 
Chair  of  Peter,  to  whom  Christ  gave  it  saying:  "  Feed  my 
lambs  Feed  my  sheep."'  St.  James  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  and 
one  of  the  apostles  would  certainly  claim  authority  over  the  other 
pishops  of  Palestine  and  of  Syria,  if  it  came  from  his  apostolate. 
But  history  tells  us  that  his  see  was  also  subject  to  the  archbishop 

•  Const.  Apost.  Can.  9  Lab.  T.  I.  col.  31.  Concll.  Laodlc.  Can.  12.  col.  1498.        *  John  xxL 


THE  CLERGY  OF  THE  ARCHDIOCESE.  309 

of  Cesarea,  while  the  bishops  of  Antioch  and  of  Alexandria  and  of 
Kome  shine  forth  in  all  antiquity  with  the  glorious  powers  of 
Peter,  although  they  were  only  disciples  and  had  not  the  honor  of 
the  apofetolate  like  Sts.  James,  John  and  the  other  apostles. 

The  clergy  of  Eome  partake  in  the  honor,  power  and  dignity  of 
their  bishop,  the  Pope.  They  assist  him  in  the  government  of 
the  Roman  diocese,  and  of  the  whole  church.  They  govern  the 
church  universal;  when  the  See  of  Rome  is  vacant,  they  elect  his 
successor.  In  a  like  way  the  clergy  of  the  patriarchal,  primatical 
and  metropolitan  dioceses  partake  in  the  honors  and  powers  of  their 
bishops.  They  aid  them  in  the  ruling  of  these  churches,  they 
govern  the  diocese  when  the  see  is  vacant  and  they  present  to  the 
Pope  a  candidate  for  the  widowed  church. 

Whence  we  see  that  all  through  the  church,  the  clergy  of  these 
great  and  honorable  sees  have  taken  an  active  part  in  matters,  be- 
longing not  only  to  their  own  dioceses,  but  also  in  things  relating 
to  the  other  dioceses,  over  which  the  archbishop  primate  or  pa- 
triarch presided  as  metropolitans.  When  any  one  appeals  from 
the  bishop  to  the  archbishop,  the  latter  lays  the  matter  before  his 
most  learned  clergy  and  asks  their  advice  before  giving  his  de- 
cision. The  archbishop  is  surrounded  by  his  court  of  clergymen  his 
crown,  who  partake  in  the  splendors  of  his  powers  over  the  other 
bishops  of  his  province.  Whence  during  a  provincial  council  the 
most  important  offices  are  filled  by  the  clergy  of  the  archdiocese. 
In  the  same  way,  the  clergy  of  the  great  patriarchal  sees  stand  in 
higher  honor  than  the  clergy  of  any  other  diocese.  That  is  shown 
in  a  more  striking  manner  by  the  cardinals,  who  are  the  clergy  of 
the  Roman  diocese,  whose  bishop  is  the  Pope  himself,  for  they  are 
the  pastors  of  Rome. 

But  there  is  this  diiference  between  them  and  the  clergy  of  other 
dioceses.  For  while  the  clergy  of  all  other  dioceses  only  propose 
the  name  of  their  candidate  for  the  vacant  see  and  he  is  confirm- 
ed or  rejected  by  the  Pope,  yet  the  elect  of  the  cardinals  for  the 
See  of  Rome  becomes  at  once  the  Pope,  and  the  anointed  of  God, 
for  there  is  no  power  or  authority  on  earth  above  the  Papacy  which 
can  reject  or  confirm  the  choice  of  the  cardinals.  We  find  that 
they  always  precede  the  other  bishops  of  the  world,  even  when 
they  are  only  simple  priests  or  belong  to  the  lower  clergy.  This 
gave  rise  to  much  ill-feeling  on  the  part  of  the  Greeks,  because  the 
cardinals  of  the  Roman  diocese  ranked  higher  than  their  patriarch 
bishop  of  Constantinople.  *  In  every  part  of  the  world  the  Ro- 
man clergy  in  all  ages  ranked  higher  than  the  clergy  of  any  other 
church.  Following  the  same  rule  the  pastors  of  the  archdiocese 
preceded  in  honor  the  pastors  of  the  other  dioceses  of  the  prov- 
inces. In  many  places  the  clergy  of  the  great  sees  were  called 
cardinals.  Thus  we  read  that  the  clergy  of  Ravenna  signed  their 
names  as  cardinals  to  the  decrees  of  a  council  held  there.  *     The 

>  Codinus,  Offlc  Mag.  Eccl.  Constantinople  Ed.  1635.  Essai  Historic  Sur  les  Arcliidac.  Ed.  1851 
par  D.  A.  Grea.  2  concil.  Raven,  iu  the  year  998. 


310  PROMINENCE  OF  THE  ARCHDIOCESES. 

bishops  of  the  province  of  Cologne  signed  their  names:  ''with  the 
chapter  and  the  prelates/"  The  archbishop  of  Narbon  when 
signing  his  name  to  the  decrees  wrote:     "We  the  archbishop  of 

Narbon with  the  bishops  present  and  our  venerable  chapter 

&c.'"     The  same  dignity  may  be  seen  in  parts  of  history.  * 

Not  only  that,  but  we  see  the  archdeacons  and  officials  of  the 
metropolitan  sees  fulfilling  very  important  functions  in  the  dio- 
ceses subject  to  their  archbishops.  Thus  cardinal  Jules,  retained 
at  Rome,  ordered  the  archdeacon,  the  president  of  the  chapter 
of  his  cathedral,  to  hold  a  council  in  his  absence.  That  was  in 
1517,  and  all  the  bishops  of  his  arehiepiscopal  province  attended. 
The  chapter  of  that  same  archdiocese  held  a  council  in  1573  dur- 
ing the  absence  of  their  archbishop.  Even  to-day  when  the  pow- 
ers of  the  archbishops  over  their  provinces  liave  been  much  restrict- 
ed, because  of  modern  facilities  of  reaching  Rome,  still  while  the 
arehiepiscopal  see  is  vacant,  the  clergy  of  the  metropolitan  diocese 
have  certain  rights  over  the  other  dioceses  of  the  province.  For 
it  belongs  to  them  to  supply  the  absence  of  the  archbishop  by 
guiding  the  clergy  of  any  diocese  while  he  is  away,  or  when  the 
arehiepiscopal  throne  becomes  vacant.  History  shows  us  some  ex- 
amples of  that  kind.  In  the  year  1^43  the  chapter  of  the  diocese 
of  Canterbury,  England,  while  the  arehiepiscopal  see  was  vacant,  ex- 
comniunicated  the  suffragan  bishop  of  London.  *  While  the  arch- 
diocese of  Reims  was  vacant  in  1271,  the  chapter  of  that  cathedral 
adjourned  a  council  called  by  Milon  bishop  of  Soissons. '  In  1290 
the  cliapter  of  the  cathedral  cluirch  of  Tours  allowed  the  clergj' 
of  Angers  to  elect  a  pastor  as  bishop.  They  examined  and  confirmed 
his  election,  and  commanded  the  bishops  of  the  province  to  assem- 
ble and  consecrate  him  a  bishop.  The  chief  of  the  chapter  of  the 
archdiocese  of  Cashel  in  Ireland  revoked  the  election  of  a  bishop 
carried  out  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the  church  provided  in  such 
cases.  "  We  see  the  jilace  of  honor  given  to  the  metropolitan 
clergy  in  the  councils  of  the  middle  ages  notably  in  the  II.  council 
of  Soissons  and  at  Frioul  &c.  In  our  own  country  we  see  that 
when  a  provincial  council  is  held  in  any  part  of  tlie  United  States, 
the  clergy  of  the  archdiocese  takes  a  more  prominent  part  than 
any  of  the  clergy  of  the  other  dioceses,  and  the  clergy  of  the  arch- 
diocese of  Baltimore  took  a  most  prominent  and  active  part  in  the 
three  plenary  councils  of  the  American  church  held  there. 

As  the  archbishops,  primates  and  patriarchs  are  the  branches  and 
copies  of  the  Papacy,  holding  the  place  of  the  latter  with  regard 
to  the  dioceses  under  them,  so  their  dioceses  bear  the  likeness  of 
and  are  the  images  of  the  diocese  of  Rome.  Tims,  because  the 
Bisiiop  of  Rome  is  by  that  very  fact  the  Pope  and  head  over  the 
universal  churchy  so  the  bishop  of  any  of  the  archdioceses  or  patri- 
archal sees  becomes  by  his  appointment  to  that  dioceses  a  patriarch, 
archbishop  or  primate,  according  to  the  rank  of  his  see  his  spirit- 

>  Condi.  Colon.  In  the  year  1810.  »  Concll.  Narbon-  In  the  year  1374. 

>  Concil.  Hispalean.  1512.  Cfmcil.  Colon.  1649  &c.      *  Lab.  T.  XI.  ool.  601. 

*  Ibidem  col.  1922.  *  Thomas.  Diac.  Eccl.  Ireland.  P.  I.  111.  c.  X. 


TOMB  OF  MARGARET  OF  AUSTRIA  IN  THE  CATHEDRAL  BRUNN. 


312  ANCIENT  PAPAL   DELEGATIONS. 

ual  spouse.  Whence  these  honors  and  dignities' are  inherent  in 
the  see.  They  are  not  personal  as  the  cardinalate,  nor  do  they 
die  at  the  death  of  the  prelate,  but  they  live  in  the  person  of  his 
successor.  We  see  that  in  the  diocese  of  Rome,  Peter  is  not  dead, 
for  he  ever  lives  in  the  person  of  his  Successors  the  Roman  Pontiffs. 
That  is  why  the  clergy  of  these  metropolitan  archdioceses  and 
patriarchal  sees  are  honored  above  the  bishops  of  common  dioceses. 
The  reader  will  see  at  once  that  the  archbishops,  primates  or 
patriarchs  do  not  receive  any  episcopal  consecration,  which  makes 
them  in  holy  orders  the  superiors  of  bishops.  For  all  bishops,  even 
the  Popes,  are  by  power  of  holy  orders  equal,  and  one  is  not  above 
the  other  in  episcopal  rank.  It  is  in  jurisdiction  that  the  Pope  is 
over  the  whole  world  and  the  Bishop  of  bishops. 

The  archbishops,  primates  and  patriarchs  are  above  the  other 
bishops,  because  they  partake  in  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Pope. 
They  have  been  called  by  the  latter  to  partake  in  his  primacy,  to 
represent  him,  and  in  his  name  to  preside  over  the  other  bishops. 
They  are  the  copies  of  and  the  branches  of  the  Papacy.  As  the 
branches  of  a  tree  are  the  copies  and  images  of  the  trunk,  and  re- 
ceive all  their  sap  and  life  from  the  trunk,  so  that  they  may  in  their 
turn  have  branches  growing  out  of  them,  so  the  patriarchs,  prim- 
ates and  archbishops  have  other  dioceses  and  other  churches  under 
them,  which  they  rule  in  the  name  of  the  Pope. 

The  best  known  of  these  ancient  papal  delegations  of  the  early 
church  M'as  the  region  or  diocese  of  Illyricum,  ruled  by  the  arch- 
bishops of  Thessalonica.  Popes  SS.  Damasus,  Leo  the  Great  and 
Gelasius,  one  after  the  other  appointed  the  archbishops  of  this  city 
their  legates  over  the  aforesaid  country.  Representing  the  Popes, 
they  appointed  bishops;  they  decided  disputes;  they  ended  minor 
matters,  and  they  sent  those  of  greater  importance  to  Rome.  ' 
They  could  in  the  name  of  the  Pope  call  the  bishops  of  their  prov- 
ince to  meet  in  council. '  Each  archbishop  at  his  appointment 
received  from  the  Pope  his  appointment  as  the  delegate  of  the 
latter.  ' 

In  ancient  Gaul,  now  France,  the  archbishop  of  Aries  was  the 
papal  delegate  for  all  surrounding  regions  of  southern  France,  till 
because  of  abuses  St.  Leo  revoked  the  authority  given  by  his  pre- 
decessors. *  In  the  same  way  we  read  that  the  bishops  of  Sens 
and  of  Vienna  were  in  former  times  the  delegates  of  the  Roman 
Pontiffs.  The  latter  appointed  various  bishops  with  metropolitan 
jurisdiction  without  regard  to  the  sees  they  occupied.  Such  was 
St.  Syagrius  bishop  of  Autun  under  Gregory  the  Great.  Such  was 
Gregory  VII.  before  his  election  to  the  Papal  Chair.  Such  were 
also  St.  Bernard  of  Clairveaux,  St.  Boniface  archbishop  of  Germany 
and  many  bishops  and  archbishops  of  France  and  of  Germany  under 
Charlemagne  and  his  successors.  In  England  the  archbishops  of 
Canterbury  often  bore  the  honors  of  an  apostolate  delegate.     St. 

'  S  hm  Epist.  V.  ad  Metrop.  Illyricum  n.  4, 0.  et  Epist.  VI.  ad  Anas.  Tbes.  n.  4,  &. 
'  Supra,  n.  4.  >  Ibidem  n.  lU.  *  Ibldenf  Epist.  z. 


REPRESENTING  THE  POPE.  313 

Patrick  was  during  the  latter  part  of  his  life  the  papal  delegate 
for  Ireland.  In  Spain  the  archbishops  of  Toledo  and  of  Seville 
were  often  appointed  to  that  honor."' 

The  bishops  and  dioceses  of  the  north  of  Africa  were  subject  to 
the  archbishop  of  Carthage,  so  celebrated  for  being  the  see  of  St. 
Oyprian.  History  tells  us  how  close  and  intimate  was  the  union 
of  that  see  with  Rome.  The  writings  of  St.  Cyprian  show  the 
honor  with  which  he  held  the  Roman  Pontiff.  Carthage  was  for 
many  centuries  the  seat  of  a  simple  archbishop,  till  in  the  days  of 
SS.  Leo  IX.  and  of  Gregory  VII.  the  churches  of  Carthage  and 
of  Africa  were  totally  destroyed  by  the  oppression  and  tyranny  of 
the  barbarians  and  Mohammedans.  The  meetings  of  the  bishops 
of  the  north  of  Africa  in  those  days  always  took  place  under  the 
presidency  of  the  archbishops  of  Carthage,  who  represented  the 
Pope  in  the  midst  of  and  as  chairman  of  the  bishops  of  Africa 
assembled  in  council.  When  the  archbishop  was  absent  the  common 
or  cation  law  provided  that  his  place  sliould  be  tilled  by  the 
dean  of  the  episcopacy,  that  is  by  the  oldest  or  Senior  bish- 
op. For  that  reason  the  Popes  did  not  appoint  any  delegate  in 
the  north  of  Africa,  as  they  were  well  represented  there  by  the  pa- 
triarch of  Alexandria  and  by  the  archbishop  of  Carthage,  till  the 
flourishing  churchesof  Africa  weredestroyed  by  the  Mohammedans. 
At  an  early  age  the  vast  regions  of  Syria,  of  Asia  Minor,  of  Greece 
and  of  southern  Europe  were  divided  into  provinces  then  called 
dioceses.  Over  each  presided  an  archbishop,  as  the  delegate  of 
the  Roman  Pontiff,  while  in  each  city  of  these  countries  sat  a  bish- 
op. There  were  often  no  archiepiscopal  sees  like  they  are  now, 
for  the  delegation  was  purely  personal  and  died  with  the  one  so 
honored.  That  was  the  way  the  Popes  of  the  early  ages  exercised 
their  powers  over  far  distant  countries.  Besides  they  limited  the 
power  of  these  delegates  to  certain  specified  acts,  which  could  be 
revoked  by  the  Pope  at  any  time.  The  ecclesiastical  laws  did  not 
regulate  these  delegates  of  the  Roman  See.  Being  delegates  of 
the  Popes,  the  latter  at  their  appointment  laid  down  their  duties. 
The  honor  was  purely  personal,  and  was  not  attached  to  the  epis- 
copal sees  they  ruled.  Thus,  although  we  see  that  many  of  the 
ancient  sees  in  the  early  church  were  honored  with  bishops,  who 
became  one  after  the  other  the  delegates  of  the  Popes,  yet  the 
delegation  was  not  attached  to  the  see  itself  as  the  archiepiscopal 
and  patriarchal  dignities  are  now  attached  to  metropolitan  cities 
in  a  lasting  and  stable  manner. 

At  first  these  papal  delegations  were  nearly  always  given  to 
the  bishops  of  certain  dioceses,  as  to  the  metropolitans  of  Aries,  of 
Thessalonica,  &c.  But  in  Spain,  in  France  and  in  other  countries 
the  honor  was  conferred  on  bishops  of  diverse  dioceses,  because  of 
the  personal  merits  of  the  bishops  of  these  ancient  sees,  who  in 
many  cases  were  great  saints  and  men  of  God.     But   little   by 

'  St.  Hormisda  Epist.  xvl.  ad  Salust.  Spalen.  ap  Lab.  T.  IV.  col.  1469.  Id.  Epist.  xxiv.  ad  Joan. 
Tarracon.  col.  1466. 


314  THE  PRIMATES. 

little,  the  custom  of  conferring  it  on  the  bishops  of  certain  flour- 
ishing cities  gave  them  a  pre-eminence  among  their  brethren  of 
the  episcopac}'  of  the  whole  nation,  and  that  gave  rise  to  their 
permanency  in  the  nation.  From  that  they  were  called  the  primates 
and  their  episcopal  sees  became  the  primatial  sees.  Thus  the  chief 
sees  of  Europe,  as  Armagh  in  Ireland,  Canterbury  in  England, 
Bourges,  Paris,  Lyons  and  Aquitaine  in  France,  Milan  in  Italy 
with  Seville  and  Toledo  in  Spain  occupied  the  first  rank  in 
Europe,  like  the  great  patriarchal  see  of  Antioch,  Constantinople, 
and  Alexandria  in  Asia  and  Africa,  But  it  was  in  appearance 
only,  as  Rome  alone  could  equal  or  be  really  above  the  great 
sees  of  antiquity.  This  St.  Gregory  meant  when  he  wrote:  "  The 
patriarchs  or  primates,  hold  the  same  poAver,  although  they  are 
of  different  names." ' 

In  the  middle  ages  there  were  many  misunderstandings  regard- 
ing the  primacies.  Some  bishops  claimed  the  honor,  because  they 
occupied  the  sees  of  the  former  delegates  of  the  Roman  Pontiffs. 
For  that  reason  Hincmar  claimed  that  all  the  archbishops,  who 
were  subject  direct  to  the  Pope  became  by  that  primates.  A 
number  bore  the  honor  only.  Thus,  when  there  was  a  dispute 
between  the  archbishops  of  Armagh  and  Dublin  regarding  the 
primacy  of  Ireland,  the  Pope  solved  the  difficulty  by  giving  the 
title  of  primate  of  all  Ireland  to  the  former  and  the  title  of  pri- 
mate of  Ireland  to  the  latter. 

The  primates,  being  the  chief  bishops  of  a  country,- and  repre- 
senting the  Pope  himself,  the  Popes  alone  can  appoint  them  to 
that  honor.  Thus  we  read  that  Popes  Nicholas  I.  and  Alexander 
III.  recognized  the  primacy  of  the  bishops  of  Bourges  over  the 
churches  of  Aquitaine;  IJrban  that  of  Narbonne  over  Aix, 
that  of  Lyons  over  the  provinces  of  Tours  of  Rouen,"  and  St.  Greg- 
ory VI.  over  Sens.  This  was  the  custom  of  the  West.  In  the 
East,  before  the  destruction  of  the  Greek  empire,  the  patriarchal 
sees  mentioned  before  received  from  various  Popes  the  care  of  the 
regions  near  their  cities.  They  were  the  direct  delegates  of  the 
Supreme  Pontiffs.  In  the  expressive  Greek  language,  which  from 
the  conquest  of  Alexander,  400  years  before  Christ,  prevailed  in 
these  eastern  countries,  these  delegates  of  the  Holy  See  were 
called  katholikoi,  that  is  universal  delegates.  Thus  tlie  regions 
of  upper  Asia  depended  on  the  papal  delegate  archbishop  of  Seleu- 
cia,  the  vicar  of  the  patriarch  of  Antioch.  The  Etheopians  were 
ruled  by  a  vicar  of  the  patriarch  of  Alexandria.  The  churches  of 
Armenia  were  subject  to  a  katholikos,  who  belonged  to  the  arch- 
diocese of  Cesarea. 

Tiiese  in  their  turn  gave  rise  to  the  patriarchs  of  the  various 
oriental  rites  which  we  see  to-day  in  the  East.  The  patriarch  of 
the  Chaldeans  represents  the  old  katholikos  of  Seleucia.  The  pa- 
triarch of  the  Maronites  represents  the  papal  delegate  of  that  na- 
tion.    So  it  is  with  the  catholics  and  united  Armenians,  the  Syr- 

"  Pat.  Lab.  T.  cxivlll.  col.  rm.  »  St.  GreRory  VM.  L.  vl.  EpUt.  34  and  85. 


THE  FIRST  BISHOPS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES.  315 

ians,  the  Abyssinians,  the  Copts,  &c. ;  they  are  all  the  disciples  of  tlie 
ancient  catholics  of  these  countries  of  the  East,  where  thecliurch 
so  flourished,  before  the  political  revolutions  divided  them  from 
Eome,  the  centre  of  unity  and  of  faith.  This  rapid  sketch  will 
give  the  key  to  many  historic  facts  of  history,  which  the  ordinary 
reader  cannot  understand.  Thus  it  appears  that  in  ancient  times 
any  archbishop,  primate  or  patriarch  could  appoint  and  consecrate 
a  bishop,  divide  a  diocese,  and  perform  many  acts  now  i-eserved 
to  the  Pope.  They  could  do  this  because  they  were  the  delegates 
of  the  Roman  Pontiffs  for  these  functions,  because  travelling  and 
communications  with  Eome  were  so  difficult  in  those  times,  that 
Popes  had  to  appoint  bishops  to  represent  them  in  these  dis- 
tant regions. 

Coming  back  to  our  own  country  we  will  now  better  understand 
the  nature  of  the  titles  of  the  bishops  of  this  country.  The  first 
bishops  appointed  in  tliis  country  were  the  bishops  of  Quebec, 
the  bishop  of  which  city  was  made  a  V^icar  Apostolic  by 
the  appointment  of  Francis  de  Laval  in  1674.  His  jurisdiction 
then  extended  over  all  Canada  and  the  French  possessions  of  the 
Mississippi  valley  to  the  Eocky  Mountains.  The  see  of  Quebec  is 
therefore  the  first  diocese  of  that  country. 

In  the  United  States  the  few  and  scattered  catholics  living  with- 
in our  boundaries  before  the  revolutionary  war  were  subject  to  the 
vicar  apostolic  of  Ijondon.  This  arrangement  remained  till  1789, 
when  at  the  request  of  the  clergy  and  by  the  votes  of  the  priests,  Eev. 
John  Carroll,  cousin  of  Chas.  Carroll  of  Carrolltown,  one  of  the 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  himself  a  personal 
friend  of  Washington,  became  the  first  bishop  of  Baltimore.  His 
diocese  was  then  the  whole  United  States.  In  1808  the  church  had 
so  increased  that  Baltimore  became  an  archdiocese,  and  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  Boston  and  Bardstown,  became  the  seats  of  bish- 
ops. New  York  was  erected  into  an  archdiocese  in  1850,  having 
subject  to  its  archbishop  all  the  New  England  states,  with  the 
states  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey.  In  1875  Boston  became  an 
archdiocese,  having  as  suffragans  the  New  England  states,  leaving 
to  the  archdiocese  of  New  York  the  two  states  of  New  York  and 
New  Jersey.  Thus  all  the  dioceses  of  these  two  states  form  the 
ecclesiastical  province  of  New  York,  and  their  bishops  are  the  suf- 
fragans of  its  archbishop,  who  presides  over  them  in  councils  and 
in  meetings  of  this  kind.  But  when  the  bishops  of  the  whole 
country  meet  in  council,  the  archbishop  of  Baltimore  usually  pre- 
sides over  them,  because  he  is  the  bishop  of  the  oldest  diocese. 
Three  plenary  councils  of  the  whole  church  have  been  held  in  Bal- 
timore, and  the  prelates  of  this  archdiocese  presided  over  them  as 
the  delegates  of  the  Pope.  There  they  enacted  laws  for  the  whole 
country.  From  these  customs  the  archbishops  of  Baltimore  have 
been  called  the  primates  of  the  United  States,  without  really  hav- 
ing the  title  or  the  authority  of  a  primate. 

Pope  St.  Leo  says,  that  in  his  time  the  great  rule  of  the  church 


316  ANTIQUITY  OF  PATEIARCHS.      ' 

was  to  give  to  each  province  and  nation:  "The  form  or  image  of 
Peter,"  by  the  union  of  all  bishops  and  churches  under  the  head- 
ship of  one  archbishop,  primate  or  patriarch  representing  the. 
Pope.  *  That  was  the  universal  custom  in  every  age  and  country 
back  even  to  the  time  of  the  apostles.  We  trace  it  back,  till  we 
find  it  lost  in  the  silence  of  the  apostolic  times.  No  Pope  or  coun- 
cil established  then  that  ancient  office.  The  most  ancient  councils 
speak  of  them  as  being  already  ancient  in  their  days.  The  council 
of  Antioch  says:  "It  was  the  rule  of  the  fathers  from  the  begin- 
ning. '"  It  may  be  seen  in  the  Apostolic  Constitutions.'  The 
council  of  Laodecia  speaks  of  archbishops  over  bishops.  The  writ- 
ings of  the  fathers  are  filled  with  texts,  which  sliow  that  some 
bishops  were  over  other  bishops  in  their  time.  These  bishops  may 
be  called  by  different  names,  but  it  only  shows  that  they  were  known 
in  the  church  at  the  time  these  fathers  lived. 

The  word  patriarch  from  the  Greek  meaning  a  prince  of  fathers, 
in  the  first  ages  signified  those  bishops,  who  had  authority  over 
others  bishops.  The  bishops  who  occupied  the  old  apostolic  sees 
were  mostly  known  by  that  name.  The  bishojjs  of  these  venerable 
sees  ruled  not  only  bishops,  but  also  primates  and  archbishops. 
The  most  ancient  patriarchal  sees  were  Rome,  Alexandria  and 
Antioch,  the  sees  of  Peter.  Later  the  cities  of  Jerusalem  and 
Constantinople  became  the  seats  of  patriarchs.  Some  times  arch- 
bishops were  called  patriarchs.  In  one  council  the  bishop  of  Lyons 
is  called  a  patriarch,  and  often  the  Arian  heretical  bishops  were 
called  by  the  same  name.  The  names  pope,  patriarch,  primate, 
archbishop  &c.,  are  sometimes  used  in  a  misleading  way  in  the  early 
church,  so  that  men  not  well  versed  in  ecclesiastical  lore,  make  many 
mistakes  by  confounding  the  names  with  their  offices. 

The  first  universal  council  of  all  the  bishops  of  the  church  since 
the  days  of  the  apostles  met  at  Nice  in  the  year  325.  At  that 
time  there  were  archbishops  over  other  bisliops,  and  the  office  was 
even  then  old  in  the  church.  The  fathers  of  this  council  decreed: 
"  Let  the  old  customs  be  kept,  which  are  in  Egypt,  Lybia  and  Pen- 
tapolis,  that  the  bishops  of  Alexandria  should  have  power  over  the 
others,  similar  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  for  this  is  customary.  In 
the  same  way  and  in  Antioch  and  in  the  other  provinces,  let  the 
privileges  of  these  churches  be  guarded,  as  was  clone  in  antiquity."* 
"  Because  custom  and  the  ancient  tradition  thus  holds,  that  he  who 
sits  bishop  in  JEVm  "  (the  pagan  name  for  Jerusalem  after  its 
destruction  and  rebuilding  by  the  Romans,)  "  let  him  be  honored, 
and  the  consequence  of  this  honor,  let  the  dignity  of  his  Metropolis 
be  guarded." '  Here  we  see  that  the  authority  of  these  three  great 
patriarchal  dioceses  according  to  the  very  words  of  the  first  great 
council  of  the  whole  church,  extended  over  all  the  other  bishops  of 
the  surrounding  nations.  That  is  the  real  nature  of  the  power  of 
a  patriarch  in  the  church,  although  the  name  itself  is  not  given 

>  Senno  Iv.  *  Concll.  AnUocb  in  the  year  341  Lab.  T.  U.  col.  666.  *  N.  38. 

*  ConcU.  Nicaenl  Can.  G.  *  Coacil.  Nlcaeni  Can.  7. 


WHAT  THE  COUNCIL  OF  NICE  SATS.  317 

"by  the  fathers  of  the  council  of  Nice.  But  while  they  do  not 
say  that  the  bishop  of  Jerusalem  has  the  same  authority  as  the 
bishops  of  Aiitioch  and  Alexandria,  but  the  honor  only,  they  show 
in  striking  words  the  authority  of  these  two  sees  which  Peter  found- 
ed before  going  to  Eome.  Yet  the  see  of  Jerusalem  was  probably 
established  by  Christ  himself  as  some  say  when  on  the  day  of  his 
ascension  he  gave  the  church  at  Jerusalem  to  St.  James,  as  tradi- 
tion says.  Yet  according  to  the  great  council,  the  sees  of  Peter 
have  full  authority  over  dioceses  and  nations,  while  the  see  found- 
ed by  Christ  himself  or  by  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem  has  only  an 
honorary  title  or  the  dignity  of  the  patriarchate  without  the  power, 
a  wonderful  testimony  of  Peter's  sees  established  in  his  disciples 
Sts.  Mark,  Evodius  and  Ignatius. 

The  council  of  Nice  mentions  not  the  see  of  Constantinople,  be- 
-cause  a  few  years  before  the  emperor  Constantino  had  moved  the 
seat  of  the  Roman  empire  to  the  little  city  of  Byzantium,  till  then 
subject  to  the  archbishop  of  Heraclea,  which  he  called  Con- 
stantinople after  himself.  In  the  fourth  century  the  bishops  of 
Constantinople  made  themselves  patriarchs,  which  the  Popes  toler- 
ated, but  they  did  not  give  them  the  first  place  till  the  thirteenth 
century.  In  the  ancient  church  then  only  the  three  sees  of 
Peter,  Eome,  Alexandria,  and  Antioch  were  called  patriarchal 
churches.' 

Later  the  Popes  erected  the  sees  of  Jerusalem  and  Constanti- 
nople to  the  honor  of  the  patriarchate,  because  at  the  former  city 
Christ  lived  and  died,  and  they  conferred  the  honor  on  the  imperial 
city,  that  they  might  conciliate  the  favors  of  the  Roman  emperors, 
jealous  of  the  supreme  power  of  the  Bishops  of  Rome.  That  took 
jilace  in  the  thirteenth  century.  Before  this,  the  imperial  city 
of  Constantinople  endeavored  to  obtain  the  second  place  after 
Rome,  and  to  rank  her  archbishop  over  the  patriarchs  of  Alexandria 
and  Antioch,  but  the  Roman  Pontiffs  rejected  the  canons  formed 
for  that  purpose.  Only  twenty  canons  of  the  council  of  Nice  now 
remain,  but  the  learned  tell  us  that  they  passed  other  canons  which 
have  been  lost.  The  canons  decreeing  that  Easter  must  be  cele- 
brated on  Sunday,  that  men  twice  married  must  not  be  ordained, 
that  there  must  not  be  two  bishops  of  the  same  see,  the  canons 
relating  to  the  scriptures,  that  clergymen  saying  Mass  must  be 
fasting,  that  appeals  must  be  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the  decree 
relating  to  the  examination  of  synods,  the  addition  of  the  ^' As  it 
was  in  the  beginning '^  &c,,  after  the  "Glory  be  to  the  Father" 
&c.,  all  these  canons  mentioned  by  later  writers  are  nowhere  now 
to  be  found.  Like  so  many  other  precious  monuments  of  antiquity 
they  h^.ve  perished. 

In  451  a  council  was  called  at  Chalcedon  over  which  presided 
Pascasinus,  Lucentius  and  Boniface,  legates  of  the  Pope,  who  had 
in  the  meantime  died,  and  when  in  the  decree  of  this  council  was 
read  in  the  council  erecting  Constantinople  into  a  "  new  Rome,  " 

•  Cardinal  Petra'T.  iv.  ad  Const.  17  Eug.  Iv.  sec.  ill.  n.  4. 


318  CASES   AGAINST  BISHOPS. 

next  to  the  *'old  Rome  of  Pqter/'  the  legates  of  the  Pope  refused 
to  confirm  the  decree  formulated  by  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  as- 
sembled bishops,  as  being  contrary  to  the  council  of  Nice,  stating^ 
that:  "  The  Apostolic  Throne  of  the  Papacy  had  commanded  them 
to  refer  it  to  The  Apostolic  Bishop  and  prince  of  the  whole  church." 
Thus  they  vetoed  the  action  of  the  bishops,  who  the  day  before 
while  the  legates  were  absent  had  passed  this  decree  placing  Con- 
stantinople over  the  apostolic  sees  of  Alexandria  and  of  Antioch. 
'*  In  the  course  of  time  Constantinople  and  Jerusalem  became  pa- 
triarchal sees,  because  they  were  not  so  from  the  beginning"  says- 
the  council  of  Florence.'  Pope  Nicholas  in  858  said  that  only  the 
sees  established  by  the  apostles  were  the  seats  of  patriarchs,  but 
that  Constantinople  or  Jerusalem  had  not  the  same  patriarchal  pow- 
er as  Alexandria  and  Antioch  established  by  Sts.  Mark  and  Peter, 
that  the  council  of  Nice  did  not  name  the  bishop  of  Jerusalem, 
because  the  true  Jerusalem  is  heaven,  of  Avhich  Christ  our  Lord  is- 
the  real  Bishop.  But  they  called  him  bishop  of  ^Elia,  the  city 
built  on  the  ruins  of  Jerusalem  by  Adrian,  after  the  holy  city  had 
been  destroyed  by  the  Romans,  as  foretold  by  our  Lord.  ' 

The  council  of  Nice  commanded  the  metropolitans  or  archbish- 
ops to  meet  in  council  under  their  patriarch  once  each  year,  and 
forbade  them  to  proceed  criminally  against  any  bishop  without  the 
consent  of  the  patriarch.  The  council  of  Chaledon  gave  to  the 
archbishop  of  Constantinople  the  privilege  of  sitting  in  judgment 
in  the  controversies  between  bishops  and  archbishops  within  his 
province  or  subject  to  him. '  In  the  year  1215  the  Lateran  coun- 
cil granted  the  long  desired  honor  to  Constantinople,  that  of  being 
the  first  metropolitan  see  after  Rome,  next  coming  Alexandria, 
then  Antioch  and  Jerusalem.  The  patriarch  of  Constantinople 
could  sit  in  cases  of  appeal  coming  from  all  provinces  of  the 
Greek  empire  before  the  cases  would  go  to  Rome.  *  In  these  times 
many  archbishops  and  bishops  were  called  patriarchs,  without  hav- 
ing any  authority  attached  to  their  titles. 

The  authority  of  the  patriarchs  is  given  in  the  common  or  canon 
law  of  the  church.  Pope  Nicholas  the  I.  wrote  to  Archbishop 
Rodolph  that  all  cases  of  appeal  in  the  dioceses  of  the  bishops,  arch- 
bishops and  primates  come  before  them,  before  coming  to  the  last 
court  of  appeal  the  Roman  Curia.  '  In  the  early  church,  criminal 
cases  against  bishops  often  did  not  come  before  the  patriarch,  but 
before  a  provincial  synod  of  tlie  bishops.  But  they  could  not 
depose  the  bishops  unless  the  Pope  agreed,  after  hearing  the 
case  on  appeal,  because  the  Pope  is  the  Bishop  of  bishops,  and 
alone  to  him  belongs  to  create  or  depose  bishops.  Cases  against 
archbishops  first  came  before  the  patriarch,  who  called  a  council  of 
all  the  bishops  and  archbishops  in  his  patriarcliate  to  hear  and 

{)ronounce  on  the  charges.    That  was  incorporated  into  the  Roman 
aw  under  the  emperor  Justinian.  *     But  the  metropolitan  could 

'  Parte  H.  col.  22.  »  Lab.  T.  8  ool.  M.'i  n.  92.  »  Can.  17. 

*  Coocil.  Lat.  iv.  an.  1215  under  Innocent  HI.        *  Concil.  Lat.  Iv.  cap.  5.      ■  Novel.  128. 


HISTOEIC  NOTES.  319 

not  be  deposed  by  that  court,  without  the  confirming  voice  of  the 
Bishop  of  Home.  A  patriarch  always  presided  over  national  coun- 
cils of  all  the  bishops  and  archbishops  in  any  country.  '  But  no 
patriarch  could  call  such  a  meeting  without  the  consent  of  the 
Pope.  Julius  I.  condemned  a  council  of  this  kind  called  at  An- 
tioch  by  the  bishop  of  that  city.  In  the  council  of  Chalcedon 
the  papal  legates  Paschasianus  and  Lucentius,  would  not  let 
Dioscorns,  patriarch  of  Alexandria  sit  with  the  other  bishops,  be- 
cause without  the  consent  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  he  had  called 
and  held  such  a  council,  stating  that  either  he  should  leave  the 
council  or  they  would. '  Such  councils  then  could  neither  be  held, 
nor  the  decrees  published  without  the  consent  and  approbation  of 
the  Pope.  In  1112  Primas,  bishop  of  Lyons,  called  a  council,  but 
some  of  the  bishops  refused  to  come,  saying  that  he  did  so  without 
the  consent  of  the  Pope.  '  Damiburtus.  archbishop  of  Siens,  Ivo, 
bishop  of  Chartres,  Walo,  bishop  of  Paris  and  John,  bishop  of 
Orleans  wrote  him  refusing  to  attend  the  council,  stating  that 
patriarchs  and  primates  had  not  authority  over  bishops,  except 
what  was  given  them  by  the  common  laws  of  the  church,  and  that 
no  council  could  be  held  without  the  consent  of  the  apostolic  See. 
As  a  sign  of  their  authority,  the  cross  must  be  carried  before  a 
patriarch,  except  when  they  are  in  Rome,  or  when  the  Pope  or  a 
legate  of  the  Pope  is  present.  This  is  a  privilege  granted  to  some 
other  prelates  below  patriarchs. 

In  finishing  this  historic  research  into  the  powers  of  the  patri- 
archs who  sit  on  the  apostolic  sees,  we  might  say  that  every  on& 
of  these  old  sees  established  by  the  apostles  have  been  overturned, 
not  only  once  but  many  times,  since  they  were  established  by 
the  apostles.  Alexandria,  Antioch,  Jerusalem,  Constantinople, 
the  great  historic  cities  have  fallen  from  their  honors.  They 
were  overrun  by  the  Saracens,  the  Mohammedans,  the  Turks 
&c. 

The  archbishop  of  the  first  diocese  is  called  the  primate.  He 
is  over  all  the  archbishops,  bishops  and  churches  of  the  country. 
They  are  not  really  primates  unless  they  have  certain  jurisdiction 
or  authority  over  the  archbishops  of  the  country.  This  was 
stated  by  Pope  Boniface  I.  in  418.  After  the  Saracens  were  driven 
from  Spain,  Urban  II.  in  1088  restored  the  primatial  dignity  to 
the  archbishop  of  Toledo,  who  by  that  obtained  authority  over  the 
archbishops,  bishops  and  churches  of  Spain.  At  the  same  time  he 
made  him  the  legate  of  the  Holy  See  for  this  nation,  with  instruc- 
tions to  respect  the  privileges  and  rights  of  the  church  and  of  the 
bishops  given  them  by  the  common  laws.  The  councils  held  at 
Toledo,  Spain  became  very  celebrated,  and  many  things  there  first 
introduced  became  universal  by  the  customs,  or  by  the  acts  of  the 
Pope  or  by  universal  councils.  The  Pope  appointed  the  archbishops 
of  Lyons  the  primate  of  that  part  of  France.  Later  the  archbishop 
of  Aries  became  the  legate  of  the  Pope  over  all  France.  But  he 
'  Benedict  xiv.  De  Synod.  Dloces.  1. 1.  c.  i,  n.  2.  *  Lab.  Concll.  T.  4.  Act.  i.  col.  94. 


320  THE  POWERS  OF  PRIMATES. 

was  never  the  primate,  for  it  was  a  personal  power  which  did  not 
descend  to  his  successors  in  the  see. 

Whence  the  patriarchal  dignity  is  a  power  over  primates,  arch- 
bishops, bishops  and  churches  permanently  affixed  to  the  see.  A 
primate  may  be  subject  to  a  patriarch,  while  the  latter  is  subject 
only  to  the  See  of  Rome.  This  was  always  the  custom  in  the  East, 
while  in  the  West  many  primates  are  directly  subject  to  the  Pope, 
who  in  his  own  person  has  all  the  honors  and  dignities  of  every 
grade  both  of  orders  and  of  jurisdiction.  In  the  East  there  are  the 
primates  of  Ephesus,  of  Cesareaand  of  Heraclea,  with  archbishops 
under  them.  In  the  early  church  they  were  called  exarchs,  from 
the  Greek  meaning  a  chief  or  leader.  The  council  of  Chalcedon 
says  that  when  controversy  rises  between  archbishops,  the  appeal 
must  be  heard  by  the  exarch  of  the  province  or  before  the  patri- 
archal throne  of  Constantinople,  The  primates  were  sometimes 
called  catholici,  because  of  their  partial  universal  authority.  That 
name  was  given  them  in  the  council  of  Nice.  * 

They  were  forbidden  by  this  council  to  create  archbishops  where 
there  was  a  patriarch.  Often  the  region  over  which  they  ruled 
was  called  a  diocese,  from  the  Greek  meaning  the  administration 
of  a  house  or  of  a  province.  The  second  council  of  Carthage  for- 
bade bishops  to  consecrate  a  bishop  without  consulting  the  primate 
of  the  church  in  Africa.  Some  authors  say  that  the  primatial 
sees  were  instituted  by  the  apostles,  but  the  more  certain  opinion 
seems  to  say  that  they  were  erected  by  the  Popes.  Pius  VI.  sup- 
pressed all  those  of  France  when  the  concordate  with  that  country 
was  signed  in  1801. 

The  primate  has  no  authority  over  churches  unless  it  is  found 
in  the  common  law,  as  Nicholas  I,  wrote  to  archbishop  Rodolph. 
Appeals  from  the  archbishop  go  before  the  primate.  Such  was 
determined  in  the  council  of  Chalcedon.  '  The  primate  under 
the  direction  of  the  Pope,  may  call  a  national  council,  and  he  us- 
ually presides  over  the  other  bishops  as  chairman.  *  But  they 
cannot  undertake  episcopal  visitations  in  the  provinces  of  other 
archbishops.  When  the  II.  council  of  Baltimore  was  called  in 
1884,  by  order  of  Leo  XIII.,  the  archbishop  of  Baltimore  presid- 
ed, as  did  his  predecessors  in  the  former  national  councils.  The 
primacy  appears  to  have  fallen  into  disuse  in  modern  times.  Thus 
since  Pius  VI.  suppressed  all  the  provinces  and  dioceses  of  France 
in  1801,  there  are  no  primatial  sees  in  that  country. 

The  word  archbishop  comes  from  the  Greek  and  means  the  first 
or  chief  bishop,  the  same  as  an  archangel,  archpriest,  &c.,  are  over 
others  in  the  hierarchies.  In  the  early  church  they  were  called 
metropolitans,  that  is  bishops  of  the  mother  churches,  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  in  Greek.  The  bishops  then  of  the  chief  cities 
were  called  in  the  early  churches  metropolitans.  They  were  first 
called  thus  in  the  Greek  empire.  In  the  council  of  Chalcedon, 
the  bishop  of  Alexandria  is  called  an  archbishop.  In  the  third 
^  Tom.  11.  col.  301.       *  Can.  9.  et.  17.       *  Benedict  xiv.  de  Synod,  dioces.  L.  I.  C.  I,  n.  2. 


THE  archbishop's  POWERS.  321 

council  of  Carthage  the  metropolitan  is  called:  ''the  prince  of 
priests,  or  the  supreme  priest."  But  in  the  church  of  Africa  the 
oldest  consecrated  bishop,  presided  over  the  council,  and  the  office 
was  not  fixed  to  any  particular  see.  He  was  called  the  senior 
bishop.  The  only  exception  was  Carthage,  to  which  the  office  of 
metropolitan  was  permanently  fixed,  and  her  bishop  was  called 
the  primate. 

The  name  metropolitan  is  much  older  than  that  of  archbishop, 
and  seems  to  go  back  to  the  very  days  of  the  apostles.  In  our 
day  the  words  metropolitan  and  archbishop  mean  the  very  same, 
that  is  the  bishop,  who  by  right  attached  to  his  see,  presides  over 
the  bishops  of  his  province,  and  before  whom  comes  the  appeals 
from  the  episcopal  courts. 

An  archbishop  then  is  a  prelate  who  has  authority  over  suffra- 
gan bishops  not  having  jurisdiction  over  other  bishops.  The 
archiepiscopal  office  was  instituted  by  Peter  and  his  successors,  for 
we  find  that  the  archiepiscopal  office  existed  long  before  the  first 
general  council  of  Nice  held  in  325.  The  archbishop  takes  an  active 
part  in  the  election  of  the  bishoiDS  of  his  province,  and  he  usually 
consecrated  them,  while  formerly  he  even  ordained  clergy  of  the 
dioceses  of  the  bishops  under  him.  But  in  the  East  he  could  not 
consecrate  any  bishop  without  the  consent  of  the  patriarch.  He 
presided  over  the  bishops  of  his  province  assembled  in  council,  and 
there  passed  judgment  on  important  matters  appealed  from 
these  dioceses  of  his  j^rovince.  But  he  cannot  depdfee  a  bishop, 
for  he  can  only  take  testimony  and  obtain  information,  which 
will  be  later  laid  before  Rome.  The  council  of  Trent  decreed 
that  important  episcopal  cases  must  be  passed  on  only  by  the 
Holy  See.  In  former  times  the  archbishop  could  undertake  epis- 
copal visitations  in  the  dioceses  of  their  suffragan  bishops,  but 
they  do  not  do  so  now,  except  by  orders  of  Rome  when  the  state 
of  religion  demands  it. 

The  archbishop  can  do  notliing  in  the  diocese  of  his  suffragan 
bishops  except  what  the  common  law  says.  Being  a  branch  of 
the  Holy  See,  the  archbishop  must  report  his  actions  and  judg- 
ments in  the  dioceses  of  his  province.  '  The  archbishop  takes 
charge  of  matters  of  appeal  from  the  dioceses  of  his  province,  and 
passes  judgment  for  or  against  the  appellant  according  to  the  tes- 
timony passed  on  by  the  bishop's  court.  Although  in  the  early 
ages  of  the  church,  archbishops,  not  being  able  to  inform  Rome, 
could  elect  and  consecrate  bishops  in  their  provinces,  in  modern 
times,  because  it  is  so  easy  to  write  to  the  Holy  See,  the  Pope  re- 
serves to  himself  the  election  and  consecration  of  bishops. 
Neither  can  archbishops  sit  in  judgment  in  serious  episcopal  cases, 
that  being  reserved  to  the  Holy  Father,  while  matters  of  small 
importance  come  before  provincial  councils.  * 

It  is  disputed  whether  the  archbishop  is  the  judge  in  civil  cases 
between  bishops  and  their  subjects,  as  the  council  of  Trent  says 

'  Innocent  III.  9.  Duo  simul.  ^  Trld.  Concil.  Ses.  24.  C.  5. 


323  APPEALS  TO  THE  ARCHBISHOP. 

nothing  about  such  cases,  stating  only  that  small  cases  should  be 
tried  in  a  provincial  council  and  important  ones  must  go  before 
Rome.  When  the  archbishop  calls  the  bishops  of  his  province  to 
meet  in  council,  they  are  obliged  to  attend.  The  archbishop  can- 
not pass  judgment  on  subjects  of  the  dioceses  in  his  province,  ex- 
cept on  appeal  after  the  episcopal  court  has  given  its  sentence. 
Neither  can  he  take  any  action  while  such  cases  are  pending,  nor 
receive  any  appeal,  except  when  the  sentence  of  the  bishop's  final 
court  would  not  justify  the  complainant.  But  if  the  case  be  not 
decided  within  two  years,  the  case  may  come  before  the  metropoli- 
tan court.  '  The  archbishop  therefore  is  the  court  of  appeal  for 
all  the  members  of  the  dioceses  in  his  province,  when  the  appeal 
is  regularly  made  within  ten  days.  If  a  vicar  general  abuses  his 
office,  the  archbishop  can  correct  him.  Where  no  cathedral 
chapter  exists,  when  the  episcopal  see  becomes  vacant,  the  arch- 
bishop has  jurisdiction  and  can  appoint  an  administrator  of  the 
vacant  see.  In  former  times  the  archbishop  could  officially  visit 
the  dioceses  and  parishes  within  the  limits  of  his  province,  but 
the  council  of  Trent  made  a  law,  stating  that  could  be  done  only 
for  a  cause  heard  in  a  provincial  council.  But  this  hardly  ever 
takes  place  now.  The  archbishop  can  use  the  pallium  and  have 
the  cross  carried  before  him  in  all  parts  of  his  province. 

The  pallium  is  an  ornament  of  the  Popes  in  the  form  of  a  scarp, 
made  of  the  wool  of  the  lambs  kept  by  the  sisters  of  St.  Agnes  at 
Rome,  and  sent  by  the  Pope  to  patriarchs,  primates  and  archbish- 
ops, after  being  laid  on  the  tomb  of  St.  Peter  under  the  main  al- 
tar of  St.  Peter's  church.  It  is  sent  to  them  as  a  sign  of  their 
authority  over  other  bishops  as  branches  of  the  Papacy,  for  tliey 
partake  in  the  power  of  Peter.  Some  say  that  the  Roman  emper- 
ors used  to  give  a  pallium  to  the  Bishops  of  Rome  in  ancient 
times  In  336  Pope  St.  Mark  conferred  the  pallium  on  the  bish- 
op of  Ostia,  and  from  that  time  he  wears  it  on  pontifical  ceremonies. 
The  moment  a  bishop  receives  the  oflficial  notification  of  his  elec- 
tion by  the  Pope,  he  can  exercise  episcopal  jurisdiction  in  his  dio- 
cese even  before  his  consecration.  But  before  he  receives  the 
pallium  an  archbishop  cannot  call  a  council,  bless  the  chrism, 
dedicate  a  church,  or  ordain  the  clergy,  because  the  fulness  of  his 
power  comes  with  the  reception  of  the  pallium.  Within  three 
months  the  new  archbishop  must  ask  for  the  pallium.  If  he  be 
at  Rome,  the  Pope  himself  imposes  the  vestment  on  his  shoulders, 
otherwise  the  Holy  Father  appoints  a  cardinal,  an  archbishop  or 
bishop  to  place  it  in  his  name. 

The  Pope  alone  wears  the  pallium  everywhere  every  day,  for  to 
him  descends  the  fulness  of  Peter's  power  over  bishops,  while 
archbishops  wear  it  only  in  their  own  church  or  province,  when 
celebrating  Mass  on  certain  great  feast  days.  He  cannot  wear  it 
in  another  province  without  the  consent  of  the  archbishop  of  that 
province,  for  he  has  no  jurisdiction  outside  of  his  own  province. 

>  Ooncil.  Trld.  Ses.  24.  Cap.  20. 


|HE  other  bishops  are  like  pastors  within  thenniversal  church, 
of  which  the  Pope  is  their  bishop,  while  the  dioceses  they 
rule  may  be  likened  to  great  parishes  within  the  church  uni- 
versal. Therefore  we  must  consider  the  whole  church  as  a 
great  diocese  of  which  Christ  is  the  Bishop,  and  the  Pope  his  Vicar 
General  with  full  jurisdiction,  wherein  the  bishops  are  subject  to  the 
rule  and  authority  of  the  Vicar  of  Christ.  In  the  same  way  the 
church  universal  spreads  everywhere,  but  we  cannot  tell  who  belong 
to  it  for,  "  man  looketh  on  the  outside  while  God  alone  beholdeth 
the  heart,"  and  he  only  can  tell  who  is  in  the  state  of  grace  belong- 
ing to  the  universal  church.  But  like  the  Son  of  God  becoming  in- 
carnate and  visible  as  a  man,  the  church  becomes  individualized 
and  visible   in  the  Roman  diocese. 

To  him  alone  it  belongs  to  call  a  meeting  of  all  the  bishops  of  the 
church,  and  they  meet  under  the  presidency  of  their  chairman  as 
pastors   of   the  great   diocese  of   the  universal   church. 

Not  only  when  assembled  in  council,  but  even  when  scattered  all 

383 


INTERIOR  OF  THE  CATHEDRAL,  SIENNNA,  ITALY. 


THE  BISHOPS  AND  THE  POPE.  325 

over  the  whole  world  in  their  own  dioceses,  the  bishops  aid  the 
Pontiff  in  his  government  of  the  universal  church.  Both  united 
in  council  and  scattered  in  their  dioceses,  they  are  completely 
under  the  authority  and  headship  of  their- bishop  the  Pope,  sub- 
ject to  the  laws  of  the  Papacy  made  for  their  guidance.  For  the 
Son  coming  forth  from  the  Father  in  heaven,  acts  not  in  any  ir- 
regular way,  but  he  is  always  subject  to  the  laws  eternal  of  the 
divine  filiation.  In  that  he  is  under  the  authority  of  the  eternal 
Father,  because  he  is  begotten  of  the  Father  in  whose  divine 
nature  he  partakes.  So  all  the  bishops  of  the  world  are  begotten 
of,  and  come  forth  in  a  spiritual  manner  from  their  Father  the 
Pope,  and  they  are  one  with  him,  as  the  Son  is  one  with  the 
Father,  and  the  church  is  one  and  has  only  one  divine  Priest- 
hood. Ill  the  Deity,  the  Son  is  equal  to  the  Father  and  has 
only  one  divine  nature  with  him,  but  the  Father  has  his  father- 
hood and  the  Son  has  his  sonship  and  in  these  they  differ.  So  in 
holy  orders  the  bishops  are  one  with  the  Pope,  for  there  is  but 
one  eternal  Priesthood,  that  of  Christ,  and  in  holy  orders  the 
bishops  are  the  equals  of  the  Pope,  for  all  bishops  have  received 
the  fulness  of  the  Priesthood  of  Christ,  as  Christ  receives  the 
fulness  of  his  Divinity  from  his  Father.  But  the  bishops  have 
not  the  fatlierhood  of  the  Pope  over  the  whole  church,  but  only 
that  of  holy  orders  in  their  own  dioceses. 

We  see  therefore  that  there  is  a  continual  interchange  of 
power,  of  aid  and  of  help  between  the  bishops  of  the  church  and 
their  earthly  head,  which  resembles  the  communication  of  nature 
and  of  action  taking  place  between  the  august  Persons  of  the 
Trinity.  The  bishops  of  the  world  reflect  the  infallible  teaching 
and  the  sanctifying  action  of  the  Pope.  They  partake  in  his 
supreme  government  over  the  members  of  their  own  diocese, 
because  they  partake  with  him  in  the  government  of  the  flocks 
given  to  their  care.  The  bishops  put  in  force  the  common  or 
canon  laws  of  the  church,  which  come  from  the  Papacy.  They 
can  make  rules  and  regulations  for  the  particular  good  of  their 
own  people.  Thus  each  diocese  is  like  a  Sovereign  State  which 
has  the  regulation  of  its  internal  affairs  in  the  most  perfect 
manner,  yet  forming  a  part  of  the  general  Government  of  the 
church. 

In  that  way  many  customs  rise  in  different  parts  of  the  world, 
and  by  the  silent  consent  of  the  Popes  they  continue,  till  at  last 
they  become  universal  laws  in  the  church.  For  custom  makes 
law  as  well  as  legislatures.  In  this  way  rose  the  custom  of  reciting 
the  Roman  Breviary  in  the  apostolic  ages,  the  fasting  from  meat  on 
Fridays,  because  the  pagans  dedicated  Friday  to  the  impure  wor- 
ship of  Venus,  goddess  of  impurity,  and  because  Christ  died  on 
that  day.  In  the  same  way  rose  '  the  custom  of  calling  three 
times  the  names  of  parties  about  to  be  married  and  numerous 
other  customs.     When  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  confirms  these  local 

'  la  England. 


326  EXTRAORDINARY  POWER  OF  BISHOPS. 

customs,  when  he  extends  them  to  the  whole  church,  it  is  the  same 
as  the  approval  of  the  canons  of  a  council.  They  then  become  the 
law  for  the  whole  church.  The  same  may  be  said  relating  to  the 
canonization  of  the  Saints.  Many  saints  of  the  early  church  were 
held  as  such  by  the  people  and  bishops  of  one  or  more  dioceses. 
The  Pope  tolerated  that  till  it  spread  to  the  whole  church.  The 
Saints  of  the  Roman  Missal  were  considered  as  holy  by  the  pas- 
tors and  people  of  the  Roman  diocese,  without  any  official  action 
on  the  part  of  the  authorites  of  the  church.  In  all  this  we  see 
the  life  of  the  church  ever  acting,  producing  from  witliiii,  that 
life  is  the  Holy  Spirit  flowing  from  the  Head  Christ,  down  on  the 
members  and  rising  again  from  the  members  to  the  head  visible, 
the  Pope. 

The  bishops  not  only  in  council  when  assembled  are  united  in- 
to their  chief  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  but  also  when  scattered  into 
all  parts  of  the  world.  Then  they  keep  order,  preach  the  Gospel, 
and  upliold  the  discipline  of  the  church  in  the  diocese  over  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  has  placed  them  to  "  rule  the  church  of  God."  ' 
At  the  preaching  of  the  apostles  the  whole  world  lay  before  their 
feet,  ripe  for  the  harvest  of  the  Lord.  They  went  first  as  mis- 
sionary bishops  where  they  wished  to  found  cliurches.  Later  they 
became  the  titular  bishops  of  different  dioceses.  In  this  we  see 
that  the  church  universal  existed  before  any  particular  church  or 
diocese  or  parish.  It  follows  that  the  church  universal  is  not  de- 
prived of  ite  authority  over  souls  by  the  establishment  of  dioceses, 
no  more  than  the  authority  of  the  bishop  in  his  diocese  is  taken 
away  by  the  erection  of  parishes.  In  the  hierarchy  of  the  church 
universal,  the  Pope  is  the  Pastor  of  all  men,  for  he  is  the  Vicar 
of  Christ  who  died  for  all  mankind.  But  because  they  are  the 
pastors  of  the  universal  church,  the  bishops  take  part  in  its  gov- 
ernment, as  in  a  much  inferior  way  the  pastors  of  the  diocese 
take  part  with  the  bishop  in  the  government  of  the  diocese.  In 
this  the  bishops  have  a  power  in  the  universal  church,  which  ex- 
tends beyond  the  limits  of  their  diocese,  as  the  pastors  may  have 
the  faculties  of  administering  the  sacraments  in  all  parts  of  the 
diocese. 

Thus  we  see  in  history  that  the  bishops  took  charge  of  souls 
outside  their  diocese.  They  often  become  the  titular  bishops  of 
dioceses  where  the  church  has  been  overturned  by  wars  and  the  in- 
cursions of  the  infidels.  They  are  often  appointed  to  dioceses  to 
rule,  not  in  their  own  names,  but  as  apostolic  vicars  of  the  Pope. 
But  all  this  is  absolutely  under  the  direction  of  the  Pope,  for  he 
is  the  Vicar  of  him  who  died  for  all.  In  a  similar  way  the  pas- 
tors of  the  diocese  rule  their  people  in  union  with  their  bishop, 
because  he  is  for  the  pastors  what  the  Pope  is  for  the  bishops. 
This  is  called  the  extraordinary  ministration  of  the  Gospel.  For 
when  the  diocese  or  the  parish  is  complete,  and  canon  law  in  its 
full  extent  has  been  introduced,  then  tne  church  is  in  its  normal 

>  Acts  u.  28. 


THE  ONLY  IMMOETAL  DIOCESE.  327 

or  ordinary  state.  In  that  case  the  canon  law  regulates  every 
action  of  the  clergy,  and  nothing  is  left  to  the  arbitary  action  of 
the  ministers  of  the  church.  In  this  case  every  act  of  priest  or 
of  bishop  has  been  laid  down  and  regulated  by  the  canon  law,  and 
they  must  follow  the  law  in  every  case  or  be  punished.  Then 
the  human  element  in  the  church  is  curbed  by  the  divine  element, 
the  law  which  keeps  the  human  passion  under,  and  the  oppression  of 
any  of  Christ's  sheep  is  impossible,  because  they  are  protected  by 
the  wise  enactments  and  laws  of  the  church.  Then  the  particular 
church,  the  diocese,  and  the  imperfect  church  the  parish,  flourish 
in  every  land,  and  the  church  universal  rejoices  in  the  health  and 
the  prosperity  of  her  daughters,  the  dioceses  and  parishes.  On 
the  contrary  the  phurch  universal  suffers  when  her  children  suf- 
fer or  become  weak  members,  when  they  die  by  persecution  or  by 
the  loss  of  faith. 

From  this  we  learn  that  the  particular  churches  the  dioceses 
are  not  immortal.  For  being  great  moral  and  religious  persons 
they  are  subject  to  destruction  and  to  death.  For  history  tells  us 
of  the  former  flourishing  dioceses  of  Palestine,  of  Egypt,  of  Ara- 
bia, of  Asia  Minor  and  of  many  other  famous  and  historic  churches 
in  these  countries  now  oveiTun  by  infidels.  They  now  live  only 
in  the  persons  of  their  titular  bishops.  But  as  dioceses  they  have 
been  destroyed  for  the  sins  of  their  people  as  was  said  by  Jesus  of 
the  churches  of  Asia.  '  The  church  universal  alone  is  immortal 
because  it  is  the  bride  of  the  lamb.  The  Roman  Church  alone 
has  withstood  the  rage  of  the  demon,  for  of  her  Christ  foretold: 
"  Thou  art  Peter  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church  and 
the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  her."  "'' 

Because  it  is  the  seat  of  the  Papacy,  the  Vicar  of  Christ  is  its 
Bishop.  To  him  belongs  all  souls  redeemed.  For  that  reason 
the  Chair  of  Peter  is  called  the  Apostolic  chair.  For  to  the 
apostles  under  Peter,  Christ  gave  power  to  preach  to  the  Jews 
and  pagans  before  their  conversion.  Whence  all  missions  are 
directly  under  the  power  of  the  Pope.  When  by  any  misfortune 
one  of  the  dioceses  ceases  to  exist,  the  Apostolic  authority  again 
assumes  full  power  over  the  remaining  christians  in  that  diocese. 
For  when  they  have  no  bishop  of  their  own,  they  become  more 
especially  the  people  of  Christ,  and  his  Vicar  takes  charge  of  them. 
The  Propaganda  looks  after  them.  For  we  see  that  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  church,  the  apostles  and  their  disciples  went  forth  as 
teachers  of  the  universal  church,  according  to  those  words  of  our 
Lord.  '*  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations."  That  was 
their  universal  mission.  He  said  that  only  to  the  apostolic  college. 
He  did  not  want  to  make  them  bishops  of  any  particular  diocese, 
because  there  were  no  dioceses  till  they  had  formed  them  by  their 
preaching.  That  universal  power  of  the  apostolate  belonging  to 
all  the  apostles  and  which  made  them  universal  missionary  bishops 
is  still  in  the  church,  for  he  continued:  "  behold  I  am  with  you 

»  Apoc.  1.  il,  lit.  2   Matt.  xvi.  19.  20. 


328  PERSONAL  POWERS  OF  EACH  APOSTLE. 

all  days  even  to  the  consummation  of  the  world." '  Acting  on  these 
words  of  our  Lord,  they  went  forth  to  the  uttermost  ends  of  the 
earth  for  "  their  sound  went  fortli  unto  all  the  earth.""  When 
they  had  founded  churches,  then  they  or  their  disciples  became 
the  titular  bishops  of  these  newly  formed  churches.  Thus  we  see 
that  St.  Paul  left  his  disciple  Titus  at  Crete  and  he  consecrated 
his  other  disciple  Timothy  as  bishop  of  Ephesus.  St.  Peter  sent 
St.  Mark  to  Alexandria  and  left  his  friend  St.  Evodius  at  Antioch. 

But  things  could  not  continue  always  in  that  \  ay.  For  soon 
one  bishop  might  encroach  on  the  limits  of  another,  and  confu- 
sion and  disputes  would  soon  undo  all  the  good  they  had  achieved. 
For  that  reason  they  were  from  the  beginning  subject  to  St.  Peter, 
to  whom  alone  was  given  supreme  control  and  an  unlimited 
apostolate  to  convert  the  entire  world.  St.  Cyprian  calls  Peter 
'' The  Origin  of  the  apostolate."^  And  Innocent  says  of  him: 
**By  whom  in  Christ  the  apostolate  and  the  episcopate  received 
their  origin."  *  For  "  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  which 
were  to  be  given  to  the  others,  Peter  alone  received  them."^ 
For  that  reason  Peter  chose  one  of  the  disciples  to  be  an  apostle 
in  the  place  of  Judas, '  and  as  St.  Clirysostom  says:  "  With  his 
power  alone  he  could  elect  and  consecrate  him  "  '  although  out  of 
regard  for  the  other  apostles  he  called  them  to  the  council. 

The  priest  or  the  assistant  of  the  pastor  is  not  necessary  for 
the  parish.  A  vicar  general  is  not  so  required  that  the  diocese 
cannot  get  along  without  him,  because  the  parish  or  the  diocese 
are  not  perfect  churches.  But  the  universal  church,  being  per- 
fect, it  could  not  exist  without  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the  Vicar  of 
Christ.  "  For  in  raising  blessed  Peter  over  the  other  apostles, 
in  him  he  raised  an  everlasting  principle  and  visible  foundation, 
upon  whose  strength  he  might  raise  an  eternal  temple,  that  by  the 
strength  of  his  faith,  the  head  of  the  church  might  rise  to  the 
heavens.  "®  "  Therefore  we  teach  and  we  declare,  that  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  Lord  Peter  has  obtained  a  principle  of  ordinary  power 
over  all  other  churches.  "  * 

Each  apostle  received  a  personal  confirmation  in  grace  and  in 
holiness  and  they  were  at  the  same  time  wonderfully  united  to  their 
chief,  St.  Peter,  for  they  heard  his  commission  given  direct  by 
their  Master.  They  acted  with  more  freedom  than  any  of  their 
successors,  the  bishops  who  had  not  received  their  commission  from 
Christ  himself,  but  from  Peter,  the  head  of  the  church.  The  apostles 
were  bounded  by  no  limits,  for  they  were  first  on  the  field, 
when  there  was  no  church, .no  diocese,  no  spiritual  organization. 
Only  the  universal  church  then  appeared  in  their  pei-sons,  and  it 
was  freed  from  abuses  and  from  the  dangers  of  older  dioceses,  and 
edified  by  the  personal  holiness,  light  and  grace  of  the  apostles. 
Converts  at  that  time  had  great  faith,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  worked 

•  Matt,  xxvlll.  19.  "  Psalm  xvlU.  6.  *  St.  Cyprian  Eplst  xlv.  ad  Cornel. 

■•  St.  Innocent  I,  Eptet.  II.  ad.  Vlctric.  •  St.  Uptatus  MUev.  con.  Farm.  I.  7. 

•  Aci«.  1.  ^  St.  Chryst.  In  Acts   Apoet.  Horn.  II. 

•  Council  Vat.  Const.  Pastor  £temus.        *  Vatican  Council  Ibidem  Council  Lateran  IV. 


HOW  THE  APOSTLES  FIRST  PREACHED.  329 

wonderful  miracles  to  attract  the  nations  to  the  Gospel.  Thus 
we  read  of  wonderful  things  done  by  the  apostles.  Even  they 
raised  the  dead,  cured  all  kinds  of  diseases  and  worked  the  most 
wonderful  works.  Eusebius,  one  of  the  earliest  christian  historians 
tells  us  that,  "  Besides  these,  at  the  same  time  flourished  among 
the  disciples  of  the  apostles,  men  of  the  highest  merits.  For 
these  disciples  of  such  great  and  wonderful  men  were  evidently 
divine.  When  the  apostles  laid  the  foundations  of  the  church  in 
different  places,  they  added  to  the  edifice,  by  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  by  sowing  the  seed  of  the  heavenly  teachings,  and  scat- 
tering it  all  over  the  earth Then  having  left  their  own  country, 

they  went  forth  to  fulfil  the  duty  of  evangelists,  for  those  who 
have  not  heard  desired  to  know  Christ,  and  to  have  the  books  of 
the  Holy  Gospel  given  to  them.  And  after  these  had  laid  the 
foundations  of  the  faith  in  the  most  remote  places,  they  ordained 
other  pastors,  satisfied  to  give  to  them  the  care  of  the  new  planta- 
tion, that  they,  with  the  help  of  God,  might  hurry  to  new  regions" 
&c.  '  By  this  we  see  that  the  apostles  were  mostly  m  issionary  bish- 
ops of  the  universal  church ,  without  being  attached  to  any  particular 
church,  and  that  when  they  converted  any  people,  they  estab- 
lished pastors  over  them,  and  then  hurried  away  to  new  con- 
quests of  Souls  for  Christ. 

Thus  we  read  that  St.  Peter  and  the  first  Popes  sent  legates  to 
the  pagan  nations  to  convert  them  to  the  GospeL  St.  Peter  him- 
self sent  the  first  bishops  to  Spain  soon  after  Sts.  Paul  and  James 
began  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  that  nation.  Sts.  Peter  and  Clement 
sent  to  Paris  St.  Dennis,  the  Greek  who  at  the  time  of  the 
crucifixion  said:  "Either  the  Lord  of  the  universe  is  dying  or  the 
universe  is  dissolving.  "  St.  Dennis  preached  on  the  banks  of  the 
Seine  at  the  little  city  of  Leutitia,  now  Paris.  "  The  monks  came 
to  Vienna  from  Rome.  The  first  bishops  of  France  came  from 
the  East  sent  by  Eome  to  that  nation.  They  were  Trophimus, 
Paulus,  Martialis,  Gratianus,  St.  Saturnenus,  Valerius,  &c., 
sent  to  that  nation  by  St.  Peter  himself,  because  they  were  his 
companions  in  his  work  at  Rome.  *  St,  Boniface  was  sent  to 
preach  to  the  Germans,  St.  Augustine  to  the  English,  St.  Patrick 
to  the  Irish,  all  sent  by  the  Popes,  because  from  Rome  and 
from  the  Chair  of  Peter  the  whole  of  Europe  received  its  civiliz- 
ation,   christian  faith   and  teachings. 

But  not  all  of  these  apostolic  men  received  full  power  to  be  the 
legates  and  the  representatives  of  the  Papacy.  For  many  of  them 
were  only  simple  bishops,  or  priests,  preaching  the  Gospel  and 
establishing  missions  among  the  pagans  of  Europe.  When  their 
labors  became  fruitful,  when  congregations  increased,  parishes 
^nd  dioceses  w^ere  formed  out  of  the  large  territory.  In  time  the 
full  machinery  of  the  church  took  the  place  of  the  imperfect  mis- 
-sionary  organization  which  they  founded.     We  see  that  taking 

*  Eusebliis  Hist.  Eccl.  L.  lU.  C.  37.       2  Cathedrals  of  the  World,  Notre  Dame  Church,  Paris. 

*  Vet.  MS.  Arelat.  ap.  Falon.  Monum.  Ined.  T.  li.  p.  33. 


330  MISSIONAKY   BISHOPS. 

place  under  our  eyes  to-day  in  this  country,  and  in  all  missionary 
countries  of  the  world.  Missions  are  first  established,  they  become 
more  and  more  perfected,  till  at  last  the  complete  organization  of 
the  parish  and  diocese  takes  the  place  of  the  mission.  In  the  first 
ages  the  apostles  went  forth  with  the  complete  authority  of  Christ 
to  do  what  they  could  to  save  souls.  They  had  from  Peter  the 
full  authority  to  do  the  best  they  could,  and  the  Head  of  the 
church  left  things  rather  to  their  judgment.  In  that  age  travel- 
ling was  difficult,  and  because  of  the  persecutions  they  could  but 
seldom  see  their  chief,  the  Roman  Pontiff. 

To-day  priests  and  bishops  go  forth  into  Asia,  Africa  and  every- 
where among  the  pagans  or  the  heretics,  and  they  are  either  apos- 
tolic delegates,  that  is,  they  represent  the  Pope,  or  they  are  mis- 
sionary priests,  bishops,  vicars  of  the  Pope,  representatives  of  the 
Eoman  Pontiff,  with  the  titles  of  old  dioceses  now  in  the  hands  of 
the  Turks.  When  by  their  labors  people  come  to  hear  them, 
and  converts  are  numerous,  they  form  a  diocese.  Then  they 
become  the  bishops  of  the  place,  and  the  laws  and  organization  of 
dioceses  obtain  full  force.  It  was  necessary  for  them  at  first  to 
go  out  as  missionaries,  because  they  must  be  free  from  the  com- 
mon laws  binding  bishops  and  pastors  to  reside  in  their  dioceses 
and  parishes,  to  consecrate  the  holy  oils  during  holy  weeks  with 
many  clergymen,  besides  binding  them  to  numerous  other  epis- 
copal duties  which  regular  bishops  are  required  to  perform,  where 
the  common  law  of  the  church  is  in  full  force,  which  could  not  be 
carried  out  in  a  missionary  country. 

After  the  diocese  has  been  established  and  when  by  some  misfor- 
tune of  war,  of  persecution,  of  infidelity,  the  organization  of  the 
church  has  perished,  then  the  universal  church  throws  her  pro- 
tecting powers  over  her  unhappy  daughter,  the  unfortunate  peo- 
ple look  to  Rome  to  help  them  in  their  spiritual  wants.  Thus  in 
the  IV.  century  St.  Eusebius  went  from  place  to  place  in  the  East, 
preaching  and  ordaining  priests  for  the  churches  destroyed  by  the 
Arian  heresy,  which  denied  the  divinity  of  Christ.  When  the 
Huns,  the  Vandals,  the  Visigoths,  and  the  other  barbarians  com- 
ing down  from  the  North-east  of  Europe,  overunning  the  South, 
destroying  churches,  and  putting  bishops  and  priests  to  death,  the 
neighboring  bishops  looked  after  the  wants  of  the  persecuted  dio- 
ceses, till  regular  pastors  and  bishops  could  be  regularly  ordained 
and  consecrated.  When  the  church  was  persecuted  by  Henry 
VIII.  and  by  his  illegitimate  daughter  Elizabeth,  when  bishops 
and  priests  were  put  to  death  or  driven  out  of  England,  the  clergy 
of  France,  of  Belgium,  and  of  other  neighboring  countries  attend- 
ed to  the  English  people,  till  at  the  rising  of  the  faith  again  in 
England,  an  apostolic  Legate  at  London  was  appointed  by  the 
Holy  See  bishop  of  that  city.  The  bishops  of  Ireland  often  at 
that  time  administered  to  the  people  of  the  neighboring  dioceses, 
when  their  own  pastors  were  put  to  death  by  the  conquering  Danes 
or  English. 


HOW   BISHOPS   DIFFER   FKOM   THE   APOSTLES.  331 

By  virtue  of  these  laws  one  bishop  can  give  letters  to  another 
bishop  to  ordain  one  of  his  own  clergymen.  When  one  bishop  is 
absent,  another  can  consecrate  the  holy  oils  for  him  or  do  any 
other  episcopal  work  in  his  diocese.  But  as  the  Sovereign  Pon- 
tiff is  at  all  times  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  who  by  redemption  has  com- 
plete power  over  souls,  he  can  ask  a  bishop  to  resign,  appoint 
an  administrator  to  a  vacant  diocese,  or  do  anything  in  any  dio- 
cese, which  the  bishop  of  the  same  can  do,  because  he  is  the  direct 
pastor  of  the  whole  flock  of  Christ. ' 

But  the  interference  of  one  bishop  in  another's  diocese  cannot 
take  place,  except  when  the  necessities  of  the  case  require. 
Otherwiseone  would  interfere  in  the  business  of  his  episcopal  broth- 
er, and  confusion  would  result.  All  these  cases  are  regulated 
by  the  canon  law  of  thechuch.  Therefore  that  universal  power 
of  the  bishops,  by  which  they  can  go  outside  the  limits  of  their 
diocese  to  exercise  episcopal  functions,  is  rooted  in  episcopal  or- 
der, because  they  belong  first  to  the  universal  church,  which  has 
no  boundaries.  But  only  in  extraordinary  cases  can  they  do  so, 
as  when  they  become  bishops  of  a  certain  place,  there  they  live 
and  spend  their  days  in  working  for  the  good  of  their  own  dio- 
ceses. When  bishops  have  the  titles  of  dioceses  among  the  infi- 
dels, but  work  in  another  diocese,  they  are  forbidden  to  exercise 
their  functions  in  their  episcopal  city,  lest  a  contest  regarding  jur- 
isdiction should  arise.  Thus  one  of  the  auxiliary  bishops  of  this 
country,  or  a  titular  archbishop  of  Petra,  in  Arabia,  but  who 
would  be  a  coadjutor  of  some  archbishop  in  this  country  could 
not  enter  the  city  of  Petra,  to  there  perform  episcopal  functions 
if  he  were  travelling  there,  because  these  regions  are  usually  in  the 
care  of  apostolic  vicars. 

It  is  evident  from  what  we  said  that  the  bishops  are  the  pastors 
of  the  universal  church,  and  that  they  have  ordinary  jurisdiction. 
But  they  are  subject  to  the  Roman  Pontiff.  They  have  not  the 
gifts  of  the  apostolate  as  given  to  the  apostles.  For  by  reason  of 
their  close  relationship  with  our  Lord,  the  apostles  were  universal 
bishops  in  the  church.  He  confirmed  them  in  grace.  They  were 
all  infallible  by  a  peculiar  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  could 
perform  miracles  and  speak  all  languages.  These  were  given  them 
on  Pentecost,  because  they  wanted  all  these  for  the  establishment 
of  the  church  at  that  time.*  These  personal  gifts  remained  with 
them  till  they  had  organized  churches  over  all  the  nations  of 
antiquity,  that  they  might  command  respect  from  their  converts, 
inspire  reverence  in  their  successors,  and  that  by  the  weight  of 
their  personality,  they  might  keep  the  church  together  till  the  full 
organization  of   the  diocese  was  completed. 

Even  St.  Paul  preached  till  there  was  no  place  for  him  in  the 
countries  divided  up  among  the  apostles:  "  But  now  having  no 
more  place  in  these  countries." '  We  must  then  consider  the  kinds 
of  gifts  given  to  the  apostles,  one  of  the  personal  gifts  of  mir- 
1  Concll.  Vatlcanum.       ^  pjyg  yi.  Brev.  Super.  Nynclat.  C.  HI.  Sec,  1.        ^  Rom.  xv.  23. 


332  THE   HEAD  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 

acles,  confirmation  in  grace,  the  unlimited  power  of  preaching, 
infallibility  and  the  gift  of  speaking  all  languages.  But  alone 
the  authority  of  preaching  and  of  governing  was  to  be  handed 
down  to  their  successors  in  the  episcopacy  under  the  presidency 
of  Peter  and  of  his  successors.  Suarez  thinks  that  they  received 
only  delegated  authority,  Peter  only  having  the  ordinary  jurisdi- 
tionem  '  while  Bellarmine  thinks  that  the  power  of  miracles  and  of 
infallibility  was  given  to  each  of  the  apostles  which  was  to  die  with 
them  except  in  the  case  of  Peter,  who  was  to  hand  it  down  to  his 
successors  in  the  See  of  Rome." 

Christ  gave  full  power  to  all  of  the  apostles.  Then  when  he  as- 
cended into  heaven,  he  became  invisible  to  human  eyes,  but  he 
remains  for  all  time  visible  in  the  person  of  his  Vicar  in  the 
Roman  See.  The  first  Bishops  of  the  church,  the  apostles,  who 
heard  the  Lord  speak  by  his  own  mouth,  now  hear  him  speak  by 
the  words  of  his  Vicar  on  earth.  Thus  the  bishops  of  the  world 
come  forth  from  their  father  the  Pope,  as  the  Son  of  God  comes 
forth  from  his  Father  in  heaven.  In  this,  the  workings  of  the 
church  are  an  image  of  the  working  of  the  Persons  of  the  Holy 
Trinity.  When  St.  Paul  was  persecuting  the  church,  the  Lord 
Jesus  said  to  him:  "Saul,  Saul  why  persecutest  thou  me?"'  The 
church  is  one  with  Christ,  and  for  that  reason  he  asked  why  he  was 
persecuting  him,  not  the  members  of  the  church.  AVhen  St.  Paul 
was  instructed  and  ready  for  the  ministry,  he  was  baptized  at 
Bamasus  and  ordained  at  Antioch  by  the  disciples  of  the  apostles 
in  union  with  St.  Peter.  From  that  time  he  began  to  convert  the 
pagans  to  the  church.  But  he  had  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  to  give  an 
account  to  Peter  of  his  work  in  the  ministry,  as  he  says:  "after 
three  years  I  went  to  Jerusalem  to  see  Peter."*  Peter  gave  him 
the  special  mission  of  converting  the  Gentiles.  From  that  day  to 
this,  St.  Paul  has  been  the  greatest  missionary  the  church  ever 
had.* 

As  Peter  gave  St.  Paul  his  mission,  we  must  conclude  also  that 
he  gave  their  missions  to  all  the  other  apostles."  His  judicial 
power  appears  in  the  condemnation  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira,'  and 
also  in  the  election  of  the  successor  of  Judas.  We  see  that  power 
in  his  successor.  Pope  St.  Victor,  who  replied  to  the  disciples  of 
the  apostle  St.  John:  "You  must  hold  the  solemnity  of  holy 
Easter  on  Sunday^  this  our  predecessors  have  already  ordered,  and 
we  command  you  to  solemnly  celebrate  it  on  the  same  day,  be- 
cause it  is  not  right  for  the  members  to  separate  from  the  head,  or 
do  what  is  contrary  to  him.""  We  must  remember  that  this  Pope 
who  issues  such  a  command  to  all  Asia  Minor  and  to  the  disciples 
of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  was  elected  to  the  Roman  diocese  in 
the  year  193. 

>  Suarez  De  Sum.    PnnUf.  Sec-  7.  I.  n.  4.     '  Bellarmine De  Sum.  PonUf.  L.  I.  C.  Ix.  n.  44. 

*  Acts   U.  4.  «  Gal.  1.  18.  Ibidem  II.  2.  »  Gal.  II.  7.  8. 9.  10. 

•  Oerson  De  Potest,  Eccl.  Cons.  9.  ^  Acts  5. 

■  St.  Victor  Epist.  I.  and  Tbeop.  Epls.  Alezan.  apud  Labb.  T.  I.  col.  502.      Tbia  is  only  prob- 
ably Kenuiue. 


OKDERS   AND  JURISDICTION.  333 

What  we  have  said  so  far  about  the  bishops  of  the  pastors  of  the 
universal  church,  shows  the  reader  the  great  dignity  of  the  bishops 
of  the  church.  Except  our  Lord  himself  there  cannot  be  in  this 
world  any  higher  or  more  wonderful  person  than  a  bishop  of  the 
catholic  church.  Stunding  above  the  world  and  below  Jesus 
Christ,  ruled  only  by  his  Vicar  the  Pope,  the  bishops  hold  the 
power  of  tlie  Lord  over  the  church  of  God.  They  have  received 
the  fulness  of  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  the  Son.  They  have  re- 
ceived fl'om  him,  his  fulness  of  priestly  power,  not  for  themselves 
but  for  the  church,  to  teach,  sanctify  and  rule  his  holy  people. 
Christ  by  episcopal  consecration  gives  complete  power  to  the 
bishops,  that  they  in  tlieir  turn  may  give  a  part  of  it  to  the  priests 
and  to  the  lower  ministers  of  the  church.  Now  the  fulness  of  a 
thing  is  such  that  you  cannot  give  any  more.  Thus  the  bishops 
have  so  much  of  the  priesthood  of  Christ,  that  even  Christ  him- 
fielf  could  not  give  them  any  more  of  his  priestly  power.  The 
bishops  are  then  so  high,  that  they  could  not  rise  any  higher  in 
the  sacerdotal  powers  tliey  received  of  Christ. 

By  that  the  episcopacy  is  one,  simple  and  undivided  in  each 
bishop.'  It  also  follows  that  the  bishops  of  the  whole  church  are 
absolutely  equal,  as  St.  Cyprian  says:  "the  apostles  were  endowed 
with  equal  honor  and  authority."*  St.  Jerome  says  that:  ''the 
bishop  of  Gubbino  is  equal  to  the  bishop  of  Eome,^"  inasmuch 
as  tliey  are  both  bishops,  jiot  considering  the  Bishop  of  Rome  as 
being  the  head  of  another  kind  of  power,  that  is  of  jurisdiction. 
By  that  he  is  the  Vicar  of  Christ  and  the  head  of  all  the  bishops 
of  the  world,  because  he  is  the  head  of  the  church  universal. 

But  at  a  meeting  of  the  bishops  some  will  precede  others.  The 
Bishop  of  Rome,  because  he  is  the  Heir  and  the  successor  of  Pe- 
ter and  Vicar  of  Christ,  is  the  head  of  the  whole  church,  and  he 
presides  over  all  the  bishops  of  the  world.  But  he  is  only  a  bishop, 
and  considering  holy  orders  he  is  not  higher  than  the  bishop  of 
the  most  obscure  city.  For  that  reason  he  addresses  the  bishops  of 
the  world  in  all  his  communications  to  them  as  "Venerable 
Brethren"  because  they  are  his  brethren  and  equal  in  episcopal 
order.  St.  Peter  was  at  all  times  named  the  first  among  the  apostles 
after  he  had  received  the  Primacy  from  Christ.  For  that  reason 
the  Council  of  Lyons  solemnly  proclaimed  that  the  "Holy 
Roman  church  obtained  the  full  and  highest  primacy  and  princi- 
pality over  the  whole  catholic  church."* 

For  that  reason  the  patriarchs,  primates  and  archbishops  being 
the  branches  of  the  power  given  to  Peter,  they  are  like  little  Popes 
over  the  bishops  subject  to  them.  At  all  meetings  of  the  bishops 
they  precede  the  bishops,  because  they  represent  the  Pope.  Not 
only  that,  but  the  church  wishes  to  honor  certain  sees  because  of 
peculiar  reasons.  In  the  meetings  of  the  first  bishops  of  the  early 
church,  the  bishop  of  Jerusalem  was  subject  to  the  archbishop  of 

1  St.  Cyprian  De  Unltate  Eccl.  n.  5.  >  Ibidem.  '  Eplst.  ad  Evangellum. 

^  IQ  Profes.  Fld^e.  Grecorum. 


WHO  TAKES  THE  ABCHBISHOP'S  PLACE  ?  335 

Cesarea,  who  in  his  turn  was  under  the  authority  of  the  patriarch 
of  Antioch.  But  because  of  the  honors  due  Jerusalem  the  holy 
city,  he  was  at  length  placed  next  after  the  archbishop  of 
Cesarea.  When  the  council  was  called  at  this  latter  city  under 
Pope  St.  Victor,  to  discuss  the  celebration  of  Easter,'  the  arch- 
bishop of  Cesarea  sat  above  the  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  authority  of  St.  Peter  given  to  each  archbishop. 
Is  not  this  a  striking  proof  of  the  supremacy  of  Peter  over  all  the 
churches  at  such  an  early  date  ?  But  in  after  years,  when  the 
whole  episcopacy  of  the  church  met  at  the  council  of  Nice,  the 
archbishop  of  Cesarea  stepped  down,  and  took  his  place  with  the 
other  bishops,  because  he  no  longer  represented  the  authority  of 
Peter  in  the  council,  for  he  came  as  a  simple  bishop.  At  that 
council,  the  bishop  of  Jerusalem  who  was  only  a  bishop,  sat  among 
the  archbishops  as  the  fourth  bishop  of  the  world,  because  they 
wished  to  honor  in  him  Jerusalem  the  holy  city  at  that  the 
first  general  council  of  the  church.*  That  forms  one  of  the  can- 
ons of  that  celebrated  council  held  in  the  year  325.'  We  give 
these  facts  of  history  to  show  that  these  distinctions  between  the 
bishops  of  antiquity,  not  only  related  to  the  Papacy,  but  also  be- 
longed to  the  old  venerable  apostolic  cities  of  antiquity,  and  because 
of  their  peculiar  relations  to  our  Lord  or  to  the  church. 

Besides,  certain  peculiar  circumstances  elevated  one  bishop  over 
the  others.  In  the  East  they  are  called  protothroneries  and  in  the 
West  deans.  Thus  the  archbishop  of  Tyre,*  was  the  prothronotary 
of  the  bishops  subject  to  the  patriarch  of  Antioch.  The  bishop  of 
Ostia  is  the  dean  of  the  college  of  cardinals.^  In  ancient  times  h& 
was  also  the  dean  of  the  bishops  of  the  province  of  Rome.  The  bish- 
op of  Autun  was  the  dean  of  the  province  of  Lyons."  The  bishop  of 
London  was  in  former  times  in  the  middle  ages  and  before 
the  reformation,  the  dean  of  the  province  of  Canterbury.'  In 
Africa  the  bishop  of  Citra  was  the  dean  of  all  the  bishops  of 
Numidia. 

In  the  United  States  they  have  only  deans  of  age  in  the  episcopacy, 
having  no  analogy  with  the  episcopal  deans  of  the  early  church. 
When  the  III.  council  of  Baltimore  assembled  in  1884,  the  arch- 
bishop of  St.  Louis  was  the  oldest  in  years  of  consecration,  and 
the  other  bishops  showed  him  the  utmost  respect.  When  an 
episcopal  see  becomes  vacant  and  the  council  and  the  permanent 
rectors  of  the  diocese  meet  for  the  selection  of  three  candidates  for 
the  vacant  throne,  the  aforesaid  council  says  that  if  the  archbishop 
cannot  come,  the  bishop  longest  consecrated  shall  take  his  place  and 
preside  over  the  meeting,  who,  if  he  too  cannot  come  he  must  appoint 
another  bishop  to  take  his  place.'  In  this  we  see,  that  the  senior 
bishop  should  be  the  dean  of  the  bishops,  when  their  customary  head 
the  archbishop  is  not  present.     Thus  from  the  most  ancient  times, 

'  Concil.  Palaestin.  Labbe  T.  I.  Col.  596.  ^  CoDcll.  Vic.  Can.  7.  Col.  314  418 

3  Labbe  T.  II.  col.  51.  ■»  Ibidem  T.  vlil.  col.  978  &c.    «  Ibidem  T.  x.  col.  388. 

«  Le  Cointe  in  the  year  685.  ">  Le  Cointe  year  685. 

8  Concil.  Bait.  T.  III.  D  Eplscopis.  No.  15. 


336  WHAT  IS  A  MISSION  ? 

when  the  representative  of  the  Papacy,  the  archbishop,  the  primate 
or  the  patriarch  is  not  there,  the  church  honors  the  oldest  in  epis- 
copal orders  by  electing  him  to  preside  over  them  in  the  absence  of 
their  regular  head  or  chairman.  From  all  that  has  been  said,  the 
reader  will  see  that  when  the  bishops  of  the  church  meet  without 
their  real  head,  the  Successor  of  St.  Peter,  the  distinctions  between 
ithem  flows  from  three  sources — the  Papacy  represented  by  the  patri- 
:archs,  primates  and  archbishops,  the  privileges  of  illustrious  sees  as 
.Jerusalem,  Antioch,  &c.,  or  age  in  years  of  episcopal  consecration. 

The  holy  hierarchy  of  the  bishops  resembles  the  hierarchy  of  the 
Persons  of  the  Trinity.  As  the  Son  comes  from  the  Father,  so  the 
ibishops  come  forth  from  their  father  the  Pope.  From  him  alone 
they  get  their  jurisdiction,  authority  and  their  mission.  From 
liie  Father,  Christ  received  his  mission  and  the  fulness  of  his  eter- 
nal Priesthood.  The  mission  once  given  is  lasting  in  its  effects. 
Thus  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  on  the  cross  still  goes  on  in  the  Mass, 
and  it  will  last  as  long  as  the  world  remains.  The  holy  wounds  of 
Christ  still  remain  in  his  sacred  body,  and  from  them  flows  down 
•on  us  all  the  benefits  of  his  atonement.  Once  ordained  a  man 
forever  remains  a  priest,  consecrated  a  bishop,  he  will  be  a  bishop 
.as  long  as  Christ  remains  the  Son  of  God. 

This  is  so  with  all  the  works  of  God.  He  rested  on  the  Sabbath 
•day  from  creating  and  creation  still  goes  on,  his  creatures  remain 
•ever  showing  forth  his  glories,  although  he  stopped  creating  new 
species  on  the  Sabbath  day  at  the  seventh  great  epoch  of  time.  All 
this  is  but  an  image  of  the  hidden  internal  and  eternal  life  of  God. 
For  "  In  the  beginning  was  ihe  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with 
•God,  and  the  Word  was  God."'  That  was  the  eternal  generation 
of  the  divine  Son.  His  origin  had  no  beginning,  but  it  is  still 
going  on  and  will  be  so,  for  with  God  there  is  no  time,  but  eter- 
nity without  beginning  or  end. 

We  are  all  made  to  the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  but  the 
church  was  made  to  the  likeness  of  the  holy  Trinity,  while  each 
member  of  the  church  resembles  the  divine  Son.  The  three 
.sacraments  of  baptism,  confirmation  and  holy  orders  raise  us  up  to 
&  supernatural  union  with  Christ,  to  the  likeness  of  Jesus.  Once 
received,  holy  orders  cannot  be  received  again,  because  of  the 
changeless  beauties  of  the  priesthood  of  Jesus.  Then  once  a  priest 
or  bishop,  he  is  that  for  eternity.  Founded  on  hoiy  orders  is  the 
mission,  that  is  the  authority  to  exercise  the  powers  received  in 
holy  orders.  But  mission  also  comes  only  from  Christ,  who  said  : 
**  All  power  is  given  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth  going  forth  then 
teach  ye  all  nations."*  The  power  of  holy  orders  comes  direct 
from  Christ  himself  at  the  ordination  of  the  priest  or  the  consecra- 
tion of  the  bishop.  But  jurisdiction,  or  the  mission,  comes  from 
him  through  his  Vicar  the  Pope.  Unlike  orders,  the  mission  can 
be  taken  away.  That  was  necessary  for  the  good  of  the  church, 
lest  bad  ones  might  intrude  themselves  into  the  ranks  of  the  clergy 

'  Jobn  i.  1.  1  Matt,  urill.  19. 


WHO  GIVES  JURISDICTION  ?  337 

to  the  destruction  of  souls.  But  jurisdiction  or  the  mission  once 
given  lasts  till  it  is  taken  away  by  the  one  who  gives  it.  To  St.  Peter 
Christ  gave  complete  jurisdiction,  when  he  gave  him  the  care  of  his 
"  lambs  and  sheep/'  and  the  power  to  ''  close  or  open  heaven"  to  all 
men.  Then  while  any  bishop  can  administer  holy  orders,  only  the 
head  of  the  church  can  allow  the  exercise  of  these  orders.  But  as 
the  works  of  God  are  without  repentance,  every  sacrament  except 
penance  and  confirmation  is  valid  although  forbidden  when  admin- 
istered without  jurisdiction  or  mission.  From  this  it  follows  that 
the  orders  given  by  the  bishops  of  the  schismatic  Greeks  and  Orien- 
tals, who  reject  the  authority  of  the  Pope  are  valid  but  forbidden. 

From  the  principles  here  laid  down  it  follows  that  only  the  Pope 
can  give  a  bishop  jurisdiction  over  any  diocese.  Only  by  his  com- 
mand can  bishops  be  consecrated  in  the  church.  As  the  Pope  is 
the  Vicar  of  Christ  and  the  supreme  Pastor  of  the  whole  church, 
then  it  follows  that  only  he  can  appoint  a  bishop  to  a  diocese  one 
of  the  great  parishes  of  the  universal  church.  Then  those  bishops 
not  in  union  with  the  Vicar  of  Christ  are  not  the  right  bishops. 
Even  if  they  have  received  valid  episcopal  consesration,  the  people 
must  not  receive  the  sacraments  from  their  hands,  for  they  do  not 
belong  to  the  body  of  Christ.  Only  in  the  regular  way,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  laws,  Christ  saves  souls,  for  as  the  soul  works  only 
by  and  through  the  organs  of  the  body,  thus  Christ  saves  only  by 
the  organs  of  the  church  his  mystic  body.  At  the  consecration 
of  a  bishop,  the  letters  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  are  read  before  the 
bishops  impose  their  hands  on  the  candidate. 

The  testimony  of  the  early  ages  tells  us  that  often  by  commis- 
sion of  the  Popes  or  patriarchs,  they  consecrated  bishops  in  every 
age  up  to  the  time  of  the  apostles:  "  It  belongs  to  Peter  to  choose 
the  election  of  bishops  his  equals,  that  he  may  raise  them  to  an 
equal  honor  with  himself,  and  we  know  that  it  belongs  to  no  other 
but  to  Christ, . . .  .and  among  all  mortals  this  belongs  to  Peter,  who 
in  the  place  of  Christ  is  the  leader  established,  the  Prince  set  up 
by  Christ."  '  "  The  episcopacy  and  all  authority  flows  from  the 
apostolic  See,"  says  Innocent  I.  in  his  letter  to  the  council  of  Car- 
thage. In  his  letter  to  another  council  he  repeats:  "  Peter  is 
the  author  of  the  name  and  of  the  dignity  of  bishops."'  "All 
that  Jesus  Christ  gave  to  the  other  bishops,  he  gave  to  them  by 
Peter,"  says  St.  Leo/  "From  him  as  from  his  head,  his  grace 
flows  down  on  the  body."  *  "  If  you  think  heaven  is  closed."  says 
Tertullian,  "  remember  that  the  Lord  gave  the  keys  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  to  Peter,  and  by  him  he  left  them  to  the  church. "  *■ 
"  For  the  sake  of  unity  Peter  was  preferred  to  the  other  apostles, 
and  he  also  got  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  he  was 
to  give  to  the  others."  ®  "  By  Peter,  Jesus  Christ  gave  the  keys 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  the  other  bishops."  ^ 

1  Maxim.  Planud.  Econ.  in  SS.  Peter  et  Paul,  Patrum  Grace  T.  cxlvii.  col.  1070. 

^  Epist.  ad  Concil.  Milev.  ^  Sermo.  Iv.  in  Nat.  suo.  No.  2. 

*  Ibidem  Epist.  X.  rd.  Episcopos  Provinc.  of  Vienna.       *  Adv.  Gcost. 

•  St.  Optatus  De  Schism.  Donatist.  L.  vii.  n.  3. 

''  St.  Gregory  of  .Vyazan.  Adversus  Mfije  Ferentes  Castlsrat. 


338  WHO  APPOINTS  BISHOPS  ? 

We  might  give  many  other  citations  from  the  early  church,  but 
these  are  enough  to  show  the  belief  of  the  apostolic  age,  that  from 
the  apostolic  See  of  Peter,  the  bishops  in  every  age  and  nation  re- 
ceived their  consecration  and  their  authority.  As  authors  say, 
"  partake  in  the  authority  and  the  freedom  of  that  See."  '  *'  They 
succeed  Peter." 'or  "  They  are  the  vicars  of  Peter,"  as  the  VI. 
council  of  Paris  proclaimed."  ''Because  their  authority  is  only 
given  them  by  the  blessed  Peter,"  as  the  council  of  Rheims  de- 
clares.* The  reason  why  the  appointment  and  selection  of  bish- 
ops belongs  alone  to  the  Pope,  is  because  he  is  the  Bishop  of  the 
whole  world,  the  Vicar  of  Christ  who  redeemed  the  world.  The 
bishops  are  the  pastors  of  that  great  diocese,  the  whole  redeemed 
world.  It  belongs  alone  to  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  to  ordain 
and  appoint  priests  and  pastors  in  his  own  diocese.  Therefore  to 
the  Papacy,  as  the  Bishop,  who  alone  has  universal  jurisdiction 
over  all  the  souls  redeemed  by  Christ,  to  him  alone  it  belongs  to 
appoint  pastors  over  his  people,  partaking  in  his  supreme  author- 
ity in  the  universal  church  of  Christ. 

The  reason  of  this  is  still  deeper.  The  priesthood  of  Christ  is 
eternal.  To  him  the  Father  said:  "  Thou  art  a  priest  forever  ac- 
cording to  the  order  of  Melchisedek."  *  His  Vicar  is  the  Bishop 
of  Rome.  Being  the  most  perfect  image  of  that  great  High 
Priest,  Jesus,  because  of  the  indweUingof  the  Holy  Spirit  in  him, 
the  Pope  will  never  fail  in  teaching  the  world  the  true  doctrines 
of  faith  and  morals.  This  comes  from  his  remarkable  union  with 
his  chief  Jesus  Christ.  The  Pope  cannot  be  deposed.  For  he  is 
one  with  his  Bishop  Christ,  of  which  he  is  only  the  Vicar-general. 
But  no  such  a  union  exists  between  Christ  and  any  of  the  other 
bishops  of  the  other  dioceses.  For  that  reason  we  never  see  the 
Bishop  of  Rome  doing  an  injustice  to  all,  while  sometimes  the 
bishops  of  the  other  dioceses  have  fallen  into  heresy  or  oppressed 
the  clergy  and  the  people  under  their  charge.  The  Pope  is  their 
pastor.  As  it  belongs  to  him  to  appoint  them  to  their  dioceses, 
so  to  him  belongs  to  depose  them  if  they  live  not  faithful 
to  their  divine  office.  In  the  bishop  of  Rome  then,  dwells  the 
fulness  of  the  Priesthood  and  jurisdiction  of  Christ,  as  well  as 
in  all  the  other  bishops.  But  the  Pope  may  take  away  the  jur- 
isdiction of  the  other  bishops,  restrict  or  entirely  suspend  their 
?owers  depending  on  jurisdiction.  But  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
'ope  cannot  be  so  restricted,  taken  away,  or  curtailed  by  any  earth- 
ly power.  For  Peter  lives  in  his  successors  "  And  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  not  prevail  against"  "  that  Rock  of  Peter,"  because  of  the 
direct  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Then  by  the  very  constitution  of  the  church,  the  appointment 
of  the  bishops  of  the  church  belongs  to  the  Pope,  the  bead  of  the 
church.  In  modern  times  the  Pope  appoints  them  by  letters,  bulla 
and  briefs.     In  the  early  church  it  was  not  easy  to  go  to,  or  apply 

>  St.  Ephlr.  Encon.  St.  BazU.  ^  Gaiident.  Brlz.  Tract,  in  die  suae.  ord. 

»  Apnd.  Labbe  T.  vll.  col.  166L  *  Ibidem  T.  ix.  col.  4»1. 

•  Psalm  clx.  4. 


APPOINTING  THE  FIRST  BISHOPS.  339 

to  Kome,  or  to  get  into  direct  communication  with  the  Holy 
Father,  because  of  the  difficulties  of  travelling,  and  oecause  of  the 
frightful  persecutions  of  the  first  three  centuries.  To  overcome 
these  difficulties  the  first  Popes  impressed  "  The  Image  of  Peter," 
on  the  whole  church,  by  the  appointment  of  patriarchs,  primates 
and  archbishops  in  the  great  cities,  each  as  a  little  pope  over  the 
neighboring  bishops  and  churches  of  his  province.  In  delegating 
a  part  of  his  supreme  power  to  the  bishops  of  these  large  and  im- 
portant cities,  so  that  they  represented  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  over 
the  bishops  and  laity,  and  clergy  of  their  provinces,  he  but  gave 
them  a  part  of  the  supreme  authority  Christ  gave  to  Peter,  so 
that  the  perfections  and  the  form  of  the  whole  church  might  be 
impressed  on  each  part  or  province.  As  the  bishops  of  every  see 
in  the  early  church  were  elected  by  the  votes  of  the  clergy  and 
iaity  of  the  vacant  diocese,  the  churchmen  thus  elected  and  conse- 
crated to  these  important  sees,  notified  the  Pope  of  their  election 
and  consecration,  and  the  patriarchs  did  not  wait  for  the  comfirma- 
tion  of  the  Pope,  but  exercised  the  functions  at  once  as  was  cus- 
tomary and  given  them  by  the  councils. 

The  system  was  very  simple.  God  alone  through  Jesus  Christ 
gave  power  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome  through  Peter,  and  from  him  all 
jurisdiction  came  down  from  Christ,  and  flowed  down  on  the 
archbishops  of  other  important  sees,  "  images  of  Rome."  From 
the  eternal  throne,  through  Christ,  the  power  of  jurisdiction  with 
love  and  redemption  for  fallen  man  comes  down  on  the  anointed 
Bishop  of  Rome.  From  him  it  flows  to  the  archbishops  to  the  im- 
ages of  himself  over  the  other  bishops,  till  the  grace  of  redemption 
and  of  salvation  flows  like  living  waters  through  the  regular  cliaii- 
nels,  till  it  touches  and  heals  every  wound  afflicting  mankind. 

The  root  and  the  foundation  of  that  power  is  the  episcopal  con- 
secration. In  former  times  the  archbishops  and  the  patriarchs 
usually  consecrated  the  bishops  of  the  vacant  sees  within  their 
jurisdiction.  That  was  always  the  custom  among  the  Greeks  of 
the  early  church.'  They  were  very  careful  whom  they  raised  to 
such  a  dignity  in  the  church,  for  the  consecration  of  a  bishop  at 
that  early  time  not  only  gave  holy  orders,  but  also  jurisdiction  or 
the  communion  of  the  episcopacy,  with  his  title  as  pastor  of  a 
particular  church.  As  delegates  of  the  Roman  Pontiff,  these  pa- 
triarchs, primates  and  metropolitans  consecrated  the  bishops  of 
the  early  church. 

In  holy  orders  the  superior  always  confers  them  on  the  inferior. 
But  at  the  consecration  of  a  bishop,  one  bishop  raises  another 
<ilergyman  up  to  an  office,  which  makes  him  the  equal  with  him- 
self, for  the  bishop  represents  the  Son  coming  forth  from  and  the 
equal  of  his  Father,  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity  having  one  and  the 
same  divine  nature,  as  the  bishops  have  one  and  the  same  holy  and 
complete  priesthood.  Whence  Jesus  Christ,  entering  into  the 
-eternal  glories  which  he  had  with  his  Father  before  he   became 

'  Barlaam  de  Papse  Primatu  C.  6.  Patr.  Grec.  T.  cli.  col  1287. 


340  CONSECRATING  A  BISHOP. 

man,  he  supplies  his  absence  since  the  ascension  by  the  ministry 
of  his  bishops,  to  whom  he  gave  the  fulness  of  his  priestly  powers. 
Therefore  any  bishop  can  consecrate  another  bishop. 

But  no  priest  can  ordain  another  priest,  for  no  simple  priest 
receives  the  fulness  of  the  priesthood,  and  therefore  he  cannot  bring 
forth  another  like  himself.  We  see  this  in  the  natural  generation 
of  living  creatures.  The  complete  race,  represented  by  both  fatlier 
and  mother  must  take  part  in  the  natural  generation  of  another 
like  themselves,  and  full  health  and  strength  must  be  there.  Th& 
material  is  but  an  image  of  the  spiritual.  Christ  the  eternal  Priest 
went  to  heaven  at  the  ascension,  but  the  bishops  take  his  place  as 
the  complete  ministers  of  the  sacraments.  Yet  Christ  still  lives- 
here  regarding  jurisdiction  or  the  exercise  of  the  powers  of  holy 
orders,  for  his  Vicar  takes  his  place,  because  the  vicars  are  the  very 
same,  or  form  one  moral  person  and  one  authority.  But  the  sacra- 
ments cannot  be  given  rightly  without  jurisdiction.  Therefore  no- 
bishop  is  allowed  to  consecrate  another  bishop  without  the  official 
letters  of  the  Pope,  the  father  of  all  bishops  from  whom  they  come 
forth  as  the  Son  in  heaven  comes  forth  from  his  Father. 

Although  one  bishop  can  consecrate  another  bishop,  and  it  will 
be  a  valid  but  sinful  action,  without  the  express  letters  of  the  Sover- 
eign Pontiff,  yet  according  to  the  laws  of  the  church,  the  Pope 
is  there  taking  part  as  father  by  his  official  letters,  and  the  episco- 
pacy is  there  because  three  bishops  must  take  part  in  the  consecrat- 
ing ceremony  to  represent  the  whole  episcopacy  of  the  ciiurch. 
But  there  is  one  exception  to  this  august  representation  of  the 
episcopacy.  The  Pope  alone  is  allowed  to  consecrate  a  bishop  with- 
out any  assistant  bishops  to  aid  him,'  because  he  is  the  complete 
source  and  father  of  the  bishops,  and  takes  the  place  of  their  real 
Chief  Christ.  In  the  consecration  of  any  bishop,  the  archbishop 
lays  hands  on  him,  as  the  representative  of  the  Roman  Pontiff,  who 
cannot  be  present  at  all  such  ceremonies  throughout  the  world. 
It  is  very  natural  for  the  inferior  to  receive  from  the  superior,  the 
bishop  to  receive  the  laying  on  of  hands  of  the  archbishop  his  met- 
ropolitan, but  not  prescribed,  the  archbishop  from  the  primate,  the 
latter  from  the  patriarch,  while  he  may  be  consecrated  by  the  Pope 
the  Vicar  of  Christ,  the  great  Bishop  of  us  all. 

It  is  evident  that  this  cannot  be  carried  out  at  all  times,  for  it 
would  be  very  hard  sometimes  for  nominated  bishops  at  a  distance 
to  go  to  their  archbishop  for  episcopal  consecration,  or  for  the 
metropolitan  to  come  to  tiiem.  In  the  early  ages,  when  travelling 
was  difficult,  this  could  not  be  done.  Otherwise  the  diocese  migiit 
be  left  a  long  time  without  a  bishop.  In  the  early  church, 
neighboring  bishops  came  and  consecrated  the  candidate,  when  the 
archbishop  could  not  come.  There  was  still  greater  difficulties 
regarding  the  consecration  of  an  archbishop,  whose  see  was  far  from 
the  city  of  the  primate  or  the  patriarch  who  usually  consecrated 
him.     But  when  a  patriarch  was  to  be  elevated  to  one  of  the  vener- 

■  i'lilKent.  Ferand.  Breviat  can.  n.  6,  &c. 


BRANCHES  OF  PETER.  341 

able  and  historic  sees,  the  Pope  could  not  always  leave  Eome,  be- 
cause of  political  troubles,  or  because  his  time  was  taken  up  with  the 
business  of  the  universal  church.  In  that  case  the  Pope  sometimes 
appointed  one  of  the  neighboring  patriarchs  or  metropolitans  to 
take  his  place,  but  this  appointment  was  not  always  waited  for. 

Thus  we  read  that  the  archbishop  of  Tyre,  in  the  early  church,  was 
consecrated  by  the  patriarch  of  Antioch,  while  the  archbishop  of 
Ravenna  received  the  imposition  of  hands  from  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
himself.  When  the  archbishop,  primate  or  the  patriarch  could 
not  come,  all  the  bishops  of  the  province  assembled  around  the 
vacant  throne,  and  the  dean,  that  is  the  bishop  oldest  in  episcopal 
orders,  imposed  his  hands  on  the  bishop  elect,  who  in  that  was 
aided  by  his  brothers,  the  other  bishops.  They  only  supplied  by 
the  common  law  the  absence  of  the  Pope  their  chief  as  the  coun- 
cil of  Nice  says.  '  When  they  had  not  the  express  license  of  their 
patriarch,  they  presumed  his  permission,  which  he  afterwards  rati- 
fied. That  was  according  to  the  common  law.  The  simple  bish- 
ops thus  consecrating  an  archbishop,  did  not  by  their  act  give 
jurisdiction  to  their  metropolitan,  for  before  this  the  see  which  they 
supplied  with  a  prelate  had  been  raised  to  the  dignity  of  an  arch- 
bishopric, and  by  that  any  bishop  consecrated  to  that  see,  became  an 
archbishop,  a  branch  of  Peter,  with  authority  over  all  his  suffragan 
bishops,  of  the  ecclesiastical  province  over  which  his  predecessors 
presided.  But  if  it  were  found  that  the  candidate  thus  consecrated 
was  unworthy,  or  a  heretic,  or  preached  false  doctrines,  the  Pope 
condemned  him,  or  gave  him  ten  days  in  which  to  retract  his  errors.* 
Otherwise  he  was  denied  jurisdiction,  which  flows  down  on  the 
members  from  the  Pope,  the  head  of  the  visible  body  of  Christ.' 

In  the  ancient  church  jurisdiction  was  called  communion  or 
rather  the  acknowledgement  of  confirmation  of  jurisdiction  or 
the  "  Pax,"  peace.  In  many  of  the  monuments  of  the  early  church, 
the  Pope  is  said  to  give  communion  to  a  bishop,  when  he  acknowl- 
edges or  confirms  his  jurisdiction  in  the  diocese  to  which  he  had 
been  consecrated.  When  the  Pope  refused  to  receive  a  bishop  in- 
to his  communion,  by  that  he  was  excommunicated  and  cut  off  from, 
the  church.  But  this,  the  most  severe  punishment  of  the  church, 
was  never  inflicted  except  when  there  was  no  hope  of  reclaiming 
the  public  sinner,  as  when  a  bishop  illegally  intruded  himself  into 
the  episcopal  office  and  diocese  of  another  bishop. "  For  "  the  in- 
stitution of  all  priests  and  of  all  churches  throughout  the  world  has 
its  rise  in  the  Prince  of  the  apostles."  ^ 

From  this  it  follows  that  the  authority  of  the  bishops  to  exercise 
their  orders  of  jurisdiction  comes  from  the  head  and  the  father  of 
bishops,  the  Roman  Pontiff.  Any  inequality  or  authority  they 
have,  one  over  other  bishops,  comes  from  the  Pope,  as  he  represents 
the  power  given  to  Peter.     Numerous  proofs  might  be  given  from 

'  Concil.  Nic.  I.  canon  4  Labbe  T.  il.  col.  30. 

*  St.  Coelestln  I.  Epist.  ad  St.  Cyril  Alex,  ad  Pat.  Lat.  T.  L.  col.  463. 

»  St.  Fel.  III.  Epist.  xiii.  ad  Flavlt.  ■•  St.  Leo.  Epist.  L.  ad  Constan. 

•  Steven  VI.  ad  Bazil.  Labbe  T.  ix.  col.  366. 


342  THE  GREEK  SCHISM. 

the  writings  of  St.  Cyprian  from  the  council  of  Chalcedon  with 
almost  numberless  quotations  from  the  writings  of  the  early 
church,  to  show  that  no  priest  or  bishop  was  ever  received  in  the 
church  except  he  lived  in  union  with  the  See  of  Peter.  But  this 
would  make  this  book  too  large  for  its  object.  When  the  senior 
bishop  or  the  dean  of  the  episcopal  college  in  the  absence  of  their 
chief,  imposed  his  hands  with  the  other  bishops  on  the  head  of  the 
candidate,  he  acted  in  the  name  of  their  superior  the  Pope  who 
was  away  and  who  could  not  come.  When  the  Pope  received  the 
newly  consecrated  bishop  in  communion,  by  that  he  confirmed  what 
was  done  in  his  name,  and  this  confirmation  gave  the  new  bishop 
full  jurisdiction.  We  read  that  Pope  St.  Leo  received  the  patri- 
arch of  Antioch  in  the  council  of  Chalcedon,  and  gave  him  juris- 
diction over  all  churches  subject  to  that  patriarchate.  ' 

But  when  the  candidate  was  a  holy  and  worthy  man,  when  the 
election  and  the  consecration  were  regular,  the  Pope  never  refused  to 
receive  the  new  bishop  into  full  communion,  and  always  allowed  him 
to  exercise  complete  jurisdiction  in  his  diocese.  We  read  that  Pope 
St.  Leo  confirmed  the  election  of  Proterius,  archbishop  of  Alex- 
andria. Pope  St.  Simplicius  thus  received  Calendion,  patriarch  of 
Antioch.  *  Even  if  there  was  any  defect  in  the  regularity  of  the  pro- 
ceedings, the  Pope  often  supplied  what  was  wanting.  This  was 
done  by  Pope  St.  Leo,  regarding  Anatolius,  archbishop  of  Constan- 
tinople, who  was  consecrated  by  heretical  bishops  as  he  said:  "  I  am 
sorry  that  the  weakness  of  his  ordination  troubles  him."' 

When  the  bad  Photius  drove  the  legitimate  St.  Ignatius  archbish- 
op of  Constantinople,  from  his  see  by  the  power  of  the  emperors  of 
the  Greek  empire,  he  was  excommunicated  by  the  Pope,  and  the 
good  and  venerable  St.  Ignatius  restored  by  the  Roman  Pontiff. 
But  after  the  death  of  Ignatius  the  clergy  and  the  bishops  of  the 
Byzantium  empire  with  the  government  asked  for  the  restoration  of 
Photius,  who  was  related  by  the  marriage  of  his  uncle  to  the  em- 
peror's family.  In  reply  Pope  John  VIII.  elected  to  the  Papal 
chair  later  in  872  restored  Photius  to  full  communion  of  the  church, 
because  he  had  before  been  excommunicated  for  his  villainy.  At 
the  death  of  St.  Ignatius  the  Pope  appointed  him  to  the  vacant  see 
of  Constantinople.  As  a  council  of  318  bishops  in  861  had  confirm- 
ed his  election,  and  sent  the  archbishop  Ignatius  into  exile  the 
reader  can  imagine  the  power  of  the  Pope,  who  restored  Ignatius 
against  all  those  bishops,  with  the  whole  power  of  the  empire  of 
Constantine  at  their  back.  At  that  time  began  the  unfortunate 
division  of  the  Greek  schism,  by  which  the  East  was  separated  from 
the  West.  Often  it  was  healed,  but  it  broke  out  again  by  the  per- 
fidy and  the  bad  faith  of  the  schismatics.  *  The  council  of  Nice  held 
in  325  enacted  again  the  old  rule  that  the  archbishops  should  conse- 
crate their  suffragan  bishops,  and  introduce  them  into  their  episco- 

>  Concll.  Chal.  Act.  X.  ap.  Labbe  T.  Iv.  673,  682. 

'  St.  Leo  KplRt.  cxvll.  ad  Julian.  EpLst.  Coens.  n.  I.  et  St.  Simplicius  Epist  xvi.  ad  Acac. 

*  St.  Leo  EpLst.  rxll.  ad  Pulrhor  Auk-  n.  I.  &<•. 

*  John  vlli.  Epist.  ex  cix  ad  Bazll  ap.  Labbe  T.  ix.  col  181. 18S. 


APPOINTING  BISHOPS  IN  EARLY  TIMES.  343 

pal  church  in  the  presence  of  the  archpriests,  the  archdeacons  and 
clergy  of  the  diocese.  '  In  the  Eoman  province  of  Italy  of  which 
the  Pope  is  the  archbishop,  Pope  Innocent  III.  reserved  the  ex- 
amination of  the  candidates  for  vacant  sees  to  the  Papacy. 

From  the  very  beginning  of  the  church  the  Bishops  of  Rome 
watched  and  supervised  the  election  and  the  consecration  of  bish- 
ops. When  they  could  not  do  so,  they  delegated  it  to  the  representa- 
tives of  the  Holy  See,  to  the  patriarchs  and  archbishops.  For  that 
reason  some  authors  in  canon  law  say  that  in  the  early  church  the 
appointment  of  bishops  was  left  in  the  hands  of  the  archbishops. 
Even  the  pagan  emperors  considered  that  rule  of  such  weight,  that 
when  there  was  a  dispute  regarding  a  vacant  see,  they  looked  to 
the  Bishop  of  Rome  for  a  solution  of  the  trouble.  When  Paul  of 
Samosates  was  deposed  from  the  see  of  Antioch  and  his  successor 
Domnus  received  the  letters  from  St.  Dennis  in  the  year  264  confirm- 
ing his  election  in  the  place  of  the  deposed  Paul  of  Antioch, 
the  latter  refused  to  give  up  the  bishop's  house,  and  the  emperor 
Aurelianus  was  called  upon  to  settle  the  case.  Although  a  pagan, 
the  emperor  knew  so  well  the  customs  of  the  church  even  in  that 
early  time  that  he  decided  that  the  house  belonged  to  the  bishop 
with  whom  the  Bishop  of  Rome  was  in  communion.  This  case  is 
given  by  Eusebius,  one  of  the  earliest  historians  of  the  church.  ^ 
We  must  remember  that  this  took  place  in  the  year  264,  when  the 
■church  was  in  the  midst  of  a  terrible  persecution,  and  that  the  em- 
peror and  the  whole  empire  was  then  fighting  the  church,  showing 
us  that  even  the  pagans  believed  in  the  supremacy  of  the  Bishop 
of  Rome. 

St.  Ambrose  tells  us  that  all  the  bishops  of  that  time  were  ac- 
customed to  look  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome  for  letters  confirming 
their  election  and  consecration  to  the  episcopal  office.  In  one  part 
of  his  writings  he  complains  that  Flavins  alone  was  the  only  ex- 
ception to  that  universal  rule  of  the  early  church. "  If,  "  before  the 
consecration,  the  bishops  or  archbishops  could  not  receive  such 
letters  from  the  Pope,  they  were  very  careful  after  their  consecration 
to  go  to  Rome,  or  send  some  one  to  represent  them,  and  get  the 
blessing  of  the  Pope  on  their  work.  "  * 

When  the  troubles  of  the  times  of  the  persecutions  would  not 
let  them  hurry  to  the  feet  of  Peter's  heir,  they  used  to  have  their 
names  written  on  the  dipfcics  of  their  churches  to  show  their  suc- 
cessors that  they  ruled  the  diocese.  There  were  no  exceptions 
even  for  the  great  historic  sees  like  Jerusalem,  Antioch,  Constan- 
tinople, or  Cesarea.  The  canons  of  the  church  and  the  customs 
of  the  early  ages  required  that  the  archbishops  of  these  great  sees 
at  once  start  for  Rome  to  receive  from  its  bishop  jurisdiction,  not 
only  in  their  own  diocese,  but  also  over  all  the  bishops  of  the 
provinces  under  them.  "    They  did  this  in  order  to  tell  the  Pope 

*  Concil.  Nic.  Can.  71.       "  Hist.  Eccl.  L.  vll.  C.  30.       '  St.  Ambrose  Epist.  Ivl.  ad  Theop. 

*  Soz.  Hist.  Eccl.  L.  8.  C.  3.  Theod.  Hist.  Eccl.  L.  v.  C  23. 

*  St.  Simplicius  Epist.  ad  Acac.  Labbe  iv.  c.  10.  35.  et  St.  Horm.  Epist.  Ixxi.  ad  Epiph, 
Ibidem  col.  1533. 


344  GIVIKQ  THE  PALLIUM. 

what  took  place  in  their  provinces  and  to  get  from  him  their  letters 
confirming  their  jurisdiction.  "  Our  predecessors "  sa3's  St. 
Gelasius,  **  addressed  to  the  See,  where  sat  Peter  the  Prince  of 
the  apostles,  laying  before  him  the  beginning  of  their  labors, 
asking  of  him  strength  and  force  in  their  work.  "  '  These  great 
bishops  of  the  early  church  asked  of  the  Roman  Pontiff  "  authen- 
tic letters  of  the  Papacy  confirming  their  election  to  the  episcopal 
office. " » 

On  their  part  the  Popes  of  these  early  ages  gave  them  the  letters 
as  St.  Leo  says,  thus  "  strengthening  these  foundations.  " '  Pope 
St.  Boniface  I.  about  the  year  420  wrote:  "No  one  doubts  that 
Flavins  has  been  received  into  the  grace  of  communion,  which  he 
would  never  have  received  if  he  had  not  asked  by  these  writings.  '*  * 
The  great  council  of  Chalcedon  published  solemnly  that:  ''The 
holy  and  most  blessed  Pope  had  conSrmed  the  episcopacy  of  the 
holy  and  venerable  Maxiraus  the  bishop  of  the  church  of  Antioch.'"^ 
This  custom  was  necessary.  For  the  chief  and  important  arch- 
dioceses, primacies  and  patriarchates  of  the  early  church  repre- 
sented the  Roman  Pontiff  in  all  the  foreign  countries  over  which 
they  ruled,  as  the  branches  of  the  Papacy,  because  iu  those  days 
travelling  was  difficult  and  seldom  undertaken. 

Therefore  in  the  early  church,  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Pope  was 
confirmed  to  those,  who  represented  him  over  the  other  bishops  by 
apostolic  letters,  from  almost  the  apostolic  age,  the  authority  of 
Peter  was  typified  by  the  pallium.  Thus  we  read  that  in  the  IV. 
Council  of  Constantinople  they  enacted  that  the  bishops  of  Old 
Rome  and  of  New  Rome,  that  is  Constantinople,  of  Antioch  and 
Jerusalem,  that  the  bishops  of  these  sees  should  be  consecrated, 
as  the  old  custom  obtained  by  the  imposition  of  hands,  or  by  the 
reception  of  the  pallium  from  those  who  had  the  power.  "  *  As 
St.  Innocent  says  the  pallium  aptly  represents  the  office  of  the 
"  good  shepherd,  **  and  the  Pope  sends  them  to  the  patriarchs, 
primates  and  archbishops  of  the  world,  as  a  sign  of  the  part  they 
take  with  him  in  the  government  of  the  universal  church.  ^ 
This  was  done  in  the  early  church  as  it  is  to-day,  and  the  patri- 
archs in  their  turn  gave  the  pallium  to  the  archbishops  under  them 
as  the  IV.  Lateran  council  says.  * 

The  difficulties  of  going  direct  to  the  Pope  then  gave  rise  ta 
such  customs  in  the  church.  For  the  bishops  of  the  sees  near 
Rome  received  their  consecration  from  the  Pope  himself,  or  from 
some  one  whom  the  Pope  appointed  to  take  his  place.  *  But  the 
last  remains  of  the  custom  allowing  the  archbishop  to  first  consecrate 
and  then  look  to  the  Pope  for  the  confirmation  of  that  act,  ended 
with  the  decree  of  Innocent  III.,  because  travelling  became  easier 
and  the  times  of  persecution  had  passed  away  in  Europe.     The 

>  St.  Gelasius  Eplst.  xlv.  »  St.  Boniface  1.  Eplst.  Vad.  Ruf.  et.  Episoopas  MacedoD.  6. 

»  St.  Leo  Eplst.  Ix.  ad  Disc.  Alex. 

«  St.  Boniface  elected  In  the  year  430.  Eplst.  xv.  ad  Bef.  n.  6. 

•  Concll.  Chal.  Act.  Ix.  *  Concll.  ConsUnt.  Att-  x.  Reg.  17. 
T  De  Sac.  Altar.  Myst.  L-  I.  C.  63.  •  Can.  5. 

•  Innocent  III.  In  Deer.  GrBRory  IX.  L.  I.  Tit.  t1.  c.  44.  Nihil,  est  Barlaam. 


BISHOPS  APPOINTING  OTHER  BISHOPS.  345 

custom  of  archbishops,  primates  and  patriarchs  consecrating 
bishops,  before  they  got  the  permission  of  the  Pope  was  only  a  con- 
cession on  the  part  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  The  metropolitans 
never  claimed  it  as  a  right.  For  the  office  of  archbishop  &c.  is  an 
institution  of  the  ciuirch,  a  branch  of  the  power  of  Peter  over  the 
other  bishops,  and  it  can  be  taken  away  at  any  time  by  the  Pope 
who  gave  it.  Only  the  Pope,  the  bishops  and  the  lower  clergy  are 
of  divine  establishment,  and  they  never  can  be  taken  awav  by 
man,  for  no  man  can  interfere  with  the  works  of  God.  "  Of  all 
tie  members  of  mortals,  Peter  alone  can  establish  others  like  him- 
self over  the  bisiiops,  for  in  the  place  of  Christ,  by  Christ,  he  was 
made  their  prince.  "  ' 

Because  they  could  not  do  otherwise,  the  Popes  allowed  the 
archbishops  and  the  patriarchs  to  institute  bishops  in  countries 
far  from  Rome.  When  they  could  the  Popes  did  it  directly  them- 
selves. Thus  we  read  that  Pope  Constantine,  when  travelling  in 
the  East  appointed  twelve  bishops  in  as  many  cities.  "  Pope 
St.  Martin  told  the  bishop  of  Phihidelphia  to  appoint  bishops  in 
every  city  depending  on  the  dioceses  of  Jerusalem  and  of  Antioch.' 

We  liave  therefore  seen  the  bishops  scattered  in  their  dioceses 
throughout  the  world,  we  must  now  consider  them  united  in  coun- 
cil legislating  for  the  universal  church,  and  that  will  be  the  matter 
of  the  following  chapter, 

1  Maxim.  Planud.  *  Anastas.  Biblioth.  in  Constant.  P.  P. 

'  St  Martin  I.  Epist.  Phidel. 


The  Bishops  Gathered  in  Council. 


OD  the  Father  dwells  not  alone  in  heaven.  With  him 
are  his  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  forming  the  Council  of 
the  mighty  Three  in  One.  Before  acting  in  creatures 
they  take  council.  At  the  creation  of  man  they  counciled  to- 
gether, saying:  ''Let  us  make  man  to  our  own  image  and 
likeness."'  All  things  God  made,  he  wrought  to  the  image  of 
his  divine  Son.  For  having  in  himself  all  perfections  in  an  intinite 
and  measureless  degree,  he  could  not  create  anything  which  would 
not  be  like  his  Image,  his  Council,  his  Son,  who  "'In  the  begin- 
ning was  with  God  and  the  Word  was  God."'  The  Son  therefore 
is  the  Councillor  of  the  Godhead.  "  I  Wisdom  dwelled  in  council 
and  am  present  in  learned  thoughts, ...  .Council  and  equity  is 
mine.  By  me  kings  rule  and  lawgivers  decree  justice.  "  '  In  all 
his  works  therefore  the  Father  takes  council  with  his  only  begotten 
Son. 

The  church  the  image  of  the  Holy  Trinity  formed  as  the  model 
of  the  mighty  Three,  the  church  also  has  her  councils,  where  the 
Father  of  bishops  takes  council  with  his  sons  in  the  episcopacy  of 
the  universal  church.  When  God  established  the  Jewish  religion 
as  a  preparation  for  the  christians,  he  told  Moses  to  make  the  tab- 
ernacle according  to  the  model  shown  him  on  the  mount.  *  Acting 
on  the  advice  of  his  father-in-law,  Moses  appointed  councillors 
over  Israel,  *  while  the  high-priest  never  undertook  any  important 
matter  without  first  getting  their  advice.  Such  was  the  figure 
given  the  christian  church,  and  such  has  been  the  custom  from 
the  apostolic  age.  The  Son  and  Holy  Spirit  are  the  councillors 
of  the  Father.  They  come  forth  from  the  Father.  The  cardinals 
are  appointed  by  the  Roman  Pontiff,  for  they  are  his  councillors, 
the  cathedral  canons  are  the  councillors  of  the  bishop  for  they 
are  appointed  by  him,  the  bishops  are  the  councillors  of  the  Pope, 
for  he  creates  them.  When  they  assemble  from  all  parts  of  the 
world  round  his  throne,  they  form  as  it  were  the  venerable  congress 
of  the  whole  church,  under  the  presidency  of  him  their  head  and 
father. 


1  Oen.  1. 26. 
*  Exod.  XTll. 


»  John  1.  1.  *  Prov.  tIU.  12. 18. 14»  15. 16. 

846 


*  Exod.  XXT.  zztL 


348  THE  FIRST  COUNCILS  AT  JERUSALEM. 

Some  knowing  no  better,  think  that  the  councils  make  new 
doctrines.  But  that  is  not  so.  For  truth,  being  the  image  of 
the  Son  in  the  mind  of  man,  it  cannot  change.  As  revealed  and 
completed  by  the  coming,  of  the  Son,  these  supernatural  truths 
must  remain  the  same  as  in  the  apostolic  days,  for  they  form  the 
constitution  of  the  church,  which  Christ  alone  established  and 
only  he  can  change  them. 

A  council  is  a  meeting  of  the  bishops  called  by  their  head  the 
Roman  Pontiff,  who  in  person  or  by  his  legates  presides  over  them. 
They  meet  to  make  laws  and  to  legislate  for  the  churches  under 
them.  But  they  also  meet  to  take  council  together,  to  pray  with 
and  for  each  other,  to  foster  charity  and  brotherly  love,  and  to 
unite  as  the  successors  of  the  apostles,  as  they  did  in  the  cenacle, 
the  upper  chamber  belonging  to  the  mother  of  St.  Mark  where 
the  Holy  Ghost  descended  on  the  apostles.'  The  apostles  them- 
selves give  us  the  first  example  of  a  council,  for  we  read  that  they 
often  united  in  the  upper  ciiamber."  While  in  council  the  Holy 
Ghost  came  down  on  them  in  the  form  of  tongues  of  fire."  Be- 
fore their  death  they  held  four  councils  at  Jerusalem,  which  meet- 
ings became  the  type  and  the  model  of  all  the  future  councils  of 
the  church.  Again  they  came  together  at  the  death  and  burial  of 
the  Virgin  Mother  of  their  Lord.  St.  Paul  also  held  a  council. 
For  "sending  from  Miletus  to  Ephesus,  he  called  the  ancients  of 
the  church....''  and  said*  "Take  heed  to  yourselves  and  to  the 
whole  flock,  wherein  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  placed  you  bishops  to 
rule  the  church,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood."* 
Councils  therefore  are  not  new  in  the  church.  They  proclaim 
again  the  doctrines  of  the  church  held  from  the  very  beginning. 
Christ  being  the  source  and  the  fountain  head,  because  from  him 
through  the  apostles,  come  all  the  teachings  and  doctrines  in  tlie 
church.  For  all  the  bishops,  priests  and  Popes  altogether  could 
not  make  a  single  new  doctrine  of  the  church. 

While  the  church  in  unchangable  in  her  doctrines,  she  is  not  so 
regarding  her  discipline.  For  discipline  relates  to  the  way  of  ad- 
ministpring  the  church,  and  she  regulates  her  way  of  adapting  her- 
self to  the  various  customs,  manners,  nations,  tribes  and  peoples 
of  the  world.  As  the  people  change  from  country  to  country  and 
from  age  to  age,  so  the  church  changes  her  own  laws  to  suit  tiiese 
changed  conditions  of  men.  That  is  discipline.  Councils  are 
called  then  mostly  to  define  doctrines  when  attacked,  and  to  make 
disciplinary  laws  for  the  better  carrying  out  of  church  work  when 
the  needs  of  the  people  require  it.  But  no  new  doctrines  can  be 
manufactured  by  any  council. 

Let  us  understand  the  church  in  her  councils.  Having  been 
made  as  an  image  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  the  church  shows  us  the 
likeness  of  the  mighty  Three  in  One  in  her  councils.  The  Pope 
has   his  council,  the  bishops   of   tlie   world.     They  are   for  him 

>  Acts  11.  "Acta  of  the  Apostles  vUl.  14  ;  xl.  1-2 ;  ill.  2-3  ;  xv.  2-3().    Gal.  U.  2,  9. 

»  Acts  11.  *  Acta  XX.  17-28. 


THE  bishops'  titles  TO  THEIR  DIOCESES.  349 

as  the  Son  is  for  the  Father,  the  image  of  himself,  coming  forth 
from  him  by  his  appointment.  They  never  separate  from  him,  but 
rule  their  dioceses  in  and  for  him,  and  united  to  him  they  form 
the  grand  presbytery  of  the  universal  church,  as  the  priests  of  the 
diocese  compose  the  presbytery  of  the  diocese.  Thus  we  see  that 
the  mystery  of  the  church  penetrates  to  each  and  every  part  and 
■each  part  is  a  copy  and  an  image  of  the  whole  church  of  Christ. 

Christ  first  founded  the  universal  church  in  the  persons  of  the 
apostles,  and  they  erected  the  dioceses  over  which  they  presided 
as  bishops,  ordaining  priests  to  aid  them  in  that  work  of  their 
ministry.  But  they  formed  the  diocese  according  to  the  organ- 
ization of  the  universal  church,  and  when  later  the  parishes  were 
formed  out  of  the  diocese  they  then  became  an  image  of  the 
latter.  Thus  we  see  that  each  church  is  a  reproduction  of  the 
church  universal  the  image  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 

The  bishops  of  the  universal  church  united  in  council,  compose 
the  congress  of  the  universal  church,  as  the  college  of  cardinals 
form  the  senate  of  the  Roman  diocese,  as  the  cathedral  chapter 
makes  the  senate  of  the  diocese.  But  because  the  bishops  partake 
in  the  communion  of  episcopal  orders,  the  bishops  first  of  all  be- 
long to  the  universal  church,  as  the  cardinals  belong  to  the  Roman 
diocese,  and  as  the  members  of  the  cathedral  chapters  belong  to  the 
diocese.  But  because  of  their  titles,  as  bishops  of  certain  dioceses 
they  rule  these  dioceses.  Whence  their  episcopal  consecration 
gives  them  a  subordinate  power  over  the  whole  church,  while 
their  titles  as  bishops  of  certain  dioceses  gives  them  power  to  rule 
these  dioceses  as  their  own.  Such  it  is  in  the  universal  church, 
and  we  see  an  image  of  the  same  in  the  diocese,  the  copy  of  the 
church  universal.  Ordination  gives  a  clergyman  tlie  right  of  be- 
ing numbered  with  the  clergy  of  the  diocese,  and  his  appoint- 
ment to  a  church  of  the  diocese  gives  him  the  right  to  be  the  pas- 
tor of  that  church,  and  to  rule  it  in  his  own  name,  guided  by  the 
discipline  of  the  diocese  and  according  to  the  laws  of  the  universal 
church. 

Thus  episcopal  consecration  gives  to  all  bishops  the  right  of 
belonging  to  the  universal  church,  making  them  all  equal,  and 
in  episcopal  orders  one  is  not  above  another,  for  they  all  are  com- 
plete priests,  and  all  bishops  have  the  same  power  over  the  real 
body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  founded  on  holy  orders,  we 
find  the  title,  giving  the  right  to  rule  a  certain  diocese  and  in  this 
the  bishops  are  not  equal.  For  because  of  his  title  as  Bishop  of 
Rome,  the  Pope  is  over  all  the  churches  of  the  world,  while  other 
bishops  rule  not  simple  dioceses  but  archdioceses  and  patriarchal 
sees,  and  in  these  things  the  bishops  are  not  equal,  and  this  differ- 
ence of  authority  among  them  comes  not  from  holy  orders  but 
from  jurisdiction,  because  the  Pope  with  the  fulness  of  jurisdic- 
tion erected  some  dioceses  over  others,  giving  the  bishops  of  these 
sees  the  titles  of  archbishops,  primates  or  patriarchs. 

Therefore  as  a  priest  may  belong  to  no  parish  but  to  the  whole 


350  THE  CONGRESS  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

diocese,  when  he  has  charge  of  no  parish,  thus  a  bishop  may  be- 
long to  no  diocese  but  to  the  whole  church  when  he  has  no  title. 
But  because  of  the  dignity  of  the  episcopal  order  each  bishop  should 
have  the  title  of  some  episcopal  city  as  well  as  episcopal  consecra- 
tion, and  in  theearly  church  no  priest  or  bishop  was  advanced  to  holy 
orders,  without  giving  him  the  title  of  a  diocese  or  of  a  church. 
Whence  the  reader  can  see  that  the  power  of  the  bishops  over  the 
universal  church  diifers  from  the  authority  by  which  they  rule 
their  dioceses,  the  great  parishes  within  the  universal  church. 
For  this  reason  St.  Ignatius  calls  the  bishops:  "The  pastors  of  the 
catholic  church."'  That  St.  Paul  meant  when  he  said  to  the  bish- 
ops he  had  established:  "Take  heed  to  yourselves  and  to  the  whole 
flock,  wherein  the  Holy  Ghost  has  placed  you  to  rule  the  church 
of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood.'" 

The  mystery  of  the  whole  episcopacy  of  the  world,  united  with 
their  head  the  Bishop  of  Rome  appears  above  all  in  an  ecumenical 
council,  where  they  assemble  with  the  Pope  as  their  chairman, 
and  in  that  meeting,  the  most  august  which  can  assemble,  there 
the  wonders  of  the  episocpacy  appears  in  all  its  strength,  beauty 
and  perfection.  In  such  a  congress  or  legislature  of  the  church 
universal,  under  the  presidency  of  the  Roman  Pontiff,  there  the 
mystery  of  the  kingdom  of  God  shines  forth  with  all  its  brightness 
before  the  eyes  of  mankind.  Let  us  stop  and  study  it  more  in 
detail.  But  first  we  should  raise  our  thoughts  to  heaven,  to  the 
Holy  Persons  of  God,  of  which  the  church  is  the  image. 

In  heaven  the  Father  gives  all  his  divinity  to  the  Son,  and  all 
the  Son  has  he  receives  from  his  Father.  The  nature  of  the  God- 
head is  in  the  Wisdom  of  the  Father,  the  Light,  the  Truth  and 
every  perfection  of  the  Father,  the  Son  receives  all  from  the  Father, 
and  the  church  brings  forth  images  of  these  perfections  in  God, 
but  marked  with  the  imperfections  of  created  things.  In  the 
council,  all  the  bishops  being  equal  in  holy  orders,  they  are  not  nor 
can  they  be  supreme  in  authority,  or  as  teachers  of  faith  and  momls. 
What  they  have  not  they  cannot  give,  and  as  they  have  not  au- 
thority over  the  universal  church,  they  do  not  elect  their  chairman 
or  their  head.  The  Pope  is  their  head,  as  the  Father  is  the  head 
of  the  Son,  and  as  the  Father  gives  all  he  has  to  the  Son,  so  the 
Pope  the  Father  of  bishops  gives  the  bishops  light,  power,  strength 
and  divine  influence. 

Therefore  an  ecumenical  council  to  have  force,  must  have 
these  three  marks:  it  must  be  called  by  the  Pope;  he  must  preside 
over  it  either  personally  or  by  his  legate,  and  he  must  confirm 
the  decrees.  If  one  or  more  of  these  conditions  be  absent  the 
decrees  or  laws  of  the  council  have  no  force.  As  in  the  Deity  all 
comes  from  the  head,  the  Father,  so  in  the  church  all  comes  from 
the  head  of  the  church  the  Pope.  Without  him  no  council  can 
be  held,  he  or  one  representing  him  is  always  the  head  and  the 
chairman,  and  without  him  they  could  have  no  presiding  officer. 

>  Eplst.  ad  Phlladel.  ad  Ephes.  ad  Trail.  Llv.  I.  Cap.  v.  vll.  se<'.  HI.  »  AcU  xx.  28. 


THE  CHAIEMAif  OF  THE  CONGRESS.  351 

For  the  bishops  being  equal  in  holy  orders,  they  could  not  choose? 
a  chairman  in  the  place  of  the  Pope  or  in  place  of  his  representa- 
tive the  patriarch,  primate  or  archbishop  or  the  papal  delegate. 
The  bishops  who  would  unite  without  their  head  could  not  hold 
a  council.  For  when  united  in  such  a  council  of  bishops  would 
be  no  greater  united  together  than  they  were  when  separated. 
Now  the  bishops  scattered  throughout  the  world  have  but  a  rad- 
ical, unformed  and  incomplete  authority  over  the  universal 
church,  and  united  without  their  head,  the  Pope,  they  would 
have  no  more  and  no  less  than  the  same  power.  The  presence 
then  of  the  bishop  of  Rome  completes  their  radical  and  incomplete 
authority  over  the  church  universal,  because  he  is  the  Bishop  of 
the  whole  world,  the  Pastor  of  Christ's  sheep-fold  to  whom  Christ 
said :  "  Feed  my  lambs  Feed  my  sheep."  From  this  appears  how 
falsely  conclude  some,  who  think  that  the  bishops  of  the  Avhole 
world  could  meet  in  council,  depose  a  Pope,  make  laws  indepen- 
dently of  him,  reform  his  decrees  and  judge  him  or  his  actions. 

The  Pope  being  the  bishop  of  bishops,  he  is  the  head  and  chair- 
man of  the  council.  He  confirms  the  decrees,  ratifies  their  decisions, 
vetoes  their  laws,  and  can  reject  the  bills  or  measures  which  he  does 
not  approve.  In  doing  this  he  uses  the  form:  "  The  whole  coun- 
cil approving,  "  not  that  the  council  approves  but  because  he  ap- 
proves. These  words  show  that  he  and  the  council  are  one,  and 
united  as  the  members  of  the  body  with  their  head,  it  shows 
that  there  is  no  division  among  them.  The  force  and  authority 
of  the  decrees  of  the  council  come,  therefore,  not  from  the  bishops; 
composing  it,  but  from  the  Pope  calling  them  together,  presiding 
over  them,  and  promulgating  the  statutes  and  decrees.  "The 
Holy  See  is  of  the  Roman  Church,  by  whose  authority  and  sanction 
allsynodsand  holy  councilsare  strengthened  and  receive  power.* 

Again  we  must  consider  the  united  bishops  sitting  in  this  au- 
gust assembly  of  that  congress  of  the  whole  christian  world.  AH 
the  bishops  of  the  world  must  be  called  to  the  council.  If  some  stay 
away,  because  of  sickness  etc.,  yet  by  divine  right  all  can  come,  and 
no  power  on  earth  can  take  away  that  right  from  any  bishop  in 
union  with  the  Roman  Pontiff.  Every  one  with  episcopal  conse- 
cration, who  is  not  excommunicated  can  come  and  take  his  seat. 
For  they  do  not  come  as  the  representatives  of  their  dioceses,  but  as 
the  senators  and  the  pastors  of  the  universal  church.  Whence 
those  bishops  who  rule  flourishing  dioceses,  those  bishops  who 
have  the  title  of  dioceses  now  overrun  by  the  pagans,  bishops- 
without  titles,  all  without  an  exception  have  a  right  to  sit  in  the 
council.  Those  who  would  hold  a  contrary  opinion  do  not  ap- 
pear to  understand  the  nature  and  the  organization  of  the  church  of 
Christ.  The  bishops  sit  in  council,  because  they  belong  to  and 
are  the  pastors  of  the  universal  church.  For  the  Lord  Jesus, 
first  founded  the  church  universal  in  the  persons  of  the  apostles, 
and  they  belonged  to  the  universal  church  founded  by  him  before 

>  St.  Nicholas  I.  Epist.  aPhotiis.  Lab. 


352  THE  MEMBEES  OF  THE  C0XGKES8. 

they  become  the  pastors  of  any  particular  churches  or  dioceses. 
We  read  in  the  Acts  of  the  apostles  that  they  held  the  first  uni- 
versal councils  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem  before  their  separation, 
when  only  one  of  them,  St.  James  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  was 
:a  bishop  of  any  particular  church  or  diocese.'  The  apostles  sat 
in  that  first  council  by  right  of  their  pastorate  over  the  whole 
•church. 

No  one  but  a  bishop  who  has  received  episcopal  consecration 
-can  sit  in  the  universal  or  ecumenical  councils  of  the  church,  be- 
cause only  the  bishops  are  the  senators  or  pastors  of  the  universal 
■church.  To  them  in  the  persons  of  the  apostles  the  Lord  said: 
•*'  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations."'  By  that  he  made 
them  the  spiritual  teachers,  the  doctors  and  the  rulers  of  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  reader  will  therefore  understand 
that  the  church  is  not  a  reunion  of  all  bishops  representing  the 
dioceses  of  the  world.  The  church  was  founded  by  our  Lord  in 
the  persons  of  the  apostles  before  there  was  a  diocese  in  existence, 
and  therefore  the  bishops  sit  in  council,  not  as  the  heads  and  repre- 
sentatives and  spokesmen  of  the  dioceses,  but  as  the  senators,  pas- 
torsand  bishops  of  this  same  universal  church  founded  by  our  Lord. 
By  divine  right  given  them  by  our  Lord  himself,  the  bishops  teach 
the  nations  of  the  world,  the  matters  of  faith  revealed  to  the  apos- 
tles by  Jesus  Christ  himself.  The  decisions  of  the  council  of  the 
church  are  to  be  obeyed  as  the  voice  of  God  himself,  for  Christ 
said:  "  Behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even  to  the  consummation 
of  the  world.'" 

As  the  bishops  meet  in  council  not  as  the  pastors  of  their  dio- 
ceses, but  as  the  senators  of  the  universal  church,  it  follows  that 
they  are  all  equal  as  judges  of  faith  and  morals.  From  that 
it  follows  also  that  the  votes  of  the  patriarchs  of  the  venerable  sees 
of  Alexandria,  of  Antioch  or  of  Constantinople,  have  no  more 
weight  than  the  votes  of  the  bishops  of  the  most  obscure  dioceses, 
or  even  of  those  bishops  who  rule  no  dioceses.  In  the  early 
church  that  principle  was  not  clearly  understood.  In  the  council 
of  Chalcedon,  frightened  at  the  tyranny  and  persecutions  of 
Dioscorus,  some  of  the  bishops  of  Egypt  pretended  that  the  patri- 
archs of  Alexandria  could  cast  their  votes  for  them,  and  claimed  the 
right  to  abstain  from  voting,  till  Hierarchus  archbishop  of  Alex- 
andria had  voted,  saying:  "We  wait  the  vote  of  our  blessed  arch- 
bishop, and  we  ask  your  kindness  to  let  us  wait  for  the  vote  of 
■our  president,  for  we  follow  him  in  all  things.  For  the  Holy 
Fathers  gave  this  rule,  that  all  Egypt  shoull  follow  the  archbish- 
op of  the  great  name  of  Alexandria,  and  that  nothing  should  be 
done  by  any  bishop  subject  to  him  without  his  consent.  '*  At 
once  the  whole  council  cried  out  against  the  bishops  of  Egypt, 
and  they.had  to  vote  in  their  turn.  *  The  voice  of  antiquity 
tells  us   that  the  bishops  in  ancient  councils  did  not  vote  because 

1  Acts  of  tbe  Apost.  *  Matb.  utIU.  19.  *  Hatli.  xzrUi.  90. 

*  Concil.  Cbalc  SesB.  IV.  Labbe  T.  It.  ool.  518. 


BISHOPS  OF  ANCIElfT  SEES  IN  THE  COUNCIL.  '663 

of  the  sees  they  occupied,  but  because  of  their  episcopal  diguity 
and  consecration  To  give  them  any  prominence  or  attach  more 
weiglit  to  the  vote  of  any  bishop,  because  of  the  prominence  of 
liis  episcopal  see,  is  to  lay  the  seeds  of  heresy  and  division. 
This  we  see  in  the  case  of  the  impious  Photius,  archbishop  of  Con- 
stantinople. Constantinople  being  the  seat  of  the  Greek  empire,. 
its  bishop  became  very  prominent  over  the  bishops  of  the  whole 
East.  They  all  looked  to  him  for  direction.  Although  for 
many  centuries  the  episcopal  chair  of  Constantinople  had  been; 
occupied  by  saints,  still  when  Photius  fell  into  schism  all  the 
bishops  of  the  empire,  who  looked  to  Constantinople  as  to  their 
patriarchs  and  archbishops,  they  nearly  all  followed  him  into  the 
heresy  of  the  Greek  schism.  Their  followers  are  known  to-day  as 
the  Greek  schismatics.  Ethiopia  and  Egypt  followed  the  arch- 
bishop of  Alexandria  into  the  schism  of  the  Copts.  The  same 
can  be  said  of  the  christians  subject  to  the  patriarchs  of  An- 
tioch.  They  now  form  the  schismatics  of  the  East.  Only  the 
Bishop  of  Rome  has  any  superiority  over  the  other  bishops,  and 
that  comes  from  his  position  as  Bishop  of  Rome,  heir  of  Peter  and 
supreme  Pontiff  over  the  whole  church. 

Yet  we  must  admit  an  exception  in  the  case  of  one  of  the  old  and 
venerable  apostolic  dioceses  of  the  world,  where  the  church  has 
flourished  for  many  centuries  from  apostolic  times.  A  bishop  of 
such  a  diocese  is  the  witness  of  the  old  traditions  of  his  church.  As 
the  bishop  is  the  head  of  the  diocese,  he  carries  in  his  person  all 
the  perfections  of  the  body  of  the  people,  his  church  and  spouse, 
and  therefore  he  can  give  a  better  testimony  of  the  traditions 
of  his  church  and  people,  than  any  bishop  of  a  newer  diocese. 
As  the  faith  of  the  apostles  comes  down  to  us,  not  only  by  holy 
Scriptures,  but  also  by  tradition,  so  the  words  of  such  a  bishop 
will  have  great  weight  in  the  council.  In  the  same  way  the 
bishops  of  Jerusalem,  of  Alexandria,  of  Antioch,  of  Ephesus  and 
of  the  old  apostolic  sees  were  better  witnessess  of  the  faith  of  the 
apostles  transmitted  by  their  churches,  than  other  bishops  of  re- 
cently erected  dioceses.  The  bishop  of  a  people  disturbed  by 
false  doctrines,  by  heresies  and  by  the  teachings  of  infidels,  will 
be  a  better  Judge  of  the  needs  of  the  church  to  remedy  these 
troubles,  than  the  bishops  of  a  diocese  where  exist  no  difficulties 
of  this  kind.  But  all  these  relate  to  the  discussion  and  not  to 
the  decisions  of  the  council.  In  deciding  the  bishops  are  all 
equal,  but  in  discussing  matters  before  arriving  at  the  conclusion, 
they  are  not  equal,  for  they  may  be  of  unequal  learning,  elo- 
quence, experience,  &c.  The  bishops  are  entirely  free  both  in 
discussing  and  in  voting  in  all  the  coancils  of  the  church.  Thus 
when  the  decree  of  infallibility  of  the  Pope  was  defined  in  the  IV. 
chapter  of  the  Vatican  council,  all  voted  for  it  but  two  bishops, 
who  voted  against  it,  thinking  that  the  time  had  not  yet  come 
for  defining  that  dogma  held  from  the  very  days  of  the  apostles. 

As  tlie  Pope  is  the  head  and  infallible  guide  of  the  churchy  his 


354  THE  GREAT  COUNCILS. 

confirmation  alone  is  required  that  the  decrees  of  any  council 
may  be  legitimate  and  binding  in  conscience.  Therefore  the 
number  of  bishops,  whether  there  be  few  or  many  at  the  council, 
makes  no  difference  regarding  the  decrees.  If  they  were  con- 
firmed by  the  Pope,  that  is  enough  to  make  them  binding  on  the 
whole  christian  world.  Following  this  rule,  we  find  that  many 
of  the  councils,  which  are  now  considered  of  the  highest  weight, 
were  at  first  but  provincial  or  national  meetings,  or  attended  by 
few  of  the  bishops.  They  were  afterwards  confirmed  by  the  Popes, 
and  that  made  them  binding  throughout  the  whole  christian  church. 
In  thus  confirming  national  or  provincial  councils,  the  Pope 
shows  his  power  as  the  head  of  the  church  universal  by  giving  author- 
ity and  strength  to  these  partial  assemblies,  and  sending  their  de- 
crees outside  the  boundaries  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  bishops, 
which  compose  them,  and  extending  them  to  the  whole  church  by 
virtue  of  his  supreme  pontificate.  To  him  alone  the  Vicar  of 
Christ  it  belongs  to  give  force,  sanction  and  authority  to  these 
laws,  because  from  him  flows  the  life  of  Jesus  down  on  all  the 
church  his  body. 

Many  examples  of  history  could  be  cited  where  the  councils 
were  not  universal,  or  they  were  formed  of  the  episcopacy  of  the 
church,  or  labored  under  a  defect  or  they  were  incomplete  till  rem- 
edied by  the  solemn  confirmation  of  the  supreme  and  visible 
head  of  Christ's  body  the  Pope.  Thus  the  second  council  of 
Constantinople  was  not  called  by  the  Pope,  nor  presided  over  by 
him  or  his  legates,  neither  did  any  bishops  attend  beside  the  prel- 
ates of  the  East.  But  the  Eoman  Pontiff  afterwards  confirmed 
the  decrees  of  this  council,  and  that  was  enough  to  supply  the 
above  mentioned  defects,  for  they  have  since  been  considered  as 
binding  on  the  whole  christian  world.  Although  numerous  coun- 
cils were  held  in  the  early  church,  where  all  the  bishops  were 
called,  and  over  which  the  Popes  presided,  either  in  person  or  by 
their  legates,  and  these  assemblies  have  great  weight  in  the  church, 
yet  because  of  the  importance  of  their  decrees,  the  four  councils 
of  Nice  against  the  Arians  in  325,  of  Constantinople  against  the 
Macedonians  in  381,  of  Eplieseus  against  the  Nestorians  in 
431,  and  of  Chalcedon  against  Eutyches  and  Marcian  in  451, 
these  have  been  held  in  such  esteem  as  to  be  compared  to  tlie  four 
Gospels. 

Up  to  the  present  time  nineteen  ecumenical  councils  have  been 
held  in  the  church,  as  well  as  forty-one  remarkable  particular 
councils. 

But  each  and  every  council  presided  over  and  ratified  by  the 
Roman  Pontiff  as  Pope,  their  decrees  relating  to  faith  and  morals 
were  considered  as  infallible,  the  same  as  coming  from  Christ 
himself.  Such  are  the  councils  of  Sardica,  the  IV.  council 
of  Rome  held  in  the  year  382,  that  of  Bari  presided  over  by 
Urban  II.,  where  was  settled  a  difficulty  regarding  St.  Anselm 
archbishop  of  Canterbury.     The  councils  may  be  divided  into  two 


HOW  COUNCILS  EXTEND  TO  THE  WHOLE  CHUECH.  355 

classes,  those  which  were  presided  over  by  the  Pope,  as  Bishop  of 
the  whole  church,  and  those  assemblies  where  he  sat  not  as  Pope, 
but  as  patriarch  of  the  West,  as  primate  of  Italy,  or  as  archbish- 
op of  the  Koman  province.  In  the  councils  of  the  first  rank, 
shine  forth  the  mystery  of  the  church  in  all  the  splendors  of  the 
whole  episcopate,  united  to  their  head  and  receiving  all  their  life 
from  him. 

The  Greek  schism  caused  by  the  rebellion  of  Photius  archbishop 
of  Constantinople,  and  the  total  destruction  of  the  Greek  empire 
by  the  capture  of  Constantinople  by  the  Mohammedans  in  1453 
put  an  end  to  the  great  unions  of  the  East  and  the  West,  or  of 
the  Latin  and  the  Greek  speaking  nations.  But  the  church  still 
continued  her  legislative  enactments  and  decrees  by  the  councils 
she  held  in  the  West.  The  Greeks,  having  been  cut  off  from  the 
head  by  their  rebellion,  and  by  the  devastations  of  the  Turkish 
empire,  they  belong  no  more  to  the  body  of  Christ,  for  they 
separated  themselves  from  the  head  the  Papacy.  Before  this 
time  many  general  councils  called  Eoman  councils  had  been  held, 
but  from  this  epoch  they  began  to  disappear.  They  had  been  at- 
tended chiefly  by  Latin  bishops  of  the  West  or  European  prelates, 
while  the  great  ecumenical  meetings  were  composed  of  all  the 
bishops  of  the  whole  christian  world.  We  do  not  include  in  any 
of  these  meetings  the  councils  of  the  bishops  of  Italy  under  the 
Pope  as  their  primate,  or  the  numerous  councils  of  the  Roman 
province  presided  over  by  the  Pope  as  archbishop  of  his  province, 
such  as  Pope  Benedict  XIII.  held  with  his  suffragan  bisnops  of 
the  Roman  province.  These  legislative  bodies,  not  belonging 
to  the  universal  church,  or  presided  over  by  the  Pope  as  head  of 
church  and  Vicar  of  Christ,  their  statutes  only  bound  the  dioceses 
under  these  bishops  Avho  were  called,  and  not  the  whole  body  of 
Christ,  unless  the  Pope  extended  them  to  the  whole  church  by  a 
positive  decree.  Thus  as  a  tradition  of  the  Roman  councils,  the 
Pope  at  the  canonization  of  the  saints  calls  to  take  part  with  him 
in  the  ceremonies  all  the  bishops  present  in  Rome.  That  has  the 
appearance  of  a  council.  '  Thus  the  first  council  of  Constanti- 
nople was  not  an  ecumenical  or  even  a  general  gathering  of  the 
bishops  of  the  world.  But  later  it  acquired  the  authority  of  an 
ecumenical  council,  and  its  decrees  were  extended  to  the  whole 
church  by  a  decree  of  the  Pope  after  it  was  held.  In  the  same 
way  the  council  of  Orange  was  but  a  provincial  meeting,  but  its 
decrees  regarding  faith  were  approved  by  Pope  Boniface^  and  thus 
he  extended  them  to  the  whole  church,  because  it  condemned  the 
Pelagians  and  Semi- Pelagians  and  their  peculiar  errors  regarding 
free  will  and  grace. 

We  have  written  not  only  regarding  ecumenical  but  also  general 

and   provincial   councils.     Let   us   understand    it    better.     The 

church  is  the  mystic  body  of  Christ,  receiving  all  her  life,  grace, 

strength  and  movements  from  him   her   head.     He  gives  all   his 

*  Benedict,  xlv.  de  Beatif.  et  Canon.  Sanct.  L.  I.  C.  xxxiv. 


356  COUNCILS  THAT  ARE  KOT  UNIVERSAL. 

powers  to  the  Pope  his  Vicar,  from  whom  all  jurisdiction  flows 
down  upon  the  rest  of  the  body.  As  in  any  living  organism  all 
life  comes  from  the  head,  as  the  branches  of  every  tree  live  on 
the  trunk,  so  live  the  branches  of  the  vine  of  Christ — for  he  is  the 
vine  we  are  the  branches.  All  men  must  be  united  to  the  Papacy 
to  spiritually  live.  We  have  spoken  of  the  patriarchs,  the  pri- 
mates and  the  archbishops  the  branches  of  the  supremacy  of  Pe- 
ter. These  are  as  so  many  little  popes.  They  represent  the  Pope 
presiding  o'ver  their  suffragan  bishops  as  the  branches  of  the  Pap- 
acy. To  them  by  direction  of  the  Pope  it  also  belongs  to  call  a 
council  of  the  bishops  under  them.  There  again  in  that  solemn 
assembly  of  prelates  we  find:  "the  form  of  Peter,"  the  type,  the 
image  of  the  universal  church.  There  the  bishops  of  the  patriarch- 
ate, of  the  whole  nation  or  of  the  province  united  under  their 
chief,  from  whom  they  received  the  impulse  by  which  they  hold 
the  council.  There  we  see  again  an  image  of  an  ecumenical  coun- 
cil of  the  church  universal.  The  presiding  officer  of  these  meet- 
ings is  the  archbishop,  if  it  be  a  provincial  council,  the  pri- 
mate or  legate  of  the  Pope  if  it  is  a  council  of  the  whole  nation, 
or  the  patriarch  if  a  council  of  all  the  bishops  of  a  patriarchate, 
the  same  as  the  Pope  presides  over  all  the  bishops  of  the  universal 
church.  The  bishops  do  not  appoint  a  chairman,  because 
they  have  no  authority  one  over  the  other,  as  they  are  all  equal  in 
holy  orders,  whence  authority  over  them  must  come  from  Peter 
in  his  successor. 

As  the  Pope  either  in  person  or  by  his  delegate  presides  over 
the  bishops  of  the  whole  world,  a  likeness  of  Jesus  over  his  church, 
so  the  patriarch,  as  the  image  of  the  Pope,  presides  over  the  bish- 
ops of  all  the  dioceses  and  archdioceses  subject  to  his  patriarchate, 
and  under  his  care.  That  is  a  council  of  a  part  of  the  church, 
composing  only  the  prelates  of  that  part  of  the  world,  over  which 
the  patriarch  presides.  The  dignity  of  the  chairman,  the  numer- 
ous episcopacy,  and  the  extent  of  territory  ruled  by  the  assembled 
bishops  make  it  the  next  to  an  ecumenical  council.  But  in  ac- 
knowledging the  right  of  the  patriarch  to  preside  over  them,  they 
see  in  him  not  his  own  personal  authority,  but  that  of  the  Pope, 
whom  he  represents.  The  Pope  being  one  with  Jesns  Christ,  the 
Lord  himself  is  their  chairman  in  the  person  of  their  patriarch. 
When  the  bishops  of  a  whole  nation  meet  in  council  the  primate 
presides  over  them  in  the  name  of  Peter.  When  a  provincial 
council  is  called,  the  presiding  officer  is  tiie  archbishop.  There- 
fore the  bishops  do  not  choose  their  chairman,  as  is  always  done 
in  political  meetings,  for  the  people  have  the  right  to  choose  their 
chairman,  for  they  rule  themselves.  But  in  the  church  all  having 
been  regulated  by  our  Lord  at  the  time  he  was  on  earth,  the  whole 
machinery  of  its  government,  is  provided  by  the  common  laws  of 
its  divine  constitution.  When  the  patriarch,  primate  or  arch- 
bishop dies  or  is  absent,  the  council  is  deprived  of  the  head  pro- 
vided for  it  by  the  common  law.     The  law  of  the  church  provides- 


THE  CHAIRMAN  IN  PROVINCIAL  COUNCILS.  357 

that  incase  the  archbishop,  primate  or  patriarch  representing  the 
Pope  be  absent,  the  authority  falls  back  on  all  the  bishops  equally 
to  supply  a  chief.  By  the  common  law  and  custom  the  presiding 
bishop  will  be  oldest  in  consecration.  By  priority  of  episcopal 
years  lie  is  the  dean  of  the  assembled  college,  because  he  is  the 
senior  bishop.  But  he  is  not  their  real  and  natural  head,  because 
he  has  not  received  the  pallium  or  the  appointment  of  the  Pope 
by  which  he  represents  or  heads  a  branch  of  the  Papacy.  His 
brethren  of  the  episcopacy  have  been  deprived  of  their  father  by 
death  or  accident,  and  he  only  supi)lies  for  the  time  being  his  place. 
Somewhat  in  the  same  way  the  priests  of  a  diocese,  the  adminis- 
trator, the  cathedral  chapter,  or  the  vicar-general  supply  the  ab- 
sence of  their  bishop  when  the  latter  dies  or  is  absent.  Thus  the 
divine  life  of  the  body  of  Christ  flows  from  the  heart  of  the 
church,  the  Papacy,  thi'ough  all  the  channels  and  arteries  unto  the 
uttermost  ends  of  the  earth,  giving  life  and  grace  and  salvation 
unto  all  in  union  witn  Rome  through  Peter  and  up  to  Christ. 

When  decrees  of  these  councils  relating  to  faith  and  morals  have 
been  formed,  they  must  be  sent  to  Rome  for  review,  because  to  the 
Roman  Pontiff  it  belongs  to  define  matters  relating  to  faith  and 
morals.  He  alone  is  infallible  in  faith  and  morals,  and  not  the  bish- 
ops separated  from  him.  He  examines  them  to  see  that  these 
decrees  of  councils  have  no  false  doctrines,  before  they  are  promul- 
gated to  the  clergy  and  the  people  of  the  regions  under  these 
bishops.  For  these  reasons  the  decrees  of  any  councils  are  never 
published  till  they  have  been  reviewed  by  the  Popes,  or  the  congre- 
gation appointed  for  that  purpose. 

When  all  the  priests  of  a  diocese  assemble  together  under  their 
bishop  in  an  assembly  of  the  diocese  they  make  laws  for  the  diocese. 
It  is  a  kind  of  a  council,  but  it  is  called  a  diocesan  synod.  The 
decrees  of  such  a  synod  relate  mostly  to  matters  of  discipline,  the 
administration  of  church  property,  the  sacraments,  &c.  Not  touch- 
ing faith  and  morals,  the  statutes  of  diocesan  synods  are  not  sent 
to  Rome  for  review.  For  the  Pope  wishes  to  leave  each  diocese 
free  in  the  administration  of  its  home  government  or  internal  af- 
fairs. In  the  case  of  a  diocesan  synod,  the  diocese  being  the  image 
of  the  universal  church,  of  which  the  Pope  is  the  universal  bishop, 
the  bishop  presides  in  the  diocese  as  tlie  Pope  in  the  church  uni- 
versal, and  of  which  the  diocese  and  the  parishes  are  the  image. 
Whence  as  the  bishops  are  the  pastors  of  the  church  universal,  and 
in  a  council  they  all  meet  under  the  presidency  of  their  bishop  the 
supreme  Pontiff,  so  in  the  diocese,  which  is  a  copy  of  the  whole 
church,  the  pastors  of  the  diocese  meet  under  the  presidency  of 
their  bishop,  although  they  are  not  the  judges  of  faith  and  morals. 
The  bishop  makes  laws  and  enacts  statutes  for  the  territory  sub- 
ject to  him.  As  in  a  councilof  the  bishops  of  the  universal  church, 
the  whole  assembly  receives  its  impulse,  strength  and  power  from 
the  head,  the  Pope,  so  in  an  ecumenical  council  the  Pope  or  his 
representative  presides  but  if  a  provincial,  it  is  the  primate  or  arch- 


358  THE  EPISCOPAL  DEANS. 

bishop.  From  the  Pope  must  come  all  movement  and  authority 
in  any  council.  Without  his  sanction  either  personally  or  through 
his  legate  there  is  no  council  of  bishops.  Thus  we  see  that  the 
church  like  a  living  organism  reproduces  itself  and  brings  forth  its 
images  in  every  part  of  its  vast  extent. 

Ancient  history  offers  us  many  examples  of  councils,  which  ex- 
plains the  mystery  of  the  church  we  have  been  describing  in  her 
councils.  We  will  cite  but  a  few  of  them  for  want  of  space.  We 
have  said  that  the  North  of  Africa  was  subject  to  the  archbishop  of 
Carthage.  Under  him  were  once  six  ecclesiastical  provinces.  The 
bishops  of  each  province  often  assembled  in  council.  Not  having 
among  them  their  metropolitan,  the  archbishop  of  Carthage, 
they  fell  back  on  the  common  law,  and  appointed  as  their  chair- 
man their  dean,  who  by  ordination  was  senior  bishop.  He  took 
the  name  of  primate  according  to  the  customs  of  these  countries. 
In  some  countries  such  prelates  were  called  deans  of  the  episcopal 
college.  In  other  places  they  were  known  as  prothonotaries. 
These  primates  of  Africa  were  in  no  way  compared  to  the  primates 
of  other  parts  of  the  world.  For  while  the  former  presided  over 
councils  only  composed  of  the  bishops  of  a  province,  when  the 
archbishop  M^as  absent,  the  latter  presided  over  all  the  bishops  of 
many  provinces,  or  of  a  whole  nation,  because  they  were  the  arch- 
bishops of  the  oldest  or  chief  see  in  the  nation.  In  Numidia,  the 
primacy  usually  belonged  to  the  see  of  Cirta  or  of  Constantine, 
which  never  became  the  seat  of  an  archbishop.  Yet  this  rule 
regarding  the  senior  bishop  being  the  dean  and  primate  in  the 
episcopal  college,  was  not  always  followed  in  the  ancient  church  of 
Africa.  For  the  primacy  was  sometimes  attached  to  certain  promi- 
nent sees  of  the  ecclesiastical  provinces.  Thus  we  read  that  the 
bishop  of  London  was  the  dean  of  the  ecclesiastical  province  of  the 
archdiocese  of  Canterbury,  the  bishop  of  Anton  was  the  dean  of 
the  province  of  Lyons  in  ancient  France.  The  most  celebrated  of 
these  deaneries  is  that  of  Ostia  in  the  Pontifical  province  of  Rome 
of  which  the  Pope  is  the  archbishop.  For  that  reason  the  bishop 
of  Ostia  has  the  right  of  consecrating  the  Pope,  if  the  latter  is  not 
already  a  bishop  on  his  election,  and  he  crowns  him  with  the  tiara, 
the  triple  Papal  crown,  because  he  is  the  dean  of  the  cardinals  with 
the  rank  of  chief  bishop  in  the  college  of  cardinals. 

The  councils  presided  over  by  the  archbishops  of  Carthage  were 
called  plenary  councils.  Following  that  ancient  custom,  the  coun- 
cils of  Baltimore,  composed  of  all  the  bishops  of  this  country  and 
presided  over  by  the  archbishops  of  Baltimore  are  called  plenary 
or  national  councils,  although  the  church  knows  no  race  or  nation, 
because  national  divisions  and  distinctions  of  peoples  into  nations, 
come  from  climatic  and  natural  causes  influencing  them  for  many 
generations  after  they  came  from  the  race  of  Adam.  The  church 
tends  to  unite  them  all  again  into  the  race  of  Christ,  which  is  the 
christian  church.  These  councils  of  Africa  composed  of  the  bish- 
ops of  many  provinces  must  be  considered  as  so  many   provincial 


HISTORIC  PROVINCIAL  COUNCILS.  ?/59 

gatherings  under  the  great  archbishops  of  ancient  Carthage.  From 
what  has  been  said,  it  will  appear  that  the  deans  or  prothonotaries  as 
they  were  called,  or  primates  of  the  African  churches  only  presided 
in  the  absence  of  the  metropolitan,  the  regular  head  of  the  council 
and  not  in  their  own  name,  as  the  latter  alone  represented  St.  Peter. 

The  councils  of  ancient  Carthage,  especially  the  first  tour,  were 
very  celebrated  in  history.  It  was  at  the  third  and  fourth  councils  of 
Carthage  that  the  apocrypha]  gospels  were  rejected  from  the  Bible, 
and  there  the  canon  of  the  holy  books  as  we  have  them  now  was 
finally  established,  as  well  as  many  measures,  which  the  church  fol- 
lows even  till  our  day.  The  ancient  city  of  Toledo,  Spain,  as  well 
as  Orleans  in  France  saw  numerous  celebrated  councils  meet  with- 
in their  walls.  May  we  hope  that  Baltimore  in  future  ages  may 
become  as  famous  for  the  wisdom  and  far  reaching  utility  of  the 
statutes  of  the  plenary  councils  which  will  meet  within  the  walls 
of  its  noble  cathedral. 

The  archbishops,  primates  and  patriarchs,  who  in  the  name  of 
the  Pope,  and  as  his  representatives,  preside  over  these  provincial  or 
partial  councils,  shed  down  their  powers  on  the  bishops  under  them 
as  the  Pope  himself.  They  publish  the  decrees  with  the  words 
"  the  council  approving.^'  There  again  appears  the  authority  of 
Peter  over  all  bishops.  For  that  authority  and  supremacy  over 
the  assembled  prelates,  comes  from  Peter  through  the  Papacy  to  the 
presiding  archbishop,  who  as  holding  that  supremacy  over  them 
sits  as  another  Peter.  St.  Charles  Borromeo,  archbishop  of  Milan, 
held  that  it  properly  belonged  to  the  one  archbishop  presiding 
over  the  council  as  the  representative  of  the  Peter  to  define  and 
interpret  the  decrees.  But  this  does  not  take  place  when  the 
archbishop  or  apostolic  delegate  being  absent,  the  dean  or  sen- 
ior bishop  of  the  assembled  episcopacy  takes  his  place.  For  the 
latter  has  no  part  in  the  supremacy  of  Peter  over  the  other  bishops, 
the  same  as  the  patriarch,  primate  or  archbishop.  The  common 
law  and  ]iot  the  direct  act  of  the  Pope  has  made  him  chairman. 
The  archbishop,  primate  and  patriarch,  when  their  office  is  at- 
tached to  the  see  they  occupy  and  ex  officio  come  from  the  direct 
appointment  of  the  Holy  See,  and  they  represent  the  Pope  in 
presiding  over  councils.  The  archbishop  is  the  head  of  the 
ecclesiastical  province,  and  the  bishops  their  subjects,  are  called 
their  suffragans,  and  they  preside  as  metropolitans.  All  this  was 
determined  by  the  Pope  when  he  erected  their  episcopal  metropoli- 
tan sees.  We  see  at  once  that  their  whole  authority  depends  on  the 
Pope,  the  successor  of  Peter,  to  whom  Christ  gave  to  "■  feed  his 
lambs  and  feed  his  sheep." 

As  the  Holy  See  marks  out  the  boundaries  of  the  ecclesiastical 
provinces,  and  nominates  the  city  which  will  be  the  seat  of  the  met- 
ropolitan, and  the  bishops  of  these  sees  will  be  afterwards  archbish- 
ops, primates  or  patriarchs.  But  no  bishops  of  other  provinces  have 
any  right  to  sit  in  a  council  of  that  province.    Other  bishops  may 

'  ConcU.  Medlolan.  in  the  year  1565.    Concil.  Burdigal,  in  1624,  &c. 


360  WHAT  BISHOPS  SIT  IN  PROVINCIAL  COUNCILS. 

come  and  take  part  in  the  deliberations,  hear  the  matters  discussed,, 
but  only  the  prelates  of  the  province  have  a  vote.  History  offers 
us  many  examples  of  this,  but  we  will  not  take  up  space  giving 
them.  Archbishop  Lynch  of  Toronto  in  this  way  sat  in  the  III. 
Plenary  council  of  Baltimore  in  J884,  but  he  did  not  vote,  as  he  did 
not  belong  to  the  United  States. 

Ecumenical  councils,  being  composed  of  all  the  bishops  of  the 
world,  they  extend  to  the  whole  church.  But  national  and  pro- 
vincial councils,  being  formed  of  the  bishops  of  these  regions, 
their  decrees  do  not  extend  beyond  the  confines  of  the  the  prov- 
inces of  the  bishops  who  sit  in  them,  because  their  authority  and 
jurisdiction  does  not  extend  beyond  the  dioceses  over  which  they 
preside  as  bishops.  The  bishops  being  the  pastors  of  the  universal 
church,  in  a  council  of  the  province,  they  exercise  their  powers  as^ 
bishops  of  the  whole  church  only  over  the  province,  of  which  they 
compose  the  episcopacy.  Having  the  titles  of  bishops  of  cities  of 
that  province,  by  virtue  of  which  they  govern  their  dioceses,  in  a. 
council  they  exercise  the  common  rights  of  the  episcopal  order,  by 
which  they  are  bishops  or  pastors  of  the  universal  church.  By 
this  episcopal  communion,  they  apply  the  power  they  have  over  the 
whole  church  to  the  province  of  which  their  dioceses  form  a  part. 
But  while  they  are  the  bishops  and  pastors  of  the  whole  church, 
the  Pope  is  their  bishop,  as  they  are  in  their  turn  bishops  over  their 
priests.  Therefore  the  mystery  of  Peter  spreads  over  the  world,  ex- 
tends to  the  whole  church,  binding  all  into  the  most  perfect  and 
harmonious  whole.  There  are  wheels  without  and  wheels  within, 
all  moving  with  the  most  wonderful  harmony,  but  the  whole  ma- 
chinery put  in  motion  by  the  main  wheel  the  Papacy,  while  this^ 
was  first  set  in  motion  by  the  authority  Christ  gave  to  Peter. 

The  bishops  sit  in  councils,  not  because  they  are  bishops  of  cer- 
tain dioceses,  that  is  because  of  their  titles  to  these  dioceses,  but 
because  they  are  members  of  the  whole  college  of  bishops  scattered 
throughout  the  world,  united  to  their  head  the  Pope,  through 
their  archbishops,  primates  and  patriarchs.  The  limits  of  the 
dioceses  having  been  marked  by  the  Holy  See,  the  bishops  of  a- 
province  sit  in  a  provincial  council.  As  the  bishops  are  known  by 
their  titles,  as  prelates  of  certain  dioceses,  so  tnese  titles  give 
them  the  right  to  sit  in  these  particular  councils.  But  in  former 
times,  thev  were  not  so  restrained.  We  read  that  St.  Hilary,  bish- 
op of  Poitiers,  when  in  exile  from  his  native  France,  sat  in  the 
councils  of  the  bishops  of  Asia  assembled  at  Selucia,  after  he  had 
subscribed  to  the  faith  proclaimed  by  the  Nicene  council  as  was- 
customary  in  these  ancient  times.  ' 

The  councils  composed  of  the  bishops  of  a  province,  of  a  country, 
or  of  a  patriarchate  held  under  their  regular  patriarchs,  primates 
or  archbishops  are  the  regular  councils  of  the  church.  1  he  com- 
mon or  canon  law  of  the  church  provides,  that  they  should  be  held 
frequently,  "  for  the  reformation  of  morals,  the  correcting  of  ex- 

•  Sulp.  Sev. 


WHAT  BISHOPS  SIT  IN  PEOVINCIAL  COUNCILS.  361 

■cesses,  the  ending  of  controversies,'^  and  for  other  things  stated  in 
the  canons.  Whence  they  are  presided  over  by  the  metropolitans 
or  if  prevented,  by  the  senior  bishop.  Such  councils  should  be 
frequently  held.  "  Within  three  years  from  the  last  they  should 
hold  another  council."*  An  extraordinary  council  is  formed  not 
of  the  ordinary  province,  nation  or  patriarchate,  but  of  many  prov- 
inces united  together  by  order  of  the  Holy  Father  and  under  him 
or  his  legate  as  presiding  chairman.  They  legislate  for  the  special 
needs  of  the  church  in  that  part  of  the  world.  Such  were  the 
councils  of  ancient  France  under  Pope  St.  Boniface,"  the  councils 
of  Rheims  '  and  of  Paris  *  held  under  Pope  Sts.  Leo  IX.,  and 
those  of  Pictavia,  Wirtzeburg,  Avingnon  &c.  under  Pope  St. 
Oregory  VII.'  The  third  council  of  Baltimore  was  called  by  or- 
der of  Leo  XIII.  under  archbishop  Gibbons  of  Baltimore,  after- 
wards a  cardinal.  It  was  an  extraordinary  meeting  of  the  bishops 
of  the  United  States  to  remedy  the  evils  which  threatened  the 
church  in  this  country.  The  church  in  the  United  States  and  in 
fact  in  about  all  English  speaking  countries  is  still  in  a  missionary 
state  not  yet  having  its  complete  organization. 

The  Apostolic  Constitutions  say  that  a  provincial  council  should 
be  held  twice  each  year."  But  while  that  might  have  been  done 
in  the  early  days,  it  is  scarcely  practical  now.  That  was  also 
given  in  the  councils  of  Nice  '  and  of  Chalcedon.* 

'  CdDcil.  Trident.  Sess.  xxiv.  de  Ref.  Cap.  11. 

^  Concil.  German.  1.  apud.  Labbe  T.  vl.  col.  1555.  Concil.  Liptin  Ibidem  col.  1537.  Con- 
cil.  German.  Hi.  Ibidem  col.  15.55. 

'  Conoil.  Rhem.  Labbe  T.  ix.  col.  103?.  ■»  Concil.  Paris  Ibidem  col.  10.50. 

5  Concil.  Pictav.  i.  Ibidem  col.  1046.  Concil.  Pictav.  11.  Ibidem  col.  1078.  Concil.  Wirtze- 
burg. Ibidem  col.  385.    Concil.  Avenion.  Ibidem  col.  391,  &c. 

•  Const.  Apostol.  n.  38.  '  Concil.  Nlc.  can.  5.  »  Concil.  Chalcidon.  can.  19. 


Mm 


;.A.:  ill'    .  •ii'^'B^; 


V 


^^^ 


i/ 


,in 


A 


History    of  the  Diocese. 

^JT  his  vision  of  heaven,  St. 
2Tli  John  saw  the  triumphant 
(^  church  of  the  saints  and  an- 
gels made  perfect  in  count- 
less numbers  assembled  before  the 
face,  of  God  Almighty.  There 
stood  the  twenty-four  ancients, 
clothed  in  white  robes,  with  gold- 
en crowns  upon  their  heads. 
High  on  the  throne  of  glory  sat 
the  eternal  Father.  The  holy  Spir- 
it was  represented  by  the  seven 
lamps  ever  burning  with  the  fire 
of  Charity.  There  also  stood  the 
''Lamb  of  God  slain  from  the 
foundations  of  the  world."'  In 
their  midst  were  the  four  living 
creatures,  which  are  the  symbols  of 
the  four  Evangelists,  f  he  book, 
the  holy  Gospel  was  closed  sealed  with  the  seven  seals,  for  no  one 
but  the  Lord  Jesus  could  open  it,  because  no  one  can  understand 
its  meaning  unless  taught  by  the  church.  Then  all  the  members 
of  that  supernal  court  of  God  sang  a  hymn  of  sweetness  and  of 
gladness  to  the  Lamb  of  God:  *'  Who  hath  made  us  to  our  God  a 
kingdom  and  priests  and  we  shall  reign  on  earth."* 

Such  was  the  first  vision  given  to  the  beloved  apostle  in  the  Isle 
of  Patmos,  when  he  was  banished  by  the  cruel  emperor  Domitian. 
That  was  the  model  of  the  christian  church.  From  the  verv  be- 
ginning of  their  preaching,  the  apostles  followed  that  arrangement 
which  God  gave  the  early  church  in  the  vision  seen  by  St.  John. 
When  the  apostles  established  dioceses  and  churches  over  all  parts 
of  the  world,  they  introduced  the  services  not  only  according  to 
the  temple  of  the  Jews  the  model  shown  to  Moses  on  the  mount, 
but  also  according  to  the  court  of  heaven  St.  John  saw  in  the  vision. 

•  Apoc.  xlll.  8.  *  Apoc.  V.  10. 

an 


^ 


CHRIST  IS  HEAD  OF  THE  DIOCESE  A8  WELL  AS  OF  THE  WHOLE  CHURCH. 


364  THE  WORK  OF  STS.  PETER,  JAMES  AND  JOHN". 

At  Ephesus,  where  St.  John  lived  the  latter  part  of  his  life  as  a 
missionary  superintending  bishop  of  the  churches  of  Asia  Minor, 
he  formed  the  services  of  these  churches  according  to  what  he  saw 
in  heaven.  He  was  the  last  of  the  apostles.  For  as  his  Master 
foretold  he  waited  till  he  came.  '  In  the  feablquess  of  old  age  he 
could  not  celebrate  the  Mass  with  the  golden  diadem  on  his  head, 
as  before,  nor  was  he  strong  enough  to  preach.  Tlien  they  carried 
him  into  the  church  each  Sunday  and  feast  day,  that  they  might 
see  him  at  the  celebration  of  the  mysteries.  As  he  passed  -along 
the  rows  of  worshippers,  each  knelt  to  get  the  blessing  of  the  last 
•of  the  apostolic  college,  while  he  repeated  to  each  one:  "  Little 
■children  love  one  another,"  his  whole  person  beaming  with  that 
love  which  shines  all  throughout  liis  Gospel,  for  he  said  love  was 
the  whole  law. 

Under  him  the  churches  of  that  part  of  the  world  were  estab- 
lished. The  other  bishops  and  apostles  copied  after  the  services 
of  the  churches  of  Asia  Minor  founded  by  St.  John.  Tiie  people 
•of  that  time  were  filled  with  the  most  extraordinary  piety,  devo- 
tion and  good  works. 

In  the  mystic  meaning  of  the  church,  while  the  nave  where  the 
people  sit  means  the  christians,  the  sanctuary  signifies  heaven. 
As  St.  John  saw  the  members  of  the  glorious  church  of  heaven 
clothed  in  white  garments  around  the  throne  of  God,  so  he 
formed  the  services  of  his  churches  of  Asia  Minor  according  to 
the  model  shown  him  in  his  vision.  The  clergy  of  these  churches 
of  St.  John  were  vested  in  white  flowing  garments,  each  in  the 
rank  of  his  orders  while  attending  the  holy  services.  From  these 
customs  introduced  by  St.  John,  all  the  other  churches  copied, 
and  from  his  day  to  our  time  the  clergy  in  the  sanctuary,  and  the 
altar  boys  are  vested  in  white  garments,  the  altar  and  the  sanc- 
tuary are  lighted  up  with  the  candles,  which  but  typify  the  light 
of  glory  of  that  heavenly  churcii,  which  the  beloved  apostle  saw 
in  Patmos.  Thus  while  Peter  formed  the  Latin  Rite  and  stamped 
his  character  of  universal  jurisdiction  on  the  churcli  universal,  St. 
John  first  gave  the  form  and  the  peculiar  beauties  to  the  diocese, 
while  St.  James  composed  the  Greek  Rite,  and  he  was  the  model 
bisiiop.  Peter,  James  and  John  were  the  witnesses  of  the  glories  of 
the  Son  of  God  in  his  transfiguration,  when  Moses  representing  the 
Jewish  Law  and  El ias  personating  the  Propiiecy  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment on  Thabor's  heights  spoke  of  the  Saviour's  death.  And  when 
his  death  approached,  the  Lord  called  these  three  apostles  into  the 
garden  witli  him,  for  they  were  to  stamp  their  character  on  the 
universal  church,  on  the  diocese,  and  on  the  episcopacy,  and  on  the 
Liturgies  for  all  future  time. 

The  people  of  the  apostolic  age  were  filled  with  the  most  re- 
markable piety,  devotion  and  good  works.  They  often  had  no 
rulers  but  their  bishops  and  the  priests  in  union  with  him. '  At 
the  founding  of  the  church  by  the  preaching  of  the  apostles,  the 

>  John  xxi.  «i.  *  Acts.  11. 42,  40,  &c. 


HOW  THE  SERVICES  WERE  FORMED.  365 

whole  time  of  the  clergy  was  taken  up  with  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. Often  the  people  whom  they  converted  were  poor,  some  of 
them  even  slaves^,  owned  by  cruel  pagan  masters,  and  the  early 
christians  had  to  work  hard  for  their  living.  It  was  only  later 
that  the  church  converted  the  rich.  When  not  occupied  with 
their  daily  labors,  they  frequently  met  in  church  and  there  recited 
the  Psalms  and  canticles  of  the  Bible  in  praises  to  the  Lord.  We 
do  not  find  exactly  when  the  services  were  formed,  but  the  grand 
Liturgies,  which  at  least  in  substance  go  back  to  the  apostolic  days, 
were  then  about  forming  under  the  guiding  hands  of  either  the 
apostles  themselves  or  their  converts. 

As  a  great  part  of  the  people  of  the  Eoman  empire  spoke  the 
Latin  language,  they  soon  translated  parts  of  the  Scriptures  into 
that  tongue,  and  later  the  whole  Bible  was  rendered  into  that 
sweetly  sounding  language,  and  it  became  so  well  known  that  even 
in  the  apostolic  age  it  was  known  as  the  Vulgate,  that  is  the  Latin 
for  the  common  Bible.  From  that  day  to  this  the  Vulgate 
revised  by  St.  Jerome  has  been  the  official  Bible  of  the  whole 
church. 

The  laity  with  the  clergy  took  part  in  reciting  the  divine  offices 
of  the  breviary.  St.  Cyprian  of  Carthage  tells  us  how  the  people 
of  his  episcopal  city,  not  only  on  Sundays,  but  even  during  week 
days,  came  to  sing  the  hours  of  tierce,  sext  and  none.  He  says 
that  they  were  so  numerous  that  their  united  voices  rose  towards 
heaven.  AVe  do  not  think  that  the  offices  were  always  thus  sung 
by  the  laity  in  the  early  church,  because  St.  Ambrose  tells  us  that 
only  after  the  people  had  been  shut  up  in  his  cathedral  at  Milan 
for  some  days  by  the  soldiers  did  they  learn  to  sing  the  offices.  ' 
It  seems  that  the  apostles  and  their  disciples  first  said  Mass,  recit- 
ing the  service  as  we  now  do  at  a  low  Mass,  and  that  only  later  were 
the  sacred  words  sung. 

When  the  people  of  the  early  church  met  for  prayer,  if  they  had 
no  clergymen  among  them,  one  of  them  read  parts  of  the  Bible,  the 
acts  of  the  martyrs,  and  some  of  the  explanations  of  the  early  fath- 
ers. When  the  bishop  was  present,  he  explained  the  part  of  the 
Scriptures  read  by  the  reader. *  St.  Bazil  tells  us  that  in  Arabia, 
Phenecia,  Egypt,  Palestine,  Syria,  and  Mesopotamia,  the  people 
rose  in  the  night  to  recite  or  sing  the  praises  of  the  Lord.  *  We 
see  these  ancient  rites  to-day  in  the  ceremonies  of  holy  week,  of 
Advent,  of  Lent  and  in  other  ancient  ceremonies  in  the  venerable 
liturgies,  and  in  the  monuments  of  the  apostolic  age.  The  Lit- 
urgies of  the  early  church  give  us  an  insight  into  the  way  the 
services  were  carried  out  soon  after  the  apostles.  The  Liturgy  of 
the  Babylonians,  composed  by  St.  Thomas,  and  which  his  disciples 
Sts.  Adaeusand  Maris  wrote  down  are  precisely  the  same  as  they  came 
from  their  hands.  It  is  said  that  not  a  word  has  been  changed.  * 
The  words  of  consecration  and  the  substantial  parts  are  the  very 

'  Given  by  Cardinal  Newman.  ^  Const.  Apost.  1. 11.  C.  59.  Ibidem  27,  57. 

'  St.  Bazil  Epist.  ccvll.  ad  Cleros  Neoces.  n.  3.  Thomas  Disc.  Eccl.  T.  I. 
*  See  Liturgy  of  the  B.  Apostles  in  Early  Liturgies  Ante-Nicene  Fathers. 


366  CHARITIES  OF  THE  EARLY  CHRISTIANS. 

same  in  all  these  ancient  Liturgies  or  services  of  the  Mass,  which 
among  the  Orientals  is  still  called  "  The  Mystery." 

At  these  services  the  people  brought  their  gifts  to  the  church, 
and  after  the  Gospel  they  offered  them  at  tlie  altar,  on  a  table 
placed  within  the  sanctuary.  Hence  even  to  our  day  this  part  of 
the  Mass  is  called  *'The  Offertory."  The  bishop  alone  was 
charged  with  the  administration  of  the  church  property.  '  One 
of  the  early  Popes  decided  that  these  gifts  should  be  divided  into 
four  parts — one  for  the  support  of  the  bishop,  the  other  to  main- 
tain the  clergy  of  the  diocese,  the  third  for  the  expenses  of  the 
church,  and  the  rest  for  the  poor,  for  the  widows  and  orphans.  ^ 
When  the  conversion  of  the  emperor  Constantine  gave  peace  to 
the  church,  these  offerings  became  more  numerous,  the  christians 
began  to  build  more  costly  churches,  to  increase  the  splendors  of 
divine  worship,  to  erect  asylums,  hospitals,  monasteries,  &c. ,  and  to 
establish  schools  for  education  of  both  sexes.  Then  were  laid 
the  foundations  of  these  great  charitable  and  educated  works, 
which  flourish  all  over  the  christian  vi'orld  to-day,  where  every 
misfortune  of  poor  fallen  humanity  finds  a  help  and  a  cure.  So 
many  gifts  were  given,  and  such  valuable  property  left  to  the 
churches,  that  in  his  time  St.  Ambrose  tells  us  they  were  enough 
for  all  the  poor  of  his  episcopal  city,  Milan.  ' 

At  Jerusalem  only,  in  the  apostolic  age,  the  people  sold  their 
goods  and  gave  the  price  to  the  church.  *  As  said  the  law  of  God 
to  the  Jews,  in  the  following  centuries  the  christians  gave  the 
tenth  part  of  their  goods  to  the  church.  '  The  christians,  es- 
pecially in  Judea,  having  all  worldly  goods  in  common,  they  lived 
like  the  monks  and  religious  orders  of  the  present  time,  bringing 
the  first  fruits  of  the  earth  and  the  proceeds  of  their  business  to 
the  church,  as  the  Jews  did  to  the  temple  under  the  law 
of  Moses. 

The  diocese  of  Alexandria  in  Egypt  fitted  out  ships,  loaded 
with  provisions  from  the  historic  Nile  valley,  and  sent  them  to 
the  christians  stricken  with  famine  in  the  East  also  appointing  a 

feneral  manager  with  officers  under  him  to  take  charge  of  all  such 
inds  of  chaiitable  works.  Many  of  the  ancient  councils  speak  of 
these  things.  *  St.  Gregory  says  that  they  often  rebuilt  the  walla 
of,  and  repaired  the  cities  of  the  christians,  after  they  had  been 
captured  and  pillaged  by  pagan  enemies. '  At  one  time  the  early 
christians  gave  so  much  to  the  churches,  that  the  bisiiops  com- 
plained that  they  gave  too  much,  but  they  did  not  stop  but  con- 
tinued still  to  give. 

In  the  early  church  the  chapters  of  the  cathedrals  were  like 
courts,  before  whom  the  people  came  to  confess  their  sins,  both 
in  private  and  in  public.  The  private  court  for  the  hearing  of 
confessions  was  composed  of  the  bishop  himself,  and  associated 

•  Const.  Apost.  n.  37.  »  GreR.  \az.  Oral.  xUli.  in  Laud.  St.  Bazll.  n.  63. 

'  S«Ttn<)  Contra  Auxent.  n.  8.       ♦  Acts  iv.  iM.  ;ii.  »  Const.  Apost.  L.  vll.  C.  30. 

•  (Dncll.  Chalce<lon.  Sess.  xv.  Can.  20.  Concll.  Hiapal.  Can.  3.  Concil.  Toletan.  lil.  Can.  9. 
Concll.  Toletan.  Iv.  Can-  48  Ac-  ^  Eplst.  v. 


THE  A.GES  OF  SAINTS.  367 

with  him  were  a  number  of  the  chief  cathedral  clergy,  which 
formed  a  court  presided  over  by  the  bishop.  Before  this  court 
came  all  who  wished  to  go  to  confession,  and  openly  they  con- 
fessed, then  the  court  gave  them  absolution.  The  public  court 
of  the  diocese  was  also  formed  of  the  bishop  and  the  same  clergy- 
men, and  in  public  they  decided  the  disputes  among  clergy  and 
people;  and  heard  cases  relating  to  both  temporal  and  spiritual 
matters.  The  court  thus  repressed  disorders,  punished  the 
guilty,  legislated  for  the  diocese,  presided  at  the  divine  offices  of 
the  church,  at  the  reciting  of  the  breviary,  sang  in  some  places 
the  daily  Liturgy,  and  fulfilled  the  same  duty  as  the  cathedral 
chapter  of  the  present  time.  They  called  and  educated  the  stu- 
dents for  holy  orders,  and  in  the  name  of  the  clergy  of  the  diocese, 
the  archdeacon  presented  them  to  the  bishop  for  holy  orders,  the 
remains  of  which  are  still  seen  in  the  ordination  of  the  clergy  of 
our  day. 

In  the  apostolic  age  the  diocese  was  much  simpler  than  it  is 
now,  and  there  appeared  to  be  a  bishop  in  almost  every  small  city, 
as  there  were  no  parishes  in  the  country  till  the  fourth  century 
and  in  cities  till  the  tenth  century.  The  bishops  therefore  looked 
after  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  people.  But  the  various  depart- 
ments of  the  diocese  and  her  offices  grew,  as  the  christian  nations 
and  states  multiplied,  and  as  the  wants  of  religion  required. 

At  the  head  of  the  diocese  stood  the  bishop,  daily  at  the  altar 
offering  the  "  Mystery,"  the  sacrifice  of  the  Cross,  surrounded  by 
his  priests,  the  creations  of  his  own  priesthood.  In  the  cata- 
combs, in  the  forests,  or  in  the  deserts,  the  whole  sanctuary  was 
lighted  with  the  candles,  like  the  vision  of  heaven  which  St.  Jolm 
saw.  In  the  nave  below  the  clergy,  were  the  members  of  the 
church  in  good  standing  all  following  the  services  in  Greek,  Lat- 
in, &c.,  for  then  the  laity  well  knew  these  ancient  tongues  as  we 
know  English  now.  Lower  down  were  the  catechumens,  that  is 
the  applicants  for  admission  to  the  church,  but  who  were  on  pro- 
bation and  under  instruction,  while  outside  the  door  were  the 
public  sinners,  whose  crimes,  prescribed  by  the  law,  prevented 
them  from  entering  the  church  till  they  had  finished  their  pen- 
ances. During  the  persecutions,  which  lasted  for  more  than  300 
years,  all  members  of  the  church  expected  to  be  put  to  most 
cruel  deaths,  and  they  lived  most  devoted  and  pious  lives.  At 
their  conversion  at  the  hands  of  the  bishops,  or  of  a  priest  dele- 
gated by  him  for  that  function,  the  converts  received  baptism,, 
and  on  the  same  day,  or  soon  after,  they  were  confirmed  by  the- 
bishop,  and  often  they  also  received  Holy  Communion.  On  each 
Sunday  at  least,  they  secretly  came  to  the  church,  where  the  bish- 
op oflFered  up  the  Mass,  which  in  the  Latin  speaking  peoples  was 
called  the  Communion  Service,  among  the  Greeks  the  Eucharist, 
that  is  the  Sacrifice  of  Praise  to  God,  and  among  the  Orientals  it 
was  called  "  The  Mystery."  For  the  first  few  years,  the  Mass  was 
said  in  the  evening  after  supper,  following  the  example  of  the 


368  HOW  EUROPE  WAS  CONVERTED. 

Last  Supper  of  our  Lord.  In  that  service  the  bishop  was  always 
surrounded  by  the  priests  of  the  diocese,  his  presbytery,  who  with 
him  formed  one  spiritual  government.  All  together  with  him 
they  pronounced  the  words  of  the  Mass.  We  see  the  remains  of 
that  ancient  custom  in  the  ordination  of  a  priest,  who  says  the 
very  same  words  with  the  bishop  ordaining  him.  There  at  the 
very  beginning  of  the  church  in  all  the  meetings  and  services, 
the  bishop  presided  at  the  head  of  his  priests.  Sitting  on  his 
■episcopal  throne,  often  erected  in  the  apse  of  the  cathedral,  with 
them  hearing  the  confessions  of  clergy  and  laity,  acting  as  judge 
in  the  disputes  of  the  members  of  the  church  and  of  the  clergy, 
or  sitting  on  his  episcopal  throne  at  Mass  and  other  services,  in 
the  name  of  Christ  he  ruled,  surrounded  by  his  clergy.  The  cler- 
gy of  the  city  or  the  priests  attached  to  the  cathedral  first  formed 
the  chapter  or  the  senate  of  the  diocese  in  the  early  church.  Be- 
fore any  important  matters  could  be  undertaken  by  the  bishop, 
they  had  first  to  come  before  this  spiritual  legislature  to  be 
passed  upon  by  them.  The  bishop  could  veto  any  measure  he 
did  not  like.  The  catechumens  and  the  pagans,  attracted  by  the 
teachings  and  the  beauties  of  the  church,  each  century  approached 
nearer  the  church,  till  at  last  all  Europe  became  catholic.  Then 
christian  civilization  spread  over  the  known  world,  and  the  light 
of  truth  coming  from  God  shone  over  the  world  from  the  Vicar 
-of  Christ,  the  Teacher  of  mankind. 

At  that  time  every  church  was  an  association  of  prayer,  a  char- 
itable society,  a  community  for  the  teaching  of  men,  and  a  power- 
ful organization  for  the  reformation  of  morals.  The  central  sun 
was  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  who  in  every  age  was  most  zealous  and 
-active  in  sending  missionaries  into  every  nation  of  the  world. 
Thus  the  ancient  saints  and  monks  started  from  Home,  destined 
for  every  part  of  the  then  known  world,  penetrating  everywhere 
where  there  were  souls  to  save.  The  clergy  from  Rome  pene- 
trated to  every  clime,  and  began  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  the  Cru- 
ci lied,  in  the  tents  and  the  cabins  of  the  poor,  in  the  streets  of  the 
pagan  villages,  in  every  place  they  could  find  an  audience  of 
people  to  hear  them.  With  few  exceptions  they  ended  their  lives 
of  suffering  and  of  self-denial  by  a  martyr's  death.  St,  Peter  sent 
St.  Barbara  to  preach  to  the  people  of  Milan;  priests  from  Rome 
first  announced  the  Gospel  to  the  people  living  where  now  stands 
the  great  city  of  Vienna;  St.  Remi  came  from  Rome  to  the  city 
of  Rheims;  Lazarus  raised  from  the  dead,  after  being  with  his 
sisters  sent  adrift  to  France,  and  fixed  his  episcopal  residence  at 
Marseilles,  his  sister  Mary  Magdalen  passed  her  days  in  a  cave  of  a 
neighboring  mountain;  Longinus,  who  opened  the  side  of  Christ 
with  the  spear,  evangelized  the  people  of  the  south  of  F'rance;  St. 
Dennis  with  Rusticusand  Eleutherius  came  and  converted  the  peo- 
ple of  Laetetia,  the  ancient  name  of  Paris.  From  Rome  St.  Patrick 
came  to  Ireland.  Gregory  I.  sent  St.  Augustine  as  first  bishop  of 
Cauterbnry,  England,  with  Paulinas  first  bishop  of  Lincoln,  and 


WHY  THE  LAITY  DO  NOT  VOTE.  369 

Miletus  first  bishop  of  London  with  their  thirty  followers,  sending 
them  with  full  powers  for  the  conversion  of  pagan  England.  An- 
other Pope  sent  St.  Boniface  as  his  legate  to  Germany,  where  he 
laid  the  earliest  foundations  of  christian  civilization  in  that  na- 
tion. Every  civilized  people  and  tribe  and  tongue  to-day  upon 
the  surface  of  our  planet  who  rejoice  in  liberty  and  Christianity 
are  indebted  to  the  church,  especially  to  Roman  Pontiffs  for  the 
benefits  they  enjoy. 

The  monks  and  the  priests  from  Rome,  when  coming  to  establish 
the  church  among  the  pagan  people  of  that  age  found  great  diffi- 
culty. Simple  was  their  way  of  carrying  out  the  services.  '  In 
the  open  air,  in  the  cabins  of  the  poor,  in  the  basilicas  or 
court  houses  of  the  Roman  empire,  in  every  place  where  they 
could  call  the  people,  there  they  said  Mass,  and  there  they  estab- 
lished missions.  Soon  by  conversions  and  by  the  natural  increase 
of  the  populations,  the  churches  they  founded,  increased  and  be- 
came the  parishes.  When  these  parishes  or  cities  grew  larger,  they 
became  the  seats  of  the  great  dioceses  of  Europe,  of  Asia  or  of  Africa, 
since  so  famous  in  past  history.  The  people  of  that  time  took  a 
lively  interest  in  the  workings  of  the  church,  in  the  ordinations 
of  the  clergy,  even  in  the  consecrations  of  the  bishops,  the  people 
took  an  active  part.  Thus  we  read  that  the  laity  took  part  in  the 
elections  of  the  Bishops  of  Rome  and  in  the  selection  of  the  other 
bishops  all  over  the  world.  This  was  the  discipline  for  the  first 
centuries. 

But  by  the  intrigues  of  designing  politicians  and  by  the  inter- 
ference of  the  Roman  emperors,  that  concession  granted  to  the 
laity  was  revoked,  and  the  other  dioceses  of  the  world  following 
Rome,  soon  i^eserved  the  election  of  their  bishops  to  the  clergy. 
Thus  an  ancient  Roman  Ritual  during  an  ordination  service  says 
to  the  laity:  "Speak,  we  cannot  hear  you  if  you  keep  silent.  " 
St.  Cyprian  '  gives  his  reasons  for  ordaining  Saturusa  priest.  St. 
Augustine  tells  us  how  he  resisted  the  clamors  of  the  people  of 
Hippo,  who  wanted  to  force  him  against  his  will  to  ordain  St. 
Pinian.  The  history  of  the  election  of  the  first  Bishops  of  Rome 
shows  us  the  manner  of  electing  the  clergy  of  the  first  ages. 

Excepting  the  Popes,  whose  office  belonged  to  the  whole  world, 
the  clergy  of  the  early  church  belonged  to  the  parish  or 
cathedral  for  which  they  were  ordained.  For  that  reason  the 
people  know  them,  as  they  saw  them  in  the  ranks  of  the  lower 
clergy  waiting  on  the  bishop,  as  the  inferior  clergy  of  the  cathe- 
dral, or  attached  to  the  parish  churches,  aids  and  helpers  of  pastor 
of  the  church  of  which  they  frequently  became  pastors.  They  were 
educated  in  the  house  of  the  bishop  or  of  the  pastor,  for 
there  were  no  seminaries  at  that  time.  Pope  Sergius  first  estab- 
lished schools,  which  were  enlarged  afterwards  by  Popes  Leo  HI. 
and  Sylvester.  The  ancient  councils  forbade  clergymen  to  change 
from  one  diocese  to  another. "     At  that  time  the  clergy  rarely  or 

*  Epist.  xxiv.  Ad  Cler.  *  Concil.  Nic.  Can.  16.  Sardic.  Can.  18.  Chalc  Can.  20,  &c. 


370  THE  POOK  AND  THE  RICH. 

never  resigned.  And  seldom  were  they  deposed  from  adraister- 
ing  the  sacraments  or  their  titles  taken  from  them.  In  the  early 
church  the  suspension  of  a  priest  happened  very  frequently.  It 
took  place  only  after  open  trial  before  the  bishop  and  the  members 
of  the  chapter.  They  were  never  tried  except  for  enormous  sins, 
which  shocked  the  whole  church.  Such  trials  took  place  usually 
in  a  council  of  the  bishops,  in  the  case  of  an  accused  bishop,  or  in 
a,  synod  of  the  priests  if  a  priest  were  accused.'  Seeing  in  the  clergy, 
united  to  their  church  and  congregations,  an  image  of  the  union  of 
Christ  with  his  church  universal,  that  union  was  only  broken  by 
the  death  of  the  clergy,  bishop  or  pastor.  As  the  people  chose 
and  presented  to  the  bishop  the  candidates  for  holy  orders,  as  the 
clergy  and  laity  of  tiie  diocese  chose  their  bishop  and  presented 
him  to  the  archbishop,  or  to  the  three  consecrating  bishops,  so 
these  churches  or  spiritual  brides  chose  their  spiritual  husbands, 
and  that  ghostly  marriage  only  ceased  at  death. 

Such  was  the  state  of  the  church  in  Europe  while  the  Homan 
empire  lasted,  up  to  the  time  when  the  barbarians  from  the  North 
came  down  with  fire  and  sword  on  the  sunny  plains  of  Southern 
Europe,  when  they  wiped  outthe  last  remainsof  pagan  Roman  civil- 
ization. All  the  laws,  literature,  letters  and  customs  of  pagan  civil- 
ization fell  before  the  rude  attacks  of  the  savage  hordes  of  the  Teu- 
tonic races.  When  the  captains  of  these  robbers  found  no  more 
rich  regions  to  conquer  and  pillage,  they  built  their  castles  in  the 
fairest  valleys,  or  on  the  strongest  natural  positions,  and  then 
turned  and  made  war  on  their  neighbors.  Then  the  wealthy 
people  of  all  Europe  looked  to  Ireland  for  the  education  of  their 
eons  and  daughters,  while  the  common  people  sought  the  protection 
of  the  bishops  and  the  clergy  of  the  church,  who  alone  had  saved 
the  laws  and  the  literature  of  Rome  from  the  destruction  of  the 
barbarians. 

In  the  following  ages  the  bishops  and  the  pastors  became  the  judges 
and  the  magistrates  of  Europe.  They  gave  the  peoples  and 
nations  their  laws  and  customs.  On  the  ruins  of  the  Roman 
empire,  they  laid  the  foundations  of  a  new  civilization,  differing 
from  that  of  destroyed  pagan  Rome,  which  had  been  completely 
swept  away.  Everywhere  the  clergy  of  the  catholic  church  became 
the  fathers  of  the  people.  The  first  work  of  the  church  was  then 
to  convert,  to  reform  and  to  educate  this  horde  of  Northern  savages, 
and  to  civilize  and  christianize  them.  The  proud,  haughty  aris- 
tocrats of  Europe,  being  the  descendants  of  these  robber-murder 
chiefs,  they  resisted  the  church  more  than  the  common  people. 
For  that  reason  even  to  our  day  the  poor  .are  in  the  church,  which 
ever  protected  them  from  the  rapacity  and  the  slavery  of  the  rich. 
Slavery  then  existed  in  every  part  of  the  world.  Those  captured 
in  battle  were  always  sold  into  slavery. 

Above  all  the  Roman  church  and  the  diocese  of  the  Pope, 
showed  herself  most  anxious  for  the  softening  of  the  rigors  and 

*  ooDcii.  Qev- 


KISE  OF  THE  TEMPORAL  POWER.  371 

the  gradual  suppression  of  slavery,  for  the  protection  of  the  poor, 
for  the  refining  of  the  manners  of  the  people,  for  the  spread  of 
learning,  for  the  peace,  advancement,  and  the  prosperity  of  the 
church.  When  Pope  Leo  I.  stopped  Attila  on  his  march  to  Kome, 
when  Leo  requested  him  to  spare  the  eternal  city,  no  king  could 
resist  him.  Then  left  without  a  government,  without  laws,  without 
any  stability  of  institutions,  the  people  of  Eomeand  of  Italy  looked 
up  to  the  Pope,  as  to  their  protector.  Then  rose  the  temporal 
power  of  the  Popes,  which  has  existed  even  to  our  times,  the  only 
government  which  goes  back  1400  years  to  the  destruction  of  the 
Roman  empire,  and  which  was  recognized  and  strengthened  by  the 
great  emperors  Pepin,  Charlemagne,  and  by  all  the  great  rulers  of 
the  world. 

After  the  fall  of  the  Roman  empire  the  Gospel  was  preached  in 
the  country  places.  When  the  monks  first  taught  the  rotation 
.system  of  farming,  as  we  have  it  to-day,  then  the  people  became 
fixed  to  the  soil.  Gradually  the  church  taught  them  to  turn  from 
robbery,  bloodshed  and  war,  and  to  change  their  swords  into  the 
instruments  of  peace.  The  chief  work  of  the  church  then  was  the 
conversion  of  Europe,  the  reclaiming  of  the  barbarians,  and  the 
civilization  of  the  nations.  All  Europe,  lying  in  ruins  from  the 
invasions  of  the  barbarians,  the  only  salvation  of  mankind  was 
the  church,  and  to  the  church  alone  the  nations  of  the  world  then 
looked  for  their  safety,  as  the  civilization  of  Greece  and  Rome 
had  been  completely  wiped  from  the  face  of  the  earth. 

The  saviours  of  society  at  that  time  were  alone  the  clergy.  Above 
all,  the  Roman  Pontiffs,  following  the  example  of  St.  Leo,  who 
-arrested  Attila,  gave  an  example  to  all  the  other  bishops  of  the 
world.  Under  the  instructions  of  the  Popes,  the  bishops  began 
the  conversion  of  the  robber  princes  and  their  descendants,  living  in 
the  castles  they  had  built  in  the  regions  they  or  their  fathers  had 
•conquered  and  settled,  surrounded  with  their  half-civilized  and 
half-clothed  soldiers.  Pope  Anastasius  in  his  letters  to  Clovis, 
king  of  France,  approved  all  the  good  work  of  bishop  Remi  in 
his  instructions  and  conversion  of  that  king.  St.  Gregory  T.  did 
the  same  with  the  Goths,  the  Lombards,  the  English  and  the  Irish. 

At  Gregory's  time  first  rose  the  temporal  power  of  the  church, 
and  Pontiffs  with  all  their  power  who  came  after  him  aided  the 
bishops  in  their  contest  with  these  robber  princes.  In  every  coun- 
try the  legates  of  the  Popes  pleaded  with  the  savage,  ignorant  kings, 
and  nobles  the  cause  of  learning,  of  literature,  of  manners  and 
taught  refining  morals.  In  that  way  they  gradually  impressed  the 
Roman  civilization  on  all  Europe,  and  little  by  little  the  nations 
of  that  part  of  the  earth  received  from  Rome  the  religion  of 
Christ.  This  was  the  chief  work  of  the  clergy  and  monks  who  re- 
ceived their  constitutions  and  their  foundations  from  the  confirma- 
tions of  the  Popes.  Thus  in  Ireland  flourished  St.  Columba,  who 
after  his  exile  at  lona,  formed  numerous  monasteries  according  to 
the  rule  of  St.  Benedict.      The  cities  of  Germany  were  called 


372  ORIGIN  OF  DIOCESAN  OFFICERS. 

burghs  in  the  mountains  and  forests  where  the  monks  settled.  St. 
Bruno  founded  the  Great  Chartreuse  in  France.  St.  Miletus- 
founded  the  monastery  of  the  famous  Westminster  Abbey  in 
England,  and  thus  that  great  and  famous  monastic  institution 
became  the  cradle  of  the  British  parliament,  which  was  the  model 
of  all  legislative  bodies  all  over  the  world. 

In  every  place  the  bishops,  the  priests  and  the  monasteries 
opened  schools  for  the  children,  colleges  for  young  men  and  con- 
vents for  young  ladies.  As  the  church  grew  in  numbers  dioceses 
were  formed,  archdioceses  erected,  parishes  established  all  over 
Europe,  and  religion  spread.  The  clergy  were  mostly  chosen  from  the 
higher  ranks  of  the  people,  and  in  each  nation  a  national  priest- 
hood and  episcopacy  sprung  up  devoted  and  loyal  to  the  church 
and  to  the  nation.  Some  of  the  teacher  priests  became  famous  in. 
all  history,  as  Miletus  and  Bede  in  England,  Jerome  and  Gregory  in 
Home,  Wilfred,  St.  Thomas  Bernard,  &c.  Slavery  then  extended 
all  over  Europe  as  human  ownership  is  the  remains  of  pigan 
times.  The  rich  oppressed  the  poor,  the  strong  ground  the  weak 
the  nobles  sometimes  treated  the  people  as  cattle.  The  rich  and 
powerful  often  lived  in  splendid  idleness,  their  only  occupation 
robbery,  war  and  bloodshed,  while  the  poor  labored  in  hovels  built 
under  the  shadows  of  the  castles.  In  these  early  ages  the  clergy, 
the  monks,  the  priests  and  bishops  were  the  only  protectors  of 
society.  The  poor  fled  to  the  protection  of  the  clergy,  the  bishop's 
homes,  the  churches  and  the  monasteries  became  the  asylums  of  the 
oppressed.  Whence  the  people  crowded  around  these  ecclesiastical 
institutions,  and  in  a  short  time  populous  towns  grew  up  around 
these  church  foundations,  till  in  time  they  beaine  great  cities. 

As  the  population  grew,  parishes  were  established,  which  were 
attended  by  the  monks  or  by  regular  clergy  from  the  monastery. 
At  last  what  was  only  a  forest  when  they  came,  later  became  the 
seat  of  a  bishop.  For  that  reason  most  of  the  bishops  of  Europe 
at  first  came  from  Rome,  while  the  second  generation  of  bishops 
and  clergy  were  chosen  from  the  native  clergy  of  the  monasteries. 
As  the  clergy  grew  to  be  more  numerous,  duties  were  as.signed  to 
each.  Then  divine  service  and  the  church  functions  belonging  to 
each  order  were  marked  out  for  each,  so  there  would  be  no  con- 
fusion. In  episcopal  ceremonies,  they  reserved  all  the  duties  of 
the  deaconate  to  the  archdeacon,  and  as  time  went  by  he  became 
the  vicar-general  or  the  natural  aid  and  lieutenant  of  the  bishop. 
For  that  reason  in  the  early  church,  he  fulfilled  the  office  and  place  of 
the  vicar-general  in  many  parts  of  the  church.  The  archpriests, 
provosts,  priors  and  other  officers  of  the  church  were  established 
as  the  needs  of  religion  required.  As  the  parish  grew  in  import- 
ance and  in  numbers,  their  pastors  became  more  and  more  prom- 
inent in  the  diocese,  and  the  bishops  consulted  them  in  ruling  and 
in  making  important  changes  in  the  diocese.  From  that  in  the 
lapse  of  centuries,  rose  the  cathedral  chapters  in  every  diocefie, 
copied  after  the  constitution  of  the  Roman  diocese. 


374  ORIGIN"  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  NATIONS. 

As  certain  princes  became  by  force  of  arms,  by  diplomacy,  or  by 
other  means  more  powerful  than  the  others,  they  at  last  became 
the  ruling  house,  and  they  thus  gave  the  kings  and  rulers  to  their 
nation.  This  was  the  origin  of  all  the  ruling  families  of  Europe. 
As  the  clergy  had  rights  given  them  by  Eome,  by  which  the  bish- 
ops could  not  oppress  them,  as  Rome  ever  followed  her  constitu- 
tion in  dealing  with  bishops,  so  the  laity  soon  copied  after  the 
church  and  founded  civil  courts  after  the  manner  of  the  Eomans, 
as  the  church  taught  them  law  or  order  when  the  Roman  empire 
had  fallen  before  the  barbarians.  In  this  way  civil  courts  were 
founded  all  over  Christendom.  The  settlement  of  disputes  be- 
tween man  and  man  came  before  these  tribunals,  and  the  rulers  of 
Christendom  were  forced  by  the  church  to  listen  to  the  people,  and 
and  to  give  the  people  their  rights.  Many  of  the  clergy  wlien  or- 
dained brought  their  property  to  the  church  and  gave  it  to  the 
diocese  when  they  died.  Frequently  rich  families,  when  they  had 
no  heirs,  left  all  their  riches  to  the  church.  In  this  way  the 
churches  became  rich  and  powerful,  to  uphold  the  trampled  rights 
of  the  people,  to  educate  the  masses,  found  colleges  and  universi- 
ties and  to  christianize  all  Europe. 

After  a  thousand  years  had  passed  by,  the  feudal  system  of  the 
nobility  and  the  poor,  the  castle  and  the  cabin  were  found  side  by 
side.  The  remains  of  the  fallen  Roman  empire  had  been  converted, 
civilized  and  educated.  All  else  of  the  ancient  world  had  went 
down  before  the  incursions  of  the  barbarians,  but  the  church 
alone  had  survived  the  shock,  and  she  came  forth  from  the  ruins 
of  the  ancient  levelled  destroyed  world,  more  beautiful,  more  perfect 
than  before.  She  turned  a'.id  reformed  the  modern  iiations 
coming  from  these  ruins,  but  they  were  christians,  not  pagans. 
Above  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  rose  the  church,  the  mother  of 
them  all.  Then  the  Popes  were  the  fathers  of  rulers  and  of  na- 
tions. For  that  reason  the  nations  of  the  middle  ages  gave  to  the 
Popes  authority  to  settle  disputes.  The  people  called  on  the 
Popes  when  their  rulers  oppressed  them.  Therefore  we  read  that 
tlie  Bishops  of  Rome  deposed  kings  and  princes,  for  the  Roman 
court  formed  a  court  of  arbitration  in  the  disputes  between  king- 
doms and  peoples.  During  these  times,  called  the  middle  ages, 
there  were  many  wars  but  moderated  by  the  **  truce  of  God,"  the 
sufferings,  the  carnage  and  all  the  ills  of  conquest  and  of  in- 
vasion were  avoided,  for  the  church  forbade  wars  and  the  Popes 
were  the  supreme  courts  for  the  settlements  of  disputes  among 
nations.  Many  of  the  foremost  statesmen  of  that  time  were 
monks,  priests  or  bishops,  and  they  guided  the  destinies  of  the 
chief  governments  of  Europe,  during  the  age  when  few  men  were 
educated.  Thus  history  gives  us  the  example  of  St.  Thomas  a 
Becket,  prime  minister  of  England,  before  lie  became  the  great 
archbishop  of  Canterbury,  of  Suger,  Abbot  of  St.  Dennis,  Paris, 
prime  minister  of  the  king  of  France  before  he  began  to  rebuild 
the  monastic  church  of  St.  Dennis,  of  Cardinals  Richelau,  Maza- 


RISE  OF  CON^STITUTIONAL  GOVERNMENTS.  375 

rini,  and  all  the  great  statesmen  of  the  chief  European  governments 
who  stepped  down  from  the  ranks  of  the  clergy  to  guide  the  ship 
of  state  in  troublous  times. 

The  church  consecrates  the  Pope  and  the  Pontiff,  that  they  may 
like  Aaron  and  Moses  rule  the  people  of  God  with  judgment  and 
•equity.  She  consecrates  the  king,  she  enthrones  the  emperor  as 
the  prophet  anointed  Saul,  David  and  Solomon,  that  the  spiritual 
may  bless  the  temporal,  for  the  spiritual  cliurch  ever  sanctifies 
and  completes  the  temporal.  For  that  reason  every  king  or  rifler 
of  the  middle  ages  was  crowned  and  consecrated  by  the  bishops  or 
by  the  Popes. 

In  the  days  of  feudalism,  that  is  when  the  nobles  and  the  poor 
lived  in  the  relation  of  master  and  worker,  rather  when  a  few 
aristocrats  owned  the  people  under  them  and  kept  them  almost 
as  slaves,  then  the  church  fought  the  rich  and  powerful.  She 
gained  the  rights  of  the  poor.  She  forced  from  the  rich  and  the 
powerful,  the  concessions  which  the  people  enjoy  to-day.  For  we 
must  remember  that  in  those  early  days  the  common  people  were 
sometimes  oppressed  by  pagan  princes  more  than  the  people  of  Rus- 
sia are  oppressed  to-day.  There  was  not  a  constitutional  govern  ment 
on  tlie  face  of  the  earth  at  that  time.  The  government  of  the 
■church  alone  was  the  constitutional  government,  from  which  the 
nations  copied  in  the  middle  ages.  Right  then  took  the  place  of 
might,  till  the  church  forced  kings  and  rulers  to  give  the  people 
of  the  European  nations  justice  and  right,  and  if  the  people  of  the 
world  to-day  have  their  rights  they  are  indebted  to  the  church 
for  them.  It  is  true  that  the  fight  for  their  rights  was  long  and 
bitter.  Even  to  our  day  the  lies  and  the  slanders  which  wicked  men 
heaped  on  the  church,  still  live  in  the  minds  of  the  children  of 
those  who  fought  her,  still  the  world  is  getting  to  know  and  realize 
that  the  church  was  right. 

From  the  tenth  century,  the  church,  having  recovered  from  the 
evils  arising  from  the  incursion  of  the  barbarians  by  the  complete 
conversion  of  their  children,  soon  she  began  to  refine  and  civilize 
them. 

At  that  time  the  kings  of  the  christian  nations  claimed  as  a 
right  what  was  only  a  concession  or  a  privilege,  that  is  the  presen- 
tation of  the  bishops  and  of  the  pastors  of  the  church.  The  Roman 
See  alone  has  the  right  of  naming  the  bishops  of  the  universal 
•church,  as  the  bishops  alone  have  the  right  of  appointing  the  pas- 
tors of  the  diocese.  When  Henry  IV.  of  Germany  came  to  the 
throne  of  the  most  powerful  empire  upon  the  earth,  he  claimed 
the  right  of  naming  the  bishops  to  the  vacant  thrones  of  dioceses, 
and  of  appointing  to  the  vacant  parishes  the  men  whom  he  wanted, 
or  the  clergy  who  gave  him  the  most  money.  This  sin  was  the 
crime  of  simony  so  called  from  Simon  Magus  who  offered  money 
to  St.  Peter.  It  had  spread  into  many  parts  of  the  church,  and 
dioceses  and  parishes  were  suffering  fiom  the  unworthy  heads 
forced  on  them  by  civil  rulers.     This  was  the  condition  of  things. 


376  GREGORY  VII.  AND  HENRY  IV. 

when  the  great  Hildebraiid  under  the  name  of  Gregory  VIL 
came  to  the  throne  of  Peter.  He  determined  at  once  to  reform 
this  abuse,  which  was  poisoning  the  church  in  its  very  root  and 
foundation,  the  clergy  and  pastorate.  The  powerful  Henry 
fought  the  Pope.  He  invaded  Italy.  He  declared  war  against 
the  Pope,  and  the  latter  was  obliged  to  fly  from  Rome.  For 
years  the  fight  continued.  The  great  Pope  was  broken  down  in 
health  by  his  fights  for  the  purity  of  the  clergy  and  for  the  rights  of 
the  church,  he  found  a  refuge  and  asylum  in  the  fortress  of  Can- 
osa.  Here  at  last  came  Henry  IV.  of  Germany  to  make  peace- 
with  him,  when  he  found  he  could  not  fight  that  spiritual  power 
the  church.  Standing  at  the  door,  the  emperor  sent  up  word 
to  the  tottering,  feeble  Pope  saying  that  he  wanted  to  speak  with 
his  Holiness.  Gregory  VII.  sent  word,  that  if  he  wanted  to  see 
him  he  should  stand  three  days  and  three  nights  barefooted  in 
the  snow  before  the  door  of  the  monastery  before  he  could  see 
his  Holiness.  And  Henry  stood,  thus  penitent,  before  his  army, 
and  in  the  eyes  of  all  his  court,  and  there  he  made  peace  with  the 
church.  From  that  day  the  church  is  free  in  the  appointment  and 
the  dismissal  of  the  clergy.  No  civil  power  can  claim  the  right  of 
interfering  with  the  election  of  Popes,  bishops  or  pastors  of  the 
church.  That  is  the  meaning  of  the  words:  "  Going  to  Canosa." 
Then  opened  the  greatest  religious  epoch  of  the  church.  In  every 
city  of  the  christian  world,  she  built  a  cathedral  which  Sundaj's 
and  holidays  could  not  hold  the  multitudes  of  people  who  crowded 
there  to  worship  God.  The  bishop  presided,  surrounded  by  hi& 
clergy.  The  kings  and  members  of  royalty  sat  within  the  sanct- 
uary, for  the  church  granted  this  privilege  to  honor  the  law  and 
to  bless  the  government  in  their  persons.  The  lofty  vaulted  naves 
and  aisles  re-echoed  with  the  grand  and  stately  strains  of  the  plain 
chant,  the  solemn  music  of  the  church.  The  entire  people  took 
part  in  the  congregational  singing.  The  voice  of  the  people  rose 
towards  heaven  as  a  mighty  sound.  That  Latin  service  was  in  the 
language  of  Rome,  the  chief  liturgy  which  the  church  had  treas- 
ured and  rescued  from  the  remains,  of  the  mighty  Roman  em- 
pire, which  centuries  before  had  been  blotted  from  the  face  of  the 
earth.  In  the  cathedral  cities  of  England,  we  find  still  standing 
to-day  the  great  cathedrals  built  in  the  time  of  which  wo  write,  but 
now  silent  and  abandoned  monuments  of  the  ages  of  faith,  be- 
fore the  political  rage  and  the  spiritual  delirium  of  the  reformation 
tore  from  the  heart  of  the  English  people  that  catholic  religion, 
which  had  flourished  among  them  from  the  preaching  of  St. 
Augustine  in  492.  Now  but  a  small  wing  of  these  cathe- 
drals holds  the  protestant  people,  children  of  noble  catholics  of 
England,  who  built  them.  There  you  find  the  sanctuary  where 
the  clergy  sat  surrounding  their  bishop,  the  nave  where  the  people 
heard  Mass,  often  closed  from  the  sanctuary  by  the  chancel  screen, 
the  charter  house  for  the  meeting  of  the  senate  of  the  diocese,  the 
cathedral  chapter,  the  bishop's  house,  the  cloisters  for  the  monks. 


FOUNDING  THE  GREAT  SCHOOLS.  377 

ihe  buildings  for  the  convent  and  monastic  schools,  and  the  build- 
ings for  the  whole  machinery  of  the  complete  diocese.  The  Eng- 
lish church  was  one  of  the  noblest  daughters  of  the  universal 
church,  before  the  bad  king  Henry  VJII.  persecuted  and  put  to 
death  the  bishops,  priests  and  monks  of  the  Ens^lish  church,  and 
appointed  laymen  in  their  place,  such  as  we  see  in  the  English  Prot- 
estant church  of  to-day. 

As  the  church  then  enjoyed  peace,  she  could  give  her  wliole 
attention  to  the  work  of  converting  and  saving  souls.  The  clergy 
were  found  in  every  walk  of  life,  at  the  head  of  every  public  move- 
ment for  the  advancement  of  the  race.  They  established  schools 
and  colleges  in  every  land.  They  laid  the  foundations  of  the  great 
universities  of  Oxford,  of  Cambridge,  of  Paris,  of  Salmanca,  of 
Freiberg,  of  Rome,  and  of  every  seat  of  learning.  No  work 
was  begun  without  the  blessing  of  the  priest.  More  than  1^0,000 
students  each  year  flocked  to  Paris  to  attend  the  great  univei'sicy. 
The  other  universities  were  as  nearly  well  attended.  The  priest  pro- 
fessors opened  their  classes  in  every  department  with  the  prayers, 
and  all  great  works  were  undertaken  with  the  blessings  of  the 
priests  who  were  the  leaders  of  men.  There  in  the  Uiiiversity  of 
Paris,  Albert  the  Great  taught  St.  Thomas,  there  Abelard  delivered 
his  lectures,  which  opened  the  way  for  the  rationalism  of  our  day 
till  he  was  condemned  by  the  Bisliop  of  Rome. 

In  the  country  and  in  the  little  villages  which  grew  up  with  the 
settlement  of  Europe,  the  missionaries  labored  till  they  had  founded 
parishes,  built  parish  churches,  established  monasteries  and  schools 
to  educate  the  people.  By  the  lapse  of  ages  these  little  hamlets 
grew  into  cities,  great  and  famous  in  history.  In  Ireland  the  or- 
iginal people  were  patriarchal  in  their  habits,  living  on  their  flocks. 
They  had  no  cities  till  the  Danes  came  and  conquered  certain  parts 
where  they  built  cities.  The  whole  Irish  nation  was  divided  into 
-certain  districts  or  counties,  which  the  people  owned  in  common,  and 
where  they  pastured  their  flocks.  The  people  of  each  section  were 
related  either  by  descent  or  by  blood,  and  they  elected  their  chief. 
This  was  the  origin  of  the  counties  of  Ireland.  This  is  why  the 
people  from  each  county  have  a  peculiar  affection  for  those  who  come 
from  the  same  neighborhood  or  county.  A  number  of  councies 
formed  a  province,  over  which  reigned  a  king  elected  by  the  chiefs. 
Over  all  kings,  chiefs  and  people  ruled  the  monarch  of  all  Ireland. 
This  was  the  state  of  society  in  that  country  when  in  432  St.  Patrick, 
sent  by  Pope  Celestine,  come  to  convert  the  Irish  to  the  faith. 

When  in  the  rest  of  Europe  the  clergy  had  converted  the  nobles, 
children  of  the  robber  chieftains,  who  had  generations  before 
destroyed  the  Roman  empire,  the  clergy  established  chapels  in  their 
castles.  That  gave  rise  to  the  discipline  of  the  private  chapel. 
Rome  made  laws  relating  to  the  services  held  in  these  private  chap- 
els of  the  nobility  so  they  would  not  interfere  with  the  regulations 
of  the  parish  Mass.  The  nobility  had  their  chaplains.  They  were 
often  the  tutors  of  their  children.     To  the  clergv  were  the  nobles 


378  DIRECTED  BY  THE  MOTHER  CHURCH, 

indebted  for  their  education,  their  manners,  their  social  culture  and 
their  breeding.  When  they  were  at  war  with  their  neighboring 
chiefs,  the  church  was  frequently  built  under  the  walls  of  the  castle, 
as  a  protection  against  robbers,  or  on  a  high  rock,  as  we  see  in  the 
examples  of  the  churches  near  the  castles  of  central  Europe,  in 
the  monasteries  of  the  Orient,  in  Cormack's  chapel  on  the  rock 
of  Cashel,  Ireland  and  in  numerous  other  examples  of  Europe. 
Religion  then  penetrated  intoevery  fibre  of  social  life.  The  kings 
sometimes  recited  the  breviary,  or  they  became  honorary  members 
of  the  cathedral  chapter,  the  brightest  sons  of  the  nobles  entered 
the  ranks  of  the  clergy. 

The  discipline  of  the  diocese  gradually  changed  from  age  to  age. 
The  stations  in  private  houses  became  parish  churches,  the  clergy 
of  the  city  took  part  in  the  episcopal  ceremonies,  the  cathedral 
clergy  replaced  the  ancient  presbytery,  the  clergy  of  the  bishop's 
household  became  the  cathedral  chapter,  the  pastors  ruled  by  rigiit 
of  office  and  not  as  vicars  of  the  bishops,  and  Rome  defined  in 
canon  law  the  movements  of  that  vast  organization,  the  church 
the  body  of  Christ.  Many  disputes  rose  relating  to  the  rights  of 
certain  members  of  the  clergy  in  the  same  orders.  Tiie  limits  of 
authority  and  the  places  of  all  those,  and  the  dealings  between  the 
bishops  and  the  parish  priests  were  defined  by  the  councils,  or  they 
were  referred  to  Rome  for  the  decision  of  the  Pontiff.  These  decis- 
ions forever  regulated  the  standing  of  each  office.  From  time  to 
time  the  Roman  Pontiffs  gave  decrees  relating  to  these  functions, 
and  these  decisions  explained  the  canon  law,  which  regulates 
the  movements  of  every  officer  and  clergyman  belonging  to  that  vast 
army  of  the  cliurch,  in  its  most  minute  details.  The  eyes  of  the 
whole  world  turned  to  Rome  and  to  her  Bishop  in  all  their  disputes. 

The  Roman  diocese  of  Peter  was  the  model  for  all  the  other 
dioceses  of  the  world.  From  the  Lateran  church,  where  the  Pope 
lived  for  a  thousand  years,  the  Mother  of  the  churches  of  the  world, 
came  the  mighty  impulsions  which  moved  and  formed  the  other 
diocese  and  brought  order  into  every  rank  and  file  of  the  other 
parishes  and  dioceses.  In  her  seven  cardinal  bishops,  her  cardinal 
priests  and  deacons,  her  twelve  canons,  her  archpriest  and  arch- 
deacon, in  her  rites  and  ceremonies,  in  her  unchanging  customs 
they  heard  the  voice  of  God  the  Son,  and  saw  the  image  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  world  copied  these  till  the  constitutions  of  the  Popes, 
their  diocese  and  cathedral  gave  a  constitution  to  all  the  churches, 
parishes  and  dioceses  of  the  world,  born  of  her  their  Mother  at  their 
erection.  The  Popes  with  their  senator  cardinals  had  direct  juris- 
diction over  each  and  every  cathedral,  church  and  parish  of  the 
world.  That  was  the  doctrine  of  every  church  even  before  it  was 
defined  by  the  Vatican  council.  '  Thus  we  read  that  St.  Leo  IX. 
visited  Besancon,  and  that  the  members  of  the  two  chapters  of  its 
double  cathedral  met  under  his  presidency  as  had  been  done  before 
by  Pope  Calixtus  I. 

'  CoDcll.  Vat.  Sess.  Iv. 


THE  SENATE  OF  THE  DIOCESE.  379 

In  that  age  the  chapters  of  the  cathedrals  all  over  the  world  were 
divided  into  three  ranks,  following  the  example  of  the  cardinal 
bishops,  priests  and  deacons  of  the  Roman  church.  The  canons  of 
the  diocese  living  at  and  attached  to  the  cathedral  represented  the 
seven  cardinal  bishops  of  Rome,  the  clergy  of  the  city  parishes  or 
pastors  of  the  city  represented  the  cardinal  priests,  pastors  of  Rome, 
while  the  country  pastors,  who  became  by  right  of  pastorate,  or 
who  had  been  made  honorary  members  of  the  chapter,  represented 
the  cardinal  deacons  of  the  Roman  diocese.  As  all  matters  of  im- 
portance came  first  before  the  chapter  of  the  diocese,  so  the  execu- 
tion of  its  decrees  belonged  to  the  bishop,  as  the  governor  and  the 
president  in  the  United  States  are  the  executors  of  the  laws.  So 
in  every  diocese  the  bishop  had  his  archpriest,  liis  vicar-general,  his 
archdeacon,  or  his  legate,  to  execute  his  decrees  and  the  decrees  of 
the  chapter.  As  the  needs  of  the  church  grew  by  the  natural  growth 
of  its  members,  or  by  conversions,  so  the  church  offices  grew,  till 
at  last  the  perfect  diocese  rose  on  the  foundations  of  the  mission, 
the  parish,  the  missionary  diocese  or  the  vicar  apostolic.  Thus  we 
see  the  perfect  diocese  existed  with  her  own  bishop,  her  chancery 
office,  vicar-general,  cathedral  chapter  of  canons,  &c.,  and  they  were 
formed  m  all  the  dioceses  of  central  Europe  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  middle  ages  before  the  reformation. 

The  thirteenth  century  appears  to  be  the  golden  epoch  of  the 
middle  ages.  Then  flourished  the  great  writers  of  the  church.  St. 
Thomas  codified  all  the  writers  of  the  world  from  the  ancient 
Greeks  to  his  teacher  Albertus  Magnus,  and  he  gives  us  the 
substance  of  the  learning  of  the  race  in  his  wonderful  codifications. 
Before  him  flourished  St.  Bernard  the  model  of  the  monk  and  tiie 
man  of  the  world,  who  ruled  nations,  regulated  society,  saved  the 
church  from  a  schism  by  a  dispute  about  the  chair  of  Peter,  and 
wrote  the  sweetest  works  of  later  times.  We  must  not  pass  by  St. 
Bonaventure  of  the  Franciscans,  or  Abelard  teaching  rationalism 
at  the  university  of  Paris,  till  condemned  by  the  Bishop  of  Rome. 
He  was  the  father  of  modern  rationalism  or  the  right  of  reason  to 
examine  all  the  works  of  God  and  reject  what  we  do  not  under- 
stand. 

At  that  time  the  church  had  converted  the  remains  of  the  Roman 
empire.  The  Turks  were  knocking  at  the  gates  of  Constantinople. 
The  Moors  had  captured  the  fairest  parts  of  Spain.  The  followers 
of  Mohammed  had  wiped  out  the  church  in  Arabia,  Asia  Minor, 
Egypt,  Syria.  Europe  was  threatened  by  the  Saracens,  The 
nations  of  Christendom  looked  to  the  Pope  their  christian  father 
to  save  christian  civilization  from  utter  destruction.  Peter  the 
Hermit  was  preaching  the  Crusades.  The  religious  orders  wei-e 
doing  a  wonderful  work.  A  schism  devastated  parts  of  the  church. 
Kings  and  princes  ceased  to  hear  her  teachings.  Europe  was  torn 
by  cruel  wars,  when  the  voice  of  the  Roman  Pontiff  cried  out  call- 
ing them  to  save  Europe  from  the  invasions  of  the  Turks,  the  infidel 
followers  of  Mohammed.     Then  rose  the  cry  of  saving  the  Holy 


380  ORIGIN  OF  CHURCH  LIVINGS. 

Sepulchre  of  our  Lord  from  the  despoiling  profanations  of  the 
Saracens.  '^L'hat  turned  the  attention  of  warlike  European  peoples 
to  Jerusalem.  The  latter  city  was  captured,  Godfrey  de  Bullion  the 
first  christian  king  refused  to  wear  a  royal  crown  in  the  city  where 
our  Lord  wore  a  crown  of  thorns.  Often  the  priests  imposed  as  pen- 
ance on  sinners  an  obligation  of  going  to  Jerusalem.  They  enjoined 
it  especially  on  those  guilty  of  great  sins,  and  the  holy  city  was  filled 
with  pilgrims  from  every  land.  Such  was  the  height  of  perfection 
to  which  the  church  had  elevated  society,  that  all  Europe  appeared 
peopled  with  saints,  and  the  foundations  of  the  civilization  of  our 
modern  society  were  laid  so  deep,  that  we  are  reaping  the  benefits  of 
the  work  of  the  church  even  in  our  days. 

The  first  parishes,  having  been  founded  by  the  monks  and  by 
priests  who  lived  together  in  the  monastic  community  life,  that 
custom  continued  in  Europe  down  till  almost  modern  times.  Some 
of  the  clergy  of  the  cathedrals  lived  together  as  regular  canons. 
They  ate  at  the  same  table  with  the -bishop,  aud  they  had  their 
living  from  the  common  fund.  When  the  rich  died  childless  and 
left  their  wealth  to  the  churches,  at  later  times  each  diocese  or 
parish  church  had  a  certain  revenue.  Later,  parts  of  this  revenue 
called  benefices  were  divided  among  the  clergy.  Even  in  our  time 
they  are  called  benefices  or  livings  in  the  church  of  England.  In 
the  Episcopal  church  in  England  to-day  they  are  sold  or  given  by 
the  nobility  to  the  highest  bidders.  To  such  a  degree  of  corruption 
has  the  noble  English  church  fallen,  since  England  fell  away  from 
theauthority  of  the  Roman  Pontiffs,  who  alone  receive  power  from 
Christ  to  heal  the  wounds  of  society  and  to  keep  the  sheepfold  of 
Christ  pure  and  undefiled.  Even  in  our  time  and  country  the 
people  of  other  churches  call  their  ministers,  and  they  dismiss 
them  at  will,  and  give  them  the  salary  they  think  they  earn  by  their 
eloquence  and  popularity.  Thus  church  salaries  and  ecclesiastical 
livings  outside  the  catholic  church  have  degenerated  into  wordly 
professions. 

When  benefices  were  established  in  the  13th  century,  the  com- 
mon monastic  life  of  the  canons  of  the  cathedral  ceased,  and 
they  met  only  at  stated  times,  or  at  the  call  of  the  chairman  as 
members  of  the  same  corporation.  The  clergy  of  the  great  cathe- 
dral churches  separated,  the  cloister  regulations  ceased,  the  great 
dining  rooms  were  found  only  in  the  colleges  and  seminaries, 
the  clergy  slept  no  more  in  large  dormitories  as  before,  the  offices 
of  the  breviary  were  not  sung  by  the  chapters  in  the  cathedrals, 
the  reformation  disturbed  Christendom  and  the  discipline  of  this 
age  was  introduced. 

Up  to  the  times  before  the  reformation  the  canons  of  the  ca- 
thedrals lived  as  monks.  They  now  lived  as  secular  priests  and  the 
monastic  customs  were  abandoned.  At  this  epoch,  the  wliole 
discipline  of  the  middle  ages  relaxed,  not  only  in  the  cathedrals 
but  also  in  the  monasteries  and  convents.  Lent  was  not  kept 
with  such  rigors  as  before,  the  nuns  mitigated  their  rules,  the 


THE  BISHOP  AND  CHAPTER.  381 

clergy  and  laity  relaxed  their  austerities  of  the  body,  and  the  church 
mitigated  the  harsh  customs  of  the  former  ages.  The  mildness 
of  Kome  spread  over  the  world.  The  knowledge  of  the 
eacred  rights  of  man  became  better  known.  The  church  be- 
gan to  accommodate  herself  to  the  changing  opinions,  peculiari- 
ties and  the  modern  customs  and  beliefs  of  mankind.  The  clergy 
mixed  up  more  with  the  laity  and  the  laity  better   knew  them. 

But  the  clergy  of  the  religious  orders  did  not  change  their  rules. 
They  regulated  and  modified  the  most  rigorous  discipline,  and  they 
eubmitted  their  rules  to  the  Roman  Pontiff,  to  whom  alone 
they  belonged.  Because  of  their  regular  lives  and  customs,  they 
were  called  the  regular  clergy,  while  the  clergy  who  belonged  to  the 
different  dioceses,  and  who  as  pastors  gave  themselves  up  to  the 
salvation  of  others,  because  they  lived  separated  in  the  world  from 
those  they  preached  to,  they  are  known  as  secular  clergy.  Only 
those  ordained  to  the  priesthood  had  charge  of  souls.  The  lower 
clergy  took  part  in  the  divine  office,  they  looked  after  the  poor,  the 
orphans,  and  took  charge  of  the  temporal  matters  of  the  churches. 
They  were  appointed  to  these  offices  by  the  bishop,  with  and  by 
the  consent  of  thechapter,  or  the  senate  of  the  diocese.  At  first  the 
chapter  and  the  bishop  were  one.  But  by  the  lapse  of  the  ages,  they 
separated,  and  each  had  the  proper  functions  belonging  to  them 
by  law,  and  whicli  the  others  could  not  invade,  somewhat  like  the 
president  and  the  senate  of  the  United  States,  and  other  civil  offi- 
ces in  our  country.  That  there  might  not  be  any  conflict  of  author- 
ity, the  Roman  Pontiffs  regulated  the  relations  of  the  bishops  with 
their  chapters,  and  the  Popes  defined  the  rights  and  limits  of 
each  authority.  There  was  but  one  authority  in  the  diocese.  But  it 
came  from  one  episcopal  throne  in  two  streams,  through  the  bish- 
op, or  through  the  chapter  to  the  clergy  and  people  of  the  diocese. 
When  disputes  rose  between  the  bishop  and  the  chapter,  the 
Roman  Pontiff  was  the  judge,  and  his  decision  was  final,  because 
he  as  the  Vicar  of  Christ  has  direct  authority  over  the  whole  church 
of  Christ. 

The  archpriest  or  archdeacon  of  the  diocese,  being  like  the  vicar- 
general,  one  authority  with  the  bishop,  he  did  not  belong  to  the 
cathedral  chapter.  The  bishop  was  not  the  chairman  of  the  chap- 
ter, as  the  president  or  governor  are  not  members  or  chairman  of 
the  senate.  The  vicar-general,  archpriest  and  archdeacon,  were  ap- 
pointed to  execute  or  carry  out  the  orders  of  the  bishop,  when  these 
orders  had  been  passed  by  the  chapter  and  signed  by  the  bishop. 

The  clergy  having  belonged  to  and  having  been  raised  up  from 
the  ranks  of  the  laity,  they  worshipped  in  the  church  to  which  they 
ministered,  the  clergy  belonged  to  the  parish  and  all  knew  them. 
They  were  not  therefore  strangers  to  the  people  to  whom  they  min- 
istered. When  the  clergy  changed  from  the  regular  to  the  secular 
life,  at  the  division  of  the  benefits,  when  they  no  longer  lived  a 
community  life,  then  the  people  and  the  clergy  became  more 
united.     The  bishops  and  pastors  having  charge  of  souls,  had  as- 


PECULIAR  CUSTOMS.  383 

sistants  to  work  in  their  place,  while  they  sometimes  spent  the 
most  of  their  time  away  from  their  charges.  That  abuse  was  re- 
formed by  the  council  of  Trent,  which  forbade  bishops  to  live  away 
from  their  dioceses.  From  that  rose  the  custom  of  having  assist- 
ant priests  and  assistant  bishops,  or  as  they  are  called  vicars  and 
curates.  In  England  the  names  were  reversed.  For  the  word  cu- 
rate or  cure  in  French  means  one  having  the  cure,  that  is  the  care 
of  souls.  Those  having  the  care  of  souls  are  attached  or  united 
by  a  spiritual  marriage  to  their  parishes  or  dioceses,  while  the  as- 
sistants aid  them  in  their  charges.  When  towards  the  end  of  the 
middle  ages,  pastors  of  large  parishes  got  others  to  assist  them, 
then  rose  the  custom  of  ordaining  priests  asassistants,  who  had  no 
care  of  souls,  but  who  belonged  to  the  whole  diocese.  After  some 
time  they  did  not  ordain  the  clergy  for  their  particular  church,  as 
in  the  early  ages,  but  they  ordained  them  for  the  diocese.  This 
the  bishops  do  at  the  present  time.  When  these  priests  have  ex- 
ercised the  ministry  for  some  years  as  assistants,  they  are  ap- 
pointed pastors.  But  bishops  were  never  consecrated  without  a 
title.  For  the  episcopal  office  has  better  preserved  the  dignity  of 
the  apostolic  age.  When  a  bishop  was  consecrated  as  assistant 
bishop,  or  to  rule  a  diocese  as  coadjutor  to  another  infirm  bishop, 
he  receives  as  his  title  one  of  the  ancient  dioceses  among  the 
infidels. 

The  ancient  customs  having  changed,  it  came  to  pass  in  mod- 
ern times  that  a  clergyman  can  resign  his  benefice,  his  charge  of 
souls,  his  parish,  into  the  hands  of  his  bishop,  which  could  not  be-' 
done  in  early  ages.  But  no  one  can  resign  unless  to  his  superior, 
the  pastor  into  the  hands  of  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  the  bishop 
into  the  hands  of  the  Pope.  But  the  Pope,  having  as  his  supe- 
rior only  Christ,  he  can  resign  as  Pope  Celestine  did.  From 
the  frequent  resignation  of  the  clergy  rose  the  custom  of  mov- 
ing from  one  diocese  to  another,  which  became  so  common 
that  it  became  an  abuse.  Thus  we  read  that  the  canons  of  the 
cathedral  of  Toledo,  Spain  became  canons  of  Lincoln,  England, 
and  that  the  priests  of  one  diocese  in  this  country  often  left  and 
went  to  other  dioceses.  The  legislation  of  the  third  council  of 
Baltimore  made  strict  rules  to  renew  the  ancient  canons.  But 
the  laws  of  missionary  countries  laid  down  by  Eome  for  this 
country  directed  the  clergy  to  take  an  oath  that  they  would  not 
leave  their  own  diocese.  But  these  laws  perhaps  were  required  for 
the  countries  settled  by  emigrants  from  all  parts  of  Europe, 
for  their  priests  naturally  followed  their  people  into  exile  to  attend 
to  their  spiritual  necessities.  Thus  we  see  that  the  first  clergy  of 
America,  of  Australia,  of  India  and  countries  settled  by  the  Eng- 
lish speaking  race  were  Irish,  for  these  countries  received  the 
faith  from  the  Irish  emigrants. 

When  the  French  Popes  lived  for  seventy  years  at  Avigne,  France, 
there  they  had  the  usual  revenues  of  their  estates.  They  invested 
many  of  the  bishops  of  other  dioceses  with  the  dignity  of  the  car- 


384  ORIGIN  OF  PEOTESTANTISM. 

dinalate  of  the  Roman  church,  and  they  incorporated  the  lower 
clergy  of  other  dioceses  into  the  Roman  diocese,  so  they  might  de- 
rive a  revenue  from  other  dioceses  and  from  the  livings  and 
benefices  of  these  rich  churches.  That  was  the  beginning  of  the 
custom  of  making  the  clergy  of  other  dioceses  members  of  the  dio- 
cese of  Rome.  Thus  the  acts  of  the  Pontiffs  at  that  time  is  felt 
for  the  good  of  the  church  even  in  our  day.  For  from  that  time 
the  brightest  and  best  of  the  clergy  of  the  world,  became  members 
of  the  apostolic  college  of  cardinals.  Thus  every  people  and  na- 
tion can  have  a  voice  in  the  election  of  the  Pontiff  through  their 
cardinal. 

The  diocese  and  religious  orders  became  very  rich  during  the 
middle  ages,  and  the  bishops  and  superiors  of  these  orders  were  the 
administrators  of  this  wealth.  In  the  hands  of  the  church  it 
was  the  property  of  Christ  and  of  the  poor,  when  the  reformation, 
like  a  destructive  flood  swept  over  the  north  of  Europe.  Covetous 
for  the  wealth  of  churches  and  monastic  institutions,  the  bad  kings 
and  corrupt  nobles  raised  an  insurrection  against  the  clergy,  and 
put  them  to  death,  or  drove  them  from  the  country.  They  seized 
these  rich  estates  of  the  church  and  stole  the  property  of  the 
clergy.  From  that  date  they  began  to  lie  about  the  clergy  and  to 
paint  them  in  the  blackest  light,  so  as  to  poison  the  minds  of  the 
laity  against  their  priests,  so  that  they  could  confiscate  their  rich 
possessions.  That  was  the  origin  of  the  calumnies  and  prejudices, 
■which  have  lived  in  the  minds  of  the  Protestant  people  for  gener- 
ations, and  only  in  our  day  are  they  finding  out,  that  by  bad  designing 
warfare  their  fathers  were  driven  from  the  church  their  mother. 
Then  in  all  the  northern  countries  of  Europe,  the  property  of  the 
church  was  stolen,  and  the  ancient  catholic  faith  of  the  people  of 
the  catholic  church  was  driven  out.  Feeling  the  want  of  some  re- 
ligion, still  keeping  a  part  of  the  christian  religion,  they  had  received 
from  the  teachings  of  the  church,  these  people  founded  other  systems 
of  religious  belief,  or  organized  churches  on  the  foundations  of  the 
catholic  teachings,  their  fathers  had  received  during  the  thousand 
years  when  all  Europe  was  catholic,  and  when  a  Protestant  church 
did  not  exist.  Thus  the  difference  between  Protestants  and  Cath- 
olics consists  in  this,  that  while  the  Catholic  church  holds  all  the 
revelation  made  by  God  to  man,  the  Protestant  churches  have 
only  a  part  and  their  belief  is  fragmentary.  The  church  has  all 
truths  which  Protestant  churches  hold  and  more,  but  they  are 
known  under  a  different  name. 

Thus,  coming  from  a  Protestant  church  into  a  catholic  church, 
one  has  not  to  reject  anvthing  which  is  true  that  he  learned  in  the 
Protestant  churcn,  but  lie  holds  all  and  believes  with  a  little  more 
added  to  it,  then  he  is  a  catholic.  From  the  days  of  the  reforma- 
tion, when  the  church  received  such  a  shock,  the  English  speaking 
clergy  had  to  devote  their  time  to  saving  the  few  souls  left  to  them. 
They  could  not  give  much  attention  to  writing.  For  that  reason, 
the  English  literature  of  the  church  is  very  poor  compared  to  the 


ORIGIN  OF  PROTESTAIS^TISM.  385 

great  riches  of  the  church  in  Latin,  French,  Italian,  German,  &c. 
In  reality  the  literature  of  the  church  by  far  exceeds  all  the  books 
ever  written  on  any  other  subject  in  all  languages.  But  we  see 
little  of  these  great  works  unless  we  go  into  the  other  languages. 

When  impiety,  fanaticism  and  irreligion,  roused  by  the  reforma- 
tion, tore  peoples  from  the  bosom  of  their  mother,  the  Holy  Spirit 
roused  St  Ignatius  at  Manresa  to  found  his  order  for  the  combat- 
ting of  Protestantism.  Before  this  Pope  Innocent  had  seen  Sts. 
Francis  and  Dominic  upholding  the  shaken  Lateran  church  the 
cathedral  of  the  world.  Then  rose  the  Jesuits  and  many  other 
religious  orders,  and  likewise  the  great  sisterhoods.  The  divine 
Spirit  appeared  to  be  poured  out  upon  the  world  in  greater  meas- 
ure than  even  in  the  apostolic  age.  The  invention  of  printing,  the 
spread  of  commerce,  the  discovery  of  America,  the  attacks  and  de- 
fence of  different  revealed  truths,  the  proclaiming  of  infallibility,  all 
combined  to  the  spread  of  religion  and  to  the  strengthening  of  the 
bonds  of  unity.  In  our  day  the  world  is  becoming  one.  The 
greatest  minds  of  men  are  turning  to  the  church,  looking  to  her 
for  relief  from  the  wounds  of  sin  and  ignorance. 

The  reformation  of  manners,  and  the  changes  of  modern  times 
are  felt  even  in  the  religious  orders,  in  the  clergy  as  well  as  among 
the  laity.  The  rights  of  man  to  life,  liberty  and  happiness, 
in  the  political  sense  spreads  over  the  world.  The  self  inflicted 
tortures  of  the  middle  ages  have  given  away  to  the  bowing  down 
of  the  will,  to  the  obedience  of  the  religious  orders,  and  to  the 
submitting  of  the  mind  to  the  teachings  of  the  church.  The  altar 
boys  have  taken  the  place  of  the  lower  clergy,  under  the  direction 
of  the  council  of  Trent.  The  ancient  rites  and  ceremonies  are 
better  understood  by  our  congregations;  the  modern  music  and 
the  plain  chant  live  side  by. side  in  the  choir  and  in  the  chancel; 
the  church  has  harnessed  to  its  use  the  press,  that  modern,  tremen- 
dous power  for  good  or  evil  first  turned  against  her;  the  English 
speaking  race  spreads  over  the  earth,  bringing  the  catholic  Irish 
with  them.  The  telegraph,  the  mails,  the  steamships,  the  telephone 
are  uniting  mankind.  Business  enterprise  penetrates  all  nations, 
and  on  the  wings  of  modern  progress  in  triumph,  rides  the  church 
coming  with  her  words  of  peace  and  salvation  to  all  men.  Never 
before  had  the  church  such  a  prospect  before  her.  Never  before 
was  she  so  united  within  and  so  admirable  without.  Now  the 
attention  of  the  human  mind  is  attracted  by  her  beauty,  her  teach- 
ings, and  her  most  wonderful  unity  and  discipline. 

No  longer  are  the  offices  ot  the  breviary  sung  in  the  churches, 
as  in  the  days  of  yore,  but  the  vespers,  the  high  Mass,  the  episco- 
pal ceremonies,  the  beautiful  rites  of  the  church  still  remain  to 
remind  us  of  the  early  ages.  When  the  church  shall  have  again 
for  the  third  time  converted  Europe,  when  the  errors  of  the  re- 
formation will  have  been  cleared  up,  the  church  in  triumph 
shall  again  enter  her  grand  cathedrals,  in  England,  in  Scotland 
and  in  all  the  north  of  Europe,  and  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic, 


386  ORIGIN  OF  PROTESTANTISM. 

from  the  Hudson  Bay  to  the  Cape  of  Horn,  from  the  straits  of  Gib- 
raltar to  the  shores  of  China,  the  daily  offices  will  be  sung  in  all 
our  cathedrals,  and  anew  the  poems  of  praise  and  of  gladness  will 
rise  to  Christ  the  King  of  glory,  for  his  greatest  victory  over  error 
and  over  all  the  powers  of  hell. 

Never  in  the  history  of  the  church  were  so  many  religious  or- 
ders of  men  and  of  women  working  for  the  good  of  mankind  as  at 
the  present  time.  There  every  soul  can  find  repose  and  an  outlet 
for  zeal  of  every  kind,  and  fully  gratifying  their  desire  for  the 
good  of  their  fellow  man.  The  church  is  gradually  repairing  the 
wounds  of  human  nature  made  by  the  fall  of  Adam,  and  the  times 
of  peace  prophesied  by  the  sages,  and  foretold  by  the  prophets 
come  to  pass.  The  Roman  diocese,  to  which  these  great  religious 
orders  belong,  foster  them  and  guard  them  from  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  other  churches.  When  they  are  persecuted  in  one 
place,  according  to  the  words  of  our  Lord,  they  fly  to  other  places, 
and  there  they  still  continue  their  work  for  the  benefit  of  their  fel- 
low man. 

When  fifty  years  had  passed  after  the  rise  or  the  revolt  of 
Protestantism  against  the  church,  the  fanaticism  started  by  Luther 
had  made  no  headway.  The  council  of  Trent  then  reformed  the 
morals  of  the  laity,  the  lives  of  the  clergy,  and  re-established  the  an- 
oint discipline  of  the  church,  in  these  matters  where  they  had  fal- 
len away  from  the  normal  given  by  the  Roman  Pontiffs.  The 
children  of  the  once  catholic  peoples  after  the  reformation  estab- 
lished numerous  Protestant  churches,  each  man  and  woman  by 
the  so  called  right  of  interpreting  the  Bible  to  suit  themselves 
made  each  man  his  own  Pope,  and  by  the  lapse  of  300  years  scarce- 
ly a  vestige  of  religion  remains  in  the  Protestant  churches.  In  our 
day  every  doctrine  is  attacked  and  the  rising  generation  have  not 
the  faith  of  their  fathers.  Now  is  the  age  of  infidelity,  when 
every  teaching,  even  the  very  existence  of  God  and  his  creation 
are  attacked.  When  the  Protestant  churches  were  tottering  with 
their  own  frailty,  the  church  again  comes  to  the  rescue  to  save 
the  race  from  the  utter  horrors  of  infidelity.  Then  our  great 
writers  tackled  infidelity  and  saved  religion. 

This  is  the  state  of  religion  at  the  present  time,  when  the  church 
has  come  forth  from  her  last  and  greatest  fight,  first  with  Arianism, 
later  with  Protestantism  and  then  with  infidelity.  Now  she  lifts 
her  glorious  head,  crowned  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  She  raises  it 
aloft  above  the  waters  of  every  system  of  modern  and  of  ancient 
times,  and  she  calls  all  people  into  the  fold  and  rescues  them 
from  the  floods  of  error  sweeping  over  the  human  mind.  Now 
begins  her  greatest  conquests.  Now  she  is  united.  No  more 
can  the  bishops  of  France  or  of  any  other  country  proclaim  their 
independence  of  the  Holy  See.  No  Luther  now  can  hide  behind 
the  excuse  of  calling  a  general  council  to  examine  his  errors,  and 
still  keep  poisoning  the  mind  of  man  before  the  council  can  be 
called.      The  decisions  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  will  be  heard  at 


ORIGIN  OF  PROTESTANTISM.  387 

once  and  flashed  under  the  ocean,  teaching  the  nations  the  revealed 
matters  of  faith,  and  the  ways  of  daily  life  as  revealed  in  the 
Bible,  and  contained  in  holy  traditions.  He  is  the  teacher  of  things 
relating  to  the  faith  and  morals  of  mankind.  The  walls  of  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem  have  now  been  firmly  built,  its  streets  are 
covered  with  the  gold  of  everlasting  truth,  its  buildings,  pearls  of 
purity  are  finished,  the  decree  of  the  infallibility  has  made  it  im- 
pregnable. Now  let  the  gentiles  rage,  and  let  the  kings  devise 
new  things,  the  church  has  come  out  triumphant  and  glorious 
from  every  contest,  her  march  from  now  forward  will  be  more 
glorious  than  in  any  of  the  ages  of  the  past. 


fHE  diocese  has  all  the  spiritual  perfections  of  the  universal 
church  its   mother  from  which  it  was  born.     As    the  Son 
lives  in  the  Father,  as  the  universal  church  lives  in  Christ 
her  head,  in  the   same   way  the   particular  churches,  the 
diocese  and  parish  live  in  the  univ-ersal  church. 

But  now  we  begin  to  see  the  imperfections  of  creatures.  The 
dioceses  are  not  immortal  like  the  universal  church.  Only  one, 
the  diocese  of  Rome,  is  immortal,  indestructible,  eternal.  Ronie 
is  everlasting  because  of  its  peculiar  and  remarkable  relation  with 
the  universal  church,  of  which  it  is  the  centre  and  the  heart. 
Thus  while  other  dioceses  may  fail,  while  their  people  may  lose 
the  faith,  while  their  sees  may  be  overturned  by  wars  or  be  wiped 
out  by  conquest,  the  diocese  of  Rome  alone  stands,  eternal,  inde- 


"FEED  MY  LAMBS' 


FEED  MY  SHEEP."— JOHN  XXI,  16-17. 


390  WHY  ROME  IS  THE  ETERNAL  CITY. 

struct! ble,  immortal,  because  it  is  upheld  by  the  power  of  the  Son 
of  God,  whose  Vicar  is  the  bishop  of  tliat  central  Roman  diocese. 
Thus  we  read  that  all  the  old  dioceses  founded  by  the  apostles,  or 
by  their  successors,  fell  away  and  died,  while  the  See  of  Peter, 
the  Eoman  diocese  alone  rises  above  the  ruins  of  the  ancient 
world,  still  she  holds  aloffc  its  head  the  Papacy  in  all  its  strength, 
beauty  and  indestructibility.  Where  is  the  diocese  of  Hippo,  the 
chair  of  the  great  St.  Augustine?  Where  is  ancient  Carthage  the 
see  of  St.  Cyprian?  Where  is  the  archdioc^e  of  St.  Mark  at 
Alexandria?  Where  is  Epiiesus  the  diocese  of  Timothy  and  the 
house  of  St.  John?  The  schismatic  or  half  pagan  Copts  are  the 
remains  of  the  once  flourishing  christian  church  of  Egypt,  where 
for  centuries  every  apostolic  virtue  bloomed  and  in  the  Nile  valley 
flourished.  Where  is  Cesarea  the  church  of  the  great  St.  Bazil? 
From  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  under  Titusand  Vespasian,  when 
not  a  stone  was  left  upon  a  stone,  as  foretold  by  the  prophets  and 
by  our  Lord,  when  the  very  site  of  the  holy  city  was  plowed  and 
sowed,  to  the  beginning  of  the  IV.  century,  the  very  name  of 
Christ  was  blotted  from  the  see  of  St.  James.  ^Elia  was  the  name 
of  Jerusalem  till  Helena,  Constantine's  sainted  mother  found 
the  holy  site  of  Calvary  and  there  restored  again  the  worship  of 
the  living  God.  Again  the  Moliammedans,  the  Saracens  laid  waste 
the  great  apostolic  cities,  and  again  the  lines  of  the  bishops  of  the 
apostolic  sees  were  broken.  Alone  amid  the  ruins  of  the  ancient 
world  the  See  of  Peter  stood,  and  still  she  stands  to  our  day,  the  only 
direct  Apostolic  See.  Her  Bishops  alone  go  back  in  an' unbroken 
line  to  the  days  of  her  first  Pope  Peter.  Was  not  this  the  work  of  holy 
Providence  carr3'ing  out  the  words  of  Christ  to  Peter:  *'  on  this  rock 
I  will  build  my  church  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  her.  "  '  The  ancient  sees  of  the  apostles  have  perished 
from  the  earth.  War,  conquest,  famine,  infidelity  have  done 
their  work.  The  apostolic  dioceses  now  live  only  in  the  persons 
of  their  titular  bishops,  who  rule  other  churches  in  the  name  of 
the  Pope,  as  vicars  apostolic,  as  assistant  bishops,  or  they  live 
attached  to  the  congregation  of  Rome  aiding  the  Pope  in  his  uni- 
versal government  of  the  church. 

How  history  has  proved  the  words  of  the  Lord  to  Peter  that  he 
was  to  be  the  rock  of  eternity.  In  the  Chaldean  language  spoken 
by  our  Lord  and  probably  by  Adam,  as  well  as  in  neaiTy  all  the 
ancient  tongues,  Peter  means  the  Rock  the  Stone.  And  that 
Peter,  that  Rock,  came  to  Rome  and  there  became  the  foundation 
Stone  of  the  universal  church.  His  body  still  rests  under  the 
great  St.  Peter's  church  as  the  corner  stone  of  that  greatest  tem- 
ple built  to  the  worship  of  the  true  God.  On  that  Rock,  that  is 
on  Peter  and  on  his  successors,  the  Lord  built  his  church  and 
against  them  the  gates  of  hell  will  never  prevail. 

While  Rome  has  stood,  while  the  diocese  of  Peter  never  waved 
in  the  faith,  the  other  dioceses  have  not  been  as  immovable  in 

>  Matb.  zvl.  19. 


CHKIST  HEAD  OF  THE  KOMAN  DIOCESE.  391 

truth.  The  great  christian  churches  of  other  lands  may  fall  away 
from  the  religion  of  Christ,  such  as  Canterbury,  Jerusalem,  Con- 
stantinople, Cappadocia,  Alexandria,  Antioch,  &c.,  because  of 
the  sins  of  the  people,  or  because  of  the  secret  designs  of  God 
which  we  cannot  now  understand,  but  the  church  universal  with 
its  central  diocese  Rome  will  last  forever,  to  show  the  truth  of  the 
prophecy  of  Christ.  Thus  the  Roman  diocese  is  upheld  from  on 
high,  for  its  head  its  sumit  is  crowned  by  the  Person  of  Christ  the 
Son  of  God  himself.  It  has  withstood  the  greatest  onslaughts 
that  any  government  has  ever  met,  and  lived,  and  still  it  stands 
the  only  institution  which  binds  modern  times  with  the  dead  and 
silent  ages  of  the  world,  which  have  gone  and  which  lie  buried  in 
the  tomb  of  the  bygone  ages.  The  Roman  diocese  is  therefore  like 
a  vast  pillar  of  spiritual  light,  reaching  from  earth  to  heaven,  its 
base  jarred  and  buffeted  by  the  revolutions,  the  changes  of  time, 
and  the  weakness  of  fallen  human  nature,  but  it  is  upheld  by 
Christ  himself,  for  it  is  his  diocese,  and  the  Pope  is  only  his  Vicar 
General,  ruling  it  for  him  till  he  comes  again. 

Christ  therefore  founded  the  dioceses  in  the  persons  of  the 
apostles,  the  first  bishops  of  his  church.  His  design  was  to  divide 
the  whole  world  into  small  districts  and  territories,  over  each  to 
be  a  bishop  ruling  for  Christ  that  part  of  the  people  of  God. 
While  the  chief  matters  which  related  to  the  whole  church  be- 
long to  the  central  authority  of  Rome,  the  simpler  matters  of 
administration,  the  carrying  out  of  the  discipline,  the  administra- 
tion of  property,  the  purely  local  affairs  were  to  be  left  in  the 
hands  of  the  other  bishops.  Each  diocese  has  then  at  its  head  a 
bishop,  the  chief  minister  of  Christ,  in  whose  person  and  author- 
ity the  whole  clergy  and  laity  see  Christ  himself.  The  diocese  as 
well  as  the  whole  church  is  the  spouse  of  Christ.  Through  the 
bishop,  at  her  head,  who  wears  the  marriage  ring,  the  diocese  is 
wedded  to  Christ.  She  has  all  the  riches  of  the  graces  of  Christ 
her  spouse.  The  bishop  by  the  laying  on  of  hands  brings  forth 
his  clergy,  the  fruit  of  the  superabundance  of  the  complete 
Priesthood  of  Christ.  He  administers  the  saving  sacraments,  the 
channels  of  the  graces  of  the  Crucified.  He  enforces  the  rules 
and  laws  of  the  universal  church.  He  celebrates  the  wonders 
of  the  crucifixion  and  of  the  last  supper  in  the  Mass  each 
Sunday,  and  the  Gospel  he  preaches  to  the  people.  All  the  bene- 
fits and  the  riches  of  the  universal  church  are  in  the  dioceses. 
That  is  the  nature  of  any  living  organism.  Whatever  is  in  it  is 
also  found  in  each  and  every  part  of  it.  Each  part  of  the  church, 
each  diocese,  each  parish  is  a  reproduction  of  the  whole  church. 
'^  Whatever  belongs  to  the  whole  organism  in  a  certain  way  it 
appears  also  to  belong  to  a  part.  "  ' 

But  we  must  not  fall  into  the  error  of  thinking  that  the  dioceses 
and  churches  are  independent,  one  of  the  other,  or  that  they  form 
so  many  independent  churches.     They  are  all   in   the   universal 
*  St.  Peter  Dam.  Lit.  Com.  v-  vol.  c.  6. 


392  HOW  DIOCESES  ARE  FOUNDED. 

church.  They  are  the  members  of  her  that  is  the  body  of  Christ. 
Each  diocese  being  a  perfect  church  within  and  living  in  the  uni- 
versal church,  there  is  a  perfect  home  government  in  each  diocese. 
But  they  are  all  subject  to  the  central  diocese  Rome,  for  the  dio- 
ceses live  not  in  themselves  but  in  the  universal  church,  of  which 
the  Roman  Pontiff  is  the  universal  bishop  and  the  Vicar  of  Christ, 
who  is  the  head  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  whole  church.  Hence 
those  who  try  to  find  the  model  and  the  image  of  the  church  in 
earthly  governments  will  be  mistaken,  for  she  was  formed  and 
modeled  according  to  the  image  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  '*  She  ad- 
heres to  the  heavenly  mysteries.  She  is  founded  on  the  divine 
stability.  " ' 

Thus  as  Christ  is  the  head  and  the  spouse  of  the  church, 
by  whom  he  brings  forth  his  spiritual  sons  and  his  daughters,  so 
the  Pope,  his  vicar,  is  the  spouse  of  the  diocese  of  Rome,  and 
each  bishop  is  the  spouse  of  his  diocese,  as  the  pastor  is  of  his 
parish.  The  Holy  Ghost  organizes  the  churches  and  brings  these 
forth  as  so  many  images  of  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity,  "  made 
conformable  to  the  image  of  his  Son.  "^  That  Holy  Ghost  who  is 
the  Breadth  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son,  he  was  promised  to  the 
world  to  be  sent  by  the  Father  and  by  the  Son,  when  he  breatlied 
on  his  disciples  saying:  ^'Receive  ye  the  Holv  Ghost.  " '  That 
same  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  the  bond  of  union  between  the  Father 
ind  the  Son,  he  is  at  the  same  time  the  bond  of  union  between 
)he  Pope  and  the  bishops,  between  the  clergy  and  their  bishop, 
and  between  the  people  and  their  pastors.  By  the  bishops,  as 
the  chief  ministers  of  Christ,  the  Holy  Ghost  teaches  the  races  of 
men.  "  The  bishop  has  the  power  of  enlightening,  because  he 
resembles  the  Father  of  lights,  and  abundantly  he  has  this  power. 
There  is  but  one  grace  and  power  and  order  coming  forth  from 
God  first,  and  from  the  Father  alone  and  from  the  bishop.  "  * 

As  Christ  the  eternal  Bishop  of  bishops,  comes  down  from  his 
supernatural  sanctuary,  the  bosom  of  his  Father,  into  the  world 
to  found  his  universal  church,  which  he  rules  by  his  Vicar  the 
Bishop  of  Rome,  so  the  church  universal  by  the  voice  of  the  Vicar 
of  Christ,  sends  the  bishop  into  the  diocese  to  be  her  head,  her 
spouse,  as  Christ  is  the  spouse  and  the  head  of  the  church,  as  the 
Father  is  the  head  of  Christ.  The  bishop,  head  of  the  diocese 
sends  the  pastor  to  the  parish,  to  rule  and  govern  it  in  the  name 
of  Christ  the  head  of  every  church  on  earth. 

The  world  then  is  a  great  diocese,  of  which  Christ  is  the  head, 
and  the  Bishop  of  Rome  is  his  Vicar  General  ruling  and  adminis- 
tering it  till  he  returns.  The  dioceses  are  the  great  parishes  of 
the  universal  church,  and  the  Pope  is  their  Bishop.  But  the 
bishops  divide  their  dioceses  into  parishes,  and  over  each  they  ap- 
point a  rector.  Wonderful  is  the  church  in  her  sublime  perfec- 
tions, the  last  and  most  stupendous  work  of  the  Almighty.     God 

>  St.  Cyprian  De  Unit.  Eccl.  C.  6.  n.  6.  »  Bom.  vlll.  20.  •  John  x.  22. 

*  Simeon  Tbaa.  de  Sacer.  Ord.  c.  1. 


ALL  PERFECTIONS  OF  THE  DIOCESE  IN  THE  BISHOPS.  393 

the  Father  embracing  the  Son,  who  came  to  earth,  Father  and 
Son  giving  all  their  divinity  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  comes  into 
the  world  and  forms  the  universal  church  of  the  fallen  race  of 
Adam.  The  universal  church  gives  birth  to  the  diocese,  and  the 
latter  to  the  parish,  which  bring  forth  the  laity  ''  born  again 
of  water  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost "  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  ail 
peoples  and  churches  being  held  together  by  the  bond  of  the  very 
Trinity.  "  That  you  also  may  have  fellowship  with  us  and  that 
our  fellowship  may  be  with  the  Father  and  with  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ. '"  Thus  as  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  diocese  and  church,  we 
are  all  united  to  him,  and  through  him  to  the  Persons  of  the  Tri- 
nity, "  I  in  them  and  thou  in  me  that  they  be  made  perfect  in  one."' 
The  adorable  Persons  of  the  Trinity  are  in  the  diocese,  poured  out 
into  the  hearts  of  the  people  by  the  ministry  of  the  clergy,  all  spirit- 
ually born  of  the  infinite  richness  of  the  atonement  of  Clirist  the 
head  of  the  diocese,  "  I  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  me.  "  ' 

Thus  Christ  the  head  of  the  diocese  presides  over  it  in  the  person 
of  the  bishop  and  in  the  ministry  of  the  priests,  *' In  that  day 
you  shall  know  that  I  am  in  my  Father  and  you  in  me.  "  *  The 
body  lives  in  and  by  the  head.  As  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  dio- 
cese, so  the  members  of  the  diocese  live  and  move  and  have  their 
whole  spiritual  being  in  Christ,  who  is  their  head.  As  St.  Ambrose 
speaking  of  the  universal  church  said:  "  Where  Peter  is  there  is 
the  church  "  "  so  we  can  say  that  the  whole  diocese  lives  and  has 
its  being  in  the  person  of  the  bishop.  According  to  the  designs  of 
Christ,  all  the  learning  of  the  clergy,  all  the  sanctity  of  the  people, 
all  the  virtues  of  the  whole  diocese  should  centre  in  the  perfections 
of  the  bishop,  as  all  the  perfections  of  the  universal  church  centre 
in  Christ.  "You  must  know  that  the  church  is  in  the  bishop 
and  the  bishop  in  the  church.  "  *  Each  bishop  therefore  should 
be  a  model  of  every  virtue  and  learning  to  both  clergy  and  people, 
as  the  Bishop  of  Eome  shows  every  virtue  and  perfection  of  law 
and  of  order  to  the  other  bishops  and  dioceses  of  the  world.  *'  It 
is  necessary  that  where  the  bishop  is  there  is  his  people,  as  where 
Jesus  Christ  is  there  is  the  catholic  church.  "  ' 

All  science  and  learning  centre  in  Christ.  For  *'all  things  were 
by  him  made,  and  without  him  was  nothing  made  that  was  made.''  * 
The  sciences  of  the  saints,  the  knowledge  of  holy  things  are  found 
in  the  Pope  the  Vicar  of  him,  to  whose  image  and  likeness  they 
were  niade.  To  him  in  the  person  of  Peter  was  given  to  feed  the 
laity,  the  lambs,  and  the  other  diocese  the  sheepfolds  of  Christ. 
Alone  of  all  the  bishops  of  the  world,  he  confirms  the  bishops 
whom  satan  hath  desired  to  sift  as  wheat.  Aloft,  sitting  on  the 
Chair  of  Peter,  crowned  with  the  triple  crown  of  the  teaching, 
the  sanctifying  and  the  ruling  powers  of  Christ  the  Prophet, 
Priest  and  King  of  ages,  to  whom  be  power  and  glory  the  immor- 
tal and   invisible   God, "  *    the   Bishop   of  the   Roman   diocese 

1  John  1.  3.  2  John  xvii.  33.  «  joi,n  xiv.  10,  *  John  xiv.  20. 

•  St.  Ambrose  In  Psalm  xl.  30.  •  St.  Cyprian. 

'  St.  Ignatius  of  Antioch  Epist.  Ad  Smyr.  n.  8.  *  John  I.  »  I.  Tim.  I. 


394  WHERE   ARE  THE  FALLEK  DIOCESES? 

guards  the  '^deposit  of  faith,  "  given  to  the  saints.  From  him 
go  forth  apostolic  men  into  every  diocese  and  parish,  teachers 
of  the  nations  sitting  in  the  darkness  of  death. 

Shining  with  the  spiritual  light  of  Christ,  reflected  from  the 
everlasting  Throne  of  the  Fisherman  of  Galilee,  bishops  preach 
the  Gospel  of  the  Crucified,  administer  the  sacraments,  rule 
churches,  because  they  partake  in  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Vicar  of 
our  blessed  Lord.  He  is  the  administrator  of  the  constitution  and 
the  laWs  of  the  church  universal.  Sent  by  him  the  bishops  come 
into  their  dioceses,  bearing  all  the  spiritual  riches  of  their  pastor- 
ate, giving  them  without  money  and  without  price  to  the  races 
and  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Following  then  these  principles,  the  dioceses  live  in  the  persons 
of  their  bishops..  Even  the  fallen  churches,  the  once  flourishing 
dioceses  of  Asia,  of  Africa  and  of  other  parts  of  the  world,  but 
now  fallen  from  their  ancient  glories,  still  they  live  in  the  persons 
of  the  titular  bishops,  who  now  bear  their  titles.  Thus  the  bish- 
ops who  have  been  consecrated  to  these  dioceses,  bear  radically  in 
their  persons  all  the  lights  and  privileges  of  these  ancient  fallen  sees. 

Christ  established  the  Papacy  in  Peter,  the  episcopacy  in  the 
apostles  and  the  priests  and  ministers  in  the  disciples.  '  As  the 
Pope  rules  the  church  universal,  so  the  bishops  rule  their  dioceses, 
so  the  pastors  administer  their  churches.  The  Pope  appoints 
the  bishops,  the  bishop  appoints  the  rectors  of  the  churches  of  the 
dioceses.  Christ  laying  down  the  supreme  principles  of  the  con- 
stitution of  the  church,  appointed  the  Papacy,  the  episcopacy  as 
well  as  the  priests  and  the  ministers  of  the  church  as  the  Council 
of  Trent  declares.  He  founded  the  church  universal  alone,  and 
left  the  appointment  of  pastors  and  bishops  to  particular  sees,  to 
the  administration  of  the  church.  The  administration  of  the 
church  is  an  act  of  jurisdiction,  and  it  belongs  to  the  Bishop  of 
Rome,  in  whom  alone  centres  all  jurisdiction  in  the  church. 

The  bishop  saving  Mass,  administering  the  sacraments  or  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  is  the  most  perfect  image  of  Christ.  He  does  so 
according  to  the  laws  of  the  universal  church.  In  him  the  clergy 
and  people  see  Christ  the  Bishop  of  eternity.  "  He  that  receiv- 
eth  you  receiveth  me.  He  that- despiseth  you  despiseth  me." 
That  relates  not  only  to  the  Pope,  to  the  bishop,  but  in  a  less  de- 
gree to  any  pastor,  to  any  minister  of  Christ.  For  the  ministers 
of  Christ  preach  not  themselves  but  "  Christ  and  him  crucified.  "  * 
The  bishop  is  the  head  of  the  diocese.  He  is  the  father  of  all  the 
faithful  in  the  diocese.  For  he  brings  forth  his  spiritual  children, 
his  priests  and  clergymen  by  rite  of  holy  ordination.  They  are  the 
images  of  himself.  The  Priests  he  ordains  are  his  sons  whom  he 
brings  forth  to  God.  He  feeds  his  children  by  the  words  of  life, 
by  good  example,  by  heavenly  food,  by  the  teachings  of  eternal 
life.  Happy  is  the  diocese  and  the  clergy  who  have  a  bishop 
after  the  heart  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  lives  the  life  of  the  Master. 

»  ConcU.  Trident.  «  I.  Cot.  U.  2. 


WHERE  THE  CHURCH  IS  VISIBLE.  395 

The  good  bishop  loves  his  clergy;  looks  on  them  as  a  father  on 
his  children;  he  upholds  the  good  priest;  he  rewards  the  men  of 
God;  he  defends  the  weak;  he  treats  them  with  justice,  be- 
nignity, gentleness,  kindness;  he  is  clothed  with  the  bowels  of 
the  mercy  of  Jesus  Christ,  with  forgiveness  looking  down  from  on 
high  on  those  who  falter  on  the  way.  Behold  his  name  will  be  called 
blessed,  his  clergy  and  people  will  love  him,  they  will  uphold  him; 
like  Moses  on  the  mount,  they  will  stand  under  his  weary  hands, 
strengthening  him  till  he  gains  the  victory  over  all  enemies  of  the 
Lord  and  of  his  church.  Both  clergy  and  people  will  love  him 
because  he  is  "like  unto  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  full  of 
grace  and  truth"  '  who  ''  for  us  men  and  for  our  salvation  left  the 
bosom  of  his  Father,  came  down  from  heaven  and  was  made  man 
and  dwelt  among  us'"*  to  show  pa'stors  how  to  rule  their  sub- 
jects. 

The  church  universal  then  becomes  individualized  and  person- 
ified in  the  person  of  the  Roman  Pontiff,  as  God  the  Son  became 
visible  and  walked  the  earth,  as  Christ  both  God  and  man.  Now 
invisible  to  the  eyes  of  men,  he  is  visible  to  us  in  the  person  of 
his  Vicar  or  in  the  other  bishops  or  pastors,  the  ministers  of  Christ 
the  spiritual  heads  of  the  churches,  wherein  God  dwells  whose 
*'  delights  are  to  be  with  the  children  of  men.  "  As  the  laity  are 
under  their  bishops  and  pastor,  so  the  bishops  and  pastors  are 
under  their  superior  in  the  Roman  See.  In  spiritual  power  the 
clergy  are  the  same  as  Christ,  because  the  sacraments  adminis- 
tered by  them  are  the  very  same  in  healing  power  as  though 
Christ  himself  came  and  gave  them.  For  to  them  in  the  persons 
of  the  apostles  the  Lord  said:  "  All  power  is  given  me  in  heaven 
and  on  earth.  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations.  ""  "What- 
soever thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth  it  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven, 
and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth  it  shall  be  loosed  al- 
so in  heaven.  "*  The  Pope  has  this  power  over  the  canons  and 
laws  made  by  himself  or  by  his  predecessors  in  every  age.  He 
binds  and  loosens  the  doors  of  heaven,  by  making  laws  for  the 
good  of  the  community  which  bind  the  consciences  of  men.  For 
being  the  Vicar  of  him,  who  received  all  power  from  his  Father  in 
heaven  and  on  earth,  he  is  the  chief  legislator  of  the  church  uni- 
versal and  of  each  diocese,  for  he  takes  the  place  of  him  who  is 
the  real  head  of  every  church  and  congregation  in  the  world. 
Leaving  untouched  and  inviolate  the  laws  of  God  in  the  revelation 
and  the  primary  truths  of  human  reason,  the  Bishop  of  Rome  can 
annul,  reform  or  abrogate  every  law  enacted  by  the  councils  or  by 
his  predecessors,  for  he  has  the  same  power  and  authority  as  they 
had.     To  him  was  given  charge  of  the  sheepfolds  of  Christ. 

For  Christ  in  heaven  now  reigns  over  the  spiritual  church  re- 
joicing in  the  happiness  of  these  celestial  abodes.  There,  as  the 
head  of  "the  saints  made  perfect,"  high  over  the  prophets,  patri- 
archs, over  angels  and  archangels,  "the  first  born  among  many  breth- 

1  John  I.  2  Nlcene  Creed.  '  Matt,  xxvill.  19.  <  Matt.  xvi.  19. 


896  WHAT  UNITES  THE  CHURCH  ? 

ren,"  there  sits  Christ  as  the  head  of  the  church  universal.  But 
the  church  universal  takes  in  not  only  the  saints  in  heaven  and 
the  saints  not  yet  made  perfect,  but  those  who  after  death  still 
suffer  for  their  sins  and  faults.  He  is  at  the  same  time  the  head 
of  the  church  on  earth.  But  he  presides  on  earth  in  the  person 
of  the  Bishop  of  Kome  over  all  the  dioceses  into  which  the  church 
on  earth  divides.  We  give  some  of  the  beautiful  words  of  St. 
Ignatius,  the  second  archbishop  of  Antioch  after  St.  Peter  and  dis- 
ciple of  the  Prince  of  the  apostles.  As  he  lived  in  the  apostolic  age 
his  words  have  great  weight:  "1  ask  you  to  unite  to  the  Sentence 
of  God,  for  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Sentence  of  the  Father,  as  the  bish- 
ops scattered  over  the  world  are  the  sentences  of  Jesus  Christ; 
and  you  *  should  unite  in  the  words  of  the  bishop,  because  your 
worthy  priests  of  God  unite  with  and  harmonize  with  the  bishops 
as  the  strings  of  a  lyre,  and  thus  in  your  union  and  in  your  charity 
Jesus  Christ  is  praised  without  ceasing."'  In  another  place  he 
says:  "I  think  you  are  happy,  you  who  are  united  to  your  bishops, 
as  the  church  is  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  as  Jesus  Christ  is  to  his  Fath- 
er."' "If  the  prayer  of  one  or  two  has  such  power,  how  much 
greater  that  of  the  bishop  and  the  whole  church  united."  "It  is  then 
true  that  we  should  receive  the  bishop  as  the  Lord  himself."* 
"Obey  the  bishop  and  the  priests  as  one  undivided." "  These 
words,  still  sounding  from  the  apostolic  age,  he  wrote  when  he  was 
about  to  die  the  most  horrible  death  of  martyrdom,  and  consequent- 
ly his  words  have  great  weight. 

The  bishop  then  the  head  of  the  diocese  takes  the  place  of 
Christ,  both  for  priests  and  people.  But  we  must  consider  the 
first  diocese  and  the  first  bishop  of  the  world.  The  bishop  and  the 
diocese  of  Eome  is  the  model  for  all  the  bishops  of  the  world,  and 
the  diocese  of  Rome  is  the  normal  and  the  pattern  according  to 
which  all  the  other  dioceses  of  the  world  are  founded. 

Christ  founded  the  church  on  Peter  saying:  "Thou  art  Peter  and 
upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail  against  it."'  Peter,  the  head  of  the  apostolic  college, 
came  to  Rome.  There  on  the  very  steps  of  the  throne  of  the 
Caesars  he  fixed  his  apostolic  Chair.  "When  the  twelve  apostles  had 
received  from  the  Holy  Spirit  the  power  of  preaching  the  Gospel 
in  all  the  languages  of  the  earth,  and  when  they  divided  the  world 
among  them,  blessed  Peter  the  prince  of  the  apostolic  order,  re- 
served to  himself  the  imperial  city  and  Roman  Empire,  that  the 
law  of  truth,  which  was  to  bring  salvation  to  the  Gentiles,  might 
be  better  preached  by  him  the  head  to  the  whole  body  of  the 
world  from  the  head.  You  did  not  fear  to  come  to  this  city.  0 
most  blessed  Peter  the  apostle,  and  thy  companion  was  Paul, 
that  apostle  taken  up  with  the  ministry  of  so  many  churches.  You 
entered  this  wood  filled  with  wild  beasts  of  prey,  this  ocean  of 
deep  iniquity,  you  walked  over  it  safer  than  when  you  walked 

'  Church  of  Ephesus.  '  St.  Ignatius  Eplst.  ad  Epbesus  n.  3.  4.  •  IMdem  n.  ^. 

*  Ibidem  n.  6.  *  Ibidem  n-HO.  *  Hath.  xt.  18. 


WHAT  PETER  DID.  397 

over  the  waters.  Now  you  teach  the  people  who  believed  coming 
from  the  circumcision.  You  founded  the  church  at  Antioch, 
where  the  dignity  of  the  christian  name  rose,  you  filled  Pontus, 
Galacia,  Cappadocia,  Asia,  and  Bithania  with  your  preaching  of 
the  Gospel,"  &c.  '  • 

The  diocese  of  Peter  was  to  be  the  foundation  of  the  church. 
As  Christ  said  to  Peter:  "  And  I  say  to  thee  that  is  as  my  Fath- 
er has  shown  you  my  Divinity,  thus  I  will  show  you  your  excel- 
lency, because  thou  art  Peter  that  is,  as  I  am  the  unchangeable 
Kock,  I  the  corner  stone,  I  who  make  both  of  us  one.  I  am  the 
foundation  on  which  no  one  can  lay  another  foundation,  but 
thee  thou  also  art  a  rock,  because  thou  shalt  be  strengthened  with 
my  power,  and  those  which  belong  to  me  by  my  own  power,  I 
will  give  you,  so  they  will  be  common  to  us  both,  '  and  upon  this 
rock  I  will  build  my  church  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  it.' "  "  Upon  this  strength  I  will  build  my  everlasting  tem- 
ple, and  the  height  of  my  church  shall  pierce  the  heavetis,  and  in  the 
strength  of  this  faith  it  shall  rise.  The  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
hold  out  against  this  confession.  The  bonds  of  death  will  not 
bind  it,  for  this  word  is  the  word  of  life. . .  .Therefore  he  said  to 
blessed  Peter:  'I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  and  whatever  thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth,  it  shall  be  bound 
also  in  heaven,  and  whatever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth  it  shall 
be  loosened  in  heaven.' "  ' 

An  ancient  tradition  tells  us  that  Pontius  Pilate  sent  i-uch  on 
account  of  the  life  and  miracles  of  Christ  to  the  Roman  emperor 
Tiberius,  that  the  latter  was  veiy  angry  at  him  for  allowing  Christ 
to  be  crucified.  The  Aprocryphal  Gospels  give  some  curious  details 
of  these  times."  But  the  persecutions  at  Jerusalem  still  continu- 
ing, twelve  or  fourteen  yeai's  after  our  Lord's  ascension,  the  apos- 
tles divided  the  world  up  among  them.  St.  Peter  started  on  his 
famous  journey  to  Rome.  He  stopped  at  Antioch  and  there  he 
lived  for  seven  years.  He  used  to  travel  into  different  parts  of 
the  surrounding  countries  giving  missions  to  the  people.  He  was 
at  Jerusalem  in  the  year  37,  when  St.  Paul  came  to  see  him  and 
stayed  with  him  fifteen  days. "  The  historian  Eusebius  tells  us  that 
he  preached  to  the  Jews  in  various  parts  of  Asia,  before  setting 
out  on  his  historic  journey  for  Rome. 

When  Peter  came  to  Rome,  being  a  Jew,  he  first  preached  to 
the  Jews  residing  in  the  Jewish  quarter  of  the  imperial  city.  He 
came  in  the  year  43,  in  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Claudius.  Two 
years  after  he  returned  to  Jerusalem,  where  in  the  year  44  he  was 
arrested  and  thrown  into  prison  by  king  Herod  Agrippa,  °  from 
which  he  was  delivered  by  an  angel,  for  it  was  God's  design  that  he 
might  die  not  at  Jerusalem  but  at  Rome.  He  then  travelled  into 
many  parts  of  Asia,  preaching  and  establishing  bishops  in  many 
cities.     When  again  he  returned  to  Rome,  the  Jews  raised  such  a 

'  St.  Leo  Ser.  de  SS.  A  post.  Petri  et  Pauli  ante  raed.  ^  jjatt.  xvl.  18. 

'  St.  LeoSermoS  In  Anniv.  Assumpt.  Suae  p.  in. 

*  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints.  Si.  Peter.  *  Gal.  1. 19.  •  Acts  xU. 


398  PETER^S  OPPOSITION  IN  ROME. 

disturbance  over  his  coming,  that  the  emperor  Clandins  banished 
both  christians  and  Jews  from  the  city.  With  St.  Paul,  St,  Peter 
soon  returned  again  to  tlie  eternal  city,  and  tliere  he  made  his 
home.  He  stili  travelled  into  many  provinces,  even  into  Judea, 
but  soon  the  increase  of  the  (fluistian  religion  at  Rome  engaged 
all  his  time. 

One  of  his  first  converts  was  the  celebrated  Senator  Pudens 
and  his  daughter  Pudentiana.  The  latter  waited  on  tiie  Prince 
of  the  apostles  in  lier  father's  house,  where  Peter  took  up  his 
permanent  abode.  The  table  on  which  Peter  said  Mass  in  this 
senator's  house  has  been  preserved  in  Rome  as  a  relic  of  the  times 
of  the  great  apostle.  We  must  remember  that  the  sctiators  of  the 
time  of  Christ  were  great  and  powerful  men,  which  Pyrhus  com- 
pared to  kings.  At  that  time  they  had  collectively  greater  power 
than  kings  at  the  present  time.  The  conversion  of  this  cele- 
brated and  wealthy  family  gave  not  only  a  place  of  residence  for 
the  prince  of  the  apostle,  but  the  power  and  the  standing  of  this 
family  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Roman  nobility. 

Peter  found  opposition  from  an  unexpected  source.  The  reader 
Avill  remember,  that  when  Peter  went  to  comfirm  the  converts  of 
Samaria '  when  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost  the  made  new 
converts  worked  many  miracles.  Simon  Magns  had  practised  his 
trickery  and  magic  amojig  the  Samarians,  and  being  in  league  with 
the  devil  he  had  deceived  many  of  them.  He  wanted  to  perform 
as  great  wonders  as  he  saw  the  apostle  and  the  converts  work,  and 
he  offered  Peter  money  for  the  power  of  conferring  the  sacrament 
of  confirmation.  For  that  inculent,  to  buy  spiritual  things  with 
money  or  with  worldly  gifts  is  called  the  sin  of  simony. 

Simon  was  a  complete  hypocrite,  yet  he  pretended  to  be  a  firm 
christian.  The  works  of  Simon  made  him  famons  and  liis  reputa- 
tion spread  even  to  Rome,  where  he  wejit  and  soon  made  an  im- 
pression on  the  superstitious  Roman  people,  especially  on  the  mind 
of  the  emperor.  In  Rome  all  the  errors  of  the  world  had  found  a 
resting  place,  and  Simon  was  received  with  great  favor,  even  di- 
vine honors  being  offered  to  him,  and  on  an  island  in  the  Tiber  tliey 
erected  to  him  a  statue  with  an  inscription. "  Above  all  he  ex- 
erted agreat  influence  on  Messalina,  wife  of  the  emperor  Claudius. 
Because  of  her  adulteries  and  crimes,  Messalina  was  put  to  death 
in  the  year  48,  and  then  the  emperor  Claudius,  who  was  like  a 
child  with  gray  hairs  and  as  big  a  fool  as  ever  reigned  took  to  wife 
his  niece  Agrapina,  a  crime  till  then  condemned  by  the  Roman 
law.  By  her  first  husband  Agrapina  had  a  son  Nero,  whom  Chin- 
dius  adopted  as  his  own  son,  although  he  had  another  son  by 
Messalina  called  Britanicus.  This  bad  woman  pushed  Claudius 
to  every  extreme,  and  enflamed  the  Romans  against  the  church. 
Thus  rose  the  first  persecution  against  the  Christiana.  It  was  di- 
rected especially  against  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul.  In  tlie  year  51 
Agrapina  poisoned  the  emperor  Claudius,  and  by  a  series  of  aw- 
>  Acts.  *  "SeiQoni  Deo  Sancio."  SU.  Justin.  Ireneus.  TertuIMsD.  &c- 


PETER  AT  NERO'S  COURT.  399 

ful  crimes,  she  prepared  the  way  to  the  throne  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire for  her  son  Nero,  who  became  the  greatest  monster  of  the  fal- 
len race  of  Adam. 

For  five  years  the  young  prince  Nero,  ruled  well,  after  he  had 
set  aside  his  bad  mother.  He  did  this  because  in  his  administration 
he  was  guided  by  his  master  Seneca.  In  the  year  55  he  poisoned 
his  brother  Britanicus  while  they  were  at  supper.  In  58  he  killed 
liis  own  mother,  so  as  to  put  her  out  of  his  way  to  complete  mastery 
of  the  throne.  Simon  Magus  soon  gained  the  esteem  of  this  tyrant, 
by  acting  on  his  supertitious  mind.  The  emjieror's  only  ambition 
was  to  become  master  of  magic.  For  this  reason  he  called  the 
chief  magicians  of  the  world  to  Rome  to  teach  him  their  magic  arts. 
This  was  the  state  of  things  when  St.  Peter  returned  to  Rome,  and 
there  he  found  as  his  chief  opponent  this  impious  Simon  Magus, 
whom  before  he  had  met  at  Samaria. 

Peter  continually  suffered  from  the  persecutions  and  the  plottings 
of  this  Simon  the  Sfagician,  who  had  become  the  leader  of  the  Jews 
agait\st  him.  When  St.  Paul  returned  from  his  preaching  among 
tlie  gentiles,  after  the  Romans  thought  him  dead,  Peter  told  Paul 
all  the  difficulties  raised  before  him  by  this  bad  Simon. ^  It  is  said, 
but  we  do  not  vouch  for  its  truthfulness,  that  when  a  tumult  rose 
between  the  Gentiles  and  the  Jews,  St.  Paul  came  to  Rome  and 
Peter  rose  up  and  explained  how  as  Eve  was  created  out  of  the  side 
of  Adam  so  the  church  came  out  of  the  side  of  Christ  &c.  At  this 
Sermon  Nero's  wife  Libia  believed,  and  was  baptized,  besides  a  slave 
of  Agrippa  and  some  of  the  soldiers,  as  well  attendants  on  the  bed- 
chamber of  the  emperor  Nero. 

The  eloquence  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  penetrated  every  mind, 
and  the  church  at  Rome  was  growing  rapidly,  when  Simon  Magus 
rose  up  to  oppose  the  good  work.  By  his  magic  he  made  statues 
move,  he  raised  himself  in  the  air  and  did  other  wonders,  while 
Peter  healed  the  sick,  gave  sight  to  the  blind  and  even  raised  the 
dead,  performing  miracles  like  to  his  Divine  Master.  Peter  and 
Simon  each  had  their  following,  and  such  a  noise  was  raised  that  the 
tumult  came  to  the  ears  of  Nero,  who  first  sent  for  Simon  and  then 
for  the  apostle  St.  Peter.  Simon  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
while  St.  Peter  told  the  emperor  that  he  was  an  imposter,  and  ad- 
vised the  emperor  to  look  up  the  report  of  Pontius  Pilate  about 
Christ  sent  in  to  his  predecessor  the  emperor  Tiberius.  The  report 
having  been  read  before  the  court  as  given  by  Pilate,  relating  that 
the  Jews  claimed  that  the  Holy  One  of  God  would  come,  that 
Jesus  did  great  wonders,  that  the  Jews  cruqified  him,  that  the 
soldiers  guarded  his  grave,  that  he  rose  from  the  dead,  and  that 
the  Jews  bought  the  soldiers  up  to  say  that  while  they  slept  the  disci- 
ples came  and  stole  his  body  &c.  Then  Peter  told  the  emperor 
how  all  these  things  took  place  as  related  in  Pilate's  letter. 

The  dispute  between  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  on  one  side,  and  Simon 
Magus  on  the  other  waxed  strong  and  warm  for  many  days  before 
'  Acts  or  Peter  and  Paul  Aprocr.  Gospels. 


400  DEATH  or  STS.  PETER  A.KD  PAUL. 

the  emperor's  court,  till  Simon  claimed  that  if  the  emperor  put  him 
to  death  he  would  rise  on  the  third  day.  Then  they  secretly  put 
a  ram  to  death,  and  Simon's  followers  claimed  that  Simon  was 
beheaded.  Simon  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  But  when  he 
found  that  Nero  inclined  to  believe  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul,  he  prom- 
ised to  ascend  into  heaven  to  his  Father,  from  the  top  of  a  tower 
as  Christ  had  ascended  from  the  mount  of  Olives. 

Nero  ordered  a  lofty  tower  built  in  the  Campus  Martins,  and 
the  next  day  the  whole  city  turned  out  to  see  the  ascension. 
When  Simon  went  up  into  the  tower  St. Paul  fell  upon  his  kneesand 
began  to  pray.  Crowned  with  laurels  Simon  began  to  fly,  held  up 
aloft  it  is  said  by  demons.  Then  Peter  with  Paul  prayed  to  the 
Lord,  that  he  might  fall.  At  once  Simon  Magus  fell  from  a  great 
height  into  the  street  Via  Sacra,  and  broke  his  legs  and  later  he 
died  from  his  injuries. 

His  followers  claiming  that  he  would  rise  from  the  dead  the 
third  day,  the  emperor  imprisoned  the  two  apostles  in  the  Mamer- 
tine  prison,  where  they  converted  their  guards.  The  emperor 
condemned  them  to  be  killed  in  a  sea  fight  for  the  amusement  of 
the  populace.  But  Agrippa  advised  that  they  be  put  to  death  by 
violence.  St.  Paul  was  a  Roman  citizen,  and  Romans  were  never 
condemned  to  the  disgraceful  and  excruciating  death  of  crucifix- 
ion, he  was  beheaded  outside  the  walls  at  the  Three  Fountains. 
A  few  days  before  St.  Peter,  fearing  the  terrible  persecution  had 
fled  from  the  city.  Outside  the  walls  he  met  our  Lord  bearing  his 
cross  towards  the  city.  Peter  asked  him  where  he  was  going,  and 
Christ  replied:  '*  To  Rome  to  be  crucified."  Taking  the  hint  the 
apostle  again  returned  to  the  city.'  Remembering  that  he  had 
denied  his  Master,  when  they  were  about  to  crucify  him,  Peter 
asked  that  he  might  be  crucified  with  his  head  down.  Thus  died 
the  great  apostles  on  the  ;i9th  of  June  in  the  year  66. 

Marcellus,  Basilissa,  and  Anastasia  with  others,  took  the  body 
of  St.  Peter  and  hid  it  under  the  terebinth  of  the  circus  on  the 
Vatican  hill.  A  little  oratory  rose  over  their  tomb.  There  the 
bodies  of  both  apostles  found  a  resting  place,  while  their  heads 
were  afterwards  placed  in  the  Pope's  cathedral  St.  John  Lateran. 
When  in  313  Constantino  repaired  the  tomb,  and  built  the  great 
St.  Peter's  church,  he  placed  the  bodies  in  metalic  caskets,  on  the 
lid  of  which  he  laid  a  cross  of  gold  weighing  150  lbs.  Over 
their  bodies  to-day  stands  the  great  St.  Peter's  Church,  the 
grandest  church  raised  to  the  glory  of  the  Living  God.  The 
crypt  where  rest  the  bodies  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  is  called  the 
Confession  of  St.  Peter.  In  the  days  of  Constantino,  before  ho 
moved  the  seat  of  the  empire  to  the  banks  of  the  Bosphorus  and 
founded  the  great  capital  of  Constantinople,  he  covered  the  M'alls 
of  the  Confession  of  St.  Peter's  with  plates  of  gold  encrusted 
with  most  precious  gems. 

In  the  days  of  the  pagan  empire,  captive  kings  and  conquered 

*  Boman  Tradition.  Apocryphal  Gospels,  Arti  of  Peter  and  Paal. 


INFLUENCE  OF  ROME  ON  NATIONS.  401 

nations  thronged  the  streets  of  Rome.  But  they  came  as  slaves. 
From  the  days  of  Peter  strangers  still  come  to  Rome,  but  they 
come  as  christians  rescued  from  the  darkness  of  error  walking  in 
tlie  light  of  the  Gospel.  They  come  to  the  feet  of  the  successor 
of  the  humble  Fisherman  of  Galilee,  and  to  the  tomb  of  the  two 
great  apostles  Peter  and  Paul.  Each  bishop  of  the  universal 
church  must  come  and  give  an  account  of  his  diocese  to  Peter 
in  his  successor.  Once  each  three  years  come  the  bishops  of  It- 
aly, the  bishops  of  Europe  every  four  years,  and  the  bishops  of 
Ireland,  of  Asia  and  of  America,  every  ten  years  must  render  an  ac- 
count of  their  stewardship  to  the  the  Pope,  and  pray  at  the  tombs 
of  the  great  apostles,  and  their  visits  are  called  their  visits  to 
"  Limina  Apostolorum," — Tombs  of  the  Apostles.  Tiius  the  great 
St.  Peter's  Church  is  the  tomb  of  Peter  the  first  Bishop  of  Rome. 
In  the  sixteenth  century  Clement  VII.,  with  cardinal  Bellarmin 
and  the  members  of  the  Papal  court  went  down  into  the  Confession 
and  found  the  casket  and  tlie  cross  of  gold  placed  on  it  by  Constan- 
tine  in  312.  From  the  days  of  the  apostles,  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul, 
Rome  and  her  Bishops  ever  stood  as  a  lighthouse  to  guide  the  na- 
tions sitting  in  the  darkness  of  death  and  error.  But  the  gates  of 
hell  rose  up  against  that  throne,  and  for  300  years  the  whole  power 
of  pagan  Rome  raged  against  the  church,  personified  in  her  /isible 
head,  the  successor  of  Peter.  But  the  Popes  at  once  began  the 
providential  work  given  them  by  God.  The  sons  of  Esau  child 
of  Isaac,  who  sold  his  birthright  to  his  younger  brother  Jacob 
the  father  of  the  Jews,  his  children  having  settled  Italy,  the 
Jews  rejected  the  Lord,  who  chose  the  Italians  children  of  Esau,  as 
the  people  selected  for  the  seat  of  the  Papacy,  and  the  children  of 
Esau  received  at  last  his  birthright.  From  that  time,  Rome  and 
not  Jerusalem,  became  the  city  of  God. 

The  Popes  at  once  began  the  conversion  of  paganism.  Up  to 
that  time  there  was  no  law  or  courts  where  Justice  was  found 
among  men.  The  Popes  issued  laws  and  canons  to  every  nation, 
people,  and  church.  The  church  tempered  the  cruelty  of  these 
pagan  idolaters  by  wise  and  just  regulations.  Oufside  her  pale 
there  was  neither  mercy,  forgiveness,  or  justice  for  the  fallen. 
The  Bishops  of  Rome  thundered  against  the  oppressions  of  rulers 
grinding  their  subjects.  The  ignorant  laity,  crushed  with  the 
weight  of  sin  and  of  bad  rulers,  found  that  the  clergy  were  their 
only  friends,  and  tyrants  found  in  the  church  a  power  they  had 
to  respect.  The  constitutions  of  Popes,  the  apostolic  letters  of 
the  Roman  Pontiffs,  their  bulls  and  briefs  then  became  the 
framework  of  that  wonderful  code  of  laws  the  canon  law  of  the 
church,  by  which  the  whole  vast  organism  of  Christendom  was 
ruled  and  regulated.  The  relations  of  the  people  to  their  pastors, 
the  duties  of  priests  to  the  bishops,  the  functions  of  every  office 
in  the  church,  the  way  each  sacrament  must  be  administered,  the 
official  act  of  every  officer  of  the  church,  from  the  Pope  down 
to  the  simplest  layman,  was  regulated  by  the  enactments  and  the 


402  ROMAN  INFLUENCE  ON  THE  WORLD. 

laws  made  by  the  Popes.  They  form  the  canon  or  ecclesiastical 
law  of  the  church,  which  should  be  written  in  letters  of  gold 
shining  with  the  sunlight  for  the  instruction  of  mankind. 

At  the  time  of  Christ,  the  Roman  empire  in  the  secret  designs 
of  God's  Providence  settled  by  the  sons  of  Esau,  blessed  by  Isaac 
had  spread  over  the  earth,  sending  everywhere  Roman  civiliza- 
tion, an  image  of  the  more  wonderful  destin}'  of  christian  Rome 
over  modern  christian  civilization,  as  before  the  sons  of  Japhet 
blessed  by  Noe  had  founded  the  Greek  empire.  From  the  Roman 
law  the  church  took  many  principles  of  justice  and  of  reason  be- 
tween man  and  man,  and  incorporated  them  into  her  canon  law. 
Then  having  purged  Roman  law  from  the  errors  of  paganism,  and 
incorporated  christian  principles  into  what  was  good  among  the 
Romans,  she  sent  them  blessed  with  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  to 
all  the  nations  who  received  their  faith  from  the  royal  line  of  Pe- 
ter. She  spread  these  truths  over  the  whole  christian  world. 
These  were  the  first  rays  of  the  liberty  of 'conscience,  of  the  dig- 
nity of  man  redeemed,  and  of  the  priceless  value  of  immortal 
souls.  From  that  exhaustless  font  of  the  Papacy,  in  the  later 
middle  ages,  men  drew  their  rules  of  politics,  their  forms  of  legal 
procedure,  their  framework  of  courts,  their  modes  of  government, 
their  international  law,  and  their  inspiration  for  the  bettering  of 
human  life. 

In  the  bishops'  houses,  in  the  monasteries  and  schools  of  chris- 
tian scientists,  in  the  confessional,  from  the  pulpits  of  the  churches, 
the  Gospel  truths  were  taught  the  people,  not  as  coming  from  the 
teacher  but  as  the  reflections  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  the  def- 
initions of  Peter.  All  the  founders  of  the  christian  nations  were 
taught  by  the  clergy  of  the  church,  and  from  them  the  statesmen 
of  the  middle  ages  learned  the  wisdom  of  governing  well  their 
subjects.  Under  the  shadow  of  Westminister  Abbey,  the  first  Eng- 
lish parliament  sat  inspired  by  tiie  clergy  who  infused  christian 
principles  into  the  great  nssembly  of  the  Saxons,  and  in  the  lapse 
of  ages  they  wrested  the  liberties  of  the  people  from  tyrannical 
kings.  In  France,  Spain,  Austria  and  in  every  country  of  Chris- 
tendom it  was  the  same.  From  England  we  get  our  laws  thus  pur- 
ified, and  the  people  of  this  country  must  look  to  the  clergy  and  to 
the  Popes  for  the  liberty  and  prosperity  they  enjoy. 

Under  the  eyes  of  the  Popes,  or  by  their  directions  in  the  early 
ages,  the  Missal  used  in  saying  Mass,  the  Ritual  containing  the 
prayers  in  administering  the  sacraments,  the  Pontifical  which  the 
bishop  uses  in  episcopal  functions,  the  Breviary  containing  the 
prayers  said  by  all  the  clergy  in  sacred  orders,  all  the  liturgical 
works  of  the  church  have  grown  up  from  the  apostolic  age,  and  we 
do  not  know  their  authors.  They  go  back  till  they  are  Tost  in  the 
time  following  the  apostles.  Tiie  Bible  alone  excepted,  no  Liter- 
ature can  compare  with  these  official  books  of  the  church.  The 
power  and  sublimity  of  the  Scriptures,  the  polish  and  sweetness 
of  the  finest  poetry,  the  eloquence  and  stately  figures  of  the 


JESUS  CONSOLING  AND  HEALING  THE  SICK. 


404  MYSTIC   MEANING   OF  CHURCH   BUILDINGS. 

greatest  orators,  the  mysticism  of  the  Jewish  church  and  the  tem- 
ple sacrifice,  the  grandeur  of  tlie  Greek  and  Koman  writers,  the 
matchless  compositions  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  aiitliors,  all  seem 
consecrated  and  embodied  in  these  official  works  of  the  Koman 
chnrch.  Fur  they  have  spread  to  the  uttermost  ends  of  the 
earth,  and  on  the  title  pages  you  will  see  that  they  are  the  ofiicial 
books  of  the  Eoman  diocese. 

From  the  tabernacle  of  tiie  Jews,  christian  Rome  learned  the 
fundamental  plan  of  church  bnil^^ings,  for  the  model  of  the  tab- 
ernacle came  from  God,  who  told  Moses  to  make  it  according  to 
the  model  shown  him  on  the  mount.  The  Roman  basilica  or 
court  lionse  gave  tiie  idea  of  the  gothic  and  Greek  cross.  The 
first  fine  churches  were  bnilt  in  Rome  under  the  direction  of  the 
Popes,  and  from  there  all  church  architecture  decorated  with  the 
finest  works  of  the  artists  and  sculptors,  church  buildings  spread 
over  the  world.  The  cathedral  itself  is  but  a  model  in  material 
form  of  the  diocese,  while  tlie  parish  church  is  the  ritual  embodied 
in  the  church  building,  filled  with  mysticism  of  the  revelation 
made  to  man,  which  was  treasured  up  by  the  apostolic  men, 
guarded  by  the  Bishops  of  Rome,  impressed  on  Rome's  most  beauti- 
ful building,  and  from  the  eternal  city  spread  over  the  christian 
world,  by  Christ  speaking  through  the  lips  of  his  Vicar.  Thus 
the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Soul  of  the  church  speaks  to  the  world,  not 
only  by  the  voice  of  the  visible  head,  but  also  we  might  almost  say 
by  the  customs,  observances  and  traditions  of  the  Roman  diocese, 
and  by  the  christian  civilization  which  spreads  from  Rome  to  the 
whole  world. 

God  the  Son  dwelled  invisible  in  the  bosom  of  his  Father;  but 
he  became  man  that  we  might  know  and  see  him.  So  the 
church  universal  and  invisible  becomes  individualized  and  visible 
in  the  Bishop  and  diocese  of  Rome  to  whom  Pefer  brouoht  all 
the  riches  of  the  Papacy,  which  he  had  received  from  his  Master. 

Little  by  little  did  the  wonders  of  that  papal  power  appear  be- 
fore the  minds  of  men,  till  the  Vatican  Council  gave  it  tlie  finish- 
ing touch.  Before  this  time,  seventeen  great  legislative  bodies  of 
bishops  or  councils  had  met  and  offered  to  the  world  salutary  meas- 
ures for  the  accommodation  of  the  changing  customs  of  men,  so  the 
nations  might  better  receive  the  good  tidings  of  the  Gospel.  But 
these  councils  did  not  change  any  old  doctrines  or  form  new  truths 
different  from  what  had  been  received  from  the  apostles.  Under 
the  direction  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  they  decreed  certain  changes 
of  discipline  and  customs,  while  the  fundamental  constitution  of 
the  church  remained  the  very  same.  The  Roman  Pontiffs  gave 
the  diverse  impulses  to  these  great  legislative  councils  in  every 
age.  and  without  him  they  could  do  nothing  in  any  council.  These 
legislative  bodies  of  the  church,  or  these  councils,  first  gave  the 
key  to  all  the  other  popular  legislative  branches  of  modern  gov- 
ernments. The  courts  of  the  cliurch  for  the  trial  of  cases  first  met 
in  Rome,  from  which  they  spread  to  the  other  dioceses  of  the  world. 


The  Election  of  Bishops- 

jESUS  Christ  called  his  apostles  from  the  ranks  of  the  disciples, 
"  And  going  np  into  a  mountain,  he  called  unto  him  whom 
he  wonld  himself;  and  thoycame  to  him.  And  he  made 
that  twelve  should  he  with  him,  and  that  he  might  send 
them  to  preach."*  To  them  after  the  resurrection  he  said:  "  As 
the  Father  hath  sent  me  so  I  also  send  you:  Going  forth  there- 
fore teaoli  all  nations.'^'  Such  was  the  election  of  the  first  bish- 
ops oi'  tlie  church.  To  the  clergy  of  Ephesus  St.  Paul  said: 
"Take  heed  to  yourselves  and  to  the  whole  flock,  wherein  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  placed  you  bishops  to  rule  (Poimainein)  the  church 
of  God."  '  The  apostles  with  the  laity  and  clergy  elected  Mat- 
thias in  tlie  place  of  Judas.  In  the  first  chapter  of  his  Epistle  to 
Titus,  St.  Paul  tells  him  the  qualities  a  bishop  should  have  be- 
fore he  consecrates  him  to  that  holy  office.  Thus  history  shows 
us  that  following  the  example  of  Christ  bishops,  were  ever  conse- 
crated by  bishops. 

In  the  early  church  the  clergy  and  laity  were  usually  called  to  take 
part  in  the  selection  of  the  candidate  for  the  vacant  church.  The 
bishops  of  the  early  church  always  consulted  the  clergy  regarding 
the  piety  and  learning  of  the  priest  or  deacon  they  elevated  to  the 
episcopal  office.  In  the  age  immediately  following  the  apostles, 
they  often  selected  a  heroic  confessor  of  the  faith,  one  who  had. 
showed  his  virtue  and  faith  by  suffering  for  the  church.  For 
that  reason  many  of  the  immediate  bishops  the  followers  of  the 
apostles  bore  the  marks  of  persecution.  This  way  of  electing 
prelates  continued  for  the  first  three  centuries,  so  that  many  of 
the  bishops  sitting  in  the  Council  of  Nice  were  disfigured,  or  bore 
»  Mark  ill.  13, 14.  *  John  xx.  21.  »  f^f.^  ^x.  28. 

405 


8E.\T8  rOB  THE  MEMBEfM  OF  THE  CATHEDRAL  CHAPTEK.  BRUNN  CATUEURAL,  AUSTRIA- 


WHAT  ST.  CYPRIAN  SAYS.  407 

the  scars  and  wounds  of  the  persecutions  of  the  Roman  empire,  to 
which  Constantine  put  a  stop  by  his  conversion. 

The  apostles  appointed  bishops  in  each  city  where  they  had 
made  converts.  The  consecration  ceremony  was  very  simple. 
After  the  selection  of  the  candidate,  in  which  the  apostle  took  the 
most  active  part,  they  prayed  and  fasted,  and  then  surrounded  by 
the  whole  people,  they  imposed  their  hands  on  the  elect,  inducted 
him  into  his  episcopal  chair,  and  before  the  whole  church  they 
gave  him  his  commission  to  rule  that  part  of  the  church  of  God. 
From  the  time  of  Constantine,  the  christian  peoples  increased, 
and  the  nobles,  the  judges,  the  magistrates,  &c. ,  took  an  active 
part  in  the  election  of  their  bishop.  But  the  chief  duty  belonged 
to  the  clergy  of  the  diocese,  and  the  laity  were  given  a  voice,  not 
as  a  right  but  as  a  privilege.  St.  Cyprian  in  numerous  parts  of 
his  writings  tells  us  the  role  each  rank  of  clergyman  took  in  the 
election,  saying  that  such  came  from  the  traditions  of  the  apos- 
tles.' **  It  is  required  of  us,"  he  says,  "  to  guard  the  divine  and 
apostolic  traditions,  such  as  are  held  by  us  and  by  all  other  prov- 
inces. That  the  ordination  may  be  carried  out  in  a  proper  man- 
ner, all  the  bishops  of  the  province  gather  at  the  place  where  a 
pastor  is  to  be  promoted,  and  he  must  be  elected  in  the  presence  of 
the  people,  who  know  the  life  of  each  one,  for  he  lived  among 
them  for  a  long  time.  We  saw  how  this  took  place  among  us  at 
the  consecration  of  Sabin,  our  colleague,  to  whom  we  gave  the 
episcopacy  following  the  votes  of  his  brethren  and  the  judgment 
of  the  bishops,  as  well  as  those  who  were  present,  besides  those 
whom  we  notified  by  letters,  that  they  mighc  think  of  him  after 
which  we  had  imposed  hands  on  him,  and  we  substituted  him  in 
the  place  of  Basilidus,  who  had  been  deposed  because  of  his 
crimes." 

Such  St.  Cyprian  says  was  the  way  Christ  ordered  bishops  to  be 
elected.  That  was  the  way  he  was  elected  himself.  When  the 
clergy  and  people  were  unanimous  regarding  a  candidate,  it  was 
taken  as  a  judgment  of  God.  Not  only  the  people  and  the  clergy 
of  the  cathedi'al  city,  but  also  the  laity  and  clergy  of  the  country, 
and  of  all  the  towns  and  cities  of  the  whole  diocese  were  called  to 
take  part  in  the  election  of  the  father  of  the  diocese."  When  the 
diocese  of  Tours  became  vacant,  a  great  crowd  of  people  and  of 
clergy  from  all  the  surrounding  country  gathered  at  Tours  and 
elected  the  great  St.  Martin  of  Tours.' 

That  was  not  only  the  discipline  of  Europe,  but  also  the  custom 
of  the  Orient.  When  the  Council  of  Chalcedon  met,  some  of  the 
bishops  doubted  the  regularity  of  the  election  of  St.  Lawrence 
bishop  of  Ephesus,  who  replied:  "  Forty  bishops  of  Asia  ordained 
me  with  the  votes  of  the  nobles,  the  princes  and  the  venerable 
clergy  of  the  whole  city."  ^  When  Pope  St  Leo  called  the  bish- 
ops of  the  world  to  this  council,  he  wrote  to  the  bishops  of  the 

'  Epist.  08.  2  Sererua  Sulpiclus.  '  Severus  Sulpicius.    In  Vita  S.  Martini  C.  7- 

*  Act.  2. 


408  HOW  ST.  BAZIL  WAS  ELECTED. 

province  of  Vienna,  that  no  episcopal  election  would  be  considered 
as  rightly  carried  out  in  any  different  way,  adding:  "they  must  have 
the  signatures  of  tiie  clergy,  the  testimony  of  honorable  persons, 
and  the  consent  of  the  magistrates  and  of  the  people ....  he  who 
is  to  be  over  all  should  be  elected  by  all."  '  Such  was  the  way  of 
electing  bishops  in  all  parts  of  the  church  up  to  the  middle  of  the 
fifth  century,  and  it  was  the  way  the  great  bishops  such  as  the 
Cyrils,  the  Chrystoms,  the  Augustines,  the  Bazils  and  the  great- 
est men  of  the  church  were  elected. 

But  the  minor  details  were  not  always  the  very  same  in  all  parts 
of  the  world  at  that  time.  The  archbishop  and  the  bishops  of 
the  province  at  all  times  took  the  most  prominent  part  in  the 
election.  They  asked  the  people  and  the  clergy  for  their  votes, 
**  It  was,"  as  Pope  St.  Oelestine  says,  *'  lest  a  bishop  they  would 
not  receive  be  placed  over  them."*  The  confirnnition  or  the 
vetoing  of  the  choice  was  always  in  the  hands  of  the  bishops,  who 
acted  as  the  delegate  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  Pope  Oelestine 
wrote  to  the  bishops  of  Calabria,  that,  **  In  these  times  they  must 
teach  the  people  and  not  follow  them,  toll  them  what  is  allowed 
them  and  what  is  not." '  When  Eusebius  bishop  of  Cesarea  died, 
the  clergy  of  the  diocese  wrote  to  all  the  bishops  of  the  province 
to  come  to  the  election.  Gregory  a  priest  with  a  little  country 
parish  was  old  and  could  not  come,  but  he  wrote  to  the  clergy 
saying  that  he  gave  his  vote  for  Bazil,  "  He  is  a  man  I  say  before 
God,  whose  life  and  teachings  are  pure  and  the  only  man  or  the 
one  most  proper  to  oppose  heresy,"  &c.  The  good  old  priest 
Gregory  also  wrote  to  bishop  Eusebius,  who  was  not  of  that  prov- 
ince, imploring  him  to  come  because  of  the  spread  of  heresy  at 
Cesarea,  and  Gregory  was  carried  to  Cesarea  in  his  bed  of  sickness. 
The  great  St.  Bazil  was  thus  elected  to  the  vacant  see  of  Cesarea 
although  the  rich  and  well  to  do  of  the  diocese  opposed  his  selec- 
tion. * 

Thus  we  see  how  careful  they  were  in  the  early  church  in  the  elec- 
tion of  tiie  bishops,  so  much  sothatevenbishopsof otherprovinces 
took  an  active  part  in  the  selection  of  the  candidiites.  In  Africa 
it  was  customary  to  send  one  of  the  neighboring  bishops  to  the 
widowed  cathedral  church,  to  teach  the  people  and  clergy  the 
manner  of  holding  the  election,  so  it  might  not  degenerate  into  a 
political  intrigue.  That  bishop  then  governed  the  vacant  church 
and  was  called  the  Intercessor  or  Visitor.  His  duties  were  regu- 
lated by  the  V.  Council  of  Carthage.  '  The  see  remained  vacant 
for  one  year,  so  ns  to  give  the  clergy  and  people  plenty  of  time  to 
select  the  new  bishop,  while  if  the  see  was  not  filled  at  the  end  of 
the  year,  the  visiting  bishop  returned  home,  and  another  neighbor- 
ing bishop  took  his  place.  That  was  the  custom  in  Africa, 
but  tlie  council  of  Chalcedon  gives  oidy  three  months  for  a 
vacancy.  * 

•  Epist.  X.  n.  e<1.       »  Eptat.  H.  Cap.  6.  »  Epist.  111.  c.  8. 

*  (ireg,  Eplst.  1»  oral.  10  el  1».  »  Can.  6.  •  St.  Greg.  L.  6.  Eplat.  A 


EXAMINING  THE  EPISCOPAL  CANDIDATE.  409 

"When  the  clergy  and  laity  were  well  instructed  by  the  visiting 
bishop,  a  day  for  the  election  was  appointed,  and  all  the  bishops 
of  the  province  were  called  to  the  city  to  take  part.  Then  they 
appointed  three  days  of  prayer  and  fasting  in  which  to  ask  the 
light  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  When  the  bishops  assembled,  they  placed 
before  them  a  list  of  the  voters,  the  archbishop  with  his  suffragan 
bishops  presiding  as  inspectors  of  the  election.  They  counted  the 
voters  cleric  and  laic.  They  examined  the  candidate,  his  learning, 
morals  and  his  worthiness  for  the  office.  The  candidate  received 
no  right  to  the  diocese  or  to  the  vacant  see,  till  he  was  ap- 
proved by  the  archbishop  and  the  bishops,  who  always  selected  the 
candidate  proposed  by  the  clergy  and  people,  unless  very  urgent 
reasons  required  them  to  veto  the  choice. 

The  IV.  Council  of  Carthage,  composed  of  214  bishops  held  in 
389,  tells  us  how  the  candidate  was  examined  before  iiis  conse- 
cration to  the  vacant  see.  They  carefully  examined  if  he  were 
prudent,  moderate,  chaste,  temperate,  attentive  to  his  religious 
duties,  affable  with  all,  merciful,  well  versed  in  the  laws  of  God, 
a  good  biblical  student,  well  knowing  the  meaning  of  the  Gospels 
and  posted  in  the  dogmatic  teaching  of  the  church.  But  above 
all  things  they  examined  him  in  matters  relating  to  faith.  So  as 
not  to  surprise  him  or  confuse  him  before  the  whole  church,  they 
allowed  him  to  write  his  answers  to  their  questions  on  the  chief 
dogmas  of  religion.  According  to  this  Council,  they  asked  him 
among  other  things,  if  he  believed  that  God  is  the  Author  of  both 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  of  the  law,  of  the  prophecies,  and  of 
the  Gospels;  if  he  believed  that  the  devil  is  bad  by  his  own  will, 
if  he  approved  marriage,  if  he  was  certain  that  outside  the  cath- 
olic church  there  was  no  salvation  &c. 

That  examination  having  been  found  satisfactory,  the  clergy 
and  people  presented  him  to  the  bishops  for  consecration.  The 
archbishop  assisted  by  two  of  his  suffragan  bishops  then  consecrated 
him  according  to  the  rules  of  the  council  of  Nice.  '  Such  was 
the  mode  of  electing  bishops  during  the  first  five  centuries  of  the 
church,  and  many  of  the  bishops  selected  with  such  care  became 
the  very  flower  of  the  whole  episcopacy  of  the  Church,  they  were 
the  great  saints  and  doctors  who  illuminated  the  whole  world  by 
the  splendors  of  their  talents  and  the  beauties  of  tlieir  wi-itings. 
Even  to  this  day  their  Avorks  are  mines  of  learning,  from  Avhich 
we  learn  the  truths  of  the  traditions  of  the  apostles. 

The  Roman  emperors  following  Constantine  were  for  the 
most  part  at  least  christian,  if  only  nominally,  and  they  began 
to  mix  in  the  election  of  the  bishopsof  their  empire.  First  they  left 
the  church  free  to  follow  the  holy  canons,  except  in  the  election  of 
the  Bishops  of  Eome  and  of  Constantinople.  They  asked  that 
the  name  of  the  bishop  elect  might  be  sent  to  them  for  their 
approval  before  his  consecration,  and  to  this  the  church  agreed 
rather  than  excite  their  poAverful   hostility.      Justinian  the  ein- 

*  Concll  Nic.  Can.  4. 


410  FIRST  GOVERNMENT  INTERMEDDLING. 

peror  first  obtained  that  concession.  Lyons,  then  the  principal 
city  of  France,  often  waited  for  what  tliey  thought  was  a  special 
mark  of  Providence  before  they  elected  their  .bishop.  '  Once 
after  the  death  of  their  beloved  bishop,  it  is  said  an  angel 
appeared  in  the  form  of  a  ciiild,  and  told  them  to  send  for  St. 
Encher,  who  had  hidden  in  a  cave,  and  they  sent  their  archdeacon 
to  bring  him  to  Lyons  to  be  consecrated. 

When  in  the  V.  and  VI.  centuries  the  barbarians  swept  down 
from  the  North  overran  Europe,  and  laid  the  foundaions  of  the 
modern  nations  of  Christendom,  many  of  these  princes  fell  into  the 
Arianean  heresy  which  denied  the  Divinity  of  Christ.  Seeing  the 
power  exercised  by  the  bishops  over  the  people,  they  asked  to  be 
given  a  voice  in  their  election.  *  Rather  than  fight  them,  the 
church  conceded  that,  not  as  a  right  but  as  a  favor,  allowing  the 
kings  to  represent  the  people  in  such  elections,  still  reserving  to  the 
bishops  and  the  clergy  the  right  of  vetoing  an  unworthy  candidate. 
A  council  held  at  Paris  in  557  regulated  that  matter  for  the  king- 
dom of  France,  and  forbade  the  consecration  of  any  bishop  with- 
out the  consent  of  the  bishops  and  the  clergy  of  the  widowed 
diocese.  Later  when  a  bishop  died,  they  had  to  get  an  order 
from  the  king  to  elect  and  consecrate  his  successor. ' 

When  the  bishop  of  Aixdied,  Nicetius  the  Count  received  from 
king  Chilperic  permission  to  have  another  bishop  consecrated  for 
the  vacant  see.  King  Thirry,  the  eldest  son  of  king  Clovis,  had 
St.  Quintien  consecrated  to  the  see  of  Clermont,  and  when  bish- 
op Pientius  died  at  Paris,  king  Charibert  ordered  them  to  elect 
Pascentius  in  his  place.  *  Many  elections  took  place  in  this  way 
throughout  the  diffierent  kingdoms  of  Europe.  The  Visigoths  of 
Spain  and  the  kings  of  France  obtained  the  same  privilege,  which 
was  conceded  to  the  former  by  the  VL  council  of  Toledo,  *  and 
by  the  XIV.  council  held  at  the  same  place.  These  elections  took 
place  thus:  the  king  named  a  person  in  sacred  orders  whom  he 
would  like  to  see  promoted  to  the  vacant  see;  the  bishops  and 
the  clergy  examined  the  candidate  in  the  same  way  as  described 
above,  and  if  no  obstacle  stood  in  the  way  they  consecrated  him 
in  the  regular  manner  and  installed  him  in  his  episcopal  throne. 
In  the  beginning  of  the  eighth  century  King  Louis  the  Meek  re- 
nounced that  royal  concession  or  privilege  in  the  parliament  at 
Attigni,  saying  that  the  church  should  be  free  in  such  actions,  he 
being  the  first  emperor  who  gave  complete  liberty  to  the  church 
since  the  dominion  of  the  Franks,  and  the  conquests  of  the  Bar- 
barians. 

Regarding  the  election  of  the  archbishops,  they  always  informed 
the  emperor  to  see  if  he  had  any  objection  to  their  candidate. 
When  a  see  became  vacant,  the  clergy  and  people  informed  the 
archbisliop,  who  reported  the  fact  to  the  emperor  or  king.  Then 
the  archbishop  nominated  a  bishop  to  visit  the  vacant  diocese 

«  MabUloti  Consr.  T.  I.  p.  24«.  »  Fleuri  Inat.  Cad.  10.  *  St.  Greg,  of  Tours. 

«  Grejt.  L.  a.  C.  16. 1.  b.  C.  W.  »  Tit.  I.  C.  10. 


HOW  ABUSES  AIIOSE.  411 

who  presided  over  the  election  and  saw  that  the  canons  of  the 
church  were  observed.  The  visiting  bishop  called  a  meeting  of 
the  clergy  and  people  in  the  cathedral,  where  ho  read  the  Lesson 
of  St.  Paul  regarding  the  qualities  of  a  bishop,  and  the  laws  of  the 
church  defining  the  mode  of  election.  Then  the  clergy  attached 
to  the  cathedral  and  other  churches  of  the  diocese,  the  monks, 
nuns  and  people,  voted  for  the  candidates.  At  that  time  the 
monks  took  an  active  part  in  the  proceedings.  For  three  days 
they  fasted  and  prayed  before  they  voted.  All  voters  signed  the 
paper  and  sent  it  to  the  archbishop,  who  called  together  all  the 
bishops  of  the  province.  They  usually  met  in  the  vacant  cathe- 
dral, and  examined  to  see  if  the  election  had  been  held  in  a  reg- 
ular way,  and  according  to  the  laws  of  the  church.  The  candi- 
date who  had  received  the  most  votes  then  appeared  before  the 
meeting  of  bishops,  where  the  archbishop  as  chairman  examined 
him  regarding  his  birth,  his  life,  his  promotion  to  the  orders  he 
had  already  received,  so  as  to  see  if  there  might  be  any  irregular- 
ity, after  wiiich  the  bishop  elect  made  a  profession  of  faith,  then 
a  day  for  the  consecration  was  appointed.  If  any  obstacle  were 
found,  they  rejected  him,  and  at  once  held  another  election. 
Such  was  the  way  of  electing  bishops  from  the  VII.  to  the  IX. 
centuries  in  many  parts  of  Europe. 

Later  Lothair  son  of  Charles  the  Bauld  disposed  episcopal  sees 
almost  as  he  wished,  against  which  abuse  Pope  Leo  IV.  protested 
in  the  election  of  the  deacon  Colonus  to  the  vacant  see  of  Reiti. 
Pope  Engenius  IV.  wrote  the  same  kind  of  a  protesting  letter  to 
Count  Guy.  The  successors  of  Louis  the  Meek  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Ehine  followed  the  example  of  their  father,  and  left  the 
church  free  in  the  selection  of  her  bishops.  But  the  rulers  who 
came  later  often  abused  this  privilege,  once  granted  tiieir  ances- 
tors by  the  church,  and  they  frequently  disposed  vacant  sees  as 
they  wished,  sometimes  even  nominating  their  unworthy  relatives 
to  the  vacant  dioceses.  Above  all  these  abuses  grew  especially  in 
Germany  and  England,  kings  giving  the  ring  and  pastoral  staff  to 
whom  they  wished,  taking  no  notice  of  the  elections  or  votes  of 
the  clergy  and  laity  of  the  vacant  sees. 

Henry  IV.  son  of  Henry  the  Black  claimed  the  right  of  nom- 
inating all  the  bishops  and  pastors  of  his  empire,  and  he  even 
sold  the  vacant  churches  and  dioceses  to  the  highest  bidders.  In 
this  way  many  unworthy  men  were  introduced  into  the  church. 
Many  Popes  protested  against  these  crying  abuses,  till  the  cele- 
brated Hildebrand  ascended  the  throne  of  Peter.  Taking  the 
name  of  Gregory  VII.  he  began  a  bold  contest  causing  many 
wars,  the  Pope  protested  against  Henry  appointing  bishops  and 
pastors  to  the  vacant  churches  of  his  empire,  and  Henry  claimed 
the  right.  The  whole  of  Europe  was  arrayed  on  one  side  or  the 
other,  with  the  church  or  with  the  state.  The  emperor  held  that 
-his  predecessors  for  centuries  had  the  right  of  appointing  all  the 
bishops  of   the  kingdom,  while   the   Pope   protested   that  it  was 


412  THE  CHURCH  ASSERTS  HER  RIGHTS. 

only  a  favor  given  them  by  the  church,  which  the  church  could 
at  any  time  withdraw.  St.  Oihon  had  been  appointed  the  guar- 
dian of  the  episcopal  rings  and  pastoral  staffs  of  the  vacant  bish- 
oprics of  Germany,  and  which  he  was  accustomed  to  lay  before 
the  throne  of  the'emperor.  When  he  himself  was  elected  to  the 
episcopal  throne  of  Bamberg,  he  received  his  iuvestature,  not 
from  the  emperor,  but  at  Rome  from  the  hands  of  the  intrepid 
Pope  Gregory  VII.  who  consecrated  him.  St.  Anselm  had  re- 
ceived the  crosier  and  ring  from  Henry  I.  of  England,  but  on  re- 
ceiving a  protesting  letter  from  Gregory  VII.,  he  sent  the  Pope 
the  insignia  of  his  office  and  retired  to  a  monastery,  from  which 
he  was  again  recalled  by  the  Pope  to  take  charge  of  his  diocese. 

In  that  day  even  the  saints  were  not  well  instructed  regarding 
the  matters  in  dispute  till  taught  by  the  Holy  See.  The  abbot  of 
Cluny,  St.  Hugues,  became  the  mediator  between  Henry  of  Ger- 
many and  the  Holy  See.  In  England,  St.  Anselm  had  trouble 
with  Henry  I.  of  England  regarding  the  same  question,  and  he 
refused  to  consecrate  bishops  selected  by  the  king,  claiming  that 
the  chuich  alone  could  choose  her  ministers.  Tlie  question  so 
agitated  the  civilized  world,  that  neither  clergy  or  people  could 
with  safety  exercise  their  right  of  voting  for  tbeir  bishops,  the 
kings  and  political  rulers  claiming  the  whole  right.  Such  was  the 
condition  of  the  church  in  the  XII.  centnry.  From  that  time 
the  church  has  maintianei  her  freedom  in  the  choice  of  the  bishops, 
and  temporal  rulers  lost  the  right  of  electing  themselves  bishops  and 
abbots,  as  well  as  the  concession  regarding  tlie  election  of  the  clergy 

Such  was  the  discipline  of  the  XIII.  century.  The  victory 
which  Gregory  VII.  gained  over  the  oppressions  of  the  state  and 
of  politicians  interfering  in  the  election  of  church  officials  will 
last  to  the  end  of  the  world.  From  that  time  the  church  has 
been  free  in  the  appointment  of  her  ministers,  although  later 
cruel  rulers  received  the  privilege  of  nominating  candidates  for 
ecclesiastical  dignities. 

During  these  epochs  and  the  centuries  following  the  devas- 
tations of  the  barbarians,  the  laity,  having  been  for  the  most  part 
intimidated  from  taking  part  in  the  election  of  the  bishops,  the 
kings  and  rulers  retained  and  assumed  as  a  right  that  they  alone 
could  elect  bishops.  The  church  having  asserted  her  rights  in 
that  most  important  matter  in  the  historic  contest  with  Henry  of 
Germany,  from  the  XII.  and  XIII.  centuries  the  members  of  the 
cathedral  chapter  took  their  place  as  the  electors  of  the  bishops, 
and  the  llolv  See  generally  confirmed  their  choice.  Forming  the 
senate  of  tlie  diocese,  the  canons  met  in  regular  form  and  se- 
lected their  candidate  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others.  At  this 
epoch  they  did  not  even  allow  the  bishops  of  the  province  to  take 
any  part  in  the  selection  of  their  bishop.  We  see  the  remains  of 
that  in  the  election  of  the  rulers  of  the  religious  orders,  which 
were  established  or  reformed  at  that  time. 

Grave  contests  rose  in  the  cliurch  at  Canterbury   England,  be- 


FROZEN  BODIES  OF  THE  MONKS  IN  THE  MORTUARY  CHAPEL, 
THE  CELEBRATED  HOSPICE  OF  ST,  BERNARD  ON  THE  ALPS. 


414  CUSTOMS  OF  THE  MIDDLE  AGKS. 

tween  the  archbishop  of  that  see  and  the  chapter  of  the  cathedral, 
composed  for  the  most  part  of  regular  cauons  or  monks.  The 
Holy  See  favored  the  chapter.  Innocent  III.  proclaimed  the 
ancient  rights  of  the  chapters,  and  upheld  their  right  of  electing 
their  bishops,  both  in  Canterbury  and  in  Strigonie  and  in  Coloza. 
In  1269  St.  Louis,  king  of  France,  issued  a  letter  telling  all  the 
canons  of  the  vacant  cathedrals  to  assemble  for  the  election  of 
bishops  to  the  vacant  sees  of  his  kingdom,  stating  they  could  on 
condition  that  they  would  first  get  the  consent  of  the  king  before 
proceeding  to  ballot.  The  cathedral  chapter  used  to  send  the 
archdeacon  with  a  letter  from  the  dean  of  the  chapter  to  the 
king,  asking  license  to  proceed  to  the  election  of  a  bishop  ta 
the  vacant  see. 

During  this  epoch  when  all  Europe  dwelled  in  peace,  the  mem- 
bers of  the  cathedral  chapter  to  the  exclusion  of  the  rest  of  the 
clergy,  of  the  laity  and  of  civil  princes — this  senate  of  the 
diocese  alone  took  part  in  the  election  of  their  bishops.  1  hen 
when  Rome  had  confirmed  their  choice,  they  called  on  the  arch- 
bishop to  consecrate  him.  Usually  the  bishop  elect  himself 
asked  the  Holy  See  to  confirm  his  election.  As  the  bishops  of 
that  time  for  the  most  part  ranked  as  great  lords,  and  adminis- 
trators of  vast  properties  then  belonging  to  the  church,  such 
elections  sometimes  became  the  cause  of  civil  contests,  and 
John  XXII.  reserved  all  confirmations  to  the  Holy  See,  so  that 
they  might  examine  the  proceedings  at  Rome  and  exclude  the 
unworthy.  By  agreements  with  the  kings  of  France  and  of 
Spain  in  1516,  the  latter  took  part  again  in  the  election  of  bish- 
ops of  these  countries,  the  bishops  of  these  kingdoms  being 
temporal  princes  of  these  nations.  In  1447  the  church  formed 
an  agreement  with  the  kings  of  Germany  regulating  the  election 
of  bishops  in  that  country.  The  bishops  at  thai  time  took  two 
oaths  at  their  consecration,  one  to  the  state,  the  other  to  the 
church,  swearing  on  the  holy  Gospels  to  fulfil  their  duties  to 
both  powers.  Halinard  abbot  of  St.  Benigne  de  Dijon,  elected  arch- 
bishop of  Lyons  refused  to  take  the  customary  oath  to  the  king  of 
France,  as  he  did  not  wish  to  be  a  bishop,  being  very  humble, 
and  the  king  did  not  press  the  matter  at  his  consecration,  being 
requested  to  omit  that  part  at  the  request  of  Bruno  of  Toul, 
who  later  became  Pope  Leo  IX.    This  took  place  in  1046. 

The  custom  of  taking  an  oath  at  the  consecration  of  a  bishop 
began  first  in  England,  because  there  the  bishops  had  become  lords 
sitting  in  parliament,  and  taking  an  active  part  in  the  temporal 
administration  of  the  realm.  Some  of  the  archbishops  of  York 
refused  to  acknowledge  the  supremacy  of  the  archbishops  of  Can- 
terbury over  them,  and  the  latter  archbishops,  being  the  primates 
of  the  whole  kingdom,  demanded  that  they  take  an  oath  of  obe- 
dience to  them  at  their  consecration.  Thus  in  1072  archbishop 
Lafranc  primate  of  Canterbury,  made  Thomas  archbishop  of  York 
take  an  oath  of  obedience  to  him  at  his  consecration  to  that  see^ 


GOIKG  BACK  AGAIK.  415 

as  was  customary  for  many  years  before.  These  were  only  local 
customs,  differing  in  different  countries,  while  the  Popes  only  re- 
quire canonical  obedience  of  all  the  officials  of  the  church,  that  is 
obedience  according  to  her  wise  canon  laws,  by  which  the  whole 
organization  is  ruled,  regulated  and  kept  together.  Before  the 
time  of  Gregory  VII.,  only  a  promise  of  canonical  obedience  was 
required  by  the  church.  Before  giving  them  the  pallium,  this 
Pope  required  archbishops  to  take  an  oath  of  fidelity  to  him. 
This  was  required  at  that  time  of  trouble  with  the  civil  powers  in 
the  appointment  of  all  bishops  and  pastors,  as  the  civil  govern- 
ments claimed  such  appointments. 

In  the  rapid  sketch  given  here  of  the  diverse  ways  of  nominat- 
ing bishops,  we  have  not  stopped  to  give  the  many  and  deplorable 
abuses  which  arose  from  the  days  of  the  apostles  in  different  coun- 
tries. The  office  of  bishop  is  so  high,  and  brings  with  it  such 
power,  that  in  all  ages  designing  men  have  coveted  it,  and  gov- 
ernments have  tried  to  use  it  for  political  purposes.  To  the  great 
Gregory  VII.  we  are  indebted  for  the  freedom  every  christian 
church  has  now  in  the  appointment  of  their  pastors.  We  must 
now  go  back  to  the  apostolic  age  and  trace  the  true  and  legitimate 
way  of  electing  bishops  in  the  church  of  God. 

To  Peter  Christ  gave  the  office  of  feeding  his  lambs,  his  laity 
and  his  sheep  the  other  churches  of  his  kingdom.  To  Peter  then 
and  to  his  Successors  belongs  the  appointment  of  bishops.  Christ 
himself  first  appointed  the  apostles  the  first  bishops  of  his  church, 
and  to  the  Papacy  it  ever  belonged.  No  matter  how  they  were- 
selected,  from  the  days  of  the  apostles  their  confirmation  ever- 
belonged  by  an  inherent  right  which  was  not  always  executed  by^ 
the  Holy  See.  Because  of  the  difficulties  of  travelling  and  the 
delays  in  getting  word  from  Rome,  in  the  early  church  the  Popes 
first  appointed  the  patriarchs,  both  of  the  East  and  of  the  West, 
and  then  by  the  same  confirmation  the  patriarchs  became  the  del- 
egates of  the  Holy  See  in  the  appoiniraent  of  the  archbishops  and 
bishops  under  them.  The  patriarchs  of  Antioch,  of  Alexandria 
and  of  Constantinople  were  appointed  directly  by  the  Bishop  of 
Rome,  and  after  their  consecration  they  acted  as  his  delegates  in 
Asia,  Africa,  and  in  that  part  of  Europe  not  directly  subject  to 
Rome.     Numberless  historic  documents  prove  all  this. 

When  in  382  Nectarius  was  elected  archbishop  of  Constantinople, 
the  emperor  Theodosius  sent  his  legates  with  a  number  of  the  bish- 
ops of  his  empire  to  Rome  asking  Pope  Damasus  to  confirm  his  elec- 
tion, . .  .  .  "  that  the  Roman  See  might  strengthen  his  priesthood."  ' 
In  449  Analtolius  was  elected  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  but 
Pope  Leo  the  Great  refused  to  confirm  him,  unless  he  first  signed 
the  profession  of  faith  laid  before  him  by  the  legates  of  the  said 
Pope.  When  he  had  signed  he  was  confirmed.  Then  he  wished 
to  have  Constantinople  placed  as  first  patriarchal  see  after  Rome, 
but  Leo  wrote   to  the  emperor  denying  the  request.  '■* 

»  Boniface  Lit.  an.  423.  Epist.  15.  *  gj,  j^q  Opera  Epist.  105. 


416  WHO  APPOINTS  THE  PATRIARCHS? 

When  in  451  Maximus  was  elected  patriarch  of  Antioch,  the 
«anie  Pope  confirmed  him  in  his  see,  and  appointed  him  the  leg- 
ate of  the  Holy  See  for  all  the  churches  subject  to  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  Antioch.  He  had  been  elected  by  the  council  of  Ephesus, 
which  had  not  been  canonically  held,  and  Pope  Leo  the  Great  an- 
nulled all  the  acts  of  the  synod,  except  the  election  of  Maximus, 
which  he  alone  Jis  Pope  confirmed.  At  the  council  of  Chalcedon, 
some  of  the  bishops  were  opposed  to  him,  but  the  bishop  of  Con- 
stantinople spoke  up  in  the  council  in  his  favor,  saying  that  no 
act  of  the  council  of  Ephesus  prevailed  except  the  election  of 
Maximus,  for:  "  The  most  holy  Leo,  archbishop  of  Rome,  received 
him  into  communion,  and  gave  him  authority  to  preside  over  the 
church  at  Antioch."  '  In  482  Simplicius  thus  wrote  to  Acacius 
regarding  John,  bishop  elect  of  Alexandria,  who  had  been  elected 
to  that  see  in  a  synod  of  the  clergy  and  laity  of  the  church  in 
Egypt:  "Timothy  being  dead  John  was  elected  in  his  place,  and 
the  clergy  of  the  diocese  of  Alexandria  asked  him  the  Pope  to  con- 
firm such  election.^'  The  Pope  replying  says  he  refuses  to  con- 
firm such  election  according  to  the  custom,  because  the  emperor 
accused  the  said  .Fohn  of  perjury  and  therefore  he  revoked  his 
confirmation. 

In  489  Acacius  having  died,  Flavitas  was  elected  in  his  place, 
«,nd  to  Pope  Felix  they  wrote  to  get  his  authority  and  confirmation 
before  his  consecration.'  When  in  490  Euphemius  succeeded 
archbishop  Flavita,  without  delay  he  wrote  to  Pope  Felix,  and 
Theophanes  tells  us  that  the  Pope  refused  to  acknowledge  him  as 
the  bishop  of  Constantinople,  because  of  the  prior  rights  of 
Acacius  to  that  see,  although  he  recognized  him  as  in  communion 
with  the  church.  In  536  Agapitus  refused  to  acknowledge  An- 
themus,  who  was  proposed  by  the  empress  for  the  see  of  Con- 
stantipole.  When  Authemus  was  forced  against  the  wishes  of  the 
Roman  Pontiff,  the  latter  deposed  him  and  had  Menna  consecrated 
in  his  place.* 

After  this  historic  account  taken  from  the  very  best  and  most 
authentic  documents,  we  must  pass  by  numerous  proofs  and  con- 
clude with  the  words  of  Roussel:*  "From  the  ancient  documents 
this  is  evident  to  me,  that  the  Roman  Pontiffs  confirmed  the  pa- 
triarchs of  the  East,  which  without  doubt  shows  his  Principality 
over  all  the  churches." 

We  may  then  conclude  that  in  the  East,  and  all  over  the  Asi- 
atic continent,  the  Popes  in  the  early  church  confirmed  or  re- 
jected the  patriarchs,  who,  when  confirmed,  became  the  delegates 
of  the  Holy  See  for  the  consecration  of  the  archbishops,  while 
the  latter  consecrated  the  bishops.  This  confirmation  of  both 
the  patriarchs,  archbishops  and  bishops,  took  place  only  after 
they  had  been  elected  by  the  laity  and  clergy  of  their  respective 
dioceses,    and  in  the  regular  and  canonical   order   laid   down   by 

>  Concil.  Cbalo.  Sea.  x.  *  Uberatus  Brer.  C.  18.  *  Lib.  Brev.  Cap.  21.  p.  147- 

*  Hist.  Pontlf.  JuiIikUc.  L.  2.  no.  12. 


THE  FIKST  ARCHBISHOPS  OF  EUROPE.  417 

the  ancient  discipline.  This  discipline  was  expressed  by  Inno- 
cent I.  in  his  letter  to  Alexandrus,  patriarch  of  Antioch:  ' 
"  Thus  we  believe  beloved  brother,  that  as  yon  consecrate  met- 
ropolitans with  one  only  authority,  thus  other  bishops  must  not 
be  created  without  permission  and  without  thy  authority,  in 
which  you  will  rightly  follow  this  way.  If  they  live  far  away 
give  letters  to  those  you  judge  worthy,  and  let  them  be  conse- 
crated according  to  your  judgment.  But  for  these  who  live 
nearer,  if  you  so  think,  you  can  go  and  impose   hands  on  them.'* 

Whence  without  the  permission  of  the  patriarch,  no  bishop 
could  be  consecrated  even  after  he  had  been  elected  by  the  clergy 
and  laity  of  the  diocese,  as  appears  from  the  words  of  the  Pon- 
tiff, and  from  the  historic  confirmations  of  patriarchs  given  above. 
The  Pope  alone  therefore  confirmed  the  election  of  the 
patriarchs. 

In  all  other  countries  of  the  world,  except  in  parts  of  Africa  and 
Europe,  and  in  those  regions  of  Asia  known  as  the  East,  there 
were  no  archbishops  except  the  Roman  Pontiff.  To  him  alone 
belonged  the  confirmation  of  the  elected  bishops.  He  confirmed 
the  election  of  the  bishops  of  France,  of  Brittany,  of  Spain,  of 
Africa,  of  Italy,  &c.  Such  was  the  discipline  of.  the  first  four 
centuries.  It  was  only  during  the  centuries  following  that  archi- 
episcopal  sees  were  erected  in  these  countries.  "  The  Bishop 
of  Eome  alone  was  the  metropolitan  or  the  archbishop  of  the  West 
or  of  Europe  during  these  times,  while  to  the  patriarchs  of  the 
distant  East,  he  delegated  the  confirming  of  the  elected  bishops, 
for  travelling  was  very  difficult  in  these  days,  and  it  would  take 
months  sometimes  to  travel  from  Rome  to  the  Levant.  To  him 
alone  then  belonged  the  confirmation  of  all  the  bishops  of  Europe 
and  of  the  North  of  Africa,  as  these  countries  were  nearer  and 
more  in  direct  communication  with  Rome. 

Whence  most  of  the  early  missionary  bishops  of  Europe  were 
first  consecrated  by  the  Pope,  and  then  he  sent  them  as  the  first  apos- 
tles of  these  nations  of  Europe.  When  the  church  had  spread, 
and  when  the  episcopal  sees  began  to  multiply,  the  archbishops 
were  established  as  branches  of  the  Papacy,  having  jurisdiction  over 
the  neighboring  dioceses,  and  then  the  canon  law  of  the  church 
obtained  full  sway.  The  first  archbishop  established  in  Italy  was 
that  of  Milan.  That  was  in  the  days  of  the  great  St.  Ambrose, 
Then  the  next  was  at  Aquilia.  But  the  archbishops  were  to  re- 
ceive episcopal  consecration  only  from  the  hands  of  the  Bishop  of 
Rome,  the  only  font  of  jurisdiction.  In  the  year  556,  when 
Pope  Pelagius  I.  ascended  the  Chair  of  Peter,  this  was  even  then 
called  ''the  ancient  custom."^ 

From  a  letter  of  Gregory  the  Great,  we  learn  that  the  two  arch- 
bishops of  Milan  and  of  Aquilia  took  turns  in  conferring  holy  orders. 
When  Lawrence  archbishop  of  Milan  died,  and  the  clergy  and 

'  Apud  Custant.  Epist.  24.  T.  I.  Col.  851.  '  See  Bacchlnus  Ballerini  Frat.  &c. 

3  See  Zaccarla  Antileb.  T.  3-  p.  138.  ed.  Cesenae  1770.  See  Frag.  Epist.  Pelag.  T.  9.  Council. 
-  Mansi.  col.  TsO. 


418  WHO   CONSECEATED  THE  ARCHBISHOPS  ? 

laity  were  about  to  meet  to  select  his  successor,  Pope  Gregory  the 
Great  sent  John,  a  subdeacon,  to  Milan  to  preside  over  the  conclave 
wherein  they  elected  Constantius  in  his  place.  The  subdeacon 
first  stated  the  common  law,  that  "  only  the  Holy  See  could  con- 
firm the  election  of  all  bishops  in  the  world  as  had  been  the 
ancieni  custom.  "  Towards  the  middle  of  the  V.  century,  Ravenna 
was  erected  into  an  archdiocese  by  a  privilege  of  the  Roman  See, ' 
but  her  archbishop  was  to  be  consecrated  by  the  Pope  himself. 
Maurus,  one  of  her  prelates,  tried  to  change  that  discipline,  and 
get  the  archbishop  of  that  see  consecrated  by  three  suffragan 
bishops,  he  was  aided  in  that  by  the  emperor  Constantine.  But 
the  schism  did  not  last  long,  for  under  Leo  II.  it  became  extinct, 
and  the  ancient  custom  again  prevailed. ' 

When  gradually  archbishops  had  been  appointed  by  the  Holy 
See  in  the  chief  cities  of  Europe,  after  they  had  been  elected  by 
the  laity  and  clergy  of  their  respective  dioceses,  their  consecration 
was  reserved  to  the  Pope  alone.  But  Avhen  archiepiscopal  sees  be- 
came so  numerous  that  the  labor  of  consecrating  them  was  too  great, 
the  difficulties  of  travelling  multiplied,  troubles  caused  by  the 
unsettled  state  of  Europe,  by  the  incursions  of  the  barbarians,  the 
Holy  See  delegated  their  consecration  to  the  bishops  of  their  respec- 
tive provinces.'  By  an  indulgence  then  of  the  Holy  See,  they  became 
exempt  from  the  long  and  dangerous  journey  to  Rome,  to  receive 
from  the  heir  of  Peter  episcopal  consecration.  In  Illyrico,  the  arch- 
bishops could  be  consecrated  only  by  the  vicar  of  the  Pope,  who 
was  usually  the  archbishop  of  Thessalonica,  as  the  works  of  Pope 
St.  Leo  show.* 

When  in  the  year  491,  Gregory  the  Great  sent  Augustine,  the 
superior  of  hismonasteiy  of  St.  Andrews  on  the  coelian  hill,  with 
his  30  monks  for  the  conversion  of  England,  and  the  English  peo- 
ple received  the  pure  Roman  doctrines  from  these  saintly  men, 
then  many  dioceses  were  soon  erected  all  over  the  realm.  Then  Can- 
terbury became  the  seat  of  the  holy  St.  Augustine,  who  acted  as 
the  delegate  of  the  Pope.  Gregory  the  Great,  ever  mindful  of  the 
noble  English  race  whose  first  members  he  had  seen  as  slaves  of- 
fered for  sale  in  the  Roman  Foram  when  he  was  a  deacon,  this 
Pope  erected  the  sees  of  London  and  York  into  archiepiscopal 
sees,  each  having  under  them  twelve  suffragan  bishops  and  diocese. 
He  empowered  these  two  archbishops  and  their  successors  to  con- 
secrate bishops  in  any  provincial  councils  which  they  might  hold. 
Yet  he  required  them  to  come  to  Rome,  in  order  to  receive  from 
the  hands  of  the  Pope  the  pallia,  the  insignia  of  their  authority 
over  the  bishops  forming  their  provinces.*  According  to  that  in- 
dult,  only  the  archbishops  could  consecrate  bishops,  while  they 
were  obliged  to  go  to  Rome  themselves  for  their  episcopal  consecra- 
tion.* 

In  the  early  churohea  of  France  and  of  Spain,  we  find  the  same 

'  Blanrhl  Vca^XA  e  PoMzIa  (1«11b  Chlesa  T.  4.  L.  2.  C.  I.  Wh-.  16.  p.  285. 

»  ADaHtajtJiM  Vita  St.  Leonls  II.       •  Innocent  1.  ad  Alexandruni.  Antloch.  Constant,  col.  R51. 

*  T.  I.  col.  oiH.  »  St.  GreK.  verba  Antlfebronio  T.  8.  p.  150.       •  Honorius  I. 


GRANTING  THE  PALLIUM.  419 

discipline  with  little  change.  The  Popes  gave  power  to  the  arch- 
bishops of  these  nations  to  consecrate  their  suffragan  bishops,  in 
a  synod  of  the  province  subject  to  each.  The  archbishop  had  to 
go  to  Rome  to  receive  episcopal  consecration  from  the  hands  of 
the  Pope,  as  in  the  churches  of  Asia  and  parts  of  Africa  tlie  bish- 
ops received  consecration  from  the  patriarchs,  representing  the 
Pope.  But  when  difficulties  of  travelling  to  Rome  arose,  the  Pope 
dispensed  with  the  voyages  and  appointed  other  bishops  their 
immediate  primates  or  superiors  to  impose  hands  on  them.  But 
the  Pope  never  did  that  regarding  the  archbishops  of  Milan  and 
of  Aquilia,  as  these  cities  were  near  Rome,  and  the  cause  exempt- 
ing them  from  this  journey  did  not  exist.  As  it  was  often  dan- 
gerous or  difficult  to  cross  the  Mediterranean  sea,  the  bishops  of 
the  North  of  Africa  received  the  same  indult,  while  at  the  same 
time  the  Popes  conceded  that  the  archbishops  of  Carthage  could 
be  consecrated  in  provincial  council,  after  they  had  been  elected 
by  the  laity  and  clergy  of  the  historic  diocese  of  that  great  city 
which  once  rivalled  Rome. 

Wlien  by  the  indults  received  from  the  Holy  See,  the  archbish- 
ops, elected  by  their  dioceses,  were  accustomed  to  be  consecrated  in 
a  provincial  council,  they  were  obliged  to  first  get  the  approbation 
of  the  Pope  before  the  ceremony  took  place.  From  the  year  743 
each  archbishop  was  accustomed  to  wear  the  pallium,  coming  from 
the  tomb  of  St.  Peter,  as  a  sign  of  the  power  of  Peter  over  the 
bishops  of  their  provinces,  and  the  giving  of  this  insignia  to  the 
archbishop  elect  was  the  same  as  the  confirmation  of  the  Pope, 
^iven  to  the  election  held  by  the  clergy  and  laity  of  the  metropoli- 
tan diocese.  Then  only  were  the  bishops  of  the  province  called  to 
assemble  in  council  to  impose  their  hands  on  the  candidate.  In 
the  important  selection  of  the  archbishop,  took  part  the  laity  and 
■clergy  of  the  archdiocese,  the  bishops  of  the  province  under  the 
archbishop  elect,  and  the  confirmation  of  the  Holy  See. 

A  German  council  held  in  the  year  742  thus  commanded:  ""We 
decree  in  our  synodal  convention,  that  the  archbishops  must  seek 
the  pallium  from  that  See  and  try  to  canonically  follow  the  precepts 
of  Peter,  that  they  may  be  numbered  among  the  sheep  given  to 
him."'  Numerous  councils  and  writers  of  the  IX.  century  show 
us  that  the  archbishops  were  then  obliged  to  ask  their  pallia  from 
the  hands  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome. '  Hincmar,  archbishop  of 
Rheims,  rose  in  an  assembly  of  bishops,  kings  and  princes,  and 
showed  them  the  letter  he  had  received  from  the  Pope  confirming 
his  election  to  that  see.  In  his  reply  to  the  Bulgarians,  Nicholas  I., 
giving  the  discipline  of  his  day,  says  that  because  of  the  ''long 
journey  the  archbishops  were  exempt  from  coming  to  Rome,  but 
that  they  must  not  sit  on  their  episcopal  thrones  before  they  had 
received  the  pallium  from  the  Pope."  The  archbishops  of  Ulyri- 
cum  could  not  be  consecrated  without  the  confirmation  of  Rome. 

Numberless  historic  facts  tell  us,  that  even  when  the  bishops  of 
*  Lab.  Edit.  Venetas  T.  8  col.  281.  '  See.  Hincmar  Concil.  Suesslonen.  11.  an.  853. 


420  WHAT  THE   BISHOPS  OF  ROME  DID. 

the  early  church  were  elected  by  any  of  the  means  given  above, 
the  Bishop  of  Rome  confirmed  the  candidate,  either  directly,  as  in 
Europe,  or  indirectly  by  his  representative  or  legate  as  in  the  East. 
Everywhere  was  seen  the  authority  of  Peter  living  in  his  successor. 
Such  was  the  discipline  given  by  the  decretals  of  Siricius  to 
Himerus,  of  Innocent  I  to  Victricius,  of  Zozimus  to  Patroclus, 
of  Celestin  to  the  bishops  of  the  provinces  of  Vienna  and  of  Narbon, 
of  St.  Leo  to  Anastasius  of  Thessalonica,  of  Symmachus  to  Caesar 
of  Aries,  of  Gregory  the  Great  in  his  epistles,  and  other  numerous 
monuments  of  this  early  age  of  the  church.  Every  historic 
proof  shows  us  the  Roman  Pontiff  feeding  the  churches  and 
sheepfolds  of  Christ  all  over  the  world,  all  following  out  that  com- 
mission of  Christ  to  Peter.  If  a  dispute  arose  relating  to  any  of 
these  elections  of  the  bishops  of  the  early  church,  it  was  settled 
by  the  official  decision  of  the  Pope.  Thus  we  read  that  the  con- 
troversy of  Minicias  and  of  Rufinus  in  Spain  was  settled  by  Inno- 
cent I  and  the  dispute  between  Sylvanus  and  Irenaeus  and  Hilary 
was  ended  by  the  same  Pope. 

At  the  same  time  we  find  that  many  of  the  episcopal  elections 
were  declared  illegal,  null  and  void  by  the  Popes,  who  sent  other 
bishops  in  their  places.  The  Holy  See  sent  Eunomius  and  Olym- 
pius  as  bishops  to  Africa,  with  letters  deposing  two  contestants, 
and  with  power  to  consecrate  another  candidate  for  the  see  in  dis- 
pute. When  Ravenna  became  vacant,  Donatus  and  John  both 
contended  for  the  vacant  throne,  but  Gregory  rejected  both  and 
consecrated  to  that  see  Marinianus.  '  When  the  clergy  of  Ariminses 
elected  Ocleatinus  as  their  bishop,  Gregory  the  Great  rejected 
him,  and  appointed  a  visitor  bishop  to  preside  over  a  new  election, 
which  he  ordered,  because  of  the  informalities  in  the  first  election, 
and  he  did  this  without  communicating  with  the  archbishop  of 
Ravenna,  the  metropolitan  see  to  which  this  diocese  was  then 
subject. 

In  the  year  649,  when  the  errors  of  the  one  will  in  Christ  were 
spreading  over  the  Greek  nations,  Martin  I.  appointed  John  of 
Philadelphia  as  his  legate,  with  power  of  instituting  bishops,  priests 
and  deacons  in  the  churches  subject  to  the  sees  of  Jerusalem  of 
Antioch  and  of  other  cities  in  the  East.  Not  one  of  the  patriarchs 
of  these  old  historic  churches  then  protested,  although  their  pre- 
decessors from  time  immemorial  had  confirmed  and  consecrated  the 
bishops  of  these  churches,  for  they  knew  that  they  did  that  only 
as  the  delegates  of  the  Holy  See,  which  they  knew  could  recall  as 
Pope  Martm  did,  these  delegated  powers.  * 

The  cases  of  such  action  on  the  part  of  the  Popes  in  the  early 
church  are  so  numerous,  that  we  cannot  take  up  space  in  giving 
more  examples.  We  may  conclude  then  by  summing  up  all  we 
have  said  thus  far:  The  Pope  confirmed  the  patriarchs  of  the 
great  historic  and  apostolic  churches;  the  patriarchs  confirmed  the 
primates  and  the  archbishops  within  their  respective  jurisdiction, 

1  Ei>lst.  Lib.  I  Epist.  B7.  *  Eplst.  6  puad  Mansi  T.  la 


REGULAR  EPISCOPAL  CONSECRATIONS.  421 

doing  that  as  the  delegates  of  the  Koman  Pontiffs;  the  archbishops 
approved  and  consecrated  the  bishoi^s  under  them,  while  the  bish- 
ops confirmed  the  election  which  took  place  by  the  votes  of  the 
laity  and  clergy  of  the  vacant  diocese.  In  Europe,  the  Pope  con- 
secrated the  archbishop  elected  by  the  laity  and  clergy  of  the  vacant 
^  diocese,  and  when  the  Pope  could  not,  he  was  consecrated  by  the 
suffragan  bishops  assembled  in  council.  When  the  vacant  see  was 
far  from  Eome,  the  Popes  dispensed  with  the  journey  to  the  eter- 
nal city,  so  that  the  archbishops  of  this  part  of  the  church  were 
consecrated  by  the  council  of  bishops,  after  the  election  had  been 
confirmed  by  the  Holy  See.  In  Europe  the  archbishop  consecrated 
the  bishop,  when  their  election  had  been  confirmed  by  Rome. 
The  laity  and  clergy  of  the  vacant  diocese,  the  bishops  of  the 
ecclesiastical  province,  and  the  archbishops  took  part  in  all  these 
elections,  while  the  patriarchs  in  the  East  confirmed  these  actions, 
as  the  delegates  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  But  Europe,  being  nearer 
to  Rome  than  the  regions  of  Asia,  the  Pope  reserved  the  confirma- 
tion or  rejection  of  bishops  elect  to  himself,  and  no  one  was  conse- 
crated without  his  approval,  for  to  him  belonged  to  feed  the  lambs 
and  sheep  of  Christ,  and  to  provide  all  the  churches  with  pastors 
according  to  the  heart  and  mind  of  Christ,  whose  Vicar  he  was. 
To  him  all  churches  ever  looked  as  the  fountain  of  universal  juris- 
diction over  the  whole  unique  sheepfold  of  Christ. 

The  great  writers  of  the  holy  church,  as  Sts.  Leo,  Gelasius,  In- 
nocent I,  Chrystom,  &c.,  tell  us  that  St.  Peter  himself  appointed 
the  first  bishops  of  the  great  churches  of  Antioch  and  of  Alexan- 
dria, and  then  filled  his  own  See  at  Rome.  In  494  the  Roman 
councils  defined  that:  "  the  holy  Roman  and  Apostolic  church  was 
founded  by  no  synodal  institutes,  but  by  the  words  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  it  received  its  Primacy  saying:  "  Thou  art  Peter,  "  &c.,  giv- 
ing Christ's  words  to  Peter.  ''  Therefore  the  Roman  Church  is 
the  first  See  of  Peter,  which  has  no  spot  or  stain  or  anything  of 
this  kind.'  But  the  second  see  of  blessed  Peter  is  at  Alexandria 
which  was  established  by  his  disciple  and  Evangelist,  for  Peter  the 
apostle  sent  him  into  Egypt,  to  there  preach  the  word  of  truth, 
where  he  finished  a  glorious  martyrdom.  But  the  third  see  of  the 
same  blessed  Peter  the  apostle  is  at  Antioch,  which  is  honored  by 
his  name  because  there  he  lived  before  he  came  to  Rome.'*  Thus 
speaks  the  council  of  bishops  of  the  early  church  assembled  in  Rome 
at  this  early  date. 

Such  has  ever  been  the  teachings  of  the  whole  christian  world, 
and  every  testimony  but  proves  the  truth  of  this  historic  fact, 
which  has  often  been  proclaimed  by  Popes  and  councils  in  every 
age.  "  To  the  patriarchs  of  these  venerable  apostolic  sees,  the 
Popes  often  confirmed  that  jurisdiction  given  them  first  by  Peter, 
to  oversee  the  churches  subject  to  them,  and  to  report  to  him  at 
stated  times  the  condition  of  religion  on  the  two  great  continents 
of  Asia  and  of  Africa,.     Pius  VI.  tells  us  that  their  authority  came 

-    1  Concil.  Roman,  held  In  494.  '  Pope  Nicholas  1.  Resp.  ad  Bulg. 


422  HOW   CANTERBURY   OBTAINED   THE   PRIMACY. 

not  from  the  law  of  God,  not  from  a  universal  council,  not  from 
provincial  synods,  not  from  any  agreement  among  the  bishops,  but 
that  it  came  alone  from  Peter  the  apostle,  who  received  universal 
jurisdiction  from  his  Master.'  And  when  in  the  council  of  Chal- 
cedon,  the  archbishop  of  Constantinople,  urged  on  by  the  emperor, 
tried  to  elevate  himself  over  the  archbishops  of  Pontus,  of  Thrace 
and  of  Jerusalem,  then  called  Aelia,  Pope  St,  Leo  refused  to  give 
his  consent,  but  vetoed  the  28th  canon  of  this  great  council.  Only 
long  after  did  Constantinople  receive  from  Rome  the  honor  of  be- 
ing a  patriarchal  see. 

From  Rome,  coming  with  the  blessing  of  her  Bishop,  came  all  the 
bishops  and  priests  who  first  evangelized  Europe,  as  Innocent  I. 
says  :  '*  It  is  evident  that  the  venerable  Peter  the  apostle  and  his 
successors  appointed  priests  in  all  Italy,  France,  Spain,  Africa, 
Sicily  and  the  adjacent  islands,  and  without  them  no  churches 
were  established  in  these  places."'  To  St.  Augustine  the  apostle 
of  England  St.  Gregory  the  Great  wrote:  **  And  because  of  the 
Omnipotent  God,  and  by  your  works,  the  church  of  the  English 
has  come  forth  and  increased,  "We  grant  jon  the  use  of  the  pallium, 
so  that  in  twelve  places  you  may  consecrate  so  many  bishops,  who 
will  be  subject  to  your  word,  in  so  much  that  the  bishop  of  London 
must  be  consecrated  by  the  bishops  of  his  own  synod,  and  from  the 
Holy  and  Apostolic  See  he  may  have  the  honor  of  the  pallium. 
But  We  wish  you  to  send  a  bishop  to  York,  send  him  whom  you 
judge  worthy  of  consecration,  so  that  in  the  neighboring  places 
near  that  city,  which  receive  the  word  of  God,  let  him  consecrate 
twelve  bishops,  and  be  himself  their  metropolitan,  because  he  also 
was  your  companion,  and  the  Lord  favoring,  We  propose  to  confer 
on  him  the  pallium But  not  only  the  bishops  whom  you  con- 
secrate, but  those  ordained  by  the  bishop  of  York  and  all  the 
priests  of  England,  the  Lord  favoring,  We  wish  to  be  subject  to 
you."'  From  that  time  the  successor  of  St.  Augustine  is  the  pri- 
mate of  England.  Even  after  the  deplorable  schism,  from  the  ref- 
ormation to  our  day,  the  successor  of  St.  Augustine  is  the  primate 
of  the  church  of  England. 

When  by  the  grace  of  God,  and  by  the  appointment  of  Pope  Cel- 
estine,  in  432  St.  Patrick  became  the  apostle  of  Ireland,  and  after 
he  had  established  bishops  in  many  cities,  he  still  remained  till 
his  death  in  495,  the  legate  of  the  Holy  See  for  the  consecration  of 
the  bishops  of  the  "  Isle  of  the  Saints,  "  the  same  as  St.  Boniface 
the  apostle  of  Germany  ruled  the  bishops  whom  he  had  consecrated 
in  that  country,  for  he  too  was  the  legate  of  the  Pope. 

In  the  West  of  Europe  and  the  East  of  Asia,  the  bishops  of  the 
chief  cities  were  delegated  by  the  early  Popes  to  confirm  and  con- 
secrate the  bishops  elected  by  the  laity  and  clergy  of  the  vacant 
dioceses.  Thus  no  bishop  could  be  consecrated  or  enthroned  in 
any  vacant  diocese  in  the  province  under  the  archbishops  of  Thes- 

'  Phw  VI.  In  Respon.  de.  Nunciat.  Cap.  9  sec  I.  n.  8  etc  *  Splst.  88. 

*  Ureg.  Mag.  Lib.  12  Eplst.15. 


SEATS  FOR  THE  MONKS  OF  THE  MONASTIC  CHURCH  AT  WETTINGEN,  BADEN. 


424  THE  CONFIRMATION  OF  THE  BISHOP-ELECT. 

salonica  without  his  consent,  for  their  confirmation  was  reserved  to^ 
the  archbishop  of  Thessalonica,  who  was  the  delegate  of  the  Roman 
Pontiffs  for  all  that  part  of  the  church,  the  same  as  the  bishop  of 
Aries  was  the  delegate  of  the  Pope  for  ancient  Gaul,  as  the  bishop 
of  Seville  was  for  Spain.  These  ancient  delegates  of  the  Holy  See 
had  great  authority  over  the  churches  of  these  countries,  for  they 
settle  disputes  among  the  bishops, they  called  national  councils  over 
which  they  presided  as  chairman  in  the  name  of  the  Eoman  Pon- 
tiffs, and  they  took  the  place  of  the  latter  in  many  circumstances. 

In  these  early  days  in  the  East,  that  is  that  part  of  the  church 
in  the  west  of  Asia,  then  so  flourishing,  now  known  as  the  Greek 
church,  the  consecration  of  not  only  the  archbishops,  but  also  of 
the  bishops  was  reserved  to  the  patriarchs,  as  the  delegates  of  the 
Bishop  of  Eome,  who  alone  confirmed  them,  after  they  had  been 
elected  by  the  votes  of  the  clergy  and  laity  of  these  great  historic 
dioceses.  Thus  Innocent  I.  wrote  to  the  patriarch  of  Antioch: 
"  As  by  your  authority  alone  the  archbishops  are  consecrated,  thus 
and  other  bishops  you  will  see,  are  not  created  without  your 
permission  and  your  knowledge.^' '  Not  only  that,  but  it  seem& 
most  probable,  that  the  approbation  of  the  Pope  was  required  for 
the  consecration  of  even  the  simple  bishops,  except  where  by  his- 
express  delegation,  the  patriarch  or  archbishop  acted  as  the  papal 
delegate.  Innocent  I.  recognized  this  custom,  as  we  find  by  hi& 
letter  to  Alexandrus,  patriarch  of  Antioch  cited  above.  In  said 
letter,  he  says  that  such  authority  comes  from  the  council  of  Nice: 
*'  Therefore  revolving  on  the  authority  of  the  Nicine  Synod,  which 
with  one  mind  explains  the  mind  of  the  priests  all  over  the  whole 
world.  "^  We  could  cite  numerous  proofs  from  the  councils  and 
letters  of  the  Popes,  and  the  writings  of  the  fathers  of  this  age  to 
prove  these  assertions,  but  space  forbids  —  we  have  given  enough 
to  show  any  fair  minded  reader,  that  the  Pontiffs  of  Rome  have 
ever  followed  the  words  of  Christ  to  their  chief,  Peter, to  *'  feed  his 
lambs  and  sheep. " 

Now  we  come  to  the  confirmation  of  bishops  in  the  early  church . 
The  -confirmation  of  bishops,  whether  elected  by  the  clergy  and 
people,  or  by  the  civil  powers  representing  the  laity,  their  con- 
secration was  not  in  the  early  church  reserved  to  the  Popes  as  at 
the  present  time.  When  elected  by  the  laity  and  clergy  of  the 
widowed  diocese,  the  confirmation  and  consecration  of  the  can- 
didate belonged  to  the  bishops  of  the  province,  over  whom  presid- 
ed thearchbishop.the  patriarch  or  primate,  representing  the  Roman 
Pontiff  as  given  above.  This  discipline  was  given  in  the  IV.  canon 
of  the  council  of  Nice,  which  says:  **  It  behooves  the  bishop  to  be 
especially  consecrated  by  all  who  are  in  the  province.  But  if  this 
be  difficult,  because  of  urgent  reaj^ons,  or  of  the  long  distance,  at 
least  three  bishops  must  gather  at  the  place,  and  vote  in  the  name 
of  the  absent  bisliops,  writing  down  the  essential  things,  then  let 
the  consecration  take  place.     But  all  which  takes  place  in  each 

>  Ap.  Ck>nsUnt.  col.  861.  *  Ibidem. 


THE  LAITY    BECAME  VIOLENT.  425 

province  must  be  confirmed  by  the  metropolitan."  '  The  council 
of  Laodocia  gave  somewhat  the  same  directions.  John  the  Schol- 
astic, '  in  a  rubic,  says  that  the  bishop  should  be  consecrated  by 
the  archbishop,  and  by  all  the  other  bishops  of  the  province,  and 
that  the  absent  bishops  should  send  their  consent  in  writing. 

St.  Cyprian  says  that  the  election  and  consecration  of  the  bish- 
ops of  the  whole  church,  in  his  day  took  place  by  the  votes  of  the 
laity  and  of  the  clergy  of  the  vacant  diocese,  and  that  the  bishops 
of  the  pi'ovince,  at  least  to  the  number  of  five,  came  to  the  conse- 
cration. '  Peter,  patriarch  of  Alexandria,  tells  us  that  the  election 
of  bishops  took  place  in  his  day  by  the  people,  the  clergy  of  the 
diocese,  and  the  consent  of  the  bishops.  *  The  votes  of  the 
people  in  the  early  church  were  cast,  not  to  elect  the  bishop,  but 
to  propose  him  as  their  candidate,  lest  a  pastor  which  they  did 
not  want  might  be  imposed  on  them.  Then  the  clergy  of  the 
widowed  church  voted  for  their  candidate,  the  bishops  later  con- 
firmed the  election,  and  the  archbishop,  primate  or  patriarch, 
with  the  aid  of  the  bishops  of  the  province,  came,  consecrated  and 
enthroned  the  new  bishop  in  his  cathedral,  with  all  the  ceremo- 
nial customary  at  that  time.  St.  Cyprian  says  that  the  clergy  and 
people  of  the  diocese  only  voted,  but  that  the  final  judgment  or 
confirmation  belonged  to  the  bishops,  and  archbishop.  Sometimes 
these  assemblies  of  the  people  became  so  noisy  and  boisterous  in 
the  churches,  that  they  were  a  disgrace  to  religion.  That  excel- 
lent author  Christ.  Lupus  says,  that  they  resorted  to  crime  and 
even  to  the  spilling  of  blood  in  the  churches,  as  the  people  often 
divided  into  factions,  each  favoring  their  candidate. 

Pope  St.  Leo  forbade  any  one  to  be  consecrated  a  bishop,  who 
had  not  received  the  votes  of  the  clergy,  and  people  of  the  diocese, 
as  well  as  the  approbation  of  the  bishops  of  the  provinces,  and  the 
confirmation  of  the  archbishop.*  Gregory  the  Great,  in  his  direc- 
tions to  the  archbishop  of  Eavenna,  tells  him  to  send  the  name  of- 
the  person  proposed  by  the  people  of  the  diocese,  and  voted  for  by 
the  clergy,  to  him  at  Rome,  that  he  might  confirm  the  election. 

Hincmar,  archbishop  of  Rheims  in  France,  wrote  to  one  of  the 
bishops  of  his  province,  that  when  a  diocese  became  widowed  by 
the  death  of  her  bishop,  it  belonged  to  him  as  archbishop  to  nom- 
inate a  visitor  bishop,  to  examine  the  candidate  proposed  by  the 
people  and  by  the  clergy,  stating  that  it  belonged  to  this  bishop, 
wlio  was  then  interfering  in  the  business  of  his  metropolitan,  to 
simply  come  with  the  other  bishops  of  the  province  to  the  conse- 
cration of  the  elect.  « 

We  conclude  then  that  the  votes  of  the  laity  were  first  required, 
then  the  votes  of  the  clergy  of  the  diocese,  then  the  consent  of 
the  bishops  of  the  province,  then  the  confirmation  of  the  Pope  or 
of  the  archbishop,  primate  or  patriarch,  as  papal  delegate  represent- 
ing the  Roman  Pontiff,     These  preliminary  actions  were  required 

■   »  The  archbishop.  2  jn  jjis  Collection,  Tit.  7.  »  Eplst,  64. 

*  Apud.  Theodor.  Lib.  4.  Cap.  20.     «  Ed.  Bal.  T.  I.  col.  1420. 


426  THE  ELECTION  RESERVED  TO  THE  POPE. 

before  any  one  could  become  a  bishop  in  the  early  church.  The 
meetings  of  the  people,  formed  first  of  saints  with  the  good  of 
religion  only  at  heart,  became  at  last  political  gatherings,  the 
seats  of  the  lowest  political  intrigues,  of  bloodshed,  and  of  every 
crime,  so  that  by  the  tacit  consent  of  the  Popes,  emperors,  kings 
and  governments  took  the  place  of  the  people,  and  proposed  the 
candidates  to  the  Pope  or  to  his  representative,  the  archbishop  or 
patriarch. 

Such  were  the  methods  of  electing  bishops  in  the  early  church 
before  the  cathedral  chapters  took  their  place,  and  as  the  senate  of 
the  diocese,  represented  the  laity  and  clergy  in  the  election  of 
their  bishop. 

To  the  apostles  therefore  Christ  left  the  power  of  appointing 
bishops  in  this  way,  that  while  the  other  apostles  received  juris- 
diction from  the  Lord  as  a  personal  privilege,  which  was  to  die 
with  them,  it  was  to  remain  forever  in  the  Bishop,  who  became 
the  successor  and  the  heir  of  Peter.  He  alone  was  to  feed  the 
church  of  Christ,  by  appointing  pastors  over  all  the  churches.  In 
the  middle  ages,  many  abuses  crept  into  this  particular  part  of  the 
discipline  of  the  church.  Kings  and  princes  appointed  the  most 
unworthy  persons,  even  the  archbishops  representing  the  Roman 
Pontiff  sometimes  elevated  unworthy  candidates  to  the  vacant 
thrones  of  the  sees  within  their  provinces.  From  this  rose  many 
abuses  and  grave  contests,  between  these  diverse  powers  and  the 
Holy  See.  The  remains  of  that  may  be  seen  in  England  to  our  very 
day,  where  the  civil  government,  or  the  English  sovereign,  appoints 
all  the  bishops  of  the  schismatic  church  of  England. 

To  reform  the  church  from  such  abuses,  the  Holy  See  took  an 
active  part,  issuing  many  decrees.  The  chapters  of  the  cathedrals 
took  their  places  as  the  electors  of  the  bishops,  whiile  the  Pope 
usually  confirmed  their  candidate,  when  he  found  that  the  election 
was  regular.  The  chapters  represented  the  clergy  of  the  diocese, 
or  the  ancient  presbytery  of  the  church.  But  even  then  abuses 
rose,  and  many  were  the  contentions  between  the  bishops  and  the 
chapters  sitting  as  the  senate  of  the  diocese. 

Christ  did  not  determine  the  way  of  electing  the  bishops.  He 
therefore  left  to  the  church  the  power  to  change  her  discipline,  as 
the  customs  and  the  needs  of  the  ages  seemed  to  require.  Benedict 
XII.,  elected  to  the  pontifical  throne  in  the  year  1334,  reserved  to 
the  Pope  all  confirmations  of  both  archbishops  and  bishops  all  over 
the  world,  so  as  to  put  an  end  to  the  divisions  and  contentions  on 
that  subject,  then  disturbing  the  church.'  From  that  time  the  Holy 
See  alone  confirms  or  rejects  the  candidates  for  the  vacant  thrones 
all  over  the  christian  world,  no  matter  by  what  means  elected. 

From  that  time,  then  the  bishops  were  both  elected  and  confirm- 
ed by  the  Pope,  in  a  public  consistory  or  meeting  of  the  senate  of 
cardinals.  After  they  had  carefully  examined  the  qualities  of  the 
candidate  for  the  episcopal  throne,  by  the  numerous  means  at  the 

*  Ferrarto  V.  Epiac.  Art.  8  n.  6. 


ANOTHER  WAY  OF  ELECTING  BISHOPS.  427 

disposal  of  the  authorities,  the  Pope  chose  the  one  he  judged  tlie 
most  worthy,  and  pronounced  the  sentence:  ''By  the  authority 
of  the  Almighty  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  of  the  blessed 
apostles  Peter  and  Paul,  and  by  onr  power.  We  provide  for  the 
church,  (naming  the  diocese)  in  the  person  of,  (naming  the  bish- 
op), and  We  nominate  him  as  Bishop  and  pastor,  and  We  commit 
to  him  the  fulness  of  power,  both  in  spirituals  and  in  temporals/" 
Then  they  sent  him  the  papal  bulls,  (thus  called  because  they 
are  sealed  with  leaden  balls,  in  Italian  bulla)  officially  notifying  him 
of  his  appointment,  and  giving  him  power  to  be  consecrated  by 
neighboring  bishops,  or  by  the  archbishop,  representing  the  Pope 
at  the  ceremony. 

The  right  of  nominating  bisiiops,  which  some  of  the  christian 
governments  still  have,  as  given  in  the  agreement  with  the  Holy 
See,  is  not  the  right  of  appointing  them,  but  only  of  nominating,  or 
presenting  the  candidate  for  confirmation  to  the  Pope,  to  whom 
alone  is  reserved  the  final  confirmation  and  appointment.  For, 
not  from  the  government,  nor  from  the  election,  by  whatever 
way  it  takes  place,  does  the  "bishop  get  his  power,  buc  alone  from 
the  heir  of  Peter,  who  ever  feeds  the  sheepfolds  of  Christ,  the 
other  dioceses  of  the  world. 

The  council  of  Trent  directs  that  the  legates,  the  papal  nuncios, 
and  the  neighboring  bishops  be  asked  regarding  the  character  of 
the  candidates  for  episcopal  consecration.*  In  another  place,  the 
holy  Synod  directs  that  the  bishops  may  examine  into  the  abilities 
and  qualities  of  the  candidates  in  a  provincial  council,  so  that  the 
whole  matter,  with  the  documents,  may  be  sent  to  the  Pope,  as 
well  as  the  profession  of  the  faith  of  the  candidates,  that  the  Pon- 
tiff may  select  the  one  he  judges  the  most  worthy.  The  docu- 
ments are  first  examined  by  the  committee  of  four  cardinals,  who 
report  to  the  consistory.* 

In  May  1591  Gregory  XIV.  issued  his  famous  Constitution,  * 
still  better  defining  the  mode  of  examining  candidates  for  the 
episcopacy,  as  given  by  the  Tridentine  council.  He  defined  that 
all  relatives  of  the  candidates  should  be  rejected,  that  the  nuncios 
and  legates  should  obtain  the  information  personally,  and  not  del- 
egate this  duty  to  others,  that  in  places  where  there  were  no  leg- 
ates, the  archbishop,  or  if  he  could  not  attend,  the  senior  bishop 
should  perform  the  duty,  that  they  should  carefully  examine  the 
candidates  relating  to  their  parents,  their  age,  where  they  studied, 
where  they  exercised  their  ministry,  their  success  in  fulfilling  their 
duties,  &c.,  so  that  such  details  may  be  laid  before  the  Holy  See  in 
regular  form.  The  documents  are  first  examined  by  a  committee 
composed  of  the  cardinal  dean  bishop,  the  cardinal  dean  priest, 
and  the  cardinal  deacon  living  at  the  papal  court. 

In  1627  Urbanus  VIII.  issued  another  instruction,  incorporat- 
ing the  foregoing  directions,  both  of  the  council  of  Trent  and  of 

>  Benedict  XIV.  De  Synod.  Dioces.  L.  5  n.  3.  ^  ggg.  22  de  Refer.  Cap.  2. 

■^  Concil.  Trid.  Ses.  24  Cap.  I  de  Ref.  ■•  Onus  Apost. 


428  THE  PRESENT  MODE  OF  ELECTING  BISHOPS. 

Gregory  IV.,  but  going  more  into  detail  in  the  matter  there  ex- 
amined regarding  the  candidate,  whether  proposed  either  by  the 
civil  authorities  testifying  how  the  candidates  shall  be  examined, 
the  qualities  of  the  witnesses  allowed  to  give  testimony  in  favor 
of  the  candidates  for  the  episcopacy,  the  population  and  peculiar- 
ities of  the  episcopal  city,  and  all  things  relating  to  the  church 
and  diocese,  to  which  the  candidate  will  be  sent  as  bishop. 

In  March  1631  the  congregation  of  the  Consistory  issued  an- 
other decree  relating;  to  the  same  matter,  defining  still  better  the 
mode  of  proceeding  m  selecting  bishops.  In  Oct.  1746  the  great 
Benedict  XIV.  still  farther  regulated  the  matter  by  abrogating 
the  constitutions  of  both  Clement  XI.  and  Urban  VIII.  regarding 
the  manner  of  electing  bishops,  with  titles  of  dioceses  destroyed 
by  the  infidels,'  but  who  were  to  be  promoted  to  other  dioceses,  or 
assigned  to  offices  in  Koman  courts.  He  ordered  that  questions 
should  be  sent  to  the  bishops  and  prelates  of  Albania,  Macedonia, 
Servia,  Bulgaria,  Persia,  Armenia  and  Egypt,  that  the  replies 
might  be  filed  in  the  congregation  of  tl^e  Propaganda  to  be  referred 
to  as  wanted.  If  the  candidates  then  resided  at  the  eternal  city, 
two  witnesses  were  required  to  testify  regarding  them,  but  if  they 
did  not  live  at  Rome,  then  information  regarding  them  "was  to  be 
obtained  in  the  regular  way.  When  vicar  apostolics  were  to  be 
sent  to  missionary  countries,  the  questions  relating  to  their 
churches  were  omitted. 

The  three  cardinals  deans  of  the  sacred  college,  having  carefully 
examined  all  the  documents  relating  to  the  candidates  for  the 
episcopacy,  and  reported  the  candidates  they  found  most  worthy 
for  the  office,  the  cardinal  relator,  or  chairman  of  the  committee,  re- 
ports to  the  consistory.  If  the  vacant  see  be  in  one  of  the  cath- 
olic nations,  this  cardinal  relator  will  be  the  cardinal  protector  of 
this  nation,  otherwise  he  will  be  delegated  by  the  Pope  for  this 
office.  In  the  first  consistory  or  meeting  of  the  cardinals,  the 
relator  proposes  in  a  formal  way  the  candidate  to  the  Pope  who 
sits  as  chairman.  The  same  is  again  done  in  a  more  formal  man- 
ner in  the  next  meeting  of  the  cardinals.  Then  the  Pope  asks  all 
the  cardinals  :  "  What  seems  to  you  best  ?"  When  each  card- 
inal gives  his  opinion,  if  they  all  agree,  the  Pope  uncovers  his 
head,  and  pronounces  the  form  by  which  he  confirms  the  election. 
This  was  the  way  the  candidate  was  promoted  a  few  years  ago,  but 
now  the  Pope  himself,  and  not  the  cardinal  relator,  proposes  the 
name,  and  the  question  :  "  What  seems  to  you  best,"  is  merely  a 
ceremony,  as  before  the  matter  comes  to  this  point,  all  things 
have  been  carefully  examined  by  the  various  processes  mentioned 
above.  The  vice-chancellor  cardinal,  who  is  the  clerk,  of  the 
senate,  keeps  a  record  of  all  the  promotions,  and  he  sends  noti- 
fication of  his  election  to  each  of  the  bisliops,  wlio  must  take  a 
solemn  oath  of  obedience  and  fidelity  to  the  Roman  Pontiff.  This 
oath   is  usually  taken  by  the  bishop  the  day  of  his  consecration. 

>  In  Partlbiu  InndeUum. 


omtnTt  forth  from  the  Futlier,  the  eternal  Son  ever  remains 
i'^  with  the  Father,  having  in  common  with  him  all  the  per- 
fections of  the  Divinity,  never  breaking  his  relations  with 
the  other  Persons  of  of  the  Trinity,  coming  to  earth  to  be- 
come man,  the  Father  who  sent  him  crowns  him  with  the  tiara  of 
his  eternal  Priesthood,  saying:  'Thou  art  a  Priest  forever  accord- 
ing to  the  order  of  Melchisedech."* 

So  it  is  with  the  bishop,  the  high  priest  of  that  New  and  eternal 
Testament  the  church,  that  mystery  of  faith,  now  spread  through 
the  world,  everywhere  exercising  the  ministry  of  Christ  in  saving 
the  souls  bought  by  his  passion  and  death.  As  the  Son  came 
down  from  his  sanctuary  of  heaven,  from  his  equality  with  the 
other  Persons  of  the  Trinity,  so  the  bishop  comes  forth  from  the 
higher  companionship  of  his  brothers  in  the  episcopacy,  he  comes 
down  from  the  universal  church,  yet  he  never  leaves  that  hierarchy 
of  the  universal  church;  he  comes  at  his  consecration  by  the 
appointment  of  his  Father  the  Bishop  of  Eome,  he  comes  down  to 
the  particular  church  of  his  diocese,  there  to  become  in  his  turn 
the  head  of  holy  orders  and  jurisdiction  in  the  diocese,  that  image 
of  that  universal  church,  from  which  he  came  at  the  bidding  of 
the  Pope. 

As  the  Son  in  heaven  has  all  the  perfections  of  the  Father, 
from  whom  he  descended  into  the  world  at  his  incarnation,  so  the 
bishop  coming  by  appointment  of  the  Roman  Pontiff,  he  bears  in 
his  eternal  priesthood  all  the  riches  of  the  universal  church,  which 
^ave  him  spiritual  birth  at  his  consecration.     As  the  Son  ever 

•  Psalm  cix,  4. 

429 


MURDER   OF  THOMAS-A-BECKET. 


THE   DIOCESE  A  DAUGHTER  OP  THE  CHURCH.  431 

lives  ill  his  eternal  Father,  so  the  bishop  and  the  diocese  live  in 
the  universal  church,  from  which  she  cannot  be  separated,  no 
more  than  the  Son  can  separate  from  his  Father  in  heaven.  As 
Christ  is  the  head  of  the  universal  church,  so  the  bishop  is  the 
head  of  the  particular  church  the  diocese.  Christ  is  the  spouse  of 
the  universal  church,  and  the  bishop,  his  image,  is  the  spouse  of 
his  diocese,  the  image  of  the  church  universal.  From  our  bless- 
ed Lord  the  church  universal  receives  her  crown,  her  glory.  All 
the  spiritual  riches  which  he  received  from  his  Father,  he  gave 
her  his  spouse.  So  from  the  universal  church,  the  diocese  receives 
all  her  spiritual  riches,  her  Gospel,  her  sacraments,  her  doctrines, 
her  rites  and  ceremonies,  her  religious  principles,  her  salvation, 
which  she  pours  out  over  the  souls  of  the  dying  world. 

From  the  universal  church  in  which  still  he  dwells,  then  the 
bishop  receives  his  holy  orders,  his  apostolic  succession,  his  teach- 
ings, his  words  of  saving  faith,  his  holy  sacraments,  his  power  of 
ruling  souls,  his  jurisdiction  over  clergy  and  laity,  his  spiritual 
authority  over  men  and  his  everlasting  priesthood.  At  his  con- 
secration and  appointment  to  his  diocese,  the  universal  church  by 
the  voice  of  her  head  the  Pope,  gives  him  all  these  graces  of  re- 
demption for  the  souls  given  into  his  charge,  and  now  bearing  all 
these,  he  comes  down  from  the  universal  church  into  the  particu- 
lar church  his  diocese,  as  the  Son  came  down  from  his  unseen^ 
Holy  of  Holies  from  his  Father's  eternal  throne.  Thus  the  bishop 
comes  to  become  the  head  of  the  diocese,  the  spiritual  father  of 
the  christians  of  his  church.  As  the  divine  Son  received  his  com- 
mission from  the  Father,  head  of  the  Trinity,  to  become  the  Sav- 
iour of  mankind,  thus  from  the  Pope,  head  of  the  universal 
church,  the  bishop  becomes  the  head  and  the  chief  pastor  of  the 
diocese,  having  authority  to  rule  that  part  of  the  universal  church 
which  is  called  a  diocese.  Thus  the  bishop,  a  member  of  the 
episcopacy  of  the  whole  church,  with  Christ  at  their  head,  be- 
comes in  his  turn  the  visible  head  of  another  church,  the  diocese, 
the  daughter  of  our  holy  mother  the  universal  church,  of  which 
she  is  the  likeness  and  the  image. 

God  then  is  the  head  of  Christ,  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  univer- 
sal church,  while  the  bishop  is  the  head  of  the  diocese.  For  the 
church,  being  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  each  part  is  a  repro- 
duction of  the  whole,  following  that  universal  law  in  nature,  by. 
which  each  part  of  any  living  being  has  everywhere  the  perfections 
of  the  whole.  As  the  form  or  soul  of  each  living  organism  is  whole 
and  complete  in  each  and  every  part,  thus  the  Holy  Spirit  extends 
to  every  part  of  the  whole  church,  and  reproduces  the  perfections 
of  the  whole  in  each  church  and  diocese.  The  parish,  not  being 
a  perfect  church,  it  cannot  form  itself  without  the  bishop's 
authority,  or  ordain  ministers.  The  diocese  has  the  perfections  of 
each  and  every  holy  order,  but  not  of  jurisdiction  in  the  uni- 
versal church. 

Let  us  first  see  the  nature  of  the  episcopal  office,  its  rights  and 


432        HOW  BISHOPS  WERE  CALLED  IN  THE  EARLY  CHURCH. 

dignities,  then  we  can  examine  the  relations  of  the  bishops  with 
the  diocese.  He  is  head  of  the  diocese  and  to  him  belongs  to 
superintend  or  oversee  the  spiritual  business  of  the  whole  diocese. 
In  the  early  church  the  first  bishops  were  called  by  many  names, 
signifying  Iheir  holy  office,  their  spiritual  power,  or  the  veneration 
with  which  they  were  held  by  the  apostolic  converts.  According 
to  Theodoret,  they  were  called  apostles,  that  is  the  men  sent  by 
our  Lord  to  preach  the  Gospel,  the  good  tidings  to  the  whole  world. 
In  this  way  St,  Paul  was  called  the  apostle  of  the  gentiles, 
although  he  was  not  an  immediate  follower  of  our  Lord,  as  he  was 
converted  only  after  the  ascension,  yet  he  was  the  equal  of  the 
other  apostles. 

In  the  early  writers  of  the  church  we  find  many  names  given  to 
the  bishops.  They  were  called  antistes,  that  is  standing  first  or 
before,  as  they  were  the  leaders  in  the  church,  and  stood  in  the 
place  of  honor  before  the  priests  or  inferior  clergy.  The  bishops 
converted  and  consecrated  by  tlie  apostles  were  sometimes  named 
apostolic  men.  They  were  held  as  princes  of  the  people,  or  princes 
of  the  church,  while  the  body  of  the  episcopacy  was  known  as  the 
principality  of  the  church.  Again  we  find  them  given  as  prefects 
in  the  Greek  fathers,  or  as  presidents,  inspectors,  leaders  of  the 
'church,  the  princes  of  priests,  or  the  supreme  pontiffs.  Among 
.the  Greeks  they  were  known  as  popes,  the  meaning  of  which  is 
tfather,  a  title  later  reserved  entirely  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  In 
their  relation  to  the  priests  of  their  dioceses,  they  were  sometimes 
•called  the  fathers  or  the  judges  of  the  clergy. 

Because  of  the  holiness  of  their  office  they  were  addressed  as  the 
most  holy,  most  reverend,  most  blessed,  most  venerable,  most 
Iionorable,  most  amiable,  most  devoted,  most  religious,  most 
pious;  the  vicars  of  Christ,  the  angels  of  the  church.  When  one 
bishop  addressed  another,  he  used  the  words  my  colleague,  my 
brother,  my  co-minister,  my  venerable  brother,  &c.,  words  still 
used  by  the  Holy  See  in  official  letters  to  the  bishops. 

In  the  apostolic  times,  the  clergyman  who  had  charge  of  the 
church  was  called  the  bishop,  that  is  the  superintendent,  whether 
he  was  in  episcopal  orders  or  not,  for  among  the  pagan  Romans 
the  word  bishop  meant  the  man  who  had  charge  of  the  public 
works.'  Even  to  this  day  a  clergyman  elected,  but  not  yet  con- 
secrated may  be  called  a  bishop. 

Aerius  first  in  the  fourth  century,  and  many  of  the  reformers  of 
"the  sixteenth  century,  held  that  bishops  are  not  superior  in  holy 
orders  to  simple  priest  or  presbyters,  a  new  doctrine  attacked  by 
St.  Epiphanius,  rejected  by  the  great  fathers  of  the  church,  as 
well  as  condemned  by  the  councils,  especially  by  the  council  of 
Trent.*  Our  Lord  chose  twelve  men,  whom  he  called  his  apos- 
tles, and  he  promised  to  place  them  on  *'  twelve  thrones  judging 
the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  When  Judas  committed  suicide, 
lest  the  college  of  bishops  should  remain  unfilled,  they  chose  Mat- 

>  Cicero  Lib.  7.  Epist.  ad  St.  *  Sea.  28  can.  7. 


BISHOPS  AKE  ABOVE  PEIESTS,  433 

thias  in  his  place.  The  whole  tradition  of  the  church  shows  us 
that  the  bishops,  and  not  the  priests  are  the  successors  and  heirs  of 
the  apostles.  St.  John  in  his  Revelations  directs  his  threatening 
words  to  one  of  the  seven  angels  of  the  seven  churches,  that  is  to 
one  of  the  seven  bishops  of  these  churches,  threatening  him  un- 
less he  does  better.  They  were  the  bishops  of  the  churches  of 
Asia  Minor,  for  in  these  days  bishops  were  called  the  angels  of 
the  churches. 

St.  Ignatius,  a  disciple  of  both  Sts.  Peter  and  John,  the  second 
bishop  of  Antioch  after  St.  Peter,  in  many  parts  of  his  works 
mentions  both  bishops,  priests  and  deacons.  He  says  that  bishops 
are  the  superiors  of  priests,  Avhom  he  calls  presbyters. 

We  can  give  but  one  or  two  passages  from  the  beautiful  writ- 
ings of  this  saint,  made  so  illustrious  by  his  glorious  martyrdom  in 
107.  In  his  letter  to  the  people  of  Smyrna  he  says:  "  Let  us  all  fol- 
low the  bishop,  as  Jesus  Christ  does  his  Father,  and  the  presbytery 
as  the  apostles,  but  let  us  revere  the  deacons,  as  the  command 
of  God."  *  "  That  you  being  subject  to  the  bishop  and  to  the 
presbytery,  you  may  be  sanctified  in  all."  *  Writing  to  his  dis- 
ciple Polycarp,  whom  St.  John  taught,  he  says:  ''Look  to  the 
bishop  as  God  does  to  you.  I  am  devoted  to  these  who  are  sub- 
ject to  the  bishop,  to  the  priests  and  to  the  deacons,  and  it  hap- 
pens that  I  have  apart  with  them  in  God."  '  "It  becomes  you 
to  agree  in  the  sentence  of  the  bishop;  this  do.  For  your  vener- 
able presbytery  worthy  of  God,  is  thus  united  to  the  bisliop,  like 
the  strings  to  the  zither."  ^ 

Clement  of  Alexandria  says:  ''In  the  church  there  are  grades  of 
bishops,  distinct  from  the  presbyters  and  the  deacons,  to  whose 
power  and  government  both  of  the  body  of  the  presbyters,  the  dea- 
cons and  the  rest  of  the  laity  are  subject."  *  Tertullian  writes: 
"  The  supreme  priest,  who  is  the  bishop,  has  the  power  of  giving, 
from  him  the  presbyters  and  the  deacons  have  it,  but  not  without 
the  authority  of  the  bishop."  "  We  will  not  stop  to  give  any  more 
texts  from  the  early  writers  to  show  that  bishops  are  of  a  higher 
rank  than  presbyters  in  the  church,  for  very  few  chi-istians  believe 
the  contrary. 

In  the  early  churches  established  by  the  apostles,  it  was  custom- 
ary to  carefully  guard  the  names  of  the  bishops,  which  succeeded 
each  other  from  the  founding  of  the  diocese,  and  the  lists  of  suc- 
cession were  used  against  the  early  heretics,  to  show  that  the  latter 
did  not  come  from  the  apostles.  In  these  lists  of  ancient  bishops, 
they  are  always  given  as  the  superiors  of  the  priests  and  deacons. 
The  names  of  the  dead  pastors  of  these  ancient  churches  were 
written  on  the  diptics  placed  at  the  side  of  the  tabernacle,  so 
their  memories  could  be  recalled  during  the  Mass,  for  their  de- 
parted souls  or  ask  their  prayers.  In  that  way  the  names  of  the  first 
bishops,  saints  and  martyrs  of  Rome  became  inserted  into  the  canon 

'  Epist.  ad  Symrnos,  Cap.  8.      -  Epist.  ad  Polycarp  Cap.  n.         ^  Ad  Polycarpum  Cap.  6. 
-  ■»  Epist.  ad  Ephes.  Cap.  IV.      ^  Lib.  6  Strom.  Cap.  13  ed  Pot.        «  Lib.  de  Fuga  Cap.  II. 


434  THE  JUEISDICTION  OF  THE  BISHOPS. 

of  the  Mass.  The  lists  of  the  priests  were  not  always  as  carefully 
kept,  because  the  succession  of  presbyters  in  a  church  was  not  of 
such  importance  as  that  of  the  bishops,  who  like  Aaron  in  the  an- 
cient tabernacle  was  the  father  of  his  clergy. 

Centring  in  the  bishop,  we  find  the  power  of  orders  and  the  pow- 
er of  jurisdiction.  The  power  of  orders  comes  by  holy  orders  from 
God  direct  to  him  on  the  day  of  his  consecration,  by  which  he 
can  administer  all  the  sacraments,  because  the  bishop  is  a  perfect 
priest.  Thus  a  bishop  can  ordain  the  clergy,  which  no  priest  can; 
without  any  special  delegation  he  can  confirm,  while  confirmation 
given  by  a  priest  without  a  special  delegation  of  the  Pope  would 
be  invalid.  These  powers  given  by  holy  orders  are  the  same 
in  all  bishops,  even  the  Bishop  of  Eome  is  only  a  bishop  in 
holy  orders.  In  this  the)-  are  superior  to  priests  or  presbyters. 
But  it  is  doubtful  if  episcopal  consecration  be  an  order  and  a  sacra- 
ment distinct  from  the  priesthood. 

The  jurisdiction  which  resides  in  the  bishop  is  of  two  kinds, 
external  and  internal,  according  as  it  is  exercised  in  the  ecclesias- 
tical courts  of  the  diocese,  or  in  the  confessional.  To  the  external 
jurisdiction  belongs  the  legislative,  administrative,  and  governing 
authority,  that  is  the  ruling  of  the  diocese  both  clergy  and  people, 
while  to  the  last  belongs  the  power  of  absolving  from  sins  in  the 
tribunal  of  penance.  As  we  have  already  treated  on  the  internal 
court  of  penance  in  another  book, '  we  will  speak  here  only  of  the 
external  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop  in  his  own  diocese,  by  which 
he  guides  and  rules  the  souls  of  the  clergy  and  people  under  his 
<;harge. 

It  is  evident  that  episcopal  jurisdiction  can  be  granted  to  any 
clergyman  not  in  episcopal  orders.  A  simple  priest,  elected  to 
the  episcopacy,  may  govern  his  diocese  before  his  consecration, 
and  an  administrator  in  simple  priest's  orders  may  rule  the  dio- 
cese in  the  absence  of  the  bishop.  A  clergyman  consecrated  a 
bishop,  to  whom  the  Pope  has  not  given  any  diocese  has  the  epis- 
copal powers  of  orders,  but  no  subjects  on  whom  he  can  exercise 
these  powers.  The  Pope  can  restrict  the  powers  of  a  bishop,  so 
that  he  can  exercise  no  episcopal  functions,  at  least  without  sin, 
for  although  it  is  a  disputed  point  whether  the  bishops  get  their 
jurisdiction  direct  from  Christ,  or  from  the  Pope,  yet  it  is  certain 
that  their  jurisdiction,  that  is  the  exercise  of  holy  orders,  remains 
tied  by  Papal  authority.  But  it  is  disputed  whether  episcopal  or- 
ders can  be  given  at  the  consecration  of  a  bishop,  without  giving 
him  at  the  same  time  episcopal  jurisdiction,  at  least  tied  by  his 
superior  the  Pope.  That  is,  can  simple  episcopal  orders  be  given 
without  episcopal  jurisdiction? 

The  wliole  tnwlition  of  the  church,  the  councils  and  the  writ- 
ings of  the  fathers  tell  us  that  no  one  but  a  bishop  could  ever 
ordain  a  priest  or  confer  the  major  or  sacred  orders.  '  St.  Ath- 
anasius  tells  us  that  Colluthus,  a  priest  who  pretended  that  he 

"  THE  SEVEN  GATES  OF  HEAVEN.  »  CJoncU.  Trident.  Ses.  83.  can.  7. 


THE  MINISTER  OF  ORDERS  AND  CONFIRMATION.  435 

was  a  bishop  ordained  Ischyra  a  priest.  He  as  well  as  others 
whom  Colin  thug  ordained  were  by  the  synod  of  Isius  reduced  to 
tlie  ranks  of  the  laity,  because  such  orders  were  not  valid.  '  Eu- 
sebius  tells  us  that  Novatus  wished  to  become  the  bishop  of  Rome, 
and  asked  many  bishops  to  consecrate  him,  showing  that  only  a 
bishop  can  consecrate  a  bishop.  St.  Epiphanius  referring  to  the 
errors  of  Aerius,  who  claimed  that  priests  were  equal  to  bishops, 
wrote:  "  For  indeed  the  order  of  bishops  is  chiefly  to  bring  forth 
fathers.  For  this  is  the  propagation  of  fathers  in  the  church. 
There  is  another  order  of  presbyters,  which  cannot  bring  forth 
fatners,  but  it  brings  forth  sons  in  the  church  by  the  regeneration 
of  washing."^  The  IV.  council  of  Carthage  ordered  priests  to  im- 
pose their  hands  with  the  bishop  at  the  ordination  of  priests,  but 
stated  that  it  was  only  a  part  of  the  ceremony,  and  it  did  not 
belong  to  the  essence  of  the  sacrament,  which  is  given  alone  by 
the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  bishop.  The  council  of  Nice 
directed  priests  to  impose  hands  on  the  newly  ordained,  because 
the  candidates  for  the  priesthood  were  selected  by  the  presbyters 
in  the  early  church. 

It  is  an  article  of  faith  that  the  bishop  alone  is  the  ordinary 
minister  of  confirmation.  ^  But  a  simple  priest,  having  been 
delegated  for  that  function,  he  can  confirm  with  the  chrism 
blessed  by  a  bishop.  *  It  is  disputed  whether  a  bishop  can  dele- 
gate a  simple  priest  to  administer  confirmation,  where  the  Holy 
See  has  not  reserved  this  faculty.  But  in  case  the  Holy  See  has 
reserved  such  power,  it  is  certain  that  a  bishop  then  cannot 
delegate  such  power  to  any  priest.  The  Pope  reserves  such  pow- 
er from  all  priests  of  the  Latin  rite,  while  in  the  Greek  church, 
where  the  priests  confirm,  the  sacrament  is  valid  for  the  Holy 
Father  tolerates  such  a  custom.  ' 

The  bishops  of  the  church  are  the  successors  of  the  apostles. 
The  council  of  Trent  defines*  and  declares  that  they  have  suc- 
ceeded to  the  place  of  the  apostles.  The  same  was  defined  by  the 
council  of  Florence.  Such  has  been  the  teachings  of  the  church 
from  the  beginning,  and  it  is  found  in  the  writings  of  all  the 
fathers  and  apostolic  writers  from  the  very  beginning,  as  shown 
in  the  former  chapters  of  this  work. 

Each  apostle  received  from  Christ  the  fulness  of  the  priesthood 
aiid  universal  jurisdiction,  subject  to  Peter  the  head.  For  we 
must  consider  in  each  apostle,  the  priesthood,  episcopal  consecration, 
and  universal  jurisdiction,  because  these  three  were  given  each 
apostle  by  Christ  our  blessed  Lord.  The  night  before  his  death, 
he  ordained  them  priests  by  these  words  :  "  Do  this  in  commem- 
oration of  me,"  '  words  of  power  by  which  he  gave  them  author- 
ity over  his  body  and  his  blood,  power  to  offer  him  as  the  ever- 
lasting sacrifice  to  his  Father,  for  the  salvation  of  the  whole  world 

'  Athuas.  Tom.  I.  p.  193.  ed.  Mont.  ^  St.  Epiphan.  Hspres.  75. 

^  Concil.  Trident  Ses.  vli.  can.  3.  Concll.  Constan.  Eupenius  iv.  Ad.  Armen. 
■*  Benedict  xlv.  De  Synod.  L.  7.  c.  7.  n.  7.  *  Benedict  xiv.  de  Synod.  L.  7.  c  9. 

"  Ses.  23.  Cap.  4.  '  Matthew,  Mark.  Luke,  John. 


436  DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  APOSTLES  AND  BISHOPS. 

unto  the  end  of  time.'  He  gave  them  the  fulness  of  jurisdiction, 
for  he  sent  them  into  the  world  saying:  "  Going  foith  therefore 
teach  ye  all  nations."  "As  the  Father  hath  sent  me  so  1  also  send 
vou."  "All  power  is  given  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth."  &c.  This 
IS  the  common  teaching  of  all  catholic  writers,  Suarez  says : 
"All  the  apostles  received  from  Christ  the  Lord  jurisdiction  and 
spiritual  power  in  the  whole  church,  and  in  the  whole  world.  This 
conclusion  is  certain  and  common  among  writers.'"'  Some  say 
that  Christ  did  not  give  them  jurisdiction  directly,  but  through 
Peter,  but  the  larger  number  of  writers  reject  that,  and  say  the 
Lord  gave  that  jurisdiction  directly  to  each.  '  But  they  were 
subject  in  authority  to  Peter,  to  whom  he  gave  the  power  of  feed- 
ing his  sheep  and  lambs. 

The  Roman  Pontiff,  the  heir  of  Peter  alone  excepted,  the  other 
bishops  are  not  the  direct  successors  of  the  apostles,  because  they 
do  not  sit  now  on  the  sees  founded  by  the  apostles.  Tims  the 
present  patriarch  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  in  a  certain  way  may  be 
called  the  successor  of  St.  James  as  the  first  bishop  of  that  city 
but  not  as  an  apostle.  But  he  does  not  trace  the  line  of  his  pre- 
decessors back  to  the  days  of  the  apostles,  for  after  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  the  see  was  suppressed  for  many  years,  till  re-estab- 
lished by  the  Bishops  of  Rome.  Rome  and  Jerusalem,  the  cities 
of  Peter  and  James  excepted,  the  apostles  did  not  become  the  bish- 
ops of  any  cities.  For  this  reason  the  Bishop  of  Rome  alone  can  be 
said  to  be  the  direct  successor  of  the  apostles,  and  therefore  the 
Popes  alone  sit  on  the  only  apostolic  See. 

Although  the  apostles  received  from  our  blessed  Lord  univer- 
sal jurisdiction  over  the  whole  church,  and  the  bishops  are  their 
successors  as  bishops,  yet  no  bishop  except  the  Pope  has  universal 
jurisdiction  in  the  whole  church  the  same  as  the  apostles  had. 
That  is  the  universal  teachings  of  writers  in  the  church.  The 
church  has  always  condemned  the  contrary  doctrine  as  being  er- 
roneous and  subversive  of  faith.  St.  James' jurisdiction  did  not 
extend  beyond  the  limits  of  Palestine  as  ancient  documents  show. 
St.  John  in  the  Apocalypse  mentions  the  seven  bishops  of  the 
churches  of  Asia  Minor,  and  what  he  says  to  them  relates  to  their 
churches,  and  his  words  show  that  these  first  bishops  had  no  au- 
thoi-ity  over  other  churches  of  the  world.  The  early  fatlrers  tell 
us  that  each  bishop  of  that  time  had  jurisdiction  only  in  his  own 
church  and  diocese,  and  not  in  the  churches  of  other  bishops. 
St.  Ireneus  says  that  St.  Polycarp  was  not  only  educated  by  the 
beloved  apostle  St.  John,  but  that  he  was  also  appointed  by  the 
apostles  in  Asia  as  bishop  of  Smyrna.  *  St.  Cyprian  says:  "  A 
part  of  the  sheepfold  is  given  to  each  pastor,  which  each  one 
rules  and  governs."  * 

The  councils  of  the  early  ages  are  filled  with  canons  and  stat- 
utes forbidding  bishops  to  interfere  in  the  dioceses  and  churches. 

'  Council  of  Trent  Ses.  SJ2.  Cap.  I.  »  De  Fide  Part.  I.  DIsp.  10  Sec.  1.  n.  I. 

'  Itttllmarmin  De  Sum.  Pont.  I.  4.  C.  22.  Suarez  &c.        *  L.  3.  contra  Haeres.  0. 8.  n.  4. 

*  Eplst.  55.  ad  Cor.  Papam. 


THE  SOURCE  OF  JURISDICTION.  437 

of  neighboring  bishops.  The  council  of  Constantinople,  held  in 
the  year  381,  says:  "  According  to  the  rules,  he  who  is  appointed 
tlie  bishop  of  Alexandria,  will  govern  only  in  these  things  which 
belong  to  Egypt,  the  Oriental  bishops  will  take  care  only  of  the 
Orient,  while  the  bishops  of  Asia  will  govern  only  the  things  whicii 
belong  to  the  church  in  Asia."  The  Apostolic  Constitutions  for- 
bade bishops  to  hold  ordinations  beyond  the  limits  of  their  dio- 
ceses. '  Numerous  are  the  texts  of  the  fathers  and  numberless 
are  the  laws  of  the  early  church  showing  that  the  bishops  have 
not  universal  authority  over  the  whole  church,  the  same  as  the 
apostles  had,  for  Christ  gave  that  to  Peter  alone,  otherwise  there 
would  be  nothing  but  disputes,  no  order  but  everlasting  turmoil 
would  reign  in  the  church  of  God. 

The  bishops  therefore  are  the  successors  of  the  apostles  regard- 
ing the  powers  of  holy  orders,  that  is  each  bishop  has  the  charac- 
ter of  the  fulness  of  the  priesthood  imprinted  in  his  soul,  as  in 
the  apostles,  by  episcopal  consecration.  By  holy  orders  therefore 
each  bishop  of  to-day  has  the  very  same  power  and  episcopal  au- 
thority which  the  apostles  received  from  Christ.  By  this  the 
bishops  are  the  equals  of  the  apostles  and  the  superiors  of  the  sim- 
ple priests  or  presbyters.  While  the  apostles  received  from 
Christ  the  fulness  of  this  episcopal  consecration,  and  the  fujness 
of  jurisdiction  over  the  whole  world,  each  bishop  at  the  present 
time  receives  the  same  fulness  of  the  priesthood,  and  a  particular 
jurisdiction  in  his  own  diocese,  but  not  in  the  dioceses  subject  to 
other  bishops. 

But  whether  each  bishop  taken  separately  receives  his  juris- 
diction directly  from  God,  but  subject  to  the  Pope,  or  whether 
he  receives  such  power  in  his  diocese  not  direct  from  God  but 
from  God  through  the  Bishop  of  Eome,  is  disputed  among  writ- 
ers. There  is  no  doubt  but  holy  orders,  like  the  other  sacra- 
ments, comes  direct  from  Christ  the  Kedeemer,  and  the  charac- 
ter of  the  high  Priesthood  is  impressed  by  God  directly  in  the 
soul  of  the  bishop  at  his  consecration,  because  the  effects  of  the 
sacraments  come  direct  from  God  into  the  soul.  Some  writers 
say  that  in  instituting  the  episcopacy  in  the  apostles,  he  gave 
each  bishop  jurisdiction  to  the  end  of  the  world,  so  that  at  his 
consecration,  each  bishop  receives  from  God  this  jurisdiction, 
which  he  radically  has  as  a  power,  but  that  he  cannot  exercise  it 
till  the  Pope  assigns  him  a  diocese  or  territory,  in  which  he  can 
perform  his  episcopal  functions.  The  other  opinion  says,  that 
while  each  bishop  receives  at  his  consecration  the  powers  of  holy 
orders,  yet  jurisdiction  or  the  exercise  of  holy  orders  comes  from 
the  Pope  alone,  to  whom  Christ  gave  the  power  of  feeding  his 
lambs  and  sheep.  The  Pope  gives  each  bishop  jurisdiction, 
when  he  appoints  him  to  a  diocese.  This  seems  to  be  the  more 
probable  and  common  opinion  in  the  church.  The  matter  was  agi- 
tated in  the  council  of  Trent,  but  no  official  decision  was  rendered. 

»  Can.  28. 


438  THE  HIGH  PRIEST  OF  THE  DIOCESE. 

The  church  is  a  kingdom  formed  somewhat  like  a  monarchy, 
with  one  ruler  and  King,  Jesus  Christ,  who  governs  by  his  Vi- 
car, Tiie  governors  and  rulers  of  any  province  in  a  kingdom  re- 
ceive their  authority  from  the  king,  so  the  bishops  receive  their 
spiritual  jurisdiction  from  the  Roman  Pontifif.  Thus  during  all 
antiquity,  the  Pope  has  been  called  the  supreme  High  Priest,  the 
Bishop  of  bishops,  the  Prince  of  priests,  the  universal  Bishop, 
the  Fountain  of  authority  in  the  church.  Such  is  the  testimony 
of  the  fathers  and  early  writers  of  the  church.  St.  Thomas  sums 
them  all  up  with  his  usual  force,  saying:  "To  Peter  alone  he 
(Christ)  i)romised:  *'  I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,''  that  he  might  show  that  the  power  of  the  keys, 
through  him  (Peter),  was  to  descend  to  others,  so  as  to  preserve 
the  unity  of  the  church."  '      In  creating  a  bishop,  the   Pope 

closes  his  letter "  Committing  to  him  the  administration  of 

both  temporals  and  spirituals.  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Amen." 

The  constitution  of  the  church  requires  each  diocese  to  be 
ruled  by  a  bishop  as  her  pastor.  For  it  is  impossible  for  one  man, 
the  Pope,  to  govern  the  whole  world   alone  by  himself.     Hence 

the  council  of  Trent  decreed:    "The  holy  Synod   declares 

the  fcishops  are  placed  as  the  apostle  says:  "to  rule  the  church  of 
God."  '  St.  Ignatius,  the  disciple  of  St.  Peter,  says:  "  As  Jesus 
Christ,  our  inseparable  life,  is  the  Word  of  the  Father,  thus 
the  bishops  scattered  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  are  the  words  of 
Jesus  Christ.  "  *  Thus  we  see  that  Christ  wished  bishops  ap- 
pointed in  every  section  of  the  world.  In  missionary  countries, 
the  Holy  See  first  appoints  a  simple  priest  to  rule  a  few  scattered 
faithful,  and  later  the  Pope  appoints  a  bishop  with  one  of  the 
titles  of  the  old  sees.  When  a  bishop  dies,  an  administrator 
will  be  appointed  but  where  canon  law  exists  the  cathedral  chap- 
ter rules  the  diocese,  till  the  new  bishop  is  appointed.  All  this 
serves  to  show  tliat  the  Holy  See  gives  jurisdiction  to  the  bishops 
and  pastors  of  the  whole  world,  and  that  jurisdiction  comes  from 
the  Roman  Pontiffs. 

The  episcopacy  is  the  fulness  of  the  new  priesthood  insti- 
tuted by  Christ.  Aaron  and  the  high  priesthood  of  the  Old 
Testament  were  but  figures  of  the  bishop,  the  head  and  high- 
priest  of  the  diocese.  Tlie  fulness  of  the  priesthood  belongs  to 
the  essence  of  the  episcopacy.  The  presbyters  or  priests  are  not 
bishops,  for  they  have  not  received  the  completion  and  the  ful- 
ness of  the  priestly  character.  Christ  did  not  intend  to  ordain 
or  give  holy  orders  to  the  laity  of  each  church  and  parish.  There- 
fore he  established  that  priests  would  administer  only  the  sacra- 
ments required  for  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  the  people.  But 
the  bishop,  being  the  head  and  fountain  of  holy  orders,  to  him 
lielongs  the  power  of  ordaining  the  clergy  for  the  churches  of  the 
diocese,  and  therefore  he  must  have  the  fulness  of  the  powers  of 
'  CoDtra  GentM  L.  It.  C  .  7.  *  Ses.  23  C.  4.  *  £  pist.  ad  Epiies.  Cap,  8. 


THE    FATHEE   OF   THE    DIOCESE.  439 

the  priesthood,  that  he  may  bring  forth  spiritual  sons,  priests 
like  unto  himself.  The  bishop  is  a  higlier  and  more  perfect 
priest  than  the  simple  presbyters  of  the  diocese.  The  priesthood 
is  common  both  to  priests  and  bishops,  but  the  priesthood  of  the 
priest  or  presbyter  is  completed  by  episcopal  consecration,  by 
which  he  receives  its  fulness  and  complete  power  to  confer  orders, 
confirmation  and  to  rule  a  diocese.  The  power  of  orders  comes 
therefore  direct  from  God  like  baptism  and  the  other  sacra- 
ments, while  jurisdiction  or  the  power  of  ruling  a  diocese  comes 
from  the  Eoman  Pontiff, 

The  word  bishop  means  an  overseer,  a  superintendent  and  gov- 
ernor of  churches,  over  the  clergy  the  spiritual  children  he  brings 
forth  from  the  fecundity  of  his  priesthood.  As  the  Father  rules 
the  Son  in  heaven,  so  it  belongs  to  the  bishop  to  rule  his  children, 
for  Christ  wished  the  bishop,  not  only  to  ordain,  but  also  to  rule 
the  priests  he  brings  forth  at  ordinations.  From  the  beginning 
of  the  church,  they  had  jurisdiction  over  the  churches,  congrega- 
tions and  clergymen  of  the  part  of  the  church  composing  the 
diocese  under  their  care.  The  actual  ruling  of  souls  is  not 
essential  to  the  office  of  bishop,  the  same  as  holy  orders,  or  the 
episcopal  character  imprinted  in  his  soul  by  consecration.  For 
he  may  be  a  bishop  and  have  no  diocese  or  subjects,  or  he  may  re- 
sign his  diocese  and  take  no  other  episcopal  title.  In  every  age 
a  clergyman  once  consecrated  a  bishop,  was  ever  after  considered 
a  bishop,  no  matter  what  diocese  he  had,  or  even  if  he  had  no 
diocese  to  govern. 

The  episcopate  therefore  may  be  called  the  fulness  of  the 
priesthood  instituted  by  Christ  to  rule  the  church.  For  not  to 
the  laity  or  to  the  disciples  did  Christ  give  the  fulness  of  his 
power,  but  alone  to  his  twelve  disciples  he  said:  "  All  power  is 
given  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  As  the  Father  hath  sent  me  so 
I  also  send  you.  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations.  He 
that  receiveth  you  receiveth  me,  "  &c.  This  all  catholic  writers 
say.  No  catholic  writer  denies  that  the  episcopacy  is  the  fulness 
of  the  priesthood  of  Christ,  and  they  agree  in  saying  that  Christ 
Avished  each  section  or  part  of  the  universal  church  to  be  ruled 
and  governed  by  a  clergymen,  with  the  fulness  of  the  priesthood, 
that  is  by  a  bishop,  and  not  by  simple  priests  or  deacons.  They 
also  agree  in  saying  the  power  and  effects  of  holy  orders, 
like  the  other  sacraments,  comes  directly  from  Christ.  The 
larger  part  say  that  episcopal  jurisdiction  comes  from  God 
through  the  Roman  Pontiff,  to  whose  predecessor  the  Lord  said: 
"  Feed  my  lambs  Feed  my  sheep."' 

But  it  is  disputed  whether  the  episcopal  consecration  be  a  sacra- 
ment distinct  from  the  priesthood,  which  simple  priests  receive 
at  their  consecration.  To  enter  a  little  into  that  question,  we 
must  first  give  a  definition  of  the  priesthood,  which  is  a  sacrament 
of  the  New  Law,  which  once  received  impresses  a  character  on  the 

1  Johnxxl,  19. 


440  PAPAL   AND   EPISCOPAL  AUTHORITY. 

soul,  by  which  a  special  power  is  given  a  man  to  administer  the 
sacraments  and  consecrate  the  Eucharist.  The  Council  of  Trent 
says:  "  By  the  testimony  of  Holy  Writ,  by  the  apostolic  tradition, 
and  by  the  unanimous  consent  of  the  fathers,  it  is  evident  that 
holy  orders,  which  is  given  by  exterior  signs  and  words,  that  in 
it  grace  is  given,  and  so  no  one  can  doubt  but  what  it  is  one  of 
the  seven  sacraments  of  the  church.  "  *  The  apostle  says:  "  I  ad- 
monish thee,  that  thou  stir  up  the  grace  which  is  in  thee  by  the 
imposition  of  my  hands.""  St.  Paul  ordained  his  disciple  Timothy 
a  bishop,  and  it  is  evident  that  it  was  a  sacrament  of  the  Church, 
as  decreed  in  the  Tridentine  Council.  It  is  also  certain  that  in 
holy  orders  priests  receive  a  sacrament. 

The  bishops  who  rule  the  dioceses,  of  which  they  have  the 
episcopal  titles,  that  is  of  which  they  are  the  titular  bishops,  do 
not  govern  their  dioceses  in  the  name  of  the  Pope,  but  in  their 
own  names  as  pastors  of  that  part  of  the  flock  of  Christ.  This  is 
not  so  regarding  vicars  apostolic  and  other  administrators; 
for  they  govern  the  diocese  as  the  vicars  of  the  Pope.  On  the 
one  hand  M.  A.  De  Dominis  held  that  all  bishops  were  the  simple 
delegates  of  the  Pope,  and  at  his  death  their  jurisdiction  ceased, 
which  is  false.  On  the  other  hand  the  Galican  school  taught  that 
the  bishops  Avere  in  their  dioceses  independent  of  the  Holy  See, 
which  is  the  other  extreme.  The  Pope  chooses  the  bishops  to  take 
part  in  his  care  of  souls,  and  each  diocese  has  a  kind  of  home  rule 
relating  to  matters  of  discipline,  while  from  the  universal  church, 
she  gets  her  doctrines,  her  sacraments,  her  services  and  her  juris- 
diction, in  all  things  acting  according  to  the  common  law  of  the 
universal  church. 

The  Pope  then  appoints  the  bishops,  giving  them  jurisdiction, 
but  they  are  not  his  vicars,  nor  can  he  remove  all  the  bishops 
at  once  without  cause.  The  customary  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop 
in  his  diocese  does  not  exclude  the  ordinary  and  direct  jurisdiction 
of  the  Pope  in  his  diocese,  the  same  as  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
United  States  still  extends  over  all  the  people  of  any  state  in  the 
union,  the  same  as  the  ordinary  authority  in  the  county  does  not  ex- 
clude the  state  and  federal  authority  over  the  people  living  in  that 
county.  Therefore  the  Pope  can  restrict  the  authority  of  any  bish- 
op in  his  own  diocese,  reserving  to  himself  important  cases,  crimes 
and  dispensations.  He  can  divide  the  diocese,  appoint  members 
of  the  diocesan  senate  or  cathedral  chapters,  or  declare  certain  per- 
sons independent  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop.  He  can  send 
legates,  nuncios,  &c.,  with  papal  jurisdiction  to  settle  difficulties, 
hear  complaints,  receive  appeals  against  the  bishops,  &c.  Not 
only  that,  but  the  Pope  for  grave  reasons  can  ask  any  bishop  to 
resign.  He  can  depose  him  or  excommunicate  him,  if  he  becomes 
a  heretic.  But  as  the  bishops  were  first  established  by  Christ  in 
the  persons  of  the  apostles,  the  Pope  could  not  depose  all  the 
bishops  of  the  world  at  once,  and  rule  the  dioceses  by  vicars,  as 

•  Set.  88.  Cap.  8.  » II.  Tim.  I.  ft. 


THE  bishop's  relations  WITH  THE   DIOCESE.  441 

that  would  be  contrary  to  the  divine  constitution  of  the  church, 
which  the  Council  of  Trent  declares  is  formed  of  bishops,  pres- 
byters and  deacons.  We  know  that  the  design  of  Christ  was  to 
give  each  diocese  into  the  care  of  a  bishop,  its  own  pastor,  who 
would  govern  the  souls  there  living  by  his  own  authority  received 
from  Rome  and  limited  alone  by  Rome. 

Thus  have  we  outlined  the  relations  of  the  bishop  with  the 
universal  church,  let  us  now  see  his  relations  with  the  diocese, 
with  the  clergy  and  the  laity  under  him.  To  understand  that 
better  we  must  repeat  a  little.  The  diocese  is  an  image  of  tiie 
universal  church,  as  the  Son  is  the  Image  of  his  Father.  Christ 
is  the  head  of  the  whole  church,  and  at  the  same  time,  he  is  the 
head  of  every  church,  and  diocese,  and  parish.  But  the  univer- 
sal ciuirch,  being  like  to  him,  invisible  and  unseen,  Christ  rules 
the  diocese  through  his  chief  minister  the  bishop.  As  the  Pope 
rules  the  universal  church  for  and  in  the  name  of  the  Saviour  as 
his  Vicar,  so  the  bishop  rules  the  diocese  in  and  for  Christ  whom 
he  represents.  For  before  leaving  the  world  Christ  gave  to  tlie 
apostles  all  the  fulness  of  the  eternal  priesthood,  saying  at  the 
last  supper:  "  Do  this  m  commemoration  of  me,  "  saying  after 
the  resurrection:  "^  Going  forth  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations," 
*'  As  the  Father  sent  me  so  I  also  send  you,  "  "  He  that  receiveth 
you  receiveth  me,  he  that  despiseth  you  despiseth  me  and,  he 
that  depiseth  me  despiseth  him  that  sent  me.  "  Having  received 
the  fulness  of  the  priesthood  of  Christ,  the  apostles  ordained 
their  followers,  and  placed  them  over  churches  and  over  dioceses. 
Thus  that  power  of  holy  orders  comes  from  Christ  down  to  our 
■day,  and  it  is  called  orders,  or  the  apostolic  succession. 

They  have  then  the  very  same  spiritual  power  as  Christ  him- 
self, for  the  salvation  of  man.  The  bishops  then  being  equal  in 
the  church  universal,  whence  is  it  that  they  are  not  the  same  in 
authority? 

One  is  above  another  because  of  jurisdiction  and  of  the  dio- 
ceses they  rule.  Thus  the  bishop  of  Rome,  because  of  the  See  of 
Peter  is  by  that  the  bishop  of  Rome,  the  archbishop  of  the  province 
•of  Rome,  the  primate  of  Italy,  the  patriarch  of  the  West  and  the 
Vicar  of  Christ.  The  Elect  of  the  clergy  of  Rome,  becomes  the 
Pope,  no  other  power  on  this  earth  can  elect  a  Pope,  or  take  that 
■electing  power  from  the  clergy  or  cardinals  of  the  Roman  diocese. 
The  diocese  being  the  spouse  of  the  bishop,  as  Christ  is  the  Spouse 
■of  the  universal  church,  the  clergy  of  the  diocese  should  present 
the  bishop  to  the  Pope  for  confirmation,  as  the  wife  alone  can  choose 
her  husband,  and  without  her  consent  the  marriage  is  invalid.  To 
Rome,  to  the  rules  and  customs  of  the  See  of  Peter,  the  whole  church 
looks  for  example,  faith,  discipline  and  government.  Therefore 
the  other  dioceses  of  the  world  should  copy  after  Rome,  for  to  that 
diocese  of  Rome  the  Lord  said  in  the  person  of  Peter:  '^  Thou  art 
.Peter,  and  upon  this  Rock  I  will  build  my  church  and  the  gates 
•of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  her."     The  clergy  of  the  Roman 


442  THE  DIOCESE  OF  ROME  EVEELASTING. 

diocese,  in  the  persons  of  the  chief  clergy  of  that  diocese,  that  is 
the  cardinals,  elect  their  Bishop,  who  by  that  becomes  their  head 
and  Vicar  of  Christ,  tlie  Pastor  of  every  soul  redeemed  by  him. 
No  authority  on  eartii  but  the  Koman  clergy  can  elect  a  Pope.  All 
tlie  bishops,  priests,  clergy  and  laity,  all  the  governments  of  eartli 
without  the  cardinals  could  not  elect  a  Pope,  for  to  them  alone  it 
belongs  to  select  their  Bishop. 

The  Roman  diocese,  consecrated  by  the  teachings  of  Sts.  Peter 
and  Paul,  and  hallowed  by  their  blood,  never  fell  away  from  the 
faith,  because  its  Pastor  is  the  eternal  Rock  on  which  the  Lord 
built  his  church.  As  every  other  diocese  is  but  a  copy  and  an 
image  of  her,  whose  bishop  is  the  Vicar  of  our  beloved  Redeemer, 
so  every  church  and  diocese  should  copy  the  forms  and  modes  of 
action  of  the  diocese  of  Rome,  and  each  bishop  should  be  guided 
by  the  benignity  and  example  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  through 
whose  mind  the  Holy  Ghost  teaches  the  world  by  word  and  ex- 
ample. 

The  diocese  has  all  the  perfections  of  the  church  universal,  inas- 
much as  these  religious  things  are  wanted  for  the  salvation  of  souls. 
But  the  diocese  of  Rome  alone  excepted,  no  other  diocese  is  immor- 
tal, because  to  her  where  it  is  possible  the  Lord  said:  *'Thou  art 
Peter  and  upon  this  Rock  I  will  build  my  church  and  the  gates  of 
hell  sliall  not  prevail  against  her."  Eternal  years  are  hers,  and 
alone  amid  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  world,  she  stands  imperishable 
as  the  human  race,  because  she  is  the  diocese  of  Peter.  Christ 
sees  that  his  prophecy  is  being  fulfilled  each  year  and  age,  "  For 
the  gates  of  hell  shall  never  prevail  against  her,"  because  she  is  the 
seat  of  the  Papacy.  Without  tlie  Popes  then,  Rome  would  have 
long  ago  met  the  fate  of  Babylon,  of  Carthage,  of  Memphis,  of 
Palmyra  and  of  the  great  cities,  whose  extensive  ruins  in  silent  but 
in  eloquent  words  now  proclaim  their  former  greatness. 

All  the  higher  perfections  of  the  body  are  in  the  head,  so  all  the 
sanctity  and  graces  of  the  universal  church  center  in  Clirist,  from 
which  they  flow  down  in  silent  but  invisible  streams  into  the  souls 
of  the  men  he  redeemed.  So  all  the  virtues  perfection  and  graces 
of  the  whole  diocese  should  be  found  in  the  bishop.  Not  from 
men  or  from  tliis  world  did  Christ  receive  his  Godhead  and  his 
perfection,  but  alone  from  his  eternal  Father,  from  whom  he  came 
into  this  world  to  become  the  head  of  the  church.  Not  from  the 
diocese  but  from  the  church  universal,  from  whom  he  comes  down 
does  the  bishop  receive  his  holy  orders  and  his  autbority  over 
the  clergy  and  the  laity,  whom  he  spiritually  brings  forth,  teaches, 
rules  and  sanctities. 

Therefore,  coming  from  the  universal  church,  of  which  he  is  a 
pastor,  the  bishop  comes  down  into  his  diocese,  bearing  all  the 
perfections  of  his  eternal  priesthood,  an  image  of  that  Son  of  God 
our  blessed  Redeemer  leaving  his  Father's  throne  and  coming  to 
this  earth,  to  become  the  head  and  father  of  the  regenerated  hu- 
man race.     Thus  from  that  hierarchy  of  the  bishops,  whose  father 


THE  BISHOP  IS  MARRIED  TO  HIS  DIOCESE.  443 

is  the  Bishop  of  Eome,  the  bishop  comes  as  another  saviour  of  his 
clergy  and  people.  He  lays  his  consecrated  hands  on  the  best  of 
his  students,  and  thus  he  brings  them  forth  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
priests  like  unto  himself,  workers  with  him  in  the  vineyard  of  the 
Lord.  In  the  bishop  then  the  diocese  has  the  fulness  of  the  eternal 
Priesthood  of  Christ,  his  Gospel,  his  Bible,  his  sacraments,  his 
Body,  his  Blood,  with  all  the  riches  of  Christ's  redemption.  In 
and  by  the  universal  church,  the  bishop  lives  and  moves  and  has 
his  being,  as  in  the  Son  in  heaven  lives  in  his  Father.  By  the  mys- 
tery of  that  union  of  the  diocese  with  the  bishop,  one  of  the 
daughters  of  the  universal  church  becomes  a  complete  church,  an 
image  of  our  blessed  mother.  The  diocese  therefore  becomes 
espoused  to  the  bishop,  whose  episcopal  ring  is  but  an  image  of 
that  union.  The  parish  priest  wears  no  ring,  because  he  is  pastor 
of  an  imperfect  church,  the  parish,  whose  supernatural  life  lives 
only  in  that  higher  and  more  perfect  church  the  diocese.  The 
parish  priest  does  not  sit  on  a  throne  judging  one  of  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel,  for  his  power  mostly  relates  to  the  internal  and 
secret  tribunal  of  penance,  while  the  bishop  is  a  pastor  of  the  uni- 
versal church,  having  both  internal  and  external  jurisdiction  in 
his  diocese.  The  bishop  brings  forth  his  spiritual  children,  sons 
and  daughters  from  the  fecundity  of  his  everlasting  priesthood  in 
the  administration  of  the  sacraments,  which  he  receives  from  the 
universal  church,  whose  canon  law  rules  and  guides  his  every 
move  and  action.  Such  then  is  the  mystery  of  the  mystic  marriage 
of  the  bishop  with  his  diocese. 

The  family  is  founded  on  the  union  of  man  and  wife  in  the 
sacrament  of  marriage.  But  in  the  new  and  redeemed  humanity 
of  Christ,  the  universal  church  rests  on  a  spiritual  marriage  of 
Christ  with  the  universal  church,  and  the  bishop  with  his  diocese 
and  the  pastor  with  his  church.  But  that  union  of  the  bishop 
and  of  the  pastor  with  their  churches,  by  which  they  bring  forth 
their  spiritual  children  unto  Christ,  are  but  so  many  images  of 
the  wonderful  wedding  of  Christ  with  his  church  universal. 
The  diocese  is  espoused  like  a  chaste  virgin  to  one  man,  the 
bishop,  for  and  to  whom  she  continually  brings  forth  spiritual 
children  to  the  Lord.  The  dioceses  are  the  "sheep*'  of  the 
flock  of  Christ  ever  bringing  forth  lambs,  of  whom  he  said  to 
Peter  and  to  the  Popes:  "Feed  my  lambs.  Feed  my  sheep." 
Then  to  the  bishops  and  to  the  dioceses  we  can  say:  "  They  adhere 
to  the  heavenly  mysteries  founded  on  the  divine   stability."  ' 

Let  us  deeper  penetrate  the  mystery.  The  diocese  is  in  the 
bishop,  the  bishop  is  in  the  universal  church,  the  church  univer- 
sal is  in  Christ  and  Christ  is  in  his  Father.  "  He  that  receiveth 
you  receiveth  me,  and  he  that  receiveth  me,  receiveth  him  that 
sent  me.'"* 

Thus  as  the  Lord  Jesus  is  the  husband  of  the  universal  church, 
which  is  now  unseen   like  unto  himself,  so  the  bishop  is  the   hus- 

>  St.  Cyprian  De  Unitate  Eocl.  n.  6.  »  Mark  ix.  36. 


444  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  THE  DIOCESE. 

band  of  the  diocese,  that  part  of  the  invisible  church  which 
he  rules  in  the  name  of  Christ.'  As  the  whole  church  centres 
and  becomes  personified  and  visible  in  the  Roman  diocese,  so 
each  diocese  should  be  an  image  and  a  faithful  copy  of  the 
diocese  of  Rome.  Each  bishop  should  be  an  image,  a  likeness 
and  a  copy  of  the  Roman  Pontiff.  Whence  it  follows  that  those 
parts  of  the  church  which  in  former  times  copied  better  after 
Rome,  became  stronger  and  more  powerful  to  keep  the  faith 
and  to  resist  the  attacks  of  the  revolutions  of  past  ages.  Thus 
we  see  that  Europe,  which  from  the  apostolic  age  copied  the 
canons,  the  customs  of  the  Roman  diocese,  the  Missal,  the 
Breviary  Ritual,  the  Pontifical  and  the  Roman  Rite  and  Ceremo- 
nies, thus  enlightened  Europe,  blessed  by  Noe,  still  retains  the  pure 
faith  taught  by  the  Chair  of  Peter,  while  the  Greeks  and  the 
Orientals  in  Asia,  who  preserved  the  other  venerable  Rites,  easily 
and  early  fell  away  from  the  faith  and  perished  by  revolutions 
and  the  inroads  of  the  Mohammedans. 

Not  only  that  but  the  bishop  is  the  father  of  the  diocese.  "  For 
the  bishops  have  the  power  of  enlightening,  because  they  imitate 
the  Father  of  lights,  and  abundantly  they  have  his  power,"'  In 
heaven  are  the  Father  and  the  Son,  who  is  generated  from  him, 
and  from  both  proceeds  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  these  three  are  one. 
On  earth  we  have  the  bishop  and  the  clergy  of  diocese,  w'hich  by 
holy  orders  proceed  from  him,  and  with  the  laity  these  three  are  one. 
They  form  the  diocese.  With  the  Father  and  Son  is  the  Holy 
Ghost.  With  the  bishop  and  the  clergy  are  the  people.  The 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  bond  of  union  between  bishop,  clergy  and  the 
people.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Soul  of  the  diocese,  as  he  animates 
the  universal  church. 

Then  from  the  depths  of  eternity  the  Father  sends  his  Son  to 
redeem  the  fallen  race.  He  comes  into  the  world,  and  from  him 
and  from  the  Father  comes  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  gather  together 
all  the  children  of  men,  to  bring  them  forth  in  baptism,  born  for 
Christ  as  his  children  unto  everlasting  life.'  As  from  that 
higher  hierarchy  of  the*  Holy  Trinity  comes  the  Son  and  Holy 
Spirit  into  the  world,  so  from  the  higher  hierarchy  of  the  bishops 
of  the  universal  church,  the  bishop  comes  into  his  diocese.  So 
the  pastor  of  the  parish  comes  down  from  the  hierarchy  of  the 
priests  of  the  diocese  to  the  parish,  all  bringing  the  glad  tidings 
of  the  Gospel  of  salvation  to  fallen  man.  All  is  order  in  the  mys- 
teries of  God,  Christ  the  eternal  Son  comes  from  the  heights  of 
the  most  holy  Trinity,  the  church  universal  proceeds  from  Christ, 
the  diocese  descends  from  the  universal  church  and  the  parish  is 
born  of  the  diocese,  and  the  people  are  born  of  the  parish  '*  of 
water  and  the  Holy  Ghost."  * 

Thus  the  Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity  come  from  heaven  into 
the  church,  that  they  might  unite  man  with  them  in  this  world, 
and  that  union  with  God  is  to  be  finished  with   them  in  heaven. 

>  Sum.  Tbeol.  Suppl.  9.  xl.  a.  7.         *  Simeon  Tbea.  *  John  Till.  42.  *  John. 


THE  MODEL  BISHOP.  445 

''I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  me,"  *  "and  j^ou  in  me 
and  I  in  yon,"*  "  I  in  tliem,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be 
made  perfect  in  one,  and  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent 
me."'  As  the  Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity  are  one  iii  nature,  so 
Clirist  and  the  diocese  are  one  in  nature.  For  the  church  is 
formed  of  the  race  of  Adam  redeemed  by  Christ,  who  being  God 
became  a  son  of  Adam,  to  redeem  and  save  his  race  by  the  church 
of  which  he  is  the  head.  As  Eve  the  wife  of  Adam  came  from 
the  side  of  Adam,  so  the  church  was  born  of  Christ,  so  the  diocese 
was  born  of  the  universal  church  at  its  erection  by  decree  of  the 
Pope,  so  the  diocese  is  the  spouse  of  the  bishop,  so  the  parish  is  the 
bride  of  the  pastor. 

As  all  tlie  senses  of  the  body  are  in  the  head  so  all  the  wisdom 
learning,  prudence  and  sanctity  are  in  Christ  the  head  of  the 
whole  church,  and  so  they  should  be  and  in  tlie  bishops  who  pre- 
side over  parts  of  the  church  of  Christ.  Thus  Christ  is  the  only 
begotten  Son  of  the  Father.  Being  the  Image  of  the  Father 
he  is  eternal  Wisdom  itself.  He  is  the  Teacher  of  the  universal 
church.  The  bishop  being  the  head  of  a  particular  church,  the 
diocese,  he  is  the  teacher  of  the  clergy  and  laity  of  the  diocese. 
For  that  reason  the  bishop  should  be  the  ablest,  most  learned 
among  the  clergy,  so  that  he  may  be  the  brighest  mind  in  the  dio- 
cese. At  the  same  time  he  should  be  a  saint.  In  the  elec- 
tion of  bishops,  the  electors  of  the  chapter  should  look  to  the 
learning  of  thecandidates,  and  elect  a  man  of  God  like  to  the  bish- 
op of  our  souls  Christ  Jesus.  For  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God  is 
full  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  is  the  source  of  all  the  holiness 
which  flows  down  on  men.  *  From  his  sacred  wounds  comes  all 
the  sanctity  of  the  church.  The  bishop  being  the  husband  of  the 
diocese  or  particular  church,  he  should  be  also  "  full  of  grace 
and  truth,"*  like  unto  Christ,  For  that  reason  holiness  and 
sanctity  should  abound  in  the  bishop.  For  in  what  would  men  of 
learning  without  holiness  differ  from  professors  in  college,  or  fallen 
archangels,  whose  minds  are  exceedingly  bright,  but  whose  wills 
have  become  depraved  ? 

Following  then  these  rules  of  the  church,  inasmuch  as  the 
pastors  and  the  rulers  of  the  church  approach  Christ  in  learning 
and  in  holiness,  as  they  ascend  thrones  of  power  in  the  church, 
they  will  merit  mansions  of  glory  in  heaven. 

As  the  whole  church  centres  in  Christ,  so  the  sanctity  and 
learning  of  the  wliole  diocese  centres  and  becomes  personified  in 
the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  and  the  whole  parish  lives  in  the  pastor. 
For  that  reason  the  church  preserves  those  old  and  venerable 
dioceses  of  the  East  now  overrun  by  the  Infidels.  'J'hese  fallen 
churclies  now  live  and  exist  in  the  persons  of  -the  titular  bishops 
of  these  ancient  dioceses,  without  subjects.  All  the  powers  of 
holy  orders,  the  virtues  of  the  clergy,  the  holiness  and  the  sanctity  ' 
of  clergy  and  of  people,  the  perfections  of  fallen  dioceses  now  exist 
'  John  xiv.  10.  »  John.  xiv.  20.  3  John  xvii.  23.       *  St.  Bernard.  »  John  1.   , 


446  heaven's  glorious  image. 

and  live  in  a  higher  degree  in  their  titular  bishops,  ornamented 
and  as  it  were  crowned  with  tlie  f  nhiess  of  the  Priesthood  of  Christ. 
Thus  by  a  special  privilege  many  clergy  of  the  Roman  diocese,  the 
coadjutors  of  bishops,  the  administrators  of  vacant  sees,  the  vicar 
apostolics,  and  all  titular  missionary  bishopfc  have  the  titles  of  these 
ancient  dioceses  once  so  flourishing,  now  overturned  by  persecu- 
tions and  by  the  ravages  of  wars,  they  still  live  in  these  bishops, 
as  all  the  property  and  the  titles  of  a  princely  family  may  live  in 
the  person  of  the  only  living  heir,  when  all  the  others  have  passed 
away  in  death. 

But  we  must  consider  the  bishop  in  the  midst  of  his  clergy 
and  people  on  his  episcopal  throne.  "Judging  the  twelve  tribes 
of  Israel.  "  What  a  spectacle  for  angels  and  men  to  see  the  whole 
diocese  around  the  throne  of  the  bishop  they  selected  and  ele- 
vated to  that  office,  and  which  represents  to  them  the  throne  of 
the  Most  High  God  ruling  the  souls  of  men. 

In  heaven  the  Father  has  his  Council,  his  only  begotten  Son, 
who  ever  comes  forth  from  him.  So  the  bishop  in  his  diocese  has 
his  council,  the  chief  members  of  his  clergy,  who  are  so  many 
images  of  himself,  and  who  came  from  him  by  rite  of  ordination 
and  by  appointment.  As  the  Son  partakes  in  the  authority  of  his 
Father,  and  sits  on  his  eternal  throne  with  him,  so  the  bishop  has 
his  council,  his  senate,  his  legislature,  for  the  government  of  the 
diocese  his  church.  They  form  the  presbytery  of  the  diocese. 
They  are  the  venerable  senate  of  the  diocese.  In  completely  or- 
ganized dioceses  they  form  the  chapter  of  the  cathedral.  Being 
the  chief  members  of  the  clergy,  they  aid  the  bishop  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  spiritual  affairs  of  the  diocese,  they  govern  the 
diocese  in  his  absence,  and  at  his  death  they  elect  his  successor.  In 
this  they  imitate  the  venerable  college  of  the  cardinals  of  the 
Roman  church. 

The  bishop  is  the  head  of  the  diocese,  as  the  Father  is  the  head 
of  the  other  Persons  of  the  Trinity.  He  is  the  father  of  both 
clergy  and  people,  born  of  him  and  of  the  diocese  his  spouse,  which 
comes  from  him  like  Eve  from  Adam  and  is  the  fruit  of  the  fe- 
cundity of  his  priestliood. 

What  a  sight  to  see  the  diocese  complete  in  all  the  splendors  of 
the  beauty  of  the  perfect  church,  bearing  in  its  bosom  the  perfec- 
tions of  the  church  universal.  The  Saviour  suffered  for  the  uni- 
versal church,  that  he  might  unite  to  her  his  virgin  spouse,  still 
unspotted  ever  rejoicing  with  everlasting  youth,  immortal  over 
all  the  earth,  bringing  forth  to  him  his  cnildren  unto  everlasting 
life,  preparing  to  unite  with  him  in  the  splendors  of  the  skies.  For 
that  spouse  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  ever  coming  forth  from  his  side 
pierced  on  Calvary,  is  crowned  by  him  as  his  Queen  in  heaven, 
and  now  she  sits  with  him  on  his  throne  of  glory.  From  Calvary 
then  as  his  virgin,  she  comes  forth  a  universal  church,  the  bride  of 
Christ,  everywhere  giving  birth  to  his  daughters  the  dioceses  of 
the  world,  espousing  them  to  bishops,  who  rule  them  in  the  name  of 


THE  BISHOP  SUliROUNIJED  BY  HIS  CLERGY.  44? 

Christ,  who  is  espoused  to  the  universal  church,  of  which  the 
best  part  is  in  lieaven  rejoicing  with  him  after  their  victory  over 
the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil. 

Wiiat  an  image  of  tl>e  glories  of  heaven  and  of  the  universal 
church,  we  see  wiien  the  bishop  pontificates,  surrounded  by  his 
clergy  and  his  people,  who  have  elected  him  to  the  episcopal  tin-one. 
The  lights  of  immortal  trntli  come  forth  from  the  Son  of  God. 
The  sanctifying  grace  comes  forth  from  the  Holy  Spirit.  Tlie  clergy 
come  forth  from  the  bishop,  and  the  laity  come  forth  from  both 
bishop  and  clergy  by  the  saving  ordinances  of  the  holy  sacraments 
of  Christ.  And  all  these  comedown  in  silent,  unseen  streams  from 
Christ  in  the  ministry  of  the  bishop  "  full  of  grace  and  truth."  ' 
See  in  the  bishop  an  example  for  both  clergy  and  people  of  Christ 
who  is  the  bishop  of  our  souls  the  head  and  the  husband  of  the  uni- 
versal church. 

The  bishop  is  also  an  image  of  the  Pope  the  infallible  head 
of  the  Roman  diocese  and  the  Vicegerent  of  Christ.  The  bishop 
but  reflects  the  teachings  of  the  Roman  Pontiff.  Coming  down 
from  the  universal  church,  he  brings  with  himself  the  spiritual 
lights  and  graces  of  his  head  the  Pope.  In  his  turn  he  teaches  these 
by  word  and  example  his  clergy,  the  pastors  of  the  diocese, 
who  carry  from  hini  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel  of  redemption 
to  the  people  of  their  parishes.  Then  the  bishop  sits  on  his  epis- 
copal cliair  on  the  Gospel  side,  as  one  of  the  "'  Judges  of  the  tribes 
of  Israel."  lie  sits  on  the  Gospel  side  as  he  is  the  chief  teacher  of 
the  Gospel  in  the  diocese.  The  priest  in  his  parish  sits  on  the 
Epistle  side,  for  he  is  not  the  chief  teacher  of  the  diocese  or  of 
the  people,  nor  does  he  speak  against  the  will  of  the  bishop. 

They  teach  not  worldly  things,  but  the  revelation  of  God  in  the 
Bible  founded  on  the  stability  of  the  divine  decrees  at  the  founding 
of  the  church,  while  civil  governments  are  founded  on  the  chang- 
ing politics,  on  the  passions  and  the  ambitions  of  men.  Let  the  read- 
er study  the  history  of  nations,  and  of  the  efforts  of  men  to  estab- 
lish a  stable  government  in  the  place  of  Adam  their  natural  father. 
What  wars,  rebellions,  insurrections,  changes,  upheavels  !  What 
sorrows,  misfortunes,  calamities  and  divisions  have  not  taken  place 
in  nations,  in  governments  and  in  the  politics  of  men,  since  the  begia- 
ing  of  the  world,  when  they  lost  their  natural  ruler  Adanv  y^ho.  by 
sin  lost  his  kingdom.  But  there  is  one  government,  that  of  the 
church  universal  and  her  centre  and  heart,  the  Roman  diocese, 
which  because  of  her  peculiar  relation  to  the  universal  church 
rises  above  the  chsinges  and  the  mutations  and  the  misfortunes  of 
this  earth.  The  Roman  diocese  alone  excepted  no  other  diocese  is 
immortal  and  eternal.  They  may  die  out  as  they  have  not  the 
promises  of  Peter  to  withstand  the  gates  of  hell  like  the  universal 
church,  and  the  diocese  of  Rome.  Yet  the  other  dioceses  are 
themostperfectimagesof  the  universal  church,  and  for  that  reason 
they  partake  in  part  in  her  immortality.     Even  when  the  people  and 

>  John  1. 12. 


448  SHE  COMES  BLESSING  ALL  3IEN. 

the  clergy  of  the  diocese  fall  away,  the  diocese  still  lives  in  the  per- 
son of  her  titular  bishop,  working  in  some  other  part  of  the  world  as 
an  assistant  bishop  a  vicar  apostolic,  or  at  Konie,  in  some  of  the  con- 
gregations, aiding  t!ie  Papacy.  Even  after  the  diocese  has  died  out 
as  many  of  the  great  chuiches  of  the  East  were  swept  from  the 
earth,  they  have  been  fruitful  mothers  of  the  children  of  God,  for 
their  clergy  and  laity  now  sing  the  pra'ses  of  the  "  Lamb  of  God  " 
before  the  eternal  throne.  They  have  added  to  the  external  glory 
of  God;  they  have  gathered  up  the  harvest  of  the  Lord;  ar.d  they 
have  accomplished  their  missio.i  on  earth.  Perhaps  their  light  is 
only  for  a  time  obscured  by  infidelity  or  revolution,  and  that  in 
after  ages  the  people  of  these  countries,  now  in  the  hands  of  the 
heathens  or  Mohammedans,  will  be  called  again  to  the  faith  of  their 
fathers,  and  the  great  dioceses  of  the  East  will  once  again  flourish 
as  they  did  in  the  early  ages  of  the  church.  They  are  at  least  sad 
lessons  of  the  chastisements  and  punishments  of  God,  when  he 
takes  away  the  light  of  faith,  as  said  to  the  churches  of  Smyrna,  of 
Ephesus  and  of  the  East.' 

But  alone  above  the  changes  of  time,  because  she  is  the  spotless 
spouse  of  the  Lamb,  the  church  universal  is  eternal,  immortal  and 
unchangeable.  She  repairs  the  loss  of  dioceses,  of  churches  and 
of  souls  by  ever  engrafting,  assuming  and  incoiporatij)g  into  her 
organism,  the  other  peoples  "sitting  in  the  darkness  of  death.'* 
Thus  throughout  the  ages,  the  church  universal  travels  from  place  to 
place;  like  her  husband  who  when  on  earth  had  no  resting  place, 
she  is  ever  an  exile  and  a  traveller  on  this  earth,  ever  rescuing  souls 
from  the  demon,  who  goes  around  *'  like  a  lion  seeking  whom  he  can 
devour."  When  the  nations  and  the  peoples  receive  her,  as  they 
received  Jesus  Christ  her  spouse,  she  teaches  them,  she  sanctifier 
them,  she  civilizes  them,  she  protects  them,  she  raises  them  up  to 
a  higher  level,  she  brings  them  forth  sons  of  Christ  her  spoiise,  by 
the  ministry  of  her  clergy,  and  thus  she  fills  heaven  with  the  scat- 
tered members  of  the  lost  race  of  Adam,  who  born  of  her  become 
the  children  of  the  new  Adam  Jesus  Christ,  because  born  of  the 
church  universal  his  wife  by  the  waters  of  baptism  and  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Everywhere  the  universal  church  works  through  the  dio- 
ceses its  instruments.  She  blesses  the  earth,  the  land,  the  people 
and  the  nation  Avhere  she  passes,  driving  out  the  "prince  of  this 
M'orld  "  from  the  minds  of  men,  whom  he  had  before  led  to  infidelity 
and  idolatry  and  deceived  from  the  foundations  of  the  nations. 
But  woe  to  that  race,  nation  or  men  who  will  not  receive  the  church. 
'•  For  the  nation  that  shall  not  serve  thee  shall  perish.'*'  And 
when  a  people  will  not  receive  the  church  represented  by  the  bish- 
op and  the  clergy,  then  let  them  shake  the  dust  off  their  feet,  and 
leave  them  to  their  darkness,  and  when  they  persecute  them  in 
onecity  they  follow  the  words  of  the  Master  and  "  flee  into  another.'* 

Then  the  church  universal  flourishes  and  grows  strong  when  the 
particular  churches,  the  diocese  and  the   parish   flourishes.     This 

>  Apor.il.  <  Ia»ia«. 


THE  BISHOP  AND  HIS  CLERGY.  449 

shows  that  the  church  is  of  heaven,  and  that  she  does  not  really 
belong  to  this  world  but  to  heaven,  where  her  spouse  Christ  now 
lives  in  "  the  splendors  he  hud  with  the  Father  before  the  world 
was." 

The  diocese  with  the  bishop  alone  cannot  make  a  perfect  church. 
For  froni  the  fulness  and  the  pei'fection  of  the  priesthood  of  the 
bishop,  come  forth  and  are  spiritually  born  the  priests  of  the  diocese. 
He  forms,  ordains  and  appoints  them  at  the  proper  time  to  rule 
parishes  within  tlie  diocese,  as  he  was  by  his  bishop  the  Pope  ap- 
pointed to  rule  a  diocese,  one  of  the  great  parishes  of  the  universal 
church.  The  pastors  of  the  diocese  then  in  some  manner  foi'm  the 
presbytery  or  the  senate  of  the  diocese,  as  the  cardinals,  the  Pastors 
of  the  Roman  diocese,  compose  the  senate  of  the  universal  church. 
As  Jesus  Christ  comes  forth  from  his  Father,  as  he  is  the  eternal 
Council  and  the  Image  of  the  heavenly  Father,  so  the  priests  com- 
ing from  the  fecundity  of  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  the  bishop  are 
the  images  of  the  bishop,  so  they  are  the  council  of  the  bishop. 

The  diocese  is  tiie  spouse  of  the  bishop,  and  she  has  all  the 
spiritual  fruitfulness  of  a  virgin  mother.  She  brings  forth  spirit- 
ual sons  to  the  bisliop.  They  are  the  clergy  of  thedio(!ese.  They 
are,  as  clergymen,  the  images  of  the  bishop.  Not  only  that  but 
the  bishop  gives  the  last  perfection  to  his  diocese,  by  forming  aud 
ordaining  the  lower  ministers  of  the  priests,  the  deacons  and 
lower  clergy.  They  are  to  be  the  aids  and  the  helpers  of  himself  and 
of  the  priests.  The  wife  is  also  a  man,  the  female  man,  the  bone 
of  his  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh,  of  the  same  race  with  him,  equal 
in  nature  to  her  husband.  By  her  he  brings  forth  his  children 
his  images,  members  of  the  race  like  unto  himself.  So  it  is  with 
the  diocese.  She  is  the  spouse  of  the  bishop,  as  the  universal 
church  is  the  spouse  of  Christ.  The  church  universal  is  equal  to 
Christ,  her  spouse,  for  no  beings  can  generate  others  like  unto 
themselves.  excei)t  by  tlie  union  of  another  of  the  same  race,  like 
themselves  their  equal  in  nature. 

The  whole  diocese  then  is  like  a  spiritual  family  and  rests  on 
the  bishop,  from  whom  both  clergy  and  laity  proceed.  But 
the  bishop's  office  rests  on  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  Christ.  For 
because  he  has  received  the  fulness  of  tlie  Priesthood  of  Christ 
he  is  a  bishop.  For  if  he  had  no  holy  orders  he  would  be  a  lay- 
man. Then  the  whole  foundation  of  the  particular  church  or 
diocese  is  Christ.  He  is  the ' '  Rock  of  Ages"  on  which  every  church 
was  built.  Without  him,  their  Redeemer,  they  would  be  built  in 
the  ail",  aud  they  would  soon  fall.  The  elernal  Priesthood  of 
Christ  in  the  bishop  is  the  whole  foundation  of  the  diocese,  as  the 
foundation  of  the  universal  church  is  in  the  Pope  the  successor 
of  Peter. 

The  mission  of  the  bishop  and  of  all  pastors  is  an  extension  in 
time  of  the  eternal  mission  of  Christ,  coming  from  his  Father  in 
time  to  this  earth  to  save  mankind.  The  mission  of  Christ 
has  three  elements — to  teach  truth  found  in  the  Gospels,  to  sanctify 


450  THE  BISHOP  A  TEACHER  AND  SANCTIFYER. 

son  Is  by  the  sacraments,  and  to  govern  men  by  the  common  ecclesi- 
astical law.  We  have  seen  that  the  church  universal  has  received 
from  her  founder  Ciirist  these  three  powei-s  of  teaching,  of  sanc- 
tifying and  of  governing  souls.  Being  the  image  of  tlie  universal 
church,  the  diocese  has  in  the  bishop  these  three  powers.  .Coming 
down  from  the  higher  hierarchy,  the  head  of  the  universal  church, 
the  bishop  brings  these  three  powers  to  the  diocese,  tliat  by  them 
he  may  teach,  sanctify  and  govern  both  clergy  and  people,  whom 
he  brought  forth  from  the  diocese  by  the  ministry  of  his  eternal 
Priesthood. 

Then  the  bishop  first  begins  by  being  the  teacher  of  the  diocese. 
Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God.  But  how  can 
they  believe  unless  they  are  taught,  and  how  can  they  be  taught 
without  a  teacher  ?  How  can  the  teacher  come  unless  he  is  sent  ? 
The  bishop  is  sent  by  tlie  universal  church,  as  the  pastor  is  sent  by 
the  bishop.  By  his  teaching,  then  the  bishop  first  lays  down  the 
foundation  of  the  christian  religion  which  is  faith.  Then  the 
people  first  begin  by  listening  to  his  teachings.  For  Christ  first 
taught  his  apostles  before  he  sanctified  them  by  his  passion.  The 
pagan  unbelievers  first  come  to  hear  him  before  they  are  baptized. 
For  he  is  not  their  pastor  at  first  but  their  teacher,  even  before 
they  come  into  the  "  Kingdom  of  God  by  water  and  the  Holy 
Ghost."'  Even  after  their  baptism  the  bishop  continues  to  teach 
them  the  ways  of  eternal  life.  Whence  the  bishop  must  either 
preach  or  get  a  priest  to  do  so.  The  foundation  of  religion  is 
faith.  The  Son  of  God  is  the  Word  of  the  Father.  He  is  eternal 
Truth.  The  bishop  teaching  truth  to  his  people  feeds  them  on  the 
Son  who  is  the  Truth  of  the  Father  by  teaching  them  the  Gospel 
truths.  But  the  bishop  or  the  clergy  are  not  their  own  strength. 
They  are  infallible  teachers  only  inasmuch  as  they  teach  the 
truths  in  revelation  explained  and  interpreted  by  the  Vicar  of 
Christ  the  Roman  Pontiff.  Then  the  bishop  and  clergy  of  the 
diocese  must  live  in  union  with  the  Pope,  whom  alone  the  Lord 
keeps  from  error,  because  he  is  his  Vicar  and  speaks  in  his 
name. 

But  the  office  of  bishop  is  not  alone  to  tench  the  members  of  his 
diocese.  For  teaching  alone  belongs  to  a  school,  a  college  where 
minds  are  trained.  But  after  educating,  instructing  and  teaching 
them,  the  bishop  must  sanctify  his  people  by  the  sacraments  in- 
stituted by  Christ,  and  by  that  infusing  into  them  from  his  eternal 
Priesthood  the  Holy  G  host,  the  Spirit  of  God  the  Son.  By  preach- 
ing and  teaching  they  become  enlightened.  Thus  from  all  these 
holy  sacraments  the  Christians,  membei-s  of  the  diocese,  receive 
grace  and  power  and  strength,  all  flowing  from  the  fountains  of 
the  Saviour. 

But  the  bishop  is  the  chief  minister  under  Christ  of  all  these 
sacraments.  For  he  too  is  but  the  minister  of  Christ.  By  virtue 
of  the  fulness  of  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  Christ  received  at  his 

>  John  1. 


THE  BISHOP  AS  A  SANCTIFIEB.  451 

consecration,  he  administers  these  saving  ordinances  to  the  souls  de- 
prived of  grace  by  the  sin  of  Adam. 

At  tlie  Altar  he  stands  the  mediator  between  God  and  man,  not 
because  he  is  a  man,  but  because  in  the  diocese  lie  is  tlie  chief  min- 
ister of  Christ.  At  the  altar  he  stands  saying  Mass,  distributing 
the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  to  the  clergy  and  to  the  people. 
There  he  breaks  the  bi-ead  of  life.  There  he  blesses  the  Holy  Oils. 
He  sits  on  his  episcopal  throne,  clothed  in  the  royal  purple  and 
gold  of  ancient  kings,  surrounded  by  his  clergy  like  buds  of 
roses,  while  the  people  fill  the  nave  of  the  great  cathedral.  Thus 
the  Roman  Pontifical  as  well  as  the  Apostolic  Constitution  say 
that:  "It  belongs  to  the  bishop  to  offer  sacrifice  and  to  consecrate. '' 
At  the  altar  the  bishops  ever  opens  anew  the  wounds  of  Christ,  and 
the  fountains  of  grace  flow  from  "he  superabundant  merits  of  the 
Crucified  Lord.  Thus  the  bishop  showers  down  unseen  redemp- 
tion from  Calvary,  and  pours  graces  by  the  sacraments  into  the 
wounds  of  human  souls  gasping  for  eternal  life. 

To  typify  the  power  of  the  prayer  of  the  bishop  at  the  altar,  to 
show  forth  his  office  in  all  its  beauty,  the  church  says  that  when 
the  bishop  says  a  pontifical  Mass,  he  will  have  his  assistant  priest, 
his  deacons  of  honor,  his  deacon  and  subdeacon  of  the  mass.  All 
wait  on  him,  to  give  dignity  to  such  high  and  sacred  functions.  On 
the  great  feasts  or  Sundays,  the  diocese  by  him  offers  up  to  God 
the  eternal  F'ather  through  Jesus  Christ  the  praises  and  the  thanks- 
givings of  the  clergy  and  people.  The  cathedral  itself  was  built  as 
it  were  to  write  in  wood  and  stone  in  a  visible  image  the  frame- 
work of  the  diocese,  the  form  of  the  episcopal  ceremonies.  The 
throne  of  the  bishop  tells  of  the  episcopal  power  to  judge  that  tribe 
of  Israel,  that  is  the  christians  of  the  diocese  to  whom  the  Roman 
Pontiff  sent  him.  As  one  of  the  successors  of  the  apostles  he 
teaches  from  the  pulpit.  The  sanctuary  filled  with  clergy  and 
brilliant  in  light  tells  of  heaven.  The  nave  speaks  of  the  christian 
world,  and  the  porch  typifies  the  pagans  living  in  the  spiritual 
darkness  of  death,  because  they  have  not  yet  come  into  the  light 
of  the  Gospel.  When  the  bishop  sits  there  on  his  throne  on  the 
Gospel  side,  no  other  bishop  can  occupy  it,  even  his  assistant  bishop 
Bits  on  the  Epistle  side,  for  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  alone  is  head 
of  the  cathedral,  the  husband  of  the  diocese  which  can  have  no  other 
husband,  till  he  is  removed  by  death  or  by  the  Roman  Pontiff. 

What  a  spectacle  for  angels  and  for  men  to  see  the  diocese  blos- 
soming forth  in  all  its  beauties,  perfections  and  grandeurs  Sundays 
and  holidays  at  the  offices  and  the  prayers  of  the  liturgy  of  the 
Roman  Rite.  The  bishop  sits  on  his  episcopal  throne.  Near  him 
his  vicar  general.  Along  each  side  of  the  chancel  sit  the  canons 
of  the  cathedral.  They  form  tlie  senate  of  the  diocese,  an  image 
of  the  Roman  diocese  and  of  the  august  college  of  the  cardinals 
with  the  Roman  Pontiff  at  their  head.  There  to  the  cathedral 
.chancel  come  the  bishop  and  the  chapter  morning  and  evening  to 
sing  the  glories  of  God  in  the  divine  office.     The  harmony  of  the 


462  PUBLIC  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

church  music,  as  beauti6ecl  by  St.  Ambrose  and  reformed  by  the 
first  Gregory,  floats  out  from  the  sanctuary.  The  custom  of  the 
great  choirs  of  the  ancient  temple  of  Solomon,  and  the  harmonic 
music  heard  by  Moses  and  Aaron  still  lives  in  the  majestic  liturgy 
of  the  churcli.  No  works  tiie  writer  ever  saw  are  like  the  beauties 
of  the  Roman  liturgy.  To  see  a  diocese  in  all  its  grandeur  is  a  sight 
which  leaves  an  impression  on  the  mind  which  lasts  forever. 

When  a  person  prays,  he  oifers  up  his  heart  to  God  as  a  private 
person.  But  if  when  two  or  three  unite  in  prayer,  God  is  in  the 
midst  of  them,  what  must  be  the  power  and  the  force  of  the 
whole  diocese,  praying  througli  their  bishop  and  their  clergy  recit- 
ing or  singing  the  divine  office  in  the  cathedral.  But  that  is  not 
all.  The  divine  office  said  by  a  clergyman  in  any  rank  of  holy  orders 
above  a  subdeacon  is  tiie  prayer  of  Christ  himself.  As  St.  Ignatius 
says:  "  If  the  prayer  of  two  or  three  has  such  power,  what  will  be 
the  prayer  of  the  church  and  of  the  bishop?  "  *  That  Mass  and  office 
of  the  bishop  is  the  prayer  of  the  whole  church,  the  spouse  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Of  that  prayer  of  the  diocese  and  of  the  episcopal  Mass  St. 
Cyprian  says:  "  The  great  sacrifice  offered  to  God  is  the  peace  of  our 
meetings,  and  the  people  united  to  their  Father,  and  to  the  Son, 
and  to  the  Holy  Ghost."' 

There  when  the  bishop  pontificates  you  see  the  image  of  heaven, 
where  the  angels  and  the  saints  ever  stand  before  the  eternal  throne, 
praising  and  blessing  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  the  only  Mediator 
of  man.  Clothed  in  white  garments,  washed  in  the "  Blood  of 
the  Lamb  ''slain  from  the  foundations  of  the  world,"  the  choirs 
of  heaven  ceaselessly  sing  the  hymns  of  glory  and  of  praise,  as  they 
bathe  in  the  light  of  perfected  reason  and  of  glory  outflowing  from 
the  eternal  throne.  The  bishop,  the  clergy  and  people  singing 
the  praises  of  the  Lord  in  the  cathedral  and  in  our  churches,  form 
80  many  images  of  the  heavenly  abode  of  bliss.  But  the  clergy 
and  people  being  men,  cannot  forever  sing  the  songs  of  joy,  or  ever 
chant  those  prayers  unto  God.  For  they  must  rest  and  sleep  and 
have  their  diversions,  because  they  have  a  body  of  earth  which  must 
seek  repose.  But  if  they  are  not  present  all  the  time  in  the  churches 
as  angels  and  saints  are  in  heaven,  they  at  least  mav  be  present  in 
spirit.  Although  these  beautiful  offices  of  the  church,  by  the 
reformation,  were  driven  from  the  great  cathedrals  of  England",  and 
although  they  have  ceased  in  many  parts  of  Europe,  yet  the  bishops 
and  the  clergy  have  to  privately  say  that  office,  that  prayer  of  the 
church,  each  day  under  pain  of  mortal  sin.  Whether  united  with 
the  bishop  in  the  chancel  of  the  cathedral,  or  taking  his  place  at 
the  head  of  the  parish,  or  in  choir,  the  clergy  and  the  bishop  are 
one  when  saying  the  divine  office.  And  the"  people  are  one  with 
them  when  saying  their  beads  and  private  prayers,  inasmuch  as 
they  all  belong  to  the  diocese  and  to  the  universardiurch,  and  they 
all  pray  through  Jesus  Christ,  who  sits  in  glorv  on  the  eternal 
throne,  ''always  interceding  for  us."    Then  the  divine  office   is 

»  St  Ign.  EpiBt.  ad  Epii.  n. «.  ■  aL  Cyprtan  de  Orat.  Doin.  n.  28. 


MYSTIC  MEANING  OF  THE  LITL^RGY.  453 

the  prayer  of  the  diocese  and  of  the  universal  churcli,  and  every 
clergyman  from  the  subdeaeon  to  the  Pope  must  say  that  office 
every  day,  and  when  they  recite  its  holy  words,  the  whole  church 
with  Christ  at  the  head  prays  through  them. 

God  called  the  laity  to  take  part  in  these  sacred  functions  of  the 
Roman  liturgy,  that  divine  service  transcendent  over  all  others. 
For  in  former  times,  in  the  early  church  when  the  people  under- 
stood Latin,  they  took  an  active  part  in  the  divine  offices.  The 
hymns  of  praise  then  came  not  only  from  the  sanctuary  but  from 
the  laity  of  the  whole  church.  As  the  apostles  formed  tiiese  offices 
from  the  Bible  in  the  Latin  tongue,  the  offices  of  the  church  were 
for  the  ear  of  God  alone,  and  the  church  cannot  now  change  them. 
What  the  clergy  say  to  the  people  they  speak  to  them  in  their  own 
language.  But  the  laity  should  take  part  by  congregational 
singing  in  these  great  offices  of  the  church.  Li  this  way  they  can 
enter  into  the  spirit  of  the  ditt'ereut  offices  during  the  year.  For 
the  church  oifers  to  God  through  Christ,  "the  thoughts  and  the 
desires  of  all;  the  ti'oubles  of  the  people,  the  dangers  of  nations,  the 
groans  of  captives,  the  misfortunes  of  orphans  and  of  those  witliout 
homes,  the  pains  and  the  weaknesses  of  the  sick  and  of  the  wound- 
ed, the  feebleness  of  the  old,  the  desires  of  the  young,  the  vows  of 
virgins  and  the  tears  of  widows  and  of  orphans.  "  ' 

Almost  in  the  very  days  of  the  apostles,  St.  Ignatius  wrote: 
"  The  church  is  a  choir  and  the  bishop  presides  at  her  concerts, 
Avhich  are  like  the  choirs  of  heaven,  which  cease  not  day  or  night." " 
Again  he  says  that:  "  The  church  is  a  harp,  with  clergy  and  peo- 
ple united  to  their  bishop,  like  the  strings  of  a  lyre,  tied  to  the  wood 
of  the  instrument,  which  binds  them  together,  and  in  that  union 
of  souls  and  of  voices,  on  that  lyre  of  the  church,  the  Holy  Spirit 
sings  to  Jesus  Christ.  "* 

As  Jesus  Christ  gives  spiritual  life  to  his  church  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  his  Spirit,  who  comes  from  him,  and  builds  and  forms  the 
whole  church  organism,  so  the  bishop  by  the  Priesthood  of  Christ 
of  which  he  has  the  fulness,  the  bishop  by  his  ministry  sends  that 
same  Holy  Ghost  into  the  whole  diocese.  Whence,  as  Christ  is  the 
head  of  the  whole  church,  so  the  bishop  is  the  head  of  the  whole 
diocese.  For  as  the  bishop  is  a  living  man  and  an  image  of  Christ, 
and  as  tlie  diocese  is  the  material  image  of  the  invisible  chur3h 
universal,  so  the  workings  of  divine  grace  in  the  diocese  but 
copy  or  typify  the  workings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  whole 
church,  and  in  the  souls  of  the  members  of  the  diocese.  As 
the  Lord  Jesus  rules  his  universal  church  by  the  constitution  he 
laid  down  for  the  whole  church,  at  its  foundation  on  the  apostles 
and  on  the  prophets,  so  the  Vicar  of  Christ  lays  down  the  consti- 
tution of  the  diocese.  If  the  diocese  falls  away  from  the  divine 
model  seen  in  tlie  constitution  of  the  universal  church,  and  in 
the  constitution  of  the  Roman  diocese,  M'hich  has  ever  preserved 

*  St.  Ambrose  Orat.  ante  Mlssaai  In  Mis.  Roman.       *  St.  Ifrnatlus  Epist.  ad  Ephes.  n.  4. 
»  Ibidem. 


454  MYSTIC  MEANING  OF   THE  LITURGY. 

unchanged  the  ''  deposit  of  faith  "  and  the  frame-work  left  by 
Peter,  it  belongs  to  Peter's  Successor  to  bring  back  the  diocese  to 
apostolic  customs. 

As  the  Pope,  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  rules  the  whole  church,  not 
for  himself  but  for  the  Lord,  whose  church  and  bride  she  is,  so 
the  bishop  rules  the  diocese,  not  for  himself,  but  for  the  Jesus 
the  spouse  of  the  church  universal,  he  who  bought  these  precious 
souls  with  the  price  of  his  passion  and  his  blood.  For  that  reason 
the  bishop  cannot  do  everything  he  wants  to.  He  must  follow  the 
laws  and  the  canons  of  the  church.  He  must  not  change  any  of 
the  laws  of  the  universal  church.  He  keeps  to  the  traditions  of 
the  apostolic  age.  He  must  live  in  peace  with  his  clergy  and 
with  the  people,  for  the  Lord  hath  called  us  in  peace  and  not 
in  continual  quarelling  and  contention.  For  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  not  in  the  whirlwind,  not  in  the  storm,  but  in  the  still  small 
voice  of  the  Gospels.  Whence  if  the  clergy  and  people  are  con- 
tinually disturbed,  they  cannot  grow  in  holiness,  but  in  that  case 
the  devil  will  soon  find  a  way  of  destroying  the  sheep  fold. 

But  to  each  diocese  belongs  home  government.  For  the  con- 
ditions of  peoples,  and  of  nations,  the  customs  of  countries  change 
from  age  to  age,  and  from  nation  to  nation.  And  that  the  laws  of 
the  universal  church  may  be  accommodated  to  the  changing  condi- 
tions of  men,  each  bishop  in  his  diocese  has  the  triple  authority 
of  making  laws  for  the  diocese,  of  judging  the  guilty  and  con- 
demning them  to  spiritual  punishments  stated  in  the  laws,  of  ex- 
ecuting the  laws  of  the  church,  and  of  regulating  financial,  dis- 
ciplinary and  temporal  matter.  Then  the  bishop  makes  laws  for 
the  diocese,  gives  decisions  as  an  ecclesiastical  judge,  and  enforces 
and  executes  the  laws  both  of  the  whole  church  and  of  the  diocese. 
The  bishop  is  not  free  in  doing  this.  For  he  too  must  follow  the 
laws  of  the  universal  church, — the  canon  law  enacted  by  his  Bish- 
op the  Roman  Pontiff.  The  Roman  Pontiff  too  must  follow  the 
constitution  given  by  Christ  to  the  apostles  and  found  in  the  reve- 
lation as  known  by  tradition.  The  statutes  or  laws  of  the  diocese 
are  promulgated  by  the  bishop  in  the  diocesan  synod,  as  the  laws 
of  the  universal  church  are  made  in  the  Ecumenfcal  councils.  In 
matters  relating  to  the  home  government  of  the  diocese  and  the  stat- 
utes of  the  diocese  are  not  sent  to  Rome  for  revision,  as  they  relate 
not  to  faith  or  morals  as  the  statutes  of  the  bishops  of  a  province  in 
provincial  councils  or  as  the  bishops  of  a  nation  in  a  national 
council. 

Each  age,  each  country  has  its  time  of  peace,  or  persecution,  its 
customs,  aspirations,  peculiar  dangei-s  and  temptations.  For  that 
reason  the  diocese  is  small  in  extent,  so  that  the  bishop  and  the 
clergy  may  make  laws  to  meet  these  new  and  changeable  traps  and 
snares  laid  by  Satan  for  the  destruction  of  souls.  The  manners  of 
people,  their  diverse  conditions,  theirsocial  standing,  their  educa- 
tion vary  from  generation  to  generation.  And  the  church,  the 
diocese  and  the  parish,  coming  from  God,  with  all  his  authority 


MYSTIC  MEANING  OF  THE  LITURGY.  455 

in  spiritual  powers,  comes  and  seeks  these  remains  of  tlie  race  of 
Adam.  Bride  of  God,  Queen  of  heaven,  she  passes  through  tliis 
world  of  exile,  seeking  tlie  members  of  the  fallen  I'ace.  The 
christian  lives  in  this  world,  while  he  does  not  belong  to  this 
world,  but  to  heaven  where  his  Ijord  and  Master  dwells  in  glory 
waiting,  that  "  where  he  is  there  may  his  people  be.  " 

The  bishops  and  the  pastoi's  of  souls,  with  prudence  apply 
these  laws  of  the  universal  church  and  of  the  diocese  to  the  vary- 
ing conditions  of  the  people.  Every  act  of  the  bishop  and  of  the 
pastor  is  laid  down  in  the  canons  and  the  laws  of  the  church.  They 
should  follow  these  laws  in  all  their  dealings  with  the  people  and 
Avith  the  clergy  of  the  diocese.  Nothing  is  left  to  the  arbitrary 
whim  of  tlie  bishop,  or  of  the  pastor,  or  of  the  priest  dealing  with 
matters  relating  to  the  salvation  of  souls.  For  the  whole  church 
is  a  vast  spiritual  government,  with  Christ  at  the  head  having  un- 
der him  his  ministers.  We  have  seen  in  a  former  work  (Man  the 
Mirror  of  the  World),  how  God  rules  every  creature  of  the  world 
so  that  it  acts  and  moves  and  lives.  And  to  change  one  of  these 
natural  laws  is  a  miracle,  so  the  bishop  rules  the  diocese,  not  ac- 
cording to  his  whims  and  moods,  but  according  to  the  laws 
laid  down  in  the  canon  laws  of  the  church,  enacted  in  the  coun- 
cils or  by  the  Roman  Pontiff.  If  troubles  arise  in  the  church,  it 
is  because  some  of  these  laws  have  been  broken,  and  the  oppressed 
is  looking  for  justice. 


THE  PARISH  PRIEST  ADMINISTERING  COMMUNION. 


jM»s»»iia«!»iJ«i«?if»i!r»«^^^ 


dROM  tlie  society  of  the  Father  and  Holy  Spirit  comes  the 
Son  down  to  earth,  to  become  the  liead  of  the  nniverpal 
chiircli.  He  has  no  eqnal  on  the  earth  for  he  belongs  to  the 
liierarchy  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  From  the  Roman  Pontiff 
Vicarof  Christ  comes  the  bishop,  down  he  comes  into  the  diocese 
from  the  hierarchy  of  the  bishops  of  the  nniversal  church,  find- 
ing not  his  equal  in  the  diocese,  but  among  the  bishops  of  the 
nniversal  chnrcii.  Thns  he  comes  into  his  diocese  to  become  the 
head  of  holy  orders  and  the  font  of  jurisdiction  for  the  whole  dio- 
cese. Again  from  the  hierarchy  of  the  priests  of  the  diocese  comes 
the  pastor  into  his  parish,  as  head  of  his  church  and  congregation. 
Bishops  and  priests  therefore  come  down  from  the  ranks  of  the 
hierarchies  to  which  they  belong,  berj-ing  with  them  the  teaching, 
the  sanctifying  and  the  ruling  powei-s  Avhich  Christ  bore  from 
heaven,  and  with  which  he  sent  them  forth  as  the  Father  had  sent 
liim. 

Therefore  we  must  consider  the  bishop  as  the  chief  teacher,  sanc- 

457 


458  TEE  BISHOJ*  AND  THE  CATHEDRAL. 

tifyer  and  rnler  of  the  diocese,  bearing  in  his  person  tlic  truths  of 
the  Gospel,  the  sanctifying  powers  of  Christ,  the  authority  of  the 
whole  church;  tlierefore  lie  rules  both  clergy  and  laity  whom  he 
brings  forth  as  his  spiritual  children,  and  he  rules  both  laitv  and 
clergy  for  he  is  their  spiritual  father. 

Peter  chose  Rome  as  his  eternal  diocese  from  among  all  the 
cities  and  dioceses  of  the  whole  world  when  Christ  had  establish- 
ed the  universal  church.  So  when  the  diocese,  the  image  of  the 
universal  church  is  born  of  her  by  appointment  of  the  Pope,  the 
bishop  comes  into  the  city  of  his  see  and  chooses  one  of  the  church- 
es as  his  cathedral,  there  he  erects  his  spiritual  throne,  fi-om  which 
he  judges  that  tribe  of  Israel  given  into  his  care.  The  relations  of 
the  Bishop  of  Rome  to  the  Roman  people  differ  from  his  relations  to 
the  other  dioceses  of  the  world,  for  he  is  the  titular  Bishop  of  Rome. 
The  relations  of  the  bishop  to  the  people  of  the  cathednil  parish  differ 
from  his  relations  to  the  other  parishes  of  the  diocese.  As  the 
Pope  is  not  the  titular  bishop  of  all  the  other  dioceses  of  the  world, 
so  the  bishop  is  not  the  pastor  of  all  the  other  parishes  of  the  dio- 
cese, but  he  sometimes  is  of  the  cathedral  parish.  As  the  Pope  is 
the  Vicarof  Christ,  and  has  direct  and  immediate  jurisdiction  over 
every  soul  redeemed  by  Christ,  so  the  bishop  has  a  supervision 
over  the  parishes  and  people  of  the  other  parishes  of  the  diocese, 
80  that  if  the  pastors  do  not  attend  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the 
people,  the  bishop  supplies  them.  Thus  there  are  other  pastors 
in  the  diocese,  who  rule  their  churches  and  parishes  in  their  own 
pastoral  rights,  because  they  have  the  titles  of  these  churches. 

But  the  relations  of  the  bishop  with  the  cathedral  do  not  change. 
Other  parishes  of  the  diocese  may  rise  or  fall,  pastorsand  priests  may 
move,  other  dioceses  may  be  formed  out  of  the  territory,  or  diocese 
may  be  united  or  added  to  the  diocese  making  it  larger,  but  the  re- 
lations of  the  bishop  to  the  cathedral  ever  remain  the  same.  No 
matter  what  change  or  upheavels  may  take  place  in  the  diocese  or 
whether  it  may  become  the  see  of  an  archbishop,  the  relations  of  the 
bishop  with  the  cathedral  remain  the  same.  He  will  lemain  bish- 
op of  that  see,  as  the  Pope  will  ever  be  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  nor 
can  the  See  of  Peter  be  ever  changed  from  the  eternal  city,  and 
Christ  will  always  be  the  Pastor  Eternal  of  the  universal  church, 
individualized  and  visible  in  his  Vicar. 

The  Bishop  of  Rome  appoints  certain  bishops  of  important  sees 
as  archbishops,  primates  and  patriarchs  over  the  other  bishops 
and  churches.  They  are  representatives  of  his  complete  power. 
So  the  bishop  appoints  other  pastors  with  a  part  of  his  jurisdiction 
over  the  other  churches  and  pastors  of  the  diocese.  They  are  the 
rural  deans,  and  they  have  a  certain  supervision  of  the  finances  and 
condition  of  the  churches  in  their  deaneries. 

We  read  in  the  Gospel  of  the  establishment  of  the  Papacy  in 
Peter  and  of  the  bishops  in  the  apostles.  At  the  last  supper  Christ 
ordained  his  apostles  priests,  later  he  consecrated  them  bishops  of 
his  universal  church,  while  the  council  of  Trent  says  that  Christ 


THE  bishop's  powers  LIMITED.  459 

also  ordained  priests  and  ministers,  and  the  Acts  of  the  apostles 
tell  us  of  the  ordination  of  the  deacons.  But  we  find  but  few 
and  dim  traces  of  the  priests  or  presbyters  of  the  church.  Why  do 
not  the  evangelists  and  writers  of  the  New  Testaments  give  the 
priests  ordained  by  Christ  more  prominence  ?  Their  silence  shows 
all  ages,  that  our  blessed  Lord  built  his  church  on  the  Papacy  and 
on  the  episcopacy,  so  as  to  take  away  all  danger  of  the  parishes  or 
priests  separating  from  their  bishop  and  from  Rome,  and  founding 
separate  communions,  independent  of  the  universal  church  and  of 
the  diocese.  That  false  principle  carried  to  its  extreme  is  found 
to-day  in  the  Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  other  churches,  who  claim 
that  each  congregation  is  independent  of  all  other  congregations. 

The  bishop  then,  a  pastor  of  the  universal  church,  comes  down 
from  the  universal  church,  never  leaving  that  everlasting  and 
wonderful  organization  founded  by  our  blessed  Lord,  he  comes  in- 
to his  diocese,  bearing  with  him  all  the  doctrines,  teachings,  sac- 
raments, authorities  and.  powers  of  oi'ders  and  of  jurisdiction  over 
the  clergy  and  laity  of  his  diocese.  He  has  all  the  spiritual  riches 
of  the  universal  church,  and  these  he  deals  out  to  his  spiritual 
children  his  clergy  and  laity,  the  fruit  of  his  complete  priesthood. 
Butasthelimitsof  the  powers  of  the  Pope  in  the  universal  church  are 
bounded  by  the  revelations  of  God,  and  by  the  divine  law  revealed 
to  man,  so  the  powers  of  the  bishop  and  his  actions  are  regulated 
by  the  laws  of  the  universal  church,  by  her  canons  and  her  statutes 
made  by  the  Pope  in  councils,  and  issued  in  his  constitutions, 
briefs  and  letters.  The  bishop  must  proceed  according  to  the 
canon  law,  as  the  Pope  must  obey  the  divine  law,  as  Christ  the 
Son  acts  according  to  the  eternal  laws  of  his  divine  nature  re- 
ceived fi'om  his  Father.  We  will  treat  therefore  of  the  duties 
and  obligations  of  the  bishop  in  this  chapter. 

As  the  Pope  has  supreme  legislative  authority  over  the  whole 
church,  so  the  bishop  has  legislative  power  over  all  the  members 
of  his  diocese.  He  can  therefore  make  laws  for  the  diocese,  and  with 
severe  spiritual  punishments  he  can  chastise  those  who  refuse  to 
obey  these  laws.  He  can  suspend  the  clergyman  and  excommu- 
nicate the  lay  person  who  will  not  obey  the  laws  he  makes  for  the 
diocese.  '  Laws  made  at  a  synod  last  till  revoked,  but  the 
legislatrve  enactments  made  by  a  bishop  outside  the  synod  probably 
cease  at  his  death  or  resignation.  But  no  bishop  can  make  a  law 
which  conflicts  with  the  common  laws  of  the  universal  church. 
For  they  originated  with  the  Pope,  or  they  were  made  in  a  council, 
which  by  the  Pope's  apjiroval  became  common  to  the  whole  church, 
and  the  bishop  cannot  make  any  law  in  conflict  with  the  superior's 
statutes.  When  a  custon  prevails  in  a  diocese,  Avhich  is  con- 
trary to  the  common  law  of  the  church,  the  bishop  may  act  ac- 
cording to  this  old  custom,  for  custom  makes  law,  but  his  cannot 
make  any  law  agreeing  with  a  custom  contrary  to  the  uni- 
Yersal  church,  because  he  has  not  the  power  to  go  contrary  to  the 

>  Benedict  xiv.  L.  I   13.  C.  4.  n.  5.  De  Synod.  Dlo. 


460  THE  BISHOP  AND  ROM  AX  LAWS. 

universal  law.  '  For  that  reason  when  the  acts  and  decrees  of 
provincial  councils,  confiictiiig  with  the  universal  laws  of  the 
church  are  sent  to  Rome  for  review,  the  congregation  always 
repeals  such  things.  Each  diocese  is  more  or  less  free  regarding 
home  discipline,  and  therefore  home  rule  prevails  in  each  diocese. 

For  the  bishop  alone  does  not  define  matters  of  faitli  and  prac- 
tice, for  that  belongs  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  who  alone  has  the 
note  of  infallibility,  which  belongs  to  no  other  bishop  in  the 
world.  But  the  bishop  in  his  diocese  sees  that  the  doctrines  of 
the  universal  chnrch  alre.idy  proclaimed  are  believed  by  both 
clergy  and  people.  Bnt  he  cannot  act  as  jndge  about  things  agi- 
tated among  theologians,  nor  decide  dispntes  in  matters  relating 
to  the  whole  church,  for  he  is  not  infallible,  nor  can  the  bishop 
punish  a  clergyman  who  will  not  agree  with  him  in  such  things. 

The  laws  made  by  the  Pope  for  the  universal  church  oblige  in 
the  diocese  nnder  pain  of  sin,  before  the  bishop  accepts  them,  for 
they  come  from  his  superior.  Bnt  the  bishop  can  give  the 
reasons  why  the  pontifical  laws  cannot  be  introduced  into  the 
diocese,  and  the  laws  may  then  be  suspended  till  the  bishop  receives 
the  reply  from  Rome.  But  if  the  reply  from  Rome  states  that 
the  reasons  are  nut  enough,  then  the  law  of  the  universal  church 
obliges  and  has  fnll  force  in  the  diocese.  But  this  rule  can  be 
applied  only  to  some,  but  not  all  pontifical  laws.  The  laws  of 
the  Pontiff  obtain  their  full  force  all  over  the  world,  when  they 
are  promulgated  at  Rome,  although  in  some  countries  and  at  di- 
verse tim6s  the  Popes  allow  the  bishops  to  examine  and  approve 
the  papal  laws  before  they  promulgated  them  in  their  dioceses. 
This  is  like  a  concession  to  the  bishop,  lest  it  might  be  difficult  to 
carry  out  the  laws  of  the  Roman  Pontiff,  or  lest  they  might  be- 
come oppressive  for  any  peculiar  or  local  reasons.  But  the  Holy 
See  will  not  consent  that  the  Roman  law  for  the  universal  church 
does  not  oblige,  unless  the  bishop  consents.  But  often  Rome 
does  not  insist,  lest  the  bishop  may  have  peculiar  local  reasons, 
which  arise  in  his  diocese.  The  bishop  then  cannot  examine  and 
pass  judgment  on  apostolic  letters  and  laws,  before  allowing  them 
to  be  enforced  in  his  diocese.  On  the  contrary  he  would  greatly  err 
in  subjecting  papal  decrees  to  his  judgment.  If  he  j)ievented 
their  execution,  he  would  be  excommunicated,  as  Clement  VII. 
says. ' 

The  church  is  so  careful  lest  her  laws  might  become  oppressive 
in  particular  cases,  that  she  gives  dispensation,  by  which  a  law, 
which  binds  all,  is  taken  away  for  this  particular  case.  The  same 
power  which  made  the  law  can  alone  dispense  it.  Thus  the 
Pope  alone,  who  makes  laws  for  the  church  universal  can  dispense 
them  for  the  whole  church,  and  the  bishop  can  dispense  only 
liis  own  or  his  predecessor's  laws  for  the  diocese.  The  general 
rule  is  that  the  inferior  cannot  dispense  in  the  laws  of  his  super- 
ior. Some  authors  say  that  the  bishop  can  disjwnse  in  all  the 
*  BeoHdlct  xtr.  De  Synod.  L.  12.  C.  8.  d.  8.  "  Const.  47  T.  4  p.  I. 


THE  BISHOP  GIVING  DISPENSATIONS.  461 

laws  of  the  Pope,  except  where  the  Pope  reserves  such  dispensa- 
tions to  himself  in  a  special  manner,  while  others  are  reserved  in  a 
special  manner  to  the  Pope.  The  more  probable  opinion  is  that 
no  bishop  can  give  dispensations  in  laws  for  the  whole  church, 
made  either  by  the  Pope  alone,  or  by  the  Pope  in  the  councils, 
because  the  inferior  cannot  repeal,  or  wipe  out  the  laws  of  his 
superior,  and  because  the  giving  of  a  dispensation  is  an  act  of 
jurisdiction,  and  the  bishop  has  no  jurisdiction  over  the  Pope, 
nor  over  his  laws.  Besides  if  every  bishop  could  thus  interfere 
with  papal  laws,these  laws  would  become  useless,  the  Pope  would 
not  be  the  Pastor  of  all  the  sheepfolds  of  Christ,  as  the  Vatican 
council  declared.  The  Holy  See  gives  the  bishops  power  to  dis- 
pense in  certain  laws,  as  the  keeping  of  feasts,  the  regulations  of 
lent,  in  laboring  works  on  Sundays,  fasting,  &o.  Many  of  the  laws, 
made  in  the  universal  councils  and  by  the  Pope,  directly  state 
that  the  bishops  can  dispense  for  certain  reasons.  Even  custom, 
which  Rome  tolerates,  gives  the  bishop  the  power  of  dispensing, 
for  custom  makes  law.  When  there  is  danger  in  delay,  or  when 
^rave  necessity  urges,  the  bishop  can  grant  a  dispensation,  for 
necessity  knows  no  law.  Law  M'as  made  for  the  good  of  souls  and 
when  therefore  any  law  becomes  oppressive,  the  people  would  be 
led  by  it  not  to  eternal  life,  which  is  the  object  of  all  church  laws, 
but  they  might  sometimes  be  inclined  to  break  these  wise  laws 
and  commit  sin.  The  church  ever  seeking  the  good  of  her  mem- 
bers, wishes  not  to  enforce  a  law  which  good  in  most  cases,  may 
become  oppressive  and  hurtful  for  a  few,  and  in  such  occasions 
the  church  allows  the  bishops  to  dispense  in  church  laws. 

The  law  being  universal  for  all  people,  and  a  dispensation  being 
a  taking  away  of  the  law  for  one  or  more  cases  or  persons,  there 
must  be  a  good  and  valid  reason  for  granting  a  dispensation.  For 
these  wise  laws,  having  been  made  by  the  bishop's  superior  for 
the  universal  church,  he  must  act  with  reason  in  giving  dispensa- 
tions. The  bishop  may  grant  a  dispensation  without  any  reason  in 
the  laws  of  the  diocese,  made  by  himself  or  by  his  predecessor,  and 
it  will  be  valid  for  what  the  same  power  did  it  can  undo. 

According  to  these  rules  the  bishops  have  the  power  of  dispens- 
ing in  the  laws  relating  to  fasting,  and  from  abstaining  from 
manual  labor  on  feast  days.  If  there  be  doubts  about  the  cause 
for  granting  such  dispensation,  the  bishop  may  change  the  fasting 
to  some  other  work  of  piety.  In  special  cases,  and  for  one  or  more 
occasions,  he  may  dispense  a  person  from  the  general  law  of  fast- 
ing, for  special  reasons  and  for  the  furthering  of  works  of  piety. 
But  Benedict  XIV.  '  decreed  that  bishops  could  not  dispense 
for  their  whole  flocks  in  the  law  of  fasting,  and  he  gave  them  au- 
thority of  so  dispensing  that  year  in  the  said  law  regarding  the 
feast  of  St.  Mathias.  By  the  common  law  a  pastor  can  dispense 
his  people  from  the  law  of  fasting,  in  particular  cases  but  he  can- 
not dispense  all  the  people  of  the  parish. 

1  Bull  Tom.  3. 


462  WHAT  DISPENSATIONS  HE  CAN  GIVE. 

The  church  in  the  early  ages  made  a  law  forbidding  laboring- 
work  on  Sundays,  which  the  whole  christian  world  has  since  ob- 
served. The  Pope  can  dispense  in  that  law  for  the  whole  world, 
if  there  be  a  just  cause  the  bishop  for  the  diocese.  But  if  he  were 
to  do  so  without  any  reason,  it  would  be  a  great  sin.  A  parish 
priest  can  give  such  a  dispensation  for  particular  cases,  and  for  a. 
few  days,  when  his  parishioners  cannot  see  the  bishop.'  All  this- 
relates  to  fasting  from  food,  for  it  is  harder  to  fast  from  food  than 
to  abstain  from  meat  and  other  kinds  of  food. 

But  the  bishops  cannot  dispense  the  laws  relating  to  abstaining 
from  meat  and  white  meats,  such  as  milk,  cheese,  eggs,  &c.,  for 
these  things  are  regulated  by  the  common  laws  of  the  church  re- 
lating to  lent,  advent,  &c.  But  the  Pope  has  given  special  facul- 
ties for  dispensing,  unless  the  law  reads  that  a  dispensation  may 
be  given;  when  the  case  is  urgent;  when  there  be  danger  in  a  de- 
lay; when  the  bishops  are  accustomed  to  give  such  dispensations, 
and  Avhen  there  is  a  doubt  regjirding  the  power  of  the  bishop  to- 
grant  such  a  dispensation.  But  for  good  reasons  the  bishops  can 
dispense  in  these  laws  for  particular  reasons.  As  it  is  impossible 
for  such  persons  to  apply  to  the  Holy  See  and  wait  for  an  answer^ 
the  custom  is  to  apply  to  the  bishop. 

The  law  obliging  us  to  abstain  from  meat,  &c.,  during  Lent  was- 
made  by  the  universal  church,  and  it  is  customary  for  the  bishop* 
to  give  particular  persons  dispensations  from  this  law,  because  it 
would  be  impossible  for  each  one  to  address  the  Pope  asking  for  a- 
dispensation,  when  weakness,  disease,  or  other  reasons  make  them 
incapable  of  keeping  the  law.  Even  inferior  prelates,  administra- 
tors of  dioceses,  and  parish  priests  may  dispense  in  these  laws. 
But  no  bishop,  without  an  indult  from  the  Pope,  can  give  a  dis- 
pensation for  the  whole  diocese,  for  the  bishop  cannot  take  away 
the  common  law  of  the  whole  church  even  in  his  own  diocese,  except 
in  the  cases  stated;  otherwise  the  laws  of  the  whole  church  would 
be  nullified.  As  the  natural  law  is  the  foundation  of  all  laws, 
the  physician  can  declare  that  the  law  of  fasting  does  not  exist 
for  those  whose  health  does  not  allow  them  to  fast.  But  no 
one  can  declare  any  diocese  or  multitude  of  people  free  from  the 
laws  of  fasting  as  Benedict  XIV.  says."  But  any  widespread  dis- 
ease or  raging  epidemic  in  a  country  or  diocese,  or  the  difficulty  of 
getting  fish,  eggs,  butter,  oil,  cheese,  &c.,  is  enough  to  give  the  bish- 
op cause  to  dispense  in  the  Lenten  fasts  of  the  church,  as  Benedict 
aIV.  says.  But  if  a  contrary  custom  exists  in  any  diocese,  and  the 
Pone  knowing  it  says  nothing,  we  must  conclude  that  he  agrees 
ana  that  it  is  allowed. 

The  bishops  cannot  give  dispensations  relating  to  the  sacred  rites 
and  services  of  the  church,  nor  can  he  change  any  of  them,  as  that 
belongs  to  the  Holy  See.  But  the  bishop  may  dispense  from  the 
laws  of  the  diocese,  which  were  enacted  either  by  himself  or  by  his 
predecessors,  for  the  same  power  which  made  laws  can  take  them 

*  St.  Llsory  L.  3  n.  1032, 288,  &c  *  Bull.  Ubentlaslme  Tom.  I  n.  130. 


CHURCH  AND  STATE  EIGHTS.  463 

away,  except  in  the  case  where  these  diocesan  laws  have  been 
specifically  approved  by  the  Pope,  in  which  case  they  are  approved 
and  strengthened  by  the  bishop's  superior. 

But  whether  the  bishop  can  do  in  his  own  diocese,  what  the 
Pope  can  do  in  the  whole  church,  except  these  things  specially 
reserved  to  the  Holy  See,  is  disputed  by  authors.  But  the  best 
authors  say  the  bishops  cannot  do  that.  For  if  bishops  could 
do  so,  they  could  take  away  all  the  acts  of  the  councils,  the  decrees 
of  Popes,  the  laws  of  discipline,  and  overturn  the  whole  common 
law  of  the  universal  church ;  whereas  most  of  the  laws  of  the  uni- 
versal church  say  that  the  bishops  are  forbidden  to  abrogate,  repeal 
or  dispense  them  for  their  own  dioceses.  The  opinion  which  holds 
that  bishops  can  do  so  is  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  the  great 
masters.  '  As  we  have  seen  the  Pope  is  the  ruler  and  administrator 
of  the  universal  church,  and  the  bishops  are  under  him  as  well  as  the 
other  clergy  and  laity,  for  the  council  of  Florence  and  of  the  Vati- 
can defined,  that  the  Pope  has  full  and  direct  Jurisdiction  overall 
pastors  and  people,  because  he  is  the  Vicegerent  of  Him  who  re- 
deemed all  men. 

The  council  of  Trent  states  that  any  man  who  accidentally  com- 
mits murder,  even  if  it  be  secret,  that  he  can  never  advance  to  holy 
orders.  If  in  defending  himself  from  an  unjust  attack  on  his  life,,, 
he  takes  life,  his  bishop,  his  metropolitan  or  a  neighboring  bishop^ 
may  dispense  him  so  he  can  be  ordained.  In  all  other  irregulari- 
ties or  suspensions  arising  from  secret  crimes,  the  bishop  omi 
dispense,  says  the  council  of  Trent.  * 

The  governments  of  the  world  have  often  invaded  the  church, 
persecuted  her,  stole  her  property,  and  trampled  on  her  most  sacred 
rights.  The  division  of  churches  was  caused  by  such  unjust  usur- 
pations. The  church  is  a  perfect  and  complete  government  and 
society,  and  to  lier  alone  belongs  the  sacred  things  given  into  her 
hands  by  Christ  for  the  salvation  of  the  human  race.  All  spiritual 
things,  as  the  sacraments,  articles  of  faith,  divine  worship,  &c., 
belong  to  her  alone,  and  in  these  things  the  people  or  the  govern- 
ment has  no  control.  "  The  rulers  of  nations  are  her  sons,  not  her 
rulers,  and  they  are  saved  by  her  like  the  people  they  govern. 

According  to  the  laws  of  the  church,  the  clergy  are  exempt  from 
being  cited  before  the  civil  courts,  but  liable  before  the  courts  of 
the  church.  It  is  disputed  whether  they  derive  this  from  the  divine 
or  from  the  church  laws.  But  in  very  few  countries  are  these 
things  now  carried  out.  Benedict  XIV.  tells  bishops  to  try  and 
hold  their  rights  over  purely  holy  things,  and  that  it  would  be 
useless  for  them  to  try  to  regain  the  full  freedom  of  the  church, 
such  as  she  had  in  the  middle  ages.  Who  could  count  the  millions 
of  property,  which  the  governments  of  the  world  stole  and  confis- 
cated from  the  church?* 

1  Suares  L.  6.  de  Leg.  C.  14.  n.  4,  et6.  Benedict.  XI V,  de  Synod.  Dioces.  L.  9,  C.  I.  n.  5. 

2  Ses.  14.  C.  7.  Ses.  24.  C.  6.  »  Benedict  XIV.  De  Synod.  L.  9.  C.  9.  n.  2. 
*  De  Synod.  Dioces.  L.  9.  n.  11.  et  12. 


464  LITURGICAL  BOOKS  AND  CHAPELS. 

The  bishop  has  not  legislative  power  regarding  the  liturgic  books 
of  the  church,  such  as  the  Missal,  the  Breviary,  the  Ritual,  &c.,  as 
that  belongs  to  the  Pope.  The  Missal  and  Breviary  edited  by  Pius 
V.  must  be  used  in  all  churches  where  the  Latin  Rite  prevails,  and 
no  other  liturgical  books  less  that  two  hundred  years  old  from  the 
time  of  his  edition  can  be  used,  without  a  special  indult  from  the 
Pope.  Many  of  the  dioceses  formerly  used  new  editions,  which 
had  been  changed  from  the  authentic  Roman  books,  and  they  were 
becoming  very  corrupt,  when  Pope  Pius  V.  published  new  editions 
revised  and  modified  of  the  liturgical  books,  which  conformed  with 
historic  books  of  the  Roman  diocese.  Therefore  the  bishops  of 
the  Latin  rite  cannot  use  any  other  kinds  of  liturgical  works,  which 
originated  later  than  two  hundred  years  before  the  publication  of 
the  Brief  of  Pius  v.;  neither  can  they  change  anything  in  these 
books,  nor  in  the  ceremonies  of  the  church.  The  same  may  be 
said  regarding  the  office  of  the  Virgin,  the  Martyrology  published 
by  Gregory  XIIL,  and  corrected  by  Benedict  XIV.,  the  Pontifical 
used  by  the  bishops  and  the  Pontifical  Ceremonial  followed  in 
episcopal  ceremonies.  It  is  not  so  clear  regarding  the  Roman  Rit- 
ual, for  authors  commonly  say  that  each  diocese  may  keep  or  have 
its  own  Ritual,  although  thecontrary  opinion  is  also  held,  that  if  the 
rites  are  praiseworthy  and  approved,  that  is,  that  all  belonging  to 
the  Latin  Rite  when  they  make  a  change  they  should  adopt  the 
Roman  Ritual.  The  appointing  of  days  of  obligation  for  feasts 
belongs  to  the  Pope,  as  well  as  the  suppression  of  feasts  of  obliga- 
tion. We  see  that  according  to  the  request  of  the  III.  Council  of 
Baltimore,  Leo  XIIL  suppressed  some  of  the  feasts,  which  before 
that  council  were  held  and  celebrated  in  this  country  holy  the  same 
as  Sunday. 

The  bishop  can  forbid  certain  kinds  of  music  in  the  churches,  or 
the  singing  of  the  services  in  the  modern  languages,  as  thelTridentine 
Council  says.'  The  bishops  regulate  the  pew  rents  and  modes  of 
raising  moneys  for  the  support  of  the  churches  in  his  diocese." 

A  public  chapel  or  oratory  is  one  that  has  a  door  opened  for 
the  public,  and  that  is  exempt  from  private  ownership.  Only 
by  the  awthority  of  the  bishop  can  such  a  chapel  be  erected  and 
Mass  said  in  it.  The  Blessed  Sacrament  is  reserved  for  the  sick  in 
parish  churches,  and  It  cannot  be  served  in  private  chapels  without 
"the  permission  of  the  Pope,  unless  a  long  custom  gives  such  per- 
mission.* But  the  colleges,  hospitals,  chapels  of  monks,  convents 
•of  nuns,  &c.,  are  exempt  from  that  law.*  From  the  most  re- 
mote times  bishops  have  had  private  chapels  in  their  houses,  where 
ihey  have  been  accustomed  to  say  Mass;  and  the  council  of  Trent, 
ivhich  forbids  Mass  to  be  said  in  private  chapels,  exempts  such 
Masses  in  the  private  chapels  of  episcopal  residences.  Each  bishop 
may  have  a  portable  altar,  and  he  can  say  Mass  on  it  in  any  house, 
either  in  his  own  or  in  another  diocese,   when  travelling,  even 

•  Ue  Evltand.  In  Celeb.  Mis.  *  8.  Congregatio  Rlt. 
»  Benedict  XIV.  Const.  Quamvis  Justo  30  April.  1749. 

*  Qsrdlnal  Petra  Tom.  III.  ad  Congt.  Urbaoi  IV.  n.  15. 


RELATING  TO  MAERIAGE.  465 

without  the  consent  of  the  bishops  of  the  diocese  in  which  he  stops.  * 
That  is  a  very  old  custom,  which  neither  the  council  of  Trent  nor 
the  decree  of  Paul  V.  revoked."  In  the  private  chapel  of  the  bish- 
op, any  one  may  hear  Mass  on  Sundays  and  holidays,  and  satisfy 
the  obligation  either  by  saying  or  by  attending  the  services  there, 
for  the  palace  of  the  bishop  is  not  a  private  house. 

Before  the  council  of  Trent  the  bishops  used  to  give  permission 
to  say  Mass  in  private  oratories  or  chapels.  But  that  council  took 
away  this  permission  and  reserved  it  to  the  Pope,  who  alone  cam 
give  the  permission  of  saying  Mass  in  private  chapels.  Nevertheless- 
for  just  causes,  the  bishop  may  give  such  authority,  for  example  in 
the  case  where  otherwise  the  people  could  not  hear  Mass  on  Sundays^ 
and  holidays,  where  the  custom  exists,  as  in  Ireland  and  in  mis- 
sionary countries,  or  where  there  are  no  churches.  The  law  was- 
made  by  the  council  to  prevent  abuses,  and  relates  only  to  the  per- 
petual use  of  such  a  private  chapel  in  private  houses,  but  not  to 
occasionally  one  or  two  Masses,  or  in  case  the  owner  is  sick,  dis- 
abled so  that  they  cannot  attend  the  parochial  Mass.  Hence  the 
council  of  Trent  did  not  entirely  take  away  this  permission, 
but  rather  restricted  it.'  The  decisions  of  the  congregation  re- 
lating to  these  things  do  not  include  the  chapels  of  seminaries, 
colleges,  monasteries,  convents,  &c.,  for  these  are  public  not  private 
chapels.  The  superiors  of  religious  orders  have  the  faculties  of 
allowing  Mass  said  in  the  chapels  belonging  to  the  members  of 
their  orders. 

At  his  coming  Christ  took  the  natural  contract  between  man 
and  wife  and  elevated  it  to  the  dignity  of  being  one  of  the  sacra- 
ments of  the  New  Law.  A  sacrament  is  a  holy  ceremony,  giving 
grace  coming  from  the  fountains  of  the  Saviour.  To  the  church 
alone  all  holy  things  belong,  and  no  other  power  can  interfere  in 
holy  rites  and  sacraments  for  they  are  of  God  made  by  him  for 
the  sanctification  and  the  salvation  of  souls  bought  by  the  blood 
of  the  "  Lamb  of  God  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world. ^' 
Marriage  is  a  holy  union  between  man  and  woman,  an  image  of 
the  ineffable  and  fruitful  union  of  Christ  with  his  church,  which 
never  will  be  dissolved.  All  things  then  relating  to  marriage  be- 
tween christians  belong  to  the  church,  and  the  interference  of  the 
secular  governments  in  marriage  matters  works  to  the  destruction 
of  souls,  the  disturbing  of  civil  society  and  ruin  of  the  family. 
The  church  being  the  guardian  of  the  family,  the  upholder  of 
every  government  founded  on  right  reason,  the  church  protects 
society  in  its  very  origin  and  foundation,  the  marriage  tie.  For 
that  reason  the  church  made  wise  laws  relating  to  the  marriage 
contract,  and  the  sacrament  of  marriage  founded  on  the  contract. 

The  promise  of  marriage  is  a  contract  between  two  parties  capable 
of  marrying,  and  it  i*s  founded  on  the  natural  law,  like  other  con- 
tracts into  which  the  church  does  not  enter.     Therefore  the  bishop 

-  *  Boniface  Vin.  Quoniam  De  Previp.  ^  Benedict  XIV.  Encycl.  4,  et  5. 

*  Card.  Petra  Tom.  3  ad  Const,  viii.  Honorii  iil.  n.  10. 


466  MARRIAGE  IMPEDIMENTS. 

cannot  give  a  dispensation  releasing  the  parties  from  a  valid  engage- 
ment, when  one  of  the  parties  is  unwilling  to  release  the  other. 
If  before  the  wedding,  one  of  the  parties  take  a  vow  of  entering  a 
religious  order,  or  makes  a  vow  of  prepetual  chastity,  tlie  bishop 
cannot  grant  a  dispensation,  for  the  Holy  See  has  reserved  this. 
The  party  has  promised  God  to  enter  a  more  perfect  state  of  life, 
and  only  the  Pope  can  release  him  according  to  the  words  of  our 
Lord :  ' '  Whatever  thou  shaltbind  upon  earth  it  shall  be  bound  also 
in  heaven,  and  whatever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth  it  shall  be 
loosed  also  in  heaven." 

Marriage  between  a  catholic  and  a  baptized  heretic  is  forbidden, 
because  of  the  danger  of  the  catholic  party  or  of  the  children  be- 
ing perverted  to  the  religion  of  the  other.  In  this  case  the  bish- 
op cannot  dispense,  as  that  is  reserved  to  the  Holy  See.*  That 
law  was  made  in  the  council  of  Chalcendon,  and  relates  to  the 
universal  church,  over  which  the  bishop  has  no  control,  the  Su- 
preme Pontiif  alone  having  the  power  to  dispense  in  the  general 
laws  of  the  church."  But  as  St.  Ligory  says,  in  many  cases  tiie 
custom  is  for  the  bishop  to  grant  such  dispensations.  Besides  the 
Pope  delegates  to  the  bishop  the  power  of  giving  such  the  per- 
mission, on  the  condition  that  the  catholic  party  will  have  full 
liberty  to  follow  his  religious  duties;  that  there  be  no  danger  of 
losing  the  faith;  that  all  children  shall  be  brought  up  in  the 
catholic  faith.  In  all  other  impediments  forbidding  or  impeding 
marriage  the  bishop  can  dispense. 

But  there  are  other  impediments  which  not  only  impede,  and 
because  of  which  the  marriage  is  forbidden,  but  which  render  the 
contract  entirely  null  and  void.  Before  the  nuptials,  the  bishop 
cannot  grant  such  dispensations,  and  the  congregations  of  the  coun- 
cil and  of  the  inquisntion  have  often  condemned  the  contrary 
opinion.  But  in  secret  cases  of  great  urgency,  the  bishop  may  give 
a  dispensation  so  the  parties  may  marry.  Even  after  the  wedding 
the  bishop  can  give  the  dispensation,  when  the  impediment  is 
secret,  but  not  when  it  is  well  known.  Even  sometimes,  in  very 
extraordinary  circumstances,  the  pastor  might  declare  that  the  laws 
of  the  church  do  not  oblige,  but  when  possible  he  may  apply  to 
the  bishop  for  a  dispensation.  As  the  sacraments  were  made  by 
Christ  for  the  whole  church,  and  to  the  whole  church  belongs  the 
autiiority  of  regulating  them  by  its  laws,  the  bishop  cannot  make 
any  law  or  impediment  rendering  marriage  null  and  void.  Urban 
Vill.  approved  a  degree  of  the  congregation  forbidding  bishops 
to  do  80.  Nevertheless  not  only  the  bishop,  but  the  parish  priest 
for  a  reasonable  cause  may  forbid  a  marriage.  A  marriage  with- 
out the  consent  of  the  parents  is  forbidden  but  valid.  If  tlie  ob- 
jections of  the  parents  be  frivolous,  the  marriage  is  lawful  as  well 
as  valid,  for  tiie  parents  often  object  for  tiie  most  foolish  reasons. 
The  Holy  See  gives  authority  to  missionary  bishops  to  grant  dis- 

'  Benedict  xlv.  De  Synod.  Dloc.  L.  9.  C.  3. 
*  Natalia  Alexander  Tbeo.  Do^mat.  T.  II.  Art.  8. 


468  DUTIES  OF  BISHOPS  TOWARDS  STUDENTS. 

pensations  for  nearly  all  impediments  of  marriage,  reserving  to  the 
Pope  only  the  most  important  impediments.  The  way  to  obtain 
a  dispensation  is  to  apply  to  the  pastor,  who  will  communicate 
with  the  bishop. 

We  now  come  to  the  dealings  of  the  bishop  with  the  most  import- 
ant persons  of  the  diocese,  the  clergy,  and  we  will  begin  with  the 
priests,  both  of  the  diocese  and  of  the  religious  orders,  before  they 
are  ordained  to  the  priesthood.  The  bishop  is  the  superior  of 
all  the  clergy  in  the  diocese,  that  is  of  the  students  for  the  min- 
istry, who  have  acquired  a  residence  in  the  diocese  before  they 
became  clerics,  who  for  three  years  have  partaken  at  his  table,  or 
who  have  been  received  by  him  coming  from  another  diocese.' 
The  councils,  especially  the  one  held  at  Trent,  say  that  they  must 
look  to  him  for  ordination."  This  relates  to  all  clerics  below 
priesthood  studying  for  the  ministry,— each  must  be  ordained  by 
either  his  own  bishop,  or  if  by  another  bishop  with  letters  from 
his  own  bishop.  This  law  was  to  prevent  candidates  or  clerics- 
from  wandering  from  one  diocese  to  another,  so  that  the  bishop 
may  be  able  to  judge  who  are  the  worthy  candidates  for  holy  or- 
ders. This  was  decreed  by  so  many  councils,  that  we  cannot  give  the 
decrees  now.  The  bishop  therefore  must  not  ordain  clerics  wan- 
dering from  place  to  place  without  letters  from  their  bishop,  for 
as  St.  Paul  says  the  bishop  must  not  impose  hands  lightly  on  any 
one.  If  the  student  were  born  in  another  diocese  or  place, 
but  lived  for  a  time  in  the  diocese  of  the  bishop,  so  that 
he  acquires  a  domicile  or  residence  in  the  bishop's  diocese, 
the  latter  can  ordain  him.'  If  for  three  years  the  cleric  has  exer- 
cised the  ministry  in  the  diocese,  and  if  within  one  month  before 
the  ordination,  the  bishop  grants  him  a  benefice  or  means  of 
living  then  he  can  ordain  him.*  But  the  bishop  who  would  ordain 
a  stranger,  without  the  consent  of  or  letters  from  his  bishop,  for 
one  year  would  be  suspended  from  episcopal  functions,  and  the 
man  he  would  ordain  would  be  suspended  as  long  as  would  seem 
right  to  his  own  bishop. 

A  bishop  may  give  another  bishop  authority  to  ordain  one  of 
his  subjects,  even  the  vicar  general  can  do  so  when  the  bishop  i» 
away,  or  cannot  act,  but  without  his  express  consent  the  latter 
cannot  do  so  when  the  bishop  is  at  home.  When  the  see  has  been 
vacant  for  a  year  or  more,  the  vicarof  the  chapter  can  grant  such 
letters,  *  and  within  eight  days  after  the  death  of  the  bishop,  the 
chapter  is  obliged  to  appoint  the  vicar  for  the  administration  of 
the  diocese,  and  to  him  all  jurisdiction  belongs.  Patriarchs, 
primates,  archbishops,  &c.,  cannot  give  such  letters  or  ordain  the 
subjects  of  their  suffragan  bishops,  or  give  them  letters  so  the 
other  bishops  may  ordain  them,  because  their  powers  relate 
to  jurisdiction  over  them  on  appeals,  and  not  to  holy  orders. 
Students  who  live  for  four  months  in  Rome  cannot  be  ordained  by 

I  Boniface  rlJl.  an.  1299.  »  Concil.  Trid.  De  Ref.  Cap.  8. 8es.  ?8. 

*  Con&t.  Spec.  Innocent  xil.  Sec.  13.  *  CoDCll.  Trtdeut  Ses.  23  C.  9.  Const.  Citat.  D.  18. 

*  Concil.  Trident  Cap.  10.  Sea.  7. 


LAWS  RELATING  TO  ORDINATIOJST.  469" 

another  bishop,  even  when  they  have  letters  from  him,  but  for 
ordination  they  must  present  themselves  to  the  cardinal  vicar  of 
the  Pope.  When  the  bishop  gives  letters  to  one  of  his  students 
to  be  ordained  by  another  bishop,  it  is  not  enough  to  give  only  a 
testimonial  of  the  student's  good  character,  but  the  letter  must  also 
give  permission  to  another  bishop  to  ordain  him. 

No  one  should  be  promoted  to  holy  orders  unless  he  can  be 
supported  in  an  honorable  and  decent  way,  lest  disgrace  be 
brought  on  the  clergy  and  the  priesthood.  Neither  can  he  resign 
his  benefice  or  office,  unless  there  be  some  other  way  of  supporting 
him  because:  "Those  who  serve  the  altar  should  live  by  the 
altar  "  says  St.  Paul.  The  clergy  are  supported  by  the  revenues 
of  the  mission  or  parish  they  serve,  by  their  own  inheritance  or 
by  the  religious  order  to  which  they  belong.  When  they  live  on 
the  revenues  of  ihe  parish  or  mission,  the  bishops  regulate  the 
amount  or  maintenance  they  are  to  receive  each  year  from  the  parish. 
It  is  generally  the  same  for  all  the  priests  of  the  diocese.  But  if 
they  live  on  the  revenues  of  their  own  property,  they  cannot 
sell  or  alienate  any  of  this  property  without  the  consent  of  the 
bishop.  '  Only  those  whom  the  bishop  selects  should  be  or- 
dained, for  he  is  the  judge  of  the  wants  of  the  churches  of  his 
diocese.  "  The  clergyman  who  would  deceive  his  bishop  regard- 
ing his  property,  so  that  he  can  be  ordained  to  the  title  of  his 
patrimony  when  he  has  none,  becomes  at  once  suspended. 

Although  tonsure  may  be  conferred  at  any  time  on  any  day, 
and  the  clergy  may  be  promoted  to  minor  orders  on  Sundays  and 
feast  days,  yet  the  regular  ordination  to  the  higher  orders  should 
take  place  only  on  the  Saturdays  of  the  quarter  Senses,  on  holy 
Saturday  and  the  Saturday  before  passion  Sunday  and  during  the^ 
mass  said  by  the  bishop,  although  the  strict  law  does  not  require 
the  last  for  minor  but  does  for  the  sacred  orders.  A  certain  time 
should  elapse  between  the  reception  of  one  order  and  another,  so  as  to 
give  the  clergyman  time  to  exercise  the  functions  of  his  order  al- 
ready received,  but  often  the  wants  of  the  church  are  such  that 
the  bishop  may  dispense. 

The  clergy  must  be  highly  educated  in  order  to  "  teach  all  na- 
tions. "  Therefore  the  bishop  should  examine  them  before 
ordination.  In  the  early  ages  when  the  bishops'  houses  were 
seminaries  for  the  education  of  the  clergy,  the  bishop  himself  per- 
sonally examined  the  candidates  for  holy  orders.  In  these  early 
days  the  bishops'  houses  and  the  monasteries  were  the  only  schools 
and  colleges,  and  the  bishops'  students  lived  in  the  house  with 
him  and  he  was  often  their  teacher,  and  therefore  he  personally 
knew  them  all.  That  was  the  origin  of  the  present  education 
title  of  familiarity,  where  the  student  partakes  of  the  bishop's 
table  for  three  years.  But  in  modern  times  seminaries  take 
charge  of  the  education  of  the  diocesan  students.  Therefore 
when  the  bishop  sends  a  student  to  the  seminary,  he  places  him. 

1  Concll.  Trident.  Ses.  21.  Cap.  2.  *  Couucll  of  Trent  Ses.  21.  Cap.  2. 


470  ORDINATIOX  OF  OTHERS  NOT  SUBJECTS. 

jinder  the  charge  of  the  professors.  Although  the  council  of  Trent 
says  that  the  bishop  should  examine  the  students  for  ordination 
in  the  presence  of  learned  men,  '  not  only  regarding  their  stud- 
ies, but  he  should  also  inquire  about  their  families,  their  char- 
acter, age,  faith  and  morals,  yet  synodal  examiners  do  that  now 
for  him.  A  bishop  is  not  required  to  examine  a  student  sent 
him  by  another  bishop  for  ordination,  for  the  bishop  to  whom  he 
belongs  should  do  this."  But  he  may  do  so  if  he  so  desires,  as  the 
sacred  congregation  defined.  ' 

Without  a  formal  trial  but  from  secret  information  the  bishop 
may  refuse  to  ordain  any  student,  he  is  not  obliged  to  give  his 
reasons.  If  the  rejected  student  has  a  benefice,  that  is  an  office 
which  he  will  receive  as  soon  as  he  receives  the  orders,  then  he 
may  appeal  or  have  recourse  for  relief  to  the  bishop's  superior.  If 
lie  has  no  benefice  he  may  appeal  to  the  Supreme  Pontiff.  The 
reason  for  this  is  because  often  bad  men,  led  by  the  desire  of  the 
priesthood,  get  themselves  ordained  and  they  do  great  harm  in  the 
church  by  the  scandals  they  cause,  when  they  have  no  divine  call 
to  that  holy  office.  But  the  church,  in  order  to  be  just  to  all,  gives 
the  student  the  right  to  appeal  and  apply  to  the  Pope  for  relief,  by 
what  is  called  a  recourse  to  the  Supreme  Pontiff,  and  the  secretary 
of  the  congregation  to  whom  the  Pope  delegates  the  matter  writes 
to  the  bishop  for  his  reasons,  when  if  the  reasons  are  not  good,  the 
student  receives  a  letter  empowering  any  bishop  in  the  world  to 
ordain  him. 

The  bishop  is  the  judge  of  the  wants  of  his  diocese,  and  of  the 
number  of  priests  required  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  There- 
fore the  council  of  iTent  *  forbids  bishops  to  ordain  clergymen, 
unless  he  has  a  place  for  them,  and  the  council  also  says  that  no 
clergyman  can  leave  his  post  without  the  permission  of  the  bishop. 
If  a  clergyman  leaves  his  church  without  permission  of  the  bishop, 
going  to  another  place  or  diocese,  the  council  says  he  should  be 
suspended  from  the  exercise  of  his  orders,  for  churches  and  parishes 
must  not  be  left  without  priests  to  administer  the  sacrameuts  and  to 
say  mass  for  the  people. 

The  bishop  of  the  diocese  in  which  the  monastery  or  religious 
order  is,  ordains  the  members  when  they  have  a  letter  from  their 
own  supeiior.  But  as  these  things  relate  little  to  the  laity,  we  will 
pass  them  by  for  the  more  practical  question  relating  to  the  sacra- 
ment of  confirmation. 

The  bishop  is  the  ordinary  minister  of  the  sacrament  of  confir- 
mation, 80  that  without  the  delegation  of  the  Pope,  no  priest  can 
■confirm.  As  it  is  a  sacrament  properly  belonging  to  the  bishop, 
no  bishop  can  confirm  in  another  diocese,  not  even  his  own  people, 
without  the  consent  of  the  bishop  of  that  diocese.  If  he  were  to 
do  so  he  would  be  suspended  from  pontifical  functions. '  When  the 
bisiiop  comes  to  the  parish  to  give  confirmation,  and  to  make  his 

»  Sea.  28.  Cap.  7.  =  Com-il    trident.  Ses.  23.  C.  3. 

»  Nulllus  16  Jan.  Ifi86.  et  17  Jan.  ltl!«.     llenedlct  xlv.  De  Synod.  L.  12.C.  8.  n.  7. 

*  Cap.  16  Ses.  28.  *  St.  Ug.  L.  6.  n.  171. 


PAPAL  RESEEVATION.  471 

episcopal  visit,  it  is  a  great  clay  for  the  pastor  and  the  people.  Iq 
catholic  countries  tlie  whole  population  turn  out  to  receive  him, 
the  streets  and  houses  then  are  decked  in  their  brightest  hues,  and 
it  is  one  of  the  scenes  seldom  seen  in  our  day  especially  in  this 
country. 

No  layman  can  be  the  judge  of  the  teachings  of  the  church,  not 
even  relating  to  a  question  of  fact, '  for  the  laity  belong  to  the  believ- 
ing, while  the  clergy  belong  to  the  teaching  part  of  the  church. 
The  judges  of  the  teachings  and  of  the  doctrines  of  the  church 
are  the  Supreme  Pontiff  for  the  whole  world,  the  bishop  for  all 
the  members  of  his  diocese,  even  for  the  regular  religious  orders. 
Other  officers  of  the  church,  whom  the  Pope  delegates  for  that 
purpose  are  judges  of  faith, "  but  they  cannot  proceed  against  bish- 
ops, apostolic  legates  and  officials  of  the  Roman  court,  but  they 
are  to  inform  the  Holy  See  if  the  latter  lose  the  faith.  The 
bishop  and  the  Roman  official,  both  acting  together,  or  separately 
may  proceed  against  the  one  who  preaches  false  doctrines.  But 
in  the  latter  case,  each  must  inform  the  other  before  pronouncing 
sentence,  which  carries  with  it  a  severe  spiritual  punishment, 
even  to  the  depriving  of  his  office  in  the  case  of  a  clergyman,  for 
the  church  will  not  allow  one  of  her  officers  to  teach  false  matters 
of  faith  and  practice. 

The  Pope  reserves  certain  great  and  enormous  sins  to  himself, 
^nd  the  bishop  cannot  absolve  from  them.  But  the  council  of 
Trent  gives  the  bishops  authority  to  absolve  them  in  confession. ' 
But  the  crimes  contained  in  Bull  Caenae  of  the  holy  See  cannot  be 
brought  before  the  bishop. 

As  the  Pope  reserves  certain  great  crimes  to  his  own  judgment, 
so  the  bishop  can  reserve  certain  sins  in  his  own  diocese.  That 
the  bishops  generally  do  in  a  synod.  The  congregation  tells  bish- 
ops to  reserve  only  few  cases  of  great  crimes  in  their  diocese.  * 
Sins  which  are  only  mental  and  entirely  internal  are  not  reserved. 
The  reason  why  such  cases  are  reserves  as  given  flows  from  the 
nature  of  the  church,  which  is  Christ  still  living  with  all  his  power 
in  the  world,  and  because  he  said  to  his  apostles:  "  Whose  sins  you 
shall  forgive  they  are  forgiven  them  and  whose  sins  you  shall  retain 
they  are  retained.^'  When  the  confessor  refuses  to  give  absolution, 
or  when  his  powers  of  absolving  are  restricted  by  the  Pope  or  by 
the  bishop  of  the  diocese  these  sins  are  really  retained. 

No  priest  can  validly  give  absolution  to  any  one,  lay  person  or 
clergyman  in  confession,  without  approbation  and  jurisdiction,  or 
as  they  are  called  the  faculties  of  the  diocese  given  him  by  the 
bishop.  The  religious  orders  belong  to  the  Roman  diocese,  and 
they  can  hear  their  own  subjects,  but  they  are  also  restricted  by 
the  same  laws  of  the  diocese  relating  to  the  laity  and  clei-gy  of 
the  diocese.  ^  The  priest  must  first  get  the  faculties  from  the  bish- 
op of  the  diocese,  or  from  the  administrator  if  the  bishop  be  ab- 
sent, because  confession  is  a  judicial  act,  which  requires  jurisdiction 

>  18  De  Haer.  Ut.  Inq.  in  6.  &c.  =  9  De  Haer.  Ad  Abol.  ^  ges.  24  C.  6. 

*  Jan.  9,  1601.  26  Nov.  1603.  »  Council  Trid.  Ses.  23  C.  15. 


472  kun's  confessors,  vows,  &g. 

over  subjects  before  it  can  become  valid.  The  general  faculties 
once  given  do  not  cease  at  the  death  or  resignation  of  the  bishop. 
At  the  moment  of  death  any  catholic  priest  can  absolve  any  sin 
no  matter  how  grievous  \  where  no  other  priest  can  attend  him 
before  death.  The  members  of  the  religious  orders  without  the 
approbation  of  the  bishops  can  hear  the  confessions  of  the  mem- 
bers of  their  own  order,  the  novices,  servants,  &c.,  who  belong 
to  and  live  in  the  monastery.  If  the  bishop  finds  the  priests  of 
the  religious  orders  in  his  diocese  worthy,  he  should  give  them 
the  regular  faculties  of  the  diocese,  or  he  may  grant  only  limited 
faculties." 

The  faculties  of  hearing  the  confessions  of  nuns  are  not  given  to 
all  the  priests  of  the  diocese,  but  the  bishop  appoints  a  confessor 
for  each  convent.  They  cannot  elect  their  confessor  unless  it  i& 
the  custom,  or  unless  they  have  this  concession  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  house  or  convent.  If  they  are  exempt  and  reserved  to 
the  Pope,  the  bishop  appoints  a  confessor  for  them.  Besides  this, 
once,  twice  or  three  times  the  bishop  should  appoint  an  extraordi- 
nary confessor,  for  all  the  nuns  of  whatever  order  in  his  diocese, 
and  if  he  omits  to  do  so  the  cardinal  penetentiary  will  appoint  one, 
taken  from  those  appointed  by  the  bishops  to  hear  the  confessioni* 
of  nuns.  While  the  extraordinary  confessor  is  fulfilling  his 
duties,  the  regular  confessor  has  no  faculties  in  that  convent,  and 
when  the  former  has  fulfilled  his  duties  he  can  no  more  hear  them. 
The  same  confessor  cannot  hear  their  confessions  for  more  than 
three  years,  without  a  dispensation  from  the  congregation.  These 
rules  relate  to  cloistered  nuns,  who  take  solemn  vows,  and  wise 
and  prudent  priests,  specially  approved  by  the  bishop,  should  hear 
them. 

A  vow  is  a  deliberate  promise  made  to  God  of  doing  something 
better,  made  to  God  so  that  not  to  fulfil  the  vow  would  be  a  sin.  It 
is  like  a  particular  law  one  makes  for  himself,  binding  him- 
self under  sin.  In  this  a  vow  differs  from  a  resolution,  which  does 
not  bind  under  sin.  The  matter  we  vow  must  be  something  better, 
as  to  vow  to  say  so  many  prayers,  to  give  money  to  a  religious 
object,  or  to  take  a  vow  of  not  marrying,  &c.  As  to  Peter  Christ 
said:  "  Whatever  thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth  it  shall  be  bound 
also  in  heaven.  And  whatever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth  it  sliall  be 
loosened  also  in  heaven,"  the  Pope  his  succesor  can  nullify  and 
dispense  in  all  vows  made  to  God.  A  few  dioceses  in  the  East  ac- 
cepted, all  clergymen  in  the  higher  orders  from  subdeaconship 
up  take  a  vow  of  chastity,  for  this  is  the  discipline  of  the  church, 
and  no  one  can  minister  at  her  altars  unless  they  take  such  a  vow. 
It  belongs  to  the  Pope  alone  to  dispense  in  the  vows  taken  by  clergy- 
men. Other  vows  the  Pope  reserves  to  their  own  dispensing  and 
in  them  the  bishops  cannot  act.  In  all  other  vows  not  so  reserved 
the  bishop  can  dispense.  The  bishop  cannot  dispense  in  the  vows 
taken  by  the  members  of  religious  orders.  The  church  can- 
>  CoDcil.  tiid.  S68. 14.  C.  7.  *  Clement  X  Bull  Seperna  Cong.  Epist.  et  BeglL 


LEAVING  THE  DIOCESE.  473 

tiot  enter  into  contracts  between  men,  for  they  are  founded  on 
the  natural  law.  There  must  exist  a  just  cause  for  dispensa- 
ting  in  vows,  and  when  such  a  cause  exists,  the  superior  is  bound 
to  grant  the  request.  Five  vows  the  Holy  See  has  reserves;  the  vow 
of  perpetual  chastity;  of  making  a  pilgrim  to  the  tomb  of  Christ  at 
Jerusalem;  of  visiting  the  tombs  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  at  Rome; 
of  entering  a  religious  order  approved  by  the  church,  and  of  visit- 
ing the  church  of  St.  James,  called  the  Compostellana.  Under 
pain  of  excommunication,  no  one  without  a  special  delegation  from 
the  Pope  can  or  must  attempt  to  dispense  in  them.  The  bishop 
may  change  a  vow  at  the  request  of  the  one  taking  it,  if  there  be 
a  legitimate  reason. 

The  bishop  being  the  head  and  superintendent  of  the  whole  dio- 
-cese,  he  sees  that  the  clergy  attend  to  their  duties,  and  they  can- 
not leave  their  post  without  his  permission.  If  they  do  so  he  may 
suspend  them.  *  That  was  also  decreed  in  the  council  of  Aries  held 
in  the  year  .314.'  Later  the  council  of  Nice  decreed  that  bish- 
ops, presbyters,  or  deacons  must  not  leave  the  churches  to  which 
they  are  assigned,^  while  the  council  of  Chalcedon  says  that  the 
clergy  should  not  be  ordained  unless  they  are  assigned  or  appointed 
to  some  church,  which  they  are  to  serve.  Later  in  the  church 
rose  the  discipline  of  having  benefices  to  support  the  clergy,  and 
they  were  not  always  obliged  to  reside  at  their  church  in  order  to 
derive  the  revenues.  Later  began  the  custom  of  ordaining  the 
clergy  to  patrimonial  or  missionary  titles,  when  they  are  support- 
ed by  their  own  properties,  when  they  live  on  the  revenues  of  their 
missions.  According  to  the  latter  title  nearly  all  the  clergy  of 
missionary  countries  are  now  oi'dained.  Many  abuses  rose,  which 
wishing  to  take  away  the  Trident  council  decreed  that  no  one  should 
be  ordained  unless  the  churches  required  his  services,  thus  renew- 
ing the  ancient  decrees.  At  the  present  time  the  priests  of  this 
country  take  an  oath  when  ordained  subdeacons,  that  they  will 
not  leave  the  diocese  for  which  they  are  ordained  without  the  per- 
mission of  the  Holy  See,  and  later  a  decree  was  issued  by  which 
they  may  with  the  permission  of  their  bishop  go  to  another  dio- 
cese within  the  province.  From  decisions  given  by  the  congre- 
gation in  Rome,  which  has  authority  over  these  things,  it  appears 
that  the  bishop  must  see  that  the  priests  of  the  diocese  have  suf- 
ficient means  on  which  to  live,  and  that  they  cannot  leave  the  dio- 
cese when  they  have  no  place,  even  without  his  consent  or  even  if 
they  have  not  the  means  wherewith  to  live  as  becomes  the  clerical 
order. 

The  council  of  Trent  forbids  bishops  to  allow  strange  priests 
to  say  Mass  and  administer  the  sacraments  in  his  diocese  unless 
they  have  letters  from  their  own  bishop.  *  That  has  always  been 
the  custom  in  the  church,  and  this  council  only  renewed  the  an- 
cient discipline.     In  reply  to  a  question  of  the  patriarch  of  Jeru- 

1  Benedict  xiv.  De  Synod.  L.  il.  C.  2.  n.  4.  ^  Canon  3  et  21.  ^  can.  15. 

«  Ses.  23  C.  16  de  Ref. 


474  THE  SUPPORT  OF  THE  CLERGY. 

salem  about  priests  coming  there  and  asking  to  say  Mass,  Innocent 
III.  told  him  that  if  they  had  no  letters  from  their  own  bishops, 
that  he  must  be  certain  of  their  canonical  ordination  by  the  testi- 
mony of  witnesses,  but  not  to  let  unknown  priests  say  Mass  in 
public.  This  wise  law,  first  promulgated  by  the  council  of  Chal- 
cedon, '  at  present  relates,  not  only  to  the  secular  priests,  but  also  to 
the  members  of  religious  orders  living  in  another  diocese,  although 
they  may  celebrate  Mass  in  their  own  churches.  '  It  is  easier  to 
allow  an  unknown  priest  who  has  not  letters  from  his  bishop  to 
celebrate  privately  than  before  the  public. 

An  indulgence  is  the  remission  of  temporal  punishment  due 
for  sin  after  the  sin  has  been  forgiven.  It  is  the  application  of 
the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  of  the  saints,  so  that  Christ  atoned 
on  the  cross  for  us.  The  right  of  giving  a  plenary  or  full  indul- 
gence belongs  alone  to  the  Pope  in  virtue  of  the  words  of  Christ: 
"  Whatever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth  it  shall  be  loosed  also  in 
heaven."  The  bishops  have  from  the  Roman  Pontiff  the  privi- 
lege of  publishing  partial  indulgences  greater  or  less  according  to 
their  position  on  the  occasion. 

The  clergy  are  supported  in  this  country  by  the  offerings  of 
the  people.  The  offerings  for  Masses,  funerals,  &c, ,  are  regulated 
by  the  bishop,  and  the  priest  cannot  ask  more  for  the  low  Masses 
he  may  say  than  the  usual  offering.  The  pastor  may  regulate 
the  offerings  for  funerals  and  high  Masses  for  the  dead  of  his 
parish.  It  is  disputed  whether  any  priest  can  rightly  accept  lesa 
than  the  ordinary  offering  for  low  Masses  except  when  he  is 
understood  to  do  so  for  charity  or  for  the  sake  of  friendship. 

The  Lateran  council  under  Innocent  II.  decreed  that  "  Every 
one  of  the  faithful  of  either  sex,  after  he  has  come  to  the  use  of 
reason  must  faithfully  confess  all  his  sins  to  his  own  priest  at 
least  once  a  year.  "  *  That  is  the  law  at  the  present  time.  The 
law  was  made  obliging  us  all  under  pain  of  sin,  so  the  people 
might  be  forced  to  receive  the  sacraments,  not  deprive  themselvea 
of  the  graces  of  confession,  and  that  sin  might  not  remain  like  a 
chronic  sore  eating  the  spiritual  life  of  the  soul.  That  confession 
may  be  made  to  any  priest  having  the  proper  jurisdiction  ns  well 
as  to  the  penitent's  own  priest,  even  without  the  consent  of  the 
pastor,  as  the  Roman  congregations  often  decided,  *  for  the  church 
wishes  to  leave  her  children  free  to  choose  their  confessor,  and  the 
bishop  may  forbid  any  pastor  requiring  his  people  to  confess  to 
him  alone.  * 

Innocent  XI.  enacted  a  statute  forbidding  bishops  to  receive 
any  offering  for  conferring  holy  orders.  The  council  of  Trent 
allows  only  a  small  offering  given  to  notaries  for  granting  official 
documents.  A  certain  offering  is  given  the  chancery  office  for 
the  dispensations  from  marriage  laws.  But  each  diocese  has  its 
own  regulations  in  this  matter.    Besides  it  is  allowed  to  ask  ladies 

'  Can.  13.  »  Benedlct;xlv.  Const.  Quam  Gravis.  2  Aiiff.  2 1757.  »  Canon  21. 

*  Benedict  xiv.  De  Synod  L.  II.  C.  H.  *  ConK-  Eplst.  et  Reg.  8  April,  1684. 


assistant's  clerical  garments.  475 

entering  convents  to  give  a  certain  amount  to  the  community 
which  pays  their  board  during  their  novitiate  as  a  dovvery.  This 
constitution  of  Innocent  XI.  forbids  anything  to  be  exacted  for 
the  sacraments  of  baptism,  confirmation.  Communion,  confes- 
sion and  extreme  unction.  Tiiis  does  not  relate  to  the  offerings 
freely  given  to  the  bishop  or  pastor,  offerings  which  are  custom- 
ary in  this  country.  The  meaning  of  all  this  is  that  salvation 
and  the  graces  given  us  by  Christ  through  the  church  are  so 
great  and  so  valuable,  that  no  price  can  be  put  on  them,  and 
to  exact  money  for  such  benefits  would  be  to  sell  spiritual 
things  for  temporal  tilings,  which  would  be  the  crime  of  simony 
punishable  by  severe  penalties.  Yet  as  St.  Paul  says  :  "  He  wha 
serves  the  altar  lives  by  the  altar, ''  the  ministers  of  religion  and 
the  dispensers  of  holy  things  must  receive  their  living  from  the 
people  and  the  churches  they  serve.  The  church  has  made  wise 
laws  for  their  maintenance — so  that  not  being  obliged  to  work  for  a 
living,  they  can  devote  their  whole  time  in  the  ministry  of  Christ 
and  for  the  salvation  of  souls. 

In  many  parishes  are  associations,  congregations,  sodalities,  &c., 
formed  under  the  guidance  of  the  pastor  for  the  exercise  of  pious, 
charitable  and  other  works.  The  formation  aiid  erection  of  such 
societies  belongs  either  to  the  bishops  or  to  the  generals  of  re- 
ligious having  special  concessions   from   Eome  for   that  purpose. 

When  the  bishop  judges  that  a  pastor  by  reason  of  poor  health, 
or  for  other  reasons,  cannot  attend  to  the  duties  of  the  parish,  he 
can  oblige  the  pastor  to  receive  one  or  more  priests  to  attend  to 
the  spiritual  wants  of  the  people,  and  carry  out  the  services  of  the 
church.  This  is  stated  in  the  council  of  Trent.'  By  the  com- 
mon law,  the  selection  of  the  assistant  belongs  to  the  pastor  and 
not  to  the  bishop,  but  the  bishop  alone  can  approve  him  and  give 
him  the  faculties  of  the  diocese  and  of  the  parish.  But  when  the 
pastor  refuses  or  neglects  to  appoint  the  assistant,  the  bishop  him- 
self can  do  so.  From  the  revenues  of  the  church  the  bishop  can 
assign  the  assistant  his  means  of  living.  The  assistant's  salary 
comes  from  the  revenues  of  the  church,  while  all  incomes  from  funer- 
als and  offerings  for  the  reception  of  the  sacraments  belong  by 
common  law  to  the  pastor. 

The  common  law  of  the  church  does  not  say  of  what  kind 
should  be  the  garments  of  the  clergy.  The  church  only  prescribes 
the  vestments  of  their  official  duties,  and  the  clerical  dress  may 
vary  from  time  to  time  and  from  one  country  to  another,  never- 
theless, in  every  day  dress  the  Pope  is  clothed  in  white,  the  color 
of  innocence;  the  cardinal's  dress  is  red,  the  color  of  the  Roman 
emperor;  the  bishops  have  the  purple  and  gold  of  the  ancient 
kings;  while  the  priests  and  lower  clergy  have  the  black  dress,  the 
color  of  death,  for  they  are  dead  to  the  world.  To  the  bishop  be- 
longs to  determine  the  clerical  habit  of  the  clergy  of  his  diocese, 
and  see  that  they  wear  garments  becoming  to  their  state,  "  for  the 

»  Ses.  1.  C.  42.  2  Council  Trident.  Ses.  16  Cap.  6. 


476  THE   PRECEDENCE   OF  BISHOPS. 

councils  say  that  he  can  make  regulations  relating  to  the  clergy's 
dress. 

In  his  own  diocese  the  bishop  precedes  all  others,  except  the 
Pope  and  his  representatives,  the  cardinals  or  the  archbishop  of  that 
province.  In  provincial  councils  the  bishops  rank  according  to 
their  years  of  episcopal  consecration,  and  not  according  to  their 
dioceses,  for  the  bishops  are  all  equal  in  holy  orders.  A  bishop 
who  resigned  or  who  belongs  to  another  province  can  sit  and  vote 
in  a  provincial  council,  when  invited  to  take  part  by  the  other 
bishops.  But  if  an  archbishop  from  another  province  is  admitted  to 
the  council,  because  of  his  higher  rank,  he  precedes  the  simple  bish- 
ops. AVe  have  given  here  but  a  few  of  the  most  important  episcopal 
duties  and  obligations  but  there  are  many  more  all  regulated  by 
the  common  law  of  the  church.. 


'vf^THEN  the  apostles  established  dioceses  in  the  oomitries 
^^^u^      m  which  they  preached,  in  ejich  city    they   appointed 

^c)  bishops,  consecrating   them    and    giving    them  author- 

ity to  rule  that  part  of  the  church  of  God,  but  they 
also  ordained  a  body  of  clergymen,  priests  and  deacons  to  be 
the  bishop's  helpmate,  his  crown  in  the  government  of  the  diocese. 
They  wei-e  called  the  presbytery  of  the  diocese  from  the  Greek 
word  meaning  priest. 

Each  diocese  of  the  apostolic  church  had  its  body  of  priests,  its 
presbytery  or  senate  of  the  diocese,  or  the  bishop's  advisory  board 
of  priests.  No  council,  pontifical  decree  or  ancient  writer  who 
mentions  them,  but  speaks  of  them  as  beinj;  ali-eady  old  m  their 
time,  and  therefore  with  nearly  all  the  solid  writers,  we  conclude 
that  the  presbytery  or  the  bishop's  council  was  established  by  the 
apostles. 

St  Ignatiusof  Antioch,  converted  by  St.  Peter,  or  as  some  say  the 
little  child  blessed  by  our  Lord,  spenks  in  many  places  in  his 
fifteen  Epistles  of  the  presbytery  of  the  diocese,  the  priests  and 
the  deacons:  "For  your  justly  renowned  presbytery,  being 
worthy  of  God,  is  fitted  exactly  to  the  bishop  as  are  the  strings 

477 


THE  "D0MINU3  VOBISCUM."  OR  THE  PUIEST  SENDING  THE  HOLV  SFiBlT  INTO 
THE  HEARTS  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 


A  VOICE  FKOM   THE   APOSTOLIC   AGE.  479 

to  the  harp.  Thus  being  joined  togetlier  in  concord  and  har- 
monius  love,  of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Captain  and  the 
Guardain,  do  ye  man  by  man  become  but  one  choir."  "  Be  ye 
therefore  ministers  of  God  and  tlie  mouth  of  Christ."'  Exiiorting 
them  to  hokl  fast  in  tiie  faitli  he  continues:  "  Being  un- 
der the  guidance  of  the  Comforter,  be  in  obedience  to  the  bishop 
and  the  presbytery,  with  an  undivided  mind  breaking  one  and 
the  same  breail,  which  i^the  medicine  of  immortality,  and  the 
antidote  which  prevents  us  from  dying,  but  a  cleansing  remedy 
driving  away  evil,  that  we  should  live  in  God  through  Jesus 
Christ.  "*  "  1  exhort  you  to  study  to  do  all  things  with  a  divine 
harmony,  while  your  bishop  presides  in  the  place  of  God,  and 
your  presbyters  in  the  place  of  the  assembly  of  the  apostles,  along 
with  you  deacons,  who  are  most  dear  to  me  and  are  entrusted  with 
the  ministry  of  Jesus  Christ.  "  *  "  Study  therefore  to  be  estab- 
lished in  the  doctrines  of  the  Loi'd  and  of  the  apostles,  so  that  all 
things  whatsoever  you  do  may  prosper,  both  in  the  flesh  and 
spirit,  in  faith  and  love  with  your  most  admirable  bishop,  and  the 
well  woven  spiritual  crown  of  your  presbyterv,  and  the  dea- 
cons who  are  according  to  God."  *  "  Be  ye  subject  to  the  bishop 
and  one  another  as  Christ  to  the  Father,  that  there  may  be  a 
unity  according  to  God  among  you."  ^ 

To  the  Trallians  he  writes  :  "  And  be  ye  subject  also  to  the  pres- 
bytery as  to  the  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  our  hope,  in 
whom  if  we  live  we  shall  be  found  in  him.  It  behooves  you  also  in 
every  way  to  please  the  deacons,  who  are  ministers  of  the  mys- 
teries of  Christ  Jesus, And  do  ye  reverence  them  as  Christ 

Jesus,  whose  place  they  are  the  keepers,  even  as  the  bishop  is 
the  representative  of  the  Father  of  all  things,  and  the  presbyters 
are  the  sanhedrim  of  God,  and  the  assembly  of  the  apostles  of 
Christ.  Apart  from  these  there  is  no  elect  church,  no  congre- 
gation of  holy  ones,  no  assembly  of  saints.  " '  We  close  these 
writings  of  the  apostolic  age  by  the  following  words  of  this 
father  and  companion  of  the  apostles  made  so  famous  by  his 
martyrdom:  "And  do  you  also  reverence  your  bishop  as  Christ  him- 
self, according  as  the  blessed  apostles  have  enjoined  you.  lie 
that  is  without  the  altar  is  pure,  wherefore  also  he  is  obedient  to 

the   bishop   and  the  presbyters For  what  is  the  bishop  but 

one  who  bevond  all  others  possesses  all  power  and  jtuthority,  so 
far  asitis  possible  for  a  man  to  possess  it,  wlionccordingtohis  ability 
has  been  made  an  imitator  of  the  Christ  of  God.  And  what  is  the 
presbytery  but  a  sacred  assembly,  the  counsellors  and  assessors  of 
of  the  bishop?  And  what  are  the  deacons  but  the  imitators  of 
the  angelic  powers.' 

The  early  apostolic  writers  tell  us  that  the  apostles  founded  the 
presbytery  of  the  dioceses,  formed  of  priests  and  deacons  in  each 
diocese,  often  to  the  number  of  twelve  priests,  images  of  the  twelve 
-  *  Ibid.  Cap.  X.  -  Epist.  ad  Mag.  xx.  '  Episr.  ad  Magnes.  Cap.  vl. 

*  Ibidem  Cap.  xlll.  »  Eplst.  ad  Magnes.  Cap.  xill.     •  Cap.  iii. 

'  Ad  Trallians  Cap.  vu. 


480  FORMATION   OF  THE  PRESBYTERY. 

apostles  and  of  seven  deacons,  copied  after  the  deacons  established 
by  the  apostles  in  the  church  at  Jerusalem.  *  -They  were  the  coun- 
sellors of  the  bisliop,  the  senate  of  the  diocese,  as  the  Son  is  the 
Counsellor  of  the  Father  in  heaven  in  all  the  works  of  the  Divinity. 
The  apostles  founded  them  jis  the  presbytery  of  the  diocese,  the 
bishop's  council,  as  an  image  of  the  twelve  apostles  established  by 
our  Lord.  While  with  them  in  each  diocese  were  seven  deacons, 
copied  after  the  deacons  established  by  the  apostles.  *  as  the  wants 
of  the  early  christians  required,  they  also  ordained  lower  ministers 
to  take  care  of  the  church,  to  read  the  Scriptures,  to  look  after  the 
finances,  the  widows  and  orphans,  to  prepare  the  bread  and  wine  for 
the  ssijCred  mysteries  of  the  mass,  and  to  wait  on  the  bishops  and 
priests  of  the  first  ages  of  the  church.  These  twelve  priests 
and  seven  deacons  were  even  in  apostolic  times  called  the  bi.sliop's 
council  or  the  senate  of  the  church.  These  alone  excepted,  there 
were  no  other  ju'iests  \jV  deacons  in  the  days  of  the  apostles.  In 
the  famous  archdiocese  founded  by  St.  Mark  at  Alexiindria,  this 
peiKiie  of  the  diocese  was  celebi'ated  for  her  learned  churchmen. 
From  this  senato  the  bishop  of  this  see  was  always  elected,  at  whose 
(ionsecration  thevclected  and  ordained  a  priest  to  fill  the  vacancy. 
The  decrees  of  Nice,  probably  genuine  foibid  any  diocese  to  have 
less  than  these  twelve  priests  and  seven  deacons:  "  f^st  the  prayers 
of  the  church  might  cease  or  her  ministry  suffer,  l)ut  not  more 
than  these  lest  the  expenses  might  become  too  great.'"  On  Sun- 
davs  and  feast  days,  the  bishop  sent  one  or  more  of  these  clergymen 
to  places  outside  the  city  to  attend  t<>  the  sjiiriiind  wants  of  the 
people  living  there,  and  after  fulfilling  these  duties  they  returned 
to  the  cathedral,  and  reported  to  the  bishop  that  thev  had  fulfilled 
the  functions  for  which  he  had  appointed  them,  licoause  of  her 
universal  dominion  over  all  the  other  cliurches  of  the  apostolic 
age,  Rome  had  a  dotible  presbytery  of  twenty-four  priests  and 
fourteen  deacons,  whose  chaiiinan  was  the  arehpriest,  and  the 
superior  of  the  desicons  was  the  archdeacon,  who  to<»k  care  of  the 
pioperties,  the  finances,  the  widows  and  the  orphans  of  the  Roman 
diocese. 

T'he  bishops,  heirs  of  the  apostles,  were  the  pastors  of  the  dio- 
cese, and  they  administered  the  whole  diocese  by  and  through  the 
members  of  the  presbyteries.  When  in  the  IV.  century  the  coim- 
try  parishes  began  to  be  established  in  some  places,  priests  and 
deacons  were  appointed  to  these  parishes  outside  the  episcopal 
cities,  but  they  were  considered  as  inferior  to  the  cathedral  clergy, 
who  as  from  the  apostolic  age  stdl  formed  the  seiuite  of  the  dio- 
cese. In  all  the  chanires  of  discijjline,  the  twelve  priests  and  the 
seven  deacons  always  formed  the  senate  of  the  diocese,  the  council 
of  the  bishop,  the  chosen  members  of  the  diocesan  clergy.  They 
were  ktiown  by  divers  names  in  different  ages,  as  the  presbyters, 
the  senate,  the  bishop's  crown,  the  Ijishoji's  council,  the  cathedral 
chapter,  &c.,  but  from  the  days  when  they  were  est jiblished  by  the 

I  Acts  vli  -  Acts  v2.  *  Canon  62  Nloente-Anblctu. 


HOW  THE  APOSTLES  FOUNDED  DIOCRSES.  481 

apostles,  np  to  our  time,  they  liavo  rernuiiied  siibstantiully  the  same, 
for  tliey  beloiiof  to  tlie  perfect  orfrniiizatioii  of  the  dioeet^e. 

In  each  city  where  the  apostles  |)reach(^d.  they  built  iij)  a cliiirch 
from  tiie  converts  they  made,  then  they  appointed  and  conseciated 
a  bishop  for  them.  This  8t.  Panl  did  when  he  appointed  his  dis- 
ciples Sts.  Timothy  and  Titus.  St.  Peter  did  it  at  Antioch.  St. 
Thomas  did  thi  same  at  Babylon  in  nominating  his  followers  Sts. 
Adaeusand  Maris.  There  these  beloved  disciples  wrotedown  the  Lit- 
urgy, which  he  bad  composed  in  the  Babylonian  tongue,  which 
remains  to  our  day  not  a  word  changed.'  When  the  church  was 
well  established  in  tiie  city,  the  apostle  left  them  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  bishop  he  had  given  them,  and  went  forth  to  convert 
other  people  to  the  faith  of  Christ. 

But  the  apostles  did  not  leave  them  alone  to  the  care  of  the  bish- 
op, for  he  too  must  have  his  helpmate  for  the  work  of  the  minis- 
try. Befoi-e  leaving  the  apostle  appointed  and  ordained  a  dio- 
cesan clergy,  spiritual  sons  and  images  of  the  bishop,  and  they 
preached  and  administered  under  the  eye  and  care  of  the  bishof). 
They  were  to  the  number  of  twelve  pi'iests  and  seven  deacons  in 
every  church  founded  by  the  apostle--.  The  bishop  was  the  head 
of  the  diocese,  and  they  were  one  with  him,  hisadvisers  and  helpers 
in  his  diocese,  hence  their  name  the  chapter,  from  capitulum  from 
caput,  the  Latin  for  head,  or  from  the  capitulum  read  by  them  in 
the  Office.  According  to  the  rules  of  the  early  church,  and  the 
customs  found  in  the  fathers  before  the  council  of  Nice.*  the  sen- 
ate of  the  clergy  was  found  in  every  diocese  of  the  early  church. 
Their  names  were  often  written  in  the  catalogue,  after  that  of  the 
bishop  and  his  former  predecessors,  who  had  departed  this  life. 
That  list  of  names  was  often  called  the  canon  of  that  church,  and 
therefore  they  were  called  the  canons  of  the  cathedral.  We  see 
thus  the  chief  saints  of  the  Roman  church  even  to  our  day  in  the 
canon  of  the  Mass.  The  bishop  was  their  father  in  Christ,  because 
he  or  his  predecessor  had  ordained  them  and  he  looked  after  their 
support.' 

When  an  apostle  had  converted  a  city,  each  Sunday  and  feast 
day  he  assembled  the  clergy  and  people  for  the  services,  and  his 
senate  of  priests  and  deacons  altogether  with  him  said  the  Mass, 
altogether  pronoum-ing  the  sacred  words,  the  same  as  we  still  do 
at  the  ordination  of  a  priest.  This  took  place  in  the  catecombs, 
in  secret  places,  or  in  the  fastness  of  the  mountains,  for  they  were 
ever  belied  and  misunderstood.  The  pagans  heard  of  the  Mass, 
the  "mystery"  as  it  is  still  called  in  eastern  Rites,  and  they  sup- 
posed the  christians  met  to  put  a  little  child  to  death  and  eat  his 
flesh. 

The  diocese  had  then  one  church,  the  cathedral  or  mother  church 
of  the  whole  diocese,  while  at  Rome  was  the  Mother  church  of 
the  world,  the  Chair  of  Peter.      The  other  dioceses  of  the  world 

1  See  Lit.  of  the  Blessed  Apostles.    Early  Lltunries  Anti-Nlcene  Librarj'. 

^  Anti-Nicene  Library.  '  Concll.  I'achiitli  an.  VSr.  ; 


482  THE  SENATE  ADVISES  THE  BISHOP. 

were  the  daughters  of  this  Mother  church  at  Roine,as  the  par- 
ishes established  later  were  the  daughters  of  the  cathedral.  The 
bishop  alone  was  the  pastor  of  the  whole  diocese,  while  these  twelve 
])riests  and  seven  deacons  aided  him  in  preaching  the  Gospel,  in 
administering  the  sacraments,  and  in  ruling  his  christian  people. 
The  bishops  of  the  early  church  did  nothing  without  first  consult- 
ing their  senateof  priests  and  deacons,  a  body  which  was  sometimes 
called  the  cathedral  college.  Later  the  country  parishes  were 
formed  each  with  a  priest  as  rector,  the  number  of  priests  and 
lower  clergy  of  the  diocese  increased,  the  wants  of  the  churches 
multiplied,  but  still  the  twelve  canons  were  found  at  each  cathe- 
dral aiding  and  helpijig  the  bishop.  The  bishop  and  his  senate 
sat  in  the  church;  often  the  bishop's  throne  was  behind  the  altar 
in  the  apse  of  the  cathedral,  with  the  seats  of  the  priests  and 
deacons  around  it.  There  they  heard  confessions  as  a  spiritual 
court,  both  bishops  and  priests  pronouncing  the  words  of  absolu- 
tion. AVithout  them  the  bishop  could  not  hear  cases  or  give 
judgment.  "  The  deacons  and  presbyters  shall  assist  at  the 
judgment"  says  the  A[)ostolic  Constitutions.'  "The  bishop 
shall  hear  no  case  without  the  presence  of  his  clergy,  otherwise 
the  sentence  of  the  bishop  shall  be  null  and  void,  unless  it  be 
strengtiiened  with  the  sentence  of  the  clergymen,"  says  the  IV. 
council  of  Carthage.*  That  was  the  discipline  in  England  in  the 
days  of  the  great  Egbert  of  York,  who  says:'  "  The  bishop  shall 
hear  no  case  without  the  presence  of  his  clergy,  confession  alone 
excepted."  The  great  St  Chrystom  complains  of  his  cathedral 
chapter  at  Constantinople  in  these  words:  "Those  who  with  us 
guide  th.e  ship  have  tried  to  sink  the  vessel."*  '*  The  bishop 
jnust  not  ordain  the  clergy  without  the  advice  of  his  clergy  "  says 
the  TV.  council  of  Carthage.  Such  was  the  discipline  of  the 
early  church.  The  council  of  Trent  wishing  to  renew  that  wise  dis- 
cipline says:  *'  Ordinations  should  take  place  in  the  cathedral. 
Tlie  canons  of  the  cathedral  being  called  and  present  at  the 
function."' 

Numerous  monumentsof  the  early  church  show  us  that  the  presby- 
tery, or  the  priests  of  the  cathedralformed  thesenate  of  the  diocese. 
The  first  bishops  did  nothing  without  first  consulting  them.  For 
the  first  three  centuries  of  the  church,  the  presbytery  of  the  dio- 
cese was  the  senate,  without  the  consent  of  which  the  bishop  un- 
dertook nothing.  As  St.  Jerome  says  it  was  a  body  likened  to  the 
great  senate  of  the  Roman  empire  under  the  Caesars.  The  arch- 
priest  was  head  of  the  twelve  priests,  and  the  arohdcaoon  was  the 
chief  of  the  deacons  composing  this.  They  did  all  the  work 
in  the  diocese  now  done  by  the  country  pastors  up  to  the  establish- 
ment of  rural  parishes  after  the  IV.  century,  and  they  carried  out 
the  work  of  the  city  pastors  till  the  XI.  century,  when  the  city 
parishes  were  founded.       The  diocese  is  an  inuige  of  the  whole 

•  L.  2.  C.  4T.  »  Canon  28.  »  Excerpt-  can.  43.  «  8er.  post  red.  n.  5. 

•  Ses.   88.  C.  8.  DeRef. 


THE  SENATE  AND  BISHOP  DISAOREE.  483 

church,  and  tliey  were  in  the  diocese  and  lield  a  similar  relation  re- 
garding their  bishop,  that  the  venerable  college  of  cardinals  are 
regarding  th3  universal  church,  and  regarding  their  own  Bishop 
the  Pope.  For  centuries  they  formed  a  brotherhood  under  the 
presidency  of  the  bishop,  living  in  his  palace,  eating  at  his  table, 
and  having  all  things  in  common  like  the  christians  of  the  apostol- 
ic age. 

In  the  XI.  century  began  divisions  between  the  bishops  and  the 
chapters— the  members  of  the  chapters  in  some  places  wished  no 
longer  to  live  a  community  life  ;  the  bishops  sometimes  did  not 
consult  them  before  taking  important  steps  in  the  diocese  ;  they 
often  were  Jiot  called  to  take  part  in  provincial  councils  ;  occasion- 
ally they  did  not  receive  the  usual  means  of  living  ;  they  were  even 
away  from  their  duties  at  the  cathedral  ;  some  chapters  acted  inde- 
pendently of  the  bishop  ;  others  refused  to  allow  the  bishop  to  make 
episcopal  visits  among  them  ;  in  some  cases  they  claimed  that  they 
were  independent  of  the  bishop  in  the  administration  of  the  church 
property,  and  at  last  they  refused  to  attend  the  bishop  on  episco- 
pal ceremonies,  or  give  him  the  honor  due  his  office.  These  diffi- 
culties, flowing  from  human  weakness,  upset  the  holy  relations  be- 
tween the  bishop  and  his  chapter,  and  numerous  were  the  disputes 
appealed  to  and  settled  by  the  Holy  See,  whose  wise  decisions  reg- 
ulated the  relations  of  the  chapter  to  the  bishop.  From  such  de- 
crees of  Rome  grew  up  the  common  law  of  the  church,  that  mon- 
ument of  wisdom  coming  from  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  fountain  from 
whici)  streams  the  rules  regulating  the  whole  body  of  Christ,  his 
holy  church.  The  Popes  reduced  the  chapter  to  its  i-ight  place  as 
the  iiid  and  the  council  of  the  bishop,  as  the  apostle  had  founded  it 
for  that  purpose. 

The  chapter  then  is  to  aid  the  bishop  in  his  administration  and 
to  supply  his  al)sence  from  the  diocese.  They  are  the  senators  of 
the  dioceso,  as  the  cardinals  are  the  senators  of  the  universal 
church.  When  founded  by  the  apostles,  they  did  not  live  a  life  in 
common,  at  le;ist  in  every  country,  for  community  life  was  intro- 
duced m  the  IV.  century  after  the  division  of  the  diocese  outside  the 
episcopal  city  into  country  parishes.  Even  in  our  time,  very  few 
cathedral  chapters  live  a  community  life,  having  all  things  in  com- 
mon like  religious  orders.  During  the  middle  ages,  they  met  each 
Sunday  and  iVast  day  to  say  Mass,  to  sing  the  divine  Office  of  the 
Breviary,  but  the  latter  is  not  essential  to  their  duties.  As  Pope 
Felix  said  in  deposing  the  bad  Peter  Cnapheum  from  the  see  of 
Antioch:  '•  This  is  your  final  deposition  from  me  and  from  those 
who  with  me  rule  the  apostolic  throne."  The  cardinals  rule  the  uni- 
versal church  with  the  Pope,  and  the  canons  help  the  bishop  to  rule 
the  diocese,  partaking  with  him  in  bis  jurisdiction  over  the  diocese 
both  in  spiritual  as  well  as  in  temporal  things.  St  Jerome  says  : 
"  And  we  have  our  senate  the  board  of  presbyters  ; "  "  The  senate 
of  presbyters  in  the  city  ;  "'    "  The  councillors  and  aids  of  the  bish- 

)  St.  Bazil.  Epist.  319. 


484  RELATIONS  OF  THE  CHAPTER  TO  THE  BISHOP. 

op  in  tlie  place  of  the  senate  of  the  apostles."  '  The  senate  of  the 
Roman  diocese  was  the  most  perfect  and  honorable  of  all  the  sen- 
ates of  the  ancient  church. 

The  council  of  Elnense  rejected  certain  matters  to  the  judg- 
ment of  the  bishop  and  of  the  chapter.  Pope  Calixtus  II.  forbade 
archpriests  or  archdeacons  to  suspend  clergymen  without  the 
council  of  canons,  and  required  first  the  consent  of  the  archbishop 
and  of  his  council.  Alexander  III.  wrote  to  the  bishop  of  Jeru- 
salem: "  You  and  your  brethren  are  one  body,  of  which  30U  are 
the  head  and  they  the  members,  whence  it  is  not  becoming 
that,  leaving  out  the  members,  you  follow  different  councils  in 
church  matters,  for  without  doubt  it  is  not  well  to  contradict  the 
institutions  of  the  holy  fathers.  It  has  come  to  our  ears  that, 
without  the  council  of  your  brothers,  you  appoint  abbots,  superi- 
ors of  nuns,  and  other  church  officers,  as  well  as  suspend  them.  *'" 
The  council  of  Trent  requires  the  bishops  to  call  the  chapter  of 
the  diocese  and  have  them  vote  on  the  matters  he  proposes  to 
undertake  in  the  diocese.  This  council  enacted  wise  laws  guid- 
ing the  bishop  in  his  administration  of  the  diocese,  pointing  out 
how  the  chapter  helps  him  in  his  work.  When  the  French  revohi- 
tion  disturbed  the  church  in  France  and  Belgium,  Pius  VII. 
asked  the  bishops  of  these  countries,  as  well  as  the  cathedral 
chapters,  to  send  in  to  him  within  ten  days  their  resignations,  that 
he  migiit  erect  these  dioceses  in  another  way,  to  better  agree  with 
the  changed  condition  of  things  after  the  French  revolution.  In 
1851  Pius  IX.  when  forming  his  concordate  with  Spain,  used 
these  words:  *'  The  cathedral  chapters  of  the  archbishops  and  of 
the  bishops  form  the  senate  and  the  council  of  the  bishops."' 
The  letters  of  the  Popes  in  every  age,  as  well  as  the  decisions  of 
the  Roman  councils,  call  these  bodies  the  senates  of  the  dioceses 
the  counsels  of  the  bishops,  stating  that  the  mind  of  the  church 
is  to  erect  such  bodies  in  each  and  every  diocese  of  the  world,  so 
that  the  bishops  may  consult  them  in  important  matters  relating 
to  the  diocese.  We"  see  therefore  that  the  chapter  or  senate  of 
the  diocese  should  be  in  every  diocese,  as  the  helpmate  of  the 
bishop  and  as  the  legislature  of  the  diocese. 

They  are  called  Hie  cathednil  cha[)ter  because  they  assist  th? 
bishop",  whope  church  is  the  cathedral  wherein  he  erects  his  teach- 
ing chair.  When  God  created  man  he  said:  "  It  is  not  well  for 
man  to  be  alone,  let  us  make  help  like  unto  himself,"*  so  the 
chapter  is  as  it  were  a  help  unto  the  bishop,  aiding  him  in  his 
episcopal  labors. 

'i'he  cathedral  chapter  then  is  a  corporate  or  a  united  body  of 
men,  or  a  college  of  clergymen  instituted  by  the  church  under 
one  prelate,  with  him  living  and  forming  one  and  the  samenionil 
body,  to  aid  him  in  tlie  administration  of  the  diocese,  and  to  take 
his   place  when  the  see  becomes  vacant.     As  the  cardinals  the 

'  St.  Isrnatlus  the  Martyr  ad  Tralllanes.  '  Caput.  Novlt.  •■•  Art.  l.">. 

*  Gen.  IL  18. 


WHO  COMPOSE   THE  CHAPTER.  485 

senate  of  the  Roman  diocese  in  honor  precede  all  otlier  prelates 
of  the  church,  I'anking  next  to  their  chief  the  Pope,  so  the  canons 
of  the  catliedral  precede  all  other  clergymen  in  the  diocese,  ever 
ranking  next  to  their  bishop.  '  Neither  the  bishop  nor  his  vicar- 
general,  nor  any  other  dignitary  of  the  diocese  belonging  to  the 
bishop's  court  belong  to  the  chapter,  unless  they  are  admitted,  or 
it  is  the  custom  of  the  diocese. 

But  the  chief  head  of  tiie  ciiapter  is  always  the  bishop,  or  the 
prelate  who  administers  the  diocese.  The  senior  priest  of  the 
chapter  in  former  times  was  called  the  archpriest.  In  the  absence 
of  the  bishop,  lie  presides  over  the  members  as  their  head  and 
chairman  when  they  meet  for  business,  and  he  is  the  pivsidiiig 
officer  when  the  chapter  sits  without  the  bishop,  for  the  latter 
has  not  a  vote  in  all  their  meetings. 

The  council  of  Trent  says:  *'  In  all  cathedral  chui'ches  let 
there  be  presbyters,  deacons  aud  subdeacons.  having  chaptei'al 
rights  and  livings.  Aud  with  the  advice  of  tiie  chapter,  let  the 
bishop  distribute  honors  and  ordain  candidates  to  holy  orders 
as  seems  well  to  him,  so  that  each  may  exercise  his  order,  but  let 
it  be  so  that  at  least  half  will  be  priests,  and  the  rest  deacons  ami 
subdeacons.  But  where  the  custom  ])rev{iils,  it  is  praiseworthy 
to  have  moi-e  or  even  all  of  them  in  priest's  orders."*  But  few 
cathedrals  in  the  English  speaking  world  have  the  means  and  reve- 
nues of  supporting  a  cliaptei",  and  the  priestsof  the  diocese,  called  the 
bishop's  council,  take  their  place  in  the  present  state  of  the 
church  in  this  country. 

The  canons  instituted  by  the  apostles  were  genei-allv  to  the 
numl)er  of  twelve  in  each  diocese,  an  imnge  of  the  apostolic  college 
founded  by  our  Lord.  At  the  present  time,  no  absolute  number 
is  given  by  the  common  law  of  tiie  church,  that  being  left  to  the 
judgment  of  the  Supreme  Pontiff,  to  whom  alone  belongs  the 
erection  of  a  cathedral  cinipter.  'I'hen  he  states  the  luiinber  of 
clergymen  which  will  compose  the  board,  and  he  alone  can  increase 
or  diminish  the  number  of  canons  of  each  cathedral.  Sometimes 
worthy  clergymen  are  named  as  honorary  canons.  The  council 
of  Trent  gives  the  bishops  power  to  diminish  the  number  of  canons 
with  the  consent  of  the  chapter,  where  the  condition  of  the  diocese 
requires  such  a  measure.  '  But  the  original  number  cannot  be 
diminished  without  the  consent  of  the  chapter,  because  the  Pope 
states  the  number  of  clergymen  who  will  form  the  chapter, 
nor  can  any  change  be  made  during  a  vacancy  of  the  see. 

Formerly  the  chief  priest  was  usually  called  the  archpriest 
and  the  head  of  the  dencous  of  the  chapter  is  the  archdeacon,  the 
same  as  the  superior  of  bishops  is  the  arclibishop.  There  are  two 
kinds  of  archpriests,  one  who  presides  at  the  head  of  the  presby- 
ters of  the  chapter,  the  others  live  often  in  a  country  parish,  and 
formerly  he  was  called  the  choi-ebif;hop.  now  he  is  the  rural  dean, 
or  as  the  Greeks- call  him  the  protopapa.     They  were  often  the 

'  Concil.  Cologne.  11.  p.  3.  C.  2.  ■  Ses.  24.  C.  4.  ^  geg_  2\.  C.  15.  de  Ref. 


486  THE  ARCHPRIEST  A3fD  ARCHDEACON. 

vicars  of  the  bishop,  having  jurisdiction  in  certain  parts  of  the  dio- 
cese in  the  early  ciiurch.  Having  sometimes  in  the  early  church 
ten  parishes  and  pastors  under  them,  they  were  called  deans  from 
the  Latin  decern,  ten.  As  the  rural  dean  hud  authority  over  the 
ten  parishes  of  his  deanery,  so  the  arch  priest,  the  head  of  the 
presbyters  of  the  chapter,  had  authority  overall  the  priests  of  the 
cathedral  city.  He  was  the  first  in  dignity,  ranking  next  after  the 
bishop,  whom  he  attended  on  all  episcopal  ceremonies,  fulfilling 
the  duties  of  the  assistant  ])riest  in  our  days.  He  was  the  vicar- 
general  of  the  bishop  for  spiritual  matters,  while  the  archdeacon 
was  the  bishop's  vicar  for  tern peral  things  and  in  the  administration 
of  church  property.  But  they  differed  from  the  vicars-gener- 
al of  our  time,  in  this,  that  the  latter  may  be  removed  by  the  bish- 
op, while  the  former  could  not  be  so  removed.  The  dignity  of 
the  archpriest  in  the  church  by  custom  has  been  reduced  to  an 
honorary  office,  when  separated  from  the  office  of  vicar-general. 
He  occupies  the  first  place  in  the  ceremonies  of  the  church  but 
that  is  all. 

The  most  ancient  dignity  among  the  clergy  of  the  diocese  was 
that  of  the  archdeacon,  because  from  the  time  when  at  Jerusalem 
the  apostles  ordained  the  seven  deacons,  each  diocese  had  its  band 
of  deacons,  and  one  of  these  was  their  superior.  That  was  the 
origin  of  this  office.  In  the  first  five  centuries  of  the  church,  he 
was  called  the  hand  and  eye  of  the  bishop,  that  is  he  was  his 
vicar-general,  the  judge  in  criminal  cases,  the  guardian  of  the  tem- 
poral properties  of  the  church,  and  the  chief  and  the  leader  of  the 
inferior  clergy.  The  IV.  council  of  Carthage  says  that  at  the 
reception  of  minor  orders,  he  handed  the  instruments  of  their 
office  to  the  candidates  during  the  ordination  ceremonies.  Al- 
though he  was  only  in  deacon's  orders,  yet  being  the  bishop's  vicar- 
general,  he  formed  one  moral  person  with  the  latter,  and  was 
therefore  in  jurisdiction  over  the  priests  and  other  clergy  of  the 
diocese,  the  same  as  the  cardinal  deacons  of  the  Roman  church  to- 
day, even  when  only  in  deacon's  orders,  yet  precede  all  bishops, 
archbishops,  &c..  for  they  follow  their  chief,  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
in  his  universal  jurisdiction,  "  Really  he  is  the  first  of  the 
ministers  because  he  always  preaches  to  the  people,  he  leaves  not 
the  Pontiff's  side,  an  eviTfollows  if  he  is  ordained  a  presbyter," 
says  St.  Jerome  when  writing  about  the  archdeacon.'  Peter 
Blesensis  a  deacon  of  London  refused  to  be  ordained  a  priest, 
saying  that  he  would  lose  his  authority  over  the  priests,  for  he 
was  the  vicar-general  of  the  bishop.'  When  the  archdeacon  died, 
the  six  remaining  deacons  belonging  to  the  chapter  elected  his 
successor,  but  in  some  placesthey  presented  the  candidate  to  the  bish- 
op for  his  approval,  and  after  his  ordination  and  installation  in  office, 
the  bishop  could  not  remove  him  without  a  cause  established  by  a 
trial.  During  the  VI.,  VII.  and  VIII.  centuries  the  archdeacon 
was  everywhere  the  vicar-general  of  the  bishop,  and  the  judge  of 

>  lo  Ezflcb.  C.  18.  -  Epist.  138. 


ARCHPRIESTS  AND  ARCHDEACONS  REGULATED.  487 

criminal  cases,  exercising  his  authority  over  the  lower  clergy  of 
the  diocese,  and  even  over  the  country  pastors.  During  the  reign 
of  Charlemagne,  they  visited  the  different  parishes  and  parts  of 
the  diocese  on  episcopal  visitations  with  the  bishop  sonietitnes  in 
place  of  the  bishop's  vicar-general.  There  was  only  one  archdeacon 
in  each  diocese,  but  in  some  cases  we  find  two  or  more.  Thns 
Hincmar,  archbishop  of  Rheims,  France,  had  two  sucli  otHcials  in 
his  diocese.  Often  they  had  also  jurisdiction  over  the  priests  and 
archpriests  as  vicars  of  the  bishop,  '  but  this  never  obtained  in  the 
Greek  church.  They  could  not  be  removed  at  the  wish  of  the 
bisliop,  as  the  vicar-general  of  our  time,  as  they  had  authority 
from  the  common  law  with  officials  attending  on  them.  Contests 
arose  between  some  of  them  and  the  bishop,  as  in  the  case  of 
Theobald,  archdeacon  of  Paris,  who,  without  notifying  the  bish- 
op, closed  and  interdicted  all  services  in  the  churches  of  his 
deanery,  and  he  would  not  let  even  the  bishop  enter  them  for 
divine  service.*  From  being  the  aid  and  the  iielper  of  the  bishop, 
the  archdeacon  in  some  dioceses  became  a  hindrance  and  a  stumb- 
ling block,  till  bishops  got  over  the  difficulty  by  appointing  other 
vicars-getteral  removable  at  will.  Then  the  councils  forbade  the 
archdeacous  to  touch  important  cases,  especially  relating  to  mar- 
riage. At  Romeand  at  Constantinople  tlieoffice  was  disestablished, 
and  by  the  lapse  of  titne.  the  duties  of  the  archdeacon  were  reduced 
to  one  only  of  dignity  when  on  episcopal  ceremonies,  as  we  see  it 
at  the  present  time.  The  church  may  change  her  own  institutes 
founded  by  himself,  while  these  officers  established  by  our  Lord 
and  the  apostles,  as  ttie  Papacy,  the  episcopacy,  the  priesthood 
and  the  lower  ministers  ever  remain,  for  they  are  fundamental  to 
the  very  church's  existence. 

The  council  of  Trent  says  that  the  archdeacons  should  be  the 
helpers  and  as  the  eyes  of  the  bishop  in  every  diocese.  They  should 
be  doctors  in  theology,  licentiates  in  canon  law,  and  they  must  not 
act  in  important  cases,  as  these  thiugsare  now  reserved  to  the  bish- 
op, thus  showing  that  the  office  itself  was  not  taken  away  by  this 
council,  but  only  that  its  powers  were  restricted.  The  archdeacons 
still  remain  the  judges  of  civil  cases  arising  between  the  clergy. 
They  examine  the  clergy  for  promotion  to  holy  orders  and  pre- 
sent them  for  ordination.  They  are  over  the  lower  clergy,  from 
whom  they  receive  the  honors  due  their  state  and  holy  office.  But 
they  are  appointed  by  the  bishop  and  may  be  removed  by  him  for 
cause." 

Th^  council  of  Trent  says:  ''The  same  holy  synod,  following 
the  constitutions  of  the  Supreme  Pontiffs,  and  the  councils, 
embracing  and  increasing  them,  lest  the  heavenly  treasury  of  the 
Holy  Bible,  which  the  Holy  Ghost  with  such  liberality  gave  men 
might  be  neglected,  the  council  defines  and  decrees,  that  in  each 
church,  where  there  is  a  foundation  or  a  stipend,  or  a  support,  or 

•    Greg.  L.  1.  Decret.  Tit.  xxiii.  C.  I.  7.  Innocent  lli.  &c  'In  the  year  1131. 

» I  Decret.  C.  De  Haec. 


488  IMPOllTANT    OFFICERS. 

called  by  any  other  name  left  for  readers  of  holy  tlieology,  the 
bishops,  archbisliops,  primates  and  ordinaries  of  these  places, 
where  were  left  these  foundations  for  the  explanations  and  inter- 
pretation of  the  holy  Scriptures,  they  will  explain  them  either  by 
themselves  if  capable  or  by  another  worthy  man,"  &c.'  The  official 
of  the  diocese  for  the  explanation  of  the  Holy  Bible,  thus  pointed 
out  by  the  council,  should  be  a  member  of  the  cathedral  chapter, 
and  a  doctor  of  theology,  and  he  should  be  supported  by  the  funds 
above  mentioned  by  the  bishops  and  by  the  council,  or  by  any  other 
way  which  tiie  bishop  judges  best.  He  is  called  the  theological 
canon.  The  bishop  appoints  and  removes  him  with  the  advice  of 
the  senate  or  chapter  of  the  diocese.  In  certain  cases  given  in  the 
canon  law  the  appointment  belongs  to  the  Pope,  in  Italy  there  is 
an  examination  of  the  candidates,  which  follows  the  same  rules  as 
the  examination  of  the  candidates  for  the  permanent  rectorships 
of  this  country  given  in  the  III.  council  of  Baltimore.  The  rules 
to  guide  this  official  are  given  in  canon  law  of  the  church,  but  they 
would  not  interest  the  laity. 

"  In  every  cathedral  church,  where  it  can  be  done,  let  the  bishop 
appoint  a  penitentiary.  .  .who  is  a  master,  doctor,  or  licentiate  in 
divinity  or  in  canon  law,  and  of  forty  years  of  age,  or  any  other 
more  apt  considering  the  church,  who  while  he  hears  confessions 
maybe  considered  as  present  in  the  choir.'*'  The  penetentiary 
thus  nominated  hears  confessions,  for  which  duty  more  learning 
is  required  than  for  any  other  duty  in  the  church.  His  faculties 
extend  to  the  whole  diocese,  and  the  common  law  gives  him  the  fac- 
ulties as  soon  as  the  bishop  appoints  him  to  the  office.  But  he 
cannot  absolve  cases  reserved  to  the  Pope  nor  to  the  bishop  witiiout 
special  faculties.  The  discipline  of  the  church  has  changed  re- 
garding these  things.  "When  in  later  centuries  the  duties  of  the 
bishop  multiplied,  he  delegated  this  duty  to  the  penetentiary  as 
given  above.  At  the  present  time  all  the  priests  of  the  diocese 
hear  confessions,  and  the  office  of  penetentiary  is  no  more  re- 
stricted to  one  member  of  the  chapter. 

Each  canon  had  his  official  duties  assigned  him  by  the  bishop  or 
the  chapter.  Although  these  duties  differed  from  time  to  time  and 
from  one  diocese  to  another,  we  will  give- the  offices  of  the  chapters 
attached  to  most  of  these  24  great  cathedrals  of  England,  before 
the  reformation  swept  the  true  church  from  the  whole  lealm.  and 
left  these  great  monuments  of  the  ages  of  faith  silent  witnesses  of 
that  church,  once  so  flourishing,  but  now  fallen  into  heresy. 

The  governing  court  otiicers  of  the  bishop,  as  head  of  the  diocese, 
were  his  vicar-general,  the  archpriest,  the  archdeacon,  the  chan- 
cellor of  the  diocese  and  the  bishop's  secretary.  The  archpriest 
and  archdeacon  were  often  members  of  the  chapter,  one  being  the 
head  of  the  priests  the  other  the  chief  of  the  deacotis  belongitjg  to 
the  chapter.  The  bishop  and  his  vicar  did  not  properly  belong  to 
the  chapter,  yet  sometimes  the  bishop  chose  one  of  the  members 

«  Ses.  6.  C.  I.  de  Ref.  *  CodcII.  Trld.  Sea.  24  d.  18.  De  Ref. 


THE  CHAPTER  ESTABLISHED  IN  ENGLAND.  489 

of  the  chapter  as  liis  vicar.  The  officers  proper  of  tlie  senate  were, 
the  dean  of  the  priests,  or  as  he  was  called  thearchpriest,  who  })re- 
sided  as  chairman  at  the  sittings  of  the  chapter.  The  presenter 
trained  tlie  choir  in  all  the  beauties  of  the  church  music  or  plain 
chant.  The  chancellor  kept  the  records  and  minutes  of  the  meet- 
ings, and  was  the  clerk  of  the  senate.  The  treasurer  took  charge 
of  all  moneys  and  properties  belonging  in  common  to  the  senate; 
another  was  a  doctor  in  Divinity  and  two  were  doctors  in  canon 
law;  the  vicar  choral  looked  after  the  services  and  was  the  master 
of  ceremonies;  the  archschola  was  the  schoolmaster  and  head  of  the 
seminary  for  the  education  of  the  young  levites,  candidates  for 
holy  orders;  another  was  the  chief  singer,  and  lead  the  chancel 
choir;  another  was  the  master  of  the  fabric  and  took  care  of  the 
buildings  attached  to  and  belonging  to  the  cathedral,  while  still 
another  looked  after  the  parish  duties.  But  they  had  other  minor 
duties,  as  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  various  learned  and  scien- 
tific studies,  tlie  hearing  of  confessions  and  other  obligations  of 
their  sacred  ministry. 

AV  hen  8t.  Augustine,  tall  of  stature  and  imposing  in  appearance, 
landed  on  thesliores  of  Kent,'  leading  his  forty  Benedictines  sent 
by  Gregory  the  Great  for  the  conversion  of  England,  carrying  with 
tiiem  their  library  of  sacred  books  and  their  knowledge  of  Koman 
customs,  which  they  have  practised  in  St.  Andrew's  monastery  on 
the  Coeliaiiian  hill,  the  ancient  home  of  the  senatorial  family  of 
whicli  Gregory  was  the  heir,  they  formed  themselves  into  a  band  or 
college  of  monks.  St.  Augustine  Apostle  of  England  founded  Can- 
terbury Cathedral.  Miletus  then  built  St.  Paul's,  London  and  laid 
the  foundations  of  Westminster  Abbey,  around  which  cluster  the 
history  of  Enghmd's  greatness.  Under  the  shadow  of  those  hallow- 
ed walls  was  born  the  British  parliament,  that  mother  of  legislative 
assemblies  in  all  the  English  speaking  nations.  Paulinus  establish- 
ed the  church  at  Lincoln  and  became  her  first  bisiiop.  Hissucces- 
sor.  bishoiiRemi,  organized  the  firstchapter  of  thishistoric  church, 
which  later  became  the  most  famous  senate  of  the  early  English 
dioceses.  Henry  of  Huntingdon  in  his  "  Epistle  to  Walter  "  gives 
us  description  of  each  member,  in  hisown  quaint  English,  of  that 
famous  chapter  of  Lincoln  cathedral.  '•  The  founder  Remigius  L 
never  saw,  but  of  the  venerable  clergy,  to  whom  he  first  gave  places 
in  his  church,  I  have  seen  every  one.  R.ilph  the  first  Dean — a  ven- 
erable priest.  Reyner  first  Ticiisurer,  full  of  religion*  had  prepared 
a  tomb  against  the  day  of  his  death,  and  oft  sate  by  it  singing  of 
psalms,  juid  jirayinglong  whiles,  to  use  himself  to  his  eternal  home. 
Hugh.  (Chancellor),  wni-thv  of  all  memory,  the  mainstay,  and  as  it 
were  the  foundation  of  thechiirch.  Osliert,  Archdeacon  of  Bedford, 
afterward  Chancellor,  a  niiin  wholly  sweet  and  lovable.  William,  a 
youngcanon  of  greiitgenius.  Albin,  (my  own  tutor),  Albin's  brotii- 
er,  '•  most  honorable  men,"  my  dearest  friends—  men  of  f)rofoundest 
science,  brightest  purity,  utter  innocence,  and  yet  by  God's  inscrut- 
*  Acta  Sanctorum  399. 


490  THE  FIRST   CHAPTER  AT  MOXTKKAL. 

able  judgment  smit  with  leprosy— but  death  hath  made  them  clean. 
Nicholas,  Archdeacon  of  Cambridge,  Huntingdon  and  Hertford, — 
none  more  beautiful  in  person,  in  character  beautiful  no  less,  "  Stel- 
la Cleri,'^  so  styled  in  his  epitaph,  a  married  canon,  and  Henry's 
father, — Walter,  prince  of  Orators,  Geslebert,  elegant  in  prose,  in 
verse,  in  dress.  With  so  many  other  most  honored  names,  I  may 
not  tax  your  patience. ..."  In  his  descriptions  of  the  members  of 
this  famous  chapter,  we  find  the  "  The  Priest  to  the  temple,  the 
Assetic,  the  Theologian,  the  Schoolmen,  the  great  Preacher,  the 
Canonist,  the  winning  manner  of  the  Administrator,  the  polished 
elegance  of  the  Scholar, '^  all  eminent  leaders  of  that  wonderful 
English  people,  who  even  then  were  preparing  the  laity  in  future 
ages  to  overrun  and  colonize  a  large  part  of  the  world,  and  introduce 
their  form  of  government  but  slightly  modified  into  so  many  nations. 

While  reading  this  sweet  description  of  Walter,  the  idea  struck 
the  writer,  that  he  too  saw  the  first  chapter  which  bishop  Bourget 
established  in  iiis  ciithedral  at  Montreal,  who  went  to  Eome  for  that 
purpose,  and  there  lived  two  years,  studying  the  cermonies  of  St. 
Peter's,  so  he  might  introduce  the  pure  Latin  Rite  into  his  church. 
For  nearly  two  years,  each  Sunday  and  holiday,  the  writer  took 
part  with  the  canons  at  that  new  St.  Peter's  cathedral,  Montreal,  as 
subdeacon  or  deacon  waiting  on  the  bishop  on  these  great  episcopal 
ceremonies.  And  well  he  remembers  the  twelve  canons  and  the 
peculiarities  of  each;  but  alas  he  forgets  their  names,  and  they  are 
all  now  dead,  but  one  alone  remains,  Rev.  P.  Lablanc,  down  whose 
cheeks  the  tears  ran  two  years  ago  in  i-emembrance  of  the  olden 
times  recalled  to  his  mind,  when  the  writer  again  vii^ited  the  ca- 
thedral. Of  the  canons,  one  was  full  of  grace  in  every  movement, 
peculiar  because  of  his  long  beard;  another  most  learned  in  the 
sciencesof  saintsj  another  washandsome,  tall  and  slim,  of  a  fair  face; 
all  were  dignified  ajid  courtly  in  manners.  Like  in  the  first  chapter 
at  Lincoln,  one  was  a  married  man,  and  the  day  he  was  received 
into  the  chapter  in  the  bishop's  chapel,  his  little  daughter  nine 
years  of  age  knelt  at  the  side  of  the  writer,  while  the  bishop  coad- 
jutor, now  Archbishop  Fabore,  placed  on  his  shoulders  the  insignia 
of  the  canon.  He  had  been  a  physician  across  the  river,  till  his 
wife  died,  when  he  became  a  priest,  in  that  following  the  footsteps 
of  Card.  Manning,  and  others,  for  the  church  condemns  not  mar- 
riage, but  sanctifies  and  hallows  the  legitimate  union  of  man  and 
woman.  Their  saintly  founder  is  dead,  the  canons  were  dispei-sed 
and  became  pastors  of  other  parishes,  because  they  could  not  be 
supported,  as  the  diocese  became  involved  in  debt,  and  the  sweet 
singing  of  the  holy  office  is  heard  no  more  in  that  church  the  same 
as  of  yore,  when  the  Roman  ceremonial  was  carried  out  so  beauti- 
fully. But  the  time  will  come  wiien  the  ciiapters  will  be  established 
in  the  cathedrals  of  this  coui\try,  and  the  senate  will  take  its  place 
as  becomes  the  perfectly  formed  diocese. 

The  twelve  canons,  with  other  clergymen  took  part  on  ceremonies 
with  the  bishop.    The  archpriest  stood  at  the  bishop's  side  in  cope. 


THE  DUTIES  OF  EACH  CANON.  491 

The  archdeacon  was  the  deacon  of  the  Mass.  The  chief  of  the 
subdeacons  was  below  the  deacon  as  the  siibdeacon  of  the  Mass. 
The  chief  canons  in  deacon's  orders  were  tlie  deacons  of  honor, 
while  the  other  canons  occupied  the  stalls  along  the  chancel  walls. 

The  ceremonies  of  the  church  show  the  true  organization  of  the 
diocese  on  holy  week,  and  when  the  bishop  solemnly  pontificates, 
surrounded  by  both  the  members  of  his  court  of  jurisdiction,  the 
canons  and  cathedral  clergy.  There  we  see  the  officials  of  the 
diocese  in  their  true  places,  as  the  aids  and  helpers  of  tlie  bishop. 
For  the  church  holds  to  her  ceremonial  given  in  the  Missal  and 
the  Pontifical  of  the  Roman  diocese,  and  each  bishop  and  diocese 
of  the  Latin  Rite  must  follow  it.  As  the  diocese  of  Peter  ever  re- 
mains the  same  unchanged,  to  be  the  model  and  the  normal  of  all 
the  other  dioceses  of  the  world,  the  episcopal  ceremonies  show  the 
varied  beauties  of  the  diocese  in  all  its  splendors,  such  as  was  prac- 
ticed from  the  days  of  the  apostles,  and  kept  unchanged,  unspotted 
by  that  long  line  of  Bishops,  who  sat  on  the  throne  of  Peter,  against 
which  the  "  Gates  of  hell  have  not  prevailed.  "  The  canons  and 
cathedral  clergy,  who  do  not  take  part  in  the  ceremonies  during 
the  pontifical  ceremonies  they  compose  the  chancel  choir  and  sing 
parts  of  the  Mass.  At  stated  times  each  day  they  gather  in  the 
sanctuary  and  sing  the  divine  office  of  the  Roman  Breviary.  The 
punctator  culls  their  names  and  keeps  an  account  of  the  absent. 
The  supernumei'aries  fill  the  stalls  or  seats  below  the  regular  canons, 
for  they  are  candidates  for  any  stalls  which  may  become  vacant. 
But  the  bishop  cannot  add  any  honorary  canons  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  chapter. ' 

In  the  early  ages  the  bishop's  house  was  the  school  or  college  for 
the  students,  as  there  were  no  other  schools  at  that  time,  and  one 
of  the  canons  was  the  teacher  of  these  students  for  the  priesthood. 
He  was  called  the  school  master.  Each  week  the  bishop  appointed 
in  his  turn  one  of  the  canons  to  lead  the  people  in  congregational 
singing,  another  to  lead  at  the  public  prayers  of  the  laity  morning 
and  evenitig  in  the  cathedral,  another  to  attend  the  sick,  to  baptize 
the  children  and  look  after  the  spiritual  wtiuts  of  the  whole  city. 
We  find  this  latter  official  mentioned  by  the  council  held  at  Con- 
stantinople in  the  year  536.  Often  a  deacon,  a  siibdeacon  and  a  por- 
ter waited  on  this  official,  and  they  remained  in  the  vestry  of  the 
cathedral  all  night,  where  vvei'e guarded  the  holy  oils,  the  vestments, 
&c.,  so  that  they  (iould  attend  the  sick  calls  in  the  city  without 
delay.  To-day  thi.<  official  says  the  office  in  the  choir  in  these 
cathedrals  where  still  are  cathedral  chapters,  while  on  Sundays  and 
feasts,  the  whole  cliu[)ter  gather  to  sing  or  recite  the  office  in  the 
cathedral  chancel. 

In  the  early  ages,  even  during  that  epoch  called  the  middle  ages, 
numerous  gifts  were  left  to  the  church  and  for  the  support  of  the 
clergy.  The  bisho])  as  head  of  the  diocese  was  the  administrator 
of  all  these  goods.     The  canons  being  the  senate  of  the  church,  and 

i  S.  CQDgreKatio  26  Feb.  1639. 


492  now  IHE  CHAPTER  WAS  SUPPORTED. 

one  authority  with  hirn,  tliey  partootc  of  and  lived  on  these  offer  inors, 
Avliich  were  tlie  revenues  of  the  cathedrah  Thev  first  lived  in  the 
episcopal  palace  with  the  bishop,  but  jjiter  they  had  a  separate  house 
attached  to  the  cathedral,  which  in  England  to  this  day  is  called 
the  chapter  house.  Yon  will  find  that  cliapter  house  still  standing 
attached  to  many  of  the  great  cathedrals  of  England,  Avith  the  bish- 
op's palace,  the  monastery  where  the  canons  lived,  the  school 
wliere  they  taught  the  students,  the  stalls  where  they  sat  when  sing- 
ing the  divine  oftice.  But  the  chapter  house  where  they  met  and 
legislated  for  the  diocese,  the  cathedral  excepted,  was  usually  the 
finest  buiUling,  often  it  was  decorated  like  the  cathedral.  Fre- 
quently the  chii])ter  house  was  a  chapel  or  part  of  the  cathedral  itself. 
To  understantl  the  comj»lete  architecture  of  one  of  these  famous 
cathedrals,  one  must  nndeistand  the  constitution  of  the  diocese, 
which  there  is  impressed  on  the  sacred  buildings  of  England,  now 
isad  and  Filent  monuments  of  these  ages  of  faith. 

1'he  way  the  canons  must  be  snpported  was  given  by  divers 
early  councils.  The  council  of  Trent  says  that  the  bishops,  as  the 
delegates  of  the  Pope,  must  distribute  these  offerings  and  reven- 
ues of  the  church  to  the  members  of  the  cathedial  clergy.  The 
details  of  this  distribution  would  weary  the  reader,  but  all  was 
carried  out  in  the  most  regular  manner  according  to  statute.  The 
canons  who  had  served  for  forty  years  could  be  retired  with  full 
support.  The  sick  and  disabled  were  supported  as  well  as  the  well 
and  strong. 

The  complete  destruction  of  the  church  in  England,  the  confis- 
cation of  church  property  in  France,  the  upheavals  during  the  ter- 
rible French  revolution,  and  the  persecutions  of  the  church  in  other 
countries  have  interfered  with  tiie  full  establishment  and  workings 
of  the  cathedral  chapters.  In  this  country  the  bishop's  council, 
formed  of  liis  officials  at  the  cathedral,  the  heads  of  religious  orders 
in  his  diocese,  and  the  chief  pastors  of  the  diocese,  are  but  the 
shadow  of  the  venerable  senate  of  the  diocese.  We  are  waiting 
till  the  clr.u'ch  grows,  so  we  can  introduce  the  chapter  in  its  full 
vigor  into  the  dioceses  of  the  English  speaking  races. 

The  cathedral  chajiter  is  the  diocesan  senate.  They  form  a 
deliberative  boily,  theactsof  which  are  complete  and  valid  only  with 
the  (;onsent  and  ratification  of  the  bishop.  Two-thirds  of  the  mem- 
bers form  a  quorum  and  are  required  for  business,  and  if  less  than 
that  number  meet,  the  absent  ones  can  meet  and  nullify  the 
proceedings.  In  voting  the  juajority  rules,  the  same  as  in  all 
civil  legislative  bodies,  which  have  only  copied  the  customs  of  the 
cathedral  chapter  all  over  the  christian  world.  The  bishop  there- 
fore, with  the  majoritv  of  the  chapter,  can  override  the  minority  of 
the  chapter,  and  pass  any  measure  they  see  fit  for  the  good  of  the 
diocese,  or  even  in  matters  relating  to  the  chajUer  or  its  members 
taken  as  a  body.  But  they  cannot  interfere  in  the  private  and 
personal  business  or  properties  of  the  members,  as  they  are  founded 
on  the  natural  law.     No  measure  or  diocesjvn  law  passed  by  the 


THE  POWERS  OF  THE  CHAPTER.  493 

senate  becomes  valid  without  the  approbation  of  the  bishop,  who 
can  veto  any  measure  he  does  not  approve,  the  same  as  the  Pope 
may  veto  any  decision  of  the  cardinals,  as  the  governor  or  president 
can  veto  any  law  enacted  by  the  legislature  or  by  congress. 

The  reader  will  therefore  see  tiiat  the  bishop  holds  a  relation  to 
the  chapter,  like  the  Pope  to  the  senate  of  cardinals,  or  the 
governor  of  a  state,  or  the  president  of  the  United  States  regarding 
laws  passed  by  the  legislature  of  the  state  or  congress.  But  the 
bishop  has  more  power  in  his  diocese  than  the  governor  has  in  the 
state.  For  the  Pope  has  supreme  jurisdiction  over  the  whole 
church  and  over  each  member,  and  he  can  annul  all  enactments 
of  any  diocese  if  he  sees  it  is  right  to  do  so,  but  the  president  can- 
not do  regarding  any  state.  Nor  must  any  one  say  that  the  diocese 
or  cathedral  chapter  was  formed  or  copied  from  any  form  of  civil 
government,  because  the  cathedral  chapter  or  senate  of  the  dio- 
cese was  formed  by  the  apostles  themselves,  for  we  find  that  they 
were  in  every  church  or  diocese  founded  by  the  apostles.  No 
council  organized  them,  no  writer  mentions  them,  but  speaks  of 
them  as  being  everywhere  spread  fi'om  the  apostolic  age. 
The  civil  legislatni-es  were  copied  from  them  and  they  gave  the 
first  im|)ulse  to  the  parliamentary  and  legislative  forms  of  gov- 
ernments throughout  the  whole  world.  But  although  desirable  yet 
the  chapter  is  not  essential  to  the  diocese. 

The  chapter  must  meet  in  the  church,  hall  or  senate  chamber 
appointed  for  that  purpose,  nor  Ctin  they  without  a  just  cause  sit 
in  any  other  place.  '  But  this  does  not  oblige  under  pain  of  the 
proceedings  being  invalid.  The  bishop  cannot  call  the  chapter 
to  meet  in  his  house,  but  only  in  the  church  or  in  the  usual  place, 
unless  the  contrary  custom  prevails,  which  may  be  followed. 
The  sacred  congregation  decided  regarding  the  senate  of  the 
archdiocese  of  Tourin,*  defining  that  when  they  sat  to  deliberate  on 
matters  relating  to  the  private  affairs  of  the  archbishop  himself, 
neither  the  latter  nor  his  vicar  general  could  be  present.  The 
chapter  may  elect  a  bishop  when  the  see  is  vacant  in  any  room, 
chapel  or  hall,  even  without  any  reason,  except  the  election  of  the 
Bishop  of  Rome  by  the  senate  of  cardinals,  which  must  be  held  in 
the  conclave,  as  given  in  a  former  chapter,  otherwise  it  would  be 
invalid.  ^ 

The  senate  usually  is  called  by  the  chairman  or  president  of  the 
chapter,  and  they  may  meet  at  any  time  or  place  wlien  they  are 
accustomed  to  meet.  The  bishop  can  call  them  together  when  he 
wishes  by  its  chairman  to  a  special  session,  or  to  elect  a  bishop,  be- 
cause the  see  has  become  vacant,  when  new  members  of  the  senate 
are  to  be  received,  and  when  important  measures  are  to  be  brought 
before  them.  It  is  not  required  of  the  chairman  to  tell  them  be- 
fore the  meeting  what  matters  are  to  be  discussed,  *  because  having 
heard  the  matters  regularly  brought  before  the  senate,  they  can 
adjourn. 

■'Laurenliis  For.  Eccl.  T.  xi.  L.  Hi.  *  Nov.  28, 1650. 

8  Cbl  Perlc.  De  Elect.  (5,  ^terni  Patris.  Greff.  XV,  &c.  <  Concil.  13  March,  1655. 


494  THE  CHAPTER  THE  BISHOP's  CKOWX. 

The  matters  coming  before  the  senate  relate  to  religions  affairs 
in  the  diocese,  the  celebration  of  Mass,  the  holding  of  divine  ser- 
vices, the  correction  of  abuses,  the  punishment  of  those  who  tend 
not  to  their  duties  in  the  church,  the  temporal  business  and  prop- 
erties of  the  church  and  of  the  diocese  generally,  to  all  things  which 
relate  to  the  spiritual  good  of  religion  in  the  diocese.  Such  say 
the  councils  belong  to  the  cathedral  chapter.  But  when  they  meet 
for  the  election  of  the  bishop,  in  many  places  they  follow  the  rules 
of  the  conclave  for  the  election  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  The  re- 
spective dignities  and  powers  of  the  bishop  and  of  the  senate  are 
80  arranged  by  the  canons,  that  there  cannot  be  any  clashing  be- 
tween them.  Nothing  so  adds  to  the  peace  and  prosperity  of 
religion  in  a  diocese  as  to  bring  all  matters  before  the  chapter  for 
discussion,  before  the  bishop  puts  them  into  execution. 

The  Pope  alone  can  erect  and  form  a  cathedral  chapter.  When 
he  has  erected  such  a  body,  without  the  consent  of  the  senate,  the 
bishop  cannot  admit  new  members  of  the  chapter  nor  new  digni- 
taries, as  this  frequently  was  defined  by  the  sacred  congregation. 
But  if  the  chapter  act  unreasonably,  the  holy  congregation  will 
take  the  matter  in  their  hands. 

The  appointment  of  pastors  and  ministers  to  parishes,  benefices 
and  church  livings,  belongs  not  to  the  power  of  holy  orders,  but 
to  jurisdiction.  Therefore  as  delegates  of  the  Holy  See,  the  bish- 
ops appoint  pastors  and  other  officers  in  the  diocese.  For  that 
reason  the  bishop  should  consult  his  senate  or  chapter  established 
by  Rome  before  making  such  appointments.  In  certain  cases  the 
Pope  himself  appoints  certain  officials  of  the  diocese  and  of  the 
chapter.  Even  it  is  a  grave  question  whether  the  bishop  alone  or 
only  the  chapter  appoints  the  rector  of  the  cathedral.  The  read- 
er will  see  at  once  the  wonderful  wisdom  of  tlie  apostles  appoint- 
ing that  presbytery  or  chapter  in  each  diocese,  which  the  bishop 
must  consult  before  undertaking  important  matters.  The  univer- 
sal church  represented  by  the  Pope,  and  the  diocese  represented  by 
the  presbytery,  his  sons,  surround  the  bishop  with  the  chapter  his 
crown,  who  enlighten  him  regarding  his  movements  for  the  good  of 
religion,  and  thus  the  mitre  is  not  left  to  stand  alone,  but  is  helped 
by  other  aids  in  that  high  and  godly  office. 

The  duties  of  the  senate  are  fully  given  in  canon  law,  and 
here  we  will  only  give  a  rapid  glance  of  them.  Above  all  the 
members  of  the  chapter  must  show  honor  and  respect  to  the  bish- 
op, the  head  of  the  diocese,  the  Aaron  of  the  New  Testament.  He 
sits  on  his  episcopal  throne  as  the  high  priest  of  the  diocese,  the 
first  in  the  sanctuary,  and  he  is  the  chief  authority  at  all  meetings, 
where  in  virtue  of  his  office  he  presides.'  Over  his  throne  should 
be  a  canopy,  a  sign  of  his  supremacy.  When  he  celebrates  solemn 
Mass,  or  carries  out  other  episcopal  ceremonies,  he  must  be  assist- 
ed by  the  chapter  and  other  dignities  of  the  diocese.'     The  Roman 

'  Concll.  Trident.  Se».  26  De  Ref.  ' 

*  CoocU.  Trid.  8es.  84.  c.  1«.  Oe  Bef. 


THE   BISHOP  MUST  CONSULT  HIS  COUNCII^.  49.5 

Ceremonial  points  out  the  duties  of  eacli  official  waiting  on  the 
bishop.'  The  chapter  must  aid  him  on  all  ceremonies  within  the  epis- 
copal city  and  on  episcopal  visitations  outside  the  city.  But  the  ca- 
thedral must  not  be  left  without  clergymen,  to  attend  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  the  parish  during  such  episcopal  visitations  of  the  diocese. 

From  the  days  of  the  apostles  to  the  middle  ages,  the  bishop 
could  undertake  no  impoi'tant  work,  without  first  layi?ig  it  before 
tlie  senate,  who  first  passed  tiie  statute,  and  when  it  was  signed  by 
the  bishop  it  became  a  law  for  the  diocese.  Without  the  consent 
or  signature  of  the  bisliop,  the  senate  could  pass  no  measure. 
Their  relations  with  the  the  bishop  as  given  by  the  documents  of 
the  early  church  was  similar  to  the  relations  of  the  congress  to  the 
president,  or  to  the  state  legislatures  regarding  the  govei'nor,  or 
rather  that  of  the  senate  of  the  United  iStates  with  regard  to  the 
president.  But  the  church  found  it  necessary  to  restrict  the  pow- 
ers of  the  chapter,  till  the  council  of  Trent  defined  the  mutual 
duties  and  obligations  of  both  the  bishop  and  the  chapter.  This 
was  caused  by  the  action  of  the  chapters,  which  in  some  places  put  dif- 
ficulties in  the  way  of  the  bishop,  and  tried  to  lestrict  liis  authority 
in  his  diocese.  The  mind  of  tlie  church,  directed  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  who  dwells  within  her,  is  to  liave  a  cathedral  chapter  or 
senate  in  every  diocese,  who  will  be  the  ornament  and  the  aid  of 
the  bishop,  thus  giving  a  perfection  and  a  beauty  to  the  episcopal 
order,  and  to  the  cathedral,  the  capitol  of  the  diocese,  which  can- 
not be  replaced  in  the  church  by  any  other  means. 

By  the  common  law,  the  bishop  must  consult  his  chapter  in  the 
administration  of  important  mutters  of  the  diocese.^  Alexander 
III.  in  writing  to  the  patriarch  of  Jerusalem  says  :  "  Let  it  be 
known  to  tliee  in  thy  care  and  prudence,  how  thou  and  they  form 
one  body,  of  wliich  thou  art  the  head,  and  they  are  the  members. 
Whence  it  doth  not  become  thee  to  put  aside  the  members,  and 
use  the  councils  of  others  in  the  business  of  thy  church,  because 
without  doubt  it  would  be  against  your  welfare,  and  contrary  to 
the  institutions  of  the  holy  fathers.  For  it  has  come  to  our  ears, 
that  you  act  without  the  councils  of  your  brethren We  com- 
mand you,  our  brother,  tliat  in  appointments  and  comfirmations, 
and  in  other  religious  business  of  your  church,  you  seek  the  advice 
of  your  brethren,  and  that  you  act  with  their  council  or  with  the 
advice  of  the  lai-ger  part  of  them,  and  in  that  way  you  shall  act 
and  proceed  so  that  you  form  statutes,  which  are  to  be  passed,  and 
correct  errors,  and  root  up  and  destroy  evil."  Following  then 
such  decrees  of  Popes  the  decrees  of  councils,  and  the  entire  body 
of  ecclesiastical  lawyers,  we  conclude  that  the  bishop  must  con- 
sult his  council  in  important  matters  of  the  diocese.  But  he  is  not 
obliged  to  follow  their  advice,  ami  where  the  contrary  custom  is 
tolerated  by  Rome,  he  can  even  act  without  first  consulting  them. 
The  common  law  specifies  the  cases  when  the  bishop  is  bound  tp 

'  CoDR.  Rlt.  March  23, 1592.  '  Lib.  iii.  Decrat.  Tit.  10. 


496  FORBIDDEN  TO  ACT  WITHOUT  HIS  CLERGY. 

ask  the  advice  of  liis  council,  but  we  will  not  stop  now  to  give  the 
cases  laid  down  in  the  common  law. 

We  have  said  that  the  bishop  was  not  obliged  to  follow  the  ad- 
vice of  his  council,  but  tiiere  are  certain  things  he  cannot  do  with- 
out the  consent  of  the  chapter.  Thus  against  their  advice,  he  can- 
not put  a  heavy  debt  on  tiie  church  property,  soil  the  cathedral, 
alienate  any  part  of  the  real  estate  belonging  to  the  church,"  and 
other  things  which  would  notably  change  the  condition  of  the 
church  or  diocese,  all  these  are  given  in  the  councils  of  the  church. 

The  IV,  council  of  Carthage  defined:  '  *'  The  bishop  must  hear 
the  case  of  no  one  without  the  presence  of  his  clergy,  otherwise 
the  sentence  of  the  bishop  will  be  invalid,  without  it  is  con- 
firmed by  the  presence  of  the  clergy,  "  and  that  wise  law  was  in- 
corporated into  the  common  law  of  the  universal  church,  ' 
Alexander  III,  decreed:  '' As  the  priests  are  sons  and  brothers, 
you  must  foster  them  with  brotherly  charity.  We  command  that 
you  in  no  way  presume  to  exact  from  them  unaccustomed  duties, 
or  unreasonably  weigh  them  down,  or  treat  them  dishonestly,  or 
suspend  them  without  the  judgment  of  the  chapter,  or  try  to  put 
their  churches  under  an  edict,  ,  ,  .  ,  and  be  it  known  to  you  for 
certain,  that  if  such  rumors  again  come  to  our  ears,  or  that  if 
you  commit  such  excesses  again,  Ave  will  punish  you, in  such  a  way, 
that  the  fear  of  such  a  punishment  will  make  you  abstain  from 
such  things  in  the  future,''  From  these  two  texts  Leurenins 
concludes  that  the  bishop's  condemnation  of  any  clergyman  or 
the  suspension  of  divine  services  in  his  church  without  the  consent 
of  the  chapter  w^uld  be  invalid.  This  seems  to  be  the  opinion 
of  all  writers  on  the  subject,  because  the  bishop  must  get  the 
consent  of  the  council  on  all  important  matters  relating  to  religion 
in  the  diocese,  and  the  suspension  of  a  priest  or  the  forbidding  of 
divine  services  in  a  church,  is  certainly  a  most  inipoitant  thing 
for  the  whole  diocese,  especially  in  our  days  when  such  things 
are  often  published  far  and  wide  in  the  news})apcrs.  According 
to  the  recent  decisions  of  the  Roman  tribunals,  the  bishop  can 
examine  into  charges  and  punish  the  clergy  of  his  diocese  witliout 
the  consent  of  the  chapter.  But  in  tliis  country,  in  Italy,  &c,, 
he  must  follow  tlie  rules  of  the  papal  decree  "  Cum  Magnopere." 
before  depriving  them  of  any  parish,  or  before  moving  any  per- 
manent rector,  as  a  punishment. 

The  bishop  is  the  head,  and  the  senate  or  chapter  is  the  body 
and  chief  members  of  the  cathedral  and  of  the  diocesan  clergy. 
The  members  do  not  rule  the  head,  and  therefore  the  chapter 
cannot  make  regulations  for  the  bishop,  nor  for  the  dioceses  with- 
out the  consent  of  the  bishop.  But  they  can  lay  down  rules  for 
their  own  meetings,  and  for  themselves,  as  they  compose  a  cor- 
porate board.  But  without  the  bishop's  consent,  they  cannot 
make  laws  for  the  diocese,  or  do  anything  to  change  the  existing 

>  Cap.  sine  Excep.  12  Q.  3.  *  C.  88.  '  As  given  in  Ub.  V.  Decrat.  Tit.  31. 


THE  LEGISLATURE  OF  THE  DIOCESE.  4^7 

state  of  things  in  any  church  in  the  diocese.  Taken  separately 
from  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the  senate  of  cardinals  or  the  other 
bishops  have  not  jurisdiction  in  the  universal  church,  and  wiien 
they  meet  in  council  to  legislate  for  the  whole  church,  they  meet 
at  the  call  and  under  the  chairmanship  of  the  Pope,  present  in 
person  or  by  his  legate.  Neither  has  the  chapter  of  tiie  cathe- 
dral any  jurisdiction  in  the  diocese  taken  separately  from  the 
bishop,  and  therefore  separted  from  him  they  cannot  make  laws 
and  statutes  for  the  diocese, — their  enactments  must  be  signed  by 
him  befoi-e  they  become  laws,  only  his  consent  or  signature  then 
giving  them  all  their  force  and  authority.  But  as  a  body  corporate, 
they  may  make  their  own  regulations  regarding  meetings,  the 
time  and  mode  of  procedure,  they  can  elect  their  chairman,  &c.  The 
senates  and  legislative  bodies  of  civil  governments  in  every  nation 
regulate  their  own  internal  affairs,  and  allow  no  one  but  a  mem- 
ber to  interfere  with  thetn,  or  even  to  enter  the  senate  chamber  or 
speak  while  they  are  in  session  without  their  consent.  UMie 
chapter  then  without  tiie  bishop  can  make  laws  which  do  not  re- 
late to  the  diocese,  the  cathedral  church,  or  to  the  personal  rights 
of  the  bishop.  This  is  given  in  the  common  law.  But  the 
bishop  can  veto  any  measure  which  exceeds  the  authority,  which 
the  common  law  gives  the  senate  of  the  diocese.  They  may  pass 
laws  relating  to  the  personal  rights  of  the  bishop,  and  affecting 
the  cathedral  church  and  diocese,  even  without  the  bishop's  con^ 
sent,  but  they  will  remain  null  and  void  until  the  bishop  consents. 
But  by  his  tacit  consent  or  silence,  or  if  he  says  nothing,  after  a 
certain  time  they  may  become  statutes  for  the  diocese.  As  the 
administration  of  the  cathedral  belongs  to  both  the  bishop  and  the 
chapter  taken  together,  and  as  when  once  formed  by  the  Pope, 
their  authority  comes  from  the  universal  church  given  them  by 
the  common  law,  the  council  of  Trent  therefore  says  tiiat  the 
bishop  forming  a  cathedral  clergy  or  cliapter  acts  as  the  delegate 
of  the  Apostolic  See,  '  and  he  may  assign  to  each  a  part  of  the 
revenues  for  his  living.  Then  the  administration  of  the  cathedral 
church  belongs  to  the  bishop  and  the  senate  together,  and  one 
without  the  other  cannot  make  laws  relating  to  its  services,  the 
administratioTi,  &c.,  of  the  diocese.  The  bishop  can  force  them  to 
take  measures  which  he  sees  necessary  for  the  churcli.  The 
laws  passed  by  the  senate  and  approved,  either  by  the  bishop  or 
by  the  Holy  See.  bind  each  and  every  member  of  the  chapter,  the 
clergy  and  laity  of  the  diocese,  and  the  chai3ter  can  punish  those 
who  disobey  tliese  laws. 

The  common  law  directs  the  bisliop  to  hold  a  synod  of  the  dio- 
cesan clergv  jit  stilted  times,  and  he  can  call  the  clergy  together 
without  iisking  the  advice  of  the  chapter,  for  in  this  he  is  di- 
rected by  the  comtnon  law  of  the  universal  cliurch.  In  enacting 
the  statutes  of  the  diocese  in  the  synod,  he  need  not  ask  the  con- 
sent of  the  chapter,  for  he  is  the  legislator  of  the  diocese.  But  it 
>  Ses.  22.  C.  3.  De  Rcf. 


498  WHO  CORRECTS  THE  BISHOP. 

is  dispnted  whether  these  statutes  would  be  valid  without  the  ad- 
vice of  the  chapter. 

The  chapter,  forming  a  social  board  or  a  moral  body  with  their 
chairman,  they  can  punish  any  member  of  their  own  body,  any 
cleric  or  clergyman  who  is  delinquent  in  his  duties.  Where  it  is 
the  custom,  tiiey  can  meet  without  the  permission  of  the  bishop, 
according  to  the  accustomed  time  and  place,  but  when  it  is  cus- 
tomary for  the  bishop  to  call  tl.em  for  a  special  session,  tiiey 
come  only  at  his  call  to  such  special  sessions,  as  the  Kota  defined". 
But  most  authors  say  that  they  can  meet  at  any  time  without  the 
consent  of  the  bishop,  and  that  seems  to  be  the  intention  of 
Rome.  '  Bouix  says*  that  by  tlie  common  law,  thev  can  meet 
any  time  or  place  they  wish  without  the  consent  of  the  bishop, 
except  where  the  contrary  custom  exists,  or  when  for  a  grave 
reason  the  bishop  forbade  such  a  meeting. 

The  canons  of  the  cathed'-al  alone  form  the  senate,  and  the  par- 
ish pi'iests  or  other  clergy  of  the  diocese  do  not  belong  to  it,  for 
by  the  common  law  only  the  canons  compose  the  senate.  The 
permanent  rectors  and  the  bishop's  council  take  the  place  of  the 
chapter  at  present  in  the  English  speaking  countries.  But  it  is 
only  for  a  time,  till  the  regular  senate  can  be  formed.  '  The 
other  clergy  of  the  diocese  then  cannot  meet  without  the  consent 
of  the  bishop,  or  form  a  body  for  the  business  of  the  church  or 
t)f  the  diocese,  for  the  common  law  does  not  give  them  any  such 
license.  But  when  the  cause  of  religion  requires,  the  priests  of 
the  diocese  can  meet  to  take  measures  to  aid  religion  or  for 
other  good  works. 

The  wife  being  one  with  the  husband,  as  shown  by  the  creation 
of  Eve  from  the  bone  aiul  flesh  of  the  first  man,  and  in  the  for- 
mation of  the  universal  church  from  Christ,  the  clergy  and  the 
bishop  of  the  diocese,  from  whom  they  come  by  ordination,  are 
one  body  and  the  laity  are  their  spiritual  children.  The  wife  is  not 
only  the  aid  and  the  helpmate  of  her  husband,  but  she  advises  him 
and  admonishes  him  of  his  faults.  The  cathedral  chapter,  being 
the  chief  clergymen  of  the  diocese,  formed  and  ordained  by  him, 
they  are  united  to  the  bishop  by  a  closer  tie  than  the  other 
clergy.  As  St.  Paul  admonished  St.  Peter,  *  although  subject  to 
the  authority  of  the  latter,  so  the  chapter  can  advise  and  admon- 
ish the  bishop,  that  by  this  brotherly  warning  the  bishop  may 
correct  his  faults.  And  speaking  of  this,  Gregory  the  Great 
Bays:  "  Peter  was  silent,  because  as  he  was  the  first  among  the  apos- 
tles, he  would  be  first  in  humility."*  Of  it  St.  Augustine  says: 
"  A  rarer  and  a  holier  example  Peter  left  to  posterity,  by  which 

we  deign  to  be  corrected  by  our  inferiors," •  "take  pity  not 

only  on  yon,  but  also  on  your  prelates,  because  the  higher  places 
they  occupy,  the  more  danger  they  are  in.*'*  Therefore  with 
great  prudence  and  from  the  sole   motive  of  charity,  superiors 

"  Rota  9  March,  1684.  »  De  Cap.  p.  418.  »  Conrll.  Bait.  III.  N.  17. 

♦  Galat.  11.  II.  »  Horn.  1».  Ezech.  •  Eplst.  ad  Hler.  '  Epist.  109. 


THE  PRESBYTERY  ON  HOLY  WEEK.  499 

may  be  correcfcod  by  inferiors  pointing  out  tlieir  ftuilts,  and  tlie 
history  of  the  chureb  tells  us  bow  those  who  did  so  were  hon- 
ored, wben  they  did  it  with  wortby  reverence,  as  becoming  to 
the  episcopiil  dignity.  This  duty  belongs  to  the  chapter  or  the 
bishop's  council,  and  under  pain  of  sin  they  are  obliged  to  notify 
the  Holy  See  if  the  bishop  falls  from  the  faith,  or  if  he  does  any- 
thing which  would  redound  to  the  detriment  of  religion.  But 
this  hardly  ever  happens,  but  it  shows  the  wisdom  of  the  church  in 
leaving  no  church  or  diocese  tobecome  the  prey  of  human  weakness. 

The  council  of  Trent  directs  seminaries  for  the  education  of 
the  clergy  to  be  built  in  every  diocese,  when  it  can  be  done,  and 
the  chapter  with  the  bishop  has  the  care  of  the  institution. 
The  bishop,  aided  by  two  members  of  the  chapter  forming  an 
administrative  board,  takes  charge  of  the  spiritual  government 
of  the  diocesan  seminary.  The  bishop  himself  elects  these 
two  canons,  but  he  cannot  remove  them  without  just  and  legal 
reasons.  He  must  seek  their  advice  in  the  spiritual  administra- 
tion of  the  seminary,  but  he  is  not  bound  to  follow  their  advice. 
According  to  the  same  council,  two  other  canons  and  two 
clergymen  of  the  cathedral  city  aid  the  bishop  in  the  temporal 
administration  of  the  seminary.  The  bishop  chooses  one  canon 
and  the  chapter  the  other,  while  the  bishop  selects  one  of  the 
city  clergymen  and  the  diocesan  clergy  nominate  the  other.  The 
members  of  this  board  are  permanent,  being  only  removed  for 
cause.  The  bishop  must  consult  this  committee  in  administering 
the  seminary,  and  without  so  doing  his  action  would  be  null  and 
void,  but  he  is  not  required  to  follow  their  advice  in  the  temporal 
administration  of  the  seminary.  The  common  law  and  the  de- 
cisions of  the  Roman  congregations,  give  minute  details  regarding 
these  tilings,  which  would  not  interest  the  laity  and  therefore  we 
pass  them  by. 

On  church  ceremonies,  the  canons  wear  the  rochet  as  a  sign 
of  their  radical  jurisdiction,  the  cappa  and  other  insignia  of 
their  office  which  becomes  administrative  when  the  see  is  vacant. 
The  stalls  where  they  sit  are  generally  carved  in  most  beautiful  fig- 
ures as  given  in  the  engravings.  Each  day  they  come  at  stated  times 
to  sing  the  divine  office  in  the  cathedral  chancel,  with  its  peculiar 
quaint  music,  reminding  us  of  the  strain  of  choral  singing  estab- 
lished by  David  and  by  Solomon  in  the  ancient  tabernacle  and 
temple  of  the  Jews.  On  Holy  Week,  during  these  ceremonies 
which  the  church  has  guarded  with  such  care,  at  the  blessing  of 
the  holy  oils,  and  during  the  singing  of  the  Lamentations,  the  an- 
cient presbytery  of  the  apostolic  age  may  be  seen  in  all  its  beauti- 
ful simplicity,  where  the  twelve  priests,  seven  deacons,  and  seven 
subdeacons  surround  the  bishop,  as  they  did  when  the  apostles 
appointed  the  senate  of  the  diocese  in  every  church  which  they 
established.  The  canons  fulfil  the  chief  functions  after  the  bish- 
op, and  the  clergy  of  the  city  and  of  the  country  parishes  come  to  get 
the  hallowed   oils,  which  they  carry  home  to  use  in  the  adminis- 


600  WHEN  THE  SEE  BECOMES  VACANT. 

tration  of  the  sacraments,  and  in  other  church  functions  of  their 
parishes  during  the  year.  We  refer  the  reader  to  one  of  our 
former  books'  for  a  history,  description  and  tlie mystic  meanings 
of  the  ceremonies  of  holy  weeic.  Tiie  chancel  of  tiie  cathedral  rep- 
resents to  our  eyes  in  a  material  form  that  heavenly  Jerusalem, 
seen  by  the  beloved  apostle  while  exiled  in  Patmos.  As  there  are 
divers  grades  of  angels  and  men  ministering  before  the  eternal 
throne  of  God  Almighty,  thus  the  canons  of  the  cathedral  ap- 
proach near  their  bisiiop,  who  to  them  represents  Jesus,  and  for 
that  reason  the  church  defines  the  various  grades  they  will  occupy, 
while  taking  part  in  the  ceremonies  of  the  cathedral. 

What  we  said  thus  far  relate^  to  the  duties  of  the  senate,  while 
the  see  is  occupied  by  her  own  bishop.  Now  we  will  give  their  duties 
when  the  episcopal  throne  becomes  vacant,  which  takes  place  at 
the  bishop's  death,  when  he  moves  to  another  see,  resigns,  be- 
comes a  heretic  or  is  deposed.  Then  the  administration  belongs  to 
the  senate,  because  the  administration  of  the  diocese  belongs  to 
the  bishop,  and  the  chapter  as  the  head  and  body,  as  they  form  one 
only  authority.  But  if  the  head  be  takeii  away,  the  administra- 
tion falls  back  on  the  chapter,  as  the  members  of  that  moral  body, 
which  lost  its  head.  Such  are  the  provisions  of  the  common  law.  ' 
That  happens  the  moment  the  bishop  dies,  is  changed,  or  has 
been  pronounced  a  heretic,  for  the  diocese  ceases  not  a  moment  to 
have  the  jurisdiction  given  her  by  the  common  law.  If  Rome  re- 
moves him  to  another  diocese,  the  senate  receives  jurisdiction  the 
moment  they  are  officially  notified  of  the  removal.  Witiiin  eight 
days  from  the  time  they  obtain  jurisdiction,  they  must  appoint  a 
vicar  capitular  administrator  of  the  diocese,  while  during  this  in- 
terval, before  such  appointment,  the  administration  rcsts  witli  the 
whole  chapter,  as  the  administration  of  the  whole  church  belongs 
to  the  cardinals  when  the.Popedies.  The  Council  of  Trent  states 
that  the  chapter  cannot  hold  the  administration  longer  than  these 
eight  dayp. 

Before  the  said  council,  the  archdeacon  took  charge  of  the  tem- 
porals or  worldly  matters,  while  the  archpriest  had  the  spiritual 
administration  of  the  diocese.  This  seems  to  have  been  the  cus- 
tom in  nearly  all  dioceses  in  former  epochs  up  to  the  time  of  the 
apostles.  But  according  to  our  more  modern  mode  of  discipline, 
ti)e  administration  of  tne  vacant  diocese  belongs  to  the  whole 
chapter  taken  as  a  body,  with  administrative  powers,  and  within 
eight  days  they  must  appoint  a  vicar,  till  the  new  bishop  is  ap- 
pointed by  the  Holy  See.  '  In  some  places  they  used  to  appoint 
two  or  more  vicars  during  a  vacancy,  who  took  turns  in  adminis- 
tering, or  administered  together  the  diocese.  Where  this  has  been 
the  custom  for  many  centuries,  it  may  be  continued,  as  Rome  de- 
cided a  number  of  times.  Rome  would  not  let  the  chapter  of  Lima, 
Peru,  select  two  administrators,  one  to  administer  the  archdiocese, 

•  THE  FESTAL  YEAR. 

»  Boniface  vlll.  Decret.C.  Si.  EpW.  Prael.  In  6.  Condi.  TrW.  Ses.  C.  7.  IQ.  Sec. 

*  CoQcll.  Trld.  Ses.  24  C.  16  De  Bet. 


APPOINTING  AX  ADMIXISTRATOK.  501 

the  other  to  hear  cases  of  appeal  ^roin  the  suffragan  diocese,  be- 
cause such  a  custom  did  not  exist  for  centuries,  and  the  congrega- 
tion directed  them  to  appoint  one  administrator  versed  in  canon 
law — a  decree  which  was  contirmed  by  Urban  VIII.  '  The  custom 
of  appointing  more  than  one  administrator  must  have  existed  in 
the  diocese  for  a  long  time,  otherwise  the  appointment  belongs  to 
the  archbishop,  as  the  couiicil  of  Trent  says.  Therefore  we  sum 
up  bj  saying,  that  within  eight  days  from  the  time  that  tlie  see 
becomes  vacant,  the  chapter  must  elect  one  administrator,  who  is 
a  doctor  in  canon  law,  or  otherwise  a  wortiiy  clergyn)an,  and  if 
any  of  these  three  things  be  absent,  the  appointment  belongs  to 
the  archbishop. 

Tiie  chapter  cannot  reserve  to  itself  any  administrative  powers 
over  the  diocese,  as  the  administrator  has  complete  authority 
given  him  by  the  common  law.  They  cannot  appoint  him  as  a 
temporary  administrator,  but  his  authority  lusts  for  the  whole 
time  during  which  the  see  remains  vacant,  nor  can  they  remove 
him  without  a  just  cause,  on  whicii  the  Koman  congregation  shall 
first  pass  sentence.  When  disputes  arise  among  them  about 
whom  they  ought  to  nominate,  Rome  often  appoints  another 
belonging  to  neither  faction,  who  will  have  charge  of  the  diocese 
till  the  new  bioliop  is  appointed.  The  admniistrator  is  generally 
taken  from  among  the  canons,  but  if  they  choose  a  priest  not  a 
canon,  Rome  will  not  reverse  the  election.  They  frequently  elect  the 
vicar-general  of  the  former  bishop,  a  member  of  the  chapter,  a 
Avell-known  priest,  or  a  pastor  of  a  city  parish,  and  they  are  free  in 
choosing  whom  they  think  the  most  worthy.  But  the  mmd  of 
tiie  church  seems  to  direct  them  to  select  a  clergyman  who  is  a  doc- 
tor in  canon  law,  so  that  he  will  act  according  to  the  wise  laws  of 
the  church  in  all  his  official  duties.  He  should  live  in  the  city, 
as  most  authors  say,  and  therefore  it  is  not  customary  to  choose  a 
country  pastor.  As  pastors  have  enough  to  do  to  take  care  of 
their  parishes,  it  is  not  customary  to  choose  one  of  them,  but 
rather  a  member  of  the  chapter,  who  will  be  free  to  give  all  his 
time  to  the  administration  of  the  diocese  during  the  vacancy. 

In  the  infancy  of  the  American  church,  the  bishops  of  the 
ecclesiastical  province  met  in  council,  and  sent  the  names  of  three 
candidates  for  the  vacant  see  to  Rome,  with  their  fitness  giveii  as 
tlie  worthy,  tiie  more  worthy,  and  the  most  worthy,  and  the  Holy 
See  selected  the  candidate  from  among  them,  or  rejected  the  three 
and  appointed  another. 

The  III.  council  of  Baltimore  under  the  direction  of  the  Great 
Leo  XIII.,  lays  down  the  following  rules  to  be  followed  for  the 
present  time  till  cathedral  chapters  can  be  formed  in  this  country. 
When  the  see  becomes  vacant,  the  bishop's  couiicil,  the  image  of  the 
cathedral  chapter,  and  the  permanent  rectors  of  the  diocese,  meet 
nnder  the  chairmanship  of  the  archbishop,  or  of  a  bishop  of  the 
province  named  by  the  archbishop,  or  if  tiie  arch iepiscopal  see  it- 
'  Exponi  Nobis. 


SO^  ELECTING  A  BISHOP. 

eelf  be  vacant,  under  the  bishop*of  tlie  province  the  senior  in  epis- 
copal orders.  Then  the  members  of  this  quasi  senate  of  the  dio- 
cese, taice  an  oath  that  they  will  not  be  moved  to  vote  for  any  one 
by  favorsof  any  kind,  they  choose  the  candidates  they  think  wortliy 
for  bisho})ric  of  the  vacant  diocese,  and  ihe  archbishop  sends  tlie 
minutes  of  the  meeting  to  the  Holy  See,  and  to  each  of  the  bishops 
of  tlie  province.  The  bishops  of  the  province  then  meet  ami  vote 
for  the  candidates.  If  they  reject  the  men  proposed  by  the])iiests 
of  the  diocese,  they  must  send  their  reasons  to  Rome  against 
them.'  In  Ii-eland,  England,  and  Scotland,  and  some  of  tiie  col- 
onies, the  priests  of  the  diocese  propose  the  names  to  Rome  for 
the  vacant  diocese.  Where  regular  chapters  have  been  established, 
they  meet  ajid  nominate  the  bishop,  many  chapters  following  the 
"wise  rules  of  the  venerable  senate  of  the  universal  church,  the  col- 
lege of  cardinals  in  the  election  of  a  Pope. 

'  Council  Bait.  III.  T.  xv.  15. 


^  N  the  early  church  the  priests  were  called  simply  the  preshytery^ 
%h  or  later  presbyters  of  the  diocese.  ^  In  the  VI.  and  VII. 
(^  centuries  they  were  known  as  the  parish  presbyters  or  parish 
priests.'  In  the  VI.  century  some  of  them  were  named  arch- 
priests.*  The  Greek  word  meaninjr  parish  often  sicrnified  the  whole 
diocese  or  territory  subject  to  tlie  bishop.  From  tlie  apostolic  asre 
the  limits  of  the  bishop's  authority  were  defined  forojich  bishop,  " 
and  clersfymen  were  forbidden  to  pass  from  one  diocese  to  an- 
other, 8t.  Jerom  uses  the  word  parish  to  sisfjiifv  the  diocese." 
Some  authors  say  that  the  word  parish  comes  from  Greek  meaning 
subject  to  the  bishop,  while  others  think  itmenns  a  little citv  or 
country  villasfe  outside  the  cities,  toAvhich  in  the  first  ages  the  bish- 
ops sent  certain  pi-iests  to  take  care  of  the  spiritual  wants  of  the 
christians  there  living.  The  early  writers  and  first  councils  of 
the  church  quite  often  used  the  word  parish. 

'  Council  earth.  Iv.  C.  34.  Council  Tar.  held  .510.  &c.  =  Conncil  Tol.  111.  held  In 589. 

'  Council  Valent.   ill.  C.  9.  ■•  Council  Tiiron.  held  in  561.  C.  7.  19. 

*  Concil.  Ant.  C.  9.  et  21.  «  Ep'st.  Ad.  Pam. 

503 


604  THE  BISHOP  PASerOE  OF  THE  DIOCESE. 

As  Christ  founded  the  church  universal  in  the  peraons  of  the 
apostles,  to  them  giving  the  care  of  the  flocks  in  subordination  to 
Peter,  thebishops  and  their  successors  have  in  their  diocese  ordin- 
ary power  of  feeding  the  sheep  of  Christ  in  their  own  name. 
But  as  a  pastor  has  the  care  of  souls  in  a  certain  part  of  the  dio- 
cese, and  not  over  all  the  diocese,  it  follows  that  he  is  not  the 
pastor  of  all  the  parishes  in  the  diocese.  '  The  Pope  has  complete 
power  over  the  whole  church  as  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  but  he  is  not 
tlie  bishop  of  all  the  dioceses,  but  of  that  of  Rome.  In  the  same 
way  the  bishop  may  be  especially  the  pastor  of  the  cathedral  par- 
ish, but  he  has  not  the  parish  titles  of  all  the  other  parish  churches 
in  his  diocese.  As  the  bishop  is  subject  to  the  rules  of  the  uni- 
versal church,  from  which  he  comes  into  his  diocese,  so  the  pastor 
is  subject  to  the  rules  of  the  diocese,  from  which  he  came  by  or- 
dination and  appointment  to  the  parish. 

Up  to  the  IV.  century  there  were  no  divisions  of  the  diocesea 
or  parishes,  except  in  Rome,  Alexandria  and  Antioch.  Before 
this  time  the  bishops  sent  clergymen  each  Sunday  to  say  mass  and 
preach  to  the  people  of  the  diocese,  who  could  not  come  to  the 
cathedral.  The  bishop  at  that  time  was  the  pastor  of  the  whole 
diocese,  and  both  clergy  and  jieople  of  the  episcopal  city  came 
each  Sunday  and  feast  day  to  the  cathedral,  to  celebrate  the  divine 
mysteries  with  him.  The  remains  of  this  are  seen  to  day  in  the 
ceremonies  of  holy  week, when  the  bishop  blesses  the  holy  oils  with 
the  priests,  deacons  and  subdeacons  taking  part  with  him.  'J'he  an- 
cient authorities,  who  prove  this  are  too  numerous  to  cite.  Thereto 
the  cathedral  church,  they  all  came  to  receive  the  sacraments,  to 
hear  the  Gospel  preached,  and  to  receive  the  spiritual  nourishments 
of  religion.  The  bishop  at  that  time  ordained  the  priests,  deacons 
and  clergy  he  wanted  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  He  appointed 
them  for  the  needed  work,  and  he  removed  them  at  his  will. 

In  the  early  church  then  there  were  no  parishes,  either  in  the 
country  or  in  the  cities, — each  diocese  was  a  large  parish,  with  one 
cathedral,  and  often  some  filial  churches  in  the  city  and  suburbs. 
There  was  a  bishop  there  in  every  city,  where  a  large  congregation 
was  found,  which  generally  would  be  attended  from  the  cathedral. 
But  as  tlie  people  of  the  country  became  converts  to  the  faith, 
the  bishopcould  notalone  with  his  cathedral  clergy  attend  to  them, 
and  certain  country  parts  of  the  diocese  were  marked  out  called 
villas,  regions  or  later  paishes.  This  took  place  about  the  mid- 
dle of  the  IV.  century.  *  Still  most  of  the  people  of  the  cities  at- 
tend the  bishop's  church — or  cathedral,  it  often  being  the  only 
one  in  the  city.  This  continued  till  the  X.  century,  when  the 
cities  were  in  their  turn  divided  up  into  city  parishes.  The  early 
exceptions  to  this  general  rule  were  found  in  the  great  cities  of 
Rome  and  Alexundna,  which  under  the  influence  of  St.  Peter 
and  his  immediate  successors  was  divided  into  regions,  a  priest 
called  a  cardinal  being  placed  over  each,  the  image  of  the  future 
>  Bouiz  Tract.  De  Parocbo  C.  ii.  n.  2.  >  Tbomaaslaus. 


THE  ORIGIX  OF  PAUTSHES.  505 

parish.  '  Some  writers  say  the  parishes  come  from  the  apostles, 
others  that  they  were  iiistitnted  by  the  Popes,  by  St.  Aiiacletus  or 
Clement  I,  while  others  think  they  were  only  instituted  about  the 
IV.  century,  and  even  then  they  were  found  only  in  country 
places  in  Europe,  where  the  bishops  could  not  personally  attend 
to  the  wants  of  tlie  people.  Even  at  the  time  of  the  Council  of 
Trent,  some  of  the  episcopal  cities  had  no  parishes. "  Only  the 
country  parishes  were  formed  before  the  X.  century,  while  the 
cathedral  parish  took  in  the  whole  city.  As  the  dioceses  grew 
larger  and  more  populous,  the  bishop  at  his  c:ithedral  alone  could 
not  attend  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  people  of  his  cathedral 
city,  and  he  appointed  priests  to  administer  the  sacraments  in 
other  churches.  As  a  general  rule,  the  arch]n-iest  took  upon 
himself  to  provide  for  these  wants,  not  only  in  the  episcopal 
city,  but  also  throughont  the  diocese.  Hence  he  was  the  vicar- 
general  of  the  bishop  in  spiritual  matters,  not  only  for  the  epis- 
copal city,  but  for  the  whole  diocese,  Avhile  the  iii'chdeacon  at- 
tended to  the  temporal  affairs.  Such  was  the  origin  of  the 
vicar-general,  who  to-day  takes  the  place  of  the  archdeacon,  and 
sometimes  of  the  archpriest,  in  our  modern  mode  of  administra- 
tion. 

We  read  that  our  blessed  Lord  chose  73  disciples,  and  sent 
them  into  all  the  cities  of  Judea  to  go  befoi'e  his  face."  Accord- 
ing to  some  writers  the  first  deacons  appointed  by  the  apostles* 
were  chosen  from  them;  others  even  think  they  were  the  priests, 
saying  that  thus  Christ  founded  the  church — the  pa])acy  in  Peter, 
the  episcopacy  in  the  apostles,  and  tlie  priesthood  in  the  72  dis- 
ciples. 13ut  it  is  generally  held  that  these  disciples  were  only 
chosen  temporarily  for  the  mission  of  preparing  for  the  coming 
of  Christ,  like  St.  John  the  Baptist  and  the  prophets,  and  that 
they  received  no  lasting  power,  such  as  the  apostles  received.  They 
may  be  compared  to  lay  missionaries,  who  go  from  place  to  place 
in  pagan  countries,  preaching  the  Gospel  and  preparing  for  the 
establishment  of  real  parishes  and  dioceses.  They  were  the  tyjies 
of  the  ministers  of  the  church,  as  the  Council  of  Trent  says  the 
church  was  founded  on  the  bishops,  the  presbyters  and  the  min- 
isters. From  this  it  follows  that  parish  priests  were  not  insti- 
tuted by  our  Lord,  but  that  they  are  a  purely  church  institution, 
Avhich  came  later  than  the  diocese.  Yet  the  false  decretals  of 
Mercator  say  that  Pope  Anacletus  claims  the  parish  priests  were 
instituted  by  the  apostles  in  the  persons  of  the  72  disciples,  whom 
they  elected  and  ordained  to  the  priesthood  after  the  ascension  of 
our  blessed  Lord.  According  to  the  best  authorities,  each  apostle 
and  bishop  of  the  early  church  had  with  him  a  body  of  priests 
and  ministers,  who  formed  a  senate  of  the  diocese.  They  aided 
him  in  the  government  of  the  dioceses  and  in  the  administration 
of  the  sacraments.  But  they  had  no  charge  of  souls  separate  or 
independent  of  the  bishop.     Pope  Anacletus  the  second  from  St. 

>  Bouix  De  Parocho  p.  85.  '  De  Ref.  Chap.  13.  ^  Luke  x.  *  Acts. 


506  WHO  INSTITUTED  PARISH  PRIESTS  ? 

Peter  in  the  Roman  See.  as  reported  in  these  Decretals,  says: 
'*  The  order  of  tlie  priesthood  is  double,  thns  the  Lord  instituted 
it,  it  should  be  disturbed  by  no  one.  The  bishops  hold  the  place 
of  the  apostles  of  the  Lord,  the  presbyteis  hold  the  place  of  the 
"72  disciples."'  Ven  Bede  holds  that  the  priests  were  typified  by  the 
72  disciples.  Numerous  Popes,  councils  and  famous  writers  of  the 
early  ages  liold  the  same  doctrine,  which  probably  shows  that  the 
Lord  laid  the  foundation  of  the  three  distinct  organizations  into 
which  the  church  is  to-day  divided,  the  papacy,  the  diocese 
and  the  parish.  The  professors  of  the  Sorbonne  at  Paris,  a  un- 
iversity founded  by  Charlemagne  in  790,  held  that  the  Lord  insti- 
tuted the  parish  priests  in  the  persons  of  the  '72  disciples,  but  the 
doctrines  of  the  Sorbonne  were  not  always  tiic  most  orthodox. 
In  that  famous  school,  it  is  true,  during  the  middle  ages  there 
gathered  sometimes  .30,000  students.  In  it  the  great  S*.s.  Thomas, 
Bonaventure,  Peter  Lombard,  &c.,  taught.  But  in  latter  times, 
it  became  the  fountain  head  of  many  errors,  which  in  the  last 
century  developed  into  Galicanism,  which  endeavored  to  dimin- 
ish the  authority  of  the  Poman  Pontiff.  The  Vatican  council 
put  an  end  to  its  errors.  Frequently  the  Popes  had  condemned 
the  false  tenets  of  that  school,  which  ever  tended  to  lower  tlie 
authority  of  the  Pope,  and  to  elevate  in  its  stead  the  royal  power, 
and  under  this  the  bishops,  the  parish  priests  and  the  national 
churches.  Clement  XI.  condemned  John  Major,  a  professor  of 
the  Sorbonne,  who  taught  that  Christ  instituted  parish  priests. 

From  the  earliest  ages  of  the  church,  priests  an(l  deacons  helped 
the  bishop  in  the  administration  of  the  church.  They  formed 
the  ancient  presbytery  or  the  senate  of  the  diocese,  which  latter 
became  the  cathedral  chapter,  as  given  in  the  preceding  chapter. 
But  these  were  not  parish  priests.  They  did  not  fulfil  the 
office  of  a  parish  priest.  They  did  what  the  bishop  com- 
manded them,  and  their  authority  ended  when  they  finishe<l 
that  particular  work.  Their  authority  did  not  extend  to  any 
particular  part  of  the  diocese  as  a  parisli,  but  to  the  whole  diocese. 
They  were  the  assistants,  or  the  vicars  of  the  bishop,  and  without 
a  special  mandate  of  the  bishop,  they  could  not  fulfil  the  duties 
of  the  pastors.  This  St  Ignatius  thet-econd  from  St.  Peter  in  the 
see  of  Antioch  tell  us.'  Many  ancient  councils  and  decrees  of  the 
Popes  prove  to  us  the  same.  We  must  then  conclude,  that  all 
history  tells  us  that  the  parish  priests  were  not  instituted  by  our 
Lord,  or  by  the  apostles,  but  that  parishes  are  the  creations  of  the 
church,  while  the  orders  of  ministers,  priests,  bishops  and  the 
Papacy  were  instituted  by  Christ. 

In  the  IV.  century  rose  the  errors  of  Aerius,  who  claimed 
that  presbyters,  or  priests,  are  equal  to  bishops.  That  error  was 
revived  at  the  reformation  and  condemned  by  the  council  of  Trent, 
but  it  is  held  by  many  of  the  separated  churches  in  our  day. 

Towards  the  beginning  of  the  IV.  century,  the  population  of 

>  Evaog.  LucsC.  la  '  Epist.  act  Smyr.  □.  8. 


THE  RISE  OF  GALICAN  ERRORS.  607 

the  diooese  grew  so  large,  that  even  with  tlie  help  of  their  pres- 
byters or  priests,  the  bishops  could  not  attend  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  tlie  people.  For  that  reason  they  gave  the  care  of  the 
little  cities  of  the  diocese  to  the  priests  of  the  diocese.  That  was 
the  origin  of  the  country  parishes.  But  when  they  gave  them  such 
care  of  souls,  they  did  not  take  away  their  own  power  of  sending 
other  priests  to  preach  to  them,  or  to  admiuster  to  them  the  sacra- 
ments, for  the  ])arish  priests  are  subject  to  the  bishop,  as  the  latter 
is  subject  to  Rome.  For  the  parish  is  not  a  perfect  church  found- 
ed by  Christ,  as  he  founded  the  dioceses  in  the  persons  of  the 
apostles.  '  The  contrary  was  tlie  error  of  the  university  of  Paris 
coiulemned  by  Alexander  IV. "  Such  errors  on  the  part  of  the 
university  of  the  Sorbonne  gave  rise  later  to  the  errors  of  the  Jan- 
senists,  who  extol  the  power  of  the  parish  priests,  and  of  national 
churches,  to  the  detriment  of  the  bishops  and  of  the  Apostolic  See. 
Their  fathers  were  John  Duvei'gier,  abbot  of  St.  Cyran  and  Jan- 
senius,  bishop  of  Ypres.  The  errors  of  the  Jansenists  in  this 
matter  may  be  resumed  in  sayiug  that:  the  Pope  can  do  nothing  in 
any  diocese  without  the  permission  of  the  bishop;  the  bishop  can- 
not act  in  the  parish  without  the  license  of  the  pastor,  a  doct!-ine 
which  the  Holy  See  often  condemned.  The  professors  of  the  Sor- 
bonne took  up  the  controversy,  and  held  that  a  pastor  could  appeal 
to  the  civil  power,  when  his  ecclesiastical  supei'ior  interfered  in  his 
rights.  These  vicious  principles  at  the  reformation  in  England,  had 
resulted  in  founding  the  national  church  of  England  independent 
of  the  Holy  See.  Some  doctors  of  the  university  of  Louvain 
inclined  to  the  same  error  in  the  XVIII.  century.  According 
to  these  subvei-sive  doctrines,  the  bishop  would  only  have  an  in- 
direct power  in  the  parish,  the  Pope  only  an  indirect  and  imperfect 
authority  in  any  diocese,  the  government  of  the  church  would  at 
last  belong  to  parish  priests,  and  not  to  the  bishops,  and  to  the 
Koman  Pontiffs,  and  there  would  be  no  need  of  either  bishop  or  of  a 
Pope.     It  would  overturn  the  whole  organization  of  the  church. 

The  parish  priests  then  having  no  external  jurisdiction  in  the 
church,  they  are  not  the  judges  of  faith  and  morals,  and  they  have 
no  decisive  voice  in  councils.  If  they  sit  in  the  councils  of  the 
church,  it  is  as  advisers,  as  theologians,  or  as  chaplains  of  the  bish- 
ops. They  preach  the  teachings  of  Clirist  as  they  receive  them 
from  the  bishops,  and  the  Roman  Pontiffs,  explaining  the  teachings 
of  Christ  found  in  the  Gospels,  the  Bible,  and  in  the  traditions  of 
the  church.  They  cannot  publicly  excommunicate  even  their  own 
parishioners.  In  a  parish,  a  person  may  excommunicate  himself 
by  sins  forbidden  under  that  penalty,  and  it  belongs  to  the  pastor 
to  bring  him  back  again  to  the  church  by  absolution  with  the  neces- 
sary power,  when  he  is  penitent  and  resolved  to  sin  no  more,  while 
it  belongs  alone  to  the  Pope  and  the  bishop  to  publicly  excommu- 
nicate for  public  and  notoi-ious  sins.  The  Pontiff  and  the  bishop 
alone  can  receive  again  that  person  into  the  church,  for  they  are 
»  St.  Thomas  Opus.  xvi.  =  In  1255. 


508  INTERNAL  AND  EXTERNAL  JURISDICTION. 

the  legislators  of  the  church.  They  can  reserve  to  themselves  the 
absolution  from  these  censures.  For  to  the  apostles  Christ  said: 
''Whatever  you  shall  bind  upon  earth  it  shall  be  bound  also  in 
heaven,"  &c.  The  power  of  excommunicating  belongs  to  the  legisla- 
tive or  public  governing  authority  of  the  church,  and  not  to  the 
pastors,  but  to  the  bishops  and  the  Pope,  for  they  form  the  hierarchy 
of  jurisdiction  and  government  of  the  church.  Tliereforea  simple 
parish  priest  has  not  the  power  of  excommunicating,  unless  it  were 
given  him  by  the  bisho])  or  by  the  common  law  of  the  church. 
But  a  priest,  having  the  administration  of  a  diocese,  with  a  special 
mandate  from  the  bishop  or  from  the  Holy  See,  can  excommunicate 
by  virtue  of  this  external  jurisdiction.  But  the  pastor  can  declare 
that  such  a  one  is  excommunicated,  when  he  does  anything  to 
which  such  a  punishment  is  attached  by  the  common  law  of  the 
church. 

The  word  pastor,  parish,  &c.,  come  from  the  Latin  meaning  to 
feed.  In  Hebrew  it  is  rahah,  and  in  the  Bible  it  not  only  means  to 
feed  but  also  to  rule  or  govern.  *  Princes  who  rule  are  called  in 
the  Bible  pastors;  even  the  Lord  calls  Cyrus  pastor. '  Homer  calls 
Agamemnon  the  pastor  of  men,  because  he  ruled  them.  From  this 
it  appears,  that  when  Christ  told  Peter  to  feed  his  sheep  and  lambs 
he  meant  to  rule  them.  Whence  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  Peter's  suc- 
cessors, are  the  spiritual  rulers  of  the  church  univei'sal.  The  bish- 
ops then  carry  tlieir  pastoral  staff,  the  sign  of  their  episcopal  juria- 
diction  over  the  sheepfold  of  Christ  residing  within  their  dioceses. 
'I'liis  is  the  sense  of  the  council  of  Trent,  when  speaking  of  the 
bishops, '  "  ruling  the  church  of  God."*  Such  has  ever  been  the 
teachings  of  the  church  as  found  in  the  writings  of  the  early 
fathers.  Only  in  modern  times  do  we  find  parish  priests  called 
pastors. 

Tlie  parish  priest  is  not  a  prelate.  For  a  prolate  is  a  clergyman 
having  external  jurisdiction  over  spiritual  subjects,  or  a  high 
ecclesiastical  dignity,  while  parish  priests  have  only  jurisdiction 
proper  in  the  secret  tribunal  of  penance.  The  Pope,  the  cardinals 
and  bishops  are  the  major,  and  the  superiors  of  religious  orders 
are  the  minor  prelates  of  the  church,  as  the  latter  have  authority 
and  jurisdiction  over  their  spiritual  subjects.  The  cardinals,  even 
of  the  Roman  courts  in  deacon's  or  priest's  orders  have  jurisdiction 
over  bishops,  for  being  attached  to  the  Roman  diocese,  they  form 
one  and  the  same  court  or  government  with  the  Bishop  of  Rome, 
who  is  over  all  the  churches  of  the  world. 

The  council  of  Trent  ordered  that  a  priest  be  appointed  in  di- 
verse parts  of  the  diocese  from  whom  the  people  could  receive  the 
sacraments.  '  Hence  we  conclude  that  to  be  a  parish  priest,  he 
should  have  power  to  hear  the  confessions  of  the  people,  that  he 
is  obliged  to  administer  to  them  the  other  spcraments  when  they 
ask,  that  he  does  so  in  his  own  name,  that  he  does  so  in  his  own 

>  CnrnellimA.  Ijip.    Tn  St.  John  C.  21  t.  15.  >  Isatas  xUv.  29. 

»  Concll.  Trid.  Ses.  23.  C.  4  «  AcU.  •  3es.  24  C.  18  De  Ref. 


THE  DUTIES  OF  A  PARISH  PRIEST.  509 

church  and  to  his  own  people.  '  The  office  then  of  the  parish 
priest  is  for  the  spiritual  good  of  his  people,  wrought  by  the  contin- 
ual preaching  of  the  Gospel  and  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments of  Christ.  To  the  parish  priest  then  belongs  the  care  of 
souls  living  within  a  certain  limit,  who  come  to  his  church,  and 
they  may  be  obliged  to  support  it.  He  continually  exercises  to- 
wards them  the  triple  office  of  teacher,  priest  and  ruler,  the  same 
as  the  bishop  is  the  teacher,  priest  and  ruler  of  the  diocese,  as  the 
Pope  is  the  teacher,  priest  and  ruler  of  the  church  universal,  —  all 
in  the  name  and  by  the  power  of  the  eternal  Prophet,  Priest  and 
King,  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  then  for  the  parish  priest  an  obliga- 
tion of  teaching,  sanctifying  and  ruling  his  people.  Nor  can  he 
refuse  when  they  reasonably  ask  from  him  these  holy  things.  On 
the  part  of  the  people,  they  must  as  far  as  necessary  provide  for 
his  support.  Thus  between  the  rector  and  the  people  there  is  a 
holy  contract,  by  which  he  gives  them  spiritual  things,  and  they 
give  him  temporal  things,  his  living. 

Now  we  begin  to  see  the  beauties  of  our  holy  mother  the  church. 
From  the  bosom  of  the  Holy  Trinity  came  Christ  to  earth,  and 
all  redeeming  powers  he  receives  from  the  Father,  he  gives  to  the 
church.  He  left  Peter  as  his  chief  pastor.  The  bishop  comes 
down  from  the  universal  church  into  his  diocese.  All  he  receives 
from  her  he  brings  to  the  diocese.  The  parish  priest  comes  down 
from  the  diocese,  and  all  he  receives  he  gives  to  the  parish,  and  he 
comes  bringing  to  his  people  the  teachings  of  Christ  and  his  sacra- 
ments, which  sanctifies  their  souls.  A  parish  priest  then  is  a  rec- 
tor, who  has  been  regularly  appointed  to  administer  the  parish  ia 
his  own  name,  to  preach  the  word  of  God,  and  administer  the 
sacraments  to  certain  persons  of  the  diocese,  and  these  people 
should  receive  these  spiritual  things  from  him.  Each  parish  then 
should  have  a  parish  church,  where  the  pastor  or  rector  may  preach 
and  administer  the  sacraments  to  the  people  of  that  section  of  the 
diocese. 

A  parish  priest  then  has  the  care  of  souls  redeemed  by  Christ. 
But  there  are  many  different  cares  of  souls.  The  Pope  has  the 
care  of  all  the  souls  of  men  in  the  world,  for  he  is  the  Vicar  of 
Christ  who  died  for  all  mankind.  The  bishop  has  the  care  of  the 
souls  of  those  living  in  his  diocese.  The  vicar-general  partakes  in 
the  same  power  with  the  bishop,  for  he  is  one  and  the  same  moral 
person  with  the  bishop,  as  the  Pope  is  one  and  the  same  moral 
person  with  Christ.  The  Pope  has  the  care  of  souls,  in  such  a 
way  that  in  him  resides  the  full  power  of  the  church,  both  in  the 
internal  and  in  external  courts.  The  bishop  has  the  care  of  souls 
in  his  diocese,  both  in  conscience  and  in  the  ecclesiastical  courts, 
while  the  parish  priest  has  complete  authority  only  in  the  confes- 
sional, the  internal  or  secret  court  of  conscience.  Only  by  persua- 
sion, by  advice,  or  by  the  denial  of  absolution,  can  he  induce  his 
people  to  be  good  and  avoid  sin. 

'  Cong.  Rotae  Romanae. 


510  THE  REMOVAL  OF  PAllISH  PRIESTS. 

No  parish  should  have  more  than  one  rector,  for  no  woman  can 
have  more  than  one  spouse,  '  nor  can  a  body  have  more  than  one 
head,  else  it  will  be  a  monstrosity.  AYhen  more  th^n  one  priest 
presides  in  a  church,  one  is  the  parish  priest  and  the  others  are  the 
assistants  of  the  pastor.  When  one  clergyman  attends  more  than 
•one  church,  all  together  they  form  one  parish,  for  a  man  cannot 
have  more  than  one  bride."  Yet  a  parish  may  have  two  or  more 
pastors  '  but  in  practice  it  gives  rise  to  many  difficulties. 

In  missionary  countries,  where  catholics  are  few  and  scattered, 
the  bishop  appoints  priests  to  missions  and  removes  them  at  will, 
until  the  diocese  and  the  parishes  are  fully  established,  then  new 
regulations  are  made,  according  to  which  all  things  are  to  be  ruled 
hy  the  common  law.  When  the  church  spreads  and  the  bishop 
becomes  the  real  titular  bishop  of  the  diocese,  and  not  the  vicar 
apostolic  of  the  Pope,  then  the  common  law  may  be  established, 
by  which  the  bishop  becomes  the  real  spouse  of  the  diocese,  and  the 
parish  priests  may  be  made  immovable  by  the  canons  of  the  church. 
In  this  case  the  parishes  are  not  only  under  the  bishop,  but  also 
under  the  common  law,  and  from  it  the  pastors  derive  their  rights. 
Thus  the  parish  in  its  full  organization  depends  not  only  on  the 
bishop,  but  also  on  the  Papacy,  the  Father  of  all  churches.  The 
III.  council  of  Baltimore,  according  to  the  desire  of  the  Holy  See 
made  one  in  ten  of  the  rectors  of  this  country  immovable,  as  com- 
manded. Whensuch  a  priest  is  accused  of  any  crime,  Jie  cannot  be  re- 
moved before  being  tried  by  the  canons  given  by  Leo  XIII.  in  the 
3Iagnopere,or  form  of  trial  for  this  country. 

According  to  the  Magnopere,  when  a  priest  is  accused,  the  pros- 
ecuting attorney  of  the  diocese  examines  the  witness  under 
oath,  sifts  the  charges,  reports  to  the  bishop  if  there  be  any  foun- 
dation for  them.  If  he  find  that  the  accusers  are  lying,  he  drops 
the  matter,  otherwise  he  draws  up  the  charges  in  the  form  of  an 
indictment,  and  cites  the  accused  for  trial.  The  latter  then  ap- 
points his  advocate.  If  he  admits  that  the  witnesses  were  rightly 
sworn  and  examined  at  the  preliminary  examination,  their  evidence 
is  accepted.  If  he  reject  them,  they  must  be  examined  over  again 
in  court,  and  cross  examined  by  the  advocate  of  the  accused.  Tlie 
trial  proper  begins  by  the  examination  of  the  witnesses  for  the 

{)rosecution,  all  proceedings  being  according  to  regular  form  of 
aw.  When  the  prosecution  lias  rested,  theaccused  brings  liis  wit- 
nesses on  the  stand  to  refute  the  other  testimony  against  him. 
The  prosecution  may  bring  in  rebuttal  evidence,  followed  by  re- 
butting evidence  on  the  part  of  the  accused.  Either  side  may  ap- 
peal to  the  archbishop  within  ten  days  after  the  decision  has  been 
given  by  the  priest  appointed  by  the  bishop  as  judge.  The  appeals 
in  every  case  shall  take  place  according  to  the  form  prescribed  by 
Benedict  XIV.*  The  metropolitan  court  then  sits  as  a  court  of 
appeal,  and  passes  only  on  the  evidence  brought  before  the  bishop's 

>  Rota  Decls.  684  n.  S.  p.  ■  *  Alexander  HI.  et  4.  QueteS.  c.  21. 

*  S  Cong.  ConcU.  18  Junil  1757.  *  Ad  MUltantis. 


THE  FORMATION  OF  PARISHES.  611 

<;ourt.  Many  rules  must  be  followed  under  penalty  of  rendering 
the  whole  proceeding  invalid  from  the  beginning.  Bishops  are  tried 
by  the  Congregation  at  Rome,  for  the  Holy  See  is  their  superior. 
All  this  is  to  guard  each  clergyman  in  his  rights,  and  to  punish 
those  who  are  guilty  of  crime. 

In  former  times,  when  monasteries  and  chapters  had  livings  or 
parishes,  with  the  right  of  appointing  the  pastors  to  them,  they 
reserved  a  part  of  the  revenues  to  themselves,  till  that  abuse  was 
condemned  by  the  Popes  and  the  councils.  In  Ireland  the  bishops 
often  reserve  certain  parishes,  and  appoint  an  assistant  to  administer 
them,  giving  them  parts  of  the  revenues  and  reserving  the  rest  to 
themselves.  In  France,  in  partial  payment  for  the  church  pro- 
perty confiscated  during  the  revolution,  the  government  gives  the 
pastors  and  bishops  a  certain  income,  called  a  salary.  But  the 
amount  is  so  small,  that  tliey  can  scarcely  live.  In  this  country  the 
pastors' and  assistants'  salaries  are  regulated  in  the  diocesan  synod, 
each  parish  gives  the  bishop  a  fixed  sum  each  year  called  the  cathe- 
draticum.  If  the  bishop  is  the  pastor  of  the  cathedral  parish,  from 
that  he  also  may  receive  a  pastor's  maintenance. 

As  the  pastor  rules  and  governs  the  parish  in  the  name  of 
Christ,  to  the  people  he  takes  the  place  of  our  Lord,  an  image 
of  the  everlasting  Head  of  the  universal  church,  so  the  pastor 
should  not  be  moved  from  the  parish  without  a  reason.  There 
must  be  a  sufficient  cause  for  breaking  the  bonds  of  unity  and  of 
fatherhood  between  the  parish  and  the  pastor.  That  the  Eoman 
Congregation  often  decided.  For  such  changes  in  a  parish  give 
rise  to  numerous  difficulties,  disputes  and  misunderstandings,  and 
work  to  the  detriment  of  souls. 

The  pastor  has  jurisdiction  to  administer  the  sacraments  to  his 
people,  and  he  retains  that  authority  as  long  as  his  office  of  pastor. 
For  CO  the  office  of  pastor  belongs  the  duties  of  administering  the 
sacraments,  preaching  the  Gospel  and  ruling  his  people.  If  he 
becomes  incapable  for  any  reason,  he  can  do  so  by  the  aid  of  an 
assistant. 

When  a  pastor  is  sent  to  a  people  who  never  before  belonged  to 
any  priest  the  parish  is  said  to  have  been  created. 

After  the  French  revolution  Pope  Pious  VII.  suppressed  all  the 
parishes  of  France,  and  after  the  concordate  of  180!^,  pastors  were 
appointed  to  all  the  parishes  of  the  kingdom.  It  seldom  happens 
that  the  people  living  in  a  section  of  a  diocese  do  not  belong  to 
any  pastor,  so  that  the  creation  of  a  parish  except  in  missionary  coun- 
tries seldom  takes  place.  It  belongs  to  the  bishop  to  assign  and 
appoint  a  pastor  over  a  part  of  the  diocese,  and  form  them  into  a 
parish.  The  bishops  and  the  priests  go  first  among  the  infidels 
as  missionaries,  preaching  to  them  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  When 
they  have  converted  them,  from  being  wandering  missionaries, 
they  become  settled  bishops  and  pastors,  fixing  their  seats  at  a 
certain  place,  usually  where  the  most  families  and  members  of  the 
-church  reside,  so  that  the  people  may  be  better  attended. 


5l5f  DIVIDING  AND  UNITING  PARISHES. 

As  Vicar  of  Christ  the  Redeemer  of  souls,  the  Pope  can  suppress^ 
erect,  or  divide  dioceses,  or  parishes.  No  one  ever  questioned  hi» 
authority,  for  he  is  the  supreme  Pastor  of  the  world.  We  read 
that  in  1170  Alexander  III  directed  the  bishop  of  York  to  build 
a  church  in  his  diocese,  and  appoint  a  pastor,  in  spite  of  the  appeal 
of  the  rector.  The  council  of  Trent  commands  the  bishops,  as 
delegates  of  the  Holy  See,  to  appoint  assistants  to  a  pastor,  where 
he  cannot  attend  to  his  duties  himself.  If  the  parish  be  so  exten- 
sive that  the  people  cannot  come  to  the  parish  church,  the  bishop 
may  divide  the  parish,  appoint  anew  pastor  to  the  part  so  divided, 
assign  him  his  sustenance  from  the  mother  church,  and  see 
that  the  people  of  the  new  parish  give  their  newly  appointed  rec- 
tor the  means  of  living.'  According  to  the  III.  council  of  Balti- 
more the  bishop  must  consult  his  council  before  he  divides  a 
parish,  *  hear  the  objections  of  the  pastor,  see  that  there  be  suf- 
ficient cause,  that  the  wants  of  the  people  require  it,  that  the  parish 
they  are  going  to  divide  is  too  large,  and  that  the  people  live  too 
far  from  the  church,  &c.  For  the  bishops  in  this  matter  as  in 
others  must  follow  the  laws  laid  down  by  the  Holy  See.'  If  the 
pastor  appeals  against  the  division,  it  will  not  suspend  the  act  of 
the  bishop,  which  may  be  reviewed  by  the  archbishop,  and  if  he 
appeals  to  the  Pope,  the  Propaganda,  as  a  last  court,  may  review 
the  case.* 

The  bishop  may  unite  two  parishes  into  one,  when  the  two- 
parishes  cannot  support  two  pastors.  Then  the  two  become  one 
parish,  with  only  one  rector,  with  the  title  of  only  one  church. 
Or  the  parishes  may  be  united  into  one  parish,  still  retaining 
their  old  title,  the  pastor  of  one  administering  the  other  like  a 
mission  attached  to  the  parish  where  the  rector  lives.  In  this 
way  several  dioceses  of  Ireland,  once  flourishing,  have  been  at- 
tached to  others  or  united  under  one  bishop.  But  says  the  coun- 
cil of  Trent,  this  should  not  be  done  to  the  detriment  of  the  pas- 
tor, and  it  may  better  take  place  at  his  death,  resignation,  or  with 
his  consent,  so  that  his  rights  may  not  be  trampled  on. 

In  former  times  as  now,  in  some  countries  many  rich  people 
build  churches  or  found  benefices  for  tlie  support  of  the  clergy, 
and  they  are  given  the  privilege  of  presenting  candidates  for 
such  churches.  The  bishops  appointed  the  persons  they  named, 
provided  they  had  duly  qualified  according  to  the  canons  of  the 
church,  which  regulated  these  nominations,  so  that  unworthy 
clergymen  might  not  be  appointed  to  these  benefices. 

The  Pope  as  the  head  of  the  universal  church,  appoints  the 
bishops,  wherever  they  are  nominated  by  the  government,  by  the 
pastors  of  the  diocese,  by  the  bishops  of  the  province,  by  the 
chapter  of  the  cathedral,  or  by  any  other  mode  of  nominating 
bishops.  The  true  appointing  power  resides  in  the  Pontiff,  the 
Pastors  of  bishops.      So  in  the  diocese,  to  the  bishop  ordinarily 

»  CoDcll.  Trld.  Ses.  21.  C.  4.  »  N.  20  ot  84.  89.  et  pp.  219,  231. 

»  8.  Cong.  Oonctl.  18W  T.  10  9  May.  *  Innocent  III.  Cap.  Pastoralls,  S2  T.  28. 


WHO  APPOINTS  THE  PASTORS?  513 

belongs  the  appointment  of  pastors  of  tlie  parishes.  For  as  the 
Son  was  sent  by  the  Father  to  the  world,  so  the  pastors  of  the 
■church  are  sent  by  their  father  the  bishop.  In  appointing  pas- 
tors to  permanent  rectorships  in  this  country,  according  to  the  HI. 
council  of  Baltimore,  the  candidate  must  have  labored  in  tiie  dio- 
cese for  ten  years,  and  during  that  time  shown  himself  a  capable 
pastor,  both  in  spiritual  as  well  as  in  temporal  things  of  the 
church.'  Benedict  the  XIV.  laid  down  the  rules  to  be  followed 
in  electing  such  pastors,  so  that  the  unworthy  may  be  excluded 
and  that  the  best  maybe  selected.  The  examination  must  be  on  mat- 
ters relating  to  the  pastoral  office,  before  the  bishop  or  his  vicar 
general,  and  before  at  least  three  of  the  clerical  examiners  of  the  dio- 
cese," Having  examined  the  candidates,  the  examiners  report  to 
the  bishop  the  names  of  those  whom  they  think  worthy  for  the 
vacant  parish,  and  the  bishop  can  judge  and  appoint  the  one  he 
thinks  most  worthy. 

To  the  Pope  as  the  Vicar  of  Christ  belongs  the  appointment  of 
all  offices  in  the  church.  He  is  the  supreme  administrator  of  the 
fold  of'Christ.  For  to  him  was  said  in  the  person  of  Peter:  "Feed 
my  lambs  feed  my  sheep."  When  inferior  administrators  refuse  or 
neglect  to  fill  vacancies,  the  Pope  may  supply  their  defect  and  fill 
the  vacant  office.  He  can  reserve  the  light  of  appointing  to  any 
office  in  any  diocese.  He  appoints  the  cardinals,  the  judges  of  the 
Eoman  courts,  the  ablegates  of  the  Holy  See,  the  bishops,  the 
archbishops,  the  pastors  in  certain  dioceses,  where  the  common 
laws  of  the  church  obtain,  even  some  of  the  canons  of  the  cathe- 
dral chapters,  for  he  is  the  chief  pastor  of  souls,  the  Vicar  of  him 
who  is  the  head  of  the  church.  From  the  days  of  Innocent  VIII. 
■Certain  appointments  were  reserved  to  the  Popes,  and  from  the 
XIII.  century  they  reserved  the  appointments  of  offices  in  the 
•chapters  of  the  cathedrals,  which  become  vacant  during  some 
months  of  the  year.  This  relates  especially  to  benefices  estab- 
lished for  the  support  of  the  clergy,  for  divine  worship,  and 
for  the  confirmation  of  bishops  elected  by  the  diverse  ways  estab- 
lished in  different  countries.  This  was  done  because  abuses  crept 
into  these  appointments,  and  because  the  Holy  See  wished  to  re- 
ward good  clergymen  and  clerics,  who  had  rendered  great  services  to 
religion,  and  also  that  the  Pope  might  be  indirect  communication 
with  all  parts  of  the  world.'  The  Pope  often  promotes  clergymen 
to  be  monsignors,  private  chaplains,  apostolic  notaries,  &c.,  in 
many  dioceses,  thus  making  them  members  of  the  Roman  diocese. 
The  appointment  of  all  the  patriarchs,  primates,  archbishops  and 
bishops  of  the  world  belongs  to  the  Pope,  from  him  they  receive  their 
jurisdiction  over  the  sheepfolds  of  Christ,  so  the  Pope  may  appoint 
the  pastors  under  them.  Hence  in  these  countries  where  the 
canon  or  common  law  of  the  church  obtains,  the  Holy  See  appoints 
some  of  the  parish  priests,*  after  the  regular  concursus  for  the 

»  Concll.  III.  Bait.  n.  36.  "  Concil.  Bait.  n.  41.  ^  Leurenius  For.  Benii.  q.  525. 

*  Bouts  De  Parocbo  Pars.  3d  9  rule. 


514  WHO  MAY  BE  APPOINTED  PASTOR, 

oflBce  has  been  held.  In  France,  according  to  the  concordate  of 
1801,  the  bishops  must  nominate  only  pastors  whom  the  govern- 
ment accept.* 

In  missionary  countries  where  the  common  law  of  the  church 
has  not  been  promulgated,  where  the  church  is  in  an  imperfect  or 
territorial  state,  the  bishop  appoints  all  rectors  of  parishes 
and  he  removes  nearly  all  of  them  at  will.  Where  the  church 
has  increased  so  as  to  become  more  fixed  and  stable,  the  laws  of 
the  universal  church  are  introduced,  so  that  while  the  bishop  may 
change  pastors,  he  must  not  do  so  without  cause.  "Where  the 
full  canon  laws  obtains,  when  they  refuse  to  go  he  can  do  so  only 
after  a  trial,  where  their  unworthiness  has  been  proved  by  a 
regular  legal  process.  In  English  speaking  countries,  where  the 
church  is  entirely  free  from  government  influence,  she  is  independ- 
ent in  all  her  movements.  This  power  of  appointing  to  all  offices  in 
the  church  resides  in  all  its  fulness  in  the  Koman  Pontiff,  from 
whom  it  flows  down  into  the  episcopacy."  If  the  appointment  has 
been  reserved  to  the  Pope,  the  bishop  cannot  interfere  when  the 
parish  is  vacant.  But  if  the  parish  is  not  so  reserved,  the  bishop 
can  appoint  the  pastor.  No  parishes  of  this  country  are  reserved 
to  the  Holy  See. 

As  the  Pope  is  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  what  he  does  in  the  church, 
he  does  for  our  dear  Lord,  for  he  rules  the  church  for  him,  of 
whom  he  is  the  prime  minister.  So  in  the  diocese,  the  image  of 
the  universal  church,  the  vicar  general  of  the  bishop  rules  the  dio- 
cese in  the  absence  of  the  latter.  The  vicar  general  then,  or  the 
administrator  of  the  diocese,  can  appoint  a  rector  to  a  vacant 
parish.  At  the  death  of  the  Pope  the  administrator  of  the  church 
universal  belongs  to  the  college  of  cardinals.  On  the  death  or 
resignation  of  the  bishop,  the  administration  of  the  diocese  falls  on 
the  chapter  or  senate  of  the  diocese,  in  countries  where  they  exist. 
But  they  cannot  confer  benefices,  or  appoint  permanent  rectors  of 
parishes,  for  they  are  only  administrators  till  the  see  is  filled.' 

We  now  come  to  the  candidate  for  a  vacant  parish.  In  the  first 
place  the  candidate  must  be  in  the  25th  year,^  of  sufficient  knowl- 
edge and  of  good  morals.  The  council  of  Trent  confirmed  all 
this  which  had  been  so  often  enacted  by  former  councils.'  Even  the 
bishop  cannot  dispense  in  this  law.  The  proposed  pastor  must 
have  received  at  least  tonsure,  and  he  should  be  ordained  at 
least  within  a  year  a  priest,  as  the  sacraments  depend  on  his 
priesthood.  These  matters  are  looked  into  by  the  bishop,  or  the 
authorities  who  appoint  the  pastor. 

The  union  of  the  pastor  with  his  parish  is  an  image  of  the  union 
of  Christ  with  his  church  universal.  Our  dear  Lord  espoused 
forever  his  church,  and  nothing  can  ever  dissolve  that  spiritual 
matrimony.  The  union  of  the  bishop  with  his  people  is  an  image 
of  the  union  of  Christ  with  his  church.     Onlv  death  should  part 

'  Pius  VII.  Bui.  Eccl.  Chrlsti.  «  Boulx  De  Parocho  p.  327. 

*  Cap.  Tic.  Ne  sede  vacante.  *  Alexander  III.  In  Conoil.  Lat.  GreR.  X. 

»  Cap.  Licet.  U.  T.  6.  L.  I.  in  6. 


HOW  THE  CHURCH  PUNISHES  THE  GUILTY.  515 

the  pastor  from  his  spiritual  bride,  his  people.  But  we  must  not 
look  for  perfection  in  this  world.  No  priest  or  bishop  can  be  as 
perfect  as  our  blessed  Lord.  The  human  and  the  divine  elements 
form  the  church,  as  the  human  and  the  divine  blended  in  the  one 
Personality  of  Christ.  The  human  nature  in  the  priesthood  tends 
to  fall  away  from  the  perfections  of  the  priesthood  of  Jesus  Christ. 
The  congregation  then  and  the  people  who  look  for  the  perfections 
of  God  in  the  clergy  will  be  mistaken.  Not  understanding  these 
things,  weak-minded  people,  who  find  faults  in  the  clergy,  tend  to 
fall  away  from  the  church,  as  though  the  church  were  founded  on 
men  and  not  on  her  founder  Christ.  It  matters  little  what  the 
priest  does,  the  sacraments  he  administers  are  the  holy  ordinances 
of  God,  the  channels  of.  grace  flowing  from  the  fountains  of  the 
Crucified,  and  they  come  direct  into  the  hearts  of  the  people,  not 
stopping  on  the  way  to  pass  by  or  through  the  priest,  who  admin- 
isters them.  Salvation  comes  direct  from  Christ  into  our  souls. 
The  clergy  may  have  their  faults,  but  they  are  the  faults  of 
individuals  and  not  of  the  church,  or  of  Christ  who  alone  re- 
deems. 

Whence  it  follows  that  in  every  age  some  of  the  clergy  have  fall- 
en under  the  weight  of  the  weaknesses  of  mankind.  They  may 
sin,  but  that  does  not  poison  the  streams  of  salvation  flowing  fromt 
the  God-man,  ever  working  by  his  Holy  Spirit  in  the  souls  of  men. 
But  when  such  sins  have  been  deliberately  and  publicly  com- 
mitted so  as  to  outrage  public  sentiment,  the  church  punishes  the 
breaking  of  the  laws.  Hence  bishops  and  pastors  may  be  suspended, 
deposed,  excommunicated,  or  degraded  from,  the  offices  they  dis- 
grace. But  like  health,  a  man  may  lose  his  good  name  without 
his  fault.  For  no  men  are  so  exposed  to  being  belied  as  the  clergy. 
Because  of  the  dignity  of  the  episcopacy,  Rome  alone  deals  with 
bishops,  the  Pope,  the  bishop  of  bishops,  alone  can  depose,  degrade 
or  suspend  them.  The  bishop  of  the  diocese  alone  can  deal  with 
a  priest,  unless  the  Holy  See  reserves  him  to  itself.  For  heinous 
crimes,  the  church  may  degrade  a  clergyman  and  deliver  him  to 
the  civil  power  to  be  punished.  As  it  belongs  not  to  the  laity,  but 
to  the  church  to  ordain  and  appoint  pastors,  so  to  the  church  be- 
longs the  power  of  deposing  clergymen.  As  the  sacrament  of 
orders,  like  baptism,  and  confirmation,  imprints  a  character  in  the- 
soul,  which  ever  remains  even  in  the  other  life,  so  no  one  can- 
ever  be  divested  of  his  orders.  But  the  exercise  of  these  spiritual 
powers  may  be  suspended  for  crime.  But  the  crime  should  be 
proved  in  a  regular  court,  subject  to  the  rules  of  testimony,  on 
which  the  judgment  of  the  court  should  be  founded.  A  pastor 
unwilling  then  should  not  be  removed  without  a  very  grave  cause.. 
His  title  should  not  be  taken  away  without  he  willingly  commits 
a  great  crime,  that  can  be  proved  before  a  court  of  justice,  for 
secret  sins  belong  to  the  confessional  only.  If  by  reason  of  health, 
or  for  other  reasons,  he  becomes  incapable  of  administrating  his 
parish,  a  coadjutor  or  an  administrator  should  be  appointed,  while 


516        HOW  COADJUTORS  AND  ASSISTANTS  ARE  APPOINTED. 

he  remains  the  pastor.  All  these  wise  rules  were  established  to 
guard  the  rights  of  the  office. 

The  extent  of  the  parish,  poor  health,  or  other  causes  may  ren- 
der the  pastor  unable  to  attend  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  peo- 
ple. The  bishop  can  send  him  an  assistant  priest.  The  latter  is 
called  in  English  speaking  countries  the  curate,  assistant  or  chap- 
lain. A  coadjutor  bishop  must  be  a  bishop  consecrated.  To 
be  a  coadjutor,  he  must  be  in  the  same  orders  as  the  one  he  aids. 
Thus  the  vicar-general,  although  he  helps  the  bishop,  is  not  his 
coadjutor.  A  deacon  who  helps  a  pastor  is  not  his  assistant  or 
coadjutor,  for  the  latter  must  be  a  priest.  When  by  incurable  de- 
fect of  either  body  or  mind,  a  pastor  cannot  govern  or  administer 
a  parish,  a  coadjutor  priest  should  be  appointed  to  help  him,  he 
retaining  the  title  of  pastor.  But  the  council  of  Trent  forbids 
coadjutors  to  be  appointed  with  the  right  of  succeeding  perma- 
nent pastors.'  But  the  council  makes  an  exception  for  bishops  and 
abbois,  when  sufficient  reasons  are  known  to  the  Holy  See,  for  such 
appointments  with  the  right  of  succeeding  are  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  the  church,  in  which  alone  the  Pope  can  dispense. 

The  assistant  must  be  supported  from  the  revenues  of  the  church 
according  to  the  statutes  of  the  diocese,  and  the  laws  and  regula- 
tions of  the  church.  If  the  pastor  appeals  against  the  appoint- 
ment of  an  assistant,  his  appeal  does  not  suspend  the  appointment, 
but  the  bishop  can  execute  the  mandate,  and  wait  the  decision  of 
the  higher  courts  of  the  church. 

•  The  assistant  must  not  be  taken  by  the  people  as  their  pastor, 
nor  are  they  his  people,  for  they  belong  to  the  pastor.  He  is  there 
as  the  assistant  of  the  parish  priest,  to  do  his  bidding,  to  take  his 
place,  to  administer  the  sacraments  in  his  name.  The  assistant 
then  has  not  the  title  of  the  church,  he  has  no  call  on  the  parish, 
he  can  be  changed  at  any  time  by  the  bishop.  The  assistants 
are  governed  by  all  the  rules  of  the  church,  as  the  pastors.  The 
pastor  has  the  right  of  administering  the  sacraments  to  his  peo- 
ple, and  the  people  should  not  go  to  another  parish  for  the  sacra- 
ments without  some  good  reason  ;  acting  otherwise  would  sometimes 
beeven  grievously  sinful.'  Yet  penitents  can  generally  go  anywhere 
to  receive  the  sacramemt  of  Penance,  and  also  the  Holy  Eucharist, 
except  at  Easter  time.  Each  parish  church  should  have  a  baptis- 
mal font,  where  the  converts  and  children  must  be  baptised.  If 
one  priest,  without  permission,  baptizes  the  subjects  of  another 
pastor  without  a  reason  he  commits  a  mortal  sin." 

By  the  common  laws  of  the  church,  the  pastor  has  internal  jur- 
isdiction in  the  confessional.  But  the  bishop  mav  reserve  in  the 
diocese  certain  cases  or  sins,  so  that  no  priest  of  the  diocese  can 
absolve  of  them.  Only  a  few  cases,  as  the  salvation  of  souls  may 
require,  should  be  reserved,  for  canonical  pastors  liavenot  delegated 
but  ordinary  jurisdiction,  says  Benedict  XIV.*     Although  the  jur- 

>  868.  25  C.  7.  *  Vd.  Boulx  De  Paroco  p.  448.  »  De  Paroctao  p.  448. 

**  De  Synod  Dlooes.  L.  5,  c.  4.  n.  3. 


PAKOCHIAL    RIGHTS.  517 

isdiction  of  the  pastor  extends  only  to  his  pasirh,  yet  the  Congre- 
gation stated  that  the  bishop  may  give  pastors  the  faculties  for  the 
whole  diocese.'  The  pastor  cannot  give  faculties  to  a  priest  from 
another  diocese  to  hear  confessions  in  his  parish.  Only  the  bishop 
€an  do  that,  because  the  latter  alone  can  give  jurisdiction  to  strange 
priests.  The  pastor  can  hear  his  own  subjects  in  any  place.  The 
pastor  cannot  dispense  from  vows,  except  by  special  faculties  as 
are  granted  for  some  cases  to  confessors.  The  pastor  alone  has  by 
common  law  the  right  to  administer  paschal  Communion  by  him- 
self or  his  assistants  to  his  people.  At  the  present  time  the  pastor 
cannot  force  his  people  to  hear  Mass  or  the  Sunday  sermon  in  his 
church,  for  they  can  go  to  Mass  to  any  church  they  choose.*  With- 
out cause,  no  priest  can  celebrate  more  than  one  Mass  each  day, 
except  on  Christmas,  when  they  may  say  three.  But  on  Sundays, 
when  there  are  two  congregations,  or  a  large  number  of  his  people 
who  otherwise  would  be  deprived  of  Mass,  a  priest  can  say  two,  one 
Mass  for  each  of  them,  but  not  without  permission  of  the  ordinary. 

The  council  of  Trent  made  a  law  obliging  people  to  get  married 
before  their  own  pastor,  so  that  the  marriage  would  be  invalid  if 
contracted  before  any  other  priest.  This  law  obliges  only  where 
it  has  been  duly  promulgated.  As  far  as  we  know  that  law,  called 
the  law  of  clandestinity,  has  not  been  promulgated  in  this  country, 
except  in  some  dioceses  of  the  South  and  the  West.  When  people 
are  about  to  be  married,  they  should  see  at  once  there  own  pastor, 
and  make  arrangments  with  him.  It  is  a  sin  both  for  them  and 
for  any  other  priest  to  marry  them,  the  bishop  or  his  delegate  alone 
excepted.  If  they  be  married  before  a  minister,  by  that  they  are 
excommunicated  from  the  church.  Such  is  the  law  in  this 
country.  If  one  of  the  parties  was  not  baptized,  the  marriage  is 
invalid,  even  when  contracted  before  their  own  pastor,  for  a  chris- 
tian by  a  universal  law  of  the  church  becomes  incapable  of  mar- 
riage with  an  unbaptized,  till  that  impediment  is  removed  by  a 
dispensation.  No  matter  how  long  they  live  together,  their  union 
is  null  and  void,  before  God  and  before  the  church.  As  marriage 
is  a  holy  sacrament,  and  the  church  alone  has  the  regulating  of  it, 
no  other  power  can  interfere  with  the  holy  rites  ordained  by  God. 

Before  marriage  the  parties  should  be  called  in  the  church,  that 
is  have  their  banns  proclaimed  by  the  pastor  or  by  his  direction. 
To  the  pastor  belongs  the  marriage  ceremony  and  the  nuptial 
blessing.  But  he  can  appoint  another  priest  to  take  his  place. 
But  as  the  bishop  is  the  pastor  of  pastors  in  the  diocese,  he  can 
administer  all  the  sacraments  to  the  people  in  any  parish.  His 
vicar-general  can  do  the  same,  for  he  represents  the  bishop 
throughout  the  whole  diocese.  But  they  should  not  do  this  un- 
less there  be  some  grave  reason.  The  pastor  should  not  marry 
parties,  unless  their  banns  were  called  in  the  church,  or  unless 
they  obtained  from  the  bishop  a  dispensation  from  the  calls. 
Pastors  have  been  granted  the  authority  of  dispensing  with  one 

i  Aug,  1600  L.  9  Dec.  p.  7.  *  Benedict  xlv.  De  Syn,  D.  L.  xl.  c.  U  7.  il. 


518  THE  SUPPORT  OF  THE  CLERGY. 

call,  and  the  good  of  souls  sometimes  requires  them  to  marry  in 
certain  cases  without  any  calls,  to  prevent  scandals.  The  pastor 
should  not  marry  people  privately,  without  reason,  for  these  wed- 
dings are  forbidden  by  the  church,  and  they  are  causes  of  scandals- 
and  troubles. 

It  belongs  to  the  pastor  to  anoint  his  people  when  they  are- 
sick  unto  death,  so  that  no  other  priest  except  in  case  of  necessity 
can  do  so  without  sin.  In  former  times  it  was  such  a  sin  to 
anoint  a  person  belonging  to  another  parish  without  reason,  that 
a  member  of  a  religious  order  who  did  so  without  cause,  in- 
curred an  excommunication  reserved  to  the  Pope.  '  The  same  may 
be  said  regarding  the  holy  Viaticum  or  communion  for  the  dying. 
Even  a  canon  or  a  member  of  the  cathedral  chapter  had  to  be  attend- 
ed by  the  pastor  in  whose  parish  he  lay  dying.  This  was  often 
decided  by  the  Holy  See.  The  bishop  alone  is  exempt  from  this 
law,  for  he  is  the  pastor  of  the  whole  diocese.  The  highest  in  dig- 
nity in  the  chapter  in  former  times  anointed  the  dying  bishop,  and 
prepared  him  for  death  in  the  presence  of  all  the  members  of  the 
cathedral  clergy."  By  this  we  see  how  carefully  the  church  guards 
the  rights  of  the  rector  in  these  cases,  so  as  to  prevent  people  run- 
ning around  from  church  to  church,  and  place  to  place.  For  the 
pastor  should  know  his  sheep  and  give  them  their  spiritual  food^ 
and  they  should  look  to  him  for  their  spiritual  wants. 

We  now  come  to  the  offerings  of  the  people,  the  perquisites  in 
a  parish.  They  belong  to  the  pastor.  The  offerings  for  a  Mass- 
belong  to  the  priest  who  says  the  Mass.  The  offerings  for  bap- 
tisms, marriages,  funerals,  &c.,  belong  to  the  rector.  The  pew 
rents  and  other  collections  belong  to  the  church.  From  them  the 
expenses  of  the  church,  the  livings  of  the  clergy,  the  salaries  of 
sextons,  organists,  &c.,  are  paid.  The  custom  of  the  place,  the  stat- 
utes of  the  diocese,  and  the  councils  regulate  these  things.  In  this 
country  the  rector  or  treasurer  of  the  parish  keeps  a  cash  book,  in 
which  all  the  revenues,  not  belonging  to  the  pastor,  are  entered, 
as  well  as  the  expenses.  A  report  signed  by  the  rector  and  the 
trustees  each  year  he  sends  to  the  bishop.  In  this  way  the  account- 
is  balanced  at  stated  times.  There  is  never  any  cause  of  sus- 
picion on  this  head,  for  the  church  makes  wise  laws  to  protect 
the  rector  from  being  wrongfully  accused  regarding  financial  mat- 
ters. When  money  or  property  is  left  to  the  church  for  any  ob- 
ject, it  should  be  devoted  to  the  object.  The  pastor  in  justice 
can  demand  his  living  from  the  people  he  serves.  *  The  livings 
of  the  clergy  are  regulated  by  the  bishop,  or  by  the  statutes  and 
customs  of  the  diocese.  The  amount  a  clergyman  receives  is  very 
small  considering  his  work,  as  he  does  not  work  for  money  but 
for  the  salvation  of  souls.  The  rectorship  is  an  office  which  he 
holds  for  life,  and  he  receives  only  enough  so  that  lie  can  live  like 
a  gentleman — as  becomes  his  high  and  holy  position  as  the  minis- 

'  Clement   I.  de  Prlv.  »  CsBremon.  L.  2.  C.  88, 8. 4. 

•  Barbosain  dn  Parocbo  C.  34,  n.  12. 


REGULATIOKS  REGARDING  FUNERALS.  519 

ter  of  Christ.  *'  Who  serves  the  altar  lives  by  the  altar.  "^  If  a 
priest  saves  money  from  his  livings  and  from  the  offerings  given 
him  by  his  people,  or  from  a  benefice,  that  is  his  business,  and  he 
is  free  to  dispose  it  during  life  or  at  his  death,  like  any  other  man. 

The  pastor  can  regulate,  under  the  supervision  of  the  bishop 
the  offerings  for  funerals  and  high  Masses  in  his  parish.  The  of- 
ferings for  low  Masses  are  regulated  by  the  customs  of  the  diocese. 
When  the  bishop  enacts  rules  for  the  whole  diocese,  the  pastor  and 
people  must  follow  them,  for  the  diocese  contains  the  parish,  and 
the  bishop  has  legislativepower  over  all  the  parishes  in  his  diocese. 
Few  clergymen  have  more  than  enough  for  their  living,  while  some 
of  them  are  poor.  The  Jews  were  commanded  by  God  to  give  for 
the  support  of  religion  the  tenth  part  of  their  revenues,  the  first 
fruits  of  the  earth,  the  first  born  of  their  flocks  and  of  their  chil- 
dren. This  was  the  custom  in  the  middle  ages,  and  the  remains 
may  be  seen  to-day  in  the  tithes,  still  exacted  in  some  catholic  coun- 
tries. Few  ever  miss  what  they  give  for  the  support  of  religion. 
The  sums  of  money  given  for  drink,  for  dissipation  and  for  foolish 
things,  mount  up  into  countless  millions  compared  with  the  small 
pittances  given  to  God's  worship,  or  for  the  saving  of  souls. 

The  rector  has  the  right  of  burying  his  people  for  it  is  a  religious 
ceremony.  ^  The  funeral  belongs  to  the  pastor  in  whose  parish  the 
person  dies,  or  to  the  pastor  whose  church  the  deceased  has  chosen 
for  his  funeral,  not  to  the  pastor  in  whose  cemetery  the  dead  will 
be  buried.  But  every  one  can  select  the  cemetery  in  which  they 
wish  their  remains  to  rest. '  In  this  country  converts,  whose  family 
have  a  lot  in  a  protestant  cemetery,  or  catholics  in  good  faith  who 
before  the  law  was  made  bought  such  a  lot,  may  be  buried  there 
and  the  grave  blessed  by  the  rector,  who  can  hold  the  funeral 
ceremony  either  at  the  house  or  at  the  church,  unless  the  bishop 
forbid  it.  *  No  priest  must  officiate  at  a  funeral  in  another  church, 
without  the  consent  of  the  rector  of  that  parish,  for  it  is  not  his 
church, 

A  pastor  is  obliged  to  attend  the  funerals  of  the  very  poor  with- 
out exacting  any  offering.  But  if  they  want  a  high  Mass,  he 
can  demand  the  usual  offering,  for  a  Requiem  High  Mass  is  an  unusu- 
al ceremony.  The  rector  can  dispense,  or  declare  that  a  person  is 
dispensed  from  fasting  from  food  or  abstaining  from  meat,  on  the 
days  prohibited.  He  can  also  allow  the  people  to  work  on  holy- 
days  when  necessary. 

Religious  orders  can  build  a  monastery  or  convent  in  the  parish 
without  the  consent  of  the  pastor,  for  as  they  belong  to  the  church 
universal,  by  authority  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome  they  can  erect  their 
houses  in  any  part  of  the  world,  when  they  get  the  permission  of 
the  bishop  of  the  diocese. 

The  council  of  Trent  requires  permanent  pastors,  and  all  having 
the  care  of  souls  to  make  a  profession  of  faith  and  obedience  under 

'  I.  Cor.  Ix.  13.  2  Innocent  III.  3  Tit-  de  Sepul.  12. 

'  I.  de  Sepult.  et  Licet  4.  «  III.  Coacll.  Bait.  n.  318. 


520  REGULATIONS  REGARDING  FUNERALS,  ETC. 

oath  to  the  Roman  Pontiff,  according  to  the  constitution  of  Pius 
IV.'  For  neglecting  or  refusing,  he  may  be  deprived  of  the  rev- 
enues of  his  office.  The  council  of  Trent  also  commands  both 
bishops  and  pastors  to  live  in  their  dioceses  and  parishes.  The 
bishop  must  not  without  cause  be  away  for  more  than  three,  or  the 
pastor  for  more  than  two  months,  unless  they  have  permission  from 
their  superiors.  Assistants  and  coadjutors  are  bound  the  same 
way.  But  the  common  law  allows  all  clergymen  to  take  a  vacation 
each  year,  or  to  attend  to  pressing  business.  The  danger  of 
catching  a  fatal  disease  will  not  excuse  a  pastor  from  residing  in 
his  parish,  and  attending  his  people  when  sick  with  such  diseases. 

The  pastor  must  keep  regular  records  for  baptisms,  marriages, 
confirmations,  burials,  moneys  received  and  paid  out.  In  the 
baptismal  records,  he  puts  down  the  name  of  the  baptized,  the  date 
of  birth  and  of  baptism,  the  father,  mother  and  sponsors.  He 
enters  in  the  marriage  records  the  names  of  the  man  and  wife,  the 
witnesses  and  the  date  of  the  marriage.  The  book  of  confirmation 
is  wherein  he  keeps  a  record  of  those  confirmed,  and  the  date  of  the 
bishop's  visitation  to  the  parish. 

Every  pastor  must,  ordinarily  speaking,  say  Mass  on  Sundays  and 
holydays  for  the  people  of  his  parish.  He  must  also  preach  the 
Gospel,  and  explain  the  teachings  of  religion  and  the  means  of 
salvation  to  the  people.  He  alone  is  the  judge  of  the  matter  and 
the  way  of  instructing  them.  The  pastor  has  the  right  of  preaching 
if  he  wishes,  or  he  can  appoint  another  to  do  so  in  his  place. 

The  temporal  administration  of  the  parish,  the  revenues  of  the 
church,  &c.,  are  controlled  in  various  ways.  In  some  states,  as  in 
New  York  and  New  Jersey,  this  is  done  by  a  board  of  trustees  com- 
posed of  the  pastor  and  two  laymen,  elected  either  by  the  bishop, 
by  the  pastor,  or  by  the  congregation  as  the  bishop  may  determine. 
All  business  matters  and  temporals  of  the  parish  come  before  them. 
The  pastor  is  by  his  office  president  of  the  local  board.  The  full 
board  comprises  with  these  mentioned  the  bishop  and  his  vicar- 
general.  At  a  meeting  of  the  full  board  by  right  of  office  the 
bishop  presides.  This  corporation  owns  all  the  church  property 
in  trust  for  the  congregation.  If  the  pastor  and  two  laymen  cannot 
agree  it  is  brought  before  the  full  board.  No  lay  trustees  can  be 
appointed  without  the  consent  of  the  pastor.  * 

>  868.  24  0. 12.  *  ConcU.  Bait.  n.  284  to  288. 


The  Religious  Orders. 

-HE  religious  orders  do  not  belong  to  the  essence 
of  the  church.  The  church  could  live  without 
them.     For  the  church  lived  and  flourished 
and   brought  forth  countless  saints,   before 
the  establishment  of  the  diverse  brotherhoods  and 
sisterhoods  now  so  flourishing.     Only  the  Papacy 
and  the  episcopacy  belong  to  the  essence  of   the 
church,  and  to  take  them  away,  the  teaching  church 
would  go  with  them,  and  there  would  be  no  one  to 
teach  the  laity,  or  to  ordain  ministers  to  continue  the 
saving  works  of  the  eternal  Priesthood  of  our  bless- 
ed Lord. 

In  the  Gospel  we  find  two  kinds  of  teachings — 
the  commands  of  Christ  and  the  counsels  of  our 
Lord.  The  commands  of  Christ  as  well  as  the  ten 
commandments  form  the  laws  of  God,  which  were 
given  to  rule  the  mystic  body  of  the  Lord,  his 
church.  They  are  the  perfecting  of  human  reason. 
To  break  them  is  sin  and  damnation  for  the  sinner. 
No  Pope,  council,  or  legislative  body  can  change 
them,  as  they  came  direct  from  Christ  or  from  God, 
and  the  same  authority  which  made  them  only 
can  change  them. 

But  in  the  Gospel  and  in  the  Bible,  we  find 
many  advices  or  counsels  for  the  guidance  of  men, 

621 


,^C10'«  .«««B«A«S  ^O.*  ,j^^^  ^^^^ 


A  LAW  BINDS,  AN  ADVICE  DOES  NOT.  623 

which  are  well  to  follow  or  not  to  follow,  but  not  to  follow  is  not  a  sin. 
Por  an  advice  does  not  bind  as  a  law.  When  we  ask  a  person's  advice, 
we  are  not  obliged  to  follow  it.  Jesus  told  a  young  man  to  go  sell  what 
he  had,  give  it  to  the  poor  and  to  come  and  follow  him  if  he  wished 
to  be  perfect;  he  told  his  disciples  when  they  were  struck  on  one 
cheek  to  turn  the  other  cheek  to  the  striker  ;  if  a  man  asked  of 
them  their  cloak  he  told  them  to  give  also  their  coats,  and  he 
told  them  not  to  take  the  second  coat  when  they  went  forth  to  con- 
vert the  nations.  These  were  not  commands  but  advices,  which 
they  were  free  to  follow  or  not.  Many  are  the  words  of  our  Lord, 
which  are  good  advices  but  not  laws.  To  follow  his  laws  is  to  be 
saved.  To  follow  his  counsels  or  advices  is  to  be  perfect.  His 
laws  bind  under  sin  but  his  counsels  do  not. 

The  whole  church  both  clergy  and  laity  follow  the  commands  or 
precepts  of  Christ,  while  the  religious  orders  follow  not  only  the 
commands  but  also  the  counsels  or  the  advice  of  Christ.  They 
ever  strive  to  be  perfect,  more  perfect  than  the  other  members  of 
the  church  and  by  such  lives  to  gain  a  higher  place  in  heaven. 
In  them  the  divine  life  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost  develops  not  only  the 
laws  of  Christ,  but  also  the  advices  of  Christ,  which  lead  them  to 
higlier  perfection  than  the  simple  laws  which  rule  the  rest  of  the  or- 
ganization of  the  church. 

To  get  the  right  idea  of  the  religious  orders,  we  must  consider 
the  whole  organization  of  the  church,  ever  ruled  by  the  laws  of 
nature,  by  the  laws  of  God  given  in  the  revelation  in  the  Gospel, 
by  the  special  laws  of  the  church,  at  the  same  time  governed  by  the 
laws  of  the  nations  under  which  the  various  members  live.  These 
are  the  four  codes  of  laws  for  the  whole  church.  But  there  will 
be  many  persons  in  the  church,  who  feel  not  satisfied  with  these 
ordinary  laws ;  they  will  not  be  content  with  keeping  from  sin,  by 
obeying  tlie  laws  only  They  will  look  for  a  higher  and  more 
perfect  st<-ite  ;  these  souls  dear  to  God,  will  feel  called  to  follow  the 
counsels  of  Christ — call  to  sell  all  they  have,  give  to  the  poor  and 
follow  him — follow  not  only  his  laws  and  keep  from  sin,  but  also 
choose  to  follow  his  counsels,  and  by  that  gain  more  holiness  in 
this  world,  and  a  higher  place  in  heaven. 

Then  the  religious  state  is  an  external  profession  of  christian 
perfection  ;  it  is  the  perfection  of  the  christian  religion  ;  the  ful- 
filment of  the  baptismal  vows  ;  the  completion  of  christian  holiness. 
The  keeping  of  the  simple  laws  of  the  church  and  of  the  govern- 
ment relates  to  justice,  while  the  keeping  of  the  counsels  of  our 
Lord  in  the  Gospel  relates  to  charity,  that  is  to  the  union  of  pious 
souls  with  God.  The  very  essence  of  the  religious  orders  is  to 
strive  towards  the  perfections  of  the  christian  life.  The  religious 
try  first  to  become  perfect  themselves,  and  then  they  labor  for  the 
good  of  their  neighbors.  They  die  for  themselves  to  live  for  others. 
Following  the  example  of  their  Lord,  who  delivered  himself  up  for 
others,  the  members  of  the  religious  orders  devote  their  lives  to  the 
good  of  their  neighbors. 


524        THE  vows  OF  POVERTY,  CHASTITY,  AND  OBEDIENCE. 

The  church  universal,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  by  its  very 
nature  holy.  But  the  members  of  the  church  are  not  equal  in 
holiness.  Some  are  holier  and  more  perfect  than  others,  for 
there  are  many  mansions  in  our  Father's  house  left  vacant  by  the 
angles'  fall,  and  to  these  were  we  called,  and  in  this  life  there  are 
many  ranks  or  stages  in  our  approach  to  God.  While  the  larger  part 
of  the  race  marry  and  bring  forth  children,  yet  God  calls  others  to 
the  higher  state  of  virginity.  These,  listening  to  his  inward  voice, 
renounce  the  world,  the  flesh,  their  own  wilful  desires  and  enter 
the  religious  orders. 

Holiness  then  is  the  very  essence  of  the  religious  life.  With- 
out that  holiness  as  its  object,  there  can  be  no  religious  life.  But 
men  can  unite  for  many  other  ends  than  a  holy  life.  Man  and 
woman  join  in  wedlock  for  the  propagation  of  the  race,  men  form 
companies  to  make  money  or  for  pleasure.  But  these  are  not 
religious  orders,  for  their  ends  are  worldly,  and  they  are  for 
the  temporal  advancement  of  the  members.  But  when  bodies  of 
men  or  of  women  unite  to  promote  personal  holiness,  these  are 
religious  associations. 

But  we  must  take  men  as  we  find  them,  born  of  the  fallen  race 
of  Adam  with  all  the  weakness  of  the  race.  We  are  attached  to 
the  creatures  of  this  world,  and  the  things  we  see  make  deeper  im- 
pressions on  us  than  the  things  of  eternit}^ — visible  things  attract 
and  drag  us  down  to  their  own  level,  creatures  ever  draw  us  from 
God.  The  passions  of  the  soul  for  worldly  things  may  be  re- 
duced to  three  heads — the  love  of  creatures,  the  instinct  of  prop- 
agating our  race,  and  the  love  of  our  own  free  will.  Man  has 
not  only  a  soul  but  also  a  body.  By  property  and  possession, 
the  goods  of  this  world  become  his,  and  his  means  of  bodily  com- 
fort are  much  increased.  The  race  was  not  all  created  at  once 
by  God  as  the  angels,  but  the  child  is  born  of  man  and  woman 
in  wedlock,  an  image  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  '  The  instinct  of  prop- 
agating the  race  is  in  the  nature  of  man,  and  of  all  other  passions 
it  is  the  most  abused.  The  will  guides  man  in  all  his  reasonable 
acts.  Being  the  head  of  creation,  man  instinctively  loves  to  have 
his  own  way  in  all  things,  and  it  is  not  pleasant  for  man  to  be 
under  another. 

It  would  be  impossible  for  men  or  women  to  live  in  religious 
orders  afflicted  with  all  these  passions.  They  would  continually  dis- 
pute about  property,  quarrels  would  arise  about  the  possessions 
of  each,  many  families  could  not  live  in  the  same  house,  their 
children  would  fight  and  quarrel,  and  no  house  could  be  built 
large  enough  for  numerous  united  families,  while  Avithoutaunion 
of  strength  they  would  divide  and  separate.  To  remedy  these 
evils  the  church  offers  three  remarkable  remedies  or  measures 
never  before  proposed  by  man,  and  never  put  in  practice  outside 
the  church.  Thev  are  the  three  vows  ofpovertv,  chastity  and  obedi- 
ence.    Thus  with  the  wisdom  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  three  great 

>  See  Han  tbe  Mirror  of  tbe  UniTeree  by  tbe  Autbor. 


THE  PERFECTION  OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  ORDERS.  525 

evils  of  the  fallen  man  are  rooted  out  at  their  very  source.  All 
the  advices  or  couucils  of  our  Lord  in  the  Gospels  may  be  reduced 
to  these  three  heads,  and  by  keeping  these  three  vows  the  mem- 
bers of  religious  orders  keep  the  councils  of  our  Lord  in  their  most 
heroic  degree.  We  read  of  heroes  and  we  admire  their  heroism, 
but  the  heroism  of  the  saints  transcends  all  the  heroism  of  the 
world.  For  real  nobility  does  not  consist  in  conquering  others, 
but  inovercommg  ourselves.  "He  that  overcometh  himself  is 
greater  than  he  that  taketh  a  city.  "  ' 

By  these  three  vows,  the  members  of  the  religious  orders  detach 
themselves  from  the  things  of  this  world,  that  they  may  be  free 
from  earthly  passions,  that  they  may  rise  towards  God,  untramelled 
by  the  weight  of  creatures.  On  earth  they  live  the  lives  of  the 
angels  of  heaven.  Angels  have  no  bodies.  For  them  material 
things  are  useless.  Wlience  they  have  no  possessions  or  dominion 
over  material  things.  '  They  do  not  propagate  their  race,  for  they 
have  no  generative  powers.  Divided  by  their  nature  into  nine 
choirs,  one  above  another,  each  rank  consists  of  countless  numbers, 
each  individual  spirit  is  a  complete  species  or  race  in  itself,  they 
obey  one  the  other,  the  lower  are  subject  to  the  higher,  with  the 
eternal  Son  of  God  at  their  head — thus  God  at  creation  formed 
the  ranks  of  the  angelic  hosts.  The  religious  orders  resemble  the 
countless  hosts  of  heaven,  ever  standing  before  the  throne  of  God 
worshipping  the  Almighty. 

The  property  of  the  religious  belong  in  common  to  the  whole 
order,  they  have  no  care  for  the  things  of  this  world,  they  curb 
tiie  passions  of  fallen  nature,  they  obey  their  superiors  on  earth, 
they  live  the  life  of  angels,  they  practice  lives  of  heavenly  virtue, 
inasmuch  as  it  is  possible  for  fallen  man.  Since  mankind  lost 
the  delights  of  paradise,  there  is  no  other  state  of  life  so  peaceful, 
so  separated  from  the  turmoils  of  life,  so  independent  of  the  anx- 
ieties and  the  crosses  of  this  fallen  state.  But  this  is  only  for 
those  whom  God  calls  to  that  perfect  state.  For  those,  who  enter 
without  a  call,  or  for  those,  Avho  b}'  their  own  fault  have  lost  wholly 
or  in  part  their  divine  call,  the  religions  state  is  a  hell.  The  re- 
ligious must  first  he  sure  that  God  calls  him  to  that  state,  and 
then  take  care  that  by  his  own  sin  he  does  not  lose  that  call,  and 
all  the  graces  belonging  to  it.  Having  arrived  at  that  state  where 
he  loves  no  creature,  where  all  liis  love  is  for  the  Creator,  no  crea- 
ture can  afflict  him,  and  the  Creator  rewards  them  with  his  choic- 
est blessings.  No  one  can  love  a  creature,  but  that  creature  will 
sooner  or  later  afflict  him,  because  man  was  made  to  love  God  and 
him  alone.  But  for  tlie  good  of  the  race  and  for  the  perfecting 
of  the  individual,  God  has  implanted  the  family  instincts,  and 
the  desire  of  worldly  things  in  the  hearts  of  those  whom  he  calls 
to  "worldly  lives,  while  to  those  whom  he  calls  to  the  religious 
life  he  fills  Avith  the  desiies  of  the  heavenly  perfections.  The 
way  then  to  know  if  you  are  called  to  the  religious  life,  is  to  con- 
^  Psalm.  '  Card.  De  I.uro  De  Jusilcia  et  Jure. 


526  OBJECT  OF  THE   RELIGIOUS  LIFE. 

suit  your  own  heart  and  seek  what  the  Creator  has  imphanted  there. 

The  members  of  the  religions  orders  live  like  the  angels  of 
God;  they  marry  not,  neither  are  they  given  in  marriage;  their  lives 
begin  the  eternal  life  of  heaven.  By  chastity  they  are  married  to 
the  "  Lamb  of  God,  "  by  poverty  they  take  God  as  their  eternal 
inheritance,  and  by  obedience  they  obey  the  Son  of  God,  whom 
they  see  represented  in  their  superiors.  Bnt  as  the  things  of  heav- 
en are  seen  only  in  their  shadows  iiere  below,  so  one  mnst  not  look 
for  the  perfections  of  heaven  in  the  imperfections  of  earth.  The 
religious  fulfil  the  baptismal  vows  by  their  regular  lives.  Buried 
in  Christ  by  the  waters  of  baptism^  dead  to  their  friends  and  to 
the  world,  in  his  death  they  live  only  for  Christ,  for  the  church, 
and  for  the  benefit  of  their  neighbors.  Taking  into  account  that 
all  are  not  called  to  such  a  perfection  in  this  world,  Christ  does  not 
invite  every  one  baptized  to  the  perfections  of  the  convent  and  tlie 
monastery.  Those  whom  he  loves  with  a  special  and  particuhir 
love,  them  alone  he  calls,  while  tlie  greater  pavt  of  the  members 
of  the  church  still  retain  their  attachments  to  worldly  things,  till 
the  moment  of  their  death,  when  temporal  goods  will  be  useless 
to  tliem  in  eternity.  Thus  the  religious  orders,  even  while  living 
in  this  world,  approach  the  perfections  of  that  othei-  high  and  lieav- 
enly  life,  by  purifying  the  soul  from  certain  attachments  to  things 
below  us. 

The  members  of  the  religious  orders,  the  monks  and  nuns  of  the 
church  live  by  their  lives  the  words  of  St.  Paul:  '*  Know  ye  iiot 
that  all  we,  who  were  baptized  in  Christ  Jesus,  are  baptized  in  his 
death.  For  we  are  buried  together  with  him  by  baptism  unto  death, 
that  as  Christ  is  risen  from  the  death  by  the  glory  of  the  Father, 
so  we  also  may  walk  in  the  newness  of  life.  For  if  we  have  been 
planted  together  in  the  likenes"?  of  his  death,  we  slnill  be  also  in  the 
likeness  of  his  resurrection.  Knowing  this,  that  our  old  7uan  is 
crucified  with  him.  that  the  body  of  sin  may  be  crucified,  to  the 
end  that  we  may  serve  sin  no  lonjrer.  For  he  thntis  dead  is  justi- 
fied from  sin.  Now  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we 
shall  live  with  Christ.  &c.  '  Thus  the  members  of  the  religious 
orders  follow  the  counsels  of  the  Saviour.  Dying  to  themselves 
they  live  but  for  God.  and  for  the  good  of  their  neighbors.  But 
the  external  habit  of  the  religious  will  not  .save  them,  unless 
they  follow  their  rules  and  become  more  or  less  perfect.  Becjiu?e 
if  one  belongs  to  the  church,  it  will  not  save  him  unless  he  follow 
its  divine  teachings.  'I'hose  belonging  to  the  spirit  of  the  church 
form  a  part  of  the  invisililo  body  of  Christ,  they  may  still  live  un- 
known in  the  world  and  follow  the  connsel.sof  the  gospel.  These 
may  be  leally  religious,  and  they  may  become  more  perfect  thaii  the 
members  of  the  religious  orders,  with  all  their  external  profession 
made  before  the  church,  when  they  do  not  put  it  in  practice  in 
their  daily  lives. 

As  the  religious   orders  tend  to  the  perfection  of  the  members,, 
•  Kom.  V.  3. 1  Q. 


OarOIif  OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  ORDERS.  527 

and  the  object  is  to  make  them  saints,  it  follows  that  the  religious 
orders  are  founded  in  the  holiness  of  the  church.  They  are  theex- 
ternul  showing  forth  of  the  in  visible  holiness  of  the  church  universal. 
For  the  churcli,  the  spouse  of  Christ,  is  holy  by  the  indwelling  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  external  profession  of  the  religious  orders 
of  the  church  is  the  outside  expression  of  that  holiness,  which  the 
church  enjoins  on  all  her  members.  They  carry  that  holiness 
within  their  souls,  hidden  from  the  world.  As  the  clergy,  the  of- 
ficers of  the  church,  form  the  highest  and  the  most  perfect  part 
of  tlie  bride  of  Christ,  they  too  are  called  to  all  the  perfections  of 
the  holiness  of  the  church,  even  to  the  highest  perfections  of  the  re- 
ligious. Although  the  secular  clergy  do  not  take  the  three  vows  of 
the  religious  orders  at  ordinations,  they  should  cultivate  the  spirit 
of  the  poverty,  chastity  and  the  obedience  of  the  members  of  the 
religious  orders.  For  that  reason  St.  "i'homassays  that  the  bishop, 
the  summit  of  the  sacrament  of  holy  orders,  should  be  poor  in  spirit 
and  have  all  the  perfections  of  the  religious.  '  Thus  we  see  that 
the  religious  orders  are  like  the  exterior  vestments  of  the  church, 
the  beautiful  bride  of  Christ. 

The  religious  orders  then  form  one  of  the  chief  branches  of  the 
living  trunk  of  Christ  and  it  bears  the  finest  fruit.  As  all  the 
members  of  the  church  were  called  to  that  internal  perfection,  of 
which  the  religious  orders  are  the  external  expression,  it  follows 
that  the  internal  profession  of  that  perfection  belongs  to  the 
essence  of  the  church.  The  essence  of  a  thing  is  that  without 
which  it  cannot  be.  Therefore  we  conclude  that  the  perfections 
of  the  religious  orders  belong  to  the  essence  of  the  church,  and  it 
was  in  the  church  from  the  very  beginning.  Thus  we  read  that  at 
the  foundation  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  the  people  sold  their 
goods  and  brought  them  to  the  feet  of  the  apostles,  and  they  spent 
their  whole  time  in  prayer,  like  the  religious  orders  at  the  present 
time.  The  apostles  were  the  first  religious.  While  living  with 
our  Lord,  they  had  all  things  in  common,  and  Judas  kept  the  pnrse, 
which  was  the  common  money  of  tiie  little  band.  After  the 
ascension  of  our  Lord,  the  rising  church  at  Jerusalem  offered  the 
world  the  example  of  a  completed  religious  order,  comprising  the 
members  of  the  whole  church.  The  example  was  given  them  by 
our  Lord  himself,  who  while  on  earth  lived  with  the  apostles, 
having  all  temporal  things  in  common  with  them.  Li  every  part 
of  the  world  where  the  church  had  spread  in  the  apostolic  age,  the 
Holy  Ghost  formed  the  dioceses  and  the  parishes  on  the  model  of 
the  church  at  Jerusalem,  having  their  goods  in  common,  all  un- 
der the  direction  of  the  first  bishops  and  priests. 

As  our  Lord  used  to  spend  his  nights  and  parts  of  his  days  in 
solitude  in  the  deserts,  fasting  and  praying,  this  example  was 
followed  by  the  laity  and  clergy  of  the  early  church.  When  lay 
persons  spent  their  lives  in  the  solitudes  of  the  deserts,  they  were' 
called  ascetics,  hermits,   ancorites,  &c.    The  early  history  of  the 

•  Sum.  Theo.  Ila  Ilae  Q.  olxxxiv.  a.  5. 


528  THE  RELIGIOUS  OF  THE  EARLY  CHURCH. 

church  is  filled  with  stories  of  the  reliofions  of  the  deserts.  That 
was  before  the  establisliment  of  the  religious  orders  proper.  The 
early  bishops,  disciples  of  the  apostles^  practised  the  religious  life 
to  the  highest  degree. 

From  the  very  beginning  of  the  church,  holy  souls  felt  called  to 
a  higher  state  of  perfection.  These  members  of  the  church,  not 
satisfied  with  practising  the  commands  of  the  Gospel,  but  wishing 
to  follow  as  well  the  counsels  of  Christ,  they  took  vows  of  virginity, 
sold  all  their  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  lived  as  religious  among 
the  laity.  In  the  early  church  they  did  not  form  a  body  separate 
from  the  laity.  They  were  known  alone  to  the  clergy,  they  took 
their  vows  in  secret  under  the  advice  of  their  confessor.  Even  to 
this  day  the  laity  may  take  vows  in  secret,  in  the  confessional. 
The  early  church  was  filled  with  religious  men  and  women 
practising  among  the  people  the  most  heroic  virtues.  The  bishops 
appointed  special  priests  to  take  charge  of  these  religious  persons. 
Thus  within  the  dioceses  of  the  early  church,  we  find  the  commu- 
nites  of  the  perfect  christians,  for  besides  the  regular  organization 
of  the  diocese,  rose  the  convents  and  monasteries  for  both  sexes. 
Their  title  is  mentioned  in  the  council  of  Chalcedon.'  The 
religious  then  we  find  were  from  the  very  beginning  of  ciiristianity. 
They  were  few  at  the  beginning,  but  as  the  wants  of  the  people 
increased,  also  grew  up  colleges  of  religious  priests,  assisted  by 
deacons,  subdeacons  and  ministers,  each  having  his  duties  marked 
out  by  the  superiors.'  They  had  an  organization  similar  to  that 
of  the  diocese.  They  differed  from  the  secular  clergy  only  in  the 
practise  of  a  higher  religious  life.  They  were  a  complete  church, 
but  a  more  perfect  church  by  the  flourishing  of  the  virtues  of  a 
more  perfect  state.  Fully  organized,  these  religious  communities 
were  governed  by  a  double  authority,  that  of  tlieir  own  superioi-s 
sent  to  them  by  the  bishop,  and  by  the  bishop  himself,  who  had 
supreme  authority  over  them. 

Pushed  on  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  many  penetrated  into  the 
wildest  and  most  secluded  places,  where  free  from  the  distracting 
cares  of  the  world,  they  lived  the  most  heroic  lives  of  solitude  and 
of  prayer.  "When  the  dioceses  and  the  parishes  became  vacant, 
the  clergy  and  laity  often  chose  the  bishops  and  the  pastors  from 
the  ranks  of  these  solitaries  and  saints.  Thus  Sts.  Bazel,  the  two 
Cyrils,  Chrystom,  and  nearly  all  the  great  men  of  the  early  ages 
came  from  the  solitude  of  their  retreats,  to  rule  the  churches  to 
which  they  had  been  elected  by  the  votes  of  both  clergy  and  people. 
At  no  time  did  the  church  have  greater  men  at  the  head  of  tlio- 
ceses,  in  the  great  historic  churches,  than  these  men  chosen 
from  the  solitudes  of  the  Levant.*  Later  nearly  all  the  abbots 
were  ordained  priests  by  the  bishop  in  whose  diocese  the  commun- 
ity was  established.  The  abbots  used  to  confer  the  lower  orders 
on  the  inferior  ministers  of  their  orders.  Its  vestiges  remain  even 
to  our  day,  abbots  can  give  tonsure  and  ordain  the  clergy  to  mi- 

>  CODcU.  Cbtd.  Can.  0.  '  Concil.  Arelat  an.  445.         '  GreR.  Mag.  U  VL  Epist.  UK. 


DIFFEKENCE  BETWEEIS"  SECULARS.  AND  REGULARS.  529 

nor  orders.  When  a  synod  of  the  diocese  was  called,  the  priests  of 
the  religious  orders  took  part  in  the  deliberations  of  the  clergy. 
Bat  as  the  religious  orders  were  established  later  than  the  dioceses, 
as  they  had  superiors  more  directly  over  them,  they  came  in  a  place 
second  only  to  the  secular  clergy  of  the  diocese.  That  is  the  prac- 
tice even  in  our  day.  This  is  seen  in  the  early  councils.  In  com- 
munities with  numerous  members,  the  abbot  often  became  the 
archpriest  or  the  vicar -general  of  the  bishop.  As  timewent  by 
many  more  members  of  the  communities  became  priests,  that  they 
might  say  mass,  attend  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  monks  and 
laity  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  monks  not  only  looked 
after  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  community,  but  they  converted  the 
pagans  of  the  Eoman  empire.  Then  the  bishop  appointed  them 
pastors  of  these  converted  peoples  whom  they  had  brought  into  the 
church.  To  avoid  conflicts  between  the  clergy  of  the  diocese  and 
the  monks,  about  the  IX.  century  the  councils  enacted  many  regu- 
lations, defining  the  limits  of  the  authority  of  the  monastic  orders.* 
The  history  of  the  church  in  these  ages  shows  the  immense  labors  of 
the  monks  in  christianizing  the  rude  peoples  of  these  times.  All 
Europe  felt  the  works  of  these  holy  men.  Only  God  knows  the 
hardships  they  underwent  to  soften  the  morals  of  the  race,  and  to 
drive  out  the  abominable  corruptions  of  the  Roman  empire.  They 
penetrated  to  every  race,  tribe,  and  tongue,  preaching  to  all  men 
Christ  and  him  crucified .  By  the  lapse  of  ages,  some  of  these  mon- 
asteries became  not  only  parish  churches,  but  also  episcopal  sees, 
even  many  had  archiepiscopal  jurisdiction  over  other  bishops,  be- 
cause they  were  the  residence  of  the  archbishops.  In  these  cases 
the  members  of  the  community  were  appointed  to  the  titles  of  the 
churches  of  the  city,  as  were  the  priests  belonging  to  the  regular 
diocesan  clergy. 

The  ordinary  clergy  of  the  dioceses  were  called  the  secular  clergy, 
and  the  clergy  of  the  monasteries  were  named  the  regular  or  ascetic 
clergy,  a  distinction  observed  even  in  our  day.'  In  the  council 
of  Laodicia,  Pope  Sixtus  called  all  the  clergy,  both  canonic  and 
monastic  to  meet  in  tlie  basilica  of  Helena.  This  distinction  be- 
tween the  secular  or  canonic  and  the  monastic  clergy  is  mer.tioned 
in  the  Capitulesof  Charlemagne."  It  was  held  throughout  the  mid- 
dle ages,  even  the  council  of  Trent  shows  the  difference  between 
the  benefices  of  the  clergy  of  the  diocese  and  those  of  the  monks. 

Although  the  secular  clergy  of  the  diocese  was  organized  by 
Christ  in  the  persons  of  the  apostles  and  their  disciples,  yet  the 
church  calls  all  her  clergy  to  the  perfection  of  the  religious.  If 
the  secular  clergy  of  the  diocese  do  not  take  the  vows  of  poverty 
and  of  obedience  like  the  monks,  still  they  are  called  to  the  same 
in  spirit.  St.  Jerome  writing  of  this  says  that  the  clergy  are  thus 
named  from  the  Greek  word  "cleros"  meaning  a  part,  an  inherit- 
ance, for  the  ministei'S  of  Christ  have  chosen  the  Lord  as  their 

>  Concll.  Constan.  in  531!  Synod  Auxer.  Synod  Roman  Can.  under  Pope  Eii^enius  II.  &c. 
^  Concil.  Mogiint.  Cap.  U  in  847.  ^  Concil.  Laod.  Can.  90  held  in  314. 

*  Capt.  L.  VI.  C.  301. 


.530  HOW  RELIGIOUS  ORDERS  ARE  FOUKUED. 

inheritance;  like  the  priestly  tribe  of  Levi,  they  receive  no  inber- 
iiance  in  the  promised  land,  for  the  Lord  God  alone  is  their 
part  and  their  inheritance.  '  To  this  day  nearly  all  the  religions 
orders  have  not  only  priests,  but  also  brothers,  who  never  ascend  to 
the  priesthood  or  receive  any  of  the  holy  orders.  But  they  are 
as  much  bound  to  follow  the  counsels  of  the  Gospel,  as  are 
the  clergy.  We  must  not  fall  into  the  error  of  supposing  that  the 
religious  orders  came  later  than  the  secular  clergy  of  the  church, 
for  Pope  Pius  V.  says:  "The  regular  canons  derive  their  origin 
from  the  apostles."*  The  words  of  St.  Jerome  are:  "Whatever 
is  found  in  the  monks  is  more  abundantly  among  the  clergy,  who 
are  the  fathers  of  monks.  *'  The  monastery  and  the  religious  as- 
sociations or  communities  are  real  parishes,  with  all  the  notes  of 
true  parishes  or  dioceses,  ruled  by  the  common  laws  of  the 
church.  They  are  the  most  perfect  of  the  churches,  living  with- 
in the  womb  of  the  church  universal,  living  her  life  and  drawing 
from  her  their  spiritual  nourishment.  As  each  diocese  and  paiish  is 
the  church  universal,  individualized  and  particularized  and  vis- 
ible where  it  exists,  like  each  man  is  universal  human  nature 
individualized  with  all  the  peculiarities  of  his  own  individuality, 
so  each  religious  community  has  its  own  peculiar  ways,  customs, 
and  characteristics. 

The  members  of  the  religious  orders  in  the  Ejist  separated  one 
from  another  from  the  beginning.  Then  each  was  free  to 
follow  the  bent  of  his  own  inclinations.  When  driven  to  the 
West  by  persecutions,  they  formed  and  united  again  under  the 
common  law  of  St.  Benedict,  and  in  place  of  living  separate  they 
began  to  unite  into  communities.  But  numerous  ditferent  orders 
sprang  up,  each  with  its  own  peculiar  rules  and  customs,  so  that 
in  our  day  there  are  a  great  many  difiFerent  religious  orders  in  the 
church.  Under  the  leivdership  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  have 
banded  into  associations  for  the  perfection  of  the  members,  some- 
what as  we  see  in  ourday,  business  men  form  associations  for  busi- 
ness, pleasure,  and  money  making,  each  stockholder  having  a  part  of 
the  profits,  according  to  the  amount  of  his  money  in  the  company. 

As  the  religious  orders  relate  to  the  whole  church,  and  not  to 
ajiy  one  diocese  or  nation  alone,  thus  it  comes  to  pass  that  before 
they  can  exist,  they  must  have  the  approbation  of  the  head  of  the 
church,  the  Roman  PontilT.  For  no  other  bishop  has  ordinary 
authority  or  jurisdiction  over  all  the  church.  Therefore  when  a 
saint  established  his  order,  he  first  got  the  approval  of  the  Pope. 
This  is  seen  in  the  lives  of  all  the  founders  of  religious  orders. 
They  received  their  impulse  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  then  the  Vicar 
of  Christ  established  them  by  his  supreme  authority.  But  as  the 
bishop  is  the  ruler  of  his  dio(;ese,  and  the  head  of  his  diocese  un- 
der the  Roman  Pontiff,  before  any  religious  order  comes  into  the 
diocese  the  members  must  get  tlie  permission  of  the  bishop  of  the 
diocese.     As   the  church  universal  profits  by  their   labors,  they 

>  St.  Uier.  Epist.  111.  ad  Nepot.  '  Bull  Cum  ex  ordlnem  Dec.  19, 1570. 


THE  ESSENCE  OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE.  531 

belong  to  her,  their  bishop  is  tlie  Pope,  who  alone  in  this  world 
has  universal  spiritual  jurisdiction.  They  are  apostles  in  the 
sense  tiiat  they  belong  to  the  whole  church,  and  every  diocese  into 
which  they  come  has  the  benefit  of  their  labors.  Often  in  this 
cr-uitry  they  have  charge  of  parishes,  asylums,  schools,  colleges, 
reformatories,  in  fact  every  work  for  the  bettering  of  human  life. 

"JMie  reader  will  now  understand  that  there  are  two  things  to 
consider  in  the  Gospel  words  of  our  Lord,  the  law  by  which  we 
enter  heaven,  the  council  by  wliich  we  get  a  higher  place  tlian  those 
who  keep  the  law.'  "  If  thou  wilt  enter  into  life  keep  the  command- 
ments." "  If  you  wish  to  be  perfect  go  sell  what  thou  hast  and 
give  it  to  the  poor  ....  and  come  and  follow  me." '  Then  the  differ- 
ent states  of  life  may  be  reduced  to  three— the  married  state,  the 
religious  life,  and  the  state  of  celibacy  in  the  world. 

The  religious  state  is  a  lasting  mode  of  life,  approved  by  the 
church  for  those  v.iio  living  under  a  regular  rule,  and  strive  to 
perfection  under  the  vows  of  poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience.  It 
is  a  lasting  kind  of  life,  because  by  these  three  vows,  they  bind 
themselves  for  life.  As  it  is  a  holy  community,  it  must  be  ap- 
proved by  the  Pope,  who  alone  has  supreme  authority  in  spiritual 
things.  In  former  times  each  bishop  could  approve  any  new 
order  in  his  diocese.  But  Innocent  III.,  during  the  Lateran 
Council,  seeing  so  many  new  orders  arising,  forbade  new  ones  to 
be  founded  without  the  approval  of  the  Pope.  They  must  strive 
towards  perfection,  for  tiiat  is  the  very  essence  of  the  religious 
life,  and  the  object  for  which  the  order  was  instituted.  It  is  not 
the  essence  of  the  order  that  they  be  all  perfect,  but  that  they 
must  try  to  be  perfect.  It  is  necessary  that  they  take  at  least 
simple  vows,  not  solemn  vows,  although  most  of  the  orders  of  men 
take  solemn  vows.*  Those  who  take  these  three  vows,  and  live 
according  to  a  rule  approved  by  the  Pope,  form  religious.  But 
these  are  not  real  religious,  who  although  they  take  these  three 
vows,  yet  do  not  live  according  to  such  an  approved  rule.  These 
may  be  approved  by  the  bishop  in  whose  diocese  they  live,  but  in 
that  case  they  are  only  pious  associations  of  either  men  or  women 
belonging  to  tliat  diocese,  but  not  to  the  universal  church,  because 
they  were  not  formally  approved  by  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  vv'ho 
alone  can  legislate  for  tiie  church  universal.  Before  God  tiiey 
will  have  the  same  reward  for  their  good  works  as  the  members  of 
regular  religious  orders.  At  the  present  time  the  Holy  See  does 
not  readily  approve  religious  orders,  only  approving  them  as 
simple  religious  congregations  bound  by  simple  vows,  which  may 
be  dispensed  much  more  easily,  because  of  the  troubles,  the  revolu- 
tions, and  attacks  to  which  the  religious  orders  are  exposed  at  the 
present  time  iti  many  parts  of  the  world.''  Tliese  taking  vows  for 
life,  of  poverty,  chastity  and  obedience  to  their  bishop  or  to  their 
confessor,  are  not  regular  religions,  because  thev  do  not  live  sub- 
ject to  superiors.  By  decree  of  Pope  Pius  IX.,  when  religious 
'  Math.  xix.  ir.  2  Math.  v.  21.  »  Bull  Gregorli  XIII.  *  Analecta  J.  P. 


532  RULES  OF  THE  NOVITIATE. 

have  made  their  novitiate,  they  take  simple  vows  for  three  years, 
and  tlien  they  may  take  solemn  vows  for  iife.  For  good  reasons 
the  taking  of  these  solemn  vows  which  bind  for  life  may  be  post- 
poned.' But  the  solemn  profession  cannot  be  put  off' for  more 
than  25  years.  This  long  probation  under  only  simple  vows,  is  to 
try  them  well  before  admitting  tliem  to  vows  which  bind  them  for 
life,  so  that  the  bishop  may  dispense  them  from  these  simple 
vows  if  they  leave  the  community,'  or  if  they  be  sent  away  by  their 
superiors.  But  they  cannot  bo  sent  away  because  of  sickness  only. 
Even  those  who  take  only  simple  vows,  partake  in  all  the  privileges 
of  the  order,  the  same  as  the  regularly  professed. 

That  these  vows  bind,  they  must  be  at  least  16  years  old,  make 
one  year  of  the  novitiate,  for  that  time  wear  the  religious  habit, 
have  no  impediment,  be  received  by  the  su])erior  and  freely  give 
their  consent.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  bishop  to  find  out,  either  by 
himself,  by  his  vicar-general  or  by  others  delegated  by  him,  who 
may  see  that  young  ladies  freely  enter  a  convent,  that  they  be  not 
unlawfully  or  unwillingly  detained  there,  even  after  they  have 
made  their  profession.  If  she  were  forced  to  take  vows,  the  vows 
would  be  invalid.  The  whole  year  of  the  novitiate  from  the  day 
of  taking  the  habit  is  so  necessary,  that  if  it  lacks  even  a  day,  the 
profession  would  be  invalid.'  If  they  interrupt  their  novitiate,  even 
for  two  hours,  they  must  begin  again  a  new  novitiate.*  If  a  relig- 
ious without  permission  go  aAvay  with  the  intention  of  not  re- 
turning, when  sent  away  by  the  superior,  when  they  leave  without 
permission  and  go  into  another  religious  house,  or  to  a  house  of 
the  same  order  in  another  province  during  their  novitiate,  they 
interrupt  their  novitiate,  so  that  they  must  begin  over  again.  Sick- 
ness preventing  them  attending  all  the  exercises,  or  if  they  by 
force  they  be  driven  from  the  house  and  return  as  soon  as  they  can, 
if  with  permission  they  spend  a  little  time  with  their  relatives  out- 
side, if  falsely  accused,  and  when  the  truth  is  found  out  they  be 
taken  back,  or  if  they  undertake  a  journey  at  the  command  of 
tiieir  superiors,  these  interruptions  do  not  render  their  novitiate 
invalid.  These  rules  have  been  made  to  prevent  any  one  being  de- 
tained against  his  or  her  will  in  a  religious  order,  and  to  make  them 
finish  their  novitiate,  so  as  to  try  well  if  they  have  been  called  to 
that  state  of  life. 

The  first  object  of  the  religious  life  is  to  tend  towards  perfection 
by  these  three  vows  and  by  the  rules  of  the  order.  If  they  keep 
not  these  vows,  they  are  religious  only  in  name  but  not  in  heart. 
If  they  often  break  their  vows,  or  if  they  do  not  obey  the  rules  of 
the  order  in  important  matters  they  sin  mortally.  But  if  led  by 
strong  temptations,  or  think  their  vows  and  rules  not  necessary  for 
their  salvation,  or  if  they  be  guilty  only  of  small  things,  or  do 
so  from  habit,  they  are  guilty  only  of  venial  sins.  Some  writers 
think  that  if  they  often  break  the  rules  of  the  house,  they  sin  mor- 

"  Eplsl.  S.  Conjnv.  neg.  die  19  Mart.  185T.  -  Ibidpm  die  25  Feb.  1858. 

=  Concll.  of  Trent.  ■•  8.  CoagtvgtMo. 


% 


WHAT  BINDS  UNDER  SIN.  533 

tally,  because  these  rules  were  made  to  guide  them  to  perfection. 
It  is  not  likely  that  they  sin  mortally,  who  keep  the  commandments 
which  bind  under  mortal  sin,  but  break  frequently  the  counsels  of 
the  Gospel,  tlie  rules  of  the  house,  &c.,  which  bind  only  under  ve- 
nial sin.  But  it  is  certain  that  sucli  religious  live  in  continual 
danger  of  mortal  sin,  because  their  neglect  is  a  kind  of  contempt 
of  the  rules  of  their  holy  state,  which  was  made  to  guide  them  to 
perfection.  The  rules  of  the  order  itself  in  general  do  not  bind 
under  sin.  But  the  matters  of  the  vows  and  the  express  commands 
of  the  superiors  should  be  obeyed.  But  there  is  always  a  wrong 
in  breaking  these  rules,  full  of  wisdom  for  the  guidance  of  the  re- 
ligious. The  superior  himself  would  sin  if  he  should  neglect  to 
correct  the  faults  of  the  members  of  the  order. 

The  members  of  religious  orders  professed  for  the  choir,  and  the 
clergy  in  the  sacred  orders  must  recite  the  divine  oflHce  each  day 
under  pain  of  sin.  That  obligation  begins  from  the  day  of  their 
ordination  to  subdeaconship,  of  religious  profession,  or  when  they 
take  solemn  vows.  But  in  religious  orders,  where  they  only  recite 
the  Virgin's  office,  they  are  not  bound  under  mortal  sin  to  say  it, 
even  when  they  take  solemn  vows  in  female  orders.  That  was  often 
decreed  by  the  Holy  See.  The  same  we  say  regarding  the  com- 
munities, where  they  say  certain  prayers  or  recite  psalms  and 
litanies.  When  there  is  reason  for  leaving  the  community,  or  when 
for  any  reason  they  cannot  recite  their  office,  the  Pope  can  dispense 
them,  because  the  whole  matter  belongs  to  the  legislation  of  the 
church, '  and  not  to  the  divine  law  established  by  Christ.  AVhat 
the  Pope  made  he  can  unmake,  but  only  God  can  repeal  what  he 
has  established,  and  those  principles  which  flow  from  the  natural 
laws  of  reason.  When  during  persecutions  many  monks  and  nuns 
left  their  religious  orders  and  married,  Pius  VIL  dispensed  them 
from  their  vows,  so  that  their  marriages  became  valid.  But  seldom 
the  Popes  dispense  priests  and  bishops  from  the  vow  of  chastity. 
Once  when  the  royal  house  of  Poland  became  almost  extinct,  so  that 
only  one  maa  and  he  a  priest  remained,  the  Pope  dispensed  him 
from  his  vow  of  chastity,' and  commanded  him  to  marry  so  as  to 
continue  the  family.  When  his  son  became  of  age,  he  resigned  his 
throne,  crowned  his  son  in  his  place,  and  then  retired  to  his  mon- 
astery. 

God  calls  certain  persons  to  the  religious  state  and  gives  them 
the  graces  to  live  according  to  that  mode  of  life.  He  leaves  others 
to  marry,  and  gives  them  the  grace  of  marriage.  That  call  is  an 
act  of  his  divine  providence,  not  in  nature  but  the  supernatural  act- 
ing in  the  human  soul,  as  St.  Paul  speaking  of  the  priesthood  says: 
*' Let  no  one  take  the  honor,  but  who  is  called  as  Aaron  was.  "* 
The  same  may  be  said  about  a  religious  vocation.  Iso  one  is 
obliged  to  follow  the  counsels  or  advices  of  the  Gospel,  for  an  ad- 
vice does  not  bind  like  a  law.  But  when  a  person  is  called  to  the 
religious  state,  he  has  from  God  the  graces  of  that  state,  and  not 

'  Extravagantes  Joan.  xxil.  Tit.  C.  et  Bull.  Assi;  Com.  GrcR.  XIII.  '  Heb.  v.  4. 


# 


534  RULES  RELATING  TO  PROP,EKTY. 

thegnices  of  any  other  kind  of  life.  It  would  be  very  dangerons 
for  him  not  to  follow  the  divine  cjill,  for  being  deprived  of  the 
grac3  of  any  other  state  in  life,  ho  would  live  without  any  grace  of 
a  state,  in  great  danger  of  damnation.  In  the  same  way  it  would 
be  a  great  sin  for  any  one  to  enter  a  religious  order,  feeling  that 
be  had  no  vocation  for  that  kind  of  life,  for  he  would  live  in  a 
continual  state  of  unrest,  and  disturb  the  whole  community.  A 
parent  who  would  prevent  a  cliikl  from  entering  either  the  ranks 
of  the  clergy,  or  a  religious  order,  knowing  that  the  child  was 
called  to  that  state,  he  would  commit  a  great  sin.  It  would  like- 
wise be  a  great  sin  for  a  family  to  force  one  of  their  children  to 
take  holy  orders,  when  they  knew  he  had  not  a  divine  call.  For 
he  would  be  a  disgrace  to  the  clergy,  because  not  having  the  gracHj 
of  the  priesthood,  he  would  live  only  with  great  difficulty  a 
priestly  life.  The  best  signs  of  a  vocation  are  a  continual  desire, 
and  the  facility  and  aptitude  of  fulfilling  the  duties  of  that  state. 

The  member  of  any  religious  order  approved  by  the  church, 
who  takes  a  solemn  vow  of  poverty,  renders  himself  incapable  of 
having  pro[)erty  in  his  own  Jiame,  unless  with  the  permission  of 
his  superior.  '  The  community  in  general  has  temporal  goods, 
unless  its  constitution  forbids  it.  Then  by  the  vow  of  ])overty,  tlie 
members  of  a  religious  order  have  nothing,  not  even  the  clothes 
they  wear,  nor  can  they  either  validly  or  legally  have  even  the 
property  left  them  by  their  pnrents  or  friends.  They  can  neither 
give  nor  take  temporal  goods  of  any  kind.  The  religious,  who 
take  only  simple  vows  of  poverty  may  have  property,  but  they  can- 
not dispose  it  without  the  permission  of  their  superior,  whether 
the  order  has  been  approved  either  by  the  Holy  See,  or  by  the  bish- 
op alone.  For  by  taking  the  vow  of  poverty,  they  bind  themselves 
to  have  nothing  in  this  world,  to  live  like  our  Lord,  who  had  noth- 
ing, not  even  a  place  whereon  to  lay  his  head.  The  religious  not 
oidy  have  no  goods  of  this  world,  but  they  are  bound  lo  weed  out 
of  their  hearts  all  affections  for  temporal  things.  They  would  even 
violate  the  virtue  of  their  vow  by  the  desire  of  having  the  things  of 
this  world.  All  they  have  belongs  to  the  (immunity  in  general,  and 
the  community  gives  them  everything  they  want,  clothes,  money, 
travelling  expenses,  &c.  Before  the  law,  a  member  of  a  religions 
order  has  all  his  property,  rigiits.  &c.,  because  the  vow  of  poverty 
has  only  an  effect  in  religion  and  in  the  church.  Then  members 
of  the  religious  orders  being  free  from  the  distracting  care  of  tem- 
poral things,  they  can  devote  their  time  to  the  work  before  them^ 
better  than  if  they  were  troubled  with  the  distract'ons  of  temporal 
things. 

By  the  vow  of  poverty  the  christian  divests  himself  of  the  exter- 
nal things  of  this  world.  But  by  the  vow  of  einistity,  he  rejects 
the  pleasures  of  the  senses,  not  only  forbidden  by  the  divine  law 
and  the  law  of  reason,  but  he  even  denies  himself  those  things 
which  are  allowed  liitn  in  legitimate  marriage.     The  solemn  vow 

•  Cone::,  of  Trcnl  Sol  .  3\  C.  ~. 


OBKDIENCE  IS  THE  GUEATEST  vow.  535 

of  chastity  renders  marriage  iinulid,  while  tlie  simple  vow  does  not 
render  a  marriage  invalid,  but  forbidden.  That  those  who  by  these 
vows  l)ave  dedicated  themselves  to  God  may  live  with  more  securi- 
ty, the  church  has  introduced  the  cloister,  that  they  may  be  better 
guarded  from  danger.  Tiiey  cannot  go  out  without  permission 
except  in  stated  cases.  Men,  even  clergymen,  are  not  allowed  in  the 
cloisters  of  women,  nor  women  within  the  cloisters  of  men,* 

Considei'ing  the  three  vows  one  with  another,  the  vow  of  obe- 
dience is  the  greatest.  For  by  the  vow  of  poverty  the  religious 
separates  himself  from  the  external  things  of  this  world,  by  the  vow 
of  chastity  he  despoils  himself  of  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh  given 
for  the  preservation  of  the  human  race,  but  by  the  vow  of  obe- 
dience he  gives  to  God  his  will  and  the  sweetness  of  ever  doing  what 
he  wishes:  "For  obedience  is  better  than  victims:"  *  and  "The 
obedient  ma7i  speaks  victory.  "''  By  the  vow  of  obedience,  the  re- 
ligious is  bound  to  do  all  his  superior  commands  him  under  the  I'ules 
and  the  constitution  of  the  religious  oi'der  to  which  he  belongs. 
But  that  there  bea  sin  in  his  difobedience,  he  must  disobey  an  ex- 
press command  given  expressly,  and  not  by  way  of  coaxing.  The 
superior  cannot  only  command  these  things  given  in  the  rule,  but 
also  whatever  are  wanted  for  the  good  government  of  the  house,  and 
therightadministrationof  the  affairs  of  the  order.  But  no  one  must 
obey  anything  ridiculous,  or  impossible,  or  do  what  would  be  a  sin. 
For  these  things  are  not  contained  in  his  vow  of  obedience,  which 
is  an  obligation  not  of  wickedness,  but  of  religion  and  of  perfection. 

The  vow  of  obedience  relates  to  the  external  carrying  out  of  the 
commands  of  the  superior,  while  the  internal  virtue  of  obedience 
relates  to  disposition  of  the  mind,  prepared  to  always  obey  the 
Avorthy  commands  of  this  superior.  Thus  the  religious,  who,  al- 
though he  obeys  the  commands  of  the  superior,  yet  continually 
grumbles  or  murmurs  in  his  heart,  has  not  the  virtue  of  obedience. 
Then  the  religious  who  disobeys  his  superior,  sins  first  against  the 
commands  of  his  chief,  and  against  his  vow.  But  those  members 
of  simple  religious  associations  who  take  no  vows,  but  who  disobey 
their  superiors  do  not  sin  against  religion  like  regulars  would,  but 
commit  only  one  sin.  Therefore  thedisobedient  religiouscomniits  a 
grievous  sin,  when  he  refuses  to  obey  his  superior  in  serious  mat- 
ters; wiien  he  openly  refuses  to  do  what  he  is  told,  or  when  from 
his  refusal  scandal  follows  in  the  community.  The  members 
should  always  obey  from  a  motive  of  religion,  seeing  in  the  super- 
ior the  person  of  our  blessed  Lord,  Avho  is  ever  subject  to  his 
Father  in  heaven,  even  to  the  horrors  of  his  "passion  obeying 
him:  "Father  not  my  will  but  thine  be  done;"  who  was  subject  to 
his  mother  and  foster  father:  "And  he  went  down  to  Nazareth 
and  he  was  subject  to  them"  and  who  teaches  us  to  do  the  will  of  God 
as  the  angels  and  Siiints  do  in  heaven:  ■•  Tliy  will  be  done  on  earth 
as  it  is  in  heaven."^ 

As  the  regular  religious  orders  spread  to  all  ])arts  of  the  world, 
1  Cpust.  Clemens  VIII.  -  I.  Kings  15.  22.  »Prov.  £3.28.  *  Lord's  Prayer,    , 


536  RISE  OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  ORDER  IN  EGYPT. 

the  Pope  himself  is  their  superior,  but  he  has  not  exempted  them 
from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  ordinaries  and  bishops  of  the  dioceses 
in  which  they  live,  and  the  Pope  being  their  immediate  superior, 
it  follows  that  they  are  in  a  certain  measure  independent  of  the 
bishops  regarding  the  sacrament  of  penance  for  their  own  subjects, 
Mass,  censures,  irregularities,  their  vows,  and  the  bonds  uniting 
them  to  the  community.  Their  superiors  have  an  authority  like 
a  bishop  over  them.  They  are  exempt  from  episcopal  visitation 
both  for  themselves,  their  monastery,  and  their  church.  But  this 
does  not  include  convents  of  nuns,  because  for  them  the  bishop  of 
the  diocese  is  the  delegate  of  the  Holy  See,  nor  does  it  include 
parishes  ruled  by  members  of  religious  orders,  for  the  laity  of  these 
churches  belong  to  the  bishop.  But  it  includes  the  members  of 
the  order,  both  the  professed  and  those  in  the  novitiate,  for  they 
belong  to  tiie  order,  and  they  are  subject  to  their  own  superiors. 

Priests  of  a  religious  order,  with  tlie  permission  of  their  super- 
iors, can  absolve  all  members  of  their  own  order  without  the 
faculties  of  the  bishop.  But  this  does  not  include  those  religious 
congregations,  which  are  not  regular  orders  of  tlie  church.  These 
must  go  to  the  priests  appointed  by  the  bishop  for  that  purpose. 
Members  of  the  order  can  absolve  their  own  members  from  all 
cases  not  reserved  to  the  Pope,  in  the  same  way  that  a  bishop  can 
absolve  his  own  subjects,  in  papal  cases,  even  from  excommuni- 
cation for  striking  a  cleric.  They  can  dispense  from  all  secret 
irregularities  except  for  murder.  They  can  say  Mass  three  hours 
before  sunrise  in  their  own  church,  and  give  Communion  to  their 
own  members,  novices,  servants  and  to  the  people,  but  not  the  Eas- 
ter Communion  to  the  laity,  except  when  they  have  charge  of  a 
parish. 

In  the  days  of  the  apostles,  when  Celsius,  one  of  the  72  disciples 
of  our  dear  Lord,  first  denied  his  Divinity,  Sts.  Matthew  and  Mark 
came  preaching  into  Egypt,  and  in  the  fertile  Nile  valley,  where  the 
pyramids  still  stand  as  the  gateways  of  that  mysterious  land,  where 
the  torrid  blasts  and  parching  sands  encroach  on  the  luxurious  rich- 
ness of  the  shores,  yearly  enriched  by  the  overflowing  Nile  waters, 
there  these  apostles  found  a  naturally  religious  people,  ready  for 
the  Gospel.  The  Egyptians  received  the  faith  with  gladness. 
At  that  time  God  foresaw  that  later  Arius  of  Alexandria  would 
rise  up  and  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ,  aiid  Providence  raised  a 
bulwark  against  that  greatest  enemy  of  Christ,  Arius  and  his  fol- 
lowers. While  Dccius  was  emperor  of  Rome,  in  251  was  born 
Antony,  the  father  of  tlie  monks  of  Egypt.  Listening  to  the 
voice  of  God,  he  sold  the  property  left  him  by  his  parents,  he  gave 
the  i)urchase  price  to  the  poor,  and  following  the  inspiration  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  he  retired  into  the  desert,  where  in  the  vast  sandy 
solitude  marked  with  the  monuments  of  a  former  civilization,  there 
he  found  a  home,  and  he  dwelled  the  remainder  of  his  life.  The 
fame  of  his  holiness  filled  the  church,  and  crowds  of  followers 
flocked  to  see  him  and  learn  wisdom,  and  the  way  of  salvation  from 


FOUNDING  TfFE  EARLY  MONASTERIES.  637 

his  lips.  His  disciples  soon  made  the  solitudes  bloom  and  blossom. 
Wiieii  later  the  terrible  heresy  of  Arianism  rose,  teaching  that 
Ciirist  was  only  a  man,  a  creature,  tlie  greatest  God  coukl  create, 
the  disciples  of  St.  Antony  were  the  upholders  of  the  true 
doctrine,  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God  as  well  as  the  Son  of  Mary, 
with  the  double  nature  of  God  and  man  nnited  in  the  one  Person 
of  the  divine  Son,  who  **  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word  and  the 
Word  was  with  God  and  tlie  Word  was  God."'  Soon  religious 
houses  and  monasteries,  filled  with  the  followers  of  Antony,  rose 
in  every  part  of  the  Levant,  whose  members  went  forth  preaching 
Christ,  and  him  crucified  to  the  people  of  the  Orient. 

To  guard  them  against  attack  in  that  epoch,  they  were  often 
built  on  tops  of  mountains,  on  the  side  of  precipices,  and  there 
we  often  find  thetn  even  to  our  day,  after  having  survived  the  re- 
volutions, which  have  swept  over  these  unhappy  countries.  These 
monk-priests  were  often  the  pastors  of  the  surrounding  regions. 
Each  Sunday  and  holiday  they  went  forth  outside  the  gates  of 
their  monasteries,  to  the  chapels  there  to  say  Mass,  and  preach 
to  the  people,  or  the  people  often  came  to  the  monasteries,  to  hear 
Mass  or  to  receive  the  sacraments.  Tlie  monks,  or  the  lay  relig- 
ious, were  often  the  most  holy  members  of  the  church,  while  the 
priest-monks  were  the  educated  and  trained  clergymen,  who  by 
holy  orders  and  by  education  were  in  rank  over  the  other  monks. 
The  monks,  from  monos,  the  Greek  for  alone,  were  the  teachers  of 
the  early  christians.  Because  the  priests  could  not  attend  to  the 
temporal  affairs  of  the  monasteries,  they  took  into  the  house,  to 
help  them  in  temporal  matters,  raligious  men  who  never  received 
holy  orders,  but  who  always  remained  laymen,  for  they  never  in- 
tended t)  advance  to  holy  orders.  These  were  the  lay-monks,  or 
brothers  as  we  call  them  at  the  present  time.^  As  the  parishes 
were  not  at  tliat  time  regularly  established,  the  deserts  and  soli- 
tudes of  the  East  were  peopled  with  tlie  monasteries,  built  by  the 
disciples  of  the  cultured  Antony.  From  there  they  spread  over 
Arabia-Petra,  into  Palestine,  wherein  upon  every  place  sanctified 
by  our  Lord's  life,  or  celebrated  in  the  Old  Testament  there  they 
erected  a  religious  house.  'JMius  they  crowned  the  heights  of  Sinai 
where  Moses  received  the  law;  a  monastery  rose  on  Horeb  where 
Elias  lived,  where  he  educated  his  disciples,  called  the  son  of  the 
prophet;  Mount  Carmel  had  its  monastic  institute  for  men  and 
women;  another  was  built  on  Mount  Olives  from  whence  the  Lord 
ascended;  even  calvary  itself  had  built  upon  its  sides  the  moims- 
tery,  or  the  convent.  As  the  brook  Cedron  leaves  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem  and  flows  to  the  Dead  Sea,  in  ages  past  it  scooped  for 
itself  a  dark  and  dismal  canon,  and  still  it  flows  down  deep  in 
the  flinty  mountain.  Soon  the  sides  of  this  rocky  gorge  was  lined 
with  monasteries.  The  Lenten  mountain,  not  far  from  the  Jordan 
and  near  the  historic  Jerico,  hasa  cave  near  its  summit,  where  trad- 
ition says  the  Lord  spent  his  fast  of  forty  days  and  forty  nights.    On 

'  John  1. 1.  *  Concll.  Chald. 


538  DRIVEN  FROM  THE  ORIENT. 

Hie  very  spot  saiiclifioti  by  our  Tjord's  first  Lent,  the  monks  from 
E,iry[)t  came  and  built  tlieii-  house  of  prayer,  and  tliere  even  to  our 
day  theyever  ke})t  tlie  rigorous  fast  of  Lent  fh-st  taught  them  by  onr 
Lord.  Tabor  also  which  saw  his  transfigui'ation  soon  wasiionored 
by  the  moiuistery  whose  ruius  attract  the  toui'ist  of  to-(hiy. 

Because  of  ilie  unsettled  state  of  society  at  that  time,  churclies 
and  dioceses  could  not  be  regularly  formed,  the  clergy  could  not 
depend  on  a  people  continually  harrassed  by  wars  and  robbers,  and 
the  clergy  were  ordained  for  their  monas/eries,  to  whom  they 
were  to  look  for  their  support.  That  was  the  origin  of  the  priest- 
ly title  of  "  the  common  table."  The  members  of  the  religious  or- 
ders are  ordained  at  present  to  the  title  of  poverty.  Because  of 
the  dignity  of  the  yiriesthood,  the  clergy  ai'e  now  oidained  for  the 
diocese,  and  the  diocese  must  see  that  they  get  theii"  living,  or 
they  are  ordained  for  the  religious  order  to  which  they  belong,  and 
the  order  must  support  them.  In  the  early  ages  then,  the  priests 
formed  the  presbytery  of  the  order,  and  the  monks  and  lower  clergy 
were  the  ministers  of  the  monastery.  The  chief  priests  were  the 
quasi-carions,  while  the  head  of  the  order  was  called  the  abbot.  Be- . 
cause  of  his  authority,  more  or  less  episcopal  over  the  houses  or 
monastei-ies  of  tiie  order,  the  abbots  were  like  bishops.  They 
wore  the  ej)iscopal  cross,  the  miter  and  the  vestments  of  a  bishop. 
The  word  abbot,  abbey,  &c.,  come  from  the  old  Syro-Chaldaic  and 
means  father,  and  in  the  early  church  it  was  applied  to  all  the  chief 
clergymen  of  the  church. 

The  monasteiios,  the  convents  and  the  germs  of  the  religious 
orders  then  like  the  sun  rose  in  the  Orient,  in  time  these  religious 
liouses  were  built  in  strong  places,  deep  ravines,  high  mountains, 
inaccessable  rocks  and  natural  strongholds  were  the  ifavoi'ite  places, 
where  alone  the  monks  felt  safe  from  the  attacks  of  the  robber 
bandits  of  that  age.  That  is  the  reason  the  monasteries  of  the  East 
are  built  on  mountain  tops,  and  why  they  look  more  like  forts  and 
castles  than  houses  of  prayer. 

When  pagan  Rome  persecuted  the  church,  when  AriaTiism 
threatened  the  very  life  of  Christendom  by  denying  the  divinity  of 
Christ,  the  monks,  priests,  and  bishops  came  forth  from  the  soli- 
tiides  of  the  deserts,  from  the  tombs  of  the  Nile  land,  from  the 
heights  of  Carmel  and  of  Ilermon,  and  nobly  ihey  defeated  that 
schism  of  irreligion  and  impiety.  But  the  victory  roused  the  de- 
nrons  of  hell.  Soon  Mohammed  came  with  his  fanaticism  and 
errol's.     ^'he  monasteries  were  conquered  and  sacked,  the  monks 

Iiut  to  death,  Egypt,  Palestine,  Arabia.  Syria,  Turkey  and  the 
^]ast  became  Mohammedan.  Now  the  oft  met  ruins  of  these  great 
religious  establishments  tell  the  traveller  of  the  once  flourishing' 
ftate  of  the  church  in  these  cradle  laiuls  of  the  faith.  'J'hc  CJreek 
m'in<l  was  sharp  and  penetrating,  the  IJomans  were  rulers  and 
statesmen,  but  the  Oriental  tendency  Avas  tow.-irds  effemimuiy  aiid 
lilziness.  In  the  unfortunate  East,  in  ])lace  of  the  self-denial  of  the 
monks  you  now  find  the  niimerous  wives  of  the  'J'urk.     'J'he  stag- 


RELTGIOrS  OR  DEES  TX  ROME.  589" 

nation  of  the  Al  Coran  that  most  abominable  book  lias  paralyzed  all 
eTiterpi'ise,  and  in  place  of  the  charity  of  the  early  religions,  you 
find  an  unbending  fanaticism  and  a  hatred  of  the  christian  )ianie. 

With  fire  and  sword  the  followers  of  Mohammed  swept  over  the 
ci'adle  lands  of  the  faith,  and  in  a  generation  religion  was  swept 
f)-om  the  hearts  of  the  people,  where  once  it  had  so  flourished. 
The  monastic  institutions  then  looked  to  the  Father  of  the  faith- 
ful for  protection.  They  fled  to  the  Roman  Pontiff  for  safety. 
The  religious  honses  then  began  to  floui-ish  moi-e  than  ever  at 
Rome.  The  Roman  nobility  soon  imitated  the  wonders  of  the 
monasteries  of  Egypt,  of  Thebs,  of  Sinai  and  of  the  Levant.  The 
senatorial  families,  whom  Phyrrus  compared  to  kings  gave  their 
sons,  their  daughters  and  their  property  to  the  church  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  religious  houses  in  the  eternal  city.  The  children 
of  the  Scipions,  of  the  Marcellus,  of  the  Gamillus,  of  the  Anicius, 
and  the  ])atricians  became  the  holiest  members  of  the  religious 
orders.  The  Roman  morals  during  pagan  Rome  had  fallen  so  low, 
that  the  weight  of  a  silk  dress  was  a  burden  to  a  Roman  lady,  hosts 
of  servants  waited  on  them,  they  even  killed  for  a  mistake 
or  in  a  fit  of  anger,  chastity  humility  and  christian  virtues  were 
nnknown,  the  rich  were  corrupt,  impure,  haughty,  overbearing. 
No  woman's  virtue  was  safe  ;  no  property  was  secure;  human  life 
Avas  ever  in  danger;  men  were  ruled  only  by  their  passions,  and 
neither  faith  nor  morals  were  known  to  the  unconverted  pagan 
Romans,  rotten  Avith  the  vices  of  the  abomiiuitions  of  dying  pagan- 
ism, whenhosts  of  monks,  driven  by  revolutions  from  the  East,  came 
to  Rome  to  claim  the  protection  of  the  Father  of  the  faithful.  From 
the  vei-y  days  of  the  great  apostles  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul,  the  relig- 
ions life  had  existed  at  Rome  in  the  way  described  before.  But 
Avhen  the  monasteries  of  the  East  were  pillaged  by  the  infidels, 
the  persecuted  religious  in  great  numbers  came  to  the  West.  To 
Europe  they  brought  their  regular  lives,  their  studies  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, their  fasts  and  prayers,  their  saintly  coi'versations.  In  a 
Avord,  driven  from  the  scenes  of  our  Saviour's  life  and  death,  fi'om 
the  places  hallowed  by  the  giving  of  the  law  to  Moses,  from  the 
]5iblical  scenes  so  holy,  and  from  the  East  they  flocked  to 
Europe,  and  that  favored  region  profited  by  the  convulsions  of  the 
Levant.  Thusit  always  comes  to  pass,  that  the  church,  persecuted 
in  one  place  profits  by  the  redoubled  effoi'ts  of  the  persecuted  in 
some  more  favored  region,  Avorking  for  the  greater  glory  of  the 
Lord,  for  all  things  worketh  for  the  good  of  those  Avho  love  God. 

The  monks,  strengthened  by  the  solitudes  of  the  A'ast  deserts  of 
the  East,  could  not  find  such  desert  regions  in  the  West.  A  reform 
was  wanted.  St.  Antony  tells  us  that  the  mission  of  reforming- 
the  monastic  orders  Avas  first  offered  by  God  in  a  vision  to  a  solitary  of 
the  desert,  Avho  refused  to  underrake  the  great  Avork.  Sts. 
Chrystom  and  Bazel  lived  as  monks  from  their  ordination  till  the 
latter  was  called  to  the  episcopal  office,  and  Ave  read  hoAV  on«- 
reproached  the  other  for  leaA'ing  him  a  priest,  and  ascending  to 


540  SPIRITUAL  SOXS  OF  ST.  ANTONY. 

episcopacy  Hie  culminating  point  of  the  priestly  ordere,  when 
botli  had  promised  each  other  to  remain  simple  priests.  St.  Jerome 
lived  as  a  monk  for  years  in  the  desert,  till  called  by  St.  Damasus 
to  become  his  private  secretary,  and  to  reform  the  Bible.  He  was 
a  monk  in  the  highest  terms.  Amid  the  splendors  of  the  papal 
court,  he  kept  the  rules  of  the  monastic  house  he  founded  at  the 
grotto  where  our  Lord  was  born  at  Bethlehem.  All  the  great  bish- 
ops and  priests  of  the  early  church  were  monks,  and  the  clergy  lived 
severe  lives  from  the  times  of  the  apostles.  Let  us  see  first  those 
religious  who  follow  the  rule  of  St.  Antony. 

In  tracing  the  origin  of  the  religious  order,  we  must  go  back  to 
the  days  of  the  kin^s  of  Juda.  We  read  that  the  prophet  Elias 
founded  a  school  of  prophets,  and  often  in  the  holy  Scriptures  we 
find  mention  of  these  schools  of  the  "  sons  of  the  prophets.  ''  This 
school  of  the  prophets  was  founded  on  Mount  Oarmel,  and  existed 
in  the  days  of  our  Lord.  They  were  monks  of  the  old  Law.  But 
they  had  not  regular  rules  to  guide  them.  Their  daily  lives  were 
spent  in  the  studies  of  the  Scriptures.  When  the  apostles  came  to 
preach  Jesus  crucified,  they  embraced  the  christian  religion. 
When  the  rules  of  St.  Antony  had  spread  into  Syria,  when 
they  saw  the  wise  religious  of  St.  Bazel,  the  monks  of  Carmel 
adopted  them,  and  from  that  time  they  have  followed  these  rules 
of  St.  Antony.  In  our  day  they  are  known  as  the  Carmelites, 
from  Mount  Carmel,  where  Elias  dwelled  before  he  was  taken  up 
into  heaven  on  a  fiery  chariot  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts.  '  They 
form  the  oldest  order  in  the  church.  In  1209  St.  Albert,  the 
Latin  Patriarch  of  Jerusalem,  gave  them  a  modified  rule.  When 
Syria  was  finally  conquered  by  the  Mohammedans,  they  spread  all 
over  Europe.  In  1259  St.  Louis  king  of  France  enriched  them 
with  many  gifts,  and  gave  them  a  convent  at  Paris.  In  1287 
they  began  to  wear  the  scapular  of  Mount  Carmel,  which  they 
say  was  given  to  the  Blessed  Simon  Stok.  From  that  dates  the 
foundation  of  the  Confraternity  of  the  Scapular. 

The  regular  Canons  of  St.  Victor  follow  the  rules  of  Sts.  Antony 
and  Bazel.  They  wear  a  white  robe  of  serge  and  the  rochet, 
with  a  surplice  over  it,  and  a  white  cloak  in  winter. 

Under  the  rules  of  St.  Augustin  come  the  regular  canons  of  the 
Premonstrates,  founded  by  St.  Norbert  under  king  Louis  the  Big. 
In  choir  they  wear  the  surplice,  the  white  amice  and  the  purple 
mantle. 

In  the  middle  ages,  the  Turks  threatened  all  Europe,  and  the 
christians  ever  looked  to  their  Father  the  Pope  for  protection 
against  the  infidels,  till  they  were  defeated  by  the  combined 
christian  troops  under  Don  Joan  at  Lepanto.  At  that  time  the 
inhabitants  of  southern  Europe,  as  well  as  captured  soldiers  were 
sold  into  slavery.  Thousands  of  christian  slaves  lost  their  lives 
on  the  burning  sands  of  Africa,  or  spent  their  miserable  days  of 
the  most  abject   slavery,  amidst   the   hardships  of   the   Moham- 

IV.  Kings  U. 


ST.  AUGUSTIN  A  FATHER  OF  MONKS.  "541 

medans.  In  1198  Sts.  John  of  Matliaand  Felix  of  Valois  fonntled 
the  Older  of  tlie  Trinitarians.  The  object  was  the  redemption  of 
these  unfortnaate  christians,  held  captive  by  the  Saracans. 
Three-quarters  of  the  revenues  of  each  religious  house  was  to  be 
spent  in  buying  these  christian  slaves.  Many  of  the  religious  men 
voluntarily  gave  themselves  in  place  of  the  captives,  and  for  their 
love  of  their  neighbor  in  danger  of  losing  their  faith  for  their  de- 
livery, they  spent  their  lives  in  slavery,  while  the  man  they  rescued 
returned  home  to  Europe.  They  lived  entirely  on  vegetable  food 
except  on  Sundays  and  great  feasts,  when  they  ate  a  little  meat. 
A  branch  of  them  was  reformed  by  Father  Jerome  Halies.  They 
are  called  The  Barefooted  Trinitarians. 

In  1624  Father  St.  Charles  Faure  founded  tlie  Congregation  of 
France,  Avhich  soon  became  so  numerous  that  they  had  100  houses. 
They  took  charge  of  parishes,  opened  hospitals  for  the  cure  of  all 
kinds  of  diseases,  gathered  the  children  into  Sunday  schools, 
sang  the  divine  office,  and  turned  themselves  to  all  kinds  of 
christian  works. 

When  the  great  St.  Augustin  became  bishop  of  Hippo,  in  the 
North  of  Africa,  he  formed  the  clergy  of  his  cathedral  into  a  re- 
ligious order;  for  thirty  years  he  lived  among  them  as  their  su- 
perior, studying  and  writi'ig,  and  he  gave  the  church  these  great 
books,  which  have  since  illumined  the  whole  christian  world. 
The  order  w-hich  he  founded  still  flourishes,  and  they  are  known 
as  the  Augustinians.  To  that  order  once  belonged  the  unfortunate 
Luther,  father  of  the  modern  religious  revolt  called  the  reforma- 
tion. Numerous  religious  orders  came  from  the  order  organized 
by  the  great  bishop  of  Hippo,  and  they  soon  spread  intoevei-ypart 
ofthe  church.  In  1254  Pope  Alexander  IV.  reformed  them  and 
iinited  them  again  into  one  order.  At  the  present  Avriting  the 
Eeligious  Hermits,  the  Congregation  of  France,  the  Dominicans, 
the  Order  of  Mercy,  the  Servites  of  Mary,  the  Celotes,  the  Thea- 
tines,  the  Barnabites,  the  Brothers  of  Charity,  &c.,  follow  the  rules 
of  St.  Augustin. 

But  the  church,  ever  fruitful  in  the  variety  of  her  children,  soon 
saw  rise  another  code  of  laws  for  the  guidance  of  her  chosen 
children  called  to  the  counsels  of  our  Lord.  At  Eome  in  480  was 
born  of  noble  parents  Benedict,  who  frightened  at  the  licentious 
conduct  of  his  companions  at  school,  fled  to  desert  mountains  of 
Subiaco,  30  miles  from  the  eternal  cit}^  where  for  three  years  he 
lived  in  union  with  God  separated  from  men.  He  was  elected  by  the 
monks  of  a  neighboring  monastery  to  be  their  abbot,  but  they 
could  not  agree,  and  he  left  them  and  went  back  to  his  solitude.  In 
a  few  years  he  established  twelve  monasteries.  The  clergy  and  the 
nobility  of  Rome  flocked  to  see  him,  went  to  see  an  other  St.  John 
the  Baptist  in  the  wilderness.  In  529  he  founded  the  great  abbey 
of  Casino  on  a  high  mount,  on  the  ruins  of  a  pagan  temple,  where 
np  to  that  time  the  neighboring  pagans  offered  sacrifices  to  the 
false  gods.     From  the  pen  of  Gregory  the  Great,  we  learn  most  of 


542  THE  CHILDREN  OF  ST,  BENEDICT. 

the  imformation  we  have  of  the  third  great  father  of  the  religions 
life.  P'illed  with  the  science  of  the  Saints,  he  composed  a  rule  of 
life,  Mhich  was  to  regnlate  all  the  monasteries  he  founded.  St. 
Gregoi-y  the  Great  says  it  is  the  best  rule  for  religious,  as  it  is 
founded  on  silence  and  self -denial,  solitude,  prayer,  humility  and 
obedience. 

That  rule  of  St.  Benedict  soon  spread  to  all  the  monasteries  of 
Europe,  and  nearly  all  the  religious  houses  of  the  middle  ages 
adopted  it  as  their  guide.  For  that  reason  he  is  called  in  history 
the  Patriarch  of  the  Monks  of  the  West.  When  in  895  the  cele- 
brated and  historic  Cluney  was  founded,  the  monks  of  that  great 
historic  house  adopted  the  rule  of  St,  Benedict.  So  did  St.  Paul 
Justinian  in  1520,  when  he  established  the  Camaldulesof  France. 
AVhen  St.  Kobert  laid  the  foundations  of  the  famous  abbey  of  Ci- 
teaux,  which  100  years  afterwards  counted  180i>  monasteries, 
daughters  of  the  fruitful  parent,  when  they  laid  its  foundations 
amidst  the  mountains,  they  were  regulated  by  the  wise  rule  of  St. 
Benedict.  In  1586  the  order  of  Citeaux  was  reformed  by  Dominic 
and  his  disciples.  In  1140,  under  the  same  rules  were  founded 
the  Trappists,  so  called  from  their  first  house  of  la  Trappe. 
It  is  the  severest  order  in  the  church.  Reformed  in  1602  from 
its  primeval  rigors  by  John  le  Boutillier,  to  this  day  it  frightens 
the  people  of  the  world  with  the  awful  severity  of  its  members. 
Under  Godfrey  de  Bullion  in  the  days  of  chivalry,  the  crusaders  and 
the  christians  saw  the  holy  land  the  prey  of  the  Saracens,  and  they 
flocked  in  crowds  to  rescue  the  places  hallowed  by  the  footprints 
of  our  Lord  from  the  desecrating  hands  of  infidels.  For  that  pur- 
pose in  11 18,  Ungues  of  Paganes  and  Godfrey  of  S.  Amour,  founded 
the  order  of  the  Templars  into  a  holy  society  for  the  defence  of  the 
pilgrimson  their  way  to  Jerusalem  the  holy  land.  After  giving  great 
assistance  to  religion,  at  last  they  left  their  first  fervor,  they  became 
proud  ;  they  were  condemned  by  the  kings  of  France,  of  Spain,  of 
Portugal,  of  England.  In  1311  they  weYe  formally  suppressed  by  the 
church.  The  religious  of  Fontevrault  followed  Benedict's  rule, 
when  they  became  lax  in  their  lives  they  were  reformed  by  Mary 
of  Britagne.  Tiiat  was  towards  the  end  of  the  XV.  century.  The 
religious  of  the  Congregation  of  St.  Maur  were  perhaps  the  most 
illustrious  of  the  family  of  St.  Benedict  during  the  middle  ages. 
They  had  colleges  in  various  parts  of  Europe  for  the  education  of 
the  young. 

We  now  come  to  the  religious  families,  who  follow  the  last  of 
the  four  great  founders  of  religious  orders  St.  Francis  of  Assissium. 
The  human  race  had  advanced  since  the  order  of  St.  Benedict  was 
established  nearly  eight  centuries  before,  and  the  Spirit  of  God 
brooding  over  the  church  had  raised  up  apostolic  men  to  meet  the 
changing  conditions  of  society.  The  old  religious  orders  had  seem- 
ed to  have  done  their  work,  and  new  life  and  new  materials  were 
wanted  to  meet  the  new  conditions  of  society.  God  raised  up  an- 
other leader  in  Isi-ael.     In  the  little  city  of  Assissium,  on  the  brow 


THE  WORK  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISSIL'M.  54^ 

of  the  hill  of  Assi,  in  1182  was  born  St.  Francis,  one  of  the  last 
great  fathers  of  the  religions  life  of  poverty.  By  tiie  rapacity  of 
rulers,  by  the  ignorance  of  the  people,  by  the  vices  of  the  rich,  and 
by  the  indifference  of  the  laity  the  church  of  God  was  shaken  to 
its  very  foundations.  God  called  the  poor  P^'rancis  to  re- 
pair his  house.  He  supposed  the  Lord  meant  the  church  of  St. 
Damian  outside  the  walls  of  Assissium.  But  God  meant  his  church 
universal,  of  which  the  material  building  is  but  the  image  and  the 
figure.  He  lived  the  most  austere  life.  He  gave  his  goods,  even 
his  clothes  to  the  poor.  He  gathered  a  little  band  of  disciples 
around  him,  then  he  laid  the  foundations  of  the  great  Franciscan 
order  at  Portiuncula,  Italy,  on  the  16th  of  August,  12U9.  The  same 
year  he  received  the  approval  of  Innocent  IV.  He  composed  a 
rule  for  the  guidance  of  the  members,  which  was  chiefly  formed 
of  the  counsels  of  the  Gospel,  to  which  he  added  certain  regulations 
of  human  prudence.  In  a  vision  at  niglit  God  gave  to  the  great 
Pope  Innocent  III.  a  prophecy  of  what  the  order  was  to  be  in  the 
universal  church.  The  Pope  saw  Fi'ancis  upholding  the  Lateran 
Church,  the  Pope's  Cathedral,  the  Mistress  the  Mother  of  all  the 
churches  of  world  and  the  Cathedral  of  thelioman  diocese.  Five 
years  after  he  saw  another  vision,  in  which  St.  Dominic  sustained 
the  same  church  when  it  was  tottering  to  the  ground.  Thus  did 
God  enlighten  the  mind  of  the  Pope  regarding  the  future  mighty 
works  of  the  followers  of  these  two  great  fathers  of  the  religious 
life. 

When  this  order  of  St.  Francis  was  approved  by  the  supreme 
head  of  the  church,  with  his  twelve  disciples  he  began  to  preach 
penance.  Numerous  holy  men  joined  his  order,  and  soon  they 
spread  all  over  the  cliristian  world.  Numerous  dioceses,  cities, 
and  nations  asked  his  disciples  to  found  houses  of  the  new  order, 
that  they  might  be  animated  by  the  examples  of  the  heroic  virtues 
of  his  disciples.  In  1212  he  gave  his  habit  and  his  rules  to  St. 
Clare,  Avho  under  his  direction  founded  the  second  order  of  St.  Fran- 
cis for  the  sanctification  of  the  holy  virgins.  Till  his  death  he 
took  personal  charge  of  the  house  she  founded  at  the  monastery 
of  St.  Damian  in  Assissium.  That  Avas  the  mother  and  model 
house  of  the  great  congregations  of  Franciscan  nuns  and  sisters, 
Avhich  at  this  writing  are  doing  good  in  almost  every  diocese  of 
the  Avorld. 

Towards  the  end  of  his  life  he  was  once  in  prayer  on  the  mountain, 
on  the  feast  of  the  Exultation  of  the  Holy  Cross.  He  saw  coming 
down  from  heaven  the  Saviour  himself  as  a  Seraph  nailed  to  the 
cross.  He  had  six  wings  of  fire,  two  covered  his  body,  two 
stretched  above  his  head,  and  with  the  other  two  he  flew  from  the 
heights  of  heaven  to  the  man  of  God,  whose  heart  so  burned  with 
the  fire  of  charity  that  he  nearly  died.  The  crucified  Lord 
fixed  npon  him  the  most  tender  eye  of  love,  showing  him  that  he 
was  not  to  die  a  martyr  by  the  sufferings  of  the  flesh,  but  by  the 
inward  anofuish  of  the  soul.     From  each  of  the  wounds  of  the 


544  BRANCHED  OF  THE  FRANCISCANS. 

Crucified,  came  rays  of  piercing  light  to  the  hands  and  feet  and 
side  of  the  saintly  Francis.  From  that  moment  till  his  death,  his 
feet  and  hands,  as  Avell  us  his  side,  bore  the  murks  of  tlie  wounds 
or  stigmata,  as  though  he  had  been  crucified.  The  nails  with 
black  heads  made  of  living  flesh  penetrated  through  his  hunds 
and  feet,  while  the  points  pierced  the  other  side  and  were  clinched 
into  his  palms,  and  into  the  soles  of  his  feet.  In  his  side  was 
left  an  open  wound  which  frequently  bled.    He  died  in  the  year  1226. 

The  Franciscans  founded  by  St.  Francis  has  undergone  many 
changes  and  reformations,  according  to  the  wants  of  the  church 
and  the  changed  condition  of  society. 

In  1368  Father  Paulet  founded  a  branch  of  them  called  the 
Cordeliers,  to  whom  Pope  Leo  X.  gave  precedence  over  the  other 
disciples  of  the  saint.  In  Spain,  about  the  year  1484,  John  of 
Guudelouj)e  organized  the  Ricolets,  wlio  in  155J5  came  to  France. 
Matthew  of  Bassi  and  Louis  of  Fossembrun  established  the 
Capuchins,  so  called  from  the  crown  or  hood  of  their  habit.  They 
were  a  branch  of  the  minor  Brothers  of  the  Franciscans.  The 
order  produced  numerous  distinguished  persons. 

In  1250  Pope  Innocent  IV.  gave  the  name  of  Minor  Conventuals 
to  all  the  Franciscans,  who  live  a  community  life.  But  in  1517 
Pope  Leo  X.  restricted  the  name  to  the  Franciscan  monks,  who 
persisted  in  living  a  less  rigorous  life,  while  the  other  reformed 
monaiiteries  of  St.  Francis  were  named  Observants. 

After  founding  his  first  order  for  men  and  his  second  for 
women  under  St.  Clare,  he  organized  a  Third  order  for  the  laity, 
who  were  impeded  from  entering  the  religious  state,  yet  partake 
in  all  the  benefits  of  the  religious.  That  order  composed  of  both 
feexes,  became  very  extensive.  Some  of  thtm  actuated  by  piety, 
wanted  to  form  it  into  a  community  and  have  the  members  take 
TOWS,  but  it  was  impracticable.  They  were  named  the  Peneten- 
tiaries  of  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis.  In  1287  it  was  estab- 
lished in  France.  In  1594  Father  Mousart  reformed  it.  From 
the  name  of  the  first  house  in  Paris  it  was  called  Picpus,  so 
graphically  described  by  Victor  Hugo.  Some  of  them  wore  the 
mantle,  and  these  were  called  the  Religious  of  the  Third  Order 
of  St,  Francis. 

Tiie  order  of  Chartreuse  was  thus  named  from  the  house  where 
St.  Bruno  first  founded  them  in  the  year  1086,  of  which  we 
will  treat  more  freely  at  another  time.  Tiie  rule  is  very  severe. 
The  order  gave  many  celebrated  saints  to  the  church,  and  it  ex- 
erted the  most  powerful  influence  on  the  whole  civilized  world 
during  the  middle  ages. 

In  1435  St.  Francis  of  Paul  founded  the  Minims.  According 
to  their  rule  they  never  eat  meat  or  any  product  of  the  animal 
kingdom. 

When  the  nations  of  the  north  of  Europe,  following  the  revolt 
of  Luther,  rebelled  against  the  church,  the  Holy  Ghost  raised  up 
another  man  to  combat  his  teachings.     He  was  St.  Ignatius  of 


THE  JESUITS,  ORATORIANS,  &C.  545 

Loyola,  the  founder  of  the  Jesuits.  His  conversion  by  reading 
the  lives  of  the  Saints,  when  M'ounded  in  the  hospital,  his  retreat 
at  Manresa,  his  calling  of  his  disciples,  the  wonderful  conversion 
of  his  disciple,  St.  Francis  Xavier,  their  voyages  and  discoveries 
in  North  and  South  America,  their  great  success  as  teachers  of  the 
young,  are  facts  of  history.  The  reformation  had  thrown  into  the 
church  and  into  society  the  element  of  rebellion  and  of  revolt  against 
all  authority.  To  counteract  it,  the  Jesuits  muke  a  special  vow  of 
obedience  to  the  head  of  the  church  and  to  their  own  superiors. 
Up  to  that  time  the  mind  of  men  in  the  church  had  tended  to  the 
castigation  of  the  body  and  to  the  severity  of  tlie  middle  ages. 
These  corporal  austerities  did  not  take  with  a  people  looking  for 
the  ease  and  the  luxury  of  wealth,  revelling  in  the  pleasures  of  life. 
Tlie  founder  of  the  Jesuits  above  all  taught  the  denial  of  the  will, 
the  crucifixion  of  the  intellect.  They  were  suppressed  by  Pope 
Clement  XIV.  in  1773,  because  of  the  pressure  brought  to  bear  on 
him  by  the  lying  enemies  of  the  Jesuits.  They  Avere  restored  by  Pope 
Pius  VII.  in  1814.  To  this  day  they  continue  their  religious 
work.  The  wi'iter  knows  of  what  he  writes,  for  he  spent  the 
greater  parts  of  the  years  1869  and  1870  as  professor  in  a  College 
i;nder  the  Jesuits,  und  he  knows  them  from  his  own  observation, 
because  he  has  seen  the  daily  lives  of  the  Jesuits,  and  knows  the 
objects  of  the  order. 

13esides  the  illustrious  orders  mentioned  before,  we  find  in  the 
church  many  congregations  founded  for  some  particular  work. 
They  usually  follow  wholly  or  in  part  the  rules  of  religious  orders. 
There  is  not  a  weakness  or  disease  of  human  nature  but  what  the 
Holy  Ghost  has  established  a  remedy,  by  raising  up  great  men 
to  combat  it  by  the  religious  order  or  congregation  they  es- 
tablished. 

In  1611  Cardinal  Berulle  founded  the  Oratorians  of  Jesus,  for 
the  management  of  colleges  and  seminaries  for  the  education  of 
the  clergy.     Its  chief  house  was  at  Paris. 

In  163'^  St.  Vincent  of  Paul  organized  the  congregation  of  the 
Mission,  or  as  they  are  better  known  the  Lazarists,  so  called  from 
their  first  house  in  Paris.  Their  chief  object  is  to  give  missions 
in  parishes  and  to  revive  the  faith  of  the  weak.  But  they  also 
take  charge  of  colleges  for  the  education  of  the  young. 

The  Christian  Brothei's,  who  take  charge  of  schools  were  or- 
ganized by  Blessed  John  Baptist  de  la  Salle,  who  made  his  studies 
with  the  Sulpicians.  He  found  much  opposition  and  many  per- 
secutions before  he  could  succeed.  The  death  of  one  of  his  disci- 
ples showed  him  that  they  were  not  to  be  ordained  a  priest.  They 
are  a  band  of  school  teachers  devoting  their  whole  lives  to  that 
laudable  object. 

-In  Italy,  France,  Spain,  &c.,  we  find  congregations  of  religious 
men  who  devote  their  whole  time  to  the  unfortunate  persons  con- 
demned to  death  for  capital  crimes.  These  good  men  look  after 
the  temporal  and  spiritual  interests  of  these  unhappy  prisoners 


546  IHE  END  OF  THE  BOOK. 

before  their  execution  and  see  tliat  they  are  decently  buried  after 
tlieir  death. 

The  Chivaliers  of  St.  John  of  Malta  were  organized  in  1099  in 
order  to  defend  Christendom  against  the  attacks  of  the  Moham- 
medans. In  1310  they  captured  Rhodes  from  the  followers  of  the 
false  prophet,  and  that  city  became  the  seat  of  the  order,  half 
religious  and  half  military,  till  1530  Avhen  Charles  V .  gave  them  the 
Island  of  Malta — hence  their  name.  The  order  was  divided  into 
three  classes— the  6rst  being  chevaliers  belonging  to  the  nobility — 
the  second  were  priests  or  chaplains  and  the  third  rank  were  soldiers. 
Since  1798  they  have  existed  without  leading  a  community  life. 
In  1802  the  Island  of  Malta  was  annexed  to  England. 

Thus  far  have  we  written  of  the  church  of  God  and  of  her  di- 
vine constitution  as  founded  by  our  Lord  to  teach,  sanctify  and 
save  the  members  of  his  race  which  he  came  down  to  lead  up  into 
the  society  and  companionship  of  his  Father  and  his  Holy  Spirit. 
Now  our  work  is  done,  but  not  complete.  For  we  have  only 
given  the  principles  wiiich  require  better  and  more  complete  ex- 
planations, before  the  reader  can  see  and  appreciate  the  full 
beauties  of  the  Bride  of  the  Ljimb.  When  we  have  rested  from 
the  three  years  of  labor  spent  in  the  writing  of  this  book,  in 
another  work,  we  may  again  take  up  our  pen  to  continue  our  la- 
bors for  the  glory  of  God  for  the  instruction  of  the  laity. 


u 


^';^. 


^^». 


ii^ 


Abbot,  tlio,  529. 

'Ablegate,  a  iiapal.  73,  298. 

Absence  irom  cinircli,  383. 

Acolyte,  duties  of,  63,  64. 

Act,  of  orders  juiisdiciioii,  63. 

Act,  a  human,  185. 

Adam,  creation  of.  267. 

Adam's  sin.  19,  46,  empire,  18,  19. 

Administrator  of  diocese,  501,  qnalilies 
of.  501. 

Adrian  I..  259. 

Advent,  Lent,  &c  .  when  ordered,  213, 

JElia.,  ancient  name  of  Jerusalem,  316, 
318. 

Aerius,  liis  errors,  506. 

Africa,  bishops  of,  held  a  council,  225. 

Agapitus,  Pope,  236. 

Agatho,  Pope,  249. 

Agent,  nature  of,  71,  92,  140,  144. 

Agnosticism  in  ancient  times,  213. 

Alcuin,  teacher  of  Cliarlemagne,  262. 

Alexander,  St.,  212,  305. 

All  Saints,  orinrin  of  the  feast,  242,  cele- 
brated in  France,  264. 

Altar  boys,  385,  bisliops  portable,  464. 

Anacletus,  St.,  212,  214. 

Anastasius,  St..  225,  231. 

Andrew  the  apostle.  125,  126. 

Angels,  the  fall  of  the.  16. 

Angels,  wliy  they  Avere  not  redeemed,  17. 

Antioch,  seat  of  an  arclibi.shop,  305. 

Antiquity  of,  316,  councils  on,  318, 
cliarcrcs  against,  318, 

Antony,  S,.,  founded   a   religious  order, 

537,  539. 
Apostles,  powers  of  the,  435,  436. 
Approbation  required  for  confession,  471. 
647 


lM 


«lfr-»w 


» 


548 


INDEX. 


Apollonarians,  errors  of,  223,  224. 
Apostle,  meaning  of  the  wortl,  125. 
Apocryphal  Books,  tlic,  189. 
Apostolic   church,    the,   122,  delesrates, 

330. 
Apostolic  See,  the,  146. 
Apostles,  tiieir  communion,  47. 
Apostles,  tiieir  works.  328,  329,  331,  of 

tlie  christian  nations.  329. 
Appeals,  308,  309,  318. 
Archbishops,  301,  322,  consecration  of, 

340,    341,    antiquity  of,    505,    506, 

consecrated  the  bishop,  409,  l>y  the 

Pope.  418,  419. 
Archbishop,  321,  322,  duties  of,  322, 

a  braucii  of  Peter.  333,  election  of,  in 

earlv  churcli,  410,  411. 
Archbishopric,  tlie  first,  150. 
Archdeacon,  486,  487,  abuse  of,  487. 
Archdiocese,  clergy  of,  309,  310,  312, 

antiquity  of,  316. 
Architecture,  clnirch  origin  of,  404. 
Archpriest,  482,  485,  two  kuids  of,  485, 

on  ceremonies,  490,    491,    in   early 

church,  585,  505. 
Aries,  arclibisliop  ot,  312. 
Arius,  liis  errors.  213,  219,  spread,  222, 

410. 
Arian  bishops  condemned,  222,  238. 
Assistant  priests,  383,  475,  516. 
Athanasius    of    Alexandria    lal.sely   ac- 

cnsc'd.  222. 
Athens,  the  city  of,  270. 
Attila,  tiio  scourge  of  (Jod,  229,  met  by 

I'()))e  St.  Lei>,  229. 
Augustine,  St.,  to  the  Pope,  227. 
Augustinians,  origin  of  tlie.  540,  541. 
Bad  books,  a  list  of  published,  294. 
Baltimore,  tlie  first  8ec,  315. 
Banns  i>f  marriage.  517. 
Baptism,  44,  received  only  once,  230. 
Baptismal  font.  5T6. 
Baptist  church,  the,  102. 
Barbarians,  destruction  caused  bj*,  370. 
Bartholomew^,  St.,  127, 
Belisarius,  invaded  tiic  Pope's dotninioua, 

23- 

Benedictines,  origin  of  the,  541,  spread 
of  tiieir  rule.  542. 

Benedict  I.  Pope,  239. 

Benedict  11..  Pupc.  251. 

Benefices,  380. 

Bible,  when  proclaimed  inspired,  189, 
wiiat  is  in  the,  106,  231,  331,  394, 
j)roiioimced  inspired  by  the  Po[>e.  231. 

Bishop,  lu  Part  Iidulel,  74,  meaning  of 
the  word.  432,  439,  when  liis  power 
bt;gins,  75,  429,  equal  in  lioly  orders, 
131,  333,  preacliing.  212,  election  of, 
232,    405 — 428,     crimiiiul     charges 


against,  318,  dignity  of,  333,  394, 
395,  434,  relations  with  his  diocese, 
,429—455,  tlie  Head  of  bishops,  333, 
441,  wiio  appoints  them.  338, 242,  con- 
secratuiga,  339,  340,  of  Rome,  tlie  line 
of  tlie,  388,  power  of  tlie,  394,  395, 
436,  439,  as  head  of  the  diocese. 
429 — 457,  origin  of  his  jiower,  431, 
432,  names  of  in  the  early  churcli, 
432,  errors  of  Aerius  resrarding  the, 
432,  433,  lines  of  the  first.  433,  only 
can  ordain  priests,  434,  435,  of  Rome, 
only  successor  of  the  Apostles,  436, 
restricted  by  the  law,  437,  origin  of 
the  b's  jurisdiction,  437,  governs  his 
diocese  in  his  own  name,  440,  teach- 
ing, sanctifying  and  governing,  450, 
451,  452,  pontificating,  451,  452,  ob- 
ligations and  duties  of  the,  457-476, 
how  pastor  of  the  dioceso  in  lato  sen- 
8u,  458,  must  consult  the  chapter, 
492—497,  legislative  powers  of  the, 
459,  his  powers  limited,  460,  over 
students,  498,  by  whom  admonished, 
498,  when  removed  from  See,  500, 
nomination  of.  in  U.  S..  501,  502, 
once  pastor  of  the  whole  diocese,  504. 

Body  of  Christ,  the  mystic.  70,  141,  the 
glorified.  38. 

Boniface,  St.,  sent  to  convert  Germany, 
254,  consulls  the  Poix;.  257. 

Born,  wlien  the  church  was.  13,  22. 

Born,  Christ  b.  three  times.  36. 

Bread  and  wine  at  Mass  regulated, 
213. 

Breviary  in  early  church,  365,  452. 

Brothers  in  monasteries,  530. 

Bull,  a  Papal  letter,  why  so-Ciiiled,  297. 

Byzantium  becomes  Constaniinopic  220, 
241. 

Caius,  St..  217. 

Calixtus,  St.,  215. 

Candidate  for  parish,  514. 

Candidates  for  the  episcopacy,  427,  ex- 

alliiiiiitiou  of.  427. 

Canoniz.  tion  of  saints,  294,  326,  355. 

Canosa,  meaning  of  going  to,  376. 

Canon  law,  origin  of  the,  318,  378,  401, 
402. 

Canons,  of  the  Cathedral,  477—502. 

Cardinal,  meaning  of  the  word.  270. 

Cardinals,  duties  of  the.  270—288,  an- 
ti([ui  y  of  the,  271,  217,  three  rank.s 
ol.  272,  bishops.  276,  273,  de.icons, 
272,  273,  priests,  273,  276,  how 
elected,  275,  276,  selected  from  all 
nations,  276,  candidates  for,  276,  re- 
ception of.  275,  antiquity  of,  291. 

Carmelites,  origin  of  the.  540. 

Catechumens  in  the  early  church,  367. 


INDEX. 


540 


Cathedral,  why  so-called,  74,  rektion  of 
i^ishop  to  the,  458,  an  imago  of  llie 
diocese.  404,  451. 

Cathedrals  ot  England,  376,  377. 

Catholic,  iiieanitifrof  lliewoid.  iliechiircli 
is  Caliiollc.  119,  121,  122,  tlio  llo- 
miiii  Catholic  cluircli,  119,  origin  of 
tlie  Catholic  church.  15,  20,  iiiHiience 
cf,  15,  what  is  the,  16,  clergymen  be- 
long fh'st  to,  65. 

Catholic  king  on  ceremonies  at  Rome, 
277. 

Celestine,  Pope. 

Cemetery,  laws  relating  to,  519. 

Cerdo,  his  errors,  214. 

Cerinthus,  errors  of,  125. 

Cesarea,  archhishop  of  at  Nice.  335. 

Change  of  pastors.  211,  212. 

Chancery,  ilie  Roman,  256. 

Chancel  cJioir.  491,  500. 

Chapters  of  the  cathedrals,  366,  before 
the  reformation,  380,  during  a  va- 
cancy, 500. 

Chaplains  in  the  army.  257. 

Chapel,  private  origin  of  tiio,  377,  bish- 
op's power  regarding,  464,  465. 

Chapter  houses,  492. 

Chapter  electing  their  bishop,  412,  426, 
of  Canterbury  and  the  bishop.  412, 
414,  oKgin  of  the  word,  483,  of 
France,  414,  history  of  the,  477 — 
502,  founded   by  the  apostles,  477, 

479,  of  twelve  priests  and  seven  dea- 
cons, 479,  the  senate  of  the  diocese, 

480,  482,  383,  384,  492,  498,  506, 
Rome  had  a  double  ciiapler.  480,  in 
difficulties.  383,  asked  to  resign.  384, 
a  corporate  body,  384,  385,  496,  497, 
otficials  of,  488,  489,  iirst  of  Lincoln, 
489,  490,  Montreal,  490,  on  holv 
week,  491,  499,  support  of,  492,  how 
thc\'  vote,  492,  493,  relation  of  bish- 
op to,  493,  495,  497,  place  of  meet- 
ing, 493,  chairman  of.  493,  matters 
treated  by,  494,  496,  duties  of,  4Q4, 
495,  497,  its  bishop  head  of  the,  490, 
\gy,  acts  of  must  be  signed  by  the 

isiiop,  497,  dress  of  members  of, 
499,  during  vacancy,  500,  514,  must 
appoint  an  administrator.  500,  501, 
two  administrators  forbidden.  500, 
501. 

Charlemagne,  259,  261,  262,  crowned 
at  Rome,  261,  262. 

Chartreuse,  founding  of  the,  544. 

Chamberlain,  at  death  of  Pope.  280. 

Charity  of  the  early  christians,  365,  366. 

Charity,  the  virtue  of,  187,  188. 

Chastity,  the  virtue  of,  524,  525,  526. 

Christian  Brothers,  founding  of  the,  545. 


Children  of  Catholics  must  be  baptized. 
226, 

Christ  and  the  church  one,  16,  20,  43, 
62,  103,  104,  preligiucd  in  the  old 
law,  6l,  a  king,  79,  84. 

Chrism,  holy,  how  blessed,  220. 

Church,  the,  a  copy  of  the  Trinit}',  23, 
how  united  with  the  Trinity,  30,  43, 
outside  of  no  salvation.  35,  40,  52, 
obedient  to  Christ,  43,  tlie  spouse  of 
Christ,  68,  70,  77,  79,  teaching,  sanc- 
tifying and  ruling.  82,  the  city  of  God. 
50. 

Church,  the  congregational,  102. 

Citeaux,  founding  of.  542. 

Cited,  before  civil  courts,  clergy  exempt 
from,  23. 

City  of  God,  the.  50. 

Clandestinity,  laws  aboiit.  517. 

Clement,  St..  216,  Kpistie  ot  to  the  Corin- 
thians, 212,  214. 

Clergy,  support  of  the,  469,  470,  473, 
474,  475,  education,  469,  me.ining  of 
ti;e  word,  529,  cited  before  church 
courts,  223,  reform  of,  224,  381,  regu- 
lar and  secular,  381. 

Clerk  of  the  .senate  of  cardinals,  280. 

Cletus,  St.,  211. 

Clovis,  the  emperor,  247. 

Coadjutor,  when  ai)[)ointed,  300. 

Communion,  47,  214,  meaning  of,  ineany 
church,  55. 

Communion  meant  jurisdiction,  341, 
342. 

Confession  in  the  early  church,  366, 
420,  421,  annual.  474. 

Constantine,  I'ope,  254,  tlie  emperor, 
220,  liealed  from  leprosy.  219. 

Constantinople,  councils  of,  173,  174, 
Roman  empire  changed  to,  173,  when 
taken  by  the  Mohannnedans,  202,  VJ. 
council  of.  250,  refused  the  first  place 
after  Rome,  422. 

Confirmation  of  bishops.  424,  426, 
foim  of,  427,  sacrament  of,  470. 

Confirmation,     ordinary     minister     of. 

435- 

Congregation  of  extraordinary  church 
matters,  296,  of  indulgences,  296,  of 
immunity.  296,  of  France,  S^I. 

Congregations,  the  Roman,  289-300,  of 
•  bishops.  295. 

Congregation,  of  Regulars,  294. 

Consecration  of  bishops,  405—428,  by 
the  Pope,  421. 

Consistory,  what  is  a,  222. 

Council,  who  calls  a,  323,  350,  of  the 
Father,  346,  nature  of  a,  346-361, 
in  the  earlj'  church,  348,  ecumenical, 
an,  350,  360,    chairman   of  a,   351, 


550 


INDEX. 


members  of  a,  352,  confirmation,  353 
-354,  the  most  iii)f>ort;int.  354,  p-irtic- 
"''i'-,  355,  356,  of  Africa.  358,  359,  of 
France  and  Spain,  359,  visiting  bish- 
ops in  a,  360,  provincial,  360. 

Conclave  for  eleciion  of  a  Pope,  281, 
288. 

Consecration  of  bishop  by  three  bishops, 
212,  of  a  chi  rch  by  a  bisiiop,  230. 

Constitution,  wliat  is  n,  83,  151. 

Constitution  of  tiie  United  States,  47. 

Consultors,  house  of,  293. 

Conversion  of  Protestants,  384. 

Copts,  sciiism  of  the,  353. 

Cornelius,  St..  216. 

Counties  in  Ireland,  origin  of,  377. 

Councils  of  Baltimore,  361. 

Council  of  the  Father,  Christ  the,  31,  of 
the  church,  153. 

Courts,  in  the  early  chnrch,  367. 

Court,  the  snpreine  154,  129,  to  289. 

Courts,  civil  foundation  of,  374. 

Creation  of  the  angels,  16,  of  Man,  i6, 
267,  269. 

Custom,  how  it  makes  law,  325,  459. 

Damasus,  St..  223. 

Datary,  the  Roman,  297. 

Dating  the  years  from  birth  of  Christ, 
236. 

Deacons,  esUiblished  by  the  Apostles, 
272,  office  of,  63,  appointed  in  Home, 
216,  272,  stole,  how  worn,  226,  dia- 
dem worn  by  St.  John,  364. 

Deans,  among  the  bishops,  335,  357, 
358,  359,  origin  of  the  word,  486. 

Death,  the  cause  of,  34,  Christ  delivered 
ns  from,  34,  why  Christ  siilTcred.  34, 
35,  had  no  dominion  over  Christ,  36, 
disciples,  the,  72,  505,  506. 

Delegate,  a  papal,  73,  74,  424. 

Delegates,  of  Christ,  70. 

Dennis,  St.,  216,  falsely  accused,  2l6. 

Destruction  of  literature  and  arts,  229. 

Diocese,  how  born,  49,  54,  56,  s|X)use  of 
the  bisiiop.  68,  why  some  fall,  135, 
why  the  Roman  ever  stands,  135, 
history  of  the,  362,  387,  head  of  the, 
367,  389,  diocese  of  Rome,  388-404, 
only  immortal,  388,  389,  .some  fell 
away,  388,  389,  founded  on  the  Apos- 
tles, 389,  the  spouse  of  Christ,  389, 
ruled  by  a  bishop,  438,  authority  of 
Pope  in,  440,  constitution  of  the,  453. 

Diptychs  in  the  early  church,  433. 

Diptychs,  the,  149. 

Discipline,  nature  of,  348. 

Dispensation,  nature  of  a,  460,  461, 
reasons  for  giving,  461,  what  bishops 
can  do  regarding,  461,  466,  for  relig- 
ious to  marry,  333. 


Disputes  about  a  diocese,  218. 

Division,  of  churches,  effect  of,  104,  ol 
the  parishes  of  Rome,  217. 

Domnus,  Pope.  249. 

Donatists,  their  errors,  218,  225. 

Dualists,  errors  of,  213. 

Easter,  cele!>nition  of  156,214. 

Ebion,  errors  of,  125,  196. 

Election  of  a  Pope,  277-288. 

Election  of  bishops  in  tiic  U.  S.,  335, 
early  church.  405,  429,  by  the  apos- 
tles, 407,  426,  St.  Cyprian  on,  407, 
425,  early  look  pnvt  in  tiio.  407,  425, 
in  Africa,  Kgypt,  Ac.  408,  409,  419, 
mode  of  procedure,  409,  428,  inter- 
ference of  government  in,  409,  410, 
4-26,  patriarchs  in  415,  416,  contirm- 
ation  of  the  Po|k\  416,  417,  418, 
illegally  declared  invalid,  420,  abuses 
at,    425,    426,  of    bishop  of   Rome, 

^,    367-388,  341,  347. 

Elements,  the  divine  and  human  in  the 
church.  142. 

Eleutherius,  St..  215. 

Ember  days,  215. 

Emperor,  on  ceremonies  at  Rome,  280. 

Empire,  what  i.s  an.  192. 

English  church  looks  lo  Rome,  257. 

England,  conversion  of,  29,  248. 

English  college  at  Rome,  261,  apjK^ils  to 
Rome,  243. 

Ephesus,  councils  of.  55,  228,  confirmed 
by  the  Pope.  228. 

Episcopate,  nature  of  the,  429,  456, 
fulness  of  the  priesthood,  439,  is  it  a 
saciameiii,  439,  440. 

Episcopal  cliurcii,  the,  102. 

Episcopacy,  the,  55. 

Espousal  of  tho  bishop  with  Ibe  diocese, 
56. 

Espousal  of  Christ  with  tho  church,  15, 
56,  269. 

Essence  in  Gml,  64. 

Eugenius,  Pope,  248. 
1.      •        264. 

Eulalius,  schism  of,  227. 

Eunomians,  the,  223. 

Eunomians,  errors  of,  223. 

Eutyches,  errors  of,  171,  231,  234. 

Evangelists,  figures  of,  125. 

Evaristus,  St.,  212. 

Eve,  crciition  of,  16,  20,  267. 

Evodius,  Si.,  155,  archbishop  of  Antioch, 

305. 
Examination  of  candidate  for  bishop, 

409. 
Excommunication,  507,  517. 
Exemption   of  clergy  from  civil  courts, 

463. 
Exorcist,  office  of,  63. 


INDEX. 


551 


Extraordinary  confessor  for  nuns,  472. 

Extreme  Unciioii,  518. 

Faculties  of  the  diocese,  471,  517,  for 
rums,  472. 

Faith,  nature  of  supernatural,  186,  187. 

Faith  and  morals,  liie  teachers  of,  179. 

Fall  of  the  angels,  16. 

Fall  of  man,  17. 

Fasting,  on  Sunday  and  Thursday  for- 
bidden, 218,  dispensations  from,  462. 

Father  of  the  Apostles,  Christ  the,  44. 

Fatherly  authoritj^,  22. 

Felix,  St.,  217. 

Felix  III.,  230. 

Felix  IV.,  233. 

Feudalism  and  the  church,  374,  375. 

"  Filioque,"  disputes  about  tlie,  262. 

Franciscans,   origin  of  the,  542,  543, 

^     544- 

Freedom  of  worship,  218. 

Fruits  of  tlic  earth  blessed,  217. 

Funerals  regulated  by  the  Pastor,  519,  of 
the  poor,  519. 

Garments,  clerical,  475. 

Gelasius,  St.,  217. 

Generation  of  men,  19. 

in  God,  62,  99,  100. 

Gentiles,  calling  of  the,  61. 

Gifts  of  tlie  people,  215. 

Godfrey  de  Bullion,  380. 

Gospel,  u  liy  we  stand  at  the,  226,  232. 

"  Gloria  "  when  added  to  the  Mass,  213. 

Grace  of  the  Aposiles,  328. 

Grace,  foundation  of,  18,  32,  35,  45, 
grace  given  by  the  S<icraments,  44,  45. 

Greeks,  the  schismatic,  202. 

Gregory  the  Great,  239,  241. 

Gregory  I.,  240,  241. 
11 ,        254. 

Gregory  YII.  and  Henrj'^  IV'.  of  Ger- 
many, 41 1,  of  England,  412. 

Head  of  the  church,  Christ  the,  39,  41, 
49,  72,  lOi,  113,  of  the  whole  race, 
Christ  the,  39,  God  the  head  of  Christ, 
41,  of  tlie  Roman  diocese,  392,  of  the 
diocese,  393. 

"  Health,"'  and  apostolic  Benediction  when 
lirst  used,  211. 

Helena,  St.,  219. 

Hell,  separation  from  God,  34. 

Hermas,  his  book,  The  Pastor,  156. 

Hierarchy  of  the  Trinity,  99,  tlie  five,  24, 
25,  46,  53,  54,  of  orders  and  of  juris- 
diction, 71. 

Hilary,  St.,  229. 

Hincmar,  265. 

Holiness,  meaning  of,  87,  117. 

Holy  office,  congregation  of,  293. 

Holy  Ghost,  how  he  speaks  to  the  world, 
52,  78,  154,  how  sent  to  man,  53, 


54,  57,  116,  the  Soul  of  the  church, 

55,  56,   114,   115,   116,  183,  errors 
relating  to,  244,  259,  262. 

Holy  orders  lasting,  336. 

Home  government,  391,  392,  440,  454. 

Honorius,  Pope,  243. 

Hope,  the  virtue  of,  187. 

Hormisdas,  St.,  232. 

House  of  Peter,  antiquity  of,  289,  291, 

compared  to  Kings,  291. 
Hyginus,  St ,  214. 
Ignatius,    St.,   68,    155,    156.      Driven 

from  Constantinople,  342. 
Illyricum,  ancient,  224. 
Image  of  the  Trinity  the  church  an,  15, 

57. 
Image  breakers  the  173,  256,  260,  265, 

259. 
Images,  worship  of  255,  259,  264,  260. 
Imposition  of  hands  of  priests.  435. 
Incarnation,  the  wonders  of  the  18,  26, 

29,  46. 
Incense  in  the  services  214. 
Index,  congregation  of  the  293,  295. 
Indulgences,  nature  of  474. 
Infallible,  84,  86,  108,  189,  144,  154, 

180,  181,  182. 
Infallibility,  meaning  ot  the  word,  181. 
Innocent  I.,  St.,  226. 
Interpretation  of  the  Bible  private,  181. 
Interpreter  of  the  Bible,  the,  181,  186. 
Ireland  the  school  house  of  Europe,  370. 
Irene  the  empress,  260. 
James  the  Apostle,  126,  The  Less,  126. 
Jansenists,  errors  of  the,  507. 
Jerome,  St.,  works  of,  224. 
Jerusalem,  council  of,  167,  destruction 

of,  213,  214,  when  destroyed,  245, 

rebuilt   by   Adrian,  213,   why  Peter 

left,  304,  bishop  of  at  Nice,  335. 
Jesuits,  founding  of  the,  385,  545. 
John,  meaning  of  the  name,  124. 
John,  St.,  as  an  archbishop,  125. 
John,  St.,  the  Evangelist,  124,  125,  Pope, 

233. 
John  II.,  Pope,  234,  252. 
Judas,  his  end,  128. 
Jude,  St ,  127,  128. 
Judiciary  powers  of  the  church,  81,  95, 

143. 

Judges  of  faith,  who  are  the.  471. 

Jurisdiction,  nature  of,  65,  70,  301,  303, 
in  penance,  66,  of  the  Bishop  of 
Rome,  69,  337,  394,  given  to  Peter, 
70,  the  head  of,  73,  336,  337,  338, 
339,  deprived  of.  76,  bishops  have 
not  an  equal.  131,  in  the  Papacj-, 
141,  193,  meaning  of  in  early  church, 
65,  two  kinds  of  in  bishops,  434, 
restricted  by  the  Pope,  434. 


553 


INDEX. 


Justinian  tlic  emperor,  172,  234. 
Key,  meaning  of,  134. 
King  on  ceremonies  at  Rome,  280. 
Kings  of  Europe,  origin  of  the,  374,  Jre- 

laiui.  377,  nominating  hisliops,  410, 

411,  412. 
Kingdom  of  Christ.  39,  40,  48,  lOl,  I06, 

not  of  tiiis  world,  48. 
Laity  excluded  from  electing  a  Pope,  259. 
Latin,  when  it  became  a  dead  language. 

270. 
Law  courts  established,  401,   codes  of, 

523. 

Lazarists,  founding  of  the.  545. 
Legate,  a  papal,  73,  420,  arclibishop  of 

Thessalonica,  a  224,  his  power,  298, 

299. 
Legislative  powers,  81,  85,  143. 
Leo  I.,  228. 
Leo  11.,  251, 
Leo  III.,  261. 
Leo  IV.,  265. 

Letter  written  by  Christ,  127. 
Letters,  our  Latin  introduced  by  Alcuin, 

262. 
LeTvis  crowned  at  Rheims  by  Stephen  V. 
Libellus,  the,  of  Adrian,  174. 
Liborius,  St.,  222. 
Lies  about  the  clergy,  384. 
Linus,  St.,  211. 

Liturgies  of  the  church,  365,  452,  453. 
Liturgical  Books  at  Babylon,  481. 
Love  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  18,  for  the 

church,  37,  116. 
Luke,  St.,  124. 
Lutheran  church,  the,  102. 
Macedonians,  errors  of,  223. 
Manicheans,  errors  of.  225. 
Marriage,  bishops' |)ower  relating  to.  465, 

promise  of,   465,    dispensations  for, 

466. 
Marriage  before  tlieir  own  pastor,  517. 
Marriage  of  Christ  with  the  church,  108. 
Marriage  upheld  by  the  Popes,  259. 
Marriage,  secret  forbidden,  212. 
Mary  Major,  church  of,  222,  223. 
Marcelinus,  St.,  217. 
Marcellus,  St.,  217. 
Mark,  St.,  220,  the  Evangelist.  123,  155. 
Maronites,  origin  of  the,  249. 
Martin,  St.,  246. 
Martel  the  emperor,  256. 
Martyrs,  the,  58. 
Mass,  the,  18,  88,  190,  over  the  remaitis 

of  the  Martyrs,  217,    the   (ir.<!t.    64, 

called  the  Ifvstery  in  the  early  churcli, 

36s,  366,  367. 
Mass,  the,  18,  88,  190,  the  first,  64. 
Mathias,  St..  128. 
Materialists,  errors  of,  213. 


Melchiades,  St.,  218. 

Melchisedech  a  iigure  of  Chri.st.  60. 

Mercy,  wiiy  liod  has  on  us,  18. 

Metropolitans,  meaning  of,  506. 

Methodist  church,  the,  102. 

Ministers  of  Christ,  71. 

Miracle,  a.  71,  72. 

Mission  of  the  clergy,  336. 

Missal,  origin  of  the,  402. 

Missions,  tirst  established,  329,  330,  of 
the  clergy,  449,  450,  459. 

Mission  of  Christ.  23,  62,  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  23,  of  the  church,  21,  24. 

Mixed  marriages.  243. 

Mogg,  Peter  usurps  tlie  see  of  Constan- 
tinople, 230. 

Mohammed,  242. 

Mohammedans,  242,  264,  243,  379. 

Monothelites,  or  one  will  in  ChrL-it,  error 
coridennied,  245,  246. 

Monsignor,  a,  293. 

Monarch  of  Ireland,  377. 

Monasteries  in  early  church,  537,  538, 
in  Europe.  538,  539,  dcsiriietion  of  in 
the  East.  538,  of  Mount  Carinel,  540, 

Moors  invjide  Spain.  256, 

Morals,  uiiat  are.  188,  190. 

Mother,  meaning  of  the  word,  123,  his- 
tory of,  123. 

Mother,  our,  the  church,  13. 

Mozarabic  Liturgy,  260. 

Music  of  the  church,  452,  bishop's  power 
over,  464. 

Mystic  moaning  of  the  church  building, 
364. 

Natures  in  Christ,  tho  two,  228,  the 
Papacy  enlighiens  Spain  on.  260. 

Nero  tho  emperor,  398,  399. 

Nestorius,  his  error.*,  70,  228,  con- 
demned, 228,  229,  244. 

Nice,  council  of,  168,  193,  219,  VII. 
general  council  at,  260. 

Nobility,  formation  of  the,  370. 

Northmen,  the  devastations,  365. 

Notaries  public,  their  origin,  301. 

Novitiate  of  religious,  532. 

Nuncio.  Papal,  73. 

Nuptial  Mass,  origin  of,  212. 

Oath  of  a  bishop  at  his  consecration,  414, 

415- 

Offerings  of  the  church  divided  into  lour 
l)arts,  230,  regulation  of  the,  474, 
475,  for  holy  orders  forbidden,  474, 
belong  to  the  pastor,  518. 

Offertory,  origin  of  the  word,  366. 

Orders,  holy,  66,  power,  of,  63,  Christ 
exercised  all  the,  63,  must  bo  giver, 
publicly,  212,  conferred  at  tho  Quarter 
Tenses,  215,  among  the  8chiamatic8, 
336. 


INDEX. 


653 


Ordination,   71,  time  of,  469,   title  of, 

469,  470. 
Ostia,  bisliop  of  wears  the  pallium,  220, 

crowns   llie  Pope,    273,    ranks   next 

tlie  Pope,  280. 
Paganism  abolished  in  Rome,  231,  d3-ing 

out,  240,  241,  rooted  out  of  France, 

243,    destroy   in   Northern    Europe, 

257- 

Pallium,  308,  322,  344,  419. 

Pantheon,  ilie  consecrated,  242, 

Pantheists,  errors  of,  213. 

Papacy,  why  Christ  founded  the,  24,  46, 
one  with  Christ,  75,  88,  95,  why  not 
an  order  above  the  episcopacy,  75,  the 
bond  of  unity,  no,  in,  establish- 
ment of  the,  133,  wir.  last  forever, 
145,  in  the  early  Church,  15,  etc., 
193,  194,  the  councils  on  the,  167, 
office  of  tiie,  184,  the,  could  not  be 
moved  from  Rome,  195,  the  power  of 
in  the  early  church,  203,  etc.,  appeals 
to  the,  204,  commission  of,  given  to 
Peter,  70,  settling  disputes  between 
nations,  374,  authority  of  over  all 
ranks,  459. 

Papal  reservations,  440. 

Paraclete,  the,  62. 

Parliament,  origin  of  the  British,   121, 

153. 

Parliament,  the  English,  origin  of,  402, 

Parish,  the  origin  of,  211. 

Parish,  origin  of,  367,  380,  in  country 
founded  by  monks.  380,  sold  in  I'liig- 
laud,  380   country  p.  founded,  480. 

Parish,  meaning  of  the  word,  508,  lirst 
established  in  Rome,  211,  212,  272, 
in  Alexandria,  504,  in  tlio  country, 
480,  once  meant  the  dioce.se,  503, 
no  p.  in  early  church,  504,  division 
of,  512. 

Parish  Priest,  SO3-521,  in  country  es- 
tablished in  IV.  century,  504,  505, 
city  established  in  X.  century,  504, 
not  instituted  by  Christ,  505,  has  not 
external  jiu-isdiction,  507,  cannot 
excommunicate,  508,  duties  of,   508, 

509,  510,  517,  appointment  of.  509, 

510,  512,  513,  514,  trial  of  in  U.  S., 
500,  511,  sui)port  of,  511,  in  mis- 
sionary countries,  514,  imion  of  with 
parish,  514,  when  an  assistant  is  ap- 
pointed. 516,  livings  of  the,  518,  519, 
must  live  in  his  parish,  520,  must 
say  Mass  for  las  people,  520,  controls 
finances,  520. 

Paschal  candle  blessed  by  a  deacon,  226. 
Pastors,  origin  of  the,  457. 
Pastor,  meaning  of  the  word   138,  508. 
Pastoral  staff,  meaning  of,  508. 


Paschal  I.,  263. 

Paschal  communion,  517. 

Pastors  appointed  in  Home,  217,  laity 
must  go  to  their  ow  ,  217,  218, 
charges  against.  515. 

Patriarch,  meaning  of  the  word,  308, 
316. 

Patrick,  St.,  227,  228. 

Patrick,  St.,  papal  delegate,  313. 

Paul,  meaning  of  the  word,  124,  confes- 
sion of,  332. 

Pelagians,  their  errors,  226. 

Pelagius,  Pope,  238,  II.,  239. 

Penitentiary,  the  Roman,  296. 

Penitentiary  canon,  488. 

Pepin,  tlie  emperor,  257,  258. 

Persecutions  in  diverse  countrie.s,  330. 

Permanent  rectors,  498. 

Person  in  Christ,  35. 

Peter,  meaning  of  the  word,  134,  388, 
communion  given  him  by  Christ.  129- 
150,  his  body  in  St.  Peter's  Church, 
219,  388,  came  to  Rome,  397,  his 
labors,  388-404,  opposed  by  Simon 
Magus,  398-400,  and  Pan!  in  jiri.><on, 
400,  Christ  appeared  to.  400,  death 
and  burial  of.  400,  all  bishops  nmst 
visit  his  tomb,  401. 

Pew  rents,  the  bishop  on,  464,  518. 

Philip,  St.,  127. 

Photius  excommunicated,  342,  author 
of  the  Greek  schism,  353,  355. 

Pius,  St.,  214. 

Plan  of  the  (Jimrch,  the  Trinity,  22,  29. 

Politics  and  religion,  21,  22,  142. 

Pontian,  St..  215. 

Pontius    Pilate's  letter  to   the   emperor, 

397,  399. 
Pope,  his  ottice.     Public  and  private  life, 

181,    184,   192,  elcciiun  of  a.  277- 

288,  ceremonies  at  death  of,  281. 
Porter,  duties  of  the,  63. 
Poverty,  vow  of,  524. 
Prayer  of  Christ  (or  unity,  29,  46,  public 

of  the  Church.  452. 
Prelates  and  curials,  292. 
Precept  and  advice,  difference  between, 

521,  523- 
Priest,  Christ  the  Great  High,  44,  62,  63, 

64.  65,  79,  90. 
Priesthood  of  the  apostles,  61. 
Priesthood,  the  eternal.  60-79. 
Primates  and  archbishops,  origin  of,  303, 

304,  established  by  Peter,  305,  307, 

tiie   different   patriarchal  sees,    307, 
.  308. 
Prime  minister  of  Christ,  131. 
Profession  of  faith.  519,  520,  the  eternal 

of  Christ,  60-78. 
Prophet,  what  is  a,  79,  82. 


554 


INDEX. 


Presbyterian  church,  the,  102,  origin  of 

the,  384. 
Presbytery,  the  ancient,  220,  480-482. 
Primate,   meaning    of    tiie   word,  308, 

office  of,  319. 
Primacy,  disputes  regarding,  314,  in  the 

ancient -church,  320. 
Primate,  328. 
Propaganda,  congregation  of,  295,  what 

churches  are  under  the,  295. 
Property  of  religious  orders,  525. 
Property,  churcli,  ahcnation  ol,  229,232. 
Protestant  services,  the,  103,  105,  106. 
Protestantism,  eifect  of.  103,  104,  lo6, 

386. 
Prothonotaries,  358. 
Psalms  sung  by  alternate  choirs,  224. 
Pudens  tlie  Senator  converted,  398. 
Punishment  of  false  accusers,  224. 
Quarter  Tenses,  215. 
Quebec  the  first  see  in  N.  America,  315. 
Rationalism  originated  by  Abelard,  378. 
Rebellion  against  the  church,  effect  of, 

95,  96,  97. 

Rector  of  cathedral,  494,  a  parish,  509, 
immovable  in  the  U.  S  ,  510. 

Redeemer,  promise  of  a,  20. 

Reformation,  causes  of,  384. 

Regulars  of  baptisms,  niarriages,  &c.  $20. 

Religion,  what  is,  106. 

Religious  orders,  521  546,  not  necessarj- 
ior  the  church,  521,  perfections  of  ni 
the  church,  527,  precepts  and  advices 
of  Christ,  521,  523,  531,  follow 
Christ's  advice,  523,  nature  of  tlie,  523, 
526,  532,  strive  towards  perfection, 
523,  the  three  vows  of,  524,  525, 
vocation  for  the,  526,  Christ  and  re- 
ligious, 527,  origin  of  the,  528,  in  the 
early  church,  528,  labors  of  the,  529, 
secular  and  regular,  529,  are  parishes, 
530,  driven  from  the  East,  530,  how 
establisiied,  530,  531,  profession  of, 
532,  vows  of,  532,  534,  535,  must 
not  be  detained   against  tJieir   will, 

532,  clergy  of  recite  the  Breviarj', 

533,  roust  have  a  vocation  to,  534, 
l)roperty  of  tlie,  534,  oljediencc  of, 
the,  535,  the  Pope  is  their  superior, 
536,  exemptions  of,  536,  rights  re- 
garding sacraments,  536,  origin  of  in 
l^gypti  536, 537,  Klias  the  lirsl  monk 
540,  diverse  families  of,  540-546. 

Representative,  the,  71. 
Report,  lilt'  (inancial,  518. 
Reservations,  Papal,  471. 
Resignation  of  church  offices,  383. 
Ring,  Pope's,  broken  at  his  deaUi,  281. 
Rites,  congregation  of,  294. 
Rock,  Christ  the,  133,  134. 


Rome,  foundation  of  tlie  city,  147. 

Roman  Bishops,  the  lirst,  209-266, 
Catholic,  meaning  of  word.  194,  con- 
gregations during  a  vacancy,  280. 

Roman  Ritual  introduced  into  England, 
263. 

Roman  empire  moved  to  Constantinople, 
220. 

Rome,  the  capital  of  the  chnrcli,  195, 
the  diocese  of,  103,  the  iirst  bishop 
of,  269,  chosen  by  Peter,  269,  270, 
396, 397,  influences  of  Christian,  308, 

369. 

Rota  the  Roman,  297. 

Rules  of  religious  orders,  533, 

Ruling  power  of  the  Church,  94,  95,  97, 
185,  object  of.  140,  142. 

Rural  deans,  45*8,  485,  486. 

Sabellians,  errors  of.  216. 

Sacraments,  tlie  seven,  90,  91,  92,  ad- 
ministered by  their  own  pastor,  230. 

Salt  at  blessing  holy  water,  213. 

"  Sanctus,"  when  added  to  the  Mass, 
213. 

Sanctifies,  how  the  church,  90,  91, 
bishop,  451. 

Sanctify,  meaning  of,  87,  II7. 

Saturday  kept  holy,  226. 

.Scholastic  method.  243. 

Schools  first  established  by  Pope  Sergius, 
369. 

Schism,  the  Greek,  342. 

School,  how  the  church  differs  from  a, 
450,  origin  of,  491. 

Sedan  chair  of  the  Pope,  origin  of,  257. 

Seminaries,  council  of  Trent  on,  499,  in- 
spectors of,  498. 

Semiarians,  errors  of,  223. 

Senate  of  the  universal  church.  274,  an- 
tiquity of,  289,  292,  how  it  meets, 
292,  liusincss  before  the,  of  the  dio- 
cese. 477-502. 

Senators,  power  of  the  Roman,  398. 

Septuagint  Version  of  tlie  Bible,  224. 

Sergius  II.,  265. 

Services,  origin  of  our,  362,  365,  366, 
condemned,  238. 

Severenus,  Pope,  245. 

Shave,  clergy  ordered  to,  214. 

Shepherd,  the,  102. 

Simplicius,  St..  229. 

Simon  Magus,  his  errors,  398,  death, 
400. 

Simony, 

Sin  disturbed  God's  works,  16,  17,  19, 
nature  of,  29,  how  atoned  for,  20,  30, 
power  of  forgiving,  64. 

Singing  the  services,  origin  of,  365. 

Siricius,  St.,  225. 

Sixtus  I.,  St,  213,  HI.,  238. 


INDEX. 


555 


Slavery  in  Europe,  370,  371,  372. 

Son  of  God,  Christ  the,  34,  crowned,  62. 
Sons  of  God,  we  are  tiie,  34. 
Sorbonne,  errors  of  Uie,  506,  507. 
Soterus,  St.,  214. 

Soul  ol  ilio  olmrcli,,the,  23,  31,  32,   II2. 
Spain,  liisliops  of  receive  a  papal  decree, 

225. 
Spirit,  ilic  lioly  in  tlic  clnircli,  35,  37,  43. 
Spouse  of  llie  clmrdi,  76,  68. 
Statesman,  Ciirisl  a  <rrcai,  153. 
Stations  in  Home,  229. 
Stephen,  St.,    216,  II.,  257,  the  heretic 

condemned,  251,  V..  263. 
Strangle  priests,  473,  474. 
Student  for  the  minisir^-,  226. 
Students,  laws  relating;  to,  468. 
Subdeacon,  oBice  of,  63,   antiquity  of, 

215. 
Substance  and  a  %  62. 
Sunday  rest,origiri  ^f  the,  462. 
Sunday  called  the  Lord's  da}'.  220. 
Sunday  .«er\  ices,  origin  of,  481. 
Suspension  of  priests  in  early  times,  370, 
Sylvester,  St,  219. 
Sylverius,  Wt.,  237. 
Symmachus,  St.,  232. 
Synod,  a  diocesan,  357. 
Synod,  when  lield,  497. 
Teacher  of  the  Chinch,  the,   179,   180, 

the  bishop  is  a,  450, 
Telesphore,  St.,  213. 
Temporal  power  of  the  Popes,  255,241, 

252,258,261,  371. 
Theodore  1..  246,  bishop,  appointment  of, 

249- 

Theological  canon,  488. 

Thessalonica,  archbisliop  of,  312,  313. 

Theodosius  sends  a  delegation  to  Rome, 
225. 

Thomas,  St.,  127,  379. 

Three  cliaptcrs  condemned,  238,  243. 

Throne,  the  bishop's,  368,  451. 

Tiara  of  the  Pope,  meaning  of   ilie,  393. 

Time,  elapsing  between  orders,  226. 

Title,  church  natnre  of,  66,  67,  349, 
Christ's,  66,  68,  of  the  Pope,  67,  at  or- 
dination, 67,  473,  of  the  (jlergy,  73, 
originated  in  Rome,  212,  esUiblis.lied 
by  Christ,  148,  should  not  be  taken 
away  without  cause,  515. 

Titular  churches  of  Rome,  272. 

Transfiguration,  explanation  of,  364. 

Translation  of  Bible  into  Latin,  365. 

Trinity,  the,  during  eternity.  16,  177, 
why  they  created  16,  generation  of  the 
Persons  of,  19,  31,  43,  and  the 
cluirch  one  being,  59. 

Trinitarians,  origin  of,  541. 

Triple  crown  or  Tiara  of  the  Pope,  261 


Trials  of  priests  in  ear'v  Church,  370, 
Truth,  what  is,  82,  83,  84,  of  the  Father. 

Christ   the,  37,  49,  the  object  of  the 

mind  37,  of  mathematics,  49,  in  the 

chnrcli  unchanged,  121. 
Twice  married  cannot  be  ordained,  229. 
Union  of  God  and  man  in  Christ.  29,  46. 
Uniting  with  other  dioce.'^es,  383,  384. 
Unity  of  God,  62,  63,  of  the  church,  99 

—  119. 
Universal  Cluirch,  the,  was  first,  145. 
Universities,    founded    by   the   church, 

377- 
Urban,  St.,  215. 
Ursinus,  schism  of.  223. 
Vacancy  of  an  epi>copal  throne,  409. 
Vacation,  each  year  allowed.  520. 
Vestments,  worn  only  in  chuich,  216. 
Viaticum,  518. 
Vicar  of  Christ,  450. 
Vicar  of  the  Pope,  297—300,  326,  440, 

for    Thessalonica,    298,   for   ]''rjince, 

298,  nature  of  the  office,  298,  299. 
Vicar  of  the  pastor,  132. 
Vicar-General,   nature   of,   131,  132,  of 

Christ,  75,  76,  86,   113,   129- 151, 

145,  of  the  bishop,  132,  of  Christ,  the 

Pope  the,  153,  184,  183. 
Vigilius,  Pope,  238. 
Virgin  nuns,  rules  for,  214,  227,  229. 
Virtues,  the  cardinal,  186,  or  the  saints, 

117. 
Visiting  bishop,  408,  409,  425. 
Vision  of  St.  John,  object  of,  362,  364. 
Vow,  nature  of  a,  472,  524,  532,  reserved 

to  tlie  IIolv  See,  473,  power  of  bish- 
op over,  473. 
Vulgate  version  of  the  Bible,  365. 
Water  added  to  wine  at  Mass,  213,  holy, 

213. 
Week  days  called  ferials,  220. 
Westminster  Abbey,  founding  of,  242. 
"  Who  the  day  before  he  suffeied  "  &c., 

when  ihe.se  words  were  added  to  the 

Mass,  212. 
Wife,  antiquity  of,  269. 
Wilfred,  bishop  of  York  appeals  to  Rome. 

250,  252. 
Wills,  the  two  in  Christ,  245,  246,  247, 

250,  420. 
Women,  covered  in  church,  211. 
Wonders  of  the  incarnation,  18. 
Zachary,  Pope,  256. 
Zephyrinus,  St.,  215. 
Zosimus,  St.,  226. 


THE    SEVEN 

Gates  of  Hbaven, 

Or,  The  Teachings,  Discipline,  Customs,  and  Manners  of 

ADMINISTERING  THE  SACRAMENTS 

Among  The  Abyssiniaiis,  The  Anglicans,   The  Armenians,  The  Baptists,  The  Catriolics,   The 
t'ongregationalists,  The  Copts,  The  Episcopalians,  The  Greeks,  The  Jacobites,  The 
Lutherans,  The  Maronites,  The  Methodists,  The  Xestorians,   The  Presby- 
terians, Tlie  Syrians,  Etc.,  Etc. 

WITH     THE      DIFFERENCES 

Between  these  Various  Christian  Denominations  Clearly  and  Simply  Explained  for 

the  People ; 

THE    BEIjIEF    of    the    EA-RIj-V-    CIiE.ISTIA.3SrS, 

The  Changes  of  Discipline,  and  the  Abuses  Condemned  in  Different  Centuries: 

GIVEN    WITH    THE 

^»|aditions  of  M\  ^bi|i8tian  Jfeoples  delating  to  these  J^oly  Bites. 

SO  AS  TO   SHOW  THE   RULES  AND   CEREMONIES  OF  EACH    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH. 


Rev.  Jas.   Iv.   IVIeagher, 

Pastor  of  St.  James'  Church,  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  author  of   "Teaching  Truth  by  Signs  and 
Ceremonies,"  "The  Festal  Year,"  "  The  Great  Cathedrals  of  the  World,"  etc.,  etc. 


OOISTTENTS. 

INTRODUCTION. — Man,  how  bom,  naturally  and  spiritually. — What  is  a  sacrament  ?— Dif- 
ferent classes  of  sacraments. — Ceremonies  of  the  sacraments. — Matter  and  form  of  the  sacra- 
ments.— The  ministerof  the  sacraments.— Intention  in  the  minister. — Effects  of  the  sacraments. 
— The  character  they  impress  on  the  soul. — Receiver  of  the  sacraments. — Apostolic  Liturgies. 
— Liturgies  of  St.  James,  of  the  Copts,  Alexandrian,  of  St.  John,  the  Mozarabic,  the  Galilean, 
of  Salisbury,  of  Egbert  of  York,  the  Anglican,  Episcopalian,  Latin  or  Roman,  Abyssinians,. 
Albigenses,  Armenians,  Baptists,  Congregationalists,  Copts,  Episcopalians,  Greeks,  Jacob- 
ites, Lutherans,  Maronites,  Nestorians,  Presbyterians,  Syrians,  Councils,  etc. 

BAPTISM. — Meaning  of  the  word.— Definitions  of  baptism. — Prophets  on,  figures  of  baptism.. 
—Traditions  of  all  nations  relating  to.— The  wonders  of  water.— Baptism  of  Christ.— Tra- 
ditions of  the  Church. — Necessity  of  baptism,  of  desire,  of  blood,  and  of  water.— EflFects  of 
baptism. — Infant  baptism. — The  matter  and  form  of  baptism  of  water,  baptism  by  sprinkling, 
4)ouring,  and  by  immersion. — Baptism  among  Catholics,  Protestants,  and  Orientals.— The 
minister  of  baptism. — Bishops,  priests,  laymen,  and  ladies  baptizing. — Early  troubles  relating 
to  re-baptizing  heretics. — Vestments  worn  in  various  Churches  when  baptizing. — Time  and 
place  of  baptism. — Baptismal  fonts  and  baptisteries. — Godfather  and  godmother. — Origin  and 
history  of  the  ceremonies  of  baptism,  etc. 


CONFIRMATION.— Makes  us  perfect.— Figures  of,  among  Ihe  Jews.— The  Fathers  on. — 
Instituted  by  Christ.— Early  Church  on. — Imposition  of  hands.— Anointing  with  chrism  in 
the  East  and  West. — Form  of  in  East  and  West.— Among  the  Episcopalians. — Chrism  among 
the  Orientals.— Sponsors.— In  the  East,  priest  or  bishop,  in  the  West,  only  bishops  confirm. — 
How  the  Episcopalians  confirm. — Essential  parts  of —Minister  of — History,  ancient  customs, 
and  preparations.— Effects  of. — Origin,  history,  and  meaning  of  ceremonies  of  confirmation, 
etc. 

EUCHARIST.- Names,  figures,  and  definitions.— Bodily  and  spiritual  foods.— Fathers  and 
St.  Paul  on.— Christ's  promise.— The  last  supper.— How  the  change  takes  place. — Communion 
in  the  early  Church. — Chalice  once  given  the  laity. — Reasons  for  changing  communion  in  \h* 

early  Church.— Oriental  customs. — The  chalice.— Grecian  and  Oriental  ways  and  manners 

The  bread  and  wine.— Words,  customs,  and  ceremonies  at  Communion. — Condemned  abuses. 
— Laity  once  gave  Communion. — Reasons  for  changing  that. — Communion  of  the  sick.-^ 
Where  kept. — Tabernacle. — How  necessary  for  salvation.— First  Communion.— Holy  vessels. 
— Words  of,  in  Protestant  Churches. — Minister  and  receiver,  and  preparations.— EflFects  of.— 
Time  and  place  of. — Laws  relating  to  Communion,  etc. 

PEN ABfCK.— Nature  of.— Satisfying  for  sin. — Penance  a  virtue.— Sin  the  object  of  penance.-^ 
Perfect  and  imperfect  contrition.— Penance  as  a  sacrament.— Early  Church. — Fathers  on. — 
History  of  penance  in  the  Eastern  and  Western  Churches. — Changes  of  discipline.— The  keys. 
— Minister  of  penance. — Public  penances  in  past  ages.— Material  and  words  of  penance. — Con- 
trition necessarJ^ — Early  customs. — Confessions  among  Copts,  Greeks,  and  Orientals. — Places; 
where  heard.— Changed  disciplines.— Object  of.— Satisfaction  for  sin. — Severity  of  the  early- 
penances. — Penitents  in  the  early  Church. — Ancient  penitential  customs. — Public  sisners.— • 
Oriental  confessions. — Receiver  of  this  sacrament. — Necessity  of  penance. — Its  effects. — Ex» 
amination  of  conscience.— Manner  of  confessing  sin.— Jurisdiction.— The  priest  a  father,  phy- 
sician, a  teacher,  and  a  judge. — The  secrets  of  the  confessional,  etc. 

EXTREME  UNCTION.— How  called  by  early  writers.— When  established  by  Christ.— 
Fatherson.— Matter  and  form  of.— Parts  anointed  in  all  Churches. — Effects  of — Ministers  and 
receivers  of. — History  of,  in  all  ages. — Changes  of  discipline,  and  peculiar  customs  of  other 
Churches,  etc. 

HOLY  ORDERS.— Nature  of  orders.— Ranks  of  clergymen  in  early  Churches.— Orders  a 
sacrament.— Scriptures,  Fathers,  and  early  traditions  on. — What  orders  Christ  established. — 
Propagated  by  external  rites. — Bishops,  priests,  deacons,  subdeacons,  acolytes,  exorcists, 
readers,  porters,  tonsured. — Election  of  bishops  in  all  ages  and  countries.— Election  of  lower 
ministers. — Bishops  superior  to  priests.— Episcopalians,  Orientals,  etc.— Ordination  in  various 
Churches. — Imposition  of  hands.— Minister  and  subject  of  orders.— Hierarchy  of  orders  and 
jurisdiction.— Christ  head  of  all  orders.— Effects  of  orders.— Celibacy  of  clergy.— Exceptions 
to  law  of  celibacy.— Rules  of  the  English  Church.— Election,  ordination,  and  mission  of  the 
clergy.— Vocation.— Customs  of  early  Church.— Time  and  place.— Obstacles.— Origin,  cere- 
monies, and  history  of  lower  orders. — Consecration  of  bishops  in  all  Churches,  etc. 

MATRIMONY.— Generation  of  creatures.— .\dam  and  Eve's  marriage  figured  union  of  Christ 
with  his  Church.— Why  Eve  was  made  from  a  rib.— Object  of  marriage,  courtship,  engage- 
ments.—Rules  relating  to.— Bans,  and  time  and  place  of,  publication  of.— Nature  of.— Marriage 
a  sacrament. — Matter,  form  and  unity  of.— Of  widowers  and  widows.— What  marriages  can 
be  dissolved.— Rules  for  married  people.— Time  and  place  of  marriage.— Receiver  of  nuptial 
mass  and  blessing.— Oriental  rules  and  ceremonies  of.— The  crowns  in  the  Ea,st.— Impedi- 
ments of  some,  rendering  marriage  invalid.— Others  forbidding.— Dispensations,  etc. 

INDEX.— From  pages  462  to  473. 

The  most  exhaustive  work  in  any  language  on  the  sacraments.     Also    it  contains 

43    Bet^utifVil    Krncravin«s, 

Showing  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  all  Churches,  Catholic,  Protestant,  and  Oriental  Churches. 

Extra  fine  paper,  cloth,  costly  stamp  in  gold,  92.00 1    paper  covers,  SI.OO. 

Aifenta  make  from  $7!>.00  to  $150.00  a  month.  Affftita  trantrti  in  every  place, 
tvtcn  atUl  city.     Address  at  onee^ 

Eer.  Jas.  L.  MEAk^HER,  CazenoTia,  N.  X 


"A   REMARKABLE   BOOK." 


Teacjing  Truth  iiif  ^ign^^deiiBmoniB^, 

OB, 

The  Church— Its  Rites  and  Services  Explained 
FOR  the  People. 


T\A7ENTY- FIFTH  EDITION. 


Beitig  n  grapliic  ind  clcnr  desciiiptiox  and  explanation  of  the  ChtuMJli— Its  shape, 
and  why  ii  is  bnilt  in  that  manner,  the  meaning  of  each  part,  a  history  of  akchitec- 
TUUE,  scuLPTUHK,  MUSIC  and  PAINTING. —The  THINGS  in  the  Church,  tlieirmeaning 
and  their  object,  the  Statues,  Images,  Pictured,  and  the  I'ictorial  windows. 

The  Sanctuary,  why  separated  frcm  the  rest  of  the  Chmrh. — The  riGHT,  its 
meaning. — The  candles,  why  used,  ihcir  laeaiilnt;,  tl'.eir  reasons  and  their  history. 

The  Altar,  it^  hrstory,  why  made  in  that  way,  what  it  si^rnifies.  The  Altar 
among  the  Jews,  the  way  the  tabkhnaci-b  of  Moses  was  made,  the  meaning  or 
each  thing  in  the  ancie'il  i  abrknaci.e,  and  how  onr  <  hiirclies  arc  ma'le  like  it. 
— The  Holy  Vessels  and  -.rNENs  Ut-ed  ia  our  Servi^.es. — Why  we  have  latin  .nnJ 
uot  some  modem  tongue. 

The  Vestments,  their  m-^anings  and  their  histories.— The  six  worn  by  bishops 
and  priests,  and  the  nine  worn  by  tl:e  bisl^oj.s  nply.— .The  meaning  of  each  Vestment 
in  particular. — The  color  of  the  Vestments,  and.  meaning  of  the  colors. 

THE    MASS    EXPLAINED. 

Every  movement  of  the  Celelirant  given  when  safd  bj'  either  a  priest,  a  bishop,  or 
the  POPE,  with  the  reasons  and  the  meanings  of  rach  Ceremony.— The  Mass  op 
IlIastek  given  word  for  word  as  a  sptciineti  of  the  other  Masses. — A  histokv  of  the 
ilass  us  said  by  the  Clergymen  of  the  Latin  liiXE. 

The  Funeral  Ceremonies  given,  witli  the'r  m'^anings  and  the  origin  of  all  (he 
rites  around  t  lie  coffin  and  ttie  grave.  The  laws  relaung^to  the  burial  of  the  dead 
and  of  the  cemeteries  in  the  Christian  Churcli. 

Vespers  and  IJenediction,  with  the  siguificationc  and  histories  of  the  cere- 
monies of  the  afternoon  service. 

The  most  Complete  and  Exhaustive  "Work  ever  published  in  the  English  lan- 
guage on  that  subject.  The  Boole  is  ihe  labou  of  many  years,  the  ideas  having  been 
lalcen  from  the  Great  Writers  and  the  Fathers  of  the  Church,  and  from  all  who 
treat  of  these  subjects. 

The  Boole  is  intensely  interesting  to  all  parties,  of  whatever  religion,  saying 
nothing  of  any  form  of  helipf,  but  telling  in  the  simplest  words  the  meaning  of  SQ 
•auch  that  is  mysterious  in  the  Church. 

Illustrated  with  Twenty-one  Beautiful  Engravings, 

Done  by  the  Greatest  Engravers  cf  the  world,  never  before  published  in  this  country, 
ot  all  the  Great  Cathedrals  and  the  most  Celebrated  Churches  in  the  world, 
and  whatevr;  is  beautiful  in  religion. 

PAPER,  SO  CENTS.        CLOTH,  Sl.OO. 


Agents    mfr'i*    from  $50   to    $125  a  month    selling  the  Book.     Agents  wanted 
wherever  the  English  language  is  spoken. 

.     Address.-  Rev.  JAS.   L.   MEAGHER, 

Cazenovia,  N.  ?■ 


THE  FESTAL  YEAR; 

OR, 

The  Origiij,  Ijistory,  Ceremonies  and  ^eaijiijgs  of  the  Suijdays,  Sea- 

soijs,  Feasts  and  Festivals  of  the  Churclj  during  the  Year. 

Explained  for  the  Peoplbl 

:By  Rev.  JA.S.  Tj.  MKiVC-HBjrt, 

AuOwrqf  Teaching  Truths  by  Signs  and  Ceremonies ;  The  Oreat  CaOMral*  qfthe 

World,  etc. 


FIFTH        EDITiax. 


<3ivinK  in  clear  nnd  simple  words  the  origin,  history  and  astrosomioai,  causes  of 
the  HouB,  the  day,  the  week,  the  month,  and  the  year,  with  cnetome  of  the  people 
of  antiquity  as  well  as  in  oiir  days,  relating  to  these  divisions  of  time,  as  well  as  the 
origin  and  meaning  of  the  names  of  the  days  of  the  week,  and  the  months  and 
seasons  of  the  year. 

The  rEASTS  of  the  Pagans.  Jews,  and  Chrktians  are  described  wi»  h  the  PtBUO 
Offices  of  the  Christian  Church,  with  a  complete  history  and  description  of  the  cele- 
■brated  Gregorian  Calendar,  the  meaning  of  the  religious  seasons,  the  parts  of  the 
Bible  read  during  these  times  of  the  Christian  Year,  and  the  titles  ol  the  Misfal 
explained  thoroughly. 

The  Advent  Season,  its  origin,  history  and  meanings  with  its  4  weeks  tell- 
ing of  the  4.000  years  before  Christ's  coming,  and  its  4  Sundays,  typifying  his  4  com- 
ings, with  the  Spotless  Conception  and  antiquity  of  all  these  feasts. 

The  C'liristiiias  Season,  ceremonies  of  Christmas  Eve,  anthjuity,  history 
and  meanings  of  this  time,  celebrated  by  all  Christians.  Christmas  Day,  New  Years 
Day.  Ei'iPHANY.  the  Holy  Kame  and  the  Pkbsentation  with  their  history  and  the 
meaning  of  their  ceremonies. 

The  S«|>tiia}$esiiiia  Season  with  its  ORIGIN,  history  and  XEANTNO.also  Sep- 

TDAGESIMA,  SeXAOESIMA,  QdINQUAOESIMA  SUNDAYS,  ASH  WEDNESDAY  aud  SHROVE- 
TIDE. 

The  I^enten  Season  with  its  origin  fVom  the  Apostles,  the  la^vs  of  ancient 
nations,  councils  and  decrees  aud  its  history  from  the  time  of  Christ,  -wrth  ita  4  Sum- 
days  aud  Passio.n  Souday. 

The  Hol.v  Week  Season,  its  origin  and  history.  The  ceremotjies  of  Palm 
Sunday,  singine  the  Passion,  the  "Tenebrab,"  on  Holy  Wednesday,  the  blessing 
of  the  Holy  Oils,  the  washing  op  the  feet,  the  processions  of  Hoi-y  Tkursday 
*nd  of  Good  Friday,  the  12  lessons,  the  kissing  of  the  cross,  blessing  of  the  fike  of 
the  PASCHAL  CANDLE  and  of  the  baptismal  font  on  Holy  Saturday  are  oivkn  with 

THE  meanings,  HISTORIES  AND  AUTHORS  OP  THESE  MOST  ANCIENT  and  VENERABLB 
CEREMONIES. 

The  Kaster  Season,  ancient  troubles  relating  to  Easteb,  the  antiquity,  his- 
tory and  MEANING  of  this  bea.<on,  the  greatest  of  the  year,  with  the  bervicks  and 
CEREMONIES  of  Easter  and  Low  Sundays,  the  Annunciation,  the  A^icension  and 
Pentecost  Siiudar. 

The  After-Pentecost  Season,  its  history  and  meanino,  with  the  history 
and  significations  of  Tiunity  Sunday,  Corpus  Chiusti,  the  Asuumptiok,  Feasts  or 
All  Saints  and  of  All  Souls. 

Thus  the  religious  year  is  divided  info  7  Seasons,  with  5  Pbasts  in  Mch. 

The  whole  work  is  the  most  complete  and  exhaustive  ever  published  on  that 
Important  subject  perhajjs  in  anv  language,  and  is  like  a  vast  libhaby  condensed 
into  one  book,  the  author  having  houglit  over  $>00.00  worth  of  books,  besides  those 
in  his  possession  and  cotisuitwl  in  other  libriirie*.  Beautifully  illustrated  with  19 
engravings  of  the  most  celebrated  cathedrals  of  the  world. 


Fine  English  Cloth,  335  Pages,  large,  clear  type,  Postpaid  $1,00- 

J'lrnKe  fitio,e  thin  to  some  one  irho  frill  net  n«  Afjetit,  Agentit  mnlce 
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AffitntH  ivanfeU  in  every  town  and  city  where  the  ICnyliah  Utnyuoge  i» 
sj/ohen. 

ADDRK8S:  Rev.   JAS.    L.    MEAGHER, 

Cazeuoviai  9f>  7 


A    ^UATJIII'IIL    ^OOK! 


fiRaiCmilEDRALSjNDMOSTCELEBRllKO  CHURCHES 

OF    THE    \NOn\JD. 

Giving  their  Founders,  Patrons,  Builders,  and  Architects ; 
With^a  Complete  History  of  Each  up  to  our  times. 

ALSO, 

-^  DESCRIPTION  OF  THEIR  DIFFERENT  STVLES  OF  ARCHITECTURE. 
AND  THE  SCULPTURES,  PAINTINGS,  ORNAMENTS,  and  CEREMONIES 

OF  THESE  WONDERFUL  TEMPLES  OF  CHRISTENDOIVI. 

BEAUTIFUIiliY  ILLUSTRATED  with  GO  of  the  most  isiiperb  Eugrav- 
iugs,  by  the  Moi^t  Kiiiiiivut  Artists. 

Adapted  by 
Rev.    JA-S.    L.    jVIEAGHKR, 

AUTHOR  iOP    "teaching    TROTH     BY    SIGNS    AND    CEIIEMONIES:    '     ""HE    FESTAL  TEAR  J  " 
"the    seven    gates    Of    HEAVEN;"     ETC.,    ETC. 


One  of  the  most  beautifully  gotten  up  works  ever  published  in  this 
country  ;  and  gives  a  historic  account  of  the  great  and  celebrated 
churches  of  the  world  in  the  different  countries  where  the  Christian 
religion  has  spread.    The  following  are  the  church  buildings  described: 

St.  Peter's,  Rome ;  St.  John,  Lateran,  Rome ;  St.  Mary  Major,  Rome ; 
The  Cathedral,  Milan;  St.  Mark's,  Venice;  The  Cathedral,  Florence; 
The  Cathedral,  Pisa. 

Notre  Dame,  Paris ;  Holy  Chapel  of  the  Palace,  Paris ;  St.  Denis, 
Paris ;  The  Cathedral,  Rheims ;  The  Cathedral,  Amiens ;  Church  of  St. 
Owen,  Rouen;  The  Cathedral,  Chartres;  The  Cathedral,  Bourges. 

The  Cathedral,  Canterbury;  The  Cathedral,  York;  The  Cathedral, 
Salisbury ;  The  Cathedral,  Lincoln ;  St.  Patd's,  Xiondon ;  ■Westminster 
Abbey,  London. 

The  Cathedral,  Cologne;  The  Cathedral,  Metz;  The  Cathedral, 
Spire;  The  Cathedral,  Strasburg. 

The  Cathedral  St.  Stephen's,  Vienna. 

The  Cathedral,  Antwerp;  Church  of  St.  Gudtde,  Brussels;  The 
Cathedral,  Burgos. 

The  Cathedral,  Cordova;  The  Cathedral,  Seville;  The  Cathedral, 
Toledo ;  St.  Sophia,  Constantinople ;  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre, 
Jerusalem ;  St.  Isaac's  Church,  St.  Petersburgh ;  Church  of  Notre 
Dame,  Montreal ;  The  Cathedral,  New  York ;  The  Cathedral,  Albany ; 
St.  Joseph's  Church,  Albany ;  The  Cathedral,  Rochester ;  The  Cathedral, 
Buffalo;  The  Cathedral,  Boston;  The  Cathedral,  Providence;  The 
Cathedral,  Hartford;  The  Cathedral,  Springfield;  The  Cathedral, 
Philadelphia;  The  Cathedral,  Scranton;  and  some  Volumes  contain 
Trinity  Church,  New  York. 

The  engravings  are  mostly  done  by  the  great  Pannamaker,  who  en- 
graved Gustave  Core's  designs,  and  are  exceedingly  beautiful.  *  The 
whole  work  is  a  masterpiece  of  beauty  on  fine  thick  paper. 

FINE    CLOTH,    ^3.00 ;    SUPERB    GILT,    $3.30. 

Agents  make  from  $75.00  to  $150.00  per  month.     Agents  wanted  every- 
where.   Address, 

Rev.    JAS.    L.    MEAGHER, 

Cazenovia,  Sfn  ir> 


THE  MIRROR  OF  THE  UNIVERSE; 

— OR,   THE — 

Agreement  of  Science  and  Religion. 

This  most  interesting  work  in  fine  cloth,  will  be  sent 
to  any  address  postpaid,  on  receipt  of  price,  $i.oo. 

Agents  wanted  for  the  sale  of  this  and  other  works 
•written  by  Father  Meagher.  Address,  Rev.  Jas.  L. 
Meagher,  Cazenovia,  N.  Y. 

The  following  Contents  give  but  a  few  of  the  interesting 
subjects  treated: 

CONTENTS. 


Introduction — Science  and  Religion — Man,  Beauty,  Truth 
and  Goodness — Mathematics — Scholastics — Metaphysics — 
Importance  of  Sound  Principles  for  the  Sciences,  etc 9-22 


THE  MINERiVL  KINGDOM. 

CHAPTER  I. 

ORIGIN   OF   THE   WOULD. 

Creation— Reasons  for  and  Against  the  Eternity  of  Matter— The 
Nebular  Theory  Described— Formation  of  the  Sun,  Moon, 
and  Planets— Universal  Gravitation— Origin  of  Light, 
Heat,  Motion  etc.— Wonders  of  Astronomy,  Geology, 
Mineralogj',  etc 23-3? 

CHAPTER  II. 

CONSTITUTION   OF   MATTER. 

The  Dynamic,  Atomic  and  Scholastic  Theories  Relating  to  Mat- 
ter, Monads,  Atoms,  Molecules,  Primeval  Matter  and  Sub- 
stantial Form— Physics— Chemistry— Movement— Force- 
Energy— Laws  of  Crystalization— Forces  of  Matter,  etc.  . .  83-43 

CHAPTER  III. 

LIGHT,    HE.VT,    ATTRACTION   ETC. 

Extension— Sound— Music— All  Nature  Founded  on  Mathematics 
—Solids— Liquids— Gases— Laws  of  Light,  Heat,  Elec- 
tricity—Chemical Changes— Geometry  of  Crystalization- 
Substances— Modes  and  Accidents  of  Matter,  etc 44-55 


*  CONTENTS. 

THE  VEGETABLE  KINGDOM. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

HOW   PLAKTS    DIFFER   FROM   MINERALS. 

"Plants  have  a  Different  Origin,  Composition,  Constitution,   De- 
velopment,   Dumtioii,    Reproduction   than    Minerals — The 
'         Plant  Compared  to  the   Mineral,  etc 56-63 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE   DIFFERENT    SPECIES   OF   PLANTS. 

History  of  the  Classification  of  Plants — Systems  of  Linnaeus, 
Bernard  de  Jussieu,  De  CandoUe,  John  Lindley — The 
Exogenae   and  Endogenae — Botany,  etc 64-66 

CHAPTER   VI. 

WHAT   IS   LIFE? 

Life  is  Movement  from  "Within— Vegetable,  Animal  and  Intel- 
lectual Life — Substantial  Forms  of  Minerals — Vital  Prin- 
ciple of  Plants — Sensitive  Souls  of  Animals— Immortal 
Soul  of  Man — Pure  Spirits— Various  Objects  of  These  Living 
Princijjles — Life — Movement  Remains  "Within  the  Living 
Being — Generation — Perfect  Life  Found  only  in  God,  etc.  67-75 

CHAPTER   VH. 

NATURE     OP   VEGETABLE   LIFE. 

Living  Organisms  differ  from  Minerals — Testimony  of  the 
Learned — Analysis — Synthesis — Plants  and  Animals  Use  and 
Control  Mineral  Forces — Operations  of  Vegetable  Life — 
Growth,    Nutrition,  Reproduction,  etc 76-89 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

GROWTH  OP  PLANT,  ANIMAL  AND  MAN. 

"Wonders  of  Living  Organisms — The  Soul  Builds  the  Body — 
Development  of  the  Young — Cold  and  Warm-Blooded 
Animals — No  Feeling  in  Plants — Cells — Manner  of  Growth 
Determined  by  God— The  Soul  Builds  the  Body  Accordina- 
to  Fixed  Laws— The  Child  before  Birth,  etc '83-91 

CHAPTER   IX. 

NUTRITION   OF   PLANT,    ANIMAL   AND   MAN. 

Pood — Growth  and  Nutrition  Identical  in  Plants — Growth  stops 
at  last  in  Animals  and  Man — Nutrition  Continues — 
Living  Organisms    Require  Nourishment — Snirits  Remain 


CONTENTS. 

Unchanged — Reasonable  Beings  Grow  with  Truth  and 
Happiness — Circulation  of  the  Sap  and  Blood — Breathing  of 
Plants  and  Animals,  etc 93-100 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE   GENERATION   OF   BEINGS. 

All  Living  Beings  Generate  Another  like  Themselves — Animal 
and  Vegetable  Souls  Generated — Human  Soul  Created  by 
God — Generation  in  Creatures  a  Figure  of  tlie  Trinity — 
Seeds — Sexual  and  Uusexual  Generation — Pollen— The 
Egg — The  Embryo — Generation  of  a  Thought — Generation 
of  the  Persons  of   the  Trinity,  etc 101-110 


THE  ANIMAL   KINGDOM. 

CHAPTER    XI. 

now    ANIMALS   DIFFER   FROM   PLANTS. 

•Object  of  Vegetal)le  Life — The  Organism  of  Animals — All  Sur- 
rounding Bodies — Plants  have  No  Sensation — Plants  Com- 
posed of  Carbon.  Oxygen  and  Hydrogen — To  these  in 
Animals  add  Nitrogen — Animal  Species  more  Numerous 
than  Those  of  Plants — Animals  have  Higher  and  More 
Perfect  Organizations  than  Plants — One  or  More  Sense  in 
Every  Animal — Animal  Instincts,  etc 111-119 

CHAPTER  Xn. 

KINDS   AND   SPECIES   OF   ANIMALS. 

Five  Great  Divisions  of  Animals — Animalcules — Radiates,  Mol- 
lusks.  Articulates,  Vertebrates — Description  of  Each  Class — 
Zoology,  etc 120-125 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

SKELETON,    MUSCLES   AND   NERVES. 

The  Human  Skeleton — Bones — Composition  and  Structure  in 
Man  and  Animals— The  Muscular  System — Conijnisition  and 
Description  of  the  Voluntary  and  Involuntary  ^Muscles — The 
Heart — Tendons — The  Nerves — Their  Funrtinn«— Functions 
and  Structure  of  Spinal  Column — Bruin,  etc      126-134 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE   FIVE   SENSES. 

Material  Things,  the  Object  of  the  Five  Senses— Special  Nerves  of 
the  Senses — Touch  Resides  in  all  Parts  of  the  External  Skin, 
but  especially  in  Tongue  and  Fingers — Taste  in  the  Mouth 
espe(  iall y  in  Tongue — Smell,  Description  of — Enorniousjv 
Developed  in  some  Animals — Hearing — External,  Middle, 
and  Internal  Ear  in  Man — The  Drum,  Hammer,  Stirrup,  An- 
vil, Labyrinth,  Cochha — Investigations  of  Helmholtz,  Corti 
and  otners — Wonders  of  the  Inner  Ear— Seeing — Laws  of 
Optics — Description  of  the  Eye,  Cornea,  Crystaline  Lense — 
Retina — 0[>tic  Nerve,  etc  135-149 

CHAPTER  XV. 

IffTERIOR    SENSES,    IMAGINATION,    MEMORY,    INSTINCT,    ETC. 

The  Common  Sense — Sensations — Fancy — Memory — Wonders  of 

Instinct,  etc 150-155 


THE  HUMAN  KINGDOM, 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

DIFFERENCE   BETWEEN   MAN   AND   ANIMALS. 

3Ian  a  Reasonable  Animal — The  Highest  and  Most  Complicated 
Organism — Art,  Commerce,  Industry,  Mind,  Will,  Liljerty, 
Education,  Sociability — Man  a  Mineral,  a  Plant  and  an  Ani-    " 
mal — Reason — Development  of  Man — Growth,  Decay   and 
Death,  etc 156-167 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE   MIND. 

Universal  Truth,  the  Direct  Object  of  the  Mind — Particular 
Truth,  the  Indirect  Object  of  the  Mind — Ideas — ^Thoughts  — 
In  God  the  Thought  or  Idea  is  the  Son — Superiority  of  the 
Mind  over  Other  Powers-  -Origin  of  Ideas — Language — Wit 
and  Humor — Concrete  and  Alastract  Ideas— Plans  and  Rea- 
sons of  All  Things  in  God — Conduct  of  the  Mind— Intel- 
lectual Memorv-^The  Mind,  the  Image  of  God — The  Active 
and   Passive  Mind,  etc 168-180 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  XVIII. 

WHAT   IS   REASON? 

The  Mind  in  Action  is  Reason — Nouns,  Adjectives,  Verbs,  Ad- 
verbs, Pronouns — T!ie  Foundations  of  Grammmar — The 
Verb  to  Be — Substance,  Existence— Tlie  Eternal  Idea  of  . 
God's  Mind,  the  Son,  the  Model  of  all  Creatures — The 
True— The  False— The  Good— The  Bad— Axioms,  Princi- 
ples, Reasoning,  Syllogisms — The  Universal — Genus — 
Species — Sentences,  Subject  and  Predicate — Judgments — 
Deduction,  Induction — The  Natural  Sciences,    etc 181-194 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE   FREE-WILL. 

(Jniversal  Good  the  Object  of  the  Free-Will— The  Will  the 
Reasonable  Appetite — The  Mind  Enlightens  the  Will — 
Happiness — Learning — Mind  and  Will  in  God — Power  of  the 
Will  over  the  Other  Faculties — Sin  the  Abuse  of  Reason — 
Sources  of  Laws — The  Will  the  Foundation  of  Liberty — 
Conscience— The  Good — Happiness— The  Mind  of  Man — 
Motives — God  the  Final  End  of  all  Created  Reasons — In 
God,  the  True  is  the  Son,  the  Good,  the  Holy  Spirit,  etc.  195-206 

CHAPTER  XX. 

WHAT   IS   LIBERTY? 

The  Free-Will  in  Action  is  Liberty — To  Possess  the  Good  is  Joy 
and  Happiness — Nature  of  Liberty — We  are  Free  Regarding 
Particular  Good  Not  Relating  to  Our  Final  Happiness — Lib- 
erty of  Man,  Angel  and  of  God — Authority  over  Creatures — 
Why  We  Are  Never  Satisfied  in  This  World — Physical, 
Metaphysical  and  Moral  Liberty — Election — Human  Liberty 
a  Primary  Truth — Predestination — Sin  the  Abuse  of  Lib- 
erty— God  Free  in  Creating — Liberty  and  Grace,  etc . .  207-325 

CHAPTER     XXT. 

UNION   OP   SOUL   AND    BODY. 

The  Soul  the  Substantial  Form  of  the  Body— Bodily  Heat — Sur- 
prising Changes  in  the  Body — Wonders  of  the  Human  Body 
\  — Child  Resembles  the  Parents — Influence  of  Soul  on  Body 
Develops  the  Temperaments — The  Nervous,  Phlegmatic, 
Bilious  and  Sanguine  Temi)eraments— Substantial  Union 
of  Soul  and  Body — Chemical  and  3Iechanical  Unions — 
Union  of  God  and  Man  in  Christ — the  Unity  of  the  Organ- 
ism— The  Incarnation  of  Christ — Personality  in  Man,  Christ 
and  in  God — Accidental,  Substantial  and  Personal  Unions — 
Mind  and  Will  Superior  to  the  Body — The  Soul  h  Whole 
and  Complete  in  Every  Part  of  the  i3ody,  etc 224-250 


CO:s  TENTS. 
CH.VPTEH  XXII. 

IMMORTALITY    OF    TIIK    SOUL. 

Importance  of  tlieSuhjeet — Repu^-iiMiux-  to  Dfjith— TfeAFurds  nnd 
PLinishments  of  this  Life  not  Sufficient -The  Soul  is  Imni.i- 
terial.  and  Tlierefore  Immortal — Force  Indestruetiltle — The 
Soul  Indestructible  in  the  Mind — Mind  and  Will  are  the  Im- 
mortal Parts  of  Man — Animal  Souls — Tiie  Human  Soul  a 
Complete  Spiritual  Substance — Truth  Immortal  is  grasped 
by  the  soul  which  also  must  be  Immortal — The  La-t 
Resurrection — The  Soul  has  No  Parts — Generation  Proses 
Immortality,  etc 231-270 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  FALL   AND    HOW   REPAIKED. 

Superiority  of  Man — Science — Creation  of  jVIan— Man  was  made 
Perfect  at  First— The  Temptation  and  Fall— Original  Sin — 
Remainsof  the  Fall — The  Atonement  — How  Christ  Re|)aired 
the  Fall  of  Man — The  Agent,  Representative  and  JNIinister 
of    Christ 271-290 


THE  SPIRIT  KINGDOM. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

DIFFERENCE   BETWEEN   THE   SPIRITUAL    AND   THE    MATERIAL. 

Matters  Visible  and  Invisible — Extension,  Time,  Space  etc. 
Belong  Only  to  Matter — Substances — Living  and  Non-living 
Bodies— Pure  Spirits— The  Visible  World — Spiritual  Thin<>s 
Difficult  to  See,  etc 201-297 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE   ANGELS. 

The  Angels  are  Intellectual  Forces — Time,  Place  and  State  of 
Their  Creation — Their  Wonderful  Power — Sin  and  Fall  of 
the  Angels — Their  Manner  of  Life  and  Mode  of  Reasoning — ■ 
Their  Mind,  Will,  Liberty  etc — Angelical  Conversations — 
The  Good  See  God  Face  to  Face,  the  Bad  are  the  Demons 
in  Hell — The  Nine  Hierarciiies  of  Heavenly  Spirits — Each 
Choir  has  a  Special  Name  and  Object,  etc 298-32 J 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER   XXVI. 

HEAVEN. 

The  True  and  the  Good,  that  is  the  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  the 
Objects  of  Created  Mind  und  Will— All  Men  Desire  Hap- 
piness—True Happiness  Cannot  be  Found  in  This  Life— Rea- 
son Why— Heaven  is  for  Created  Reasonable  Beings— Hea- 
ven is  to  Have  the  True,  to  Possess  the  Good,  that  is  the 
Son  and  Spirit— Heaven  is  the  Possession  of  God— Heaven 
not  a  Place  but  a  State— Love— Why  God  Loves  Us— Love 
Unites— The  Light  of  Glory —The  Vision  of  God— Different 
Degrees  of  Happiness  in   Heaven,  etc 322-33& 

CHAPTER  XXVH. 


Hell  follows  the  Abuse  of  Reason— No  Redemption  in  Hell- 
Hell  God's  Prison— Sinners  send  Themselves  to  Hell— Pains 
of  Hell  not  Purgative— The  Evils  of  Sin— Death  of  the 
Sinner— Hell  the  Absence  of  Truth  and  Goodness— Nature's 
Laws  Inflexible— Hell  is  the  Loss  of  God— In  Hell  no 
Supernatural  Truth  or  Happiness— Hell  is  Mental  Stiffering 
-How  the  Demons  Fell— The  Sin  of  Lucifer— He  Led  the 
Bad  Angels  to  Perdition— State  of  the  Damned— Demoniac 
•  Possession,  Ghosts,  etc— Hell  a  State  not  a  Place— Stub- 
borness  of  the  Damned— They  adhere  to  Error  and  to  Evil- 
No  change  in  Hell— The  Sufferings  of  Hell  will  Last  For- 
ever-Pains ot  Hell  are  According  to  the  Greatness  of  the 
Sin— No  Redemption  in  Hell— State  of  Those  who  Die 
Guilty  of  Little  Sins— Sensitive  Pain  in  Hell— Is  there  Fire 
in  Hell?  etc 339-35S 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

GOD. 

God  Known  to  Us  by  both  Reason  and  Revelation— Nature  and 
Grace— Utility  of  Religion— Atheism,  or  the  Denial  of 
God— Atheists  Monstrosities  of  the  Intellectual  Order- 
All  Nations  Believe  in  Some  God— Interior  Conscience 
Tells  of  God— Proofs  of  the  Existence  of  God— God 
Eternal  Truth— Mathematics— Attrjbtites  of  God— His 
Chief  Attribute— More  than  One  God  Cannot  be— God 
Everywhere  Infinite  and  Unchangeable— Life,  Reason  and 
Knowledge  of  God— Predestination  and  Free-Will— Will 
of  God— His  Omnipotence,  Justice,  Mercy,  etc 359-37.> 


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