Petri Privilegium/III

by Henry Edward Manning

Layout 2

THE VATICAN COUNCIL

 

 

AND ITS DEFINITIONS:

 

 

 

A PASTORAL LETTER TO THE CLERGY

 

&c.

 

 

 

BY

HENRY EDWARD

ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER.

LONDON:

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

1870.

 

 

 

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

The World and the Council.

External history of the Council, 2; The alleged indifference to the Council, 13; Internal history, 24; Protest of the Cardinal Presidents, 33; Definition by acclamation, 36; Definitions binding on all the faithful, 39.

 

CHAPTER II.

The Two Constitutions.

Analysis of the Constitution De Fide Catholica, 43; Preparation for the definition of the Infallibility of the Roman Pontiff, 51; Analysis of the First Constitution on the Church of Christ, 54; Six points of the definition of Infallibility, 57.

I. Meaning of the phrase loqui ex cathedrâ, 58.

II. Faith and morals the object of Infallibility, 59; Five points of the Charter of the Church: 1. The perpetuity and universality of the mission of the Church as a Teacher of mankind. 2. The deposit of the Divine Faith and Law entrusted to the Church. 3. The Church the sole interpreter of the Faith and of the Law. 4. The Church the sole Divine Judge over the reason and will of man. 5. The Perpetual Presence of our Lord with the Church, 59. The doctrinal authority of the Church not confined to matters of revelation, 67; Truths of Science, 67; Truths of History, 68; Dogmatic Facts, 68, 69; Minor censures, 73.

III. The efficient cause of Infallibility, 79; Witness of St. Ambrose, a.d. 397, 79; Witness of St. John Chrysostom, a.d. 407, 80; Witness of St. Augustine, a.d. 430, 80; Witness of St. Cyril, a.d. 444, 80; Witness of St. Leo, a.d. 460, 81; Witness of St. Gelasius, a.d. 496, 81; Witness of Pelagius II., a.d. 590, 81; Witness of St. Gregory the Great, a.d. 604, 82; Witness of Stephanus Dorensis, a.d. 649, 82; Witness of St. Vitalian, a.d. 669, 83.

IV. The Acts to which the divine assistance is attached, 86.

V. The extension of the Infallible authority to the limits of the doctrinal office of the Church, 90.

VI. The dogmatic value of Pontificial acts ex cathedrâ, 91.

 

CHAPTER III.

The Terminology of the Doctrine of Infallibility.

Personal, 94, 112; Independent, 97, 113; Separate, 98, 113; Absolute, 102, 113.

 

CHAPTER IV.

Scientific History and the Catholic Rule of Faith.

Evidence of history, and the Infallibility of the Roman Pontiff, 114; Cumulus of evidence for the Infallibility of the Roman Pontiff undiminished by historical doubts, 116; Difficulties of human history, 119; The German Bishops at Fulda, 120; Heretical assumptions of 'scientific history,' 126; History improperly called a science, 131; Definition of science, 131; Theology only improprie a science, 133; Modern Gnosticism, 135.

 

CHAPTER V.

Result of the Definition.

Bishops witnesses of the objective faith of the Church, 139; Tradition of England, 140; Sir Thomas More, 141; Cardinal Fisher, 142; Cardinal Pole, 142; Harding, 143; Campian, 144; Nicholas Sanders, 145; Kellison, 145; Southwell, 147; Alban Butler, 148; Charles Plowden, 149; Bishop Hay, 151; Bishop Milner, 151; Predicted disasters from the Definition, 152.

 

APPENDIX

1. The Latin Postulatum of the Bishops for the Definition of the Infallibility, 163; English Translation of the same, 167.

2. Letter of H. E. Cardinal Antonelli to Count Daru, 173.

3. Protest of the Cardinal Presidents, 181.

4. Constitutio De Fide Catholica, 182; Translation of the same, 192; Constitutio Dogmatica Prima de Ecclesia Christi, 204; Translation of the same, 211.

5. Rules laid down by Theologians for Doctrinal Definitions, 220.

6. The Case of Honorius; Note of the Archbishop of Baltimore on the question of Honorius, 223.

7. Letter of the German Bishops on the Council, 225.