Vatican Council Votes For Shared Authority

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30561, 2 October 1964, Page 9

Vatican Council Votes For Shared Authority

(K.Z. Press Association—Copyright) VATICAN CITY, October 1. The Vatican Ecumenical Council voted approval yesterday to two historical measures: the recognition of shared authority between the Pope and bishops and the creation of a permanent body of married and single deacons.

The measures were approved in an over-all vote on the third chapter of the • Council schema “De Ecclesia,” on the nature of the Church. The Council voted on individual clauses over the last few days.

Yesterday’s vote established the final text of the chapter. However, it is still not a full-fledged Council decree. Other chapters in the schema have not yet been approved by the council. Once they are voted in working session, the Council must meet in public session with the Pope and cast one last ballot on the entire schema. The vote on the third chapter of “De Ecclesia” was divided into two parts. First the Council fathers voted on the nature of the episcopacy, including the concept of collegiality, or the sharing of bishops as a body with the Pope in authority over the Roman Catholic Church. A second ballot was then taken on the section establishing the diaconate. The vote on the nature of the episcopacy was 1629 in favour, 567 in favour but with reservations, and 42 against. On the diaconate, the vote was 1704 in favour, 481 in favour with reservations and 53 against. In both cases two-thlrds majorities of 1492 were required. The council schedule called for resumption of a controversial debate on the sources of divine revelation. Argument about the roles of tra-

dition and Scripture became so bitter at the first session in 1962 that the late Pope John XXIII intervened personally. The concept of shared Papal-episcopal power has been described by Pope Paul VI as the decisive issue before the Council. It has implications for Christian unity in that it completes the doctrine of Papal primacy proclaimed by the first Vatican Ecumenical Council in 1870. Many Protestants felt that too much emphasis had been put on Papal authority after that Council. Pope Paul stressed, when he opened the session on September 14, that the bishops must decide how they share power with him. But he added that the sharing would not lessen either Papal primacy or Papal infallibility in official pronouncements on matters of Chrstian faith or morals. The acceptance of the concept could lead to the establishment of a consilium or senate of bishops to aid the Pope in church government. Progressive prelates generally supported collegiality. Many conservatives expressed fear that it could weaken the Pope’s primacy and therefore the Church itself.