INFALLIBLE AND NON-FALLIBLE TEACHING

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 37, 30 September 1925, Page 33

INFALLIBLE AND NON-FALLIBLE TEACHING

According to Catholic theology the Pope is infallible when he as supreme Pastor proposes doctrines concerning faith or morals, to be held by all the faithful. '" If the Pope does not deal with faith or morals, if he does not deal with them as supreme Pastor, if he does not propose a' teaching to be held by the universal Church,' he is not infallible. No Catholic claims for any Pope infallibility as a private individual, or in matters of ordinary learning, any more than a Catholic would claim that the Pope is impeccable.. Again, the universal teaching body of the Church is infallible when declaring unanimously to be an object of faith something relating to faith or morals. Besides such infallible teachings there are also Non-Infallible teachings such as the ordinary doctrinal pronouncements of the Pope, not pronounced ex cathedra. In this category come as a rule Encyclical Letters, the doctrinal utterance of particular councils or of particular congregation of the Roman Curia. Thus, the Congregation of the Index or the Congregation of the Holy Office frequently pronounce opinions and publish decrees on doctrinal matters, but l the prerogative, of infallibility is not attached to them. With regard to infallible decisions Catholics must give them interior assent, as being inspired by the Holy Ghost who remains with the Church to safeguard her from error; but as far as Non-Infallible decrees are concerned while bound to receive them with reverence and with outward obedience, we are not obliged to make acts of faith in such decisions or to receive them with the unconditional and absolute assent due to dogmatic truths. In these Non-Infal-lible pronouncements and decrees, error is possible but most unlikely. So rarely have mistakes been that it is presumption in any given case to withhold obedience because thero have been mistakes; and even in the few eases cited not all are agreed that there have been actual mistakes made. Those who issue such decisions are men of great wisdom and learning, guided by ancient traditions and surrounded with capable advisers. Therefore, from a human point of view; it would be very foolish for any headstrong individual to oppose any such decision, while from a loyal Catholic standpoint it would be extremely culpable. Thus when a decision conflicting with modern scholars is given it ought to be remembered that on one side we have the opinion of the representatives of human science which has constantly erred and on the other that of the representatives of ecclesiastical authority which has, even in Non-Infallible decisions, very rarely made a mistake. If, indeed, a person should be con-' vinced by valid and clear arguments that a mistake had been made, he would not be obliged to give his interior assent to a decision which ho is convinced is erroneous, and it would be easy by representing his views in the proper quarter to have them upheld if they were really right. On the other hand, a Catholic must assent,;fullyand unconditionally to Infallible decisions, because he knows that they are founded'on* Christ's promise: "Behold, I am with you, all days, even unto the consummation of the

world." There is no restraint in such de- of the Church; but the Church has never cisions, if it be not the 1 restraint of truth yet changed one iota of its dogmatic teachover error. -Science/ often runs too quickly, ing because of 'any ascertained facts that and has to come back again to the position .../? contradicted it. " , '