The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

""INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPES. 155and the Latin Church, we define that the RomanPontiff is the successor of the Blessed Peter, Princeof the Apostles, and the true Vicar of Christ, the Headof the whole Church, the Father and Doctor of allChristians; and we declare that to him, in the personof Blessed Peter, was given, by Jesus Christ ourSaviour, full power to feed, rule, and govern theuniversal Church."The Popeis here called the true Vicar or representative of Christ in this lower kingdom of HisChurch militant, that is, the Pope is the organ ofour Saviour, and speaks His sentiments in faith andmorals.But if the Pope erred in faith and morals,he would no longer be Christ s Vicar and true representative. Our minister in England, for instance,would not truly represent our Government, if he wasnot the organ of its sentiments. The Roman Pontiffis called the Head of the whole Church, that is, thevisible Head. Now the Church, which is the body ofChrist, is infallible. It is, as St. Paul says, withoutspot or wrinkle, or any such Butthing."how canyou suppose an infallible body with a fallible head ?How^can an erring head conduct a body in the unerring ways of truth and justice?He is declared by the same Council to be theFather and Doctor of all Christians. How can youexpect an unerring family under an erring Father?The Popeis called the universal teacher or doctor.Teacher of what ? Of truth, not of error. Error isto the mind what poisonis to the body. You do not