The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPES. 159What constitutes this permanent supreme courtof the Church ? Does it consist of the Bishops assembled in General Council ? No because this is;not an ordinary but an extraordinary tribunal,which meets, on an average, only once in a hundred years.Is itcomposed of the Bishops scattered throughoutthe world ?By no means because it would be im;practicable to consult all the Bishops of Christendomupon every issue that might arise in the Church.The poison of error would easily spread through thebody of the Church before a decision could be rendered by the Prelates dispersed throughout the globe.The Pope, then, as Head of the Catholic Church, constitutes, with just reason, this supreme tribunal.And as the office of the Church is to guide menthem from all error,into all truth, and to preserveit follows that he who isappointed to watch overthe constitution of the Church must be infallible, orexempt from error in his official capacity as judge offaith and morals. The prerogatives of the Pope mustbe commensurate with the nature of the constitutionwhich he has to uphold. The constitution is divine,and must have a divinely-protected interpreter.But you will tell me that infallibility is too greata prerogative to be conferred on man. I answer :has not God, in former times, clothed hfs Apostleswith powers fai more exalted ? They were endowedwith the gift of inspiration; they were the mouthpiece communicating God s revelation, of which the