"infallibility of the Magisterium"?
Father Mateo (76776.306@compuserve.com)
25 Jan 96 21:00:56 EST
+-
> Father Mateo, you should write a book about this stuff! (if you
> haven't already... ). Call it "Confessions of a computer
> Junkie!" <grin>
>
> But seriously, I do have a question. Please shed some
> light on the "infallibility of the Magisterium" and the Pope, as
> it is evident from an historical standpoint that the Magisterium
> and the Pope have made mistakes in the past. How do you
> reconcile the Church's mistakes with its being guided by the Holy
> Spirit, and especially with the infallibility of the Pope?
-DP +-[DP=>FM]
Dear Dan,
NO BOOKS! Anyway, I'm not a computer junkie. I write out these
responses with an ink pen. If I could, I'd use a goose quill, or
better still a stylus, making scratches on a wax tablet. Our friendly
sysop feeds my responses into her monster. I will have nothing to do
with machines. I hate them. I even hated my bike when I was in junior
high.
The infallibility of the Church is very narrow, and technically it is
what is called a negative charism. It PREVENTS the Church from
TEACHING ERROR in doctrine of FAITH and MORALITY. That is all.
Scripture and Tradition tell us what to say; infallibility shows us
what NOT to say. The Church and its members, high and low have made
oodles of mistakes in the past, and you can count on them making tons
more before Gabriel blows his horn, but never has she taught doctrinal
error officially.
A fruther and very important restriction is this: to be safeguarded
by infallibility, the Church must INTEND to teach infallibly. This
intention is always made clear in the LANGUAGE used in the teaching
document, or by the UNIVERSALITY and UNANIMITY of the teaching.
The Holy Spirit has been called the "soul of the Church" because He
draws us all together in love under the headship of Jesus Christ to the
glory of the Father. So the Holy Spirit lives and acts in EVERY ONE of
Christ's members, but He empowers each of us in a different way. (At
this point, please read 1st Corinthians 12, the whole chapter - come
on, Dan, get out your Bible!)
Thank for writing to me - and please come again.
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Mateo
##MMR 2.38(beta). !link DP 12-25-91 20:34
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