Alpha Omega

One of the more significant — and controversial — teachings of the Catholic Church is papal infallibility. Many individuals deny papal infallibility by loudly proclaiming that the pope can and does sin just like everyone else. This is true; the pope — whoever it may be at any one time — can and does sin just like everyone else. However, to claim that this negates papal infallibility is an incorrect judgement.

First of all, the condition of the reigning pontiff’s soul has no bearing whatsoever upon any ex cathedra proclamations that the pope may make. Secondly, papal infallibility rests not with the person who happens to be the pope, but with the Holy See, the office the pope holds.

For if a reigning pontiff should resign due to ill health — or for any reason — the Mother Church would elect a new pontiff, and the new pope would assume the duties of the papal office. The new pope would be infallible in defining Catholic dogma for the faithful. The pontiff who resigned would not be infallible in defining Catholic dogma.

One should note that the pope does not speak ex cathedra upon a subject without first consulting his many aids and after much forethought. Although by Catholic law he need not obey these aids, their advice usually influences his decision. For each of the pope’s advisors are experienced in their own fields of theology and church law. Also, when the Holy See does declare an article of faith the reigning pontiff is limited when defining Catholic doctrine. There is a standard, set procedure that the Mother Church follows when the pope speaks ex cathedra.

The infallibility of the papal office is protected in three areas. One, when the pope acts as supreme head of the Roman Catholic Church and speaks ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals (this does not extend to church policy). Two, in the ecumenical council, assembled at the summons of or with the approval of the pope, and passing doctrinal or disciplinary decrees that he confirms. Three, in the body of bishops dispersed throughout the world. The defined doctrine can only apply to faith or morals and must be found in scripture or tradition.

The infallibility of the Mother Church is of two kinds: passive and active. The first is the protection promised by Jesus Christ that His Holy Church would never accept or teach any false doctrine (Mt.16:18-19). The second is that the Catholic Church is charged with the function of teaching God’s word, and of authoritatively deciding every controversy by which the oneness of belief among the faithful may be endangered (Mt.28:19-20).

Nor does the infallibility of the Catholic Church imply an authority by the Holy See to make new revelations. That is, it does not give the pope the power to disclose some divine truth previously unknown to Christianity. The whole Christian revelation was delivered by our Lord to the Apostles. What the Mother Church has done since the time of the Apostles is augment and clarify Her teachings.

Finally, the pope is not infallible when he writes an encyclical letter or issues a papal bull, and the bishops teach infallibly only when they are united with the Holy See.

Many people believe that changes in the Catholic Church prove that She is not infallible. They believe that the passage from the gospel of St. Matthew just gives each “Christian Church” the power to define what is truth for their own particular “branch of Christianity.” However, they are misinterpreting the Holy Bible. Jesus was clearly speaking to His Apostles when He spoke these words, not the whole Christian assembly.

Also, this authority from our Lord is passive. She is not infallible because She has some kind of magic formula protecting Her from doing wrong, as many misinformed Catholics seem to believe. Nor does this promise of our Lord mean that the hierarchy of the Holy Church can do no wrong in guiding Her.

What it does mean is that when our Lord sees that His Holy Mother Church is beginning to drift off course and not doing His will, He will inspire one of His children to show Her the correct course that She should follow. Hence, the gates of hell will not prevail against Her.

A classic example of this may be seen in the dissension that arose in the fledgling church about circumcision, Act.15:1-11. It was St. Paul and St. Barnabas, inspired by our Lord, who went to St. Peter in order to get a decision on this. It was St. Peter, acting as head of the church (Act.15:7), who made the final decision in this matter.

Another classic example of this is the work of St. Catherine of Siena who convinced Pope Gregory XI to leave Avignon, France and return the Holy See to Rome, where our Lord wants it to remain.

Clearly, in both instances the Holy See was following the advice of a child of God who was inspired by our Lord. One should thus be able to perceive that it is in procedures such as these that the Catholic Church has one teaching for all true Catholics. No other Christian Church can claim that it has this.

As stated previously, the faithful have nothing to fear when following the teachings of the Catholic Church. She is God’s one true Church of the Christian Religion and She teaches what God wants Her to teach. When She begins to stray off course, it is Jesus Christ, working through St. Peter, who will intervene to bring Her back on course.

Another very controversial teaching of the Catholic Church is absolution. Many individuals claim that priests and bishops cannot forgive sins, that only God can forgive sins. Such people sound like the hypocrites who condemned Jesus Christ for forgiving sins (Mk.2:5-7).

First of all, the bishop or priest is only acting as a liaison or ambassador for our Lord when he administers the Sacrament of Penance (2Cor.5:18-20). Secondly, to deny that bishops and priests can administer absolution, the Sacrament of Fire and Reconciliation, is a direct denial of the Holy Scriptures.

Our Lord did not mean that those grudges that the children of God would hold against the henchmen would remain and those grudges they would forgive would be forgiven. For He spoke of this earlier saying that one must forgive all men in order to be forgiven.

At the sermon on the mountain our Lord was speaking to all mankind. He was informing man how one should treat his neighbor. But after the Resurrection, when He breathed on His Apostles and gave them the law, Jesus Christ was talking about something other than one’s relationship with his neighbor.

Clearly, Jesus Christ was establishing the Sacrament of Reconciliation at His appearance after His Resurrection. He gave this authority to all priests, making no distinction between good and bad priests. The condition of the soul of the priest who administers the sacrament has no bearing whatsoever upon the recipient of the sacrament.

Should a person commit a sin, he only needs to ask our Lord for forgiveness and he will be pardoned; his soul will be clean. This is true. But for mortal sin such a person will not be entirely clean. He still must get the feet of his soul washed. This can be done only by Jesus Christ through His Catholic Church. Again, one has this from the testimony of Jesus Christ.

A person cannot claim that our Lord wanted His followers just to physically wash each other’s feet in some kind of monthly or weekly ritual. He clearly stated that He had given the apostles an example (ver.15) of what He wanted them to do. This is what absolution accomplishes. It washes the feet or foundation of one’s soul and clothes one with the grace of God (ver.10). It restores one to the full life taken away by mortal sin.

Many claim that they do not need absolution because they confess all their sins directly to God. However, this does not wash one’s soul entirely. Jesus Christ clearly stated: he that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly, (ver.10). Without absolution a person is still only partially clean. He still must get the foundation or heart of his soul clean.

When one cleans his soul in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation he has allowed Jesus Christ to wash the heart and foundation or feet of his soul and give it new life. He is then reborn and is allowed entry into the kingdom of heaven where our Lord dwells.

Nor can a person deny the existence of mortal sin because this also denies the Holy Scriptures.

There are sins unto death, called mortal sins, and there are sins that are not unto death, called venial sins. When an individual commits a grievous sin, his soul becomes one with death and needs to be brought back to life. However, with the less serious, venial sins one’s soul is still alive although injured and impaired. That is why the law demands absolution only when a mortal sin is committed, not for venial sins.

There is not always a clear distinction between mortal sin and venial sin. A mortal sin is defined as a grievous offense that is knowingly and willingly committed against God or one’s neighbor. But a venial sin is defined as a less serious sin committed against God or one’s neighbor. A venial sin can also be a mortal sin that is committed without full knowledge or consent or committed by accident. It is these latter types of sins that can cause confusion.

If someone commits a sin, he should ask God for forgiveness and then examine his conscience before God with a humble and contrite heart (Ps.50:1-21) in order to decide his next course of action. If he decides that absolution is needed, then he should receive it as soon as possible. In this way his soul will be fully pardoned and ready to receive Holy Communion.

The reason that a person must receive absolution before receiving Holy Communion is because the consecrated Eucharist is God, and a person ought not to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord into his soul without first getting his soul completely clean of sin.

One cannot deny the Holy Eucharist, for this is denying the words of our Lord.

Our Lord did not say that it was a figurement of His body and a figurement of His blood. Nor did He say that one should use the Holy Eucharist as an image or symbol to represent His body and blood. He said clearly and distinctly: This is my body . . . this is my Blood. Nor is there an error in translation for the Latin Vulgate says the same thing: hoc est corpus meum . . . hic est enim sanguis novi testamenti.

In his first epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul also testifies that the Holy Eucharist is the Body and Blood of our Lord.

Then in the next chapter of the same letter St. Paul says that an individual is not to eat of this sacrifice with an unclean soul.

One should thus be able to perceive that the consecrated bread and wine that are offered up during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are the Body and Blood of our Lord. The bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through transubstantiation and the law.

Our Lord did this for he wanted to manifest who would be humble enough to obey the law and who would have too much pride to follow it. After the consecration, what looks like, feels like, tastes like, and smells like bread and wine is the Body and Blood of our Lord. Those who teach otherwise are propagating falsehoods.

One should not think that just because a person has not received absolution for his sins that his prayers and good works are unacceptable to Jesus Christ. God accepts all the prayers of all His children, and He does reward one for these acts of love, both at the moment of action and at the hour of physical death.

This reward one receives from our Lord is known as indulgences. Although some prefer to just call it grace from God.

The amount of grace or indulgences one receives from our Lord depends upon one’s own faith. Those with a strong faith receive more grace than those with a weaker faith. Not that God gives more to one person than He does to another, but that some souls, due to their greater faith, are prone to receive more grace.

One uses these indulgences to help repay our Lord for sin incurred debt. One may say that each time an individual sins (mortal or venial) he gives his soul to Satan and incurs a debt to God (Mt.18:23-35). With mortal sin a person is selling his soul to Satan and becomes the slave of evil. With venial sin a person still owns his soul but is renting it to the devil.

When one asks God for forgiveness, one is actually asking our Lord to evict Satan from one’s soul. A repentant sinner has in fact admitted to God that he is in debt to Jesus Christ for evicting Satan.

But before entering into heaven, this debt must be paid back in full (Mt.5:25-26). Also, after the eviction, one still must clean his soul of the filth left by the former tenant. This is what absolution accomplishes. The sacrament washes the feet or foundation of one’s soul; it washes one’s soul completely of evil.

One may say that with mortal sin one’s soul has entered a morgue to await burial. One is brought back to life through the confession and Holy Communion. With venial sin one’s soul has entered a hospital. One will receive the necessary medication upon asking our Lord for forgiveness.

Each time one utilizes his faith and says a prayer he receives a grace or indulgence from our Lord. When one does an act of mercy out of the goodness of his heart, he gives this grace back to God and in this way helps to pay back sin incurred debt. (Although no one could ever completely pay back to our Lord what man owes to Him, acts of mercy do help repay a small part of sin incurred debt.)

The amount of indulgences one receives from God depends upon the strength of one’s faith. The stronger is one’s faith, the more graces one receives from God. But the amount of grace one gives back to our Lord depends upon how much self glory one retains for himself. The more self glory one retains, the less one is able to help in repaying our Lord for sin incurred debt (Mt.6:5). Those who pray in secret retain no self glory and are rewarded by God (Mt.6:6).

Many profess that Jesus Christ has already paid back man’s debt by His death on the cross. But one must not forget that our Lord died in order to save those who were lost and dead in sin (Lk.5:31-32; 19:10). By asking God for forgiveness one is acknowledging this, but one must still be born again of fire and the Holy Spirit.

Absolution is the cleansing fire that brings one back to life. The soul who takes advantage of it is washing himself completely and taking full advantage of the graces offered by God. Such a person’s good works may then begin to help other souls.

However, those who do not humble themselves in the Sacrament of Reconciliation are not taking full advantage of the graces offered by the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore, since they are only partially clean, their sin incurred debt is only partially paid back.

To better understand this one may liken hell to a prison. There are three types of prisoners. 1) Those who refuse to rehabilitate themselves; they are evil men. 2) Those who are in the process of rehabilitating themselves, but have not finished paying back their debt to society. Although they are still in prison, they are good men. 3) Then there are those who have been rehabilitated, have finished paying their debt and have been released from prison; they are free men.

The first type of prisoner may be likened to those individuals who commit mortal sin and refuse to ask Jesus Christ for pardon. They are lost and dead in sin and will stay this way.

The second type of prisoner may be likened to those souls who have committed mortal sin and have asked our Lord for forgiveness, but have yet to receive absolution. These souls are no longer dead in sin, but neither are they completely filled with the life of Jesus Christ.

Finally, there are those who have committed mortal sin, asked God for pardon and then went to confession. They are no longer prisoners, but have been born again of fire and the Holy Spirit to the full life of Jesus Christ. They are completely free of sin.

Thus, one should easily see that there are three types of sinners. Those who refuse to repent. They will remain in sin and death for all eternity. Nothing of their debt to God is paid back.

There are those who partially repent. They are still prisoners. They will be saved after suffering some loss (1Cor.3:13-15). Only part of their debt is repaid to God.

Finally, there are those who completely clean themselves of sin. They are no longer slaves of sin and death but are free. Through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the good works of Mary and the Saints and through their own good works all of their debt to God is repaid.

Before continuing on to another subject, one should note that non-Catholics can also have the feet or foundation of their souls washed. Not to believe such is to believe that God is limited by the acts of man. Although the easiest way to get the heart and foundation of one’s soul washed is in the Sacrament of Penance, it is not the only way.

The other way is to enter into the spiritual perfection of the innermost castle of one’s soul. This latter is to become perfectly humble before God (Ps.50:1-21). (This subject is discussed in greater detail in the second book of this trilogy.) To become perfectly humble in the presence of our Lord takes great courage and humility — courage and humility that most people do not possess, which is why our Lord made the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Such an act of faith, hope and love brings one’s soul to an admission, from the heart, of one’s own unworthiness and raises one to a new life with our Lord. Such a soul is then automatically in the state of Sanctifying Grace. One does not have to be a Roman Catholic to be humble before God and receive this great gift. This gift is obtainable by everyone who believes in God — Catholic, non-Catholic Christian and non-Christian. Thus, absolution through the innermost mansion of heaven is open to all children of God.

Alpha Omega

The Infallible Doctrine