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Particulars
of Christianity:
301
Roman Catholicism
Addendum:
In Their Own Words
Roman
Catholicism (Part 1)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 2)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 3)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 4)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 5)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 6)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 7)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 8)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 9)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 10)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 11)
Roman
Catholicism (Part 12)
Addendum:
In Their Own Words
In the other articles in this series we have demonstrated
the Roman Catholic Church and its views are in contradiction
of the teaching of Jesus Christ. We did this by investigating
the claims of the RCC in several fundamental areas dealing
primarily with church structure and papal supremacy.
This addendum will not reargue those points, but will provide
references from the Catechism and Code of Canon Law of the
RCC relevant to the subjects discussed in the preceding articles.
The purpose is to allow the reader to confirm that the views
that we are attributing to the RCC in these articles are,
in fact, the official teachings of the RCC. The quotes below
demonstrate the RCC's profession of Peter as the first pope,
of papal supremacy, of papal infallibility, of the pope as
the Vicar of Christ, and of the role of Tradition and Scripture.
(All quotes are taken from the official website of the Roman
Catholic Church. This website can be accessed online at
http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm.)
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Code of Canon Law
BOOK II. THE PEOPLE OF GOD LIBER II. DE POPULO DEI
PART II. THE HIERARCHICAL CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH
SECTION I.
THE SUPREME AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH (Cann. 330 - 367)
CHAPTER I.
THE ROMAN PONTIFF AND THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS
Can. 330 Just as by the Lord's decision Saint Peter
and the other Apostles constitute one college, so in a like
manner the Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter, and the
bishops, the successors of the Apostles, are united among
themselves.
Art. 1.
THE ROMAN PONTIFF
Can. 331 The bishop of the Roman Church, in whom continues
the office given by the Lord uniquely to Peter, the first
of the Apostles, and to be transmitted to his successors,
is the head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ,
and the pastor of the universal Church on earth. By virtue
of his office he possesses supreme, full, immediate, and universal
ordinary power in the Church, which he is always able to exercise
freely.
Can. 332 §1. The Roman Pontiff obtains full and supreme
power in the Church by his acceptance of legitimate election
together with episcopal consecration. Therefore, a person
elected to the supreme pontificate who is marked with episcopal
character obtains this power from the moment of acceptance.
If the person elected lacks episcopal character, however,
he is to be ordained a bishop immediately.
Can. 333 §1. By virtue of his office, the Roman Pontiff
not only possesses power offer the universal Church but also
obtains the primacy of ordinary power offer all particular
churches and groups of them. Moreover, this primacy strengthens
and protects the proper, ordinary, and immediate power which
bishops possess in the particular churches entrusted to their
care.
§2. In fulfilling the office of supreme pastor of
the Church, the Roman Pontiff is always joined in communion
with the other bishops and with the universal Church. He nevertheless
has the right, according to the needs of the Church, to determine
the manner, whether personal or collegial, of exercising this
office.
§3. No appeal or recourse is permitted against a
sentence or decree of the Roman Pontiff.
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Catechism of the Catholic Church
PART ONE
THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
SECTION ONE
"I BELIEVE" - "WE BELIEVE"
CHAPTER TWO
GOD COMES TO MEET MAN
ARTICLE 2
THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION
I. THE APOSTOLIC TRADITION
. . . continued in apostolic succession
77 "In order that the full and living Gospel
might always be preserved in the Church the apostles left
bishops as their successors. They gave them their own position
of teaching authority."35 Indeed, "the apostolic preaching,
which is expressed in a special way in the inspired books,
was to be preserved in a continuous line of succession until
the end of time."36
78 This living transmission, accomplished
in the Holy Spirit, is called Tradition, since it is distinct
from Sacred Scripture, though closely connected to it. Through
Tradition, "the Church, in her doctrine, life and worship,
perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she
herself is, all that she believes."37 "The sayings of the
holy Fathers are a witness to the life-giving presence of
this Tradition, showing how its riches are poured out in the
practice and life of the Church, in her belief and her prayer."38
II. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADITION AND SACRED SCRIPTURE
One common source. . .
80 "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture,
then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with
the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine
well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing,
and move towards the same goal."40 Each of them makes present
and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised
to remain with his own "always, to the close of the age".41
81 "Sacred Scripture is the speech
of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the
Holy Spirit."42
"And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its entirety the
Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ
the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It transmits it to the successors
of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth,
they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad
by their preaching."43
82 As a result the Church, to whom the transmission
and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "does not derive
her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures
alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored
with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence."44
III. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE HERITAGE OF FAITH
IN BRIEF
97 "Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture
make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God" (DV 10)
in which, as in a mirror, the pilgrim Church contemplates
God, the source of all her riches.
100 The task of interpreting the Word of God
authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium
of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in
communion with him.
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Catechism of the Catholic Church
PART ONE
THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
SECTION TWO
THE PROFESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
CHAPTER THREE
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
ARTICLE 9
"I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH"
Paragraph 4. Christ's Faithful - Hierarchy, Laity, Consecrated
Life
I. THE HIERARCHICAL CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH
The episcopal college and its head, the Pope
880 When Christ instituted the Twelve, "he
constituted [them] in the form of a college or permanent assembly,
at the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them."398
Just as "by the Lord's institution, St. Peter and the rest
of the apostles constitute a single apostolic college, so
in like fashion the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, and
the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are related with
and united to one another."399
881 The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named
Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his
Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.400
"The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter
was also assigned to the college of apostles united to its
head."401 This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles
belongs to the Church's very foundation and is continued by
the bishops under the primacy of the Pope.
882 The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's
successor, "is the perpetual and visible source and foundation
of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company
of the faithful."402 "For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of
his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire
Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole
Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered."403
883 "The college or body of bishops
has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter's
successor, as its head." As such, this college has "supreme
and full authority over the universal Church; but this power
cannot be exercised without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff."404
* The teaching office
891 "The Roman Pontiff, head of the college
of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office,
when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful -
who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive
act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. . . . The infallibility
promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops
when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme
Magisterium," above all in an Ecumenical Council.418 When
the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine
"for belief as being divinely revealed,"419 and as the teaching
of Christ, the definitions "must be adhered to with the obedience
of faith."420 This infallibility extends as far as the deposit
of divine Revelation itself.421
892 Divine assistance is also given to the
successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the
successor of Peter, and, in a particular way, to the bishop
of Rome, pastor of the whole Church, when, without arriving
at an infallible definition and without pronouncing in a "definitive
manner," they propose in the exercise of the ordinary Magisterium
a teaching that leads to better understanding of Revelation
in matters of faith and morals. To this ordinary teaching
the faithful "are to adhere to it with religious assent"422
which, though distinct from the assent of faith, is nonetheless
an extension of it.
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Roman Catholic Beliefs about Mary
Below are some additional official teachings of the Roman
Catholic Church regarding Mary. While this issue was not covered
in our articles these quotes are provided here as reference
to the extent to which Roman Catholic teaching goes beyond
the teaching of Jesus Christ and his apostles, which are contained
within the New Testament.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
PART ONE
THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
SECTION TWO
THE PROFESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
CHAPTER TWO
I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, THE ONLY SON OF GOD
ARTICLE 3
"HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND BORN
OF THE VIRGIN MARY"
Paragraph 2. "Conceived by the Power of the Holy Spirit and
Born of the Virgin Mary"
II. . . .BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY
Mary's divine motherhood
495 Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus",
Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit
and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my
Lord".144 In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the
Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh,
was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person
of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary
is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos).145
IN BRIEF
509 Mary is truly "Mother of God" since she
is the mother of the eternal Son of God made man, who is God
himself.
CHAPTER THREE
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
ARTICLE 9
"I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH"
Paragraph 6. Mary - Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church
963 Since the Virgin Mary's role in the mystery
of Christ and the Spirit has been treated, it is fitting now
to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. "The Virgin
Mary . . . is acknowledged and honored as being truly the
Mother of God and of the redeemer. . . . She is 'clearly the
mother of the members of Christ' . . . since she has by her
charity joined in bringing about the birth of believers in
the Church, who are members of its head."502 "Mary, Mother
of Christ, Mother of the Church."503
I. MARY'S MOTHERHOOD WITH REGARD TO THE CHURCH Wholly
united with her Son . . .
964 Mary's role in the Church is inseparable
from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. "This
union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation
is made manifest from the time of Christ's virginal conception
up to his death";504 it is made manifest above all at the
hour of his Passion:
…she is our Mother in the order of grace
969 "This motherhood of Mary in the order
of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which
she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained
without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment
of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside
this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues
to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . . . . Therefore
the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles
of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."512
970 "Mary's function as mother of men in no
way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ,
but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary
influence on men . . . flows forth from the superabundance
of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely
on it, and draws all its power from it."513 "No creature could
ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer;
but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various
ways both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one
goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures,
so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude
but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but
a sharing in this one source."514
IN BRIEF
975 "We believe that the Holy Mother of God,
the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to
exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ"
(Paul VI, CPG § 15).
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