![]() Perhaps not coincidentally, as the Jesuits have maneuvered to establish what amounts to a “loyal opposition” within the Catholic Church, the order has suffered heavily from defections and lost its ability to attract young recruits. Is there any discussion among Jesuit leaders of a return to the defense of Catholic orthodoxy? Evidently not. Today they are inveterate critics of the Vatican, who train young Catholics to question their faith. As recently as the mid-20th century, the Jesuits were known as stalwart defenders of the Pope, who trained loyal young Catholics to defend Church doctrines. “The mission of the Jesuit order, as understood by most of its members, has changed radically in recent decades. Keeping this argument in mind, I’d like to contrast this with an interesting entry on the Jesuits recently posted on Steve Ray’s blog. The claim presented states that Protestants adhere to Scripture as the final infallible authority, yet their disagreements nullify the sufficiency of that authority. Protestants can scream “sola Scriptura” and perspicuity (clearness) of Scripture till kingdom come, but they can’t agree on its teaching, and so they need authoritative interpretation and a guide: the Church, tradition, councils, popes, and apostolic succession.” This is one of the ongoing tragedies of Protestantism. “The same thing happens with Protestants, in their internal squabbles. A Roman Catholic apologist recently stated this common caricature in a blog entry against me: Beginning with John XXIII and continuing through the papacy of John Paul II and our current pope, the movement to come together in full Christian unity has been underway.If you ever engage those who advocate Catholic apologetics, you’re probably familiar with the argument that Catholics are unified in their beliefs, while Protestants are not. Historical breaks and schisms have left us fractured, with the Eastern Orthodox churches no longer in full unity with Roman Catholicism. ![]() The Catholic Church is united under the leadership of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. John’s gospel reminds us, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” (John 17:22-23) Unity is essential for the followers of Jesus. To this ordinary teaching the faithful "are to adhere to it with religious assent" which, though distinct from the assent of faith, is nonetheless an extension of it. (CCC 892) Christian Unity When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine "for belief as being divinely revealed," and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions "must be adhered to with the obedience of faith." This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself. (CCC 891)ĭivine 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. 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. The permanence of the office of the Pope is essential to the everlasting nature of the church. When Peter is given the “keys to the kingdom,” Christ is establishing the divine office of leadership over the church. In the Acts of the Apostles, we come to know Peter is the head of the early church. In the latter instance, without the action of the head, the bishops are not able to act as a College: this is clear from the concept of "College." This hierarchical communion of all the bishops with the Supreme Pontiff is certainly firmly established in Tradition. It is clear throughout that it is a question of the bishops acting in conjunction with their head, never of the bishops acting independently of the Pope. ![]() We believe that the Pope is the successor of Peter, and his bishops are successors of the Twelve Apostles. The Pope, as Bishop of Rome, is the chief pastor and shepherd of the whole Church. ![]() As Vicar of Jesus Christ, the Pope governs the Catholic Church as its supreme head. ![]()
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