VATICAN COUNCIL LAYS CONDITIONS

 VATICAN COUNCIL LAYS CONDITIONS

FOR  ORTHODOX OR PROTESTANT UNION WITH PAPACY

SEALS THEM WITH ANATHEMAS

UNEDITED

Source: Decrees of Vatican Council of Faith and the Church  (Central Office CHAIR OF UNITY APOSTOLATE, Graymoore, Garrison, NY. Pamphlet No. 11-24, 1958)  

   “If anyone says that  blessed Peter
 the apostle was not appointed by Christ the lord as prince of all the apostles and visible head of the whole church militant; or that it was a primacy of honor only and not one of true and proper jurisdiction that he directly and immediately received from our lord Jesus Christ himself: let him be anathema. 

     Therefore whoever succeeds to the chair of Peter obtains by the institution of Christ himself, the primacy of Peter over the whole church. So what the truth has ordained stands firm, and blessed Peter perseveres in the rock-like strength he was granted, and does not abandon that guidance of the church which he once received . 

 

     For this reason it has always been necessary for every church--that is to say the faithful throughout the world--to be in agreement with the Roman church because of its more effective leadership. 

In consequence of being joined, as members to head, with that see, from which the rights of sacred communion flow to all, they will grow together into the structure of a single body . Therefore, if anyone says that it is not by the institution of Christ the lord himself (that is to say, by divine law) that blessed Peter should have perpetual successors in the primacy over the whole church; or that  the Roman pontiff is not the successor of blessed Peter in this primacy: let him be anathema

 

Chapter 2. 

On the Permanence of the Primacy of Blessed Peter in the Roman Pontiffs

 

     That which our lord Jesus Christ, the prince of shepherds and great shepherd of the sheep, established in the blessed apostle Peter, for the continual salvation and permanent benefit of the church, must of necessity remain for ever, by Christ's authority, in the church which, founded as it is upon a rock, will stand firm until the end of time.  For no one can be in doubt, indeed it was known in every age that the holy and most blessed Peter, prince and head of the apostles, the pillar of faith and the foundation of the catholic church, received the keys of the kingdom from our lord Jesus Christ, the savior and redeemer of the human race, and that to this day and for ever he lives and presides and exercises judgment in his successors the bishops of the holy Roman see, which he founded and consecrated with his blood . 

 

Chapter 3.

 On the Power and Character of the Primacy of the Roman Pontiff

 

     And so, supported by the clear witness of holy scripture, and adhering to the manifest and explicit decrees both of our predecessors  the Roman pontiffs and of  general councils,  we promulgate anew the definition of the ecumenical council of Florence,  which must be believed by all faithful Christians, namely that  the apostolic see and the Roman pontiff hold a world-wide primacy, and that  the Roman pontiff is the successor of blessed Peter,  the prince of the apostles,  true vicar of Christ, head of the whole church and  father and teacher of all Christian people . To him, in blessed Peter, full power has been given by our lord Jesus Christ to tend,  rule and govern the universal church.  All this is to be found in the acts of the ecumenical councils and the sacred canons.  Wherefore we teach and declare that, by divine ordinance, the Roman church possesses a pre-eminence of ordinary power over every other church, and that  this jurisdictional power of the Roman pontiff is both episcopal and immediate.  Both clergy and faithful, of whatever rite and dignity,  both singly and collectively, are bound to submit to this power by the duty of hierarchical subordination and true obedience, and this not only in matters concerning faith and morals,  but also in those which regard the discipline and government of the church throughout the world. In this way, by unity with the Roman pontiff in communion and in profession of the same faith , the church of Christ becomes one flock under one supreme shepherd.. 

 

     Since the Roman pontiff, by the divine right of the apostolic primacy, governs the whole church, we likewise teach and declare that he is the supreme judge of the faithful [52] , and that in all cases which fall under ecclesiastical jurisdiction recourse may be had to his judgment [53] . 

 

     The sentence of the apostolic see (than which there is no higher authority) is not subject to revision by anyone,  nor may anyone lawfully pass judgment thereupon [54] . And so  they stray from the genuine path of truth who maintain that it is lawful to appeal from the judgments of the Roman pontiffs to an ecumenical council as if this were an authority superior to the Roman pontiff. So, then, if anyone says that the Roman pontiff has merely an office of supervision and guidance, and  not the full and supreme power of jurisdiction over the whole church, and this not only in matters of faith and morals, but also in those which concern the  discipline and government of the church dispersed throughout the whole world; or that he has only the principal part, but not the absolute fullness, of this supreme power; or that  this power of his is not ordinary and immediate both over all and each of the churches and over all and each of the pastors and faithful: let him be anathema.  

 

     The Roman pontiffs, too, as the circumstances of the time or the state of affairs suggested, sometimes by  summoning ecumenical councils or  consulting the opinion of the churches scattered throughout the world, sometimes by special synods, sometimes by taking advantage of other useful means afforded by divine providence, defined as doctrines to be held those things which, by God's help, they knew to be in keeping with sacred scripture and the apostolic traditions. For the holy Spirit was promised to the successors of Peter not so that they might, by his revelation, make known some new doctrine, but that, by his assistance, they might religiously guard and faithfully expound the revelation or deposit of faith transmitted by the apostles.  Indeed, their apostolic teaching was  embraced by all the venerable Fathers and  reverenced and followed by all the holy orthodox doctors   or they knew very well that this see of St. Peter always remains unblemished by any error, in accordance with the divine promise of our Lord and Savior to the prince of his disciples: I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.

 

     Therefore,  faithfully adhering to the tradition received from the beginning of the Christian faith,  to the glory of God our Savior,  for the exaltation of the catholic religion and  for the salvation of the Christian people,  with the approval of the sacred council,  we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that  when the Roman pontiff speaks ex cathedra,  that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians,  n virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole church, he possesses,  by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals.  Therefore, such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the church, irreformable. 

 

So then, should anyone, which God forbid, have the temerity to reject this definition of ours: let him be anathema.

 

   The Profession of faith of the other fathers added: and I pledge and swear true obedience to the Roman pontiff, successor of blessed Peter the prince of the apostles, and vicar of Jesus Christ.  2 The profession of faith of the other fathers continues: my subjects, or those for whom I have responsibility in virtue of my office, hold, teach and preach the same . 

 

    Wherefore we teach and declare that, by divine ordinance, the Roman church possesses a pre-eminence of ordinary power over every other church, and that this jurisdictional power of the Roman pontiff is both episcopal and immediate. Both clergy and faithful, of whatever rite and dignity, both singly and collectively, are bound to submit to this power by the duty of hierarchical subordination and true obedience, and this not only in matters concerning faith and morals, but also in those which regard the discipline and government of the church throughout the world. In this way, by unity with the Roman pontiff in communion and in profession of the same faith , the church of Christ becomes one flock under one supreme shepherd.

 

     And therefore we condemn and reject the opinions of those who hold that  this communication of the supreme head with pastors and flocks may be lawfully obstructed; or that it should be dependent on the civil power, which leads them to maintain that what is determined by the apostolic see or by its authority concerning the government of the church, has no force or effect unless it is confirmed by the agreement of the civil authority.  Since the Roman pontiff, by the divine right of the apostolic primacy, governs the whole church, we likewise teach and declare that he is the supreme judge of the faithful, and that in all cases which fall under ecclesiastical jurisdiction recourse may be had to his judgment.

 

      The Profession of faith of the other fathers added: and I pledge and swear true obedience to the Roman pontiff, successor of blessed Peter the prince of the apostles, and vicar of Jesus Christ 2 The profession of faith of the other fathers continues: my subjects, or those for whom I have responsibility in virtue of my office, hold, teach and preach the same.”