It only
remained, therefore, to come to a decision upon the second
question-- what the definition should actually be.
(2) It now became the object of the Inopportunists to limit the
scope
of the definition as much as possible, while the Infallibilists
were
no less eager to extend it. Now everyone, or nearly everyone, was
ready
to limit the Papal Infallibility to pronouncements ex
cathedra--that is
to say, to those made by the Pope in his capacity of Universal
Doctor;
but this only served to raise the ulterior, the portentous, and
indeed
the really crucial question--to WHICH of the Papal pronouncements
ex cathedra
did Infallibility adhere?
The discussions which followed were, naturally enough, numerous,
complicated,
and embittered, and in all of them Manning played a conspicuous
part. For
two months the Fathers deliberated; through fifty sessions they
sought the
guidance of the Holy Ghost. The wooden seats, covered though they
were with Brussels carpet, grew harder and harder; and still the
mitred Councillors sat on. The Pope himself began to grow
impatient; for one thing, he declared, he was being ruined by the
mere expense of lodging and keeping the multitude of his
adherents. 'Questi infallibilisti mi faranno fallire', said his
Holiness. At length it appeared that the Inopportunists were
dragging out the proceedings in the hope of obtaining an
indefinite postponement.
Pages:
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143