Round Two... Ding, Ding! And other matters...

I just want to address something here. I recently read somewhere where a person asserted that Catholic theology teaches that Pope is simply "first among equals." I trust that this person simply has not done an in depth study of the Catholic understanding of the Papacy. The Catholic Church has always taught that the Pope is the supreme head of the Church, ruling over all, clerics and faithful, with absolute power. Nowadays this sounds very foreign to many Catholics. However, the Second Vatican Council states in Lumen Gentium 22 (with my emphasis and comments):

"But the college or body of bishops has no authority unless it is understood together with the Roman Pontiff, the successor of Peter as its head. The pope's power of primacy over all, both pastors and faithful, remains whole and intact. In virtue of his office, that is as Vicar of Christ and pastor of the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff has full, supreme and universal power over the Church. And he is always free to exercise this power. The order of bishops, which succeeds to the college of apostles and gives this apostolic body continued existence, is also the subject of supreme and full power over the universal Church, provided we understand this body together with its head the Roman Pontiff and never without this head (This supreme power of the college of bishops is derived not from the college, but from the Supreme Pontiff, under whom they are united)."

Furthermore, we see that this reaffirms the reaffirmation of this power made in Vatican Council I, which itself reaffirmed the decision of the Council of Florence (with my emphasis and comments):

"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 (This jurisdiction means that he has immediate power over individual dioceses, as stated in paragraph 2 of the same document), 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." - Pastor Aeternus Chapter 3, section 9

This quote from Vatican I states in the negative what Vatican II teaches in the positive. I only address this because of the reoccurring nature of this opinion and of the current dialogue of the Holy See with the Orthodox churches, the power and place of the Papacy being one of the topics discussed. These talks are quite exciting in that it has be centuries since the Orthodox have been this close to unity with the Church. However, we as Catholics must be aware of our faith before we encourage others to enter into the fullness therein. Part of this Faith is the doctrines and dogmas of/concerning the Papacy. 


Well, have to back to writing my paper for Moral Theology, God bless and have a wonderful Sunday!