Categorized quotes on Church authority, with some commentary

The raison d’être of papal and ecclesial authority

Cajetan

“But the power to remit which Christ gave Peter by a privilege has as its object matters relevant to the kingdom of heaven.” (Cajetan 2011, 58)

“As the name ‘apostle’ indicates, pastoral work pertains to the apostles as to the legates of Christ, and so they are called pastors of the Lord’s flock precisely as legates of Christ. But it is evident from what we have said (and what we will say) that Peter was appointed as ordinary pastor even over the apostles themselves. This is what Christ meant by the words, ‘Feed my Sheep.’” (Cajetan 2011, 117)

“For to feed the sheep of Christ is an act of authority by the one feeding, an act benefiting the sheep, having its ultimate purpose in Christ. By committing his followers to Peter as sheep to be fed, he made it absolutely clear that he set Peter over the others as a shepherd is over the sheep.” …

“Therefore, even though”feed” does not mean “rule”, it does indicate the act of an ecclesiastical ruler. Also, if it does not mean “rule”, it does presuppose ruling because it presupposes a shepherd.” …

“Chrysostom agreed that feeding my sheep meant taking over care of one’s brethren. In the Gloss of Alcuin feeding the sheep means strengthening believers in Christ so that their faith does not fail, arranging earthly support for one’s subjects if needed, offering both the preached word and the example of virtue, defending against foes, and correcting wayward subjects.” …

“Hence, although feeding does not mean ruling, it does mean directing the sheep of Christ, which entails ruling. Though it does not mean ruling, it implies this, just as it implies seeking out, leading back, binding up, strengthening, protecting, and healing, as the Lord says in Ezechiel 34[:4.16]” …

“Furthermore, the work commissioned shows what is primary in Peter’s office, where feeding the elect is to be the primary pontifical act. The supreme work of God’s providence is caring for the elect […]”

“One could ask why Our Lord entrusted the pontifical office to Peter by referring to feeding his sheep and not by words referring to prelacy, authority, or dignity. The answer lies near at hand in the matter itself, because one is a prelate or has authority in order to feed the sheep of Christ, and not vice versa. Another purpose was to check ambition, since what one seeks in pontifical office is not a high position, not dignity or authority, but the feeding of the sheep of Christ. As the Apostle later said,”If one aspires to be a bishop, he desires an excellent task.” [1 Timothy 3:1]. Another reason was the fulfillment of Scripture, since he had said before his passion, “the kings of the gentiles hold rule over them, and those exercising authority are called benefactors; but not so with you, since the greater among you should become like the lesser” [Luke 22:25f]. Consequently in the ministerial act of feeding the sheep of Christ there is a tacit reference to the pontifical office as to an added element which is to be valued only for the benefit of the sheep of Christ, in contrast to gentile kings and lords who regulate all things to promote their own rule and lordship.” …

“The excellence of this entrusted work becomes yet more evident when one goes through the pastoral and pontifical tasks, namely,”seeking out the lost, leading back the fallen away, binding up the injured, strengthening the weak, healing the sick, and watching over the fat and strong” [Ezechiel 34:16.4]. The Lord attests that these six pastoral actions pertain to feeding the sheep when he accuses the shepherds, “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves. Should not shepherds feed the sheep? But you drink the milk and cover yourselves with the wool” [Exechiel 34:2f]. The reason he gives for their neglect is clearly that the evil shepherds feed themselves, not the sheep, and the reason for performing all these tasks is to feed the same sheep.”

(Cajetan 2011, pp 118-122)

“The ministerial service of Peter and his successors is to strengthen the faithful amid the turbulence of uncertainty and questioning about the faith. Hence Our Lord said to Peter, and to his successors,”Strengthen your brethren” [Luke 22:32] (Cajetan 2011, 138)

Satis cogitum

“We have thought it most conducive to this salutary end and purpose to describe the exemplar and, as it were, the lineaments of the Church. Amongst these the most worthy of Our chief consideration is Unity.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 1)

“And, since it was necessary that His divine mission should be perpetuated to the end of rime, He took to Himself Disciples, trained by himself, and made them partakers of His own authority. And, when He had invoked upon them from Heaven the Spirit of Truth, He bade them go through the whole world and faithfully preach to all nations, what He had taught and what He had commanded, so that by the profession of His doctrine, and the observance of His laws, the human race might attain to holiness on earth and never-ending happiness in Heaven. In this wise, and on this principle, the Church was begotten.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 3)

“The Church in respect of its unity belongs to the category of things indivisible by nature, though heretics try to divide it into many parts…We say, therefore, that the Catholic Church is unique in its essence, in its doctrine, in its origin, and in its excellence…Furthermore, the eminence of the Church arises from its unity, as the principle of its constitution - a unity surpassing all else, and having nothing like unto it or equal to it” (S. Clemens Alexandrinus, Stronmatum lib. viii., c. 17). (Leo XIII 1896, p 4)

” But He, indeed, Who made this one Church, also gave it unity, that is, He made it such that all who are to belong to it must be united by the closest bonds, so as to form one society, one kingdom, one body - “one body and one spirit as you are called in one hope of your calling (Eph. iv., 4). . . . Agreement and union of minds is the necessary foundation of this perfect concord amongst men, from which concurrence of wills and similarity of action are the natural results. Wherefore, in His divine wisdom, He ordained in His Church Unity of Faith;” (Leo XIII 1896, p 6)

“The heavenly doctrine of Christ, although for the most part committed to writing by divine inspiration, could not unite the minds of men if left to the human intellect alone. It would, for this very reason, be subject to various and contradictory interpretations. This is so, not only because of the nature of the doctrine itself and of the mysteries it involves, but also because of the divergencies of the human mind and of the disturbing element of conflicting passions. From a variety of interpretations a variety of beliefs is necessarily begotten; hence come controversies, dissensions and wranglings such as have arisen in the past, even in the first ages of the Church. . . . Besides Holy Writ it was absolutely necessary to insure this union of men’s minds - to effect and preserve unity of ideas - that there should be another principle.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 7)

Note that right after pointing to unity of faith as essential to the Church, Leo moves to the existence of heresy before moving to the establishment of the Magisterium. This seems to locate the object of the Magisterium in the negative prevention of error, while the positive proclamation of the Gospel is located in “Holy Writ”.

“Truly the voice of the Apostles, when the Holy Ghost had come down upon them, resounded throughout the world. Wherever they went they proclaimed themselves the ambassadors of Christ Himself.”By whom (Jesus Christ) we have received grace and Apostleship for obedience to the faith in all nations for His name” (Rom. i., 5). And God makes known their divine mission by numerous miracles. “But they going forth preached everywhere: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed” (Mark xvi., 20). But what is this word? That which comprehends all things, that which they had learnt from their Master; because they openly and publicly declare that they cannot help speaking of what they had seen and heard.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 8)

But, contra the above note, also see that the positive mission of preaching is also strongly emphasized.

“The Church, founded on these principles and mindful of her office, has done nothing with greater zeal and endeavour than she has displayed in guarding the integrity of the faith. Hence she regarded as rebels and expelled from the ranks of her children all who held beliefs on any point of doctrine different from her own.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 9)

Again, strong emphasis on fighting against heresy here.

“For, since Jesus Christ delivered Himself up for the salvation of the human race, and to this end directed all His teaching and commands, so He ordered the Church to strive, by the truth of its doctrine, to sanctify and to save mankind. But faith alone cannot compass so great, excellent, and important an end. There must needs be also the fitting and devout worship of God, which is to be found chiefly in the divine Sacrifice and in the dispensation of the Sacraments, as well as salutary laws and discipline. All these must be found in the Church, since it continues the mission of the Saviour for ever.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 9)

“The Church, therefore, as we have said, is man’s guide to whatever pertains to Heaven. This is the office appointed unto it by God: that it may watch over and may order all that concerns religion, and may, without let or hindrance, exercise, according to its judgment, its charge over Christianity. Wherefore they who pretend that the Church has any wish to interfere in Civil matters, or to infringe upon the rights of the State, know it not, or wickedly calumniate it.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 10)

“From this text it is clear that by the will and command of God the Church rests upon St. Peter, just as a building rests on its foundation. Now the proper nature of a foundation is to be a principle of cohesion for the various parts of the building. It must be the necessary condition of stability and strength. Remove it and the whole building falls. It is consequently the office of St. Peter to support the Church, and to guard it in all its strength and indestructible unity. How could he fulfil this office without the power of commanding, forbidding, and judging, which is properly called jurisdiction? It is only by this power of jurisdiction that nations and commonwealths are held together. A primacy of honour and the shadowy right of giving advice and admonition, which is called direction, could never secure to any society of men unity or strength. The words - and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it - proclaim and establish the authority of which we speak.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 12)

The demands of papal and ecclesiam authority over others

Cajetan

Re: binding authority of Papal decretals:

“First there is the principle that recognizes the letters and decrees of the Roman Pontiffs as ranking in authority next to Holy Scripture. This is enunciated both in In canonicis in Distinction 19 and in the defense of the apostolic Extravagantes in canon 1 of the same Distinction. . . . the chapter Ad abolendam in the decretals De haereticis lays it down that on questions of sacramental doctrine no one is allowed to dissent from the teaching and practice of the Roman Church.” (Cajetan 2011, 72)

“Instead one’s mind and tongue should be made obediently subject to Christ in his Vicar when his words seem to us inappropriate, providing the teaching of the faith remains unsullied.”(Cajetan 2011, 100)

Note the proviso!

In (Cajetan 2011, 109), the translators give a synopsis of a particular section of Cajetan’s discourse, rather than a full translation. Their synopsis contains this sentence:

“In answering the initial arguments of this chapter, Cajetan points to Peter’s humility in working in the early mission as the equal of the other Apostles, not exercising the power given him.”

I read this as saying, “Peter could totally have decided where all the other apostles were going and what they should have been doing, but he decided not too just out of humility.” I am very unsatisfied by this answer. In many other places, Cajetan and other theologians are happy to take the actions of the apostles in the early Church, as recorded in Scripture, as the normative pattern for the structure of the Church as a whole. But in just this instance, he decides “it was just Peter’s humility and no other reason”?

I don’t like it and this reinforces my feeling that Cajetan is missing something real and important about the structure of authority in the Church and how it was meant to operate.

“The fact that the person himself can become heretical does not tell against the truth of what we have said about the faith of the Roman Pontiff in his own person. For as soon as his faith fails, he immediately ceases to be Peter’s successor in actual fact before God. In God’s judgment,”he who does not believe is condemned already,” as we read in John 3[:18], however it might be in the external order of the Church. In this latter order the same situation obtains, for by the fact that a man called the successor of Peter is even unwillingly subjected to the judgment of the Church for falling from faith, it becomes obvious that in actual fact he is no longer the successor of Peter. For if he were in fact Peter’s successor, he would be judge over the whole Church, not one brought in unwilling submission to the Church.” (Cajetan 2011, 138)

A disputable position, I think.

“We answer the sixth objection by recalling that authority is one thing while exercise of authority is something else. By praiseworthy custom, although the Roman Pontiff has authority over the whole Church, he does not exercise authority in particular matters of concern in the other churches, except when some case demands this.” (Cajetan 2011, 140)

Satis cogitum

“Jesus Christ commanded His Apostles and their successors to the end of time to teach and rule the nations. He ordered the nations to accept their teaching and obey their authority.> (Leo XIII 1896, p 3)

“Hence He commands that the teaching of the Apostles should be religiously accepted and piously kept as if it were His own -”He who hears you hears Me, he who despises you despises Me” (Luke x., 16). Wherefore the Apostles are ambassadors of Christ as He is the ambassador of the Father. “As the Father sent Me so also I send you” (John xx., 21). Hence as the Apostles and Disciples were bound to obey Christ, so also those whom the Apostles taught were, by God’s command, bound to obey them. And, therefore, it was no more allowable to repudiate one iota of the Apostles’ teaching than it was to reject any point of the doctrine of Christ Himself.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 8)

“On the one hand, therefore, it is necessary that the mission of teaching whatever Christ had taught should remain perpetual and immutable, and on the other that the duty of accepting and professing all their doctrine should likewise be perpetual and immutable.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 9)

” As often, therefore, as it is declared on the authority of this teaching that this or that is contained in the deposit of divine revelation, it must be believed by every one as true. If it could in any way be false, an evident contradiction follows; for then God Himself would be the author of error in man.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 9)

“And in like manner He ordered the Apostles only and those who should lawfully succeed them to feed - that is to govern with authority - all Christian souls.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 10)

Note the same use of “feed” as in Cajetan

“This metaphorical expression of binding and loosing indicates the power of making laws, of judging and of punishing; and the power is said to be of such amplitude and force that God will ratify whatever is decreed by it.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 12)

“These, then, are the duties of a shepherd: to place himself as leader at the head of his flock, to provide proper food for it, to ward off dangers, to guard against insidious foes, to defend it against violence: in a word to rule and govern it.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 12)

The special nature of papal authority

Satis cogitum

For this reason Jesus Christ willed that Peter should participate in certain names, signs of great things which properly belong to Himself alone: in order that identity of titles should show identity of power. So He who is Himself “the chief corner-stone in whom all the building being framed together, groweth up in a holy temple in the Lord” (Eph. ii., 21), placed Peter as it were a stone to support the Church. “When he heard `thou art a rock,’ he was ennobled by the announcement. Although he is a rock, not as Christ is a rock, but as Peter is a rock. For Christ is by His very being an immovable rock; Peter only through this rock. Christ imparts His gifts, and is not exhausted….He is a priest, and makes priests. He is a rock, and constitutes a rock” (Hom. de Poenitentia, n. 4 in Appendice opp. S. Basilii). He who is the King of His Church, “Who bath the key of David, who openeth and no man shutteth, who shutteth and no man openeth (Apoc. iii., 7), having delivered the keys to Peter declared him Prince of the Christian commonwealth. So, too, He, the Great Shepherd, who calls Himself”the Good Shepherd,” constitued Peter the pastor “of His lambs and sheep. Feed My lambs, feed My Sheep.” Wherefore Chrysostom says: “He was preeminent among the Apostles: He was the mouthpiece of the Apostles and the head of the Apostolic College….at the same time showing him that henceforth he ought to have confidence, and as it were blotting out his denial, He commits to him the government of his brethren….He saith to him: ‘If thou lovest Me, be over my brethren.’ Finally He who confirms in”every good work and word” (2 Thess. ii., 16) commands Peter “to confirm his brethren.” (Leo XIII 1896, p12)

Analogies of the Church to secular structures of authority

Cajetan

Re: indulgences:

“In all states the ruler is the one who distributes the common goods to the state.”(Cajetan 2011, 75)

Goes to the role of the Roman Pontiff. I think this point needs more elaboration than Cajetan gives it.

A synopsis of an untranslated section of text given by the translator is as follows (Cajetan 2011, 110):

“Christ in heaven is simply and absolutely head, while Peter is vicecaput on earth”.

“Right reason demands that the power ordered to the ultimate end is able to command all others in relation to that ultimate end, as is evident in the crafts and in the cases of men holding offices of commander, general, or prince. Every artisan, commander, general, or prince assigned a higher end is able to order other artisans, commanders, generals, and princes to his end and thus give them commands in so far as they are directed to his end. Clearly the kingdom of heaven is the supreme end, the one corresponding to the power of the keys promised to Peter. All other matters of a temporal character must at some time be ordered to this end. Consequently, this power given Peter entails the power of commanding all kings and princes with reference to the kingdom of heaven.” (Cajetan 2011, 114)

(In Cajetan 2011, 214–16): a passage about the intercession of the saints. I am interested here in how he equates “intercession” with “rule through intermediaries”.

Satis cogitum

“Indeed no true and perfect human society can be conceived which is not governed by some supreme authority. Christ therefore must have given to His Church a supreme authority to which all Christians must render obedience.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 10)

The internal structure of the Church

Cajetan

Re: communion of the believers:

“Since the communion between believers consists in both giving and receiving, their interior communion will entail both sides of this exchange. They give of their merits, prayers, and suffrages before God as intercession and aid for the benefit of others. They receive by the help of others gifts of grace and increase of grace, and the protection of God sheltering them from evil and increasing the good things in their lives. There is a twofold cause at the origin of these spiritual aids. At times they arise directly from an individual’s loving concern, as when a person living in charity prays according to his individual intention on another’s behalf, or does a good work or some penance for this person, and so obtains for him the gift of grace, increase of grace, protection against temptation, or the like. But at other times help is given by way of an institution, or action of the Church, as when by masses and by other official forms of worship people are helped toward doing good or avoiding evil.” (Cajetan 2011, 92)

This goes towards the positive work one expects of a member of the Church, as a member. Individual good works and personal prayer are a constituent part of the treasury of grace in the Church.

“Hence, concerning what a person receives there is no fundamental difference between the interior communion of direct sharing in love and the interior communion by way of the action and institution of the Church.” (Cajetan 2011, 93)

In general, Cajetan’s discussion on excommunication (see Cajetan 2011, pp 94-95) is interesting for insisting on the connection between external membership in the Church and internal graces.

Satis cogitum

“For this reason the Church is so often called in Holy Writ a body, and even the body of Christ -”Now you are the body of Christ” (I Cor. xii., 27)-and precisely because it is a body is the Church visible: and because it is the body of Christ is it living and energizing, because by the infusion of His power Christ guards and sustains it, just as the vine gives nourishment and renders fruitful the branches united to it. And as in animals the vital principle is unseen and invisible, and is evidenced and manifested by the movements and action of the members, so the principle of supernatural life in the Church is clearly shown in that which is done by it.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 3)

“The union consequently of visible and invisible elements because it harmonizes with the natural order and by God’s will belongs to the very essence of the Church, must necessarily remain so long as the Church itself shall endure.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 3)

“Furthermore, the Son of God decreed that the Church should be His mystical body, with which He should be united as the Head, after the manner of the human body which He assumed, to which the natural head is physiologically united. As He took to Himself a mortal body, which He gave to suffering and death in order to pay the price of man’s redemption, so also He has one mystical body in which and through which He renders men partakers of holiness and of eternal salvation. God”hath made Him (Christ) head over all the Church, which is His body” (Eph. i., 22-23). Scattered and separated members cannot possibly cohere with the head so as to make one body. But St. Paul says: “All members of the body, whereas they are many, yet are one body, so also is Christ” (I Cor. xii., 12). Wherefore this mystical body, he declares, is “compacted and fitly jointed together. The head, Christ: from whom the whole body, being compacted and fitly jointed together, by what every joint supplieth according to the operation in the measure of every part” (Eph. iv., 15-16). And so dispersed members, separated one from the other, cannot be united with one and the same head. “There is one God, and one Christ; and His Church is one and the faith is one; and one the people, joined together in the solid unity of the body in the bond of concord. This unity cannot be broken, nor the one body divided by the separation of its constituent parts” (S. Cyprianus, De Cath. Eccl. Unitate, n. 23).” (Leo XIII 1896, p 4)

“Wherefore Jesus Christ bade all men, present and future, follow Him as their leader and Saviour; and this, not merely as individuals, but as forming a society, organized and united in mind. In this way a duly constituted society should exist, formed out of the divided multitude of peoples, one in faith, one in end, one in the participation of the means adapted to the attainment of the end, and one as subject to one and the same authority.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 10)

The Church as a Perfect Society

Satis cogitum

“God indeed even made the Church a society far more perfect than any other. For the end for which the Church exists is as much higher than the end of other societies as divine grace is above nature, as immortal blessings are above the transitory things on the earth. Therefore the Church is a society divine in its origin, supernatural in its end and in means proximately adapted to the attainment of that end; but it is a human community inasmuch as it is composed of men. For this reason we find it called in Holy Writ by names indicating a perfect society.” (Leo XIII 1896, p 10)

References

Cajetan, Tommaso de Vio. 2011. Cajetan Responds: A Reader in Reformation Controversy. Edited and translated by Jared Wicks.

Leo XIII. 1896. “Satis Cogitum.” Vatican website: encyclical letter. https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_29061896_satis-cognitum.html.