Letters

Ecumenical councils

Peter D. Howard

Contents - May 2007 - Buy a copy now Editorial: AD2000: accentuating the positive - Michael Gilchrist Documents: Benedict XVI's new document on the Eucharist - Sacramentum Caritatis - Michael Gilchrist Education: How to fix Australia's Catholic schools and colleges - Br Barry Coldrey News: The Church Around the World Catechesis: Sydney RCIA conference in June on forming new adult Catholics - Joanne Zwaans Cinema: New movie offers an authentic representation of monastic life - Rosina Gordon (reviewer) Vocations: New religious communities flourishing in the United States - Fr James Lloyd Culture survey shows moral divisions in the US The importance of 'holy things' for one's Christian faith - Andrew Kania Letters: Teachers' conference - Ron Munro Letters: Marital fidelity - Br Con Moloney Letters: Conscience - Msgr F. Hickey PE Letters: Priest shortage - Dr Frank Mobbs Letters: Ecumenical councils - Peter D. Howard Letters: Debating euthanasia with facts - Rebecca Soares Letters: Scourge of euthanasia - Brian Harris Letters: Thank you from India - Fr. A. Joseph Letters: Capital Punishment - with Apology - John Gallagher Books: The Catholic Church and the Counter-Faith, by Philip Trower - John Morrissey (reviewer) Books: The Heresy Of Formlessness: The Roman Liturgy and Its Enemy, by Martin Mosebach - Tim Cannon (reviewer) Books: Liturgy, Life of the Church; The Modern Rite; Pope and Council on Sacred Liturgy - Michael Daniel (reviewer) DOES YOUR PARISH STOCK AD2000? Books: AD2000 Books Reflection: Teaching children about the Eucharist - Audrey English

Dr Frank Mobbs has shown how little Catholics know about ecumenical councils (April AD2000), however this is but a small part of what they should know about what Christ's Church teaches, how to live and how to explain and defend her teaching.

This fact is evident from the letters in the same issue which refer to the devastation of the effects of contraception and abortion and the failure to teach against these abominations in many dioceses.

It seems strange that on ecumenical councils, Dr Mobbs does not mention doctrine. Yet it was Vatican I which, in a dogma (to be believed on divine and Catholic faith) infallibly defined that popes teach infallibly when, as pastors and teachers of all Christians, they define a doctrine on matters of faith or morals to be held by the whole Church.

This infallible doctrine of the ordinary Magisterium is necessary for faithfully keeping and expounding the revealed deposit of faith as taught in Vatican II in the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 25.

This leads to the understanding of the vital importance of the papal infallible doctrine against contraception in Casti Connubii (1930) and Humanae Vitae (1968), an understanding which many priests and laity seem to lack, and about which a number of bishops appear oblivious.

Further, this leads to the understanding of the irrevocable nature of Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (the impossibility of women priests) about which Bishop Morris of Toowoomba (February AD2000) also appears oblivious.

The suicide of Europe due to contraception and abortion, its aging population, and its secularism all point to the correctness of Paul VI's Humanae Vitae, and the need for both faith and reason as Pope John Paul II so beautifully taught.

PETER D. HOWARD
Springwood, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 20 No 4 (May 2007), p. 14