Page:Petri Privilegium - Manning.djvu/38

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so that it is impossible for the whole Church to err in believing, because the pastors of the Church, with their head, cannot err in teaching. But it is manifest that, according to this doctrine, the fountain of infallible teaching is the Divine Head in heaven, through the organ of the visible head of the Church on earth.

In a word, then, this Centenary was the Feast of S. Peter's Chair, elevated to the highest rite and celebrated by the whole Church. The one dominant truth, idea, power, and divine institution which it set before our eyes and hearts is the Cathedra Petri. Let us recal to our minds what the studies of earlier days have made familiar, and our daily labours have verified.

The Chair of Peter is the power of Peter, and the place where it has been divinely fixed. The power of Peter is in the key of knowledge and the key of jurisdiction, committed by a divine act to him as Vicar of Christ and head of the Church on earth. The Divine warrant of this power is recorded in three declarations of our Divine Master—'Tibi dabo claves:' 'Pasce oves meas:' 'Ego rogavi pro te.' The delivery of the keys of knowledge and jurisdiction gave the plenitude of power to teach and to rule; the delivery of the flock determined the object of that power; the prayer of the Divine Head of the Church sustains the faith of Peter. I know that the world, and every heresy and schism that has rebelled against the Vicar of Christ, has denied, and does daily deny, this affir-