True Catholic News

The Glorious Vatican Council in 1870 infallibly stated that St. Peter *HAS (not will have) perpetual successors. The pertinent quotation is found in Denzinger #1825: Si quis ergo dixerit, non esse ex ipsius Christi domini institutione seu iure divino, ut beatus Petrus in primatu super universam ecclesiam habeat perpetuos successores; … anathema sit.” [*Habeat = he has (present tense—subjunctive because it follows dixerit according to sequence of tenses). Future tense (he will have) = habebit. He must have = debeat habere. Habeat then equals HAS, not must have or will have.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "In the noble works which the fathers of the early centuries of Christianity wrote to defend the doctrines of the Church against their assailants, they unanimously lay down this CLEAR PRINCIPLE, that 'such doctrine is truly Catholic as has been believed in all places, at all times, and by all the faithful.' By this test of universality, antiquity, and consent, the Church tries, especially in her general councils, all questions concerning faith and morals, CONDEMNS AND REJECTS ALL *VARIATIONS FROM THIS BELIEF, and thus always triumphs over heresy and infidelity." -Fr. Michael Mueller, C.SS.R., 1880 A.D. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Decree of Pope St. Stephen I (257 A.D.): "Let no innovation be introduced, but let that be observed which is handed down to us by tradition." (Letter to the Church of Africa)

Overview