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medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Paul — THANK YOU! There is a feast for thought in your message. Best wishes, George -- George FERZOCO [log in to unmask] > On 4 Jul 2015, at 03:59, Paul Chandler <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture > Until recently it was indeed the general opinion of theologians that canonizations are infallible. There were dissenting opinions, however: Augustine of Ancona (1243-1328) held that it was impossible to judge definitively the state of a person's conscience and that canonization could not therefore be infallible. Cajetan (1469-1534) held a similar position. > > In recent times there has been controversy (see, for example, Francis A. Sullivan's treatment in Magisterium (1983)), a disagreement which extends into the Vatican's Congregation of Saints, where officials have argued contradictory positions (Daniel Ols, “Fondamenti teologici del culto dei Santi,” in Dello Studium Congregationis de causis sanctorum, pars theologica (Rome, 2002): 1-54. > > The traditional opinion is summed up pretty fairly in the old Catholic Encyclopedia (1913). > > Is the pope infallible in issuing a decree of canonization? Most theologians answer in the affirmative. It is the opinion of St. Antoninus, Melchior Cano, Suarez, Bellarmine, Bañez, Vasquez, and, among the canonists, of Gonzales Tellez, Fagnanus, Schmalzgrüber, Barbosa, Reiffenstül, Covarruvias (Variar. resol., I, x, no 13), Albitius (De Inconstantiâ in fide, xi, no 205), Petra (Comm. in Const. Apost., I, in notes to Const. I, Alex., III, no 17 sqq.), Joannes a S. Thomâ (on II-II, Q. I, disp. 9, a. 2), Silvester (Summa, s.v. Canonizatio), Del Bene (De Officio Inquisit. II, dub. 253), and many others. In Quodlib. IX, a. 16, St. Thomas says: "Since the honour we pay the saints is in a certain sense a profession of faith, i.e., a belief in the glory of the Saints [quâ sanctorum gloriam credimus] we must piously believe that in this matter also the judgment of the Church is not liable to error." These words of St. Thomas, as is evident from the authorities just cited, all favouring a positive infallibility, have been interpreted by his school in favour of papal infallibility in the matter of canonization, and this interpretation is supported by several other passages in the same Quodlibet. This infallibility, however according to the holy doctor, is only a point of pious belief. Theologians generally agree as to the fact of papal infallibility in this matter of canonization, but disagree as to the quality of certitude due to a papal decree in such matter. In the opinion of some it is of faith (Arriaga, De fide, disp. 9, p. 5, no 27); others hold that to refuse assent to such a judgment of the Holy See would be both impious and rash, as Francisco Suárez (De fide, disp. 5 p. 8, no 8); many more (and this is the general view) hold such a pronouncement to be theologically certain, not being of Divine Faith as its purport has not been immediately revealed, nor of ecclesiastical Faith as having thus far not been defined by the Church. > What is the object of this infallible judgment of the pope? Does he define that the person canonized is in heaven or only that he has practiced Christian virtues in an heroic degree? I have never seen this question discussed; my own opinion is that nothing else is defined than that the person canonized is in heaven. The formula used in the act of canonization has nothing more than this: > "In honour of . . . we decree and define that Blessed N. is a Saint, and we inscribe his name in the catalogue of saints, and order that his memory by devoutly and piously celebrated yearly on the . . . day of . . . his feast." > (Ad honorem . . . beatum N. Sanctum esse decernimus et definimus ac sanctorum catalogo adscribimus statuentes ab ecclesiâ universali illius memoriam quolibet anno, die ejus natali . . . piâ devotione recoli debere.) > There is no question of heroic virtue in this formula; on the other hand, sanctity does not necessarily imply the exercise of heroic virtue, since one who had not hitherto practised heroic virtue would, by the one transient heroic act in which he yielded up his life for Christ, have justly deserved to be considered a saint. This view seems all the more certain if we reflect that all the arguments of theologians for papal infallibility in the canonization of saints are based on the fact that on such occasions the popes believe and assert that the decision which they publish is infallible (Pesch, Prael. Dogm., I, 552). > This general agreement of theologians as to papal infallibility in canonization must not be extended to beatification, not withstanding the contrary teaching of the canonical commentary known as "Glossa" [in cap. un. de reliquiis et venerat. SS. (III, 22) in 6; Innocent., Comm. in quinque Decretalium libros, tit. de reliquiis, etc., no 4; Ostiensis in eumd. tit. no 10; Felini, cap. lii, De testibus, etc., X (II, 20); Caietani, tract. De indulgentiis adversus Lutherum ad Julium Mediceum; Augustini de Ancona, seu Triumphi, De potestate eccl., Q. xiv, a. 4). Canonists and theologians generally deny the infallible character of decrees of beatification, whether formal or equivalent, since it is always a permission, not a command; while it leads to canonization, it is not the last step. Moreover, in most cases, the cultus permitted by beatification, is restricted to a determined province, city, or religious body (Benedict XIV, op. cit., I, xlii). Some, however, have thought otherwise (Arriaga, Theol., V, disp. 7, p. 6; Amicus, Theol., IV, disp. 7, p. 4, no 98; Turrianus on II-II, V, disp. 17, no 6; Del Bene, De S. Inquisit. II, dub. 254). > > Beccari, Camillo. "Beatification and Canonization." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 4 Jul. 2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02364b.htm <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02364b.htm>>. > > On 4 July 2015 at 06:36, George Ferzoco <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: > medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture > > Hi Anna, > > and apologies for not having replied sooner; I've been travelling and not keeping up with e-mails as I should like. > > Your thoughts regarding views of pre-Pius-IX papal infallibility are interesting, and I've been thinking about one aspect of this for some time: the extent to which popes are infallible in declaring someone to be a saint. If you or anyone has thoughts on this, I'd love to know about them. > > As for me: my hunch is that in practice such declarations were held -- at least, by the popes themselves -- to be infallible. > > All good wishes, George > > **** > Hi, George, > I've been thinking about this question since you posted, and I suspect > that if you don't know, there aren't many who do. Do actions count? > > But it put me in mind of some related issues that I have been thinking > about: namely papal infallibility in retrospect. Since Pio Nono and > the Church defined infallibility (ex cathedra and with the consensus > of the Church) as dogma at Vatican I, how is infallibility applied to > actions of the Pope and Church before then? Are there any lingering > issues with infallibility as a consequence of the Papal Schism of > 1378-1417, or as a consequence of periods like the 10th century with > all of its papal abuses? > Thanks, > > Anna Graham > MSU > > ********************************************************************** > To join the list, send the message: subscribe medieval-religion YOUR NAME > to: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > To send a message to the list, address it to: > [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > To leave the list, send the message: unsubscribe medieval-religion > to: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: > [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > For further information, visit our web site: > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/medieval-religion <http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/medieval-religion> > > > > -- > Paul Chandler, O.Carm. > Holy Spirit Seminary | PO Box 18 (487 Earnshaw Road) | Banyo Qld 4014 | Australia > office: (07) 3246 9888 | home: (07) 3246 9894 > [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: subscribe medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To leave the list, send the message: unsubscribe medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/medieval-religion <http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/medieval-religion> ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: subscribe medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: unsubscribe medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/medieval-religion