The Vatican publishes the text of the decree of Infallibility
passed on Monday, the 18th inst., by a majority of 553 Fathers to 2 dissentients. The non-contents stayed away. The essential words of the decree are :—" Docemus et divinites revelatum dogma ease definimus Romanum Pontificem, cum ex Cathedra loquitur, id est, cum omnium Christianorum Pastoris et Doctoris munere fungens, pro supreme sua Apostolica auctoritate doctrinam de fide vel moribus ad universe Ecclesia tenendam definit, per assistentiam divinam, ipsi in beato Petro promissam, ea infallibi- Rate pollere, qua divinus Redemptor Ecclesiam suam in defini- enda doctrine de fide vel moribus instructam ease voluit ; ideoque ejusmodi Romani Pontificia definitiones ex sese, non autem ex consensu Eeclesiae, irreformabiles ease :" "We teach and define to be a divinely revealed dogma that the Roman Pontiff, when speaking ex cathedril,—i.e., discharging the office of Pastor and Doctor of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme Apostolic authority,—he defines that a doctrine on faith and morals is to be held by the Universal Church,—he then, by the Divine assistance promised to him in Blessed Peter, enjoys that infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer endowed His Church in defining doctrine on faith and morals ; and conse- quently the decisions of the Roman Pontiff are irreformable of themselves, and not in virtue of the consent of the Church."
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