We may observe, in conclusion, that the Infallibility of Pontifical
definitions, as Father Humphrey so pertinently reminds us, does not
depend upon the reigning Pontiff's possession of any real knowledge of
ancient Church history or theology, or philosophy or science, but
_simply_ and solely upon the assistance of God the Holy Ghost,
guaranteed to him in his exercise of his function of Chief Pastor, in
feeding with divine doctrine the entire flock of God. Our Anglican
friends seem penetrated with the utterly false notion of justification
by scholarship alone; which is as untrue as it is unscriptural.
Indeed, their justification by scholarship is likely to lead to very
undesirable and deplorable results.

In the foregoing chapter we have considered especially the Pope's
Infallible authority, and the assent and obedience due to it. In our
next it remains for us to consider the proper attitude of a loyal
Catholic towards the Sovereign Pontiff as the supreme ruler and
governor of the Church of God, even when not speaking _ex cathedrâ_.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 7: The word _soma_, observes Mgr. Capel, is never used in
Greek to express _mere_ association or aggregation (_Catholic_, p.
13).]

[Footnote 8: From a Pastoral of the Swiss Bishops, which _received the
Pope's approbation_.]