Is Catholicism A Democracy?

[catharina]

It is not unknown to me, according to scripture and Tradtitional Catholic teaching that false religions do not pray to the One True God. You seem confused on this point as you said, " individuals prayed according to their own habits or they prayed according to a new inspiration "

To what god do false religions pray, Catharina?

Maria, any confusion is your own. Are you asking did conversions come about at Assisi, as a result of the Assisi meetings? I don’t know. I know this: “Originally Posted by catharina … . Whether or not individuals prayed according to their own habits or they prayed according to a NEW inspiration is most certainly unknown to me. Need I add that it’s unknown to you too?”

If this matter is of some great concern to you, if it holds any validity outside of your need to press for confrontation and your dual need to act as Inquisitor when there is no Inquisiton, in other words - if you have some serious need-to-know, then AGAIN, I suggest you take your query to Our Lord in prayer. Only He knows who prayed and to Whom/whom. (If you set aside your labels and look at the possible action of grace upon souls, then perhaps you’ll get a clue.)

As for your latest random and accusatory question - hey, you’ve proved you know the answer. Please, don’t bother me with your usual sideshow of multiple condemnations.

 

[drafdog]

Actually, the Church is not a monarchy. It is a bureaucracy. It is ruled by a board of governors (bishops), who upon the death or retirement of the board chairman (Pope) look to the electoral committee of the board (Cardinals) to “democratically” elect a new chairman. It is in point of fact the oldest “old boy” network in existence.

As for the papacy as a “highest office,” this is a popular fallacy. The pope is “primus inter pares,” first among equals. This means that each bishop is equal to the bishop of Rome. The thing that sets the bishop of Rome apart from the others is that he alone has the responsibility of speaking on behalf of the board of governors, the bishops of the Church. Infallible statements are ratified by the bishops or they are not recognized as infallible. There is also the matter of forming a statement that is in concert with the belief of the faithful at large. If a statement by the Pope is not accepted by the faithful at large it fails to meet the criteria for infallibility.

Matthew

 

[DustinsDad]

Actually, the Church is not a monarchy. It is a bureaucracy. It is ruled by a board of governors (bishops), who upon the death or retirement of the board chairman (Pope) look to the electoral committee of the board (Cardinals) to “democratically” elect a new chairman. It is in point of fact the oldest “old boy” network in existence.

As for the papacy as a “highest office,” this is a popular fallacy. The pope is “primus inter pares,” first among equals. This means that each bishop is equal to the bishop of Rome. The thing that sets the bishop of Rome apart from the others is that he alone has the responsibility of speaking on behalf of the board of governors, the bishops of the Church. Infallible statements are ratified by the bishops or they are not recognized as infallible. There is also the matter of forming a statement that is in concert with the belief of the faithful at large. If a statement by the Pope is not accepted by the faithful at large it fails to meet the criteria for infallibility.

Matthew

Very interesting. Please, tell us more. :coffeeread:

 

[Brennan_Doherty]

Actually, the Church is not a monarchy. It is a bureaucracy. It is ruled by a board of governors (bishops), who upon the death or retirement of the board chairman (Pope) look to the electoral committee of the board (Cardinals) to “democratically” elect a new chairman. It is in point of fact the oldest “old boy” network in existence.

As for the papacy as a “highest office,” this is a popular fallacy. The pope is “primus inter pares,” first among equals. This means that each bishop is equal to the bishop of Rome. The thing that sets the bishop of Rome apart from the others is that he alone has the responsibility of speaking on behalf of the board of governors, the bishops of the Church. Infallible statements are ratified by the bishops or they are not recognized as infallible. There is also the matter of forming a statement that is in concert with the belief of the faithful at large. If a statement by the Pope is not accepted by the faithful at large it fails to meet the criteria for infallibility.

Matthew

The Church is a monarchy as the Pope enjoys the same power and authority as a king does among the nobility. Further, a board of governers in a bureaucracy can get rid of the head of a government or corporation if they don’t like him. The same can’t be said for a king or a Pope.

Thus, the other Bishops are not equal to the Pope. If the Pope speaks ex cathedra the statement is infallible and has nothing to do with the Bishops ratifying it (thank God!). As Vatican I states:

1. Therefore, faithfully adhering to the tradition received from the beginning of the Christian faith, to the glory of God our savior, for the exaltation of the Catholic religion and for the salvation of the Christian people, with the approval of the Sacred Council, we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman Pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the Church, irreformable.

vaxxine.com/pjm/vaticanI.htm

 

[DustinsDad]

…As for the papacy as a “highest office,” this is a popular fallacy.
…Infallible statements are ratified by the bishops or they are not recognized as infallible. There is also the matter of forming a statement that is in concert with the belief of the faithful at large. If a statement by the Pope is not accepted by the faithful at large it fails to meet the criteria for infallibility.

http://bestsmileys.com/whisper/1.gif Psssssst…I don’t think you’re supposed to say these things in “mixed company.”