Page:William John Sparrow-Simpson - Roman Catholic Opposition to Papal Infallibility (1909).djvu/131

 ] 6. Another exposition of the Roman faith for English-speaking people is the famous book called Keenan's Catechism. It is entitled Controversial Catechism, or Protestantism Refuted and Catholicism Established. The edition of 1860 is described as the third edition, and in its seventeenth thousand. It bears the imprimatur of four Roman Bishops, two of them being Vicars Apostolic. In these approbations we are assured that "the sincere searcher after truth will here find a lucid path opened to conduct him to its sanctuary; while the believer will be hereby instructed and confirmed in his faith." From 1846 to 1860 it was being largely circulated throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland.

The book contains the following question and answer:—

Keenan's Catechism has since 1870 appeared with alterations. The new edition is, as the preface justly remarks, "more than a mere reprint." As issued in 1896, it rightly styles itself a "revised edition." The question and answer just quoted have of course now disappeared. They are replaced by a series of ten enquiries, with answers giving exactly the contrary doctrine. The first of these runs as follows:—

"(Q.) What do Catholics believe concerning the Infallibility of the Pope?

(A.) That the visible Head of the Church on earth received from Christ the same prerogative of Infalli-