Page:William John Sparrow-Simpson - Roman Catholic Opposition to Papal Infallibility (1909).djvu/272

 252 confined himself in his reply to practical affairs. There is a studious and, says his biographer, deliberate silence on the theme of Pontifical Infallibility. The theory was his personal belief. He thought that, were it otherwise, the Church would be inadequately furnished for arresting heresies, since General Councils are intermittent and occasional. "But whether it is opportune to make a dogma of this truth—that," he wrote in 1870, "is by no means clear to me." At the same time he added that he would not have the least repugnance to subscribe to such a decree. Accordingly Guibert, who was thoroughly understood in Rome and highly valued, was nominated member of the Commission of Suggestions.

Guibert himself gave the following interesting account of their deliberations at the critical hour when the subject of Infallibility was brought before them. The Congregation met in a chamber of the Vatican under the papal apartments. Cardinal Patrizzi presided. Guibert, as one of the senior Archbishops, was placed next to the Cardinals.

"The time had come for the famous question of Infallibility to be submitted to the Congregation for proposals. Its decision was anxiously expected. The Pope himself had given orders that he should be informed of our decision immediately afterwards.

"Cardinal Patrizzi, after opening the subject, proceeded to interrogate, according to custom, the prelates of the least distinguished rank. They had mostly prepared their reply, and before voting delivered a thesis on the authority of Holy Scripture, the Fathers, etc. These discourses were pronounced or read in Latin. When my turn came, not being accustomed to write much, I had no prepared discourse, and being unused to talk in Latin, should have had great difficulty in giving exact expression to my thoughts in that