Papal Superstitions

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Nov 12, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 43.

Papal Superstitions.

THOSE who think that papal superstitions and blasphemies are all things of the past, may see some of the teachings of the “Dark Ages” in the following extract from a Catholic paper published in Buffalo, N. Y., under the supervision of the bishop, and in the interest of a society for children:—

What is the priest? A man who holds the place of God; a man who is clad with all the powers of God. . . . When the priest remits sins, he does not say, “God pardons you,” he says, “I absolve you;” at the consecration, he does not say, “This is the body of our Lord,” he says, “This is my body.” Who received your soul at its entrance into life? The priest. Who nourishes it to give it the strength to go through its pilgrimage? The priest. Who prepares it to appear before its God, washing its soul, for the last time, in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest, always the priest. And if this soul should die, who raises it to life? Who restores calm and peace to it? Once more the priest.

You cannot call to mind a single blessing of God without meeting beside this blessing the image of the priest. If you were to go to confession to the blessed Virgin or to an angel, could they absolve you? You might have two hundred angel confessors, and they could not give you absolution. A priest, simple though he may be, can do it; he can say to you, Go in peace; I forgive you. Oh, the priest is something great! After God, the priest is all things. If I met a priest and an angel, I would salute the priest before saluting the angel. The latter is the friend of God, the former takes his place. When you see a priest, think of our Lord Jesus Christ.