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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
publication. Now when the theater is dark is a good
time to learn about last year’s metropolitan plays, so
as to be ready for the season beginning with cooler
weather. Of course, the publicity department of the
Association will be glad to furnish such information
upon request, but the direct way of getting it is to
send to the above address in New York.
THE PRIMACY OF PETER.
(Continued from Page 3.)
John went up to the Temple to pray, and there was
a lame beggar who asked alms of them. Peter bade
him in the name of Jesus of Nazareth to rise and
walk. And the man was healed. The first miracle
and the first sermon were by Peter. In Acts IV. we
are told that Peter and John were arrested and cast
into prison for preaching Christ, and the next day
were brought before the council and Peter rising up
spoke to all of Christ, thus again taking the initiative.
Why? If we remember that Christ gave him su
premacy in the Church it is understood. In the fifth
chapter of the Acts we find that God struck a man
and his wife dead because they lied to Peter. I am
quite sure that from that day to our own many lies
have been told to the successors of the Apostles, as
without doubt many were told to the Apostles and
the tellers escaped. Why was it considered so great
a crime to lie to Peter? The shadow of Peter healed
those upon whom it fell (Acts V-15). In Galatians
(I, 18 and 19) St. Paul tells us that he went up to
Jerusalem to see Peter and remained with him fifteen
days, and he saw none of the other Apostles except
James. Why did Paul go up to see Peter and remain
with him so long a time? Remembering that Christ
had given Peter supremacy in the Church we can un
derstand it.
In Acts X, we are told that a certain Gentile, Cor
nelius, was a just man, and God sent an Angel to him
to bid him send for Peter. At the same time God
sent to Peter a vision by which he was instructed that
not only the Jews, but the Gentiles, too, were to be
received into the Church. • In Acts XIII. we are told
that Peter was cast into prison and "prayer was
made without ceasing by all the Church for him,”
and that God sent an Angel to release him. Acts
XV. relates that some of the Jewish converts insisted
that all Gentiles coming into the Church must be
circumcised, and when neither Paul nor his com
panion Barnabas could settle the difference they came
to Jerusalem to consult the Apostles. When they ar
rived and stated the question it was Peter who gave
the decision. And all held their peace when he had
spoken. Why did Peter decide and why was his de
cision accepted by all unless he was primate?
Had Full Powers.
I am inclined to think that these quotations from
the Scriptures show that Peter, after the Ascension of
Christ, exercised Executive, Legislative and Judicial
powers in the Church; that is to say, acted as Primate
or one invested with the Primacy of honor and juris
diction.
He decided the question as to circumcision, a legis
lative act. He ordered the election of a successor to
Judas, an executive act. He applied the law given by
Christ and interpreted it so as to bring the Gentiles
into full communion with all, a judicial act. His
Primacy was acknowledged in the precedence always
accorded him.
There are, as is well known, but scanty accounts
left of the Apostles, but in these hurried and incom
plete accounts we find numerous references to Peter’s
Primacy.
In the second century after Christ Tertullian wrote:
“Was anything hidden from Peter, who was called
the Rock on which the Church was built, who ob
tained the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and the
power of binding and loosing on Heaven and on
earth.’’
In the third century Origen writes: “Peter upon
whom the Church is built, against which the gates
of hell shall not prevail.’’
In the same century Cyprian writes: “There is
one Baptism, one Holy Ghost and one Church
founded on Peter by Christ our Lord for an original
and principle of unity.’’
In the fourth century Hilary writes: “Peter be
lieved the first and is the Prince of the Apostles.’’
And the same Cyprian, speaking of the question of
all the Apostles by Christ as to who He was, says:
“And all being silent, for it was beyond man to learn,
Peter, the foremost of the Apostles and the Chief
Herald of the Church, not using language of his own
finding, but having his mind enlightened by the Fa
ther, said: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
Living God.’’
Maximus, Bishop of Turin, who attended the Coun
cil of Milan in 451, says: “Of how great merit be
fore his God was Peter that after rowing his little
boat there should be confided to him the helm of the
whole Church.”
Leo I, who died in 461, writes: “Out of the whole
world the one Peter is chosen to be set over the vo
cation of all the nations, and over all the Apostles,
and all the Fathers of the Church, that though there
be in the people of God many Priests and many
Pastors, Peter of his own right may rule them all of
whom Christ primarily rules.”
The Georgia laymen will deeply sympathize with
Bishop Gunn, formerly pastor of the Sacred Heart
Church in Atlanta, who has so serious an eye trouble
that he is threatened with the loss of one.
In the transfer of Very Rev. Peter McOscar, S. M.,
from the pastorate of the Sacred Heart Church in At
lanta, the Laymen s Association loses a good friend
and the parish a mighty fine pastor. But his health,
never good, has made the work very difficult for him
and all will rejoice that he is to be given duties within
the limits of his strength. To the new pastor, Rev.
Father Horton, who made so enviable a record as
chaplain in the recent war, congratulations and best
wishes are extended.