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14 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.