The Greatest Evil Read Online Free PDF

At Koesler’s nod, Tully rose and walked to the file cabinet in one corner of the living room.
    Koesler felt a sudden twinge. It wasn’t Tully’s file cabinet; it was his, Koesler’s!
    For an instant, he forgot that he had emptied the cabinet of his effects several days ago—part of his gradual leavetaking of Old St. Joseph’s. Little by little he was gathering his things.
    He found the process more wrenching than he had anticipated. Fortunately, the rectory had lots of room for storage, as boxes multiplied like coat hangers in a closet. All this because Koesler had not yet made a firm decision as to where he would live in retirement.
    There was time.
    Tully fingered through papers in the top drawer, found what he wanted, and returned to his chair. “I suppose we can start with the Profession of Faith. It’s by far the more familiar. That’s ’cause the main body of the Profession, as you probably know, is simply the Nicene Creed.
    “Now I’ve got no problem believing in God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And no problem with the Resurrection, forgiveness of sin, and eternal life. As I said, that, pretty nearly, is the Creed. But somebody in Rome tacked on an addendum. Get this: ‘With firm faith, I believe as well everything contained in God’s word, written or handed down in tradition and proposed by the Church—whether in solemn judgment or in the ordinary and universal magisterium as divinely revealed and calling for faith.’
    “That’s not all,” Tully continued. “‘I also firmly accept and hold each and every thing that is proposed by that same Church definitively with regard to teaching concerning faith or morals.
    “‘What is more, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman Pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise the authentic magisterium even if they proclaim those teachings in an act that is not definitive.’”
    Tully lowered the paper and looked at Koesler. “How about that!”
    Koesler shook his head. “Doesn’t leave much room, does it?”
    Tully rose and began pacing slowly. “According to that statement, there isn’t any practical distinction between infallibility and the ordinary teaching office of the Church.
    “‘… whether in solemn judgment or in the ordinary and universal magisterium …’” he repeated slowly.
    “To be perfectly frank, Bob, I don’t think this document is being very fair toward the Church. What sort of institution will not leave a margin for error? And, since the framers of this Profession believe that this stuff is part of the deposit of faith—that it goes right back to the beginning of Christianity—it covers things like usury—condemning money lending—and Galileo—and earth being the center of the universe—and evolution—and on and on.
    “And it also includes today’s concerns: like women priests, a married priesthood, birth control … etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.” He shook his head. “The Church has reconsidered … and it will have to reconsider again.
    “But what are we supposed to do?” Tully raised his hands in a gesture of frustration. “Form our faith and morals along with the Church and then change our minds with the Church? And do we do all this whether the teaching is infallible or not? What’s the point of having infallibility”—he threw up his hands again—”what does infallibility stand for, if we’re not going to make a practical distinction between ordinary and infallible teaching? I suppose the antonym of ‘infallible’ is ‘fallible.’ But the way this document is written, the Church has two ways to be right! And no way to be wrong!”
    A feeling of relief permeated Koesler’s mind. He understood and could sympathize with much of Tully’s argument. But, bottom line, it was not Father Koesler who would be asked to make this Profession of Faith. Regardless, he would not shy from helping Father Tully make up his mind what to