Old Catholics

OLD CATHOLICS; the designation assumed by those members of the Roman Catholic Church who refused to accept the decrees of the Vatican Council of 187o defining the dogma of papal infallibility (see VATICAN COUNCIL and INFALLIBILITY) and ultimately set up a separate ecclesiastical organization on the Episcopal model. The Old Catholic movement, at the outset at least, differed fundamentally from the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century in that it aimed not at any drastic changes in doctrine but at the restoration of the ancient Catholic system, founded on the diocesan episcopate, which under the influence of the ultramontane movement of the 19th century had been finally displaced by the rigidly centralized system of the papal monarchy. In this respect it represented a tendency of old standing within the Church and one which, in the 18th century, had all but gained the upper hand (see FEBRONIANISM and GAL LICANISM).

The proceedings of the Vatican council and their outcome had at first threatened to lead to a serious schism in the Church. The minority against the decrees included many of the most dis tinguished prelates and theologians of the Roman communion, but in the end all the recalcitrant bishops gave in their adhesion to the decrees.

Initial Steps.

The universities, being less directly under the control of the Church, were prepared to show a bolder front. Dr. J. F. von Schulte, professor at Prague, was one of the first to publish a formal protest. A meeting of Catholic professors and distinguished scholars convened at Nuremberg (August 187o) recorded a like dissent, and resolved on the adoption of measures for bringing about the assembling of a really free council north of the Alps. The Appel aux Eveques Catholiques of M. Hyacinthe Loyson (better known as "Pere Hyacinthe") appealed to the Catholic bishops throughout the world to put an end to the schism by declaring whether the recent decrees were or were not binding on the faith of the Church. This appeal, on its appearance in La Liberal early in 1871, was sup pressed by the order of the king of Italy. On the 28th of March Dollinger, in a letter of some length, set forth the reasons which compelled him also to withhold his submission alike as "a Christian, a theologian, an historical student and a citizen." The publication of this letter was shortly followed by a sentence of excommunication pronounced against Dollinger and Pro fessor Johannes Friedrich and read to the different congrega tions from the pulpits of Munich. The professors of the uni

versity, on the other hand, had shortly before evinced their resolution of affording Dollinger all the moral support in their power by an address (April 3, 1871) in which they denounced the Vatican decrees with unsparing severity. (Friedberg, Akten stucke z. ersten vaticanischen Concil, p. 187.) In the following September the demand for another and a free council was re sponded to by the assembling of a congress at Munich. It was composed of nearly 500 delegates, convened from almost all parts of the world; but the Teutonic element was now as mani festly predominant as the Latin element had been at Rome. The proceedings were presided over by Professor von Schulte, and lasted three days. Among those who took a prominent part in the deliberations were Dollinger, Reinkens, Maassen (professor of canon law at Vienna), Friedrich and Huber. The arrange ments finally agreed upon were mainly provisional; but one of the resolutions plainly declared that it was desirable if possible to effect a reunion with the Oriental Greek and Russian Churches, and also to arrive at an 'understanding" with the Protestant Episcopal communions. Dollinger, in delivering his inaugural address as rector of the university of Munich, ex pressed his conviction that theology had received a fresh impulse and that the religious history of Europe was entering upon a new phase.

Other circumstances contributed to invest Old Catholicism with additional importance. It was evident that the relations between the Roman Curia and the Prussian government were becoming extremely strained. In February, 1872, appeared the first measures of the Falk ministry, having for their object the control of the influence of the clergy in the schools, and in May the pope refused to accept Cardinal Hohenlohe, who during the council had opposed the definition of the dogma, as Prussian minister at the Vatican. Congregations of Old Catholics were formed at numerous towns and villages in Bavaria, Baden, Prussia, German Switzerland, and even in Austria. At Warns dorf in Bohemia a congregation was collected which still repre sents one of the most important centres of the movement. In September the second congress was held at Cologne. It was attended by some 50o delegates or visitors from all parts of Europe, and the English Church was represented by the bishops of Ely and Lincoln and other distinguished members.