Bishop Hefele on Pope Honorius [pp. 273-301]

~96 YON HEFELE ON P~PE HONORIUS. [April,
orthodox faith is derived from the presidency of Saint Peter.
He is not speaking of an absolute infallibility, and does not
once touch the question, whether the case of Honorius can
be brought into harmony or not with his general thesis of
the constant orthodoxy of the Roman Church. We on our
side remark, a. that the infallibility of the Roman Church can
be very well maintained without advocating the ~ersona1 Infa11Thil~(y of the Pope; and that, ~. the two positions that
<`Honorius expressed a heterodox view," and that "the Roman Church was never Monothelitic," can be easily reconciled.
We add that Agatho hiu~self impugned the doctrine of
Honorius directly and definitdy by (a) himself teaching the
dogma of Two Wills; and (b) by interpreting directly in
favor of Duothelism the passage cited by Honorius ("not my
will but thine be done"), while Honorius endeavored to
weaken its force as a proof of Duothelism. (iYianst, T. xi.,
p. 246).
The same is the case with the second epistle, also addressed
to the Emperor, which the Papal Legates took with them,
and which was subscribed by Pope Agatho and 125 other
bishops. This, too, contains the opinion that the Roman
~hurch has never fallen into heresy (ffam~i, p.287); and what
Ilas already been said applies here. I do not comprehend
how ]\1. de Margerie can look upon this second letter as an
instruc(Thn to the Papal legates. Whoever has read it
through can hardly have this conception of it.
- From all this it app~ars that M. de Margerie is not correct in
trying to make us believe that Pope Agatho maintained the
simple infallibility of the Pope.
2.His second assertion is as incorrect as his first, viz.:
The Sixth General Council confirmed Agatho's doctrine of
Papal Infallibility." In handling this second point M. de
Margede betrays a remarkable deficiency in exact knowledge
of the acts of the Council.
a.He says (p. 31) that the two Papal epistles were first
read at the fourth session of the Sixth Council, Nov. 17,680;
but the fourth session was held Nov. 15.
h.Also: "Three weeks later, in the sixth session, all tho