The Twentieth Ecumenical Council
The First Vatican Council, spanning from 1869 to 1870, constituted the twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church.
The council was convoked by Pope Pius IX, beginning formally on 8 December 1869. Its primary agenda was addressing the contemporary challenges posed by the rising influence of rationalism, Liberalism, and Materialism. The council reaffirmed the doctrines established at the Council of Trent.
Preparations for the council were managed by a central commission and subcommissions, with control largely residing within the Curia (the papal bureaucracy). These preparations yielded 51 schemata, or proposed decrees, although only 6 were ultimately brought before the council. Of the approximately 1,050 individuals eligible to attend, roughly 700 participated in the formal opening.
The proceedings were curtailed abruptly when Piedmontese troops occupied Rome, leading Pope Pius IX to indefinitely suspend the council on 20 October 1870. Consequently, the council concluded having completed only a small fraction of its intended work.
Dogmatic Constitutions
The First Vatican Council formally promulgated two doctrinal constitutions: Dei Filius and Pastor Aeternus. Dei Filius was a shortened version of the schema on Catholic faith, focusing on the relationship between faith and reason. Pastor Aeternus addressed the authority of the Pope and officially legislated the dogma of papal infallibility for the first time in history in 1870.
The Doctrine of Papal Supremacy
The foundation of the Roman Catholic Church is defined by the dogma of papal infallibility, as articulated in Pastor Aeternus. This definition was approved only after heated debate preceding and during the council. The majority of the council fathers, acting under the urging of Pius IX, overcame vociferous opposition who argued that a formal definition was inopportune.
The defining statement asserts that the true successor of Saint Peter has full and supreme power of jurisdiction over the whole church. This power of jurisdiction was declared to have been immediately and directly promised and conferred upon Blessed Peter by Christ the Lord.
The papal primacy includes the supreme teaching power to which Jesus Christ added the prerogative of papal infallibility. When the Pope speaks Ex Cathedra on matters of faith or morals, his decision is considered infallible and is binding on all Catholics. This infallibility is binding even if the Pope speaks from himself and not from the consensus of the church.
The council teaches that this position was known in every age and that there is no doubt that in every age everyone knew Peter was the head of the apostles, the pillar of faith, and the foundation of the Catholic Church. The dogmatic constitution appeals to the ever and constant faith of the Catholic Church in defining the papal dogmas.
Ordinary and Immediate Jurisdiction
The jurisdiction and power held by the Roman Pontiff is declared to be both episcopal and immediate. By divine ordinance, the Roman Church possesses preeminence and ordinary power over every other church.
The term ordinary power signifies that this authority is intrinsic to the office of the successor of Peter. It is not merely triggered by certain crises, but the Pope is always free to exercise this power.
The term immediate power signifies that the Pope is not required to coordinate or cooperate with local authorities. This power applies over each and all the churches, and over each and all of the pastors and the faithful. This confers upon the Pope direct authority over every baptised Christian in the church.
The power of primacy remains intact, allowing the Pope to act without the consent of a council, although the council cannot act without his consent. The jurisdiction of the Pope is absolute, and the first see can be judged by no one. The judgment of the Roman Pontiffs is not subject to revision by anyone, nor is it lawful to appeal from his judgments to a council.
Obedience and Scope
The clergy and the faithful, regardless of their position or dignity, are bound to submit to this papal power through a duty of hierarchical subordination and true obedience. This true obedience is required not only in matters of faith and morals but also in regard to the discipline and government of the church throughout the world. Those who depart from this teaching risk endangering their faith and salvation.
Controversy and Schism
The dogma of papal infallibility generated widespread controversy. This was an immense point of historical divergence, as the concept of an ex cathedra papal statement did not exist in the first millennium. The mode of exercising the teaching function defined at Vatican I was actually only in regular use since Vatican I.
During the lengthy reign of Pius IX, and concurrently with the council, the Papacy suffered the final loss of its so-called Papal States. By 1870, Rome itself was lost, resulting in the Papacy withdrawing into the Vatican City.
The controversial doctrine of infallibility resulted in Roman Catholic bishops breaking away from communion with the Roman Church, along with their followers, who subsequently became known as the Old Catholics. This schism led to the declaration of independence of groups such as the Polish National Catholic Church in America by 1897.
The doctrines affirmed at the First Vatican Council are contradictory to the operation of the church in the first thousand years. The documents produced by the council, particularly concerning jurisdiction and the relationship between the Pope and the wider college of bishops, are held to be contrary to the canons established by every ecumenical council during the first millennium.