Folio 79

Council of Carthage XVI, 418

printed p. 47 · pdf p. 79

my sins and the sins of my people" [Dan. 9:20] to the Lord my God; he did not wish to say "our sins," but he said the sins of his people and his own sins, since as a prophet he foresaw there would be those who would thus misunderstand.

108. Can. 8. It has likewise been decided that whoever wishes that the words themselves of the Lord's prayer, where we say: "Forgive us our debts" [Matt. 6:12] be said by the saints so as to be spoken humbly, not truthfully, let him be anathema. For who would tolerate one praying and lying, not to men, but to the Lord himself, who says with his lips that he wishes to be forgiven, and in his heart holds that he does not have debts to be forgiven?

The Primacy and the Infallibility of the Roman Pontiff1

[From the epistle (12) "Quamvis Patrum traditio" to the African bishops, March 21, 418]

109. Although the tradition of the Fathers has attributed such great authority to the Apostolic See that no one would dare to disagree wholly with its judgment, and it has always preserved this [judgment] by canons and rules, and current ecclesiastical discipline up to this time by its laws pays the reverence which is due to the name of PETER, from whom it has itself descended . . . ; since therefore PETER the head is of such great authority and he has confirmed the subsequent endeavors of all our ancestors, so that the Roman Church is fortified . . . by human as well as by divine laws, and it does not escape you that we rule its place and also hold power of the name itself, nevertheless you know, dearest brethren, and as priests you ought to know, although we have such great authority that no one can dare to retract from our decision, yet we have done nothing which we have not voluntarily referred to your notice by letters . . . not because we did not know what ought to be done, or would do anything which by going against the advantage of the Church, would be displeasing. . . .

Original Sin2

[From the epistle "Tract(at)oria ad Orientales ecclesias, Aegypti diocesim, Constantinopolim, Thessalonicam, Hierosolymam," sent after March, 418]

109a. The Lord [is] faithful in his words [Ps. 144:13] and His baptism holds the same plenitude in deed and words, that is in work, confession, and


  1. Cst 974 B f.; Jf 342; ML 20, 676 A f.; Msi IV 366 D f.; Bar(Th) to 418 n. 4 (7, 107a). 

  2. Cst 994 E ff.; Jf 343; ML 20, 693 B.—From this same epistle "Tract(at)oria" these points, which have been cited, have been drawn n. 134 f.