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Lesson 85

THE HIERARCHY'S ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

The Roman Catholic Hierarchy today stands as the most powerful single religious structure in the earth. In its internal re-organization since the staggering blow of the Protestant Reformation four centuries ago, the Roman Hierarchy has welded together the world's most autocratic organization. Now this formidable body is making its all-out twentieth-century bid for universal domination. It is pushing for recognition as a spiritual overlord and super ruling organization over the nations of the earth. What is its modern structure? Is this colossus built upon Christian foundations? Is its organization Theocratic, God-ruled?

Prom the very founding of Catholic fusion religion the Theocratic form of organization was abandoned for episcopal and hierarchic priest rule. The rock foundations of true Christianity, Jehovah God and Christ Jesus, were quickly set aside for the sands of Babylonish traditions. Jesus' principles, "all ye are brethren" and "one fold", were ignored in favor of a priesthood along pagan lines, thus creating a ruling class and a ruled class. Thus has come into existence the "Catholic population". They have no voice in ruling matters, nor are they even counted members of the Catholic Church organization. They are merely the supporters of a gigantic clergy ruling organization.

Of the 605,406,542 so-called "Christians" in the earth today, the Hierarchy claims 342,775,663 as her obedient population, or approximately 56 percent. This number is far greater than in the pre-Reformation days. She claims unquestioned allegiance from 203 million in Europe, 61 million in South America, 46 million in North America, 14 million in Oceania, 9 million in Asia, and 7 million in Africa, all of which today comprises the extent of the "Catholic world". These claims, however, are generally recognized as greatly inflated to give false prestige to the

Vatican in her political dickerings. And millions of those listed are only nominal Catholics.

For a period of a thousand years the Hierarchy gradually developed her canon law and administrative organization, but it was not until shortly before her twentieth-century bid for domination was to take place that further major structural changes were made. These sweeping changes were adopted at the last ecumenical council, known as the Vatican Council, of A.D. 1869-70. It was only then, after the rise and fall of many popes, that this high dignitary was declared infallible and given autocratic power. Of the decrees of this council it is written: "The resolutions of the Vatican Council entirely revolutionized the position of the pope within the Church. He is first accredited with 'complete and supreme jurisdictionary authority over the whole Church, not simply in matters of faith and morality, but also in matters touching the discipline and governance of the Church; and this authority is a regular and immediate authority, extending over each and every Church and over each and every pastor and believer'." (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 23, p. 11)

The pope thus burst into fullest bloom as the most totalitarian ruler in all the world. From this step the next logical one was taken, on June 7, 1929. The Lateran Treaty, as signed between representatives of the "Holy See" and the king of Italy, was ratified. It created the Vatican City State within Rome, and thereby restored to the Papacy the temporal power it had lost at the hand of Italian liberators in 1870.

Contrary to Jesus' plain words that He is the Good Shepherd and the sheep are to follow him, the Roman Hierarchy has built a vast pyramid organization around an imperfect, sinful man of dust, despite presumptuous claims of infallibility. The source of power of the true church is Jehovah God and Christ Jesus, but the source of power and authority in the Catholic religious organization is centralized in the person of the pope. This is borne out in

the presumptuous official titles of the present pope, which are: His Holiness, the Pope; Bishop of Rome and Vicar of Jesus Christ; Successor of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles; Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church; Patriarch of the West; Primate of Italy; Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province; Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City.

Unlike the true church of which the twelve faithful apostles form the twelve pillars, the body of authority next to the pope is the Sacred College of Cardinals. This collective council, which sits as a senate known as the "Consistorium", when complete comprises 70 members. The pope has the sole right to appoint cardinals. The cardinals are the most powerful clergy in the Catholic realm and are of many nationalities, although the majority are always Italian. Upon the death of a pope the College of Cardinals meets in the Vatican to elect by a two-thirds majority a successor, of their own number.

The Hierarchy has a number of administrative departments. There are twelve of these government departments or cabinet ministries, designated as "Roman Congregations". Each department or "congregation" is made up of a committee of several cardinals, the chief one of whom serves as the "prefect" for that department and would correspond to a cabinet minister of a secular government. As Mussolini held several cabinet positions in his heyday for failure to trust others to serve in such capacities, a similar procedure is practiced in the Hierarchy's government, in which the pope himself holds the office of "prefect" for several important "congregations". (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. XIII, pp. 138-147)

One of the leading departments is the "Congregation of the Holy Office", commonly known as the "Holy Inquisition". Strict secrecy characterizes the proceedings of this department, which has administrative and judicial powers in dealing with all matters of heresy or teachings contrary to the canon law of the church. The Hierarchy still believes

in Inquisitional treatment for heretics, as shown by the twentieth-century declaration of a Catholic priest in America ("Father" Harney): "I do not doubt, if they were strong enough, that the Catholic people would hinder, even by death if necessary, the spread of heretical errors among the people, and I say rightly so." The former "Congregation of the Index", which served as the official Catholic censorship of all printed publications in order to "prevent the faithful from reading books that might ruin either faith or morals" is now incorporated as a part of this office. Some of the other outstanding departments are the "Congregation of Propaganda", which deals with foreign missions; the "Congregation of Seminaries and Universities", which supervises all Catholic universities and schools; and the "Congregation of Religious", which governs the religious orders.

Another administrative agency, and probably the most important, is that of Secretariat of State. It is purely political, handling all the Vatican's intercourse with the nations of this world. The cardinal secretary of state negotiates all concordats (contracts with national states) and is responsible for all Papal diplomacy. The Vatican City State (a land area of only 108.7 acres), being a separate political entity, receives foreign ambassadors and ministers from all countries diplomatically recognized by the Vatican. In turn it sends Papal nuncios or apostolic delegates to foreign nations. The Vatican maintains the best-informed diplomatic corps and news service in the world.

But despite the strong, totalitarian structure built up, it is based on the foundation sands of Babylonish tradition and will fall under the fury of Armageddon's storm. —Matt. 7:26,27; Rev. 18:21.