Since the Fathers of the Church admitted the Pope’s Supremacy, so can we, despite insults

September 8, 2021 • 1 min

From Life and Writings of Sir Thomas More, page 301
By Rev. T. E. Bridgett, C.S.S.R.

The words Papist and Popish had been very early imported into the Lutheran controversy, and were used where there was not the most distant reference to the Pope.

More calls this a mere spiteful nickname, since the matters denied by the heretics were held unanimously by the ancient doctors whom they had not yet learnt to call Papists.

If, however, they are willing to include those holy doctors under the name of Papist, which they count odious, no wise man will be ashamed of it.

When the Masker taunted More with his zeal “to stablish the Pope’s kingdom,” More replied: “What great cause should move me to bear that great affection to the Pope as to feign all these things for stablishment of his kingdom? He thinketh that every man knoweth already that the Pope is my godfather, and goeth about to make me a cardinal.” Such answers were sufficient for such writers and for the occasion.