St. Ludger

Feast Day: March 26
Born: (around) 743 :: Died: 809

St. Ludger was born at Zuilen, Friesland (modern Nederlands) in northern Europe. His parents Thiadgrim and Liafburg were rich Frisian nobles and his brothers Gerburgis and Hildegrin also became saints.

When he was a young boy, he heard St. Boniface preach and his words touched Ludger's heart. Ludger studied hard for many years in England and became a priest.

He then returned to the Netherlands as a missionary and began to travel far and wide preaching the Good News. He was very happy to share all that he had learned about God with everyone who listened to him. Pagans (people who didn't believe in God) were converted and Christians began to live much better lives. St. Ludger built many churches and monasteries.

Then suddenly barbarians called Saxons attacked his land and drove the priests out. It seemed as though all St. Ludger's work would be lost. But he would not give up. He first found a safe place for his disciples. Then he went to Rome to ask the Holy Father, Pope Adrian I, what he should do.

For over three years, Ludger lived in the Benedictine monastery as a good, holy monk. But he did not forget his people at home. Then King Charlemagne requested him to return to his country and Ludger returned and continued his work. He worked very hard to bring the good news of Jesus to people and many of the pagan Saxons became Christians.

When he was made a bishop, Ludger gave an even better example by his great kindness and piety. Once, jealous men spoke against him to King Charlemagne saying that he was spending more money on charity than on church decoration. The king ordered him to come to court to defend himself. Ludger went obediently to the castle.

The next day, when the king sent for him, Ludger said he would come as soon as he had finished his prayers. This made the king angry. But St. Ludger explained that although he had great respect for the king, he knew that God came first. "Your Majesty will not be angry with me," he said, "for you yourself have told me always to put God first."

The king could not find fault with such a wise answer and loved and admired the holy Bishop very much. No matter how busy he was, Ludger never gave up his time of prayer or meditation.

St. Ludger died after celebrating two Masses on Passion Sunday in 809. He performed his duties in the service of God even on the day he died.

Is the Pope really infallible?

Can bishops act and teach against the Pope, or the Pope against the bishops?

Bishops cannot act and teach against the Pope, but only with him. In contrast, the Pope can make decisions in clearly defined cases even without the approval of the bishops.

Of course the Pope in all his decisions is bound by the Church's faith. There is something like a general sense of the faith in the Church, a fundamental conviction in matters of faith that is brought about by the Holy Spirit and present throughout the Church, the Church's "common sense", so to speak, which recognizes "what has always and everywhere been believed by all" (Vincent of Lerins).

Is the Pope really infallible?

Yes. But the Pope speaks infallibly only when he defines a dogma in a solemn ecclesiastical act ("ex cathedra"), in other words, makes an authoritative decision in doctrinal questions of faith and morals. Magisterial decisions of the college of bishops in communion with the Pope also possess an infallible character, for example, decisions of an ecumenical council.

The infallibility of the Pope has nothing to do with his moral integrity or his intelligence. What is infallible is actually the Church, for Jesus promised her the Holy Spirit, who keeps her in the truth and leads her ever deeper into it. When a truth of the faith that has been taken for granted is suddenly denied or misinterpreted, the Church must have one final voice that authoritatively says what is true and what is false. This is the voice of the Pope. As the successor of Peter and the first among the bishops, he has the authority to formulate the disputed truth according to the Church's Tradition of faith in such a way that it is presented to the faithful for all times as something "to be believed with certainty". We say then that the Pope defines a dogma. Therefore such a dogma can never contain something substantially "new". Very rarely is a dogma defined. The last time was in 1950. (YOUCAT questions 142-143)

Dig Deeper: CCC section (883-892) and other references here.