Galileo and the False Accusations against the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church being divine in institution is human in its instrumentality, therefore one would not expect its members to be perfect. As Ernest Hull S.J. puts it, "The Church is the school of the imperfect." If all men were perfect, there would be no need instituting a church.
If there exist cases where the ever Church passed judgement in error, the case of Galileo is definitely NOT one of them. Sadly the Church is falsely accused, not just by Protestants but also by "Catholics" who tend to deny the dogma of Papal Infallibility and the papal impostor John Paul II falsely called "saint"  didn't seem to help matters in 1992. Although the Body of Christ - the Church - endures a litany of accusations regarding this issue, this article will refute the following errors:
1.) Galileo was persecuted by the Church for teaching Heresy,
2.) Considering the Galileo case, the Pope can never be infallible,
3.) This was a case of  "Science vs Theology."

PERSECUTION OF GALILEO
The Church never persecuted Galileo as a heretic, on the contrary, he was admired and praised by the church men especially Pope Urban VIII. Responding to this false claim, Pope told Cardinal Zollern (in 1624), "the Church had not condemned, nor was it to be condemned as heretical; but only as rash."
 The Jesuit Father, Ernest Hull cites another incident: "A Dominican friar had been on the point of converting certain German nobles to the Church; but when they heard of the prohibition of the Copernician theory, they were entirely repelled. On learning this, Pope Urban VIII replied: "It was never our intention, and if it had depended on us, that decree would not have been passed." (Galileo and His Condemnation.)
 It must be understood that this case was not that of  "Science vs Theology" but that of "Science vs Science" or rather "Scientists vs Scientists."
Galileo's opponents were eminent scientists who either stuck with Aristotle's theories and disliked Galileo's person; or scientists who although animated with the modern spirit, regarded the theory as fiction. Galileo suffered at the hands of the first group - adherents of Aristotelian theory.
At the early stage of his career, he was boycotted by fellow-professors and was subjected to many petty annoyances. At that time, it was Galileo's Empirical Observation vs Aristotle's Theories. Things got worse when Universities refused to engage his services, and when they eventually did, he was paid - as a salary - an office boy's wage. The tide turned when he obtained a much better position in a University in Padua, and when the Church recognized his talents - the "eccentric" man became a celebrity. This development only served to increase the fury of his adversaries and as long as it was Aristotle vs Empirical Observation, Galileo's adversaries found themselves worsted in an argument by appeal to facts.

THE CONTENTION
The contention began when he wrote his theory of sunspots which embraced the theory of Nicolas Copernicus that is the revolution of the earth round the sun - the heliocentric or Sun-Centered system. This work by Galileo was warmly received by the Church for it attracted praises and admiration by Cardinal Maffeo Barberino( afterwards Pope Urban VIII) together with other churchmen in Rome. The real trouble arose when the Dowager Duchess of Tuscany, in a conversation with a disciple of galileo, Fr. Castelli, raised the objection that the double motion of the earth seemed contrary to the scripture. When informed, Galileo wrote a letter to Fr. Castelli maintaining the view expressed by Leo XIII, that "the scripture, not having for its object to science, makes use of such expressions as would be intelligible to the vulgar without regard to the structure of the heavens." Quite a good answer, but no matter how reasonable the answer appears to be, his adversaries cared not for they have found a new weapon - Theology.

PAPAL INFALLIBILITY
The doctrine of Papal Infallibility states that, by the virtue of Christ's promise to Peter, the Pope cannot err in matters of faith and morals, when acting as a supreme teacher and shepherd of all Christians. The doctrine never stated that the Pope can never go wrong personally or in other matters apart from faith and morals. There is a big difference between infallibility and impeccability.
Galileo's case has nothing to do with infallibility, because the dogma states "the Pope cannot err in matters of faith and morals" - NOT Science. The Cardinals of the Holy Congregation did not  pass judgement as scientists, they acted as shepherds  safeguarding the faith of Catholics; for "the salvation of souls is the supreme law of the Church."( Can. 1752 )
Therefore their decision was revocable.

WHY THE CHURCH INTERFERED.
As previously stated, Galileo's adversary resorted to Theology.  The war began in December 1614, when Fr. Caccini, of the Dominican convent of San Marco, openly asserted that Galileo's doctrine of the earth's motion round the sun was irreconciliable with the Catholic Faith since it contradicted the scripture. He therefore denounced the teaching of Galileo as heretical and Copernicus wrong.
Shortly after this, A Jesuit Father preaching at the Duomo took up Galileo's cause against the Dominican, stating that Galileo was right. The following year, Fr. Larini, a Dominican drafted to the Holy Office of the Inquisition ( on 5th Feb. 1615),  a denunciation of Galileists in general.
 In the same year, Fr. Paolo Foscarini, a Carmelite, wrote in support of Copernicus.
There was confusion to say the least for both parties where mainly Catholics. The alarmist cry about the faith and the scripture had to be met and this was done by the censure of certain other books containing the theory and also the ordering of Galileo to abandon his views - which he acquiesced. The action taken by the Church was quite logical especially when we consider that these were just theories and not proven facts. Astronomical Science was in so crude a state and had made little advancement at that time.

The reason for the prohibition and condemnation can also be found in the decree of the Holy Congregation signed and sealed by the Most Eminent and Reverend Lord Cardinal of St. Cecilia, Bishop of Albano, 5th March 1616:
"Therefore, in order that this opinion may not insinuate itself any further prejudice of Catholic Truth, the Holy Congregation has decreed that the said Nicolas Copernicus, De Revolutionibus Orbis ... be suspended until corrected."

OTHER SCIENTISTS
As earlier stated, Galileo was also opposed by other broadminded eminent scientists like Scheiner, one of the discoverers of the spots on the sun; Clavius, surnamed Euclid  of his age; the Astronomer Magini, and even the English Philosopher Francis Bacon, who was lauded at a later period as Father of modern science. Bacon regarded the Copernican system as a "mathematical fiction, useful in calculating and predicting."(Descrip. Glob. Int.c. 6)

If science itself, at that time rejected the new system as not having produced its credentials, do you expect the Cardinals of the Holy Office to approve and be in advance of the Science of the day?


Our Lady, Seat Of Wisdom - Pray for Us.