e temporal rights and property of the
Church committed to his care.

Q. 539. What do we mean by the "temporal power" of the Pope?
A. By the temporal power of the Pope we mean the right which the Pope
has as a temporal or ordinary ruler to govern the states and manage the
properties that have rightfully come into the possession of the Church.

Q. 540. How did the Pope acquire and how was he deprived of the temporal
power?
A. The Pope acquired the temporal power in a just manner by the consent
of those who had a right to bestow it. He was deprived of it in an
unjust manner by political changes.

Q. 541. How was the temporal power useful to the Church?
A. The temporal power was useful to the Church (1) because it gave the
Pope the complete independence necessary for the government of the
Church and for the defense of truth and virtue. (2) It enabled him to do
much for the spread of the true religion by giving alms for the
establishment and support of Churches and schools in poor or pagan
countries.

Q. 542. What name do we give to the offerings made yearly by the
faithful for the support of the Pope and the government of the Church?
A. We call the offerings made yearly by the faithful for the support of
the Pope and government of the Church "Peter's pence." It derives its
name from the early custom of sending yearly a penny from every house to
the successor of St. Peter, as a mark of respect or as an alms for some
charity.

Q. 543. {126} What do you mean by the indefectibility of the Church?
A. By the indefectibility of the Church I mean that the Church, as
Christ founded it, will last till the end of time.

Q. 544. What is the difference between the infallibility and
indefectibility of the Church?
A. When we say the Church is infallible we mean that it can never teach
error while it lasts; but when we say the Church is indefectible, we
mean that it will last forever and be infallible forever; that it will
always remain as Our Lord founded it and never change the doctrines He
taught.

Q. 545. Did Our Lord Himself make all the laws of the Church?
A. Our Lord Himself did not make all the laws of the Church. He gave the
Church also power to make laws to suit the needs of the times, places or
persons as it judged necessary.

Q. 546. Can the Church change its laws?
A. The Church can, when necessary, change the laws it has itself made,
but it cannot change the laws that Christ has made. Neither can the
Church change