Scotth1960, you have made accusations of blasphemy and provided quotes, stating: "these quotes are not taken out of context". Below you will find the results of comprehensive research and analysis that shows they are taken completely out of context and spun to give meaning that does not appear in the original. I hope with this research, I've been able to provide you with an awareness that not everything you're told to read on the Internet is true. It is important to fact-check with solid research, especially when it comes to matters of theology and accusations of blasphemy. Just in case you were wondering, I am not Catholic, but rather an academic focusing on Christian Theology who knows how to conduct accurate research.
One of the quotes was: "The Pope and God are the same, so he has power in Heaven and earth." And you cited "Barclay, Chapter XXVII, page218, Cities Petrus Bertanous," as the source quoting Pope Pius V (1566-1572). This seems to be a case of 'hiding behind the curtain of obscurity' as we are merely given the author's surname of Barclay, with no reference to a book title.
A bit of determined research has cracked this mystery. The citation should read "Barclay, [
book title missing], Chapter XXVII, p. 218,
who cites Petrus Bertrandus." And what of Pius V? Well he is mentioned on page 219, not 218. The book by Barclay referred to is: "
DE POTESTATE PAPAE: An & Quatenus in Reges & Principes Seculares Ius & Imperium Habiet" by Guil. Barclaii I. C., Liber posthumus. Reddite Caesari quae sunt Caesaris, & quae Dei Deo. Anno M. D.C. IX. [1609], Online at Bayerische StaatsBibliothek, Bavarian State Library <
MDZ-Reader | Tome | De potestate papae / Barclay, William >. Another copy can be found online at Google books <
http://books.google.com/books?id=ZM...a=X&ei=DahIUOaxKo2a8gS-yYDYDg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA >.
An English translation, "
Of the avthoritie of the pope : whether and how farre forth, he hath power and authoritie ouer temporall kings and princes: liber posthumus" by Gvil. Barclaii J.C., was published at London, Imprinted by Arnold Hatfield, for VViliam Aspley, in 1611 <
Gvil. Barclaii J.C. Of the avthoritie of the pope : whether and how farre forth, he hath power and authoritie ouer temporall kings and princes : liber posthumus. (Book, 1611) [WorldCat.org] >.
The author, William Barclay (1546-1608), was a Scottish Roman Catholic, a lawyer and a scholar, who strongly opposed papal claims to temporal authority over kings. The citation refers to Chapter XXVII [27], page 218. (Online at Bayerische StaatsBibliothek, Bavarian State Library <
MDZ-Reader | Tome | De potestate papae / Barclay, William >) In the second paragraph, as evidence there is a quote in the gloss from French canonist Petrus Bertrandus (Peter Bertrand 1280-1349) for the last sentence of Unam Sanctam [published (1582) in "
Corpus Juris Canonici, Extravagantes Communes, Book I, Title 8, chapter I., (De majoritate et obedientia)", which begins at column 202], Bull of Pope Boniface VIII promulgated November 18, 1302. A "gloss" is a commentary. The original text being commented on appears in the small box, while the annotated noted take up most of the rest of the page. (See column 212 at <
Canon Law Collections | Pages >)
[Contrarium videtur.] Christus commissit summo Pontifici vices suas, (ut habetur Matth. 16. cap. et 24. q I. quodcumque.) Sed Christo data erat omnis potestas in caelo et in terra (Matth. 28.) ergo summus Pontifex qui est ejus vicarius habebit hanc potestatem. extra de translat. cap. quanto.
Christ entrusted his office to the chief Pontiff; (Mat 16:18, Mat 24:45) but all power in heaven and in earth had been given to Christ; (Mat. 28:18) therefore the chief Pontiff, who is his vicar, will have this power. [Extravagantes, Decretal. Greg. IX. de Transl. lib. i. tit. 7. c. 3. 'Quanto personam,' Pope Innocent III, written in 1582 <
Canon Law Collections | Pages >]
The second quote was: "We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." Pope Leo XIII (2 March 1810 - 20 July 1903), in his Apostolic Letter, "
Praeclara Gratulationis Publicae (The Reunion of Christendom)". Fact-checking reveals this was a letter written by a Pope as his death drew closer. The full quote from the letter, which can be found at <
Praeclara Gratulationis Publicae - Papal Encyclicals >, provides the context and reads as follows: "But since We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty, Who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth, and now that Our advanced age and the bitterness of anxious cares urge Us on towards the end common to every mortal, We feel drawn to follow the example of Our Redeemer and Master, Jesus Christ, Who, when about to return to Heaven, implored of God, His Father, in earnest Prayer, that His Disciples and followers should be of one mind and of one heart: I pray ... that they all may be one, as Thou Father in Me, and I in Thee: that they also may be one in Us."
If the Pope claims to be God, and God has no master, why did the Pope write: "We feel drawn to follow the example of Our Redeemer and Master, Jesus Christ"? From the Catholic point of view, "We hold upon this Earth the place of God" makes perfect sense, as Catholics believe that the Pope is the Vicar (i.e. representative) of Christ. What does a representative do? He "holds the place" of the person he represents. Far from claiming that he is God in the flesh, Pope Leo was just reaffirming his position under Catholic teaching as Christ's representative on Earth under Catholic doctrine. If you say to the person you're with in a movie theatre, "I'll hold your seat for you until you get back," does this mean then that you become the person whose seat you are holding? Pope Leo's statement says only that God's seat here on Earth is being held until such time as He returns again.