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The fact of dissent proliferated following Vatican II and the influence of Karl Rahner with his “parallel magisterium” and opposition to the infallible doctrine in Humanae Vitae.diggerdomer
what does Canon Law teach?
Vatican II, reiterated the teaching of Vatican I on papal infallibility, and its documents are readily available [from the EWTN Library (http://www.ewtn.com/vlibrary/search.asp) or the Vatican Library].
The updated CCC #88 is complemented by Canon 750 #2 for a truth proposed definitively (definitive proponuntur) which must be firmly accepted and held. Ad Tuendam Fidem, John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio (on his own authority), 1998].
Thus CCC #88 clearly combines exactly with Pope John Paul’s Motu Proprio Apostolic Letter Ad Tuendam Fidem, 1998 (ATF) which requires the assent of divine and Catholic faith to believe (credenda sunt) dogmas (a category one truth) (Canon #750.1).
A category two truth requires the assent of ecclesial faith, as a secondary truth, “proposed definitively” (definitive proponuntur) to be “firmly embraced and held” (now Canon 750.2). So both the dogmas and the infallible (definitive) doctrines that are secondary truths, require an assent of faith, though there is a distinction between theological faith and ecclesial faith.
The category 3 truths are non-definitive (non-infallible) and require intellectual assent (“loyal submission of the will and intellect”, Lumen Gentium 25), not an assent of faith. [See the Explanatory Note on ATF by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith*].
Also, the 1983 revision of Canon Law replaced in Canon 749:3 “dogmatically (dogmatice) declared or defined” with “infallibly defined”. This removes any occasion for equating “infallible” with “dogmatic”, an equation which unduly limits papal infallibility. Such a limitation is clearly not contained in the Vatican I dogma on papal infallibility.
Therefore only dogmas or definitive doctrinal teaching are infallible, not arguments nor any other declarations outside of definitive statements.