Infalibility?!

[JP2ImissU]

I was watching a TV debate on women in the priesthood, and one of the “pro-women” supporters was saying that the church never infallibly said that they couldn’t be. In fact, she said, there have been only two infallible papal statements in history. This doesn’t sound right to me. Could someone help me out here?

 

[DeFide]

JP2ImissU:

I was watching a TV debate on women in the priesthood, and one of the “pro-women” supporters was saying that the church never infallibly said that they couldn’t be. In fact, she said, there have been only two infallible papal statements in history. This doesn’t sound right to me. Could someone help me out here?

catholic.com/library/Women_and_the_Priesthood.asp

catholic.com/library/Papal_Infallibility.asp

catholic.com/thisrock/2001/0109bt.asp

 

[Dr.Colossus]

The “two infallible statements” theory is incorrect. It is true that there have, in recent times at least, been only two ex cathedra, dogmatic statements which would invoke papal infallibility (they were regarding Marian doctrines). However, every time a Pope canonizes someone, it is an infallible statement.

Regarding female priests, the Church considers the male priesthood to be part of Sacred Tradition. It therefore does not need a papal declaration to be infallible.