Infallible statements

[lotusblossom]

I was told the other day that there are only two statements that are officially infallible - the Immaculate Conception and something else (I forget). Is this true? If so, is this to be distinguished from the fact that the Pope’s words regarding faith and morals are infallible as well?

I’m completely confused at this moment because I’ve never heard this before. Thanks !

 

[Genesis315]

I don’t know where this idea that there are only two such statements came from. That would mean the First Vatican Council formulated their definition of papal infalliblity on one instance–that makes no sense. Any time the Pope definitive proclaims a doctrine concerning faith and morals to be held by the entire Church that is infallible.

I wrote this article on papal infallibility (including a list of the statements I have come across in my studies.) Most people have told me it has helped them understand the doctrine greatly

dictatuspapae.blogspot.com/2006/10/papal-infallibility.html

 

[Verbum]

Hi Lotus__,

Since the definition of the infallibility of the Pope, two dogmas have been solemnly proclaimed by the Pope : the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption.

Now Catholics believed in the infallibility of the Pope way before that was defined, since the beginning of the Church in fact. So Catholics had to believe that dogma before it was proclaimed. In the same way, Catholics had to accept the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption before they were solemnly proclaimed. The only difference is that if you challenged those truths after they were solemnly proclaimed, you put yourself outside of the Church.

Jesus said that He is with the Church until the end of time. It is to the Church first of all that he has given the gift of infallibility. This infallibility is exercised by the bishops in communion with the pope.

What the proclamation of infallibility did was to specify the conditions under which, when the Pope speaks of his own authority, independentlly of the bishops, he is infalllible. But the pope can teach infallibly in many other circumstances, for example when he finds a consensus among the bishops on a certain subject. A recent example is the declaration by John Paul II that the Church cannot ordain women as priests.

Finally, Jesus also said, “Whoever hears you (the Church) hears me.” Our bishops and the Pope have the duty to teach; so we have the duty to be taught. This means that when your bishop teaches you something, you are bound to accept his teaching, unless you have serious reasons to believe that he is wrong; in which case, it is possible to appeal. And when the Pope speaks, you must listen respecfully and try your best to conduct yourself according to his teaching. Yes, mistakes can be made and rectified. But what God asks of us is obedience.

Verbum