Is this an Ex Cathedra statement?

[Algernon]

Pope Francis: “You ask me if the God of the Christians forgives those who don’t believe and who don’t seek the faith. I start by saying – and this is the fundamental thing – that God’s mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and contrite heart. The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey their conscience."

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

First Vatican Council:

We teach and define that it is a dogma Divinely revealed that the Roman pontiff when he speaks ex cathedra, that is when in discharge of the office of pastor and doctor of all Christians, by virtue of his supreme Apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, by the Divine assistance promised to him in Blessed Peter, is possessed of that infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer willed that his Church should be endowed in defining doctrine regarding faith or morals, and that therefore such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves and not from the consent of the Church irreformable.

Code of Canon Law:

Can. 749 §1. By virtue of his office, the Supreme Pontiff possesses infallibility in teaching when as the supreme pastor and teacher of all the Christian faithful, who strengthens his brothers and sisters in the faith, he proclaims by definitive act that a doctrine of faith or morals is to be held.

§3. No doctrine is understood as defined infallibly unless this is manifestly evident.

A routine speech by the Holy Father or an “off the cuff” remark does not meet the requirements for ex cathedra. The Holy Father is only considered to be speaking ex cathedra if he intends to set forth something specific (involving faith or morals) to be definitively believed by all Christians. Essentially, if you have to ask if its an ex cathedra statement then it is not an ex cathedra statement.