Questions Regarding Papal Infallibility

[RLN1]

A friend had some specific questions about papal infallibility that I need some help with.

1. How do Catholics know for certain which papal statements are infallible and which aren’t?
2. Where can we find information on statements defined as infallible by each pope? For instance, how many infallible rulings did Pope JPII make duing his papacy?

Thanks for your help.

 

[alexaustralia]

I believe the last infallible proclamation by a pope was in the 1950’s regarding Mary’s immaculate conception … but not too sure to be honest

 

[valient_Lucy]

**

A friend had some specific questions about papal infallibility that I need some help with.

1. How do Catholics know for certain which papal statements are infallible and which aren’t?
2. Where can we find information on statements defined as infallible by each pope? For instance, how many infallible rulings did Pope JPII make duing his papacy?

Thanks for your help.

Catholics consider papal statements to be infallible if they meet three conditions.
1 The pope is speaking ex cathedra or in English, he is speaking in his authority as the bishop of Rome and the successor of St. Peter, who was given the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and the authority to bind and lose. In other words, he cannot be speaking as a private theologian, or as a pastor, or some other function. (I think there also has to be the desire, or intent, to make an infallible statement. He cannot make one by accident.)
2 The pope must be speaking to the whole Church, usually in a letter directed to the entire Church. He cannot make infallible statements to private individuals or even seperate groups. He must make them to the Church as a whole.
3 The pope must be speaking about faith and morals. He cannot make an infallible statement about sports, books, computers, etc.

As for the second point, Pope John Paul II did not make any infallible statements. In the past 150 years, there have only been two statements that are considered to meet the criteria of infallibillity: 1854 Proclamation of the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin (can’t remember which pope) and 1950 Proclamation of the Doctrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin by Pious XII.

Basically, infallible statements by the pope are VERY rare, and they are usually done to clarify some confusion and to state EXACTLY what the Church believes.

 

[Yerusalyim]

A friend had some specific questions about papal infallibility that I need some help with.

1. How do Catholics know for certain which papal statements are infallible and which aren’t?
2. Where can we find information on statements defined as infallible by each pope? For instance, how many infallible rulings did Pope JPII make duing his papacy?

Thanks for your help.

If one really questions if something is infallibly taught by the Church they can write the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Fatih…aka the Curia.

 

[PC_Master]

RLN1> I’ve been trying to find the same answers for quite some time. What it all comes down to is that there is no codified list, at least none that a majority will agree with.

A further problem is that Papal Infallibility as a concept was really not a clear thing prior to Vatican I. It wasn’t understood then as it is now.

It’s this kind of evolution of theology and doctrine which confuses me.

 

[Rbt_Southwell]

RLN1> I’ve been trying to find the same answers for quite some time. What it all comes down to is that there is no codified list, at least none that a majority will agree with.

A further problem is that Papal Infallibility as a concept was really not a clear thing prior to Vatican I. It wasn’t understood then as it is now.

pcm:

valiantLucy answered the OP’s question.

Of course, one has to read it first to understand the CATHOLIC doctrine of Papal Infallibility.

It might help to leave your presumptions at the door, such as “evolution of theology and doctrine,” since this is apropos of Lutheranism, Calvinism and the thousand upon thousand splinter sects from mainstream (read 'Catholic, or, Western Church) Christianity.

Robert

 

[tdgesq]

A friend had some specific questions about papal infallibility that I need some help with.

1. How do Catholics know for certain which papal statements are infallible and which aren’t?

The only way to know is to apply the infallibility criterion of The First Vatican Council as follows:

[W]e teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that

* when the Roman pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA,
       that is, when,
           1. in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians,
           2. in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority,
           3. he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole church, 
* he possesses,
       by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, 
* that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals.
* Therefore, such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the church, irreformable.

1. Where can we find information on statements defined as infallible by each pope? For instance, how many infallible rulings did Pope JPII make duing his papacy?

Both Denzinger and Van Ott publish compilations of Catholic dogma. The two statements that all Catholics agree have been infallibly set forth by the Roman Pontiff are the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. All others are up for debate - some more up for debate than others.

 

[Miles_Mariae]

Both Denzinger and Van Ott publish compilations of Catholic dogma. The two statements that all Catholics agree have been infallibly set forth by the Roman Pontiff are the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. All others are up for debate - some more up for debate than others.

Out of curiosity, what arguments are set forth for rejecting the infallibility of Pope Boniface VIII’s declaration at the end of Unam Sanctam?

 

[Rbt_Southwell]

Out of curiosity, what arguments are set forth for rejecting the infallibility of Pope Boniface VIII’s declaration at the end of Unam Sanctam

?

Gee, fellow Soldier of Mary, that was about 200 years before Luther and his gang decided to start their own Manichean franchises.

I don’t think our Protestant brothers will have any guidance on this question from their infallible pastors.

Robert