What is Papal Infallibility (and “Ex Cathedra”)?

The Catholic Church uses the phrase "papal infallibility" to describe the teaching office of the pope. When the pope is teaching "ex cathedra" (from the chair), he can declare a Church teaching about faith and morals.

Let's clarify what Papal Infallibility means:

1. What does "infallible" mean?

Infallible means a statement is without error.

2. When is the pope infallible?

Not everything the pope says is infallible.

- Infallibility only applies to teachings about faith and morals.
- Infallibility only applies when the pope is teaching "ex cathedra."

"Ex cathedra" means literally "from the chair" in Latin. When the pope is teaching "ex cathedra" (from the chair), he is speaking with the authority passed on to him from the Apostles.

In other words, the pope can state opinions that could easily be proven wrong, but not when teaching "ex cathedra" about faith and morals.

The key is for the pope to pronounce a doctrine in a definitive manner. Admittedly, whether a proclamation is infallible or not is sometimes debated.

All agree that the two definitive, infallible statements by popes in the Church's history are:

- The Immaculate Conception of Mary (Pope Pius IX in 1854)
- Assumption of Mary (Pope Pius XII in 1950)

3. Is the pope the only person that can teach with infallibility?

Infallibility extends to the entire Magisterium. The Magisterium is the teaching authority of the Church that extends especially to the pope and the bishops, who are the successors to the Apostles.

When the pope and bishops gather together in an Ecumenical Council, they can issue infallible declarations about doctrines.

4. What does the Catechism say?

"The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. . . . The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium," above all in an Ecumenical Council. When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine "for belief as being divinely revealed," and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions "must be adhered to with the obedience of faith." This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself. (CCC, 891)

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[BornAgainCatholic]

Short, to the point and accurate. Thanks

[aci.]

Thank you for your videos. I'll be watching them all from now on. God bless!

[patriciahaskins]

Good too know. I wasn't completely certain about faith and morals. Thanks for posting!🌈🌈🌈

[TheologyFellow]

but what about popes who speak wrongly on the faith of people?

[georgedavies]

Doesn’t this concept contradict the fith ecumenical council

[codetwohigh]

You didn’t really address in depth. So in regards to faith and morals if the pope decided that he said all active homosexuals can receive communion and become priests, because that has to do with faith and morals, we’re all supposed to except it just because he said it.??

[randycarson]

What do Catholics actually believe about papal infallibility?

It doesn't mean the Pope is perfect, never sins, or never makes mistakes. It doesn't mean he has perfect personal beliefs about every issue or that everything he says is correct.

To understand infallibility, consider the following:

1. The Bible is the inerrant, infallible word of God.
2. The men who wrote the New Testament were not infallible.
3. However, they wrote the word of God infallibly because they were inspired by God through the power of the Holy Spirit, who protected them from error.
4. This protection from error was limited to when God was using them to communicate the truths of the faith and not to everything they said or did.

Similarly, the Catholic Church teaches that papal infallibility operates in the same manner; the Pope is protected from error by the Holy Spirit in matters of faith and doctrine, especially when defining doctrine in line with Apostolic tradition.

God did not physically take over the bodies of the New Testament authors to move their pens nor did He dictate scripture word for word. He inspired the sacred writers by the power of the Holy Spirit and protected them from error. This does not mean that everything they ever said and did was infallible. God only protected them from error when He was using them to communicate the truths of the faith.

That is what Catholicism teaches about papal infallibility. In the same way that the Holy Spirit protected the biblical writers from errors in matters of faith, Catholics believe that protection remains on the Pope, who is the successor to St. Peter, given the keys to the Kingdom by Jesus in Matthew 16."

[ryan_]

There are three conditions for Papal Infallibility not two.

[dr.nightmare]

So are Pope Francis' comments about moral issues that are also highly political (e.g. LGBT) infallible?

[rayburton]

By what authority? None. No scriptural support, thus false.

[stagewild]

Please cite scriptures in the Bible that support the claims that Mary was immaculately conceived and that she ascended to Heaven without dying. Like a lot of Catholic dogma it’s found nowhere in the Bible.

[johng.]

What is papal infallibility? A fairy tale created by the catholic church.