[Arthur McGowan]

1) I’m not a layman.

2) A layman may think or say anything he likes about the Pope and the Pope’s pronouncements anytime the Pope is not speaking ex cathedra on dogma or morals.

[armydoc]

A layman may think or say anything he likes about the Pope and the Pope’s pronouncements anytime the Pope is not speaking ex cathedra on dogma or morals.

Actually, the Catholic layman is required to submit his mind and will to every Papal teaching:

This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra; that is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking.

DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH LUMEN GENTIUM SOLEMNLY PROMULGATED BY HIS HOLINESS POPE PAUL VI ON NOVEMBER 21, 1964