[xzins]

There was a discussion that involved papal infallibility yesterday in regards to Alex6 and other terribly misguided popes.

Everyone points out that infallibility only counts when the Pope is speaking on the Church....or something like that.

Do you agree with that?

Incidentally, it seems to me that Mary has nothing to do with issues about Church administration. Does that mean that papal infallibility is not in effect regarding papal proclamations regarding the assumption and the IC?

[Campion]

Everyone points out that infallibility only counts when the Pope is speaking on the Church....or something like that.

The four conditions are:

1. The Pope must be speaking in his supreme apostolic authority, not as a private doctor, as the bishop of Rome, etc.
2. He must be addressing the whole church. This is why condemnations of individuals are not eligible. Neither is a private letter written to a single individual.
3. He must be intending to teach definitively. Speculation doesn't apply; he must be setting forth a single position that he intends to bind the whole church to believe.
4. He must be addressing a doctrine concerning faith or morals. A mere disciplinary issue, like suppressing the Jesuits or who may distribute communion at Mass, doesn't qualify. It has to be a definition of doctrine.

Pretty much everyone is agreed that the Papal decrees dogmatizing the IC and the Assumption were infallible, ex cathedra statements.