[Polycarp]

That is open to debate.

Show me any church official (ie Cardinal) who says its open to debate. Your Msgr is respected but not the final word. The final word is that of JPII and Ratzinger. They both trump your Msgr card.

[ultima ratio]

Vatican I made it clear that the Pope is circumscribed in his power. He must speak ex cathedra to be infallible. Otherwise he can err. No human being, not even a pope, can command anyone to do evil. It's as simple as that. A good example, by the way, of the double standard employed by the Vatican these days is its attitude toward China's Catholic Patriotic Association headed by President Jiang. This is a Communist- created organization that is decidedly pro-abortion, and it recently had its puppet bishop illicitly consecrate new bishops, despite papal disaproval. What was Jn Paul's reaction? A Vatican spokesman expressed "surprise" and "disappointment." Pius XII had reproved the same organization for doing the exact same thing some decades ago, only he called the consecrations "criminal and sacriligious."