Limiting Papal Infallibility to Save It

Latin apologists for the papacy and papal infallibility may think it warranted in the text of Vatican I, but is it?

Therefore, faithfully adhering to the tradition received from the beginning of the christian faith, to the glory of God our saviour, for the exaltation of the catholic religion and for the salvation of the christian people, with the approval of the sacred council,

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we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, 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.

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So then, should anyone, which God forbid, have the temerity to reject this definition of ours: let him be anathema.

The Latin text. 

The Catholic Thing: Infallibility: The Unopened Gift by Russell Shaw

Shaw summarizes one view:

Despite the hopes and fears at the moment, however, only rarely has papal infallibility been specifically invoked in modern times. In 1854 Pius IX made it clear he spoke infallibly in defining the dogma of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. Pius XII did the same in 1950 in defining the dogma of her bodily assumption. Otherwise, like an unopened gift, papal infallibility has remained on the shelf.

Shaw examines whether infallibility applies to the ordinary magisterium of a bishop, but what about the ordinary magisterium of the Roman pope? It's a bait-and-switch. (In his 1995 article for OSV, Shaw repeats much the same material, but does not talk about the papal ordinary magisterium there either.)

Lumen Gentium 25:  

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.

Latin traditionalist takes on infallibility in relation to papal authority: 

SSPX: Clear ideas on the pope's infallible magisterium

The Infallibility of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Magisterium by  Robert J. Siscoe 

 

My thoughts:

There is a sort of scholastic analysis present in the writings like this, with the claim there must be a certain form[ula] to make this intention manifest but is there any instance when the bishop of Rome doesn't think he is teaching the Church Universal? (Even when those outside his patriarchate are not paying attention?) Hence this formula is what makes something "ex cathedra" while any other pronouncement which is just an affirmation of what is Tradition is infallible, being an act of the infallible ordinary magisterium (of the pope, in this case). I don't think the Orthodox would disagree with some version of this infallibility of any bishop who affirms something that is of Tradition.

It does not seem to me that a certain formula is necessary to make it ex cathedra -- again, when does the bishop of Rome not intend for his teaching to be applicable to the Church Universal? What has the thought ever crossed his mind that what he says about faith and morals applies only to Roman Catholics of the patriarchate of Rome, and not to Catholics of other ecclesial jursidictions? Does this regular or ordinary intention alone not sufficient to make a teaching of the pope of Rome on faith or morals ex cathedra? 

So if Pope Francis (or his representative) says something about capital punishment being "inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person" and changes the Catechism of the Catholic Church to reflect this, how is that not meant to be an ex cathedra pronouncement?

Latin apologists who disagree with this teaching of Pope Francis (or any other touching upon faith or morals that contradicts Tradition) have no choice to say that it is not "infallible" because it is lacking the proper form and is therefore not ex cathedra. But I don't see how this claim about form is warranted by the decree of Vatican I. Maybe the pope or one of his ecumenical councils can finesse the Roman teaching on papal infallibility in this way to save it, but would that sort of "development of doctrine" be regarded as anything than institution-saving by non-Latins?

 

Related: essay on infallibility at Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Eight Popes and the Crisis of Modernity

CWR Dispatch: “The crisis of modernity” through the eyes of eight popes by Paul Senz
Russell Shaw’s new book examines how the popes of the 20th century confronted the challenges and shaped the events of late modernity.

Ignatius Press

"At the turn of the century, the pope’s temporal power was significantly diminished, but his moral authority was on the rise."

His moral authority among whom? The temporal powers? The Church Universal? The bishops of Rome did have to make an adjustment with the loss of temporal power and of the papal states, but their claims regarding their authority over the Church Universal and of the world have not wavered. Thanks to advances in communications technology, it is now possible to implement an ultramontanist model of the papacy, with the bishop of Rome as the teacher of the world and of the Church Universal. But who is paying attention?

From the interview:

CWR: Each of these popes confronted the problems of modernity in unique ways. Do you think any of them were particularly successful, or any particularly unsuccessful?

Shaw: The pontificate of Pope St. Paul VI was in some ways a tragic story. Paul certainly engaged the big issues of his times and received an enthusiastic response at first—the reaction to his famous “no more war” United Nations speech illustrates that—but the good feelings and the enthusiasm came to an ugly end with the vicious reaction to Humane Vitae and its reaffirmation of the condemnation of contraception. Pope Paul has been vindicated by events since then, but at the time he was widely written off.

Does Shaw address the disastrous liturgical reform that took place under Paul VI?

CWR: The Second Vatican Council gets its own chapter in this book. What is different about Vatican II’s approach to “the crisis of modernity” from that of the two popes of Vatican II, Sts. John XXIII and Paul VI?

Shaw: As a matter of fact, I see more similarities than dissimilarities between Vatican II and the popes you mention. Gaudium et Spes, the Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, is often criticized for being too optimistic, taking too sunny a view of the modern world, and I suppose there is some of that in its rhetoric. But the Council also saw many grievous problems and abuses in modern times, and it wasn’t hesitant in pointing them out. And the same might be said of the popes. All three—the Council, John XXIII, and Paul VI—were shrewd observers and serious critics of the world around them.

Maybe Vatican II did recognize some of the problems afflicting the "modern" world. But have Latins attempted to do anything else besides lecture and issue documents? In the war between Church and State, the Roman Catholic Church lost when it attempted to fight it on the world's terms, and it's losing now by relying upon outdated institutional practices that not only do not apply now, but never applied. Spiritual atrophy started long ago within the [Latin] [mono]episcopate, even if some think the "Catholic Counter-Reformation" was a moderate success.

How can we get more lay involvement?

CWR: The role of the laity and the sex scandal by Russell Shaw
As things stand, when it comes to decision-making, the laity are routinely excluded from even a consultative role.

Russell Shaw on Germain Grisez

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The late moral theologian, who died on February 1st at the age of 88, had a profound impact on moral theology over the past sixty […]

A Two-Tier Spirituality?

CWR: Spiritual direction and the role of the laity by Russell Shaw

In the writings of Saint Teresa of Avila we have a glimpse of the two-tier spirituality that has been taken for granted by most spiritual writers for a long time. It might be put like this: The goal for priests and religious is to be holy, the goal for lay people is to be good.

So What Was the Purpose?

Pope Francis' address at conclusion of Synod of Bishops [full text]

Synod Diary: After three weeks, a “consensus” document that upholds doctrinal truth
10/25/2015 3:53:41 PM
By Mary Jo Anderson
The synod’s final report is released; what comes next depends upon Pope Francis.

The Synod was neither a great success nor a huge failure
10/26/2015 1:49:46 PM
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Followup to the Synod on the Family rests now in the hands of a paradoxical pontiff who champions consultation, collegiality, and synodality while practicing a highly centralized management style

The Dispatch: More from CWR
On "The Church's First Duty": Thoughts on Pope Francis' address at Synod's conclusion
10/26/2015 6:27:56 PM
By James V. Schall, S.J.
Though a South American, Francis seems, in spirit at least, closer to well-known members of the German, Belgian, and Swiss hierarchies

Cardinal Pell explains the paragraphs in the final relatio concerning pastoral care of the divorced and civilly remarried.

Posted by Vatican Radio - English Section on Monday, October 26, 2015

Here is a short batch of photos from Mass this morning in St Peter's Basilica with Pope Francis. More to come...

Posted by Vatican Radio - English Section on Sunday, October 25, 2015

Two by Russell Shaw on Spiritual Direction

Understanding the Place of Spiritual Direction
Why Not Spiritual Direction

Two Views of the Synod

Roberto De Mattei: Heading towards the 2015 Synod - Numerical defeats never before witnessed by any Pope

Russell Shaw (who refrains from pointing fingers at the pope): The Synod and the Media: Culpable Naïveté or Shrewd Calculation?

Related:
At the Synod and After, Revolving Door for Homosexuals by Sandro Magister
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Did We Really Need Vatican II? by Russell Shaw

Ecumenical council? Or general synod of the Latin churches, with participation of some of the Eastern churches in communion with Rome?

Pope St. John XXIII put it clearly in his opening address to the council on October 11, 1962. The “greatest concern” of Vatican II, he declared, was to guard Christian doctrine and teach it “more efficaciously.” That included the truth about “the whole of man, composed as he is of body and soul” and created by God not only for life on earth but for eternal life in heaven.

The council did its best, and that was pretty good. Central to its teaching was the Christocentric affirmation that it’s Christ who “fully reveals man to himself and makes his supreme calling clear” (Gaudium et Spes 22). The Church has been developing that exalted vision of human dignity ever since, most notably via the personalism of Pope St. John Paul II.

Was personalism and human dignity the answer?

A New Book from Russell Shaw

I am curious as to how Russell Shaw understands American identity and relates it to the assimilation of Catholic immigrants in his new book American Church: The Remarkable Rise, Meteoric Fall, and Uncertain Future of Catholicism in America, but I don't think there will be any surprises.

New: "American Church: The Remarkable Rise, Meteoric Fall, and Uncertain Future of Catholicism in America"
Is the problem with American Catholics - America?