Will St. James’ Campaign really collect all of the money pledges?

Recently Hampshire’s St. Borromeo’s Capital Campaign was posted on this blog.  That building program has been suspended and pledges appear to be accumulating at a very slow pace bringing into question if many of the pledges will actually be fulfilled.

Based upon some similarities in the projects (very large projects for parishes with limited resources) a crude analysis of St. James campaign numbers appears warranted. Here are the findings: 

A VERY CONSERVATIVE CALCULATION OF THE NUMBERS APPEARS TO INDICATE THAT ST.  JAMES WILL ALSO FALL SHORT ON ITS PLEDGES

Of the $2,756,416. PLEDGED $1,401,936.58 has been paid leaving $1,354,480 yet to be paid. The last four weeks collections totaled $33,868.58 (that is $10,247.99+5,923.16+10,692.14+7,005.29).  Pledges should be all paid by June 2014.  There are 13—4 week periods in a year.  Therefore there are approximately 20—4 week periods until end of June 2014 (In fact, an earlier ending date may exist for most pledges).

Now 20 times the $33,868 is $677,271.60, well below the $1,354.480.  Some pledges may have yearly or semi-annual payments so perhaps these numbers will improve after Christmas and the New Year. Come February a review of the numbers should clear that issue up.

There also is another issue.  The $2,756,416 Pledged includes some pledges for Phase II of the campaign.  Those pledges are anticipated to be paid from 2014-17.  However that illustrates how far away the parish is from the $5 million plus total goal.

Perhaps what all these numbers illustrate best is why a full disclosure of the St. James Building Campaign is required as the first step to build a new church.

Cardinal Dolan sees US as 'mission territory' :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

 

But Catholics should not be “depressed” by Western countries' shift away from religious belief and practice. Instead, they should be “awakened and challenged,” Cardinal Dolan said.

Today, he said, the Church is “with the apostles on Pentecost Sunday as we embrace the New Evangelization.” The campaign to re-evangelize historically Christian societies is the topic of an October 2012 synod in Rome, which will begin the Year of Faith called by Pope Benedict XVI.

Click on the following for more details:  Cardinal Dolan sees US as 'mission territory' :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Teacher says Catholic school fired her over IVF -

 

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - An Indiana teacher who says she was fired from a Roman Catholic school for using in vitro fertilization to try to get pregnant is suing in a case that could set up a legal showdown over reproductive and religious rights.

Emily Herx's lawsuit accuses the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and St. Vincent de Paul school in Fort Wayne of discrimination for her firing last June.

She was not a religion teacher. She was not ordained. She was not required to and didn't have any religion teaching. She wasn't even instructed about the doctrine that she violated," said Delaney, noting the ultimate decision would be up to the courts.

The school found out that Herx was using IVF because she told them about it when she used sick days for the treatments, according to the lawsuit. School officials didn't indicate until later that there was a problem, the lawsuit says.

Click on the following for more details:  Teacher says Catholic school fired her over IVF - ABC6 - Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA News, Weather

Same-sex marriage bill reveals differences

Gay Marriage for the Catholic Church in Australia. Testimony for a pending bill.

Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell has made a submission to the inquiry supporting the traditional definition of marriage.
But two of Sydney's most high-profile Catholic women - Kristina Keneally and Clover Moore - have put in their own submissions disagreeing with their Archbishop.
'former NSW premier Kristina Keneally said:
''It is formed by prayer, reading, and reflection. It gives me no relish to be at odds with my church,'' she said. ''But it also gives me no joy to see people who are created in God's image unable to fully express their humanity, or live with the rights and dignity that heterosexual people are afforded. I act in good conscience - as a Catholic, I can do nothing else.
Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/samesex-marriage-bill-reveals-differences-20120401-1w6s4.html#ixzz1qtbKHoG0

Carl Siciliano: A Call to Cardinal Dolan to Stop Endangering LGBT Youth

LGBT="lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender”

I write to you as the director of the Ali Forney Center, the nation's largest organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth. I am writing to you on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of LGBT youths who have been driven from their homes by parents unwilling or unable to accept their own children because they are gay. And I write to you as a member of the Archdiocese of New York who is deeply ashamed by the ways that his bishop contributes to the abuse and harm suffered by these youths.

I want you to understand how you, and other religious leaders who fight against the acceptance of LGBT people, are helping to create a national tragedy

Parental rejection has become so prevalent that LGBT youths make up an astonishing 40 percent of the nation's homeless youth population.

When you use your position as a religious leader to fight the acceptance of LGBT persons as equal members of our society, you inevitably make many parents less able to accept their own LGBT children

Carl Siciliano is the founder and executive director of the Ali Forney Center, which provides housing, medical care, and vocational and educational support to LGBT youths who have been driven from their homes. Formerly he was a Benedictine monk and a member of the Catholic Worker movement.

Click on the following for more details;  Carl Siciliano: A Call to Cardinal Dolan to Stop Endangering LGBT Youth

Patrick Madrid Blog: Has many comments from fans of Father Corapi

 

This is noteworthy: Father John Corapi’s Internet presence at sites such as the www.theblacksheepdog.us and http://theblacksheepdog.wordpress.com has vanished, ditto for his presence on YouTube and Facebook. No one I know has any clue what happened to him, but there are several possible scenarios that would explain this. The one I hope is correct is that he has reconciled with the S.O.L.T. order he once was a member of and, more importantly, that he has reconciled with the Catholic Church, from which it certainly seemed he was distancing himself in the wake of all the unpleasantness that erupted last year.

In any case, his abrupt disappearance from the Internet serves as good reminder that we should all continue praying for him, whatever path he may be on. May God bless Father Corapi and may He bless us all

Click on the following to read the comments:  Patrick Madrid : Patrick Madrid or http://patrickmadrid.com/as-the-new-year-starts-father-john-corapi-vanishes-off-the-radar-screen/#comment-8157

John Corapi From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is related to a post regarding Father Corapi’s canceled lecture in DeKalb in 2011.  See:  http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2012/02/update-priest-cancels-rockford-dekalb.html

Website
fathercorapi.com
theblacksheepdog.us
John Anthony Corapi (born May 20, 1947), formerly of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (S.O.L.T.), is a Catholic priest in the United States who was removed from public ministry in 2011. Throughout the last decade, he gained in popularity from his regular appearances on Catholic television, his syndicated daily Catholic radio show, published instructional media including books and DVDs, various online websites, and speaking appearances throughout the world.^[1][2]
In 2005 Corapi was awarded $2.7 million USD for his role as a whistleblower in a qui tam False Claims Act lawsuit against Redding Medical Center that resulted in an overall $24 million USD payment to defrauded patients.^[3]
Following allegations of misconduct, Corapi was removed from public ministry as a priest in 2011. He asserts his innocence, but has announced his intention to resign from ministry.^[4][5]

 

Life

[edit] Early years

Corapi was born in Hudson, New York. In high school he was a football player and an undistinguished student. In the fall of 1965 he entered the State University of New York at Albany, but returned to Hudson after academic difficulties.^[6]:51

[edit] Military service

Corapi joined the United States Army on April 16, 1967 and served as a clerk/typist. He was discharged in January 1970. Corapi says he enlisted to join the Special Forces but was injured before completing his training.^[6]

[edit] Career and dissolution

After his discharge in 1970, Corapi studied accounting at Pace University and graduated in 1973. He joined an accounting firm in Las Vegas, where he audited hotels and casinos. In 1975 he became assistant comptroller at the Tropicana resort. A year later he took a position with the Nevada Gaming Control Board as an investigator. He later operated his own bookkeeping firm for about a year, and in 1978 moved to Los Angeles and became a real estate agent. In the early 1980s he says he was making a six-figure income in condominium conversions; he lived in a waterfront home in Oxnard and owned a Ferrari 308 GTS and a sixty-foot yacht.^[6]:49-62 At the height of his career in California, Corapi lived in a house in Malibu.^[2]
During this time, he began to attend parties involving illegal drug use and sex.^[7] After being introduced to cocaine, however, he developed a substance abuse problem and his success dwindled; he sometimes spent $10,000 USD per week on illegal drugs.^{[citation needed]} Corapi would later refer to his drug use as an encounter with a demon, and his lifestyle eventually led to a mental breakdown and homelessness following a stay at a VA psychiatric hospital.^[8]

[edit] Religious conversion

Corapi spent three years wandering the streets as a vagrant following his mental breakdown.^{[citation needed]} His mother sent him a prayer card with the Hail Mary prayer and asked him to pray it once a day. He eventually changed his life, escaping homelessness and illicit sex and drugs.^[8] His mother sent him a one-way airline ticket back to New York, and he returned home.^[9] He lived with his mother for some time and returned to the practice of the Catholic faith after a conversion experience on June 24, 1984, making his first confession in several years.^[6]:57-58
Corapi entered Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut in 1986 and earned an M.A. in Sacred Scripture.^[6]:58-59 He joined the missionary community the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity and on May 26, 1990, was ordained a deacon by René Henry Gracida, Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas.^[10] He earned an S.T.B. degree from the University of Navarre in Pamplona, Spain.

[edit] Priesthood

On Trinity Sunday, May 26, 1991, Pope John Paul II ordained Fr. Corapi to the priesthood. Corapi says that Mother Teresa stood behind him at his ordination and that he saw a vision of the Virgin Mary smelling of lilacs on that day.^[6]:59 Corapi's first assignments as a priest were at parishes in Hudson, New York and Robstown, Texas.^[10] Later, in the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, he became the Director of Catholic Faith Formation and of the Bishop's Project on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Fr. Corapi earned a doctorate in Dogmatic theology from the University of Navarre.^[6]:58-59 He became a regular contributor to the EWTN television and radio networks.
In 2008, Corapi curtailed his public appearances for reasons of health, but continued to produce audio and video programs from his studio in Montana. On August 15, 2009, Corapi made his first public appearance in over a year in Buffalo, New York for his "Lord and Giver of Life" conference at HSBC Arena. He completed and taped several conferences in 2010, including at San Antonio, Texas, St. Louis, Missouri, and Cincinnati, Ohio.^[11]
More recently, Corapi has preached sermons on the dangers of socialism.^{[citation needed]} He is the author of a series of sermons called "The Darkness Will Not Prevail".^[12]

[edit] Qui tam False Claims Act lawsuit

Further information: Tenet Healthcare
Corapi filed a qui tam False Claims Act lawsuit against Redding Medical Center cardiologist Chae Hyun Moon after Moon informed Corapi in 2002 that he was in immediate need of triple bypass surgery, but then told Corapi that the procedure could wait three weeks. Corapi decided to seek other medical advice and it was found he had perfectly clear arteries. Corapi ultimately went to the FBI and filed the suit that was the basis of an FBI raid and a multi-year investigation into Moon's practice.^[13]
The United States Department of Justice reached a settlement with four cardiologists and Tenet Healthcare, the owner of Redding Hospital, during 2005, in part due to Corapi's initial complaint. Three physicians settled for a total of $24 million USD. Moon, the target of Corapi's lawsuit, paid $1.4 million USD and agreed to never perform cardiology procedures or surgeries on Medicare, Medi-Cal or Tricare patients.^[3] Moon's medical license was eventually revoked in 2007 for gross negligence, among other charges.
Corapi was awarded $2,712,281 USD for his role as a whistleblower in the False Claims Act Lawsuit as well as the $500,000 USD he and his friend were awarded for the insurance case they filed.^[14] His involvement as a whistle-blower in the federal investigation of the practices in the Redding Medical Center played an important role in Stephen Klaidman's non-fiction book Coronary.

[edit] Allegations of misconduct

[edit] Administrative leave

In March 2011, Bishop William Mulvey of Corpus Christi instructed the SOLT religious community to appoint two independent priests to investigate allegations by a former employee that Corapi had been in a relationship with her and is a drug addict.
On March 18, Corapi was placed on administrative leave by his religious superior, Fr. Gerald Sheehan, S.O.L.T. Corapi denied the allegations as false and said the process is flawed.^[15] Sheehan issued a statement emphasizing that the suspension "in no way implies Father Corapi is guilty of the allegation.”^[15]
Corapi filed a civil suit against the former employee for libel and breach of contract.^[16]
The television network EWTN suspended broadcasts by Corapi when he was placed on leave.^[17]

[edit] Leaving public ministry and resigning from the priesthood

On June 17, 2011, Corapi announced that he would no longer be involved in public ministry as a priest. On a new website entitled The Black Sheep Dog, Corapi made the following statements:

There are certain persons in authority in the Church that want me gone, and I shall be gone. ... They can't prove I'm guilty of the things alleged because I'm not, and they can't prove I'm innocent because that is simply illogical and impossible. ... My canon lawyer and my civil lawyers have concluded that I cannot receive a fair and just hearing under the Church's present process. The Church will conclude that I am not cooperating with the process because I refuse to give up all of my civil and human rights in order to hold harmless anyone who chooses to say defamatory and actionable things against me with no downside to them. ... I am, indeed, not ready to be extinguished. Under the name "The Black Sheep Dog," I shall be with you through radio broadcasts and writing. My autobiography, The Black Sheep Dog, is almost ready for publication. My topics will be broader than in the past, and my audience likewise is apt to be broader. I'll do what I can under the circumstances.^[4]

On July 5, Fr. Gerald Sheehan, Corapi's religious superior in the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity, released a press statement through the order's news blog which accused Corapi of drug and alcohol abuse, "sexting", having an affair with a former prostitute and violating his promise of poverty as a perpetually professed member of the Society by owning over $1 million in real estate, numerous luxury vehicles, motorcycles, an ATV, a boat dock, and several motor boats. It ended by stating that "SOLT's prior direction to Fr. John Corapi not to engage in any preaching or teaching, the celebration of the sacraments or other public ministry continues. Catholics should understand that SOLT does not consider Fr. John Corapi as fit for ministry."^[18]
On July 7th, Corapi announced on his website that he would not obey the order of his religious superior to leave his home in Montana to live in community with his fellow priests. He said he would not return to the order because he resigned from the priesthood June 17, two days short of the 20th anniversary of his ordination.^[19]

I resigned because the process used by the church is grossly unjust, and, hence, immoral. I resigned because I had no chance from the beginning of a fair and just hearing. As I have indicated from the beginning of all this, I am not extinguished! If I were to commit to the suggestion of the society, then I would essentially crawl under a rock and wait to die.^[19]

[edit] Published works

• The theology of the cross in the magisterium of John Paul II, 1992
• The Cross of Christ in the magisterium of John Paul II (1978-1992), 1994
• Ever ancient, ever new: a collection of articles on various subjects, 2005
• Letters, 2009

Reposting: BCJ: Letter to Editor regarding St. James Campaign

BCJ: Letter to Editor regarding St. James Campaign NOW WITH AUTHOR’s NAME

.
Editor

I just wanted to state my position & opinions regarding
the destruction of St. James Church to build what I would
consider an eye-sore. I think it is a hoot that people think an
850 capacity church will bring everyone together and they
want to engage with their fellow Catholics. These people
don’t interact with the 350, why are they going to do it with
850? Overcrowding at Christmas is always going to occur
(new church means fewer Masses therefore overflowing
crowds at Christmas). The quest to build a new church
has only divided parishioners & will create a debt beyond
belief. Some seem to think that in six years the church will
be paid off. Only if a true miracle occurs. I personally
think it is a sin to expect parishioners to ante-up so much for
something they had no input on. Those people that think
you’re going to build what is intended to be a $5.5 million
dollar church will be surprised when the final tally is closer
to $8 million and their grandchildren will be paying off this
debt. Let’s talk about the generous offer by the Dioceses for
the building of the new church at a mere $500,000 collateral.
The Dioceses thinks 18% down is a good idea. St. James is
considered a poor parish. Why would they loan us all that
money? To get their hands on the 22 acres that just happens
to be a future crossroad for Highway 76. I think it is a shame
that the land donated for a new church will just be gobbled
up by the Dioceses. The note in the bulletin to remember
St. James in your will just irks me no end. All those people
who have committed to paying for this mess may as well
ante-up more, because those that didn’t commit to this mess
aren’t going to contribute.

There are many who don’t want the old church torn down,
especially to make room for 17 parking spaces. The old
church is structurally sound & may need some maintenance
(maintenance is more cost-effective than building an
unwanted church). If you are going to build a new church it
should not have steps, so the aging parishioners can make it
to mass. The new church should have a basement.
Let me comment on the notion, “we” have too many
Masses now and the Priests are over-burdened saying Mass.
We have visiting Priests say Mass, and I bet they like the fact
they get to say Mass, since this was their vocation. Even if
one Priest had to say 6 Masses over two days, with the same
message in all 6, if they are tired or burned out, then maybe
they should look at their vocation. School teachers teach
the same thing 6 or more times a day, and they work 5 days
a week. Too many Masses? I would think the Priest would
want to say as many Masses as possible to maximize the
spreading of the good news. Many bring up the point that
Boone County needs two parishes & the 22 acres would be a
better place to build a second church. That would eliminate
the overcrowded parking that currently plagues St. James.

St. James parishioners should think before donating or
pledging.

 

See the correction (below) from the February 3, 2012 Boone County Journal. Dan Snow is the author of this Letter to the Editor.

The above is taken from the January 27, 2012 Boone County Journal available free of costs at merchants across the county and on the internet at: http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2012/Boone-County-News-01-27-12.pdf#page=1

The teaching authority of the Catholic Church and interpreting truth: Church Teaching can be either “non-infallible or infallible”

Magisterium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

In the Roman Catholic Church the Magisterium is the teaching authority of the Church.^[1] This authority is understood to be embodied in the episcopacy, which is the aggregation of the current bishops of the Church in union with the Pope, led by the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), who has authority over the bishops, individually and as a body, as well as over each and every Catholic directly. According to Roman Catholic doctrine, the Magisterium is able to teach or interpret the truths of the Faith, and it does so either non-infallibly or infallibly (see chart below).

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him."^[2]

The word "magisterium" is derived from Latin magister, which originally meant the office of a president, chief, director, superintendent, etc. (in particular, though rarely, the office of tutor or instructor of youth, tutorship, guardianship) or teaching, instruction, advice.^[3

^]

^{Click on the graph to enlarge:}

 

While the Magisterium of the RomanCatholic Church is well-defined today, it has not always been so clear a doctrine. Until the formal pronouncements in the 19th century, the subject of teaching authority in the Church was a matter of disagreement and confusion, and indeed, the concept of papal infallibility still remains controversial in some RomanCatholic circles.

[edit] Early Church

[edit] Bishops as authority

The most basic foundation of the Magisterium, the apostolic succession of bishops and their authority as protectors of the faith, was one of the few points that was rarely debated by the Church Fathers. The doctrine was elaborated by Ignatius of Antioch (and others) in the face of Gnosticism, expounded by others such as Irenaeus, Tertullian, Cyprian, Ambrose, and Augustine, and by the end of the 2nd century AD was universally accepted by the bishops. ^[9]

Some of the first problems began to arise, however, with the increasing worldliness of the clergy. Criticism arose against the bishops, and an attempt was made to have all bishops drawn from the ranks of monastic communities, whose men were seen as the holiest possible leaders. However, there had also developed in the Church a Roman sense of government, which insisted upon order at any cost, and this led to the phenomenon of the “imperial bishops,” men who had to be obeyed by virtue of their position, regardless of their personal holiness, and the distinction between “man” and “office.” ^[10]

However, this understanding was not universally accepted. One of the most famous critics of the episcopal corruption was the influential theologian Origen. Throughout his life, many of Origen’s writings were considered to be questionably orthodox, and he seemed to espouse the idea of a teaching authority based on theological expertise alone rather than, or at least along with, apostolic succession. ^[11]

[edit] Other early disagreements

Another early disagreement in the Church surrounding the issue of authority manifested itself in Montanism, which began as a movement promoting the charism of prophecy. Montanism claimed, among other things, that prophecies like those found in the Old Testament were continuing in the Church, and that new prophecies had the same authority as apostolic teaching. The Church, however, ruled that these new prophecies were not authoritative, and condemned Montanism as a heresy.^[12] Other times, private revelations were recognized by the Church, but the Church continues to teach that private revelations are altogether separate from the deposit of faith, and that they are not required to be believed by all Catholics.

[edit] Medieval period

Perceptions of teaching authority in the Middle Ages are hard to characterize because they were so varied. While there arose a keener understanding and acceptance of papal primacy (at least until the Great Schism), there was also an increased emphasis placed on the theologian as well as numerous dissenters from both views.

[edit] Papal primacy and teaching authority

Throughout the Middle Ages, support for the primacy of the pope (spiritually and temporally) and his ability to speak authoritatively on matters of doctrine grew significantly. Two popes, Innocent III (1198–1216) and Boniface VIII (1294–1303), were especially influential in advancing the power of the papacy. Innocent asserted that the pope’s power was a right bestowed by God, and developed the idea of the pope not only as a teacher and spiritual leader but also a secular ruler. Boniface, in the papal bull Unam Sanctam asserted that the spiritual world, headed on earth by the pope, has authority over the temporal world, and that all must submit themselves to the authority of the pope to be saved.^[13]

In the medieval period, statements of this papal power were common in the works of theologians as well. In the late Middle Ages, Domingo Bañez attributed to the Pope the “definitive power to declare the truths of the faith," and Thomas Cajetan, in keeping with the distinction made by St. Thomas Aquinas, drew a line between personal faith manifested in theologians and the authoritative faith presented as a matter of judgment by the pope.^[14]

[edit] Papal infallibility

In the Decretum of Gratian, a 12th century canon lawyer, the pope is attributed the legal right to pass judgment in theological disputes, but he was certainly not guaranteed freedom from error. The pope’s role was to establish limits within which theologians, who were often better suited for the full expression of truth, could work. Thus, the pope’s authority was as a judge, not an infallible teacher.^[15]

The doctrine began to visibly develop during the Reformation, leading to a formal statement of the doctrine by St. Robert Bellarmine in the early 17th century, but it did not come to widespread acceptance until the 19th century and the First Vatican Council.^[13]

[edit] Theologians

Other concepts of teaching authority gained prominence in the Middle Ages, as well, however, including the concept of the authority of the learned expert, an idea which began with Origen (or even earlier) and still today has proponents. Some allowed for the participation of theologians in the teaching life of the church, but still drew distinctions between the powers of the theologian and the pope or bishop; one example of this view is in the writing of St. Thomas Aquinas, who spoke of the “Magisterium cathedrae pastoralis/pontificalis” (Magisterium of the pastoral or pontifical chair) and the “Magisterium cathedrae magistralis” (Magisterium of a master’s chair). Others held more extreme views, such as Godefroid of Fontaines, who insisted that the theologian had a right to maintain his own opinions in the face of episcopal and even papal rulings.

Either way, the theologian began to play a more prominent role in the teaching life of the church, as “doctors” were called upon more and more to help bishops form doctrinal opinions. Illustrating this, at the Council of Basle in 1439, bishops and other clergy were greatly outnumbered by doctors of theology.

Despite this growth in influence, popes still asserted their power to crack down on those perceived as “rogue” theologians, through councils (for example, in the cases of Peter Abelard and Beranger) and commissions (as with Nicolas of Autrecourt, Ockham, and Eckhart). With the coming of the Reformation in 1517, this assertion of papal power came to its head and the primacy and authority of the papacy over theologians was vigorously re-established. However, the Council of Trent re-introduced the collaboration between theologians and council Fathers, and the next centuries leading up to the First and Second Vatican Councils were generally accepting of a broader role for the learned in the Church, although the popes still kept a close eye on theologians and intervened occasionally.^[16]

[edit] Council of Constance (1414–1418)

Another significant development in the teaching authority of the Church occurred from 1414 to 1418 with the Council of Constance, which effectively ran the Church during the Great Schism, during which there were three men claiming to be the pope. An early decree of this council, Haec Sancta, challenged the primacy of the pope, saying that councils represent the church, are imbued with their power directly by Christ, and are binding even for the pope in matters of faith.^[17] This declaration was later declared void by the Church because the early sessions of the council had not been confirmed by a pope, but it demonstrates that there were still conciliar currents in the church running against the doctrine of papal primacy, likely influenced by the corruption seen in the papacy during this time period.

[edit] Vatican Councils and their Popes

[edit] Pius IX and Vatican I

The groundwork for papal primacy was laid in the medieval period, and in the late Middle Ages, the idea of papal infallibility was introduced, but a definitive statement and explanation of these doctrines did not occur until the 19th century, with Pope Pius IX and the First Vatican Council (1869–1870). Pius IX was the first pope to use the term “Magisterium” in the sense that it is understood today, and the concept of the “ordinary and universal Magisterium” was officially established during Vatican I. In addition, this council defined the doctrine of papal infallibility, the ability of the pope to speak without error “when, acting in his capacity as pastor and teacher of all Christians, he commits his supreme authority in the universal Church on a question of faith or morals.”^[18]

[edit] Pius XII and Paul VI

Later, Pope Pius XII took the concept of the newly defined Magisterium even further, stating that the faithful must be obedient to even the ordinary Magisterium of the Pope, and that “there can no longer be any question of free discussion between theologians” once the Pope has spoken on a given issue.^[19] Additionally, he proposed the understanding of the theologian as a justifier of the Magisterium, who ought not be concerned with the formulation of new doctrine but with the explanation of what has been set forth by the Church.

Pope Paul VI agreed with this view, and in a speech to the International Congress on the Theology of Vatican II, he described the theologian as a sort of middleman between the Church and the faithful, entrusted with the task of explaining to the laity why the Church teaches what she does.^[20]

[edit] Postconciliar era

The debate concerning the Magisterium, papal primacy and infallibility, and the authority to teach in general has not lessened since the official declaration of the doctrines. Instead, the Church has been torn by arguments; at one end there are those with the tendency to regard even technically non-binding papal encyclicals as infallible statements and, at the other, are those who refuse to accept in any sense controversial encyclicals such as Humanae Vitae and who consider the dogma of papal infallibility to be itself a fallible pronouncement. The situation is complicated by changing attitudes toward authority in an increasingly democratic world, the new importance placed on academic freedom, and new means of knowledge and communication. In addition, the authority of theologians is being revisited, with theologians pushing past the structures laid out for them by Pius XII and Paul VI and regarding themselves purely as academics, not in the service of any institution.^[21]

Topography of faith

The following is taken from:  http://www.usatoday.com/news/graphics/pew-religion-08/flash.htm

Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

Rites and Liturgy

The following is taken from Wikipedia: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Catholic_rites_and_churches

 

Rite

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches defines "rite" as follows: "Rite is the liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary heritage, distinguished according to peoples' culture and historical circumstances, that finds expression in each autonomous church's way of living the faith."^[11]

As thus defined, "rite" concerns not only a people's liturgy (manner of worship), but also its theology (understanding of doctrine), spirituality (prayer and devotion), discipline (canon law).

In this sense of the word "rite", the list of rites within the Catholic Church is identical with that of the autonomous churches, each of which has its own heritage, which distinguishes that church from others, and membership of a church involves participation in its liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary heritage. However, "church" refers to the people, and "rite" to their heritage.^[12]

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches states that the rites with which it is concerned (but which it does not list) spring from the following five traditions: Alexandrian, Antiochian, Armenian, Chaldean, and Constantinopolitan.^[13] Since it covers only Eastern Catholic churches and rites, it does not mention those of Western (Latin) tradition.

The word "rite" is sometimes used with reference only to liturgy, ignoring the theological, spiritual and disciplinary elements in the heritage of the churches. In this sense, "rite" has been defined as "the whole complex of the (liturgical) services of any Church or group of Churches".^[14]

Between "rites" in this exclusively liturgical sense and the autonomous churches there is no strict correspondence, such as there is when "rite" is understood as in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. The 14 autonomous churches of Byzantine tradition have a single liturgical rite, while on the contrary the single Latin Church has several distinct liturgical rites.

[edit] List of Catholic liturgical rites

Alexandrian liturgical tradition; 2 liturgical rites

• Coptic Rite
• Ethiopic Rite

Antiochian (Antiochene or West-Syrian) liturgical tradition; 3 liturgical rites

• Maronite Rite
• (West) Syrian Rite
• Syro-Malankara Rite

Armenian Rite; 1 liturgical rite

• Armenian Rite

Chaldean or East Syrian liturgical tradition; 2 liturgical rites

• Chaldean Rite
• Syro-Malabar Rite

Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) liturgical tradition; 1 liturgical rite

• Byzantine Rite

Latin (Western) liturgical rites

Actively celebrated:

• Roman Rite, whose historical forms are usually classified as follows
  • Pre-Tridentine Mass (the various pre-1570 forms)
  • Tridentine Mass (1570-1970 and still authorized in circumstances indicated in the document Summorum Pontificum as an extraordinary form of the Roman Rite)
  • Mass of Paul VI (1970–present)
  • Anglican Use (restricted to formerly Anglican congregations)
• Ambrosian Rite (Milan, Italy and neighbouring areas)
• Aquileian Rite (defunct: northeastern Italy)
• Bracarensis Rite (Braga, Portugal)
• Mozarabic Rite (Toledo and Salamanca, Spain)

Defunct or rarely celebrated:

• Durham Rite (defunct: Durham, England)
• Gallican Rite (defunct: Gaul, i.e., France)
• Celtic Rite (defunct: British Isles)
• Sarum Rite (defunct: England)
• Catholic Order Rites (generally defunct)
  • Benedictine Rite
  • Carmelite Rite
  • Carthusian Rite
  • Cistercian Rite
  • Dominican Rite
  • Franciscan Rite
  • Friars Minor Capuchin Rite
  • Premonstratensian Rite
  • Servite Rite

The following is taken from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Catholic_Churches

Clerical celibacy

Eastern and Western Christian churches have different traditions concerning clerical celibacy and the resulting controversies have played a role in the relationship between the two groups in some Western countries.

Most Eastern Churches distinguish between "monastic" and "non-monastic" clergy. Monastics do not necessarily live as monks or in monasteries, but have spent at least part of their period of training in such a context. Their monastic vows include a vow of celibate chastity.

Bishops are normally selected from the monastic clergy, and in most Eastern Catholic Churches a large percentage of priests and deacons also are celibate, while a portion of the clergy (typically, parish priests) may be married. If someone preparing for the diaconate or priesthood wishes to marry, this must happen before ordination.

In countries where Eastern traditions prevail, a married clergy caused little controversy; but it aroused opposition in other countries to which Eastern Catholics migrated; this was particularly so in the United States. In response to requests from the Latin bishops of those countries, the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith set out rules in a letter of 2 May 1890 to François-Marie-Benjamin Richard, the Archbishop of Paris,^[69] which the Congregation applied on 1 May 1897 to the United States,^[70] stating that only celibates or widowed priests coming without their children should be permitted in the United States. This rule was restated with special reference to Catholics of Ruthenian Rite by the 1 March 1929 decree Cum data fuerit, which was renewed for a further ten years in 1939. Dissatisfaction by many Ruthenian Catholics in the United States gave rise to the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese. This rule was abolished with the promulgation of the Decree on the Catholic churches of the Eastern Rite; since then, married men have been ordained to the priesthood in the United States, and numerous married priests have come from eastern countries to serve parishes in the Americas.^[71]

Three Eastern Catholic Churches have decided to adopt mandatory clerical celibacy, as in the Latin Church: the India-based Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, and the Ethiopian Catholic Church, which has a long widespread tradition of monasticism

Bishop Doran and the “traditionalist”

The following is taken from WIKIPEDIA:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_G._Doran

Views

Bishop Doran was one of the earliest proponents of the Tridentine Mass. Before Summorum Pontificum, Bishop Doran was singled out in an article in The Wanderer as one of the few U.S. bishops "...who have been generous in the Ecclesia Dei indult application, as requested and emphasized repeatedly by the late Pope John Paul II."^[3][4] The others being Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis, Bishop Álvaro Corrada del Rio of Tyler, Texas; and Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska.

In August 2006, Bishop Doran denounced the rate of abortions in the United States, saying, "We shall soon outstrip the Nazis in doing human beings to death."^[5]

In late March 2009, Doran expressed his "dismay and outrage" at the decision of the University of Notre Dame to have President Barack Obama deliver its commencement speech and receive an honorary degree.^[6] He even suggested that Notre Dame change its name to "The Fighting Irish College" or "Northwestern Indiana Humanist University."^[6]

 

Indult Catholic  See:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indult_Catholic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Indult Catholic was a term used to denote a traditionalist Catholic who preferred to attend the older Tridentine form of Mass instead of the ordinary present-day form of the Roman-rite liturgy, the Mass of Paul VI, but who attended only those celebrations that had the explicit approval of the Church authorities. The term was pejorative, typically being used by traditionalists who saw no legal necessity for an indult for the Tridentine rite.

"Indult" is a term in Catholic canon law referring to a permission to do something that would otherwise be unlawful. While more than one indult was issued by the Holy See in respect of the Tridentine Mass, the particular "indult" referred to in this phrase was the general permission granted to the world's bishops by Pope John Paul II in 1984 to authorise celebrations of the Tridentine Mass in their dioceses. In 2007, this permission was superseded with Benedict XVI's promulgation of a papal motu proprio entitled Summorum Pontificum.

The indult

When the Mass of Paul VI replaced the Tridentine Mass in 1969-1970, some priests continued to be granted permission by the Holy See to celebrate the old liturgy. For example, elderly priests were not required to adopt the new form when it was introduced, and in 1971 Pope Paul VI granted the "Agatha Christie indult" that allowed occasional celebrations of the older form in England and Wales.

Under Pope John Paul II, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, in 1984, sent the circular letter Quattuor abhinc annos^[1] to the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences, granting diocesan bishops an "indult" (permission) to authorize, under certain conditions, celebrations of the Tridentine Mass as contained in the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal by priests and laypeople who requested it.

Following the canonically illegal consecration of four bishops by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, Pope John Paul II issued on 2 July 1988 a motu proprio entitled Ecclesia Dei recommending a "wide and generous application of the directives of the 1984 indult.

Application of the indult

The main condition on which diocesan bishops could grant authorization under the Quattuor abhinc annos indult was: "That it be made publicly clear beyond all ambiguity that such priests and their respective faithful in no way share the positions of those who call in question the legitimacy and doctrinal exactitude of the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970."

Many diocesan bishops decided not to grant certain priests or laypeople permission to use the older form of the Roman Rite. In many cases this was because, in the opinion of the bishops in question, they did not meet this condition. Other refusals of permission were arguably more difficult to explain or justify.

Traditionalist Catholics who, like the supporters of the Society of St. Pius X, questioned the legitimacy and doctrinal exactitude of the revised liturgy, and were thus in a state of separation from the Holy See, claimed that no authorization was required for celebrating Mass in the older form. They decried those who accepted the conditions attached to the Quattuor abhinc annos indult, applying to them the term "Indult Catholics", and frequently did not recognise them as fellow traditionalists.

End of the indult

On 7 July 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum.^[2] By this document he replaced the conditions laid down in Quattuor abhinc annos and Ecclesia Dei for use of the 1962 Missal,^[3] and decreed that, under conditions indicated in the document, recourse need no longer be had to the bishop of the diocese for permission to use that edition of the Roman Missal, even for public celebrations of Mass.

Summorum Pontificum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  See:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summorum_Pontificum

Summorum Pontificum (English: Of the Supreme Pontiffs) is an Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, issued "motu proprio" (i.e. on his own initiative). The document specified the rules, for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, for celebrating Mass according to the "Missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962" (the form known as the Tridentine Mass), and for administering most of the sacraments in the form they had before the liturgical reforms following the Second Vatican Council.

The document,^[1] dated 7 July 2007 and in force since 14 September 2007, was released along with a letter in which Pope Benedict explained his reasons for issuing it.^[2]

The document replaced the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei of 1988, which allowed individual bishops to establish places where Mass could be said using the 1962 Missal. It granted greater freedom to use the Tridentine liturgy in its 1962 form, stating that all priests may freely celebrate Mass with the 1962 Missal privately, without having to ask for permission from anyone. It also provided that pastors (parish priests) and rectors of churches should willingly accept requests from stable groups who adhere to the preceding liturgical tradition ("ubi coetus fidelium traditioni liturgicae antecedenti adhaerentium continenter exsistit" - Article 5) for permission for a qualified priest to celebrate Mass for them using the 1962 Missal, and should "ensure that the welfare of these faithful harmonises with the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, under the guidance of the bishop".

In his accompanying letter, Pope Benedict explained that his action was aimed at broadly and generously providing for the rituals which nourished the faithful for centuries and at "coming to an interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church" with Traditionalist Catholics in disagreement with the Holy See, such as the members of the Society of St. Pius X. He stated that, while it had first been thought that interest in the Tridentine Mass would disappear with the older generation that had grown up with it, some young persons too have "felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the mystery of the Eucharist particularly suited to them." In view of fears expressed while the document was in preparation, he took pains to emphasize that his decision in no way detracts from the authority of the Second Vatican Council and that, not only for juridical reasons, but also because the requisite "degree of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language" are not found very often, the Mass of Paul VI remains the "normal" or "ordinary" form of the Roman Rite Eucharistic liturgy.^[3]

2008 Outcry concerning Madison’s Bishop Robert Morlino

Madison-area Catholics decry Morlino's leadership in open letter

Wisconsin State Journal, October 11, 2008

[available at http://www.religiousconsultation.org/NEWS/Catholics_decry_Morlino's_leadership.htm]

By DOUG ERICKSON

A group of Madison-area Catholics says in an open letter to Bishop Robert Morlino that he is ignoring the input of clergy and lay people, causing some parishioners to stop attending Mass and hurting the morale of priests.

The letter writers point to priests banding together for fear of retribution if they dissent, pursuit of a new cathedral despite opposition, the firing of an openly gay music director, the hiring of priests who ban female altar servers and the alleged alienation of Catholics who disagree with church doctrine as examples of problems in the diocese.

"We need more compassion not dismissal," the letter says.

The letter, which appears as a paid advertisement in the Business section of today's Wisconsin State Journal, is the latest flare-up in an increasingly vigorous debate over Morlino's leadership of 270,000 Catholics in the 11-county Madison diocese.

In a statement, the diocese said Morlino is sorry that "certain groups, who claim to be Catholic, would assume postures which clearly are not in accord with the teachings of the church."

James Green of Madison, one of the organizers of the effort, said the advertisement cost about $3,500 and was paid for by more than 40 people, 36 of whom are listed by name. Seven others are remaining anonymous because they work for the church, Green said.

Many of the contributors are members of the Madison branch of Call to Action (CTA), a national organization of Catholics whose positions on issues such as women's ordination and priest celibacy are at odds with church hierarchy. The Catholic Media Coalition, a group loyal to church teachings, describes CTA as the leading organization of liberal, dissenting Catholics.

Brent King, spokesman for the Madison Catholic Diocese, said CTA members gave Morlino a copy of the letter Friday.

The diocese statement said Morlino hopes and prays that members of the group "return to full acceptance of the faith" that comes from the apostles.

"It also very much saddens the bishop when groups, such as Call to Action, resort to the use of the mass media to address internal family problems within the church," the statement said.

Priests start group

Asked for evidence of poor morale among priests, several of the letter signers mentioned the Association of Madison Priests. The group was formed by priests to support each other and to provide a unified voice on issues in which they differ with Morlino, according to people familiar with the group.

"They feel the need to protect each other," said Joan Weiss of Prairie du Sac, a CTA leader. "They're concerned about retaliation if they speak out in opposition in any way."

Weiss and others said the priest group began shortly after Morlino required all priests to play a taped message prior to the 2006 general election in which he spoke against stem cell research, the death penalty and same-sex marriage. Priests were told they could face serious consequences if they expressed disagreement.

A priest who is a leader of the association confirmed the group's existence Saturday but said the group did not want to go public at this time.

Another priest who is involved but not a leader said about 50 of the 135 or so active and retired priests in the diocese formed the group "to promote sociality among priests and to formulate a response to some of the diocesan policies as expressed by the bishop."

The priest said Morlino has tried to squelch the group. "The bishop right from the beginning said he saw no reason for such a group and has tried to torpedo it without success," he said.

The State Journal agreed to give both priests anonymity because they said they didn't want to anger Morlino. A bishop can reassign priests to smaller parishes or take action that affects their pay and pension.

King, the diocese spokesman, said Morlino has had conversations with the group's leaders. At this point, Morlino views the group "neither negatively nor positively, but in a more exploratory way," King said.
King strongly disagrees that priest morale is a problem. "I know a lot of priests, both traditional priests and those who may be a little more progressive, and they all seem to have pretty good morale."

Independent voice

There are 195 archdioceses and dioceses in the U.S., and each one is required to have a priest council. This group advises the bishop on governance, but the group generally is not open to all priests and the agenda usually is set by the bishop, the council's president.

A priest association is much different, said Vic Doucette of the National Federation of Priests Councils in Chicago. Priest associations crop up independently, and their members set the agenda.

"It's fairly rare," Doucette said. "I know of not even a dozen or so in the country."

In Milwaukee, a priest alliance formed about seven years ago to give members brotherly support and an independent voice, said the Rev. Dave Cooper, a founder.

The Milwaukee group's 126 members have a good relationship with the church's hierarchy but take opposing stands at times, Cooper said. In 2006, the priest alliance opposed a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage despite the church's strong support of it.

Cooper said he has attended one meeting of the Madison group but declined to comment more specifically.

"Some of the issues they're dealing with are different than ours," he said. "I really can't address that without getting into trouble or making accusations."

Critics of Morlino's five-year tenure contend he rules through intimidation and fear and focuses too much on homosexuality and abortion to the detriment of other issues.

"You don't hear him talking about the poor. You don't hear him saying much about the war," said Sister Mary Francis Heimann of Madison, a Catholic nun and one of the letter signers.

Another letter signer, Jim Beyers, who attends St. Maria Goretti Parish in Madison, said he wants Morlino to respect priests in the diocese.

"He treats them like children. He's punitive toward them," Beyers said.

Others say Morlino inspires them with his approach and his teaching.

"We just love him," said Ron Faust of Cross Plains. "I like that he tells the truth and doesn't back away from it. I think there are more Catholics who support him, by far, but the unhappy speak the loudest."

Morlino has riled some Catholics from the start. Early on, he seemed to suggest in a public comment that Madison lacks public morality. (He has since said he was merely pointing out that there are few common starting points for discussions about moral reasoning in such a diverse city.)

Other actions, such as his service on an advisory board for a controversial Army training institute, have led some Catholics to question whether Morlino is a good fit for a diocese with many progressive Catholics.

Selection of bishops

A larger issue is whether there are any bishops other than "conservative" ones to choose from, said the Rev. Richard McBrien, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame who often clashes with the Catholic Church.

"Under Pope John Paul II, the motive was clear: Replace all progressive bishops who were formed by Vatican II with conservative bishops, and thereby change the face of the U.S. hierarchy," McBrien said. "The plan has been successful."

Before 1980, bishops were appointed because they excelled at pastoral care as priests, McBrien said. That pattern was replaced with one in which bishops were appointed "who were uncritically loyal to the Holy See and had absolutely clean records on such issues as contraception, priestly celibacy and the ordination of women. Bishop Morlino fits the pattern."

This theory - that bishops are no more than "yes men" for the Pope - is "absurd," said Jimmy Akin, director of apologetics and evangelization for Catholic Answers in El Cajon, Calif., and a leading Catholic author.

"There is no way that the Holy See can make all of the local pastoral decisions affecting the billion-plus Catholics in the world," he said. "Those decisions are made by the bishops."

Terms such as "progressive" and "conservative" are drawn from politics and not useful in this discussion, Akin said. "The question is not whether bishops - or any other Catholics - are progressive or conservative, but whether they are faithful to the teachings passed down from Christ and the apostles."

Morlino's fans are just as passionate as his detractors.
Huan Hoang of Madison said he was "a sleeper" Catholic until two years ago when he heard a Morlino homily.

"He awakened my faith," Hoang said. "He needs to know that he's leading us to Jesus Christ, and at the end of the day, that's the only thing that's important."

Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

Madison's Morlino noted for orthodoxy, controversy

Mar. 18, 2009

By THOMAS C. FOX, NCR staff

Madison Bishop Robert Morlino’s dismissal of a pastoral associate in a Beloit, Wis., parish for alleged breaches of orthodoxy might have surprised some, but not local Catholics who know their bishop’s mind and are familiar with actions he has taken in his five years in the diocese.

Ruth Kolpack was let go from her post at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, one that she held since 1995, after meeting with Morino for 10 minutes earlier this month. During that meeting he asked her for an oath of loyalty and to denounce a scholarly thesis, supportive of women’s rights in the church, that she had written in 2003.

She agreed to the former, refused the latter -- and she was out of a job.

The bishop’s action has touched off a firestorm of protest inside and outside the diocese, which refuses to offer specifics for the dismissal, citing the need to respect Kolpack’s privacy.

Brent M. King, director of communications for the diocese, in response to an NCR query, issued a statement March 17, saying that it is “out of respect for the dignity and good reputation of every person involved” that specifics cannot be discussed.

Click on the following for more on Ms. Kolpack’s story:   http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/madisons-morlino-noted-othodoxy-controversy

Ruth Kolpack

- online Petition in support of Ruth Kolpack—[is no longer active.]
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Endorse the Petition here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stand-with-ruth
Ruth Kolpack's Work for Justice:

• Founding member, Hands of Faith, ecumenical cooperative effort housing homeless families in different churches in Beloit on a rotational basis
• Instrumental in initiating Hispanic ministry for the three Catholic parishes in Beloit, Wisconsin, USA
• Initiated and directed a Habitat for Humanity build for a parish family
• Helped develop “The Plunge,” a diocesan cultural sensitivity retreat for middle school and high school youth
• Instrumental in starting “Catholics in Action”, a diocesan service experience for high school youth
• Helped develop and lead “Middle School ROCKS”, a diocesan service experience for middle school youth.
• Adult leader, Young Neighbors in Action, Catholic weeklong service project for high school students
• Directed high school youth in developing and presenting diocesan retreat on cultural sensitivity called A Party with a Kick
• Facilitator for Virtus, a training for adults to protect children from sexual predators
• Visitor for homebound and hospitalized parishioners, recruiter of volunteers to serve this ministry
• President, JOB, Justice Overcoming Borders, coalition of faith communities uniting to act for justice in Rock County
• Board Member, Wisconsin Directors of Religious Education Federation
• Program Chair and President, Madison Diocese Religious Education Organization
• Adult Leader, Diocesan Youth Council
• Pastoral Associate, Director of Religious Education and Youth Minister, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Beloit, WI

Catching Up: What happened to Ruth Kolpack, who was fired from Beloit catholic church
Read more: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/article_9b8fb66c-727c-11df-a284-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1ZRl72vuQ

Papal Infallibility—what should we know about this?

The following is taken from the September 26 Bulletin of St. Peters Church, Geneva.    SEE:  http://www.stpeterchurch.com/site/010698.092511.pdf, page 13.

What is so disheartening is that this is such an over-simplification of the faith which I personally know and love.  I question if this does any justice to the nature of papal infallibility.

Below is quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994), CCC891

“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 the faith—he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine 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.

Perhaps the important fact to remember is that last papal proclamation of a new infallible doctrine was in the early 1950’s—The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into Heaven.  Popes are humans—as teachers they may make human errors.  It is only with a “definitive act” and only pertaining to faith or morals that papal infallibility occurs.  Much is also made of Papal Encyclicals—in themselves these documents are not infallible and only provide explanations of doctrines defined elsewhere.