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Infallibility

The Roman Catholic Dogma of infallibility was defined by the First Vatican Council in 1870.

The following Latin extract is from the Dogmatic Constitution Pastor aeternus on the Church of Christ promulgated by the fourth session of the Council, 18 July 1870. Denzinger 3065-3075

Cap 4. De Romani Pontificis infallibili magisterio

3065. Ipso autem Apostolico Primatu, quem Romanus Pontifex tamquam Petri principis Apostolorum successor in universam Ecclesiam obtinet, supremam quoque magisterii potestatem comprehendi, haec Sancta Sedes semper tenuit, perpetuus Ecclesiae usus comprobat, ipsaque oecumenica Concilia, ea imprimis, in quibus Oriens cum Occidente in fidei caritatisque unionem conveniebat, declaraverunt.

This English translation is taken from Manning pp 237-240. Manning

Chapter 4: Concerning the infallible teaching of the Roman Pontiff.

Moreover, that the supreme power of teaching is also included in the Apostolic Primacy, which the Roman Pontiff, as the successor Peter, Prince of the Apostles, possesses over the whole Church, this Holy See has always held, the perpetual practice of the Church confirms, and the Oecumenical Councils also have declared, especially those in which the East and West met in the union of faith and charity.

3066. Patres enim Concilii Constantinopolitani quarti, maiorum vestigiis inhaerentes, hanc solemnem ediderunt professionem: 'Prima salus est, rectae fidei regulam custodire [...] Et qui non potest Domini Nostri Iesu Christi praetermitti sententia dicentis: "Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram, aedificabo Ecclesiam meam" [Matthew 16, 18]. haec, quae dicta sunt, rerum probantur effectibus, quia in Sede Apostolica immaculata est semper catholica reservata religio, et sancta celebrata doctrina. Ab huius ergo fide et doctrina separari minime eupientes [...] speramus, ut in una communione, quam Sedes Apostolica praedicat, esse meremur, in qua est integra et vera christianae religionis soliditas'.

For the Fathers of the Fourth Council of Constantinople, following the footsteps of their predecessors gave forth this solemn profession: The first condition of salvation is to keep the rule of the true faith. And because the sentence of our Lord Jesus Christ cannot be passed by who said: Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church, these things which have been said are approved by events, because in the Apostolic See the Catholic Religion and her holy and well-known doctrine have always been kept undefiled. Desiring therefore, not to be in the least degree separated from the faith and doctrine of that See, we hope that we may deserve to be in the one communion, which the Apostolic See preaches, in which is the entire and true solidity of the Christian religion.

3067 Approbante vero Lugdunensi Concilio secundo Graeci professi sunt: 'Sanctam Romanam Ecclesiam summum et plenum primatum et principatum super universam Ecclesiam catholicam obtinere, quem se ab ipso Domino in beato Petro Apostolorum principe sive vertice, cuius Romanus Pontifex est successor, cum potestatis plenitudine recepisse veraciter et humiliter recognoscit; et sicut prae ceteris tenetur fidei veritatem defendere, sic et, si quae de fide subortae fuerint questiones, suo debent iudicio definiri'.

And with the approval of the Second Council of Lyons, the Greeks professed that the Holy Roman Church enjoys supreme and full Primacy and preeminence over that whole Catholic Church, which it truly and humbly acknowledges that it has received with the plenitude of power from our Lord Himself in the person of blessed Peter, Prince or Head of the Apostles, whose successor the Roman Pontiff is; and as the Apostolic See is bound before all others to defend the truth of faith, so also if any questions regarding faith shall arise, they must be defined by its judgment.

3068 Florentinum denique Concilium definivit: 'Pontificem Romanum verum Christi vicarium totiusque Ecclesiae caput et omnium Chrisitianorum patrem et doctorem existere; et ipsi in beota Petro pascendi, regendi ac gubernandi universalem Ecclesiam a Domino Nostro Iesu Christo plenum potestatem traditum esse.

Finally the Council of Florence defined: That the Roman Pontiff is true Vicar of Christ, the Head of the whole Church, and the Father ad Teacher of all Christians; and that to him in blessed Peter was delivered by Our Lord Jesus Christ the full power of feeding, ruling and governing the whole Church.

3069 Huic pastorali muneri ut satisfacerent, praedecessores Nostri indefessam semper operam dederunt, ut salutaris Christi doctrina apud omnes terrae populos propagaretur, parique cura vigilarunt, ut, ubi recepta esset, sincera et pura conserveretur. Quocirca totius orbis antistites, nunc singulari, nunc in Synodis congregati, longam ecclesiarum consuetudinem et antiquae regulae formam sequentes, ea praesertim pericula, quae in negotiis fidei emergebant, ad hanc Sedem Apoltolicam retulerunt, ut ibi potissimum resarcirentur damna fidei, ubi fides non potest sentire defectum. Romani autem Pontifices, prout temporum et rerum concilio suadebant, nunc convocatis oecumenicis Conciliis aut explorata Ecclesiae per orbem dispersae sententia, nunc per Synodos particulares, nunc aliis, quae divina suppeditabat providentia, adhibitis auxiliis, ea tenenda definiverunt, quae sacris Scripturis et apostolicis traditionibus consentanea, Deo adiutore, cognoverant.

To satisfy this pastoral duty, our predecessors ever made unwearied efforts that the salutary doctrine of Christ might be propagated among all the nations on the earth, and with equal care watched that it might be preserved genuine and pure where it has been received. Therefore the bishops of the whole world, now singly, now assembled in synod, following the long established custom of the Churches, and the form of the ancient rule, sent word to this Apostolic See of those dangers especially which sprang up in matters of faith, that there the losses of faith might be most effectually repaired where the faith cannot fail. And the Roman Pontiffs, according to the exigencies of the times and circumstances, sometimes assembling Oecumenical Councils, or asking for the mind of the Church scattered throughout the world, sometimes by particular Synods, sometimes using other helps which Divine Providence supplied, defined as to be held those things which with the help of God they had recognises as conformable with the Sacred Scriptures and Apostolic Traditions.

3070 Neque enim Petri successoribus Spiritus Sanctus promissus est, ut eo revelante novam doctrinam patefacerent, sed ut, eo assistente, traditam per Apostolos revelationem seu fidei depositum sanctae custodirent et fideliter exponerent. Quorum quidem apostolicam doctrinam omnes venerabiles Patres amplexi et sancti Doctores orthodoxi venerati atque secuti sunt; plenissime scientes, hanc sancti Petri Sedem ab omni semper errore illibatam permanere, secundum Domini Salvatoris nostri divinam pollicitationem discipulorum suorum principi factum: 'Ego rogavi pro te, ut non deficiat fides tua: et tu aliquando conversus confirma fratres tuos [Luke 22, 32]

3071 Hoc igitur veritatis et fidei nunquam deficientis charisma Petro eiusque in haec cathedra successoribus divinus collatum est, ut excelso suo munere in omnium salutem fungerentur, ut universus Christi grex per eos ab erroris venenosa esca aversus, caelestis doctrinae pabulo nutriretur, ut, sublata schismatis occasionem Ecclesia tota una conservaretur, atque suo fundamento innixa, firma adversus inferi portas consisteret.

The gift, then, of truth and never failing faith was conferred by heaven upon Peter and his successors in this Chair, that they might perform their high office for the salvation of all; that the whole flock of Christ kept away by them from the poisonous food of error, might be nourished with the pasture of heavenly doctrine; that the occasion of schism being removed the whole Church might be kept one, and resting on its foundation, might stand firm against the gates of hell.

3072 At vero cum hac ipsa aetate, qua salutifera Apostolici muneris efficacia vel maxime requiritur, non pauci inveniantur, qui illius auctoritate obtrectant, necessarium omnino esse censemus, praerogativum, quam unigenitus Dei Filius cum summo pastorali officio coniungere dignatus est, solemniter asserere.

But since at this very age, in which the salutary efficacy of the Apostolic office is most of all required, not a few are found who take away from its authority, we judge it altogether necessary solemnly to assert the prerogative which the only-begotten Son of God vouchsafed to join with the supreme pastoral office

3073 Itaque Nos traditioni a fidei christiane exordio perceptae fideliter inhaerendo, ad Dei Salvatoris nostri gloriam, religionis catholicae exaltationem et christianorum populorum salutem, sacro approbante Concilio, docemus et divinitus revelatum dogma esse definimus:

Therefore faithfully adhering to the tradition received from the beginning of the Christian faith, for the glory of God Our Saviour, the exaltation of the Catholic Religion, and the salvation of Christian people, the Sacred Council approving, We teach and define that it is a dogma divinely revealed:

3074 Romanum Pontificem, cum ex cathedra loquitur, id est, cum omnium Christianorum pastoris ac doctoris munere fungens pro suprema sua Apostolica auctoritate doctrinam de fide vel moribus ab universa Ecclesia tenendam definit, per assistentiam divinam ipsi in beato Petro promissam, ea infallibilitate pollere, qua divinus Redemptor Ecclesiam suam in definienda doctrina de fide vel moribus instructam esse voluit; ideoque eiusmodi Romani Pontificis definitiones ex sese, non autem ex consensu Ecclesia, irreformabiles esse.

that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, that is, when in discharge of the office of Pastor and Doctor of all Christians, by virtue of the supreme Apostolic authority he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the Universal Church, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, is possess of that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer willed that His Church should be endowed for defining doctrine regarding faith and morals: and that therefore such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are irreformable of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church.

3075 Si quis autem huic Nostra definitione contradicere, quod Deus avertat, praesumpserit: anathema sit.

But if anyone - which may God ever - presume to contradict this Our definition; let him be anathema.

Given at Rome in Public Session solemnly held in the Vatican Basilica in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy, on the eighteenth day of July, in the twenty fifth year of our Pontificate.

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