Pope Adrian VI
De Montor’s Lives of the Popes, volume 1, page 707: This pope ranks among the ecclesiastical writers, by his Commentary upon the book of Sentences.This book, first printed when he was a professor oat Louvain, was reprinted without the author’s sanction when he was the head of Christendom. It is one proposition is that “the pope can err even in what concerns the faith,” a proposition which proves nothing in favor of the Protestants, though they often repeat it in their attacks on the infallibility of the sovereign pontiff, as it may be understood of the private opinions of the popes, and not be essentially applicable to their solemn decisions, still less to their decrees accepted by the body of bishops. Adrian, on the throne, also, retracted the censurable opinions contained in this book. Here is a statement many attribute to Adrian VI (1522-1523) at the Diet of Nuremburg in 1552 that all evils in the church proceeded from the Roman Curia. If by the Roman Church you mean its head or pontiff, it is beyond question that he can err even in matters touching the faith. He does this when he teaches heresy by his own judgment or decretal. In truth, many Roman pontiffs were heretics. The last of them was Pope John XXII (1316-1334).
Michael Fighting
