The Pope Cannot Become a Heretic in His Public Actions
This is of Divine and Catholic Faith as defined in the only Vatican Council. The Vatican Council in 1870 infallibly declared: And indeed all the venerable Fathers have embraced and the holy orthodox Doctors have venerated and followed their apostolic doctrine; knowing most fully that this See of Saint Peter remains ever free from all blemish of error, according to the divine promise of the LORD our SAVIOUR made to the Prince of His disciples: “I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, confirm thy brethren.” (Luke 22:32) (DZ 1836)What is said is proved by the results, because Catholic faith has always been preserved without stain in the Apostolic See. Satis Cognitum quoting the Creed written up for Hormisdas by the Eighth CouncilPublic Actions of the Pope
Confirming the decrees of General Councils. A General Council of the Church is only infallible, when its decrees have been confirmed by the Pope, and such confirmation is a public action of the Pope as Vicar of Christ and Successor of Saint Peter. Issuing Bulls, which are laws and decrees, which are public actions of the Pope. Unless a Bull is purely on a matter of Ecclesiastical Law, then it is also infallible on any matter of Faith or morals. Quo Primum is a Bull of Pope Pius V, issuing the Roman Missal in 1570 as compiled by order of the Council of Trent.Issuing any Canon Law, which are laws of the Universal Church is also a public action of the Pope as Vicar of Christ. Therefore the 1917 Code of Canon Law is infallible, whenever it touches a matter of Faith or morals, such as the necessity of water in administering Baptism. Many of the Canons are merely restatements of previously defined doctrines. An example is from the Vatican Council: But, since, it is not sufficient to shun heretical iniquity unless these errors are also shunned which come more or less close to it, we remind all of the duty of observing also the constitutions and decrees by which base opinions of this sort, which are not enumerated explicitly here, have been proscribed and prohibited by this Holy See. (DZ 1820 restated in the 1917 Code of Canon Law in Canon 1324) Amleto Cicognani in Canon Law (1935) teaches: However, on account of the divine assistance which Christ promised His Church, no disciplinary law at variance with orthodox faith or good morals has ever been or ever will be issued by the Roman Pontiff for the universal Church. The laws issued by the Holy See are promulgated by being published in the official organ of the Holy See, the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, unless in particular cases another mode of promulgation is prescribed. (Canon 9)Issuing Encyclicals, as stated by Pope Pius XII is a public act of the Pope as Vicar of Christ: Nor must it be thought that what is expounded in Encyclical letters does not of itself demand consent, since in writing such Letters the Popes do not exercise the supreme power of their Teaching Authority. For these matters are taught with the ordinary teaching authority, of which it is true to say: "He who heareth you, heareth Me"; and generally what is expounded and inculcated in Encyclical Letters already for other reasons appertains to Catholic doctrine. But if the Supreme Pontiffs in their official documents purposely pass judgment on a matter up to that time open to dispute, it is obvious that that matter, according to the mind and will of the same Pontiffs, cannot be any longer considered a question open to discussion among theologians. Humani Generis. Even if an Encyclical is not discussing a matter of Faith or morals, it is none-the-less a public act of the Pope as Vicar of Christ.Note the argument against Antipopes John XXIII-II, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II the Great Deceiver and Benedict XVI is that they were not papabile in the first place and therefore could not become Pope. For this reason their public actions can certainly be heretical as can the public actions of the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Dalai Lama.
Michael Fighting
