This week, we dive into one of the most controversial and defining theological declarations in modern Catholic history: Papal Infallibility—a doctrine formalized not in the Middle Ages or during the height of papal power, but surprisingly in the politically volatile 19th century. To understand why and how, we begin with a brief look at the First Vatican Council.
A Church Under Siege
The First Vatican Council (Vatican I), convened by Pope Pius IX in 1869, unfolded in a period of deep upheaval. Europe was in the throes of industrialization, scientific skepticism, and nationalistic revolutions. As we learned last week, the Italian unification movement had seized most of the Papal States, and the Pope's temporal authority was crumbling before his very eyes. The Church, feeling increasingly threatened by liberal modernity and political secularism, sought to reaffirm its spiritual supremacy.
Vatican I was called not to reform the Church structurally or to reconcile with modern thought, but to reassert the theological foundations of papal power. The Council, dominated by conservative bishops, became a stage for consolidating authority in the face of external challenge.
Pope Pius photographed by Adolphe Braun on his 83rd birthday
What Is Papal Infallibility?
Declared on July 18, 1870, mere months before Rome itself would fall to the forces of Italian unification, Papal Infallibility affirmed that:
When the Pope speaks ex cathedra (from the Chair of Saint Peter) on matters of faith and morals, he is preserved from error by the Holy Spirit.
In layman's terms: the Pope cannot be wrong when he officially teaches something about faith or morals—but only under very specific conditions.
It doesn't mean the Pope is always right, or that everything he says is infallible. It only applies when:
He's speaking as the Pope (not as a private individual),
He's teaching about faith or morals (not politics, science, etc.),
He's making a formal declaration that must be followed by all Catholics.
No longer was the Pope merely first among equals in Church councils; he now held a unique and elevated position in defining dogma.
Why Was It Declared?
Critics have long seen the proclamation of infallibility as a direct reaction to the declining political and territorial power of the papacy. Pius IX, who had lost most of his worldly dominion, sought to fortify the spiritual authority of his office. Where papal armies and lands had failed, the claim to divine guidance would remain unquestioned.
For many Catholics, especially those aligned with ultramontanism, this was a welcome clarification. But not everyone agreed. Some theologians and bishops left Rome in protest. Others, like the German theologian Ignaz von Döllinger, refused to accept the dogma and broke from the Church, helping to found the Old Catholic Church.
A Lasting Legacy
Only two pronouncements have ever been made under the explicit terms of Papal Infallibility: the Immaculate Conception (1854) and the Assumption of Mary (1950). Still, the symbolic weight of the doctrine remains immense. It signaled a Church turning inward for certainty as the modern world accelerated around it.
Pope Pius proclaiming the dogma of Immaculate Conception.
In many ways,Papal Infallibility was not about asserting control, but about preserving continuity in an era of change. Whether seen as a bold declaration of faith or a defensive posture against modernity, it remains a hallmark of Catholic doctrine and a flashpoint for debate.
Until next time, remember to embrace the lessons of history, but never get caught up in its cobwebs.
Warm regards,
Hugh
“Give me an army that prays the Rosary and I will conquer the world.”
- Pope Pius IX
Heading Image: Papal Infallibility By Lucas Caspar Businger in his book Christ in His Church: A Catholic Church History
