Don't shoot me folks I'm just the messenger here. I was a RC until I was 19 or so when I decided I was done with the whole thing. Took my parents a while to accept it. Obviously there is a world of difference in beliefs between RCs and Protestants. The big split when Martin Luther went rogue was at a time when the RC was pretty corrupt. Personally while no longer a RC I like this pope. He bucks traditions and I'm all for that! The following is from
www.catholic.com/tra cts/papal-infallibil ity Papal InfallibilityThe Catholic Church’s teaching on papal infallibility is one which is
generally misunderstood by those outside the Church. In particular,
Fundamentalists and other "Bible Christians" often confuse the charism
of papal "infallibility" with "impeccability." They imagine Catholics
believe the pope cannot sin. Others, who avoid this elementary blunder,
think the pope relies on some sort of amulet or magical incantation when
an infallible definition is due.Â
Given these common misapprehensions regarding the basic tenets of
papal infallibility, it is necessary to explain exactly what
infallibility is not. Infallibility is not the absence of sin. Nor is it
a charism that belongs only to the pope. Indeed, infallibility also
belongs to the body of bishops as a whole, when, in doctrinal unity with
the pope, they solemnly teach a doctrine as true. We have this from
Jesus himself, who promised the apostles and their successors the
bishops, the magisterium of the Church: "He who hears you hears me"
(Luke 10:16), and "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven"
(Matt. 18:18). Infallibility belongs in a special way to the pope as head of the
bishops (Matt. 16:17–19; John 21:15–17). As Vatican II remarked, it is a
charism the pope "enjoys in virtue of his office, when, as the supreme
shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, who confirms his brethren in
their faith (Luke 22:32), he proclaims by a definitive act some doctrine
of faith or morals. Therefore his definitions, of themselves, and not
from the consent of the Church, are justly held irreformable, for they
are pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, an assistance
promised to him in blessed Peter."Â
The infallibility of the pope is not a doctrine that suddenly
appeared in Church teaching; rather, it is a doctrine which was implicit
in the early Church. It is only our understanding of infallibility
which has developed and been more clearly understood over time. In fact,
the doctrine of infallibility is implicit in these Petrine texts: John
21:15–17 ("Feed my sheep . . . "), Luke 22:32 ("I have prayed for you
that your faith may not fail"), and Matthew 16:18 ("You are Peter . . .
"). Your mileage may vary! 4951