This week in Christian history: Peter Cartwright dies, papal infallibility challenged
Catholics meeting opposing 'papal infallibility' ends – Sept. 24, 1871
This week marks the anniversary of the final day of a meeting of 300 Catholics in Munich, Germany, protesting the Catholic Church’s endorsement of papal infallibility.
In 1870, Church leaders approved a measure recognizing papal infallibility, which states that under special official circumstances, the pope cannot err when speaking on matters of faith.
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A group known as “Old Catholics,” which included theologian Johann Joseph Ignaz von Döllinger, met for three days to discuss this and other issues regarding the Catholic Church.
According to Catholic Answers, the gathering approved numerous provisions, among them “adherence to the constitution of the ancient Church with repudiation of every dogma of faith not in harmony with the actual consciousness of the Church,” “preparation of the way for the reunion of the Christian confessions,” “reform of the training and position of the clergy,” “rejection of the Society of Jesus,” and “solemn assertion of the claims of Catholics as such to the real property of the Church and to the title to it.”
“In Austria at the most flourishing period there were perhaps at the most 10,000 adherents, today there are probably not more than 4,000,” added Catholic Answers, claiming that “Old Catholicism has practically ceased to exist. It is no longer of any public importance.”
