The dogmatic councils also had errors
The sixth is the sacrament of orders. Its matter is the object by whose handing over the order is conferred. So the priesthood is bestowed by the handing over of a chalice with wine and a paten with bread; the diaconate by the giving of the book of the gospels; the subdiaconate by the handing over of an empty chalice with an empty paten on it; and similarly for the other orders by allotting things connected with their ministry (Ecumenical Council of Florence, Session 8, 22 November 1439).
Pope Pius XII corrected this error:
Wherefore, after invoking the divine light, We of Our Apostolic Authority and from certain knowledge declare, and as far as may be necessary decree and provide: that the matter, and the only matter, of the Sacred Orders of the Diaconate, the Priesthood, and the Episcopacy is the imposition of hands. (Sacramentum Ordinis 4).
How was it that the laying on of hands was not mentioned at the Council of Florence?
In the Roman Liturgy until the 10th century, the ritual of priestly ordination it was simple: laying on of hands and prayer. In the 10th century, the gesture of handing over the chalice and paten was added. Over time, this led to the imposition of hands being marginalized, and eventually the Council of Florence issued such a text. However, even Clement VIII, Benedict XIV and Leo XIII, contrary to the statements of the Council of Florence, taught that ordination in the eastern rites was valid only by the laying on of hands, and Pius XII definitively closed the subject.
Not everything that dogmatic councils teach has the rank of infallibility and immutability.
Finally, in order to serve the People of God as well as possible, in particular, by warning them of dangerous opinions which could lead to error, the Magisterium can intervene in questions under discussion which involve, in addition to solid principles, certain contingent and conjectural elements. It often only becomes possible with the passage of time to distinguish between what is necessary and what is contingent. The willingness to submit loyally to the teaching of the Magisterium on matters per se not irreformable must be the rule. It can happen, however, that a theologian may, according to the case, raise questions regarding the timeliness, the form, or even the contents of magisterial interventions. Here the theologian will need, first of all, to assess accurately the authoritativeness of the interventions which becomes clear from the nature of the documents, the insistence with which a teaching is repeated, and the very way in which it is expressed. When it comes to the question of interventions in the prudential order, it could happen that some Magisterial documents might not be free from all deficiencies. Bishops and their advisors have not always taken into immediate consideration every aspect or the entire complexity of a question. But it would be contrary to the truth, if, proceeding from some particular cases, one were to conclude that the Church's Magisterium can be habitually mistaken in its prudential judgments, or that it does not enjoy divine assistance in the integral exercise of its mission. In fact, the theologian, who cannot pursue his discipline well without a certain competence in history, is aware of the filtering which occurs with the passage of time. This is not to be understood in the sense of a relativization of the tenets of the faith. The theologian knows that some judgments of the Magisterium could be justified at the time in which they were made, because while the pronouncements contained true assertions and others which were not sure, both types were inextricably connected. Only time has permitted discernment and, after deeper study, the attainment of true doctrinal progress (Donum veritatis 24).
The infallible magisterium and the teaching that is not infallible.
"The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals.... the infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium," above all in an Ecumenical Council (Catechism of the Catholic Church 891).
Divine assistance is also given to the successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the successor of Peter, and, in a particular way, to the bishop of Rome, pastor of the whole Church, when, without arriving at an infallible definition and without pronouncing in a "definitive manner," they propose in the exercise of the ordinary Magisterium a teaching that leads to better understanding of Revelation in matters of faith and morals. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 892).
Divine and Catholic faith differs from the religious submission of intellect and will
A person must believe with divine and Catholic faith all those things contained in the word of God, written or handed on, that is, in the one deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn magisterium of the Church or by its ordinary and universal magisterium which is manifested by the common adherence of the Christian faithful under the leadership of the sacred magisterium; therefore all are bound to avoid any doctrines whatsoever contrary to them (Code of Canon Law 750).
Although not an assent of faith, a religious submission of the intellect and will must be given to a doctrine which the Supreme Pontiff or the college of bishops declares concerning faith or morals when they exercise the authentic magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim it by definitive act; therefore, the Christian faithful are to take care to avoid those things which do not agree with it (Code of Canon Law 752)
An example of infallible Magisterium:
In the name of the holy Trinity, Father, Son and holy Spirit, we define, with the approval of this holy universal council of Florence, that the following truth of faith shall be believed and accepted by all Christians and thus shall all profess it: that the holy Spirit is eternally from the Father and the Son, and has his essence and his subsistent being from the Father together with the Son, and proceeds from both eternally as from one principle and a single spiration (Ecumenical Council of Florence, Session 6, 6 July 1439).
An example of teaching that is not infallible:
The sixth is the sacrament of orders. Its matter is the object by whose handing over the order is conferred. So the priesthood is bestowed by the handing over of a chalice with wine and a paten with bread; the diaconate by the giving of the book of the gospels; the subdiaconate by the handing over of an empty chalice with an empty paten on it; and similarly for the other orders by allotting things connected with their ministry (Ecumenical Council of Florence, Session 8, 22 November 1439).
Correction by Pius XII:
Wherefore, after invoking the divine light, We of Our Apostolic Authority and from certain knowledge declare, and as far as may be necessary decree and provide: that the matter, and the only matter, of the Sacred Orders of the Diaconate, the Priesthood, and the Episcopacy is the imposition of hands. (Sacramentum Ordinis 4).
Thus...
When the pope and bishops teach in a council with the privilege of infallibility (CCC 891), then errors can never occur, and such teaching is completely immutable (the pope has no right to alter such infallible teaching).
When a pope teaches with bishops without committing himself to the privilege of infallibility (CCC 892), he always uses the help of the Holy Spirit, so we believe the Church will never preach heresy.
However, it may happen that such teaching (not having the rank of infallibility) may contain ambiguities or even minor errors, which, however, do not contradict dogmas (Donum veritatis 24).
The teaching of the Church must be received in two ways:
1. Theological faith (Donum veritatis 23), that is divine and Catholic faith (Code of Canon Law 750), that is obedience to faith (CCC 891). By such faith one must accept an infallible doctrine:
In the name of the holy Trinity, Father, Son and holy Spirit, we define, with the approval of this holy universal council of Florence, that the following truth of faith shall be believed and accepted by all Christians and thus shall all profess it: that the holy Spirit is eternally from the Father and the Son, and has his essence and his subsistent being from the Father together with the Son, and proceeds from both eternally as from one principle and a single spiration (Ecumenical Council of Florence, Session 6, 6 July 1439).
2. Religious obedience (Donum veritatis 23), not an act of faith, but religious obedience (Code of Canon Law 752), in other words, religious docility, which differs from docility in faith (CCC 892) . Such obedience had to be shown in the fifteenth century to a Church that taught without engaging in the privilege of infallibility:
The sixth is the sacrament of orders. Its matter is the object by whose handing over the order is conferred. So the priesthood is bestowed by the handing over of a chalice with wine and a paten with bread; the diaconate by the giving of the book of the gospels; the subdiaconate by the handing over of an empty chalice with an empty paten on it; and similarly for the other orders by allotting things connected with their ministry (Ecumenical Council of Florence, Session 8, 22 November 1439).
Thus, it cannot currently be considered that:
The sixth is the sacrament of orders. Its matter is the object by whose handing over the order is conferred. So the priesthood is bestowed by the handing over of a chalice with wine and a paten with bread... (Ecumenical Council of Florence, Session 8, 22 November 1439).
We have a duty to accept the truth that:
Wherefore, after invoking the divine light, We of Our Apostolic Authority and from certain knowledge declare, and as far as may be necessary decree and provide: that the matter, and the only matter, of the Sacred Orders of the Diaconate, the Priesthood, and the Episcopacy is the imposition of hands... (Pius XII, Sacramentum Ordinis 4).
Worth reading: ewtn.com/…us-on-the-church-of-christ-243
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Graphics: pl.wikipedia.org/…bazylejsko-ferrarsko-florencki
