In my review of magisterial teaching on the Roman Pontiff, I have identified a set of papal charisms, that is, divinely-conferred gifts, which are given to Peter and his successors by Christ our Lord. Furthermore, the teaching of the Church on these charism is perennial. It has been the constant teaching of the Catholic Church from the earliest times that each Roman Pontiff possesses these charisms. Then each and all of the charisms has also been taught infallibly by one or more Ecumenical Councils.

These are papal charisms. And these charisms suffice as a complete refutation of the claims made by the papal accusers, who have resisted or opposed Pope Francis for many years now.

1. The charism of truth and of never-failing faith – taught by Vatican I in those exact words; taught by other phrasings by many magisterial documents throughout the history of the Church as an interpretation of Luke 22:32. This dogma means that the Pope can never fail in faith by apostasy, heresy, schism, idolatry, or the like. [More Here]

2. The Apostolic See is unblemished by grave error – has never wandered from the path of Apostolic tradition; remains unsullied; has neither stain nor blemish; remains pure and spotless; free from all leading into error; polluted by no crack of depravity and no contagion; Peter is less able to err than the Church herself; pure from all stain of error; has never turned away from the path of truth in any direction of error; remains undefiled unto the end; perpetually assisted by the Holy Spirit. [<a href="“>More Here]

3. No heresy in the Apostolic See – the Apostolic See: has never succumbed to heretical novelties; free from heretical fraud; remains free from the heretical stench; enforces silence, stopping the mouths of all heretics; has never yielded to heretical innovations; is the refuge from heresy and strife.

4. Subjection to the Roman Pontiff is from the necessity of salvation – Fifth Lateran Council: “it arises from the necessity of salvation that all the faithful of Christ are to be subject to the Roman Pontiff”; also found in Unam Sanctam, and Saint Thomas Aquinas. Refusal of submission is schism under Canon law, and formal schism carries the penalty of automatic excommunication.

5. No appeal is possible to any other authority on earth, not even an Ecumenical Council

6. The First See is judged by no one but God.

7. Papal Infallibility

There are certainly other teachings about the Roman Pontiff, such as that Christ and His Vicar constitute one only Head; that the Pope is the Rock on which the Church is founded; that Christ acts through the Roman Pontiff; that Peter still lives and presides in his See. But the above seven are the ones that are most useful in repelling the attacks of the papal accusers against the authority and teaching of the Roman Pontiff.

Summary

Charisms of the Pope and His See:
1. Never-failing faith
2. Unblemished by grave error
3. Free from heresy
4. Subjection to the Pope is from the necessity of salvation
5. No appeal is possible
6. The First See is judged by no one but God
7. Papal Infallibility

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Ronald L. Conte Jr.