Saints LightRevolutions, Vatican I and the Modern Popes
Through revolutions and world wars the Church lost worldly power, defined papal infallibility at Vatican I, and found a new voice for justice through the modern popes and martyrs.
What this lesson teaches
- The French Revolution persecuted the Church and imprisoned two popes.
- Vatican I (1869 to 1870) taught that God can be known by reason and defined papal infallibility.
- Infallibility is a rare protection for solemn definitions, not a claim that the Pope is sinless.
- Leo XIII began modern Catholic social teaching, and saints shone in the persecutions of the twentieth century.
Catechism paragraphs this lesson cites
- CCC 36
- CCC 882
- CCC 891
- CCC 2419-2425
CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.
Scripture read in this lesson: Matthew 16:18; Luke 22:32.
A sample question from this lesson
What does papal infallibility, defined at Vatican I, mean?
- The Pope can never commit a sin
- Every opinion the Pope expresses is free from error
- When the Pope solemnly defines a doctrine of faith or morals for the whole Church, he is protected from error
- The Pope can change any doctrine he wishes
Show the answer
When the Pope solemnly defines a doctrine of faith or morals for the whole Church, he is protected from error. Infallibility is a rare protection for solemn definitions of faith and morals, not sinlessness or a guarantee for every opinion.
The lesson in the app has three questions, each with an explanation.
Words to know
- Papal infallibility
- The gift by which the Pope is protected from error when he solemnly defines a doctrine of faith or morals for the whole Church.
- Catholic social teaching
- The Church's teaching on justice in society: human dignity, work, the common good and care for the poor.
More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.
Read the full lesson in the app
"Revolutions, Vatican I and the Modern Popes" is lesson 11 of Two Thousand Years in Twelve Lessons. In Saints Light you get the whole teaching, the Scripture quoted in full, all three questions and a step to live it this week.
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Related lessons
- What Is Catholic Social Teaching, and Where Did It Come From? (Social Teaching)
- The Church: Why Did Jesus Found One? (Start Here, free)
- Is There a God? (Hard Questions)
- Where Is the Pope in the Bible? (Hard Questions)