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National Catholic Register

What Is ‘Papal Infallibility?’

Daniel Ibañez
When Pope Pius IX declared the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary on Dec. 8, 1854, he had a golden crown added to the mosaic of Mary, Virgin Immaculate, in the Chapel of the Choir in St. Peter’s Basilica.

'Ineffabilis Deus,' which proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Concenption, is among the papal pronouncements that theologians have long considered to be 'infallible.' But what does papal infallibility mean in the context and history of the Church?

You Heard of the Popemobile, Now Meet the Papal Lawn Mower

Swardman
Pope Leo XIV receives an electric lawn mower from Czech manufacturer Swardman during a general audience in mid-November 2025.

Pope Leo XIV received the white Electra 2.0 mower during a general audience in mid-November, a gift from Czech manufacturer Swardman.

Hidden Catholic Histories Come Alive in New Black and Native American Films

Black and Indian Mission Office
A still from “Trailblazers of Faith: The Legacy of African American Catholics,” which tells the inspiring story of how African Americans found a home in Catholicism without abandoning their identity or culture. Those pictured are the African Americans currently on the path to sainthood: Venerable Henriette DeLille, Julia Greeley, Father Augustus Tolton, Mother Mary Lange, Pierre Toussaint, and Sister Thea Bowman.

The documentary celebrates a legacy of leadership and faith.

Spend Time With Mary This Advent

Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Mosaic of Mary, Virgin Immaculate, in the Chapel of the Choir in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome.

Her intense and joyful waiting for her Son to enter the world is a model for all...