Can the Pope change Catholic doctrine?
“Why doesn’t the pope allow priests to marry?” That was the question heard at the meeting of a group of church-goers upset about the pedophilia issues among priests. From their angry exchanges it did appear that the pope was ‘a stubborn dictator of discipline’ who decided matters of the Church at his fancy. They wrote a petition to the pope and brought it to the pastor for his approval. He helped them learn more about the role of the pope in the Church, clarifying certain misunderstandings.
Christianity is a revealed religion; the Church as a whole has the responsibility to keep that deposit of revelation, adding nothing to it and taking nothing away from it. The Church therefore has the authority with regard to teaching faith and morals. This authority is centered on the pope, who teaches in union with all the bishops of the world. Such teachings are about doctrines and disciplines.
Doctrine is an article of faith, something believed because God has revealed it. For example, the Trinity is a doctrine. There is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Nobody can change it, not even the pope. The Church will never teach contrary to what she has already taught about the Holy Trinity. This is so because she is faithful to God's revelation. The oath that each pope is required to take, states clearly that he cannot change any doctrine. We always find the pope teaching, preaching and writing on matters of faith and morals as contained in the deposit of faith. He exercises this authority as successor of Peter, in union with the bishops around the world. Statements clarifying some doctrines become necessary as doctrines continue to develop, by being thought out, lived out in the liturgical life of the Church, and even pieced together by theologians and councils. Such teachings of the popes and councils assume greater importance when there is lack of clarity regarding details of a doctrine. In this way, the Church gains deeper understanding of the deposit of faith entrusted to her.
Regarding matters of discipline, applying the doctrines to daily lives and making necessary rules in the Church the pope has a special role. Jesus said to Peter the apostle, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19). As the visible head of the Church on earth, Peter is given the responsibility to make earthly rules for the operation of the Church. This doesn't mean that the pope can change the Ten Commandments. He can make decisions with regard to the details of Church life, like the length of the fast before receiving communion, the age of retirement of the priests etc. Normally, the collective body of bishops acting together makes rules with the Pope as their head. These are binding on the universal Church because of the responsibility given him by the "power of the keys."
Can the pope change practices in the Church that are essentially linked with revealed doctrine? The wisdom and insight of spiritual masters and the lived out experience of the people of God can lead to an atmosphere favorable for such significant changes. The rules that are not strictly intrinsic to faith but rather superfluous additions can easily be modified. In any case, regarding important issues that affect the universal Church he is sure to seek the judgment of the bishops of the world and the opinion of the theologians before any change. As the guardian of the deposit of faith his role is ‘to bind and to loose.’
The Pope can also exercise his authority ex cathedra (meaning ‘from the chair’) by an infallible statement for the universal Church. This is often an extraordinary act of definitively proclaiming, by virtue of his office, a doctrine pertaining to faith and morals (Catechism of the Catholic Church #891). There have been two such infallible statements in modern times: the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX in 1854, and that of the Assumption by Pope Pius XII in 1950.
“The pope’s mission today, is very significant and at the same time terribly misunderstood; he needs our prayers” concluded the pastor.
Fr Xavier Thelakkatt