“The doctrine of infallibility would not be licit under such an application.”
Says who? There’s no one to appeal to. The invocation of infallibility is as licit as the Pope says it is. Unlike we Protestants, who can appeal to the Scriptures, Roman Catholics have no one higher than the Pope to whom they can appeal.
Can. 749 §1. By virtue of his office, the Supreme Pontiff possesses infallibility in teaching when as the supreme pastor and teacher of all the Christian faithful, who strengthens his brothers and sisters in the faith, he proclaims by definitive act that a doctrine of faith or morals is to be held.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P2H.HTM
It’s not so simple as you state. The Pope, for example, could not proclaim the the Redskins to be the greatest football team ever. This would not be an issue of faith or morals and he could not compel the faithful to hold this view. It would also be an abuse of reason given the team’s history.
There are defined limits to infallibility, as others have pointed out. Here we are approaching, but I believe not reaching, the waters of Dogmatic Fact, which are only somewhat defined.
I can imagine that the Pope could attempt to define the limits of infallibility both more clearly and in a way that would allow him to say something infallible on the issue. That said, on a human level, I do not think this Pope is capable of it, and on a level of faith, I do not believe that God will allow it to happen.
Says the Doctrinal definition of infallibility itself. What we are dealing with here is not Doctrine, but an administrative fubar where certain clerics protect each other and ally themselves against their theological rivals. Bergoglio is the Pope chosen by cliche of Cardinals who were always against Benedict.
No, Francis and his allies have not altered the Doctrine on sexuality, but in practice they have neutered it. That is how the game is played by theological liberals in the Catholic Church. Officially they can say no doctrine was changed. And officially that would be true. But wink wink nod nod we are not going to preach against these sexual immorality in their dioceses so what we can be a “welcoming Church” and not upset homosexuals, pro-abortion types, etc. Pope Benedict on the other hand was appointing Bishops who did speak out against these things publicly even if it got the secular press to go after Him.