Legal Definitions - judgment ex cathedra

Definition: Judgment ex cathedra refers to a statement made by the Pope that is considered to be infallible and binding for all Catholics. It is a declaration made by the Pope in his official capacity as the leader of the Catholic Church.

Example: In 1950, Pope Pius XII made a judgment ex cathedra when he declared the Assumption of Mary to be a dogma of the Catholic Church. This means that Catholics are required to believe that Mary was assumed into heaven both body and soul.

Explanation: The example illustrates how a judgment ex cathedra is a statement made by the Pope that is considered to be infallible and binding for all Catholics. The declaration made by Pope Pius XII regarding the Assumption of Mary is an example of a judgment ex cathedra because it is a statement made by the Pope in his official capacity as the leader of the Catholic Church and is considered to be a matter of faith and doctrine that all Catholics must believe.