This is true that bishops alone or the Pope, clearly not intending to teach the whole Church something, is not infallible. The problem is that this cannot be part of the Magisterium since there are numerous Papal Teachings which state that any form of Magisterium (there are only 2 categories) is infallible. There has never been any statement by a Pope that the Magisterium can err in any capacity whatsoever.
The pre-V2 theologians who were quoted in the article are not contradicting previous papal statements, but are further distinguishing the different levels of the magisterium (since in the past, the orthodox hierarchy spoke only orthodox things). Such a distinguishment was necessary because in the 1900s, popes had the duty of speaking on non-doctrinal matters (i.e. communism, social theory, education) which may or may not be infallible, depending.
As for Vatican II, if it had valid Popes presiding over it, it was definitely infallible.
No, no, no. Just because a pope gives a talk in St Peter's square does not make it infallible. Just because a pope writes an encyclical does not make it infallible. Just because the pope presides at a council does not make it infallible. All previous ecuмenical councils were infallible (because they officially taught doctrine) but that does not mean that all ecuмenical councils are infallible, just because they're ecuмenical. This means that it would have infallibly taught error and the Gates of Hell prevailed against the Church. There is nothing in Church history which one can point to that would prove that an official Pope approved Ecuмenical Council of the Catholic Church could be anything less than Infallible. Any aspect touching morals and faith would be infallible. Our Lord said "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them." This applies to all the General Councils. One would NOT be able to point to any part of a Council of the past dealing with faith or morals that one is free to reject as not Infallible. This is why we can appeal to any Docuмent of a Council, not dealing with changeable disciplines, to refute any heretic that comes along.
Previous councils were infallible because they defined doctrine. If they had not, they would not have been. V2 was unique in that it was the first ecuмenical council to not define doctrine.
So either Vatican II is infallible and religious liberty is divinely revealed or we worship the same god as muslims etc... or the men presiding over them were not Catholic and had no authority to call a council.
Or...V2 didn't define doctrine (solemn magisterium) and it didn't teach "what has always been taught" (ordinary and universal magisterium) therefore it only employed its "merely authentic" or "ordinary" magisterium which is fallible. Therefore, it requires no "assent" because
1) it never said it required assent (which is a requirement to be infallible), and
2) no catholic is required to give assent to matters which are not clearly "matters of faith", even if such matters are related to doctrine/faith/morals.