Apologeticae sive Theologiae Fundamentalis, Tomus II (Pars Altera): Demonstratio Catholica

The Church teaches, not indeed infallibly, but nevertheless authentically: 1. by the ordinary magisterium of the supreme pontiff; 2. by the magisterium of the Roman congregations; 3. by the magisterium of individual bishops.

1. The ordinary pontifical magisterium is exercised as often as the pope proposes a truth without the manifest intention of defining it infallibly. This he does indeed: by sending encyclical letters, in which matters of faith are set forth without the cathedral form being employed; by responding to the various questions through decretal letters; by publishing or commending catechisms and other books destined for the instruction of the faithful;¹ by prohibiting books dangerous to faith or morals; by noting propositions as rash, scandalous, offensive to pious ears, etc.; finally, by giving any doctrinal judgments whatsoever which are not definitive, but rather directive and, as it were, provisional, according as it has been necessary or opportune and sufficient for the security of doctrine.

2. The authority of the ordinary pontifical magisterium, although it is not peremptory and definitive, is nevertheless very great. For the Roman pontiff, although teaching in an ordinary manner, acts with the primatial power of feeding divinely committed to him, even if he does not use the whole intensity of this power. Whence all the sheep of Christ are bound to hear the voice of the supreme shepherd and to conform themselves to his magisterium. Indeed, the Church has always held in the highest esteem the magisterium of the supreme pontiff, both as infallibly judging the faith and heresies and as authentically condemning opinions dangerous to the faith and fostering heresy. Rightly, therefore, canonical law lays down: "It is not enough to avoid heretical depravity, but one must also diligently flee those errors which approach it more or less; wherefore all must also observe the constitutions and decrees by which depraved opinions of this kind have been proscribed and prohibited by the holy see."²

1. The Roman congregations are colleges of cardinals placed by the supreme pontiff over certain affairs of the Church to be directed, discussed, and decided. There are, moreover, the following eleven: the Congregation of the Holy Office; the Consistorial Congregation; the Congregation of the Discipline of the Sacraments; the Congregation of the Council; the Congregation of Religious; the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith; the Congregation of Sacred Rites; the Congregation of Ceremonies; the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs; the Congregation of Seminaries and Universities of Studies; the Congregation for the Oriental Church.¹ Each in its own order issues decrees in the name and with the approval of the Roman pontiff himself. The decrees of the Holy Office pertain especially to the doctrinal order. For since the other congregations chiefly watch over ecclesiastical discipline, "the Congregation of the Holy Office, over which the supreme pontiff himself presides, safeguards the doctrine of faith and morals... To the same congregation it belongs not only to examine diligently the books denounced to it, to prohibit them, if need be, and to grant dispensations [for reading prohibited books]; but also to inquire, of its own office, by whatever more opportune way may be permitted, after writings of any kind published among the people that are to be condemned".²

2. The authority of the Roman congregations, and above all of the Holy Office, is most weighty. For they are instituted by the pontiff himself; they borrow their jurisdiction from the pontiff; they are bound to signify to the pontiff whatever grave matters they transact; and all their resolutions stand in need of and are fortified by the pontiff's approval,³ and since the pontiff is accustomed to transact the affairs of the whole Church through them, the congregations also come under the name of the Apostolic See or the Holy See.⁴ — Although, however, the decrees of the congregations avail with so great an authority, yet of themselves they do not avail with infallibility. For the pontiff neither wills nor is able to communicate his inerrancy to the congregations. Only per accidens, as we have already said,⁵ do the decrees of the congregations become infallible, namely if the pontiff, by an approval not common but solemn, makes those decrees his own and at the same time indicates that they are peremptory and definitive.

1. We have already mentioned the ordinary magisterium of the whole episcopate, that is, the extraconciliar consensus of the bishops. Here the discourse is about the same ordinary magisterium, yet not of the episcopate of the whole dispersed Church, but of individual bishops teaching their own churches. Individual bishops exercise their magisterium both by word of mouth and in written letters. By word of mouth, when bishops, whether themselves or through presbyters, teach the people in sermons and other instructions.¹ In written letters bishops teach, when they send "mandates" or other epistles to be publicly communicated to the faithful; when they prescribe catechisms or other books destined for the instruction of the faithful; when they prohibit certain corrupt books or periodicals; when, a controversy having arisen, they decree the doctrine to be believed; when they subscribe the decrees of some provincial council. On the contrary, a bishop writing theological treatises, which he does not propose to his diocese, does not teach as a bishop, but as a private doctor. Likewise the mere episcopal approbation, by which books treating of theological matters are permitted to be printed, is not to be equated with the magisterium of the bishop himself, since the book, notwithstanding the approbation, remains the proper work of the author, and since the bishop is wont to grant the approbation trusting in the judgment of the official censors.

2. The authority of the magisterium of individual bishops is evident from what we have discussed both about the authenticity and about the infallibility of the ecclesiastical magisterium.² From this it is established that individual bishops in their individual dioceses exercise a magisterium not indeed infallible, but nevertheless authentic. It is not theirs, accordingly, to define dogmas, but to announce, propose, conserve, urge, and defend the things defined. Every legitimate bishop, therefore, is to be presumed to hand on orthodox doctrine, as long as the contrary is not proved. Whence also the faithful who are subject to him are bound to hear and follow the teaching bishop, as long as he is not proved to err. The same holds a fortiori for the doctrines which several bishops, gathered in a particular or provincial council, establish. Wherefore canon law rightly: "Bishops also, although as individuals or even gathered in particular councils they do not enjoy infallibility in teaching, are nevertheless, under the authority of the Roman pontiff, true doctors or masters of the faithful committed to their care."³ Clerics, however, inferior to bishops, such as pastors and any preachers whatsoever, teach authentically not from themselves, but by virtue of the mission obtained from the bishops. As long as and inasmuch as, therefore, they teach according to the mandate of the bishops and joined with the bishops, of them also that saying of the Lord holds: "He who hears you hears me, and he who despises you despises me."⁴