By DON FIER
Part 2
Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, as successors of the Twelve Apostles, have been entrusted with the mission of caring for Christ’s sheep, but always under the authority of the Supreme Pontiff. In union with the college of bishops and the Pope, their solemn duty toward the portion of the flock assigned to them — as well as toward the universal Church — is threefold: “performing for them the office of teaching, sanctifying, and governing” (Christus Dominus, n. 11 § 2).
It is teaching, as was underscored last week, that is eminent among these duties: “Bishops, with priests as co-workers, have as their first task ‘to preach the Gospel of God to all men,’ in keeping with the Lord’s command” (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], n. 888).
The teaching office of the Church has been given the charism of infallibility when it speaks authoritatively on matters of faith and morals. The word “infallibility,” as concisely defined by the Catechism, is “the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church whereby the pastors of the Church, the pope and the bishops with him, can definitively proclaim a doctrine of faith or morals for the belief of the faithful” (CCC, Glossary). Magisterial teaching, as we also saw last week, can be exercised in different forms and requires of the faithful varying levels of assent.
“When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine ‘for belief as being divinely revealed’ (Dei Verbum, n. 10 § 2), and as the teaching of Christ,” teaches the Catechism, “the definitions ‘must be adhered to with the obedience of faith’ (Lumen Gentium [LG], n. 25 § 2)” (CCC, n. 891) by all the faithful.
This is true not only for truths explicitly revealed in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, but also for those truths determined by the Magisterium to be implicitly revealed. Moreover, even non-infallible magisterial teachings that lead to a better understanding of matters related to faith and morals are to be adhered to with religious assent.
To better understand the teaching authority of the Church and the different forms by which it is exercised, it would be good to define several terms. First, what exactly is the Magisterium? Its etymology comes from the Latin magister, which means “the office of master.” As defined by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ, in his Modern Catholic Dictionary (MCD), the Magisterium is “the Church’s teaching authority, vested in the bishops, as successors of the Apostles, under the Roman Pontiff, as successor of St. Peter. [It is] also vested in the Pope, as Vicar of Christ and visible head of the Catholic Church” (p. 329), and is normally separated into two classifications.
The Extraordinary Magisterium is “the Church’s teaching office exercised in a solemn way, as in formal declarations of the Pope or of ecumenical councils of the bishops approved by the Pope. When the extraordinary magisterium takes the form of papal definitions or conciliar decisions binding on the consciences of the faithful in matters of faith and morals, it is infallible.”
The ordinary Magisterium, in contrast, is “the teaching office of the hierarchy under the Pope exercised normally, that is, through the regular means of instructing the faithful. These means are all the usual channels of communication, whether written, spoken, or practical. When the ordinary magisterium is also universal, that is, collectively intended for all the faithful, it is also infallible” (MCD, p. 329).
Therefore, the infallibility of a magisterial teaching hinges not on whether it is being taught by the extraordinary or ordinary Magisterium, but rather on whether or not it is being taught definitively.
Another term that warrants definition with regard to the Church’s teaching authority is “ex cathedra.” Its etymology is from the Latin and literally means “from the chair.” It refers to binding and infallible teachings of the Pope when he officially teaches as the universal shepherd of the Church on a matter of faith or morals. “When the Pope speaks from the chair of authority, as visible head of all Christians,” explains Fr. Hardon, “his teaching is not dependent on the consent of the Church and is irreformable” (MCD, p. 199).
It is often wrongly claimed that infallible papal pronouncements have been made only twice in the last two centuries: in 1854 on the occasion of the dogmatic definition of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Pope Pius IX, and in 1950 when the dogma of our Lady’s Assumption into Heaven was solemnly proclaimed by Pope Pius XII. While it might arguably be said that these were the only two dogmatic definitions in recent centuries, papal infallibility has been exercised often over the years, many times prior to the formal definition of the doctrine by the First Vatican Council in 1870 in the decree Pastor Aeternus.
In a 1989 discourse to U.S. bishops in the Second Ecclesiastical Region, Pope John Paul II stated that the ordinary and universal Magisterium is the “normal expression of the infallibility of the Church” (L’Osservatore Romano, January 22, 1989). In many cases, Popes have chosen to infallibly confirm the teaching of the ordinary and universal Magisterium on divinely revealed matters of faith and morals in an encyclical or apostolic letter. Consider such papal documents as Casti Connubii by Pope Pius XI, Humanae Vitae by Pope Paul VI, and Veritatis Splendor, Evangelium Vitae, and Ordinatio Sacerdotalis by Pope John Paul II, all of which reaffirm infallible truths of the faith and natural law that are under attack in today’s world.
The Catechism next instructs the faithful on the sanctifying office of the bishop: “The bishop is ‘the steward of the grace of the supreme priesthood’ (LG, n. 26 § 1), especially in the Eucharist which he offers personally or whose offering he assures through the priests, his co-workers” (CCC, n. 893). Note the special emphasis on the Eucharist, which the Catechism goes on to describe as “the center of the life of the particular Church.” Why is the Eucharist so important? It is precisely “in his function of celebrating the sacred mysteries,” says St. John Paul II, “[that] the bishop builds the Church as a communion in Christ” (general audience, November 11, 1992).
Moreover, in fulfilling their office of sanctification, bishops are called to be examples and models of Christian life. “By the example of their way of life,” teaches Vatican II, “they must be an influence for good to those over whom they preside, refraining from all evil and, as far as they are able with God’s help, exchanging evil for good, so that together with the flock committed to their care they may arrive at eternal life” (LG, n. 26 § 3).
They are to keep in mind always an exhortation from St. Peter: “Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3).
A Spirit Of Humility
Lastly, the Catechism considers the episcopal office of governance. “Bishops, as vicars and ambassadors of Christ,” teach the council fathers, “govern the particular churches entrusted to them by their counsel, exhortations, example, and even by their authority and sacred power, which indeed they use only for the edification of their flock in truth and holiness, remembering that he who is greater should become as the lesser and he who is the chief become as the servant (cf. Luke 22:26-27)” (LG, n. 27 § 1).
St. John Paul explains that this teaching hinges on a basic principle: “In the Church, authority is meant to be upbuilding” (general audience, November 18, 1992). This is in keeping with the desire of St. Paul in his pastoral office over the Corinthians, that he would “not have to be severe in [his] use of the authority which the Lord has given [him] for building up and not for tearing down” (2 Cor. 13:10).
St. John Paul, in the same audience, states that “the episcopate is more a service than an honor.” Pope Francis highlighted the same point in his general audience of November 5, 2014: “We must understand that [the episcopate] is not about having a position of prestige, an honorific charge. The Bishop is not an honorary role. It is a service!” He continued, “It is sad when we see a man who seeks this office and does so many things to get it and when he gets it he does not serve, [but] instead goes around like a peacock and lives only for his vanity.”
The office of bishop should be undertaken in a spirit of humility, following the example of Jesus who implored the twelve: “Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves” (Luke 22:26).
The mission and life of a bishop is a difficult one — those whom they serve should pray for them daily. “The faithful must cling to their bishop, as the Church does to Christ, and Jesus Christ to the Father, so that all may be of one mind through unity and abound to the glory of God” (LG, n. 27 § 3).
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(Don Fier serves on the board of directors for The Catholic Servant, a Minneapolis-based monthly publication. He and his wife are the parents of seven children. Fier is a 2009 graduate of Ave Maria University’s Institute for Pastoral Theology. He is doing research for writing a definitive biography of Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)
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