The Magisterium He Who Hears You Hears Me, and He Who Rejects You Rejects Me, and He Who Rejects Me Rejects Him Who Sent Me

The Magisterium He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me. ~ Luke 10:16

Five Greek Fathers of the Church from the 4th and 5th centuries: St. Athanasius, St. Basil the Great, St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory Nazianzen, and St. Cyril of Alexandria

EFORE CHRIST LEFT THIS EARTH, he prepared en, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heav- his apostles with everything they would en” (Mt 16:19). In short, Christ entrusted to them need to carry out their ministry. He gave all the power they would need to teach, sanctify, and Bthem special insights into the Gospel that govern in his name. He also ensured that their min- he did not give to the crowds (see Mt 11:1; Mk 4:34) istry would not die with them through his gift to the and gave them the power to forgive sins (see Jn Church of Holy Orders which could be conferred 20:22-23). When he commanded, “Do this in remem- on the apostles’ successors and their successors af- brance of me” (Lk 22:19), he gave them the power to ter them and so forth forming one unbroken chain re-enact the Last Supper and turn bread and wine of succession up to our present pope and bishops. into his Body and Blood. He gave them the pow- An example of this is found in St. Paul’s granting of er to govern when he said, his own authority to his dis- speaking to Peter directly “This power to teach ciples Sts. Timothy and Ti- and the rest of the apostles tus (see the First and Sec- united under him, “I will give authoritatively in the name of ond Letters to Timothy and you the keys of the Kingdom of Christ refers to the teaching the Letter to Titus). In the Heaven, and whatever you bind Second Letter to Timothy, on earth shall be bound in Heav- office of the Church.” St. Paul instructs the young

The Association for Catechumenal Ministry (ACM) grants the original purchaser (parish, local parochial institution, or individual) permission to reproduce this handout. USA ES, bishop thus: “Follow the pattern of the VIC keys given first to Peter and then ER Y S AR IT sound words which you have heard IL passed on to future popes M E H T R from me, in the faith and love O and bishops. This respect F E S E which are in Christ Jesus; C should be as sons and IO D H guard the truth that has C daughters toward our R A E H been entrusted to you T Mother the Church,

F O Y by the Holy Spir- S a true filial spirit E T R it who dwells within U that joyfully re- O us” (2 Tm 1:13- C ceives the riches 14). Later in the of its teaching, same letter, St. as well as the Paul prophesies spiritual food that “the time is of the Scrip- coming when peo- tures and the ple will not endure Eucharist. sound teaching, The Church is but having itching Mater et Magis- ears they will accu- tra (“Mother and mulate for themselves Teacher”). One teachers to suit their cannot claim to be own likings, and will a Catholic and reject A turn away from listening r A either the Church’s ch S b U to the truth” (2 Tm 4:3-4). ish es, Motherhood or its teach- op vic Ed er Only the Church, however, win ry S ing authority. O’ lita is authorized to proclaim sound Brien e Mi In a more solemn but much of the Archdiocese for th teaching that is the truth. less frequent manner, the pope or This power to teach authoritatively in the bishops gathered in council can exercise the name of Christ refers to the teaching office of the authority of the Magisterium in an extraordinary Church, called the Magisterium. In addition to the way, either when the pope issues definitive ex cathe- duty of the Church to transmit those saving truths dra statements, as Pope Pius IX did when he pro- of God’s Revelation, it claims as a matter of right, mulgated the dogma of the Immaculate Concep- entrusted to it by Christ himself, the authority to an- tion (1854) or Pope Pius XII did with the dogma of nounce moral principles and to make judgments on the Assumption (1950), or when the body of bish- human affairs when these judgments are necessary to ops, together with the pope, promulgate definitive safeguard the fundamental rights of the human per- teachings at an ecumenical Church council. All of son or to ensure the salvation of souls. This authority these extraordinary occasions produce documents extends to teaching and in- that, because of their de- terpretation of the natural finitive manner, are infal- law, since observance of “One cannot claim to be a lible and must be assented the natural law, as well as Catholic and reject either the to in faith. of revealed law, is neces- It needs to be under- sary to salvation. The of- Church’s Motherhood or its scored that the authority of fice of the Magisterium is the Magisterium is for the exercised ordinarily when teaching authority.” good of the Church and its a pope or bishop issues a function is to preserve and letter or gives public teaching to instruct and help guard the deposit of Revelation entrusted to her by guide the faithful in matters of faith and morals. Christ. The Magisterium serves the Word of God by Such pastoral help, whether from a pope, a sin- guarding it from errors and authentically interpret- gle bishop, or bishops in council, while not infalli- ing it for the Church’s faithful. In this way, it also ble teachings, must still be accepted by the faithful serves the People of God and helps guide them into at the level of religious assent as a sign of obedience the splendor of truth. to Christ’s Church and respect for the power of the (CCC 93-95, 888-892, 2032-2033, 2036, 2040)

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