Overview of The Magisterium Meaning of Magisterium From

Overview of The Magisterium

Meaning of “Magisterium” • From Latin Magister • Title conferred upon scholars • Person of authority in a given discipline

Content of the Teaching • Content and Expression of the truth • Deposit of Revelation • Not something that originates within humans

What does Teaching consist of • The Church’s Function is Indefectible • Preserve and Define the faith • Mostly Preserving • Only define when necessary to protect

Who Occupies the Magisterium • Successors of the Apostles (Bishops) • Christ gave Apostles teaching authority • Apostles passed it on to their successors

How Does the Magisterium Operate • Ordinary Magisterium • Local Bishop (Ordinary) • Extraordinary Magisterium • Collegium of bishops (Universal)

Limits on the Magisterium • Teaching authority is not limitless • Must be on the topic of Faith, Morals, and Salvation • Must be ex cathedra (Officially being said as the Bishop) • Bishops can offer ideas and opinions apart from their office as Bishop • This would not be an exercise in the Magisterium

The Curia

Rome • Roman Catholic Church world wide is 1. 1 billion people • Any institution this big needs leadership

The Vatican • Vatican City State • A Sovereign Nation • Governance • Houses the Curia (Governing Organ) of the Roman Catholic Church

The Curia • Secretary of State • 9 Congregations • Tribunals

Secretary of State • Handles Foreign Relations • Since Vatican is its own country, has diplomatic relations with other countries

Congregations of the Curia • Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith • Congregation of Oriental Churches • Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments • Congregation for the Causes of Saints • Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples • Congregation for the Clergy • Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic life • Congregation for Catholic Education (Institutes of Study) • Congregation for Bishops