Our Catechism

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Magisterium is a “teaching authority, of the Catholic Church”. The word is derived from Latin magisterium, which originally meant the office of a president, chief, director, superintendent, etc. (in particular, though rarely, the office of tutor or instructor of youth, tutorship, guardianship) or teaching, instruction, advice.

This authority is understood to be embodied in the episcopacy, which is the aggregation of the current bishops of the church, led by the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), who has authority over the bishops, individually and as a body, as well as over each and every Catholic directly. According to Catholic doctrine, the Magisterium is able to teach or interpret the truths of the Faith, and it does so either non-infallibly or infallibly (see chart below).

“The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.”

Teacher:	Level of Magisterium:	Degree of certitude:	Assent required:
1. Bishops Religious submission of intellect and will	Ordinary	Non-infallible	Religious submission of intellect and will
2. Pope	Ordinary	Non-infallible	Religious submission of intellect and will
3. Bishops proposing definitively, dispersed, but in unison, in union with Pope	Ordinary and universal teaching of the Church	Infallible	Full Assent of Faith
4. Bishops, in union with Pope, defining doctrine at General Council (and universal teaching of the Church)	Extraordinary and (universal teaching of the Church)	Infallible	Full Assent of Faith
5. Pope ex cathedra	Extraordinary and (universal teaching of the Church)	Infallible	Full Assent of Faith