Pope Francis’ letter to the Argentine Bishops Conference, approving their implementation of the Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, as well as the Buenos Aires Pastoral Guidelines for its implementation were published recently in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, which is the official gazette of the Holy See containing all the principal decrees, encyclical letters, decisions of Roman congregations, and notices of ecclesiastical appointments. The laws contained in it are to be considered promulgated when published, and effective three months from date of issue, unless a shorter or longer time is specified in the law.
An accompanying note from the Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, states “the Supreme Pontiff decreed that the two proceeding documents be promulgated through publication on the Vatican website and in Acta Apostolicae Sedis, as authentic Magisterium.”
News of the publication sent shock waves through the corridors of neo-conservative reactionaries around the globe.
Retired Catholic Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas, Rene Henry Gracida said on his blog over the weekend, “Francis’ heterodoxy is now official.” Meanwhile, England’s internet-famed Deacon Nick Donnelly wondered on Twitter, “Has Francis deposed himself as the successor of St Peter by attempting to make the heretical interpretation of AL authentic Magisterium?”
The Pope’s actions as well as the neo-conservative reactions to the publication afford us the opportunity to revisit the issue of Papal magisterial authority and the ways it has been exercised over the course of the Church’s history.
And so, in this three-part article, I shall attempt to provide a brief overview of the weight of authority behind a teaching of the Papal Magisterium.
Papal documents and declaration invariably contain teachings in several categories of authority.
Certain Papal teachings will address matters "of the faith" (de fide). As such, these teachings require the assent of Catholics by virtue of Divine Revelation.
Examples of such de fide teachings include those which have been solemnly defined (such as the divinity of Christ, or, the Immaculate Conception of Mary), and those which, while they have not been solemnly defined, belong to the infallible ordinary Magisterium, having been taught "semper et ubique" (always and everywhere). Examples of the latter include the evil of certain sins, such as abortion or adultery, or the restriction of the priesthood to men.
But, Papal acts of authentic Magisterium in the form of documents or declarations may also contain teachings which are not de fide, but which nonetheless provide new insights and explanations which manifest the mind Church doctrine or discipline.
Such Papal teaching enjoys a presumption of correctness and deserves the reverence and submission of Catholics so that communion in matters of the faith is maintained throughout the Church, properly gathered around the principle of unity in faith founded upon the Office of Peter and his successors.
The Fathers of Vatican Council II explicitly addressed this matter in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium:
This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic Magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra; that is, it must be shown in such a way that his supreme Magisterium is acknowledged with reverence, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking. [Paragraph 25]
Among the elements mentioned by the Council for determining the mind and intention of the Pontiff is the character and nature of the document or the declaration itself.
Accordingly, Papal declarations and documents fall into certain recognized categories with levels of authority relative to each other. The following lists those categories from those with the highest weight to those with the least.
1) The Moto Proprio, a document promulgated by the Pope on his own initiative, and not in response to a request or at the initiative of others. Its legal determinations carry the full force of Papal sovereignty, though it does not abolish existing laws unless specifically stated.
2) Apostolic Constitution which are customarily acts of the Pope in matters pertaining to governance, erecting dioceses, changing their status, rules for a Papal election and the like.
3) Encyclical Letter, a circular or general letter expressing the mind of the Pope, generally related to matters of faith and morals. Encyclical Lettters may be a letter to the entire Church or to a particular Church or people.
4) Apostolic Letter, a declaration or document of lesser authority than an encyclical, concerning a doctrinal matter, a discipline, or any other act of the Papal will.
5) Apostolic Exhortation, similar to an Apostolic Letter, which to communicates to the Church the mind and will of the Supreme Pontiff based upon consideration of the recommendations of a Synod of Bishops.
6) Common Declaration, a joint statement of the Holy Father and another religious leader concerning a common understanding of some teaching.
7) Homilies, sermons or reflections of the Pope on the Scripture readings at Mass.
8) General or Private Audience Discourses on a pertinent subject, such as on medical issues to groups of doctors, world affairs to diplomats and Church teaching and procedures to curial officials.
9) Discourses, in settings outside Masses or Audiences.
10) Messages,written or spoken, often conveying a personal greeting, to individuals or groups.
Again, these are among the elements mentioned by the Fathers of Vatican Council II for determining the mind and intention of the Pontiff as communicated by declarations or documents which fall into these recognized categories of descending authority yet all of which deserve a “religious submission of mind and will” respecting the authentic Magisterium of the Roman Pontiff and acknowledging, with reverence, the judgments made by him so that they are sincerely adhered to, according to manifest mind and will of the Papal Office.
In Part Two, I will consider the character and and nature of the recent publication of Amoris Laetitia and the Buenos Aires Pastoral Guidelines as well as the declaration by the Cardinal Secretary of State to determine the extent to which these documents deserve a religious submission of mind and will and be both reverentially acknowledged and adhered to by Catholics everywhere.
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