MAGISTERIUM as a Source of Moral Decision

In the Church is the Source. The Church now speaks of Sensus Fidelium (the sense of the faithful
people of God) that the Spirit of the Risen Christ continues to work in the people of God, moved in
pilgrimage towards the KG. One image of the Church is that we are a pilgrim people of God, that
we are still moving towards perfection. There is this nuance of the Kingdom: we are and we are not
and is applied in the life of the Church. But we are sure of this that the Spirit of the Risen Christ
continues to be present in the life of the Church. When? Sensus Fidelium, in the teaching of the
Church, in the worship of the Church and in the acts of service. Thus there are 3 areas: Docens (the
teaching Church), Liturgia, Diakonia.
Sensus Fidelium- here is the Magisterium, the official teaching authority of the Church in
terms of the Pope and the Bishops. The Magisterium has 2 kinds of teaching: (1) extraordinary
infallible ex cathedra teaching that calls for faith assent which means it becomes a dogma. Example,
there are Dogmas proclaimed by the Church namely Papal Infalliblity, the Dogma of the I.C. [in
private revelation, the dogma was confirmed that it was of Divine intervention], Assumption. (2)
Ordinary non-infallible authentic teaching that calls for religious submission of mind and will (LG 25).
Here, possibility and not always of dissent- there is a criteria of dissent in Gul chap 14.
[When the Church speaks through the Pope all Catholics by virtue of membership should listen to the
teachings of the Pope and is responsible to appropriate it in his or her life. Understanding- kaya sinasabing
submission of mind (cognitive) and will (volition).]