THE POPE
132. The Pope is the Supreme Pontiff of Rome, successor of St. Peter and Vicar of Christ on earth, whom we are all obliged to obey and follow in his teaching.
The Catholic Church is the true Church of Jesus Christ, because in it is the Pope.
The Pope is the Roman Pontiff, successor of St. Peter, Vicar of Christ on Earth.
Jesus Christ said to St. Peter:
“You are Peter, and upon this Stone I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
“And to you I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall also be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall also be loosed in heaven” (Matt. XVI, 18-19).
With these words Jesus Christ constituted Peter as the foundation and supreme head of His Church.
The Church must exist until the end of the world; therefore, Peter's prerogatives must pass to his successors until the end of the world.
The Church cannot be outside of its foundation.
The foundation of the Church is Peter and his successors.
Therefore, where Peter and his successors are, there is the Church.
TEACHING CHURCH
Our Lord Jesus Christ has given to the Pope the privilege of the Infallible Magisterium, so that he may never teach error.
134. The privilege of the Infallible Magisterium means that when the Pope teaches the Church as a teacher of the truth the doctrine of Jesus Christ, he cannot err.
The Pope and the Bishops united with him constitute the teaching Church.
The teaching Church has received from Jesus Christ the mission to teach the truths and divine laws to all men.
Only from the teaching Church do men receive full and sure knowledge of all that is necessary to know in order to live a Christian life.
The teaching Church, in teaching us the truths revealed by God, cannot err.
The Pope alone, without the Bishops, is infallible, when, as the teacher of all Christians, he defines doctrines about faith and morals.
In all other things the Pope is neither infallible nor impeccable.
The infallibility of the pope does not consist in a particular revelation, nor in a prophetic inspiration, but in a divine assistance which preserves the pope from all error when he defines revealed truths.
Without the infallible authority of the head of the Church, unity of faith and belief would have been impossible.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, each Christian would have understood the religion of Jesus Christ in his own way, and it would not be known who would be right.
We all see the differences of opinion on matters pertaining to the natural order.
Greater would be the difference of opinion in things pertaining to the supernatural order.
135. The Magisterium of the Pope is infallible by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus Christ to St. Peter, and in him to all his successors, who are the Supreme Pontiffs of Rome.
Jesus Christ assured that “the forces of hell would not prevail against the Church” because the Church was founded on Peter, that is, on the Pope. Therefore, the continued victory of the Church depends on the Pope. But it is evident that if the pope could teach error, instead of giving the Church triumph, he would give it death.
This truth, which has always been universally believed by Christians, was defined as a dogma of faith on July 18, 1870 by Pope Pius IX.
[From the messages of Our Lady of the Roses we know that the Church is being crucified but that it WILL NOT DIE.]
He who did not believe the solemn definitions of the Pope, or even if he only doubted them, would sin against the faith; and if he obstinately persisted in this unbelief, he would no longer be a Catholic but a heretic.
[Remember that the Pope can only define as dogma of faith what the Church has always believed (the whole Church and at all times) and he is infallible only when he speaks from the Chair of St. Peter].
LEGITIMATE PASTORS OF THE CHURCH
136. The bishops cooperate immediately with the Pope in the government of the Catholic Church.
The legitimate Pastors of the Church are the Pope and the bishops united to him.
The Pope is the bishop of Rome, successor of St. Peter.
The bishops are successors of the Apostles.
Jesus Christ is the principal Head or invisible head of the Church. But the Church, as a perfect and visible society, must have a visible head.
The visible head of the whole Church is the Pope, who represents Jesus Christ on earth.
The bishop, with dependence on the Pope, is the head of his diocese.
The bishop, in the care of souls, is assisted by the priests, and principally by the parish priests.
The parish priest, with dependence on the bishop, is the head of his parish.
137. The present pope is called...
138. Our bishop's name is...