2.2 Paano pinamumunuan ang Simbahan?

Christ instituted an ecclesiastical hierarchy with the mission of feeding the people of God in his name and for this purpose gave it authority. The hierarchy is formed of sacred ministers,;bishops, priests, and deacons. Thanks to the sacrament of Orders, bishops and priests act in the exercise of their ministry in the name and person of Christ the Head. Deacons minister to the people of God in the diakonia (service) of word, liturgy, and charity. [CCCC 179]

After the example of the twelve Apostles who were chosen and sent out together by Christ, the unity of the Church’s hierarchy is at the service of the communion of all the faithful. Every bishop exercises his ministry as a member of the episcopal college in communion with the pope and shares with him in the care of the universal Church. Priests exercise their ministry in the presbyterate of the local Church in communion with their own bishop and under his direction. [CCCC 180]

Ecclesial ministry also has a personal character in as much as each minister, in virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, is responsible before Christ who called him personally and conferred on him his mission. [CCCC 181]

Ito ang prinsipyo ng demokrasya: Ang lahat ng kapangyarihan ay nagmumula sa mga tao. Ngunit sa → Simbahan ang lahat ng kapangyarihan ay mula kay Kristo. Kaya mayroong herarkiyang istruktura ang Simbahan. Kasabay nito, binibigyan din siya ni Kristo ng isang istrukturang pang-magkakapatid (collegial structure).

Ang herarkiyang elemento sa → Simbahan ay binubuo nito: na si Kristo mismo ang siyang kumikilos sa kanya kapag ang mga inordenahang ministro ay may ginawa at ibinigay sa pamamagitan ng biyaya ng Diyos, ng anumang hindi nila kayang gawin at ibigay, ibig sabihin, kapag sila ay nagbibigay ng mga → Sakramento bilang kahalili ni Kristo at nagtuturo sa kanyang kapangyarihan. Ang istrukturang pangmagkakapatid sa Simbahan ay binubuo nito: na ipinagkatiwala ni Kristo ang kabuuan ng pananampalataya sa isang komunidad ng labindalawang → Apostol, na ang kanilang mga kahalili ang gumagabay sa Simbahan sa pamumuo ng Santo Papa. Mahalagang nabibilang rito sa kolehiyo ang Konsilyo sa Simbahan. Ngunit sa iba ring mga komite ng Simbahan, sa mga sinodo at konseho, maaaring magbigay bunga ang pagkakaiba-iba ng mga espirituwal na kaloob at pagiging pandaigdigan ng pangkalahatang Simbahan. [Youcat 140]

The college of bishops in union with the pope, and never without him, also exercises supreme and full authority over the Church. [CCCC 183]

Since they are authentic witnesses of the apostolic faith and are invested with the authority of Christ, the bishops in union with the pope have the duty of proclaiming the Gospel faithfully and authoritatively to all. By means of a supernatural sense of faith, the people of God unfailingly adhere to the faith under the guidance of the living Magisterium of the Church. [CCCC 184]

Infallibility is exercised when the Roman Pontiff, in virtue of his office as the Supreme Pastor of the Church, or the College of Bishops, in union with the pope especially when joined together in an Ecumenical Council, proclaim by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. Infallibility is also exercised when the pope and bishops in their ordinary Magisterium are in agreement in proposing a doctrine as definitive. Every one of the faithful must adhere to such teaching with the obedience of faith. [CCCC 185]

Bishops sanctify the Church by dispensing the grace of Christ by their ministry of the word and the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, and also by their prayers, their example and their work. [CCCC 186]

Every bishop, insofar as he is a member of the college of bishops, bears collegially the care for all particular Churches and for the entire Church along with all the other bishops who are united to the pope. A bishop to whom a particular Church has been entrusted governs that Church with the authority of his own sacred power which is ordinary and immediate and exercised in the name of Christ, the Good Shepherd, in communion with the entire Church and under the guidance of the Successor of Peter. [CCCC 187]

Hindi maaaring kumilos at magturo ang mga → Obispo laban sa Santo Papa, kundi dapat kasama niya lamang. Ngunit sa malinaw na ilang mga kaso, ang Santo Papa ay maaaring magdesisyon kahit walang pagsang-ayon ng mga obispo.

Totoo na ang → Santo Papa ay nakatali sa pananampalataya ng → Simbahan sa kanyang mga desisyon. Mayroong ganoong bagay tulad ng pangkalahatang kamalayan ng pananampalataya ng Simbahan na pinagagana sa pamamagitan ng Espiritu Santo, alinsunod sa pangunahing pananalig sa mga bagay ng pananampalataya na umiiral sa buong Simbahan, sa madaling salita, ang karaniwang kahulugan ng Simbahan, ibig sabihin, "anuman ang palaging pinaniniwalaan ng lahat, sa lahat ng dako" (Vinzenz von Lérins)." [Youcat 142]