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   Jesus often spoke against the "stiff-necked"  --  One must be open minded to new
   concepts or understandings of truth. This means that one must not be controlled by
   preconceived ideas or prior indoctrination. Within one's ability one must be open to
   examining what is being said for the validity of its content.

The Roman Catholic Church:

1. is a hierarchically organized religion.
2. is headed by God the Father.
3. was developed by His son Jesus.
4. operates under the authority (control) of the Holy Spirit.
5. has a level of authoritative, non-reversible doctrinal teachings concerning faith and morals that are protected by the power and superb wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
6. operates under the temporal leadership of Jesus' vicar on earth (in creation) who has distinguishable levels of authority as follows:
   a.     The "Chair of Peter" (Rock: Jn. 1:42; Mt. 16:17-19; Jn. 21:15-17; Acts 1:15; 2:14; 3:6; 4:3,8; 9:40; 11:15-17; Gal 1:18-19) is under the full control of the Holy Spirit and is concerned with the declaration of universal doctrine --teachings that affect and are obligatory upon the entire Church-- in relationship to faith and morals. (Note: Disciplinary commands of God are included within the concept of faith and morals.) The Office of Peter is the legal position held by a pope.
   • Even within dogmatic councils of the Church a distinction must be made between doctrinal decrees and disciplinary decrees. Doctrinal decrees cannot be altered whereas disciplinary decrees are subject to future formal papal decrees. Disciplinary statements within doctrinal decrees are also subject to possible future revision. All disciplinary decrees, while in force, are binding unless it can be clearly shown that they are in contradiction to dogmatic teachings. [1Cor. 9:5; 1Tim. 3:2,12; Lv. 21:13f]

   b.     The person of the pope, or highest temporal father (authority) figure, has responsibility for the daily affairs of the Church, including the formation of disciplinary decrees of the Church (in some cases these can be rewritten or reversed) and with the direct discipline of its members. Note: This segment of authority --guided, at least in part, by the Holy Spirit-- is controlled by a fallible human being who can, and at times does, sin (some popes have been known to daily make a sacramental confession - Jn. 20:22f [not necessarily because of recent sin, but to receive holiness, and, for its value in regard to spiritual growth through humility and counseling -- a quality confessor has great value]).
           As with any temporal position, the person occupying it can be truly evil. He can be little more than a politician or diplomat --filled with lust, greed, and other vices-- who functions with his own agenda. In effect he can be an ally of Satan and have Satan’s polished popularizing qualities of deceit and subversion, or, he can be Satan’s dupe.
           A pope who is clearly in error should be admonished. A legal procedure (canonical) could and perhaps should be established to discipline and possibly replace an intractable pope when it can be clearly and publicly established that he is incompetent or is in heresy. (Bishops, priests, and laity would all have accountability and degrees of responsibility in this regard.)

7. has universal binding teachings --when authenticated by a reining pope-- that on matters of faith and morals are unchangeable doctrine. These teachings, when signed or equivalently presented and legally published, are at the highest level and are considered infallible through the controlling power of the Holy Spirit*  who has never allowed a moral pope to be in error in such declarations. No true Church teaching --one having the character of infallibility-- has ever been reversed or diminished.
           These non-reversible and non-diminishable teachings can however be further explained or expanded. The Chair of Peter is understood to be the final authority in regard to all true doctrine. (Opponents within and outside of the Catholic Church have generally failed to recognize the difference between authenticated doctrine and other teachings, that is, teachings that have been misrepresented and understood as doctrine. Such teachings have never been more than commonly accepted personal opinions --including statements issued by the person filling the office of pope-- that have been in error, even at times for many centuries. Erroneous and even heretical opinions represented as teachings are commonly fanciful and appealing to the unwary, especially to women to whom men listen - Gn. 3:17. [What women promote, or may have been promoted by women, should always be examined by men concerning acceptability in relationship to the will of God.])
           Highest level teachings, ordinarily referred to as infallible teachings, include Sacred Scripture (in regard to matters of faith and morals), authenticated teachings of ecumenical councils, and other formal universal papal teachings on faith and morals. It should be understood that only the moral Chair of Peter can approve of or make final determination in regard to development and clarification of universal presentations. This commonly is done only after a substantial period of reflection following disputation among qualified theologians.
8. has lower levels of teachings that are to be accepted in sequentially declining levels of authority as presented in an earlier document.**  In actuality these are authoritative levels of opinion which are binding unless soundly refuted. Opinions, at any level, can be challenged when in disagreement with a higher level of teaching. They can also licitly be opposed when it can be clearly established, through sound reasoning, that there is a better or fuller understanding available concerning a primary source of teaching. In this latter case caution is always to be observed. One's soul is in jeopardy when one holds to self-serving presentations. (Every pastor should have the canonical obligation to educate qualified men concerning the composition and content of authentic teachings. Qualified men should have knowledge of and have all levels of Church teachings available to them. Pastors failing in this regard should be removed from office. Pastors have the moral obligation to answer reasonable questions presented to them and to quote from authenticated copies or translations of the original scripts of authoritative doctrinal sources. Doctrinal source documents should always be easily obtainable.)
9. has priests ordained by the successors of those ordained at the "Last Supper" who have --within their own areas of competence and jurisdiction, in consideration of natural limitations-- legal sacramental powers (at times misused) according to rank, and also have other real but fallible authority. It should always be understood that God’s will and authority are primary. Priests of all levels have human fallibility and should be prudently challenged when thought to be in error. No one should be subjected to or accept a patronizing attitude from any level of the priesthood.
10. acknowledges and accepts the authoritative position of natural fathers and of civil authorities. Such authority is to be exercised in a just manner, that is, not oppressive to natural law rights of moral individuals or groups. Just authority serves the common good when it does not depreciate natural rights. It should always be understood that no one has authority to subvert the will of God, including husbands to whom wives are ordinarily to be submissive.

NOTATION: Competent men of age, trained -- formal education is not required for one to obtain knowledge and wisdom with the charism of good common sense [Acts 4:13] -- in the authentic teachings and discipline of the Church should understand that they have a moral obligation to admonish those who are in error, regardless of the dignity or level of office held.

        Qualified men at the local level should also be a recognized and accountable factor in the temporal affairs of the local diocese, its parishes, and in Church affiliated institutions. They should have authority to review finances and to approve of all major temporal transactions. This authority should not readily be able to be overridden. It should be understood that some bishops and priests are financially and logistically incompetent.

        Morally qualified noteworthy men of the local Church community, formed into jurisdictional boards, should have specialized authority to hear appeals for truth and justice. They should have a systematic canonical process available to them for recourse against problems with, and errors of local bishops and pastors. When requested, recourse hearings should be open to Church members and be publicized in advance. A reasonable canonical appeals system should be available. (Law should be used only as a guide. Truth and justice should be primary with mercy placed in proper perspective.)

        It is strongly believed that if the above, or a similar systematic, had been available in past centuries, much of the dissembling which has taken place within Christianity would not have occurred. The purpose of this presentation is to aid in the return of unity to Christianity (Jn. 17:11,22). It is recognized that the greater the number of divisions existing within Christianity, the less is the capacity available to deal with evil in the world – a requirement for all.

To assist with the acceptance of proper understanding of authority within the Church the following suggestions are purposed:

1. Titles that can be considered to be little or nothing more than presumptuous should be dropped from usage within the Catholic Church. This would included such titles as: Holiness, Beatitude, Eminence, Excellency, and the various usages of Reverend. I have heard from the mouths of many clerics stories and references that are anything but reverend or holy, or have any degree of eminencey or excellency of spiritual values. Unwarranted admiration or unwarranted respect for men at the various levels of priesthood should be seen as false and counterproductive. Priesthood, in unity with the Chair of Peter and under the just authority of the papal office, should always be respected for its power obtained through and for its association with the High Priesthood of Jesus. It should however be clearly understood that many priests are not personally due any degree of respect.

2. Ranks within the priesthood should have direct significance. Honorary titles / references should be dropped from usage. In the priesthood true servants of God are men of humility. Only active ranks of priesthood and religious life should be used, unless on occasion the term "former" has instructive value.

3. It should be recognized that to some degree the Church has been infiltrated by:   Atheistic Communists  -  Marxists  -  Masons  -  Pedophiles  -  Sodomites  -  Pro-abortionists  -  Socialists  -  and other subversive groups as well as other antagonistic religious and foreign government agents. The percentage could range to as high as 50%. If clerics are included who are opposed to doctrines of the Church --such as teachings against abortion and birth control, or teachings on transubstantiation (Jn. 1:14; 3:6; 6:51ff) and other doctrines of Sacred Scripture, the Council of Trent, and the 1st Vatican Council-- the actual percentage would be much higher.

        The above, as much as for any other reason, is why qualified laity should be available and willing to challenge priests of all ranks as well as members of religious communities. It is also a major reason why financial boards, with authority, should exist that have not been appointed by the buddy system or as the result of simple election. Only proven qualified men of faith who have been duly investigated --banns for candidacy should be announced according to prescribed standards-- and are agreeable to further investigation should be considered as candidates for voting board memberships. Advice can be sought from others according to qualifications.

*     Example: In 1981 Pope John Paul II was shot. During his period of recovery he reflected on and then later he definitively revised a previously completed but unpublished encyclical. Reference his Third Encyclical, "On Human Work," dated September 14, 1981. Note the second to last paragraph:

Father David C. Trosch
14 August 1997 - Vigil of the Assumption
Revised:  20 August 1997 – Memorial of St. Bernard
Section 6 revised on 14 September 1999, The Triumph of the Cross
Revised:  17 January 2002 – Memorial of St. Anthony Abbot

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