“Obey your prelates, and be subject to them. For they watch as being to render an account of your souls; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief. For this is not expedient for you.” (Hebrews 13:17) Almighty God has placed two authorities over us, the Pope and the Bishop of our Diocese. The Church has added a third authority, that of the Pastor of our own Parish. We first of all have a duty of obedience to the Pastors of the Church, our own Pastor, our own Bishop and the Pope. To withdraw from that obedience is an act of schism. (Canon 1325: “if, finally, he refuses to be subject to the Supreme Pontiff, or to have communion with the members of the Church subject to the Pope, he is a schismatic.”)
“Saying: The scribes and the Pharisees have sitten on the chair of Moses. All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not; for they say, and do not.” (Matthew 23:2-3) As long as they sit in the chair of Moses, our duty of obedience and communion with our Pastors remains completely intact.
Saint Thomas Aquinas says: “He who approaches a sacrament, receives it from a minister of the Church, not because he is such and such a man, but because he is a minister of the Church. Consequently, as long as the latter is tolerated in the ministry, he that receives a sacrament from him, does not communicate in his sin, but communicates with the Church from. whom he has his ministry. But if the Church, by degrading, excommunicating, or suspending him, does not tolerate him in the ministry, he that receives a sacrament from him sins, because he communicates in his sin.” (III, Q64, A6 Ad2)
+ A Catholic And His Parish
+ + Who Is Our Pastor?
+ Saint John Chrysostom on Obedience to Prelates