As you can see, the teachings of St. Paul and St. Peter as well as other New Testament writings are very high and near the top in that hierarchy, they are as good as the words of Christ Himself. The Church rejects the notion that is sometime seen in Protestant Churches that only the epistles of St. Paul are the source of doctrine.
Among lesser authority you will find that argument is possible. For example, while the authority of St. Thomas the Aquinas is exceedingly high, some aspects of his teaching are disputed. At times a Father of the Church is even prevented from canonization due to some doctrinal impediment, as Origen.
There are also inspirational works and mystical visions that are not approved by the Church but can be recommended for devotional reading. That is the meaning of "nihil obstat" designation you see on some books: this simply means what is literally says, that there is no obstacle against it.
But when I said "Church of all the saints" I did not mean that every saint is a source of doctrine, but rather that the Church is truly Catholic, that is, the body of all saints and a single mystical body of Christ, and not a group of denominations like we see in the Protestant world (1 Corinthians 1:12=13). The canonized saints are people whose lives are an example to the rest of us; it does not mean that everything they ever said is sound doctrine. And the saints are all who die in good grace, who we all have a reasonable hope of becoming. That: the living Catholics are the Church Militant because our struggle is continuing, and the saints in Heaven, canonized or not are the Church Triumphant because they have inherited the Kingdom of Heaven, and the topic of our article is the souls in Purgatory, the Church Suffering, for whom we pray till they receive their triumph in Heaven.
Thank you for your thorough answer. It proves much of what I have believed for a long time, the Catholic religious system does not limit it’s truth to teachings considered to be divinely inspired as you clearly admit.
How do you determine which of it’s doctrines are from man and which are from God?
Why would you want to?
It is much simpler being a Christian like me, one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus the Christ.
Notice I didn’t call myself a Protestant, I have nothing to protest. I am more than happy knowing my sins, past, present and future have already been forgiven by my Father in heaven after I acknowledged I was a sinner, asked forgiveness and accepted His Son’s finished work on the cross for me.
May God the Father lead us all to his truth. BVB
PS You won’t have to worry about that purgatory thingy your old religion claims might await you.