How do you verify that what they are telling you is correct?
What the church is telling me is correct as an article of my Christian faith, as the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit primarily, and I -- merely through her. The question is, how do I verify that my impression of what the Church teaches is correct.
First, any meditation on the truths of the Gospel has to be prayerful. Frequent centering prayer such as the Rosary is the foundational ingredient without which any growth in the understanding of the scripture would not be possible. Besides, I ask for assistance from saints such as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Ignatius Loyola.
Second, frequent confession and reception of the Eucharist give me necessary strength in penetrating the more mystical layers of the Faith; this is expecially important in understanding the mystical role of the Virgin in the life of the Church.
Thirdly, a reference to the Greek original and to the Fathers of the Church helps, because without it one cannot be sure the mentality brought along from our corrupt culture is not also corrupting the understanding of the Gospels. A reference to the living members of the Church militant today, who travel the same journey, is very helpful. A lot of my spiritual growth is thanks to Catholic and Orthodox Freepers on this and other similar threads. The friendly concerns from the Protestant corner, such as yours are what prompts further study, and I thank you and your fellow Protestants for that.
Lastly, there is the resource of the actual magisterium of the church: the homilies I hear, answers I get from priests, evangelists, apologists, and, of course, the Catechisis.
I am well taken care of.