The church is an organism, not an organization.
As members of said body of Christ, it is the responsibility of each person to be the vehicle of His continuing mission here on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and gifting us individually for whatever purpose He has for us individually.
The purpose of this authority is to give the Church the ability to teach without error about the essentials of salvation:
The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into all truth.
Scripture is all that is needed to bring a person to salvation. BlueDragon posted that from your own church in post 1260. Your own Catholic church says as much.
From Die Verbum; Therefore, since everything asserted by the inspired authors or sacred writers must be held to be asserted by the Holy Spirit, it follows that the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, faithfully and without error that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings for the sake of salvation.
This same Church authority is the only thing that guarantees the accuracy and inerrancy of the Bible itself.
The Catholic church can guarantee nothing. The Holy Spirit breathed out Scripture. The Catholic church can render an opinion, can put its stamp of approval on it, but it CANNOT guarantee it. That alone belongs to God.
Catholic teaching prohibits in vitro fertilization, ...
On what basis? Its own opinion? Or on the Scripture that you claimed does not address contemporary issues?
Have you even read Dei Verbum? You may want to personally revisit your statement.
Catholic teaching prohibits in vitro fertilization, ...
On what basis? Its own opinion? Or on the Scripture that you claimed does not address contemporary issues?
Scripture ... as explained at the link I posted above.