THE MAGISTERIUM within the Church Catholic, what does it mean? The term refers to the teaching authority with the Body of Christ, within which Anglican Catholics are a Communion of believers. The word Magisterium derives from the Latin, Magistra,which originally meant the office of a president, chief, director or superintendent. In particular it refers to the office of instructor of youth,tutorship or guardianship. In the Catholic Church it is held by the Bench of Bishops , collectively and it is expressed at its most solemn through the deliberations and pronouncements of the Seven Ecumenical Councils . Further, for Catholics, of which we Anglicans are probably the oldest group outside Palestine..... the Bishops are considered to be guided by the help and intervention of the Holy Ghost. (A