are necessary in the Church, for the marks
teach us its external or visible qualities, while the attributes teach
us its internal or invisible qualities. It is easier to discover the
marks than the attributes; for it is easier to see that the Church is
one than that it is infallible.

Q. 522. {122} Which are the attributes of the Church?
A. The attributes of the Church are three: authority, infallibility, and
indefectibility.

Q. 523. What is authority?
A. Authority is the power which one person has over another so as to be
able to justly exact obedience. Rulers have authority over their
subjects, parents over their children, and teachers over their scholars.

Q. 524. From whom must all persons derive whatever lawful authority they
possess?
A. All persons must derive whatever lawful authority they possess from
God Himself, from whom they receive it directly or indirectly.
Therefore, to disobey our lawful superiors is to disobey God Himself,
and hence such disobedience is always sinful.

Q. 525. {123} What do you mean by the authority of the Church?
A. By the authority of the Church I mean the right and power which the
Pope and the Bishops, as the successors of the Apostles, have to teach
and to govern the faithful.

Q. 526. {124} What do you mean by the infallibility of the Church?
A. By the infallibility of the Church I mean that the Church can not err
when it teaches a doctrine of faith or morals.

Q. 527. What do we mean by a "doctrine of faith or morals"?
A. By a doctrine of faith or morals we mean the revealed teaching that
refers to whatever we must believe and do in order to be saved.

Q. 528. How do you know that the Church can not err?
A. I know that the Church can not err because Christ promised that the
Holy Ghost would remain with it forever and save it from error. If,
therefore, the Church has erred, the Holy Ghost must have abandoned it
and Christ has failed to keep His promise, which is a thing impossible.

Q. 529. Since the Church can not err, could it ever be reformed in its
teaching of faith or morals?
A. Since the Church can not err, it could never be reformed in its
teaching of faith or morals. Those who say the Church needed reformation
in faith or morals accuse Our Lord of falsehood and deception.

Q. 530. {125} When does the Church teach infallibly?
A. The Church teaches infallibly when it speaks through the Pope and
Bishops united in general council, or through the Pope alone when he