Principle #8

Continuing the last topic:

The mind and will of the Magisterium may be known in part from the frequency with which the doctrine is repeated.

This means that something said once or only a few times is, considered from this perspective, less authoritative than something said many times.  Of course, this principle cannot be used independently of other the other ways of knowing the Magisterium’s mind and will.  Those violate this principle who latch onto one document, either the newest or the oldest, depending on their disposition, and treat it as the whole of the matter.

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