[Elsie]

Ratzinger (as Archbishop) taught that “Over the pope as the expression of the binding claim of ecclesiastical authority there still stands one’s own conscience, which must be obeyed before all else, if necessary even against the requirement of ecclesiastical authority.

And there seems to be a LOT of folks in OUR government that are all atwitter (word choice intended) over the FACT that Donald Trump has the legal authority to launch atomic weapons.

[circlecity]

"Ratzinger (as Archbishop) taught that “Over the pope as the expression of the binding claim of ecclesiastical authority there still stands one’s own conscience, which must be obeyed before all else, if necessary even against the requirement of ecclesiastical authority."

I note he never said the same thing about the authority of scripture. (as does Francis)