Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Catholicism/Notability guide
Catholic Hierarchy
[edit]I cross-posted this in the WikiProject Catholicism Talk Page, but, I think the notability for Catholicism should have a hierarchy like the Church's. This is both to avoid false reliability (like if a Bishop teaches doctrinal errors) and to ensure factual doctrine (like if a doctrine isn't clearly expounded upon).
For example, the Magisterium - Pope, Ecumenical Councils, etc. - would be the most reliable source, including for things like whether a council was ecumenical or not and whether a Pope spoke infallibly or not and what authority encyclicals and catechisms and other writings have, since the Magisterium has levels of authority (Ordinary Magisterium, Universal Magisterium, etc.), whereby it would be easy to know if something was true or not and if something was infallible or not.
Or, take the example of alleged quotes by saints and the bad theology of dissenting theologians. Saints and theologians might be reliable, but would everything they say and do be? I think you'd need to look at them from the light of Faith, which is according to the Church's hierarchy.
Or, take the example of dissenting Catholics. Sure, they might say "But I think this heresy is right!" "But I like this apparition, even if the Church says its not real!" Opinion has nothing to do with doctrine, and in fact, it can confuse people about what the Church teaches - for example, what the Church teaches about Vassula Ryden is drowned out by dissenting opinions on Ryden.