Mary E,
The church can teach with authority -- BUT ONLY if it follows the Laws of God (Ten Commandments)  and the teachings of Jesus Christ. UNfortunately, it is so far OFF those Laws and teachings that it has violated it's mandate with Christ. 
Please recall: ...shalt NOT bear false witness (violation), shalt NOT covet (not even for money -oil or power) ...shalt not STEAL( not even for George Bush, oil or any kind of earthly/political (Constantine) power(my kingdom is NOT of this earth) ...shalt not KILL* not even for Hitler (Reichskonkordat of 1933 or Fatima, 1917) , Reagan (Iran-Contra) or Bush, Bush(oil, personal aggrandizement - war prez) or Trump.
Yes He said: whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth... BUT then ONLY within those Laws and teachings. Some half crazy pope cannot just USE human beings lives to get Comminuists out of POland. 
AS far as human frailty is concerned even the church hierarchy has admitted to that (pedophilia and the protection of same by the bishops.