Something from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
v “When Christ instituted the Twelve, ‘he constituted them in the form of a college or permanent assembly, at the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them. Just as by the Lord’s institution, St. Peter and the rest of the apostles constitute a single apostolic college, so in like fashion the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s successor, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are related with and united to one another.”
v “The Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered.”
v “The college or body of bishops has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s successor, as its head.” “As such, this college has ‘supreme and full authority over the universal Church; but this power cannot be exercised without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff.”
v “The individual bishops are the visible source and foundation of unity in their own particular Churches. As such, they ‘exercise their pastoral office over the portion of the People of God assigned to them,’ assisted by priests and deacons.”
v “Bishops, with priests as co-workers, have as their first task ‘to preach the Gospel of God to all men,’ in keeping with the Lord’s command. They are ‘heralds of faith, who draw new disciples to Christ; they are authentic teachers’ of the apostolic faith ‘endowed with the authority of Christ.”
v “In order to preserve the Church in the purity of faith handed on by the apostles, Christ who is the Truth willed to confer on her a share in his own infallibility. By a ‘supernatural sense of faith’ the People of God, under the guidance of the Church’s living Magisterium, unfailingly adheres to this faith.”
v “The pastoral ministry of the Church is aimed at seeing to it that the People of God abides in the truth that liberates. To fulfill this service, Christ endowed the Church’s shepherds with the charism of infallibility in matters of faith and morals.”
v “The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful—who confirms his brethren in the faith—he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals.”
v “To proclaim the faith and plant his reign, Christ sends his apostles and their successors. He gives them a share in his own mission. From him they receive the power to act in his name.”
Quotations and materials taken from Catechism of the Catholic Church, pp 233-235, 245