The Catholic Church has very specific rules for the interpretation of Scripture. This view is not new, nor is it Catholic. The primary sense of Scripture is the literal sense which would require a primary reading of the multiplication of loaves and bread as actual miracles. Note the allegorical sense can also be called the typological sense, in which the OT has a type of NT character such as St. Paul calling Jesus the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45).
The senses of Scripture
115 According to an ancient tradition, one can
distinguish between two senses of Scripture: the literal and the
spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral and
anagogical senses. the profound concordance of the four senses
guarantees all its richness to the living reading of Scripture in the
Church.
116 The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of
Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound
interpretation: “All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the
literal.” [St. Thomas Aquinas, S Th I, 1, 10, ad I.]
117 The spiritual
sense. Thanks to the unity of God's plan, not only the text of
Scripture but also the realities and events about which it speaks can
be signs.
- the allegorical sense. We can acquire a more profound
understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ;
thus the crossing of the Red Sea is a sign or type of Christ's victory
and also of Christian Baptism. [Cf. I Cor 10:2.]
- the moral sense. the events reported in Scripture ought to lead us to act justly. As St. Paul says, they were written “for our
instruction”. [I Cor 10:11; cf. Heb 3:1 - 4:11.]
- the anagogical sense (Greek: anagoge, “leading”). We can view realities and events in terms of their eternal significance, leading
us toward our true homeland: thus the Church on earth is a sign of the
heavenly Jerusalem. [Cf. Rev 21:1 - 22:5.]
118 A medieval couplet
summarizes the significance of the four senses: The Letter speaks of
deeds; Allegory to faith; The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny.
[Lettera gesta docet, quid credas allegoria, moralis quid agas, quo
tendas anagogia.]
119 “It is the task of exegetes to work, according
to these rules, towards a better understanding and explanation of the
meaning of Sacred Scripture in order that their research may help the
Church to form a firmer judgement. For, of course, all that has been
said about the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject
to the judgement of the Church which exercises the divinely conferred
commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of
God.” [DV 12 # 3.] But I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the
authority of the Catholic Church already moved me. [St. Augustine,
Contra epistolam Manichaei 5, 6: PL 42, 176.]
Catechism of the Catholic Church