THE POPE: Christ on Earth
1. What do we believe about the Pope?
We call the Pope “Father”, because the Pope represents God as our Father, who loves us, who made us, and who sent his Son to die on the cross for us. The Pope represents God our Father in a special way, because like a good parent he guards the truth of the revelation which Jesus Christ handed on to his apostles, the chief of whom was Simon whom Jesus called in his own language Cephas, meaning “Rock”. We believe that the present Pope is the successor of Peter. (CATEW FAQ)
2. What is the biblical and historical basis for calling the Pope “Vicar of Christ” and “successor of Peter”?
Jesus told Peter: “I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Mt16:17-19) “The keys of the kingdom” refer to the power of a prime minister of the King and chief teacher (Is 22:22). Jesus also told Peter alone “Feed my sheep, feed my lambs.” (Jn 21:15-17) It was upon Simon Peter alone that Jesus bestowed the jurisdiction of chief pastor and ruler over all his fold. (Pastor aeternus) Jesus gave Peter a unique position of preeminence among the apostles. This made him the supreme authority in the early Church. Rome - the local Church that Peter led and the place of his martyrdom - became after his death the internal reference point of the young Church. Every Christian community had to agree with Rome; that was the standard for the true, complete, and unadulterated apostolic faith. (YOUCAT) The early Christians referred to Peter’s Roman Church as “presiding” (Ignatius, 1st -2 nd c.), “of superior origin” and standard of “true Faith” (Irenaeus, 2nd c.), “Chair of Peter”, “the principal” (Cyprian, 2nd -3 rd c.), and “the primacy” (Augustine, 4th -5 th c.).
3. What is the Pope’s responsibility?
As successor of St. Peter and head of the college of bishops, the Pope is the source and guarantor of the Church’s unity. He has the supreme pastoral authority and the final authority in doctrinal and disciplinary decisions. As the highest pastoral and doctrinal authority, he watches over the transmission of the true faith. Unity in matters of faith and morals, which is guaranteed by the Church's Magisterium, or teaching authority, with the Pope at the head, is one reason for the remarkable resilience and influence of the Catholic Church. (YOUCAT 141) Through the Pastors of the Church, in fact: it is Jesus who guides, protects and corrects the sheep, because he loves them deeply. (Pope Benedict XVI quoted by Pope Francis)
4. What is the mission of the Catholic Church led by the Pope?
The mission of the Church is to proclaim and establish the Kingdom of God begun by Jesus Christ among all peoples. (Compendium 150) The Church's first purpose is to be the sacrament of the inner union of men with God. (CCC 775; italics in the original) In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples. (Pope Francis)
5. What are the best attitudes towards the Pope?
b. Love, obedience, affection. Your deepest love, your greatest esteem, your most heartfelt veneration, your most complete obedience and your warmest affection have also to be shown towards the Vicar of Christ on earth, towards the Pope. We Catholics should consider that after God and the most Holy Virgin, our Mother, the Holy Father comes next in the hierarchy of love and authority.
c. Know his thought and live it. Faithfulness to the Pope includes a clear and definite duty: that of knowing his thought, which he tells us in Encyclicals or other documents. We have to do our part to help all Catholics pay attention to the teaching of the Holy Father, and bring their everyday behavior into line with it.
d. Pass on his words. Welcome the Pope’s words with a religious, humble, internal and effective acceptance. And pass them on. (Replies a-d, from St. Josemaria)
Source: paref.edu.ph
