In this letter I will be sharing with you about the person Catholics call "The Pope," and the church's gift of infallibility which is expressed by the bishops' teaching in union with the Pope or by the Pope alone. The Pope has other titles like "Holy Father," "Universal Shepherd," "Vicar (representative) of Christ." When signing official papal letters and documents the Pope uses the title "Servant of the Servants of God," a title taken from the Scriptures. Catholics regard the Pope as the visible head of the church. Christ is the invisible head of the church.

The Pope lives in Vatican City, Rome, an independent state which has diplomatic relations with about one hundred and twenty countries. He is elected for life by the church's Cardinals (topranking bishops). He begins his day with personal prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist. He meets daily with church and state officials from all over the world. Also, daily he has audiences with large and small groups of the faithful who come from all over to catch a glimpse of the Pope and receive his blessing.

The title "Pope" means "papa," It was a title of respect for pastors and elders in the early church. Gradually the title came to be used solely to refer to the Bishop of Rome. "Papacy" and "Petrine Ministry" (Petrine is a derivative of Peter) are the terms used to refer to the office of the Pope. The papacy is probably the most distinctive feature of Catholicism. Catholicism is the only branch of Christianity that has a leader who regards himself as the successor to St. Peter. This line of succession from our present Pope back to St. Peter connects our church to Jesus, his Apostles and to the early church.

The Papacy: A Divine and Human Institution

Non-Catholics see the papacy as a merely human institution that developed down through the ages and not intended by Christ. Catholics, on the other hand, look upon the papacy as a divine and human institution intended by Christ. We see the papacy as an essential part of the church's makeup.

The Leadership Role of Peter In The New Testament

It is quite obvious from the Gospels that Jesus gave Peter a special place among the twelve Apostles. One anti-papal writer has said the "unwarranted power" of the Pope began in the New Testament itself (see Believing in Jews, p. 89) When Catholics speak about the special leadership role of Peter among the Apostles, they refer especially to three texts: Matthew 16:17-19, Luke 22:31-3 and John 21:15-17.

In Matthew 16:17-19, Jesus said to Peter alone after he had professed faith in him as the Messiah "Blest are you Simon, son of John. . . I for my part declare to you, you are 'Rock; and on this rock I will build my church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it. I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you declare bound on earth shall be bound in heaven; whatever you declare loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The words, "the jaws of death shall not prevail against it," are a reference to the "endurability" of the church against the forces of evil and corruption The phrase, "conferring of keys," is an ancient Jewish metaphor indicating the bestowal of authority. Peter's power to "bind" and "loose" gives him authority to decide what actions are permissible and not permissible according to the message of Christ. It also gives him the power to exclude and receive people into the community (see Matthew 18:18 for more on this).

In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus assures Peter that he will protect him from Satan and that through the prayer of Jesus he will affirm the faith of others.

Finally, in a post-Resurrection incident John 21: 15-17), Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him (remember Peter had denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62). After he affirms Peter's faith in him, Jesus tells Peter, "Feed my lambs," and "Feed my sheep." In these words Jesus authorizes Peter to nourish the New Israel, the church, with the food of truth.

As we read through the Acts of the Apostles (sometimes called the first history book of the church), we quickly notice how Peter was clearly the leader of the early Christian community. He is the one who searches for a replacement for Judas (1: 15-26). On Pentecost day, he speaks on behalf of the other Apostles (2:14-41). It was through Peter that God revealed to the early church his desire to have the Gentiles included in the new community he was forming (10:1-48). For other references to Peter's leadership role see Acts 3: 12, 4:8 and 5:8-16.

The Successors Of St. Peter

Most, if not all, non-Catholic churches agree that Jesus conferred on Peter a special leadership role so that he could guide the church and maintain its unity of belief. But they do not accept the Catholic claim that Jesus intended Peter's successors to have the same leadership role, power and authority. In other words they say that there is nothing in Scripture to substantiate the Catholic claim of papal primacy for the successors of Peter.

What our church does believe and teach is that Christ intended that the special leadership role which he bestowed on Peter would be passed on to the successors of Peter. We believe that the Holy Spirit was guiding the historical development in which the Bishop of Rome was gradually recognized as the Universal Shepherd of the whole Christian world.

As Catholics we reason that if Christ decided that the Apostles and the early church needed one person to be her leader and head, then surely the church that was much larger in numbers after the Apostles would need someone to be her leader and head. She would need someone who would maintain its unity, someone who would have the final say when disputes arose. Common sense and experience tell us that someone had to take the place of Peter as the leader and visible head of the church. There is ample evidence from early church documents to show that that "someone" was the Bishop of Rome and his successors (see the book, Catholic and Christian PI 88-92). Catholics do not need a verse from the Bible to prove that Christ intended the successors of St. Peter to have a leadership ministry that would hold the church together when threatened by division. Implied in Jesus' desire for his church to continue is his desire for her to have an office or ministry that would be the visible center of her unity. It is in the context that Catholics believe that the office ( Peter, now exercised by his successors, is of divine origin.

The Changing Style of Petrine Ministry

The papacy today is quite different from the papacy or Petrine Ministry which served the church during the early centuries of her development. The development of the papal office over the centuries to what it is today is a long and complex story some times involving controversy and intrigue. We certainly do not have to believe that every element of papal development and every aspect of its present expression are divinely willed. As with everything in the church's life, we need to be able to distinguish the essential from the non-essential elements. The essential or core element of the papacy is its ministry of maintaining and expressing the . unity of the church while at the same time allowing diversity in the areas of theological expression, liturgy and pastoral practice. An example of a non-essential element is the style or manner in which the Pope exercises his papal or Petrine Ministry. In former eras Popes were like monarchs or imperial rulers who exercised total control over their people. Today, the Pope calls himself Shepherd or Pastor of his flock.

Papal Infallibility

Papal Infallibility is one of the most misunderstood doctrines of the Catholic church, even among Catholics. Before we look at what Papal Infallibility is, let us first be clear about what it is not.

Infallibility is not to be confused with impecability (cannot sin) or with omniscience (knows all things). Popes can and do sin, (our present Holy Father goes to confession frequently). St. Peter cursed and swore that he did not know Jesus. Some of the Medieval Popes lived scandalous lives. Also Popes can make mistakes and poor decisions. If a Pope were writing a book on theology as a private theologian, he could err in his statements.

Even though the special gift of infallibility was present in the church down through the ages when she spoke on doctrines like the Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist or the church's power to forgive sins etc., it was not until 1870 at Vatican Council I that our church formally defined or stated the doctrine of Papal Infallibility.

It should also be noted that the Pope speaks infallibly very rarely. In fact, since 1870 the special chrism or gift of infallibility has been invoked only once. In 1950 Pope Pius XII declared infallibly that after Mary had completed her life on earth she was assumed or taken body and soul into heaven. This doctrine is called the Assumption of Mary (for more on this see my bulletin on Mary). Before the Pope made his declaration about Mary, he consulted with all the bishops of our church. When Pope Pius XII made the Assumption of Mary an "article of faith" (something that all Catholics are called to believe in), he was only expressing in a solemn and formal way a teaching that has been part of the Catholic belief system for many centuries. In other words, no Pope will ever decide to pull some new teaching out of mid-air and state that Catholics everywhere must now believe this doctrine. When the church defines a doctrine as infallibly true, she is not inventing some new article of faith. Rather, she is setting forth in explicit terms what was previously believed implicitly.

Development of Doctrine

With other Christian churches, Catholics believe that revelation ended with Christ and the last of the Apostles. But Catholics also believe that over the centuries our understanding of God's revelation of himself to us has grown and matured, just as our own self understanding grows and matures. "The church might be compared to a flower box in which many seeds- God's revelation to people- have been planted; some are now blossoming, others are partly grown, and others have only just begun to appear so the church's teachings amd are in various stages of development" (Anthony Wilhelm). As the centuries pass, the prayer and study of the church and the guidance of the Holy Spirit lead the church into an ever-greater understanding of Christ's teaching. Development of doctrine "is growth from partial to fuller vision, so what was believed continues to be believed, though its depths and consequences are more and more fully realized" (The Teaching Christ, p. 218). The church's infallibility and Mary's Assumption have been part of the Catholic belief system for centuries. Over the years the church understanding of these doctrines grew and developed. Then at a particular moment in history the church was led to declare these beliefs to be infallibly true.

The Magisterium

The Magisterium, from the Latin word magistre (teacher), is the name we give to the official teaching office of our church. It is the place where the buck stops when it comes to matters of doctrine, morals and church discipline. The Magisterium ordinarily consists of the Pope and the bishops of our church.

What the compass is to the sailor tossed about in a ship by stormy winds in the dark of night, the church's Magisterium is to Catholics searching for truth and guidance in a world where there is so much confusion and error.

A Church That Is Consultative But Not Democratic

Until quite recently the Catholic church was very authoritarian, and she still is to some extent. In the not too distant past, every Pope, bishop and pastor was king of his territory. They called all the shots and no one questioned their decisions. Today, we are witnessing a long overdue change in the decision making process. Church leadership today is much more consultative. Popes consult with bishops, bishops with pastors and pastors with parish councils. While our church is much more consultative than in the past, it is not democratic. Advisory councils are what their names suggest; namely, advisory. They are not decision-making bodies. The final say always rests with a particular Pope, bishop or pastor.

At this time in our history, we, as a church, are trying to find the fine line between a very authoritarian system of government, where all authority resides in the few, and a system where the pastor or leader is held captive by a Council of Elders. In the former system, a pastor can be totally ineffective and the people are powerless to do anything to remedy the situation. In the latter system, a pastor may have to be overly-concerned about pleasing a Council of Elders who has the power to fire him. Obviously, neither situation is desirable. More desirable is a system where the person in the leadership role has the necessary power to lead and change things, if need be, and yet be accountable to the people he leads.

Some Other Church Structures

The following are the main structures of our church and the titles of some of the people associated with a particular structure or office:

Parish is a specific geographical territory which serves the spiritual needs of Catholics within its boundaries. Each parish is served and led by a pastor and a pastoral team which may include: an associate pastor, religious sister(s) or brother(s), a Deacon, Director of Religious Education, Director of Liturgy and Music, a Parish Administrator, Pastoral Ministers serving the youth, the sick and elderly and the poor, and a supporting secretarial staff. Each parish has many volunteers who perform many services to people within the parish boundaries. The Pastoral Council is a representative group of lay men and women whom the pastor consults with on matters affecting parish life. Priests in a parish normally live in a house called a Rectory. In some parishes the priests' living quarters and the parish offices are in the same building. Sisters usually live in a Convent and Monks live in a Monastery.

Diocese is a geographical unit containing many parishes; e. g., the Diocese of Orlando has about 60 parishes serving the spiritual needs of Catholics in Central Florida. Each diocese is led by a bishop. In large dioceses, a bishop has some auxiliary bishops to help him. The bishop's office and the various departments of a diocese are located in what is called The Chancery.

The main church in a diocese is called a Cathedral (cathedra = chair). Each cathedral has a chair called the Bishops Chair. Some cathedrals are Basilicas. A Basilica is a church which receives special recognition because of its historical importance (e.g., St. Augustine Basilica in St. Augustine, Florida) or architectural beauty. The best known Basilica in the Catholic Church is St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Archdiocese is the principal diocese of a particular region or province; e. g., the principal diocese of Florida is the Archdiocese of Miami. The bishop in an archdiocese is called an Archbishop. The archbishop in a very large or ancient diocese in a particular country sometimes receives the honorary title( Cardinal. Cardinals are sometimes called "Prince of the church." The Cardinals under the age of 80 elect Popes.

National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB is the name given to the national offices of the Catholic church in a particular country. In America, this office is located in Washington, D. C

Papal Nuncio is the title given to the bishop who is the Pope's personal representative in a country.

Vatican City is an 108-acre plot of land in Rome Italy. It is an independent state with the Pope as it temporal leader. When the Pope travels to a country he comes not only as the spiritual leader of Catholics, but also as the Head of the State of Vatican City. Vatican City is the official residence of the Pope and the headquarters of the Catholic church. Holy See is a term sometimes used to refer to the church's headquarters in Rome.

The Curia is the name for the central governing body of the Catholic church. It is charged with preserving the doctrine of our church and manages the day-to-day work of the Vatican. The Curia includes the Diplomatic Arm of the church.

Swiss Guards is the name given to those charged with the personal safety of the Pope. Their uniforms were designed by Michelangelo over 400 years ago

Further reading suggestions: Catholic & Christian, Al Schreck, Servant Books, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

© Fr. Eamon Tobin