Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it.
And to thee I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind
upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven.
And whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.
And so our Lord promises Peter primacy over the whole church.
Primacy meaning he has the primacy of jurisdiction, of governance.
That he has supreme authority over the whole church.
And this promise was fulfilled after our Lord's resurrection, when he then confers on Peter
this authority by saying, feed my lambs, feed my sheep.
We can also gather from this passage of the gospel that our Lord has established only
one church.
And not many churches.
And he said, I will build my church.
Jesus did not say, I will build my churches.
But just one church.
And also that this church will last until the end of time.
Because he builds it upon the rock, a solid foundation.
And the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
Therefore, we can deduce that.
The primacy of Peter will also last until the end of time.
And this authority will be passed on to his successors, who are the bishops of Rome.
And to bear various titles, the Pope, which means father.
The visible head of the church militant, the vicar of Christ.
These all refer to the successors of St. Peter.
And so we can also see how it is always necessary for the Christian faithful everywhere
to be in agreement with the church of Rome.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
ienen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.