Pope
Francis held his weekly General Audience on Wednesday in St Peter’s
Square. His catechetical remarks focused on the Church’s Apostolic
character and nature: through the chain of leadership from Peter and the
12 that has remained unbroken down to the present day and that shall
remain unbroken until the end of time; through the Church’s care for and
transmission of the whole teaching of Christ; through the Church’s
accomplishment in history of the mission of teaching and baptizing all
nations, with which Christ entrusted the Apostles and their successors.
Below, please fin the English-language summary, which was read after the
Holy Father delivered his main catechesis in Italian.
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Dear
Brothers and Sisters: In the Creed, we profess in faith that the Church
is “Apostolic”. We can understand this in three ways. First, the
Church is apostolic because Jesus founded her upon the Apostles whom he
chose and sent forth to continue his work; thus Saint Paul compares the
Church to a temple which has the Apostles as its foundation and Christ
as its cornerstone (Eph 2:19-20).
The Church is also apostolic because
she preserves and hands down the fullness of Christ’s teaching and the
means of salvation which he instituted. Finally the Church is apostolic
because she accomplishes in history the mission which Christ entrusted
to the Apostles: making disciples of all nations, baptizing them and
teaching them his commands (cf. Mt 28:19-20).
May we come to appreciate
and love the Church as the place where we encounter the Risen Lord, who
sends us forth as his missionaries, inviting all whom we meet to know
the truth of the Gospel, the joy of faith and the promise of eternal
life proclaimed by the Apostles.
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I
cordially greet all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today’s
Audience, including those from England, Scotland, Denmark, Norway,
Israel, Ghana, Nigeria, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Trinidad and
Tobago, Canada and the United States.
My particular greeting goes to
the delegation from the NATO Defense College and the pilgrims from
Norway.
Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke God’s blessings of
joy and peace!