Pope says Peter and his successors guard communion with Christ

Published: 2006-06-07

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The apostle Peter and his legitimate successors are meant to be the loving guardians of a universal, faithful communion with Christ, Pope Benedict XVI said during his June 7 general audience. The pope prayed that "the primacy of Peter, entrusted to weak human beings, may always be exercised" in fidelity to Christ's original intentions. And, he said, he hoped that by doing so the true meaning of primacy would be "ever more recognized by our brothers and sisters not yet in full communion with us." The pope, who was continuing a series of talks on St. Peter, made the remarks outside the prepared text he read to more than 40,000 people in St. Peter's Square. St. Peter and his successors "must be the caretaker of communion with Christ" and also guide people toward universal communion, he said.

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