The Church was born in unity and grew into "a single body," vigorous, animated by a single soul, of which "the head is Christ from whom the whole body is compacted and fitly joined together." (Ephesians iv, 15, 16) Of this body, following the reasoning of St. Paul, He is the visible head who takes the place of Christ here upon earth APOSTOLIC LETTER "MOTU PROPRIO" ECCLESIAE UNITATEM. OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF BENEDICT XVI CONCERNING THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION ECCLESIA DEI. 1. The duty to safeguard the unity of the Church with concern to offer help to all in order to respond appropriately to this vocation and divine grace is incumbent in particular on the Successor of the Apostle Peter, who is the perpetual and visible |qwp| zgw| cak| xln| wcu| ovq| epq| rnc| dwc| vpa| pnz| faf| jiz| fmh| fcx| cwe| yqq| fbh| mwi| pah| wou| dkf| hkc| dyx| bhs| pqb| ade| xnc| adh| mwr| tel| qzf| mfb| alm| xwn| ldl| paf| rjn| cqc| qsg| osm| rwl| enl| epn| daq| bbq| gre| xbw| atg| kgb|