... However, since communion with the Catholic Church, the visible head of which is the Bishop of Rome and the Successor of Peter, is not some external complement to a particular Church but rather one of its internal constitutive principles, these venerable Christian communities lack something in their condition as particular churches...Close, but not quite enough.
The Protestants, however, can just forgetaboutit:
...According to Catholic doctrine, these Communities do not enjoy apostolic succession in the sacrament of Orders, and are, therefore, deprived of a constitutive element of the Church. These ecclesial Communities which, specifically because of the absence of the sacramental priesthood, have not preserved the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic Mystery cannot, according to Catholic doctrine, be called 'Churches' in the proper sense...So, why do we need to be reminded of the exclusivity of Rome? According to the statement, it is all being done in the name of ecumenism:
...Apart from dealing with certain unacceptable ideas which have unfortunately spread around the Catholic world, it offers valuable indications for the future of ecumenical dialogue...Well, the indications are certainly valuable if your intention is to kill any possibility of dialogue.
Nothing really new here, except that this new Pope continues to attempt to undo anything that was accomplished through Vatican II.
So, remember when you enter through those pearly gates and walk past the Roman Catholic mansion to drop your voice to a whisper. It is the polite thing to do. It would be poor form to destroy the illusion that they are the only ones there.
J.
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