November 19, 2023, 12:00 PM

The answer, of course, is, we all do. At the heart of the office of the Pope is the uniting of people around a visible vicar, a representative, of Jesus Christ on earth. Groups that left the Catholic Church, severed their ties with the Pope, and formed their own denominations demonstrate this very fact by their disunity. Tens of thousands of denominations have been founded as a result of the Protestant Reformation. They claim Sola Scriptura, the Bible alone, is the source of authority and unity. However, these denominations have disagreements on many issues concerning morality, abortion, euthanasia, baptism, etc. These are very serious divisions that cannot be resolved without a proper authority. History shows that the Bible can divide as often as it unites. The Sacred Bible text needs an interpreter that all agree can authoritatively deal with differences. This is a key reason we need, and have, a Pope. In Luke 22:3 Jesus prays that Peter’s faith would not fail. Jesus prays for Peter so that Peter would unite and strengthen the Apostles. Peter, the first Pope, and his successors, represent Christ on earth. Through the grace of Jesus’ prayer, the Popes accomplish the necessary work of unifying the Church. This ministry of unity is shown in many events in the Acts of the Apostles. The Pope upholds the matters of defined doctrine by the Magisterium regarding faith and morals, rooted in Sacred Scripture and Tradition. Now you know!