Vatican City, Jan 15, 2010 / 09:41 am
In an address to members Plenary Assembly of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at noon on Friday Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the unity he wishes to see in the Catholic Church. He expressed his hope for "full communion" with the Society of St. Pius X and the adherence of Anglicans "to the truth received from Christ."
"Unity is first and foremost the unity of faith, upheld by the sacred tradition of which Peter's Successor is the primary custodian and defender," said the Pope to the dicastery's President Cardinal Willia Joseph Levada, and the other members present.
"The Bishop of Rome," with the participation of the Congregation, must always proclaim "Dominus Iesus, Jesus is Lord," said Pope Benedict, who explained that he does this "so that the Truth that is Christ continues to shine forth in all its grandeur and resound for all men in his integrity and purity, so that there may be a single flock, gathered around a single Shepherd."
Therefore, he added, the goal of a "common witness of faith of all Christians constitutes ... the priority of the Church of all periods of history, with the purpose of guiding all men to encounter God."
"In this spirit, I trust particularly in your dicastery's commitment to overcoming the doctrinal problems that still persist in achieving the full communion of the Society of St. Pius X with the Church."
The Pope also extended words of thanks to members of the dicastery for their hard work towards the "full integration of groups and individuals of former Anglican faithful into the life of the Catholic Church.”
He added that "the faithful adherence of these groups to the truth received from Christ and presented in the Magisterium of the Church is in no way contrary to the ecumenical movement, it reveals, rather the ultimate scope that consists in reaching the full and visible communion of the disciples of the Lord."