"One of the doctrines most distinctive to the Catholic Church is surely the primacy of the pope as the successor of Peter—a primacy that the First Vatican Council set forth in clear, uncompromising language. Because Catholics cherish this doctrine, we should not be content to keep it to ourselves. The successor of Peter, we believe, is intended by Christ to be the visible head of all Christians. Without accepting his ministry, Christians will never attain the kind of universal concord that God wills the Church to have as a sign and sacrament of unity. They will inevitably fall into conflict with one another regarding doctrine, discipline, and ways of worship. No church can simply institute for itself an office that has authority to pronounce finally on disputed doctrines. If it exists at all, this office must have been instituted by Christ and must enjoy the assistance of the Holy Spirit. The Petrine office is a precious gift that the Lord has given us not only for our own consolation but as something to be held in trust for the entire oikoumene." - Avery Cardinal Dulles in "Saving Ecumenism from Itself"
Of course, as I have said before, it is not possible to truly boil down my "conversion" process in becoming Catholic to one single point ... But this point by Avery Cardinal Dulles is about as close as it can come. Without accepting the Pope as Christ's intended visible representative to be head of all the Church, Christians will continue inevitably to find disunity and conflict with one another regarding doctrine, discipline, and ways of worship.
Stetson-tip: Matt Yonke at his blog, Homesick No More
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