For Catholics the Papacy is central to the unity and mission of the Church. It is not merely a human office but a divinely guided pastoral ministry rooted in Scripture and safeguarded by apostolic tradition. The New Testament reveals a special leadership entrusted to Peter, and the Catholic Church reads this as the foundation for the papal office, exercised through the successors of Peter, the bishops of Rome. Across two millennia, the papacy has helped preserve doctrine, preserve unity amid diversity, and guide the Church through crisis and growth. This catechesis explores what the papacy is, its biblical basis in NABRE, the key verses that Catholics cite, the official teaching of the Church, and how this has shaped Catholic history and apologetics. It aims to equip Catholics to explain the papacy with charity, clarity, and fidelity to Scripture and Tradition.
Por Fernando Ortiz 