Church is Not a Social Agency, Pope Says

From Catholic World News:

Vatican, Feb. 23, 2007 (CWNews.com) - “The Church is not an international organization,” Pope Benedict XVI reminded Roman clerics during a Thursday meeting at the Vatican.

The Church, the Holy Father said, “is not an executive body or an organ of power. Nor is she a social agency (although she does undertake social work), but a spiritual body.”

In an informal conversation with priests of the Rome diocese, the Pope stressed the importance of maintaining proper perspective on the spiritual mission of the Church. He encouraged the priests to focus their lives on the Eucharist ...

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