During his weekly general audience, Pope Francis explained how God makes himself present in the Church. It’s through the Baptized, explained the Pope, that God acts and makes Himself present. 

Despite the limitations of the clergy and the laity, they too, said the Pope, can lead others towards God.

Summary of the Catechesis

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

“In our catechesis on the Church, we have seen that the Church is a spiritual reality, the mystical Body of Christ.  Yet we know that the Church is also a visible reality, expressed in our parishes and communities, and in her institutional structures.  

This visible reality is itself mysterious, for it embraces the countless and often hidden works of charity carried out by believers throughout the world.  To understand the relationship between the visible and the spiritual dimensions of Christ’s Body, the Church, we need to look to Jesus himself, both God and man.  Just as Christ’s humanity serves his divine mission of salvation, so too, with the eyes of faith, we can understand how the Church’s visible dimension is at the service of her deepest spiritual reality. 

 Through her sacraments and her witness to Christ in our world, the Church seeks to proclaim and bring God’s merciful love to all, particularly the poor and those in need.  Let us ask the Lord to enable us to grow in holiness and to be an ever more visible sign of his love for all mankind.”

Rome Reports