ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
TO THE PATRIARCHS AND MAJOR ARCHBISHOPS 

Monday, 9 October 2017

Venerated and dear brothers,

I am glad to be with you, Fathers and Heads of the Oriental Catholic Churches, to share the joys and pains of the faithful entrusted to your pastoral care.

The care for all the Churches is also manifested through hierarchical communion with the Bishop of Rome, successor of Saint Peter. It is precisely being Bishop of Rome that is the foundation of the Petrine ministry, which is a service of presidency of charity and in charity (cf. Ign. Ant., Letter to the Romans, Proemio).

I am convinced that one must give impetus and value in the Church the nexus between collegiality and the Petrine primacy, to exercise a “diaconal primacy”, that of the Servus servorum Dei.

Among the tasks of Peter’s Successor, as it was for the election of the apostle Matthias (Cf. Acts 1: 15-26), there is that of ensuring good bishops for the particular Churches throughout the world. I ask you and to your Synods to collaborate in this important service by identifying men suitable for such ministry.

I leave the word to you, and will try to answer your questions.

Bulletin of The Holy See Press Office, 9 October 2017