The Church, like Christ himself who inhabits it, is shrouded in mystery. It is a human institution, but with a divine life coursing through it. It is deeply engaged in time and place, but in its essence it transcends all times and places. It is governed by fallen humans, but Christ ultimately rules its fortunes and leads it to its fulfillment. Peter’s place in the Church participates in all of its mysteries, in its human character and in its divine life.
