Vicar of Christ

"The pope, in his weakness, is living more than ever the role assigned to him of being the Vicar of Christ on earth, participating in the suffering of our Redeemer.

"Many times we have the idea that the head of the church is like a super-manager of a great international company, a man of action who makes decisions and is judged on the basis of his effectiveness. But for believers the most effective action, the mystery of salvation, happens when Christ is on the cross and can't do or decide anything other than to accept the will of the Father."

Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris
Quoted by John L. Allen, Jr., National Catholic Reporter 8/20/2004