Church and Jesus Are Inseparable, Says Pope
VATICAN CITY,
MARCH 15, 2006

(Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI has begun a new cycle of catecheses at the general audiences, dedicated to explaining the "mystery of the relationship between Jesus and the Church."

"Between Christ and the Church there is no opposition: They are inseparable, despite the sins of the people who make up the Church," the Pope told the 30,000 people gathered today for the audience in St. Peter's Square.

"Therefore, there is no way to reconcile Christ's intentions with the slogan that was fashionable a few years ago, 'Christ yes, the Church no,'" he continued.

The Holy Father based his meditation on the third chapter of the Gospel according to St. Mark in which he presented Jesus' calling of the Twelve Apostles.

"The Church," Benedict XVI explained, "was initially established when some fishermen from Galilee met Jesus; they allowed themselves to be won over by his gaze, his voice and his strong and warm invitation, 'Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" the rest