Chojnicki, Grzegorz (Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne Diecezji Warszawsko-Praskiej, 2009)
Joseph Ratzinger presents the Church as a reality existing from the very beginning in Christ’s the Saviour eternal plan. Christ does not need to found the Church, He wishes to renew the already existing Church by inviting everyone to the new Community of the People of God. Ratzinger sees the Church of Christ as a community of prayer and unity with Christ. Christ cannot be separated from His Church since He is its Head. He lives incessantly in His Church as Christ in glory. The Church of Jesus was being created during all His earthly life. Christ and the Church are intimately connected. Ratzinger points out that the Church was being prepared by Jesus from the very beginning of His mission. Although Christ’s whole earthly life is inseparable from the Church, there are some exceedingly church-forming events, such as the calling of the Twelve and of the Seventy two, Christ’s teaching on prayer, delegation of power to Peter and the Apostles, new Passover-Eucharist which presupposes Christ’s death, His Resurrection and the Sending of Holy Spirit.
