St. Charles Borromeo and the Pope

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I was listening to an EWTN documentary on St. Charles Borromeo and it was talking about how he had heard that Pope Pius (the 4 I think) ,whom was his uncle, and the commentator said, how St. Charles was upset at the health of his “Christ on Earth”! this has thrown me off quite a bit. I can’t beleive it is as it sounds like. could someone explain this to me? How could someone who thought that the pope was christ on earth become a saint? Am I misunderstanding the statement? Please help me.
 
Montie Claunch:
I was listening to an EWTN documentary on St. Charles Borromeo and it was talking about how he had heard that Pope Pius (the 4 I think) ,whom was his uncle, and the commentator said, how St. Charles was upset at the health of his “Christ on Earth”! this has thrown me off quite a bit. I can’t beleive it is as it sounds like. could someone explain this to me? How could someone who thought that the pope was christ on earth become a saint? Am I misunderstanding the statement? Please help me.
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St. Charles was using a term that is derived from Christ telling Peter and the Apostles: “He who hears you hears me” and the charism of binding and loosing Jesus gave to them. In Latin it is called “alter Christi” which means “another Christ” or “in persona Christi” which means “in the person of Christ.”

From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
The priest offers the holy Sacrifice in persona Christi; this means more than offering "in the name of’ or “in place of” Christ. In persona means in specific sacramental identification with “the eternal High Priest”[42] who is the author and principal subject of this sacrifice of His, a sacrifice in which, in truth, nobody can take His place. Only He – only Christ – was able and is always able to be the true and effective “expiation for our sins and . . . for the sins of the whole world.”[43] Only His sacrifice – and no one else’s – was able and is able to have a “propitiatory power” before God, the Trinity, and the transcendent holiness. Awareness of this reality throws a certain light on the character and significance of the priest celebrant who, by confecting the holy Sacrifice and acting “in persona Christi,” is sacramentally (and ineffably) brought into that most profound sacredness, and made part of it, spiritually linking with it in turn all those participating in the eucharistic assembly.
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Similar expressions are found in Scripture:5Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ; (Ephesians 6:5)

22Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)

14and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. (Galatians 4:14)

Christian slaves were to be obedient and submissive to their masters as to the Lord. So, to Christian slaves, their masters were Christ on earth. Christian children are to be obedient and submissive to their parents, as to the Lord. So, to Christian children, their parents are Christ on earth. Christian wives are to be obedient and submission to their husbands, as to the Lord. So, to Christian wives, their husbands are Christ on earth. Christian lay people are to be obedient and submissive to the ordained ministers of the Church, as to the Lord. So, to Christian lay people, their ordained ministers are Christ on earth. Since the pope is the chief ordained minister of the Church, to all Christians, the pope is Christ on earth.
 
Montie:

The Pope is the Vicar of Christ. The Petrine office (Pope) is the same office Christ held when he walked on Earth. Christ appointed Peter to take his place on Earth making him prime among the apostles. Also, as the previous posters show, all the Apostles were in the person of Christ just as the Bishops and priests are today. The Pope as the successor of St. Peter has the primacy among them making him “Christ on Earth.” The term does not at all mean that he is Christ.
 
Thanks guys. That really threw me off the rails. You know us crazy converts.
We need to come up with a list of some of the more commonly misunderstood phrases such as this one and explain them. 'Cause a person like me wouldn’t now how to answer nor really what to think of such a thing.
Agian Thanks and God bless.
 
“Sweet Christ on Earth” is a title for the Pope, one that was originally used by St. Catherine of Sienna.

Search the Vatican website, many documents still use it.
 
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