the restored wording seems over simplified it ignores the council's attribution to the college of the bishops of the same powers that it attributes also to the pope alone the pope has within the college or body of the bishops a position analogous to that which peter had within the college or body of the apostles it was to the college or body of the apostles with peter as its head that christ gave authority over the church it is the college or body of the bishops with the pope as its head that has succeeded to that authority schreck does not deny this the pope's position needs to be mentioned but the position of the bishops as a body must also be mentioned thank you for your comments do you have a reference for your position above i just want the article to be factually correct so i am using the information provided in the nihil obstat imprimatur declared source by prof alan schreck which states on page author cites lumen gentium and catechism para for the following for the roman pontiff by reason of his office as vicar of christ and as pastor of the entire church has full supreme and universal power over the whole church a power which he can always exercise unhindered that seems pretty clear to me and supports the article text in the lead describing him as the leader of the church the information about the college of bishops is discussed the section entitled teaching authority i think that info is too detailed for the lead especially since that power is confined to defining doctrine '''talk