Without Father Pope there could be no Church; without Mother Church there could be no salvation. A papal procession The pope was held to be Christ’s ‘vicar’ (representative) on earth, and as such, he was the channel through whom all of God’s grace flowed. He had the power to ordain bishops, who in turn could ordain priests; and together, they, the clergy, were the ones with the authority to turn on the taps of grace. Those taps were the seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, the Mass, penance,