[Last Dakotan]

...nowhere in our creed do we profess a belief in the Vatican state.

"One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic..."

That's without trying

[Mrs. Don-o]

But it's true that the Vatican "state" (as distinguished from the See of Peter) is not essential to the Catholic Faith.

The Catholic Faith existed in Jerusalem and Antioch --- where Peter exercised leadership in these Apostolic communities ---before he finally arrived in Rome where he was imprisoned and martyred; the Church existed for several centuries before its administrative center/patriarchal see was called "the Vatican"; it existed during the seven papacies ---- 65 years --- when it was administered from Avignon in France; it will exist if the Vatican, and all of Italy, and all of Christ-abandoning Eurabia, were vaporized in an atomic blast.

It can be a tricky thing to disentangle, but the primacy of Peter, the Petrine ministry of "strengthening the brethren," and the Church founded on the rock of Peter, are distinguishable from the geographic/quasi-state/diplomatic entity, temporarily housing certain aspects of Church administration, and known, often confusingly, as "the Vatican."

Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia!

Ecclesia semper Reformanda!