reading and prayer for the eighth day of the novendiales

A reading from the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium, no. 23):

"This collegial union [of bishops] is apparent also in the mutual relations of the individual bishops with particular churches and with the universal Church. The Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity of the bishops and of the multitude of the faithful. The individual bishop, however, is the visible priniciple and foundation of unity in his particular church, fashioned after the model of the universal Church. In and from such individual churches there comes into being the one and only Catholic Church. For this reason each individual bishop represents his own church, but all of them together in union with the Pope represent the entire Church join in the bond of peace, love, and unity."

Prayer:

Almighty and merciful God,
eternal Shepherd of your people,
listen to our prayers
and grant that your servant, John Paul, our pope,
to whom you entrusted the care of your Church,
may enter the joy of his eternal Master,
there to receive the rich reward of his labors.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.