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+ December 2008 Issue 1.11
Quo Vadis Newsletter The Church
The Necessity of the Church? ~Marcus Grodi The Hierarchical Nature of the Catholic Church ~Peter Rowe The Infallibility of the Church ~By Mary Clare Piecynski Pope Quote of the Month Catechism Quote of the Month Did you know? Book of the Month ~ Novena of the Month
Necessity of the Church? By Marcus Grodi Sometimes in discussions with non-Catholics the question arises, “Where in Scripture is the necessity of the Church?” They aren’t asking specifically about the necessity of the Roman Catholic Church, but whether Jesus intended there to be a Church through which believers receive the graces and the truth necessary to be saved. This is a good question and deserves a much longer, more thorough answer than I can give here, but let me briefly outline how I, in my own journey from Protestantism to Catholicism, became convinced that Jesus not only intended there to be a Church, but that apart from this Church we can not be certain of what is true. I need to begin, though, from where I was as a Protestant minister. Originally ordained a Congregationalist, the Scripture that most defined “church” for me was Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered in my name there I am in the midst of them.” Like many Protestants, I believed, based on this text, that any local gathering of believers is, therefore, an ecclesia, a “church,” and can freely discern, guided by the Holy Spirit dwelling within each believer, what is true. I operated under this assumption for years—before and during seminary, and on into my first year as an ordained pastor—but then I began experiencing the craziness of this assumption. As a pastor, I fought the confusion and divisions that this assumption, this misrepresentation of Scripture, produces. This institutionalized autonomy reaps nothing but chaos and never results in any form of authentic Christian unity. There, in fact, is no least common denominator that all independent, Evangelical Christians agree on. They are not all Trinitarian; they do not all agree in their theologies of Jesus; they do not all agree upon what is necessary for salvation; they do not agree even upon whether sinners need to be saved. Maybe the one thing they can agree upon is the necessity of love, but yet they can’t even agree upon what this requires. Is this confusion what Jesus promised his followers when he said: “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32)? It was the witness of an old seminary friend, Scott Hahn, who drew my attention to another verse that clarified why this understanding of “church” is absurd. 1 Tim 3:14-15, “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.” Which of these individual, autonomous, self-initiated gatherings, or even which association or denomination of these independent congregations, or even which of the remaining Churches of the Reformation, none of which can identify even one point of theology upon which they all agree, can be considered the “pillar and bulwark of truth”? Could I as a pastor claim that my independent Congregational church, or—after my ordination was switched—that my particular Presbyterian denomination, apart from all other Christian churches, was the “pillar and bulwark of truth”? As I struggled with this, I was confronted by another verse from within the same paragraph in Matthew: 18:15-17, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Could Jesus have meant that merely any gathering of 2-3 believers has the authority to decide the outcome of conflicts between individuals? If this is true, then essentially the problem would have been solved in the second step, when 2-3 had come together to confront the sinful brother. But Jesus indicated that when this wasn’t successful, they were to “tell it to the Church.” This “church,” therefore, must be something different than any mere self-initiated group of believers, no mater how small or large. And how could the existence of thousands of individual independent “churches” or separated denominations carry any kind of authority to make these kinds of decisions: the authority to separate a sinful brother from their gathering, to “let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector”? All any 2 or 3 who had been kicked out had to do was declare that they were now the true church. My discovery of the necessity of the Church grew through re-reading a very familiar verse, Matt 16:18, “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church and the powers of death will not prevail against it.” Setting aside for now the issue of Simon Peter, I recognized that Jesus intended to build His Church. Not “churches” nor the idea that “church” would be some kind of later development or dispensation. No, Jesus would build his Church, against which the powers of the evil one will never prevail. But how and when would Jesus build this Church? In Matthew 16 He states that He will build this Church upon Simon Peter; more specifically in the context of all the New Testament, He will build His Church upon His hand-chosen Apostles centered around the leadership of Simon Peter. And to ensure that this Church will have the trustworthy authority to determine what is true, Jesus promised His Apostles the Holy Spirit. We read of this in John chapters 14-16. Like the majority of Evangelical Protestants, I interpreted these verses to refer to every Christian in general, and used this to back my understanding of private interpretation. But again, once examined, this application breaks down. In John 14:15-16, Jesus promised to his Apostles on the night before He was crucified, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.” On the surface so far, this seems to support the idea I once held: that all believers know the Holy Spirit because “he dwells with you and will be with you,” and we Catholics do believe this to be true for all baptized believers. However, the following references do not make sense when applied in general to all believers: John 14:26, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 16:13, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” Either the Holy Spirit has been terribly “mixed up” over what is true, leading to such irreconcilable divisions and confusion amongst Christians, or Christians just don’t hear very well. If the latter is true, however, then how can anyone be certain that they are hearing the Holy Spirit and following correctly? It makes more sense, at least to me, that in these verses, Jesus was primarily speaking to his hand-chosen Apostles, promising that they would receive the Holy Spirit, who would then help them remember and know the fullness of the deposit of faith. I’d like to conclude this article with a quote suggested by Fr Ray Ryland, our vice president and chaplain, from John Cardinal Newman’s An Essay on the Developement of Christian Doctrine. Newman states, “the most obvious answer, then, to the question, why we yield to the authority of the Church in the questions and developments of faith, is, that some authority there must be if there is a revelation given, and other authority there is none but she. A revelation is not given, if there be no authority to decide what it is that is given.” There is, of course, much more to say, but in my journey, these and other verses helped me to see that the Church established by Jesus Christ in his hand-chosen apostles and united with the Petrine office, needs our attention and our loyalty, since it is the one trustworthy pillar and bulwark of truth, guided by the Holy Spirit.
The Hierarchical Nature of the Catholic Church By Peter Rowe
The Catholic Church is a fundamentally hierarchical organization, and it believes that this was the will of Christ for His Church[1]. This explanation of the hierarchical of the Church is going to have three aspects: 1) The Church's teaching and practice of the hierarchy 2) The Scriptural basis for this hierarchy 3) The hierarchy in the Patristics. (My source for these is the Faith of the Early Fathers by Jurgens. Numbers referring to Jurgens’ work are not pages numbers in the three-volume series.)
What is the hierarchy? Our Sunday Visitor’s Catholic Encyclopedia defines hierarchy as, “the Pope, bishops, priests and deacons.[2]
The Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, has an entire section dedicated to the hierarchy of the Church. It is this teaching I will explain, and this teaching I will defend.[3]
In order to empower the Church to accomplish its mission of bringing salvation to the world, Jesus Christ established the Catholic Church as a hierarchical institution. Christ gave the Apostles the authority to teach in His Name.[4] He also, to make the Apostles unified, placed them under the leadership of St. Peter.[5]
Christ endowed the Apostles with the authority to teach and to heal in His Name. In order to continue the mission of the Church, the Apostles appointed Bishops, or in the very early Church, presbyters (they had essentially the same role), as their successors.[6] These successors would continue the ministry of the Apostles and would be exercised in the Name of Jesus.[7] Not only did the Apostles establish bishops as their successors, but also gave the Bishops the authority and power to appoint and consecrate other Bishops in continuation of the Apostolic ministry.[8] As a result, the Catholic Church is governed by Bishops who, in an unbroken line of succession, go back to the Apostles. The Apostolic ministry and authentic teaching, the Apostolic Tradition, is taught by the Fathers to be insured by the College of Bishops who succeed the Apostles.[9] Hence, the ministry of Bishops is done in the name and power of the Apostles.
It is through the ministry of the Bishops that the Holy Spirit is given especially in Holy Orders,[10] and in the other Sacraments as well. The Episcopal College as a group continues the ministry of the Apostles.[11] However, this ministry is only made effective by the authority and guidance of the Bishop of Rome. The Bishop of Rome, the Pope, continues the ministry of St. Peter.[12] In other words, as the Episcopal College succeeds the Apostles both collectively and individually, the Pope continues the ministry and authority of St. Peter[13]. As St. Peter had full authority - the gift of the Keys, the Pope has full authority in the Church, and this cannot be hampered.[14] It is upon St. Peter that the Catholic Church was built.[15] The Bishops, in an ecumenical council, exercise full authority in the Church. But even an ecumenical council is not above the authority of the Pope.[16] An ecumenical council must be at least recognized by the Holy Father, and in modern times the Pope has prerogative convoke, preside and confirm them.
In fact, the Church teaches and believes that the strength of the Episcopate is found in the Papacy. Each Bishop governs and represents his own local Church and the entire Church may be seen as a corporate body of Churches. This is not to say that the Catholic Church is a mere conglomeration of all Churches. It means instead that the Universal Church is present in each local Church, or dioceses.[17]
There are three roles for a Bishop: teach, sanctify, and govern.[18]
The Catholic Church believes that she was established to evangelize.[19] All the good deeds of the Church throughout the world notwithstanding, it is saving souls by the proclaiming of the Gospel that the Church was created by Christ to do. Likewise, and because of this, the Bishop’s number one role is to preach the Gospel and to teach Christians.[20] Bishops then, who are in unity with the Pope, must be respected and listened too by the local flock.[21] The Pope must be listened too, in turn, not only in Dogmatically infallible proclamations[22], but also in doctrinal matters not dogmatically promulgated.[23] This comes from his authority to govern the Church.
While Bishops individually do not possess the charism of infallibility, they share in this charism by teaching in union with the Bishops throughout the world in unity with the Holy Father that some doctrine regarding faith or morals should be held definitively and absolutely.[24] This is especially manifested in an ecumenical council.[25]
As the head of the college of Bishops, but most especially as the successor of St. Peter, and in his ministry of confirming the faithful in doctrine, the Pope has the authority to doctrinally make a decision binding the entire Church in a matter of faith or morals.[26]
The authority of the Apostles’ successors also is manifested in that when they teach in accordance with the entire Church, especially the Pope, doctrines that are not dogmatically defined, but are still taught by the Church. The faithful are called to follow this teaching.[27]
The Bishop is consecrated in a High Priesthood and helps the Church to thrive by both celebrating the Mass and by delegating it to priests.[28] The Church is present in local groups of the faithful, as long as they are united to their pastors and the Holy Father, and they deserve to be called Churches. It is this local body that the Catholic Church is manifested in, and it is here that the gift of salvation by faith in Christ and unity with His Church is found. The Bishop, as head of the local Church, has authority to regulate the liturgy locally.[29]
The Bishop controls and regulates the Sacramental life of the local Church. It is he who ensures the gift of baptism available in the diocese, is the normative and original ministers of the Sacrament of Confirmation, by which the Holy Spirit is outpoured. He ordains the priests and deacons, it is their role to regulate the Sacrament of Penance.[30]
The Bishop governs his diocese.[31] He has the authority to legislate locally as well as pass judgment on the local faithful. His decisions, if they conform to faith and morals, must be obeyed. It is a misconception to view the Bishop as merely the vicar of the Pope.[32] The Church does not teach this, nor does it desire to practice this misconception. The Bishop’s authority is real. So the authority of the Pope enables the Bishop to have authority in his local diocese.[33] In other words, in order to conform to and obey the Pope, one must accept and obey the local ordinary.
From the earliest times, the threefold ministry of Bishop, Priest and Deacon has been organized as the local hierarchy.[34] We have discussed the Bishop, now let us discuss the Priesthood. The priest has a real dignity. It is his role to offer the sacrifice of the Mass. He also has the authority of the Bishop to preach the Gospel.
Each diocese has a college of priests, called a presbyterium that represents in a sense the people.[35] By the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the priest is charged with assisting the welfare of the entire local church.[36] The priest must remember that he is before all else a representative of Christ and must live in such a way that represents this.[37]
Lastly, there is the Diaconate. Deacons can preach the Gospel, baptize solemnly, be a custodian of the Eucharist, he presides over and blesses weddings, among other things. Recently, the Church reinstated the permament diaconate.[38] The permanent Diaconate is a ministry by which men, married and unmarried, serve the Church as Deacons, for the ministry, while those headed for the Priesthood are in a transitional ministry.
Hence the hierarchy is the force that guides the Church in space and time. Admittedly, the hierarchical nature of the Church is controversial. Because of the hierarchy of the Church is that of Bishop, Priest and Deacon, and only men receive these holy orders; (Pope John Paul II taught that this is the will of Christ, and his judgment in this matter definitive and irrevocable.[39]) In the Eastern Church, Orthodox and Catholic, only celibate men are chosen for the Episcopate (the office of Bishop), and as a result, the Catholic Church is essentially run entirely by celibate men. Catholics should be cognizant, in modern times this is scandalous to some. Also, in modern times Democratic government is viewed as the ideal. The Catholic Church is governed in a manner that is inconsistent with this worldview. I believe, however, that this governmental system is willed by Christ and should be accepted by all Catholics. Democracy has not helped the Protestant churches that use it. In fact, it has been at times disastrous. Remember: God's ways are not man’s ways.
The Infallibility of the Church By Mary Clare Piecynski The infallibility of the Church is often misunderstood. Sometimes people believe that because Catholics believe that the pope is infallible that means that he can predict the weather or whether the Red Sox will win the World Series. Others think that it is impossible for someone to be infallible because “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) So in this article we will examine what exactly infallibility is and is not (you might be surprised!), why we believe the Church is infallible, we will examine the Early Church Father’s view on infallibility and also see how infallibility affects us today. To begin, lets take a brief look at what infallibility is not. It is not saying that the pope is sinless or that he can say that his favorite sports team will win and they do. Infallibility is the ability to solemnly proclaim truth on faith or morals. Therefore, when the pope speaks on the doctrine of faith or morals we have to pay attention, when he speaks about his favorite team winning he’s speaking as just an ordinary human being. Infallibility is also not saying that the pope is without sin, it’s saying that he is guided by the Holy Spirit when he proclaims a truth pertaining to faith or morals. Now let’s examine what exactly infallibility is. In a nutshell, “the privilege of infallibility is not merely actual absence of error, but the impossibility of erring.”1 Why was infallibity given to the Church? In essence, “the charism of infallibility was bestowed upon the Church so that the latter so piously safeguard and confidently explain the deposit of Christian revelation, and thus could be in all ages the teacher of Christian truth and of the Christian way of life.”2 Often, people think that infallibility deals only with the pope. While the pope is given infallibility (more on that in a minute), infallibility is not given exclusively to the pope. Papal infallibility is in fact, only one of the channels of the infallibility of the Church.3 Infallibility is given to the Magisterium, the teaching office of the Catholic Church. This, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Vatican I and Vatican II states, takes several forms. Lumen Gentium 25, Vatican II’s dogmatic constitution on the Church, explains infallibility in these words: "The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. . . . The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium," above all in an Ecumenical Council. When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine "for belief as being divinely revealed," and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions "must be adhered to with the obedience of faith." This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself.
Papal infallibility was defined dogmatically at Vatican I though it had already been a Tradition of the Church. Regarding papal infallibility Vatican I proclaimed, “we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman Pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the Church, irreformable.4
Ok, you might say, I understand a little more about what infallibility is, but why does the Catholic Church believe she has the ability to make infallible statements in the first place? Essentially, we believe that “Christ who is the Truth willed to confer on her [the Church] a share of his own infallibility.”5 This is evident from Christ’s own words throughout the Gospels. In Luke 10:16 we read Christ’s words to the Apostles that “he who hears you, hears me.” Christ promises to be with the Church “always, until the end of the world” (Mt 28:20) and promises that the Holy Spirit will guide the Church into “all truth” (John 16:13). Furthermore, in 1 Tim 3:15 we see that it is the Church that is the “pillar and foundation of truth.” The Church “would not be the pillar and bulwark of truth if it could shift from the truth in even one matter.”6 Now, since Jesus is “the way, and the truth and the life” (John 14, 5) and the Church represents Christ “reason and revelation alike demand that the teacher of the divine revelation of Christ speak as He did, infallibly, that is, that by divine guidance she be ever kept free from the liability of error.”7 Also, why would God, who “wishes all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4) not give His followers an infallible means by which to know truth? Would God tell us to believe under the penalty of hell (Mark 16:16), but yet not provide an infallible teaching authority by which to know the truth of what to believe?8 John 14:16-17. For further reading please see John 16:13, Matt 16:18, Matt 7:24, Ps 116:5, John 18:37, John 20:21, John 13:20, Matt 10:40, Acts 1:5, 8 and Matt 28:20. One might wonder, however, if the Early Church believed in infallibility. The answer is yes, as we will see in a moment, because they believed that the Church represented Christ who is Truth Itself. St. Ignatius, around 110 AD wrote, “for Jesus Christ…is the will of the Father as also the bishops, who are appointed in various regions, are in the will of Jesus Christ.”9 Moreover, St. Irenaeus writes between 180 and 199 “one should obey the presbyters of the Church, for they are the successors of the apostles and along with episcopal succession have received the sure charism of truth according to the good pleasure of the Father.”10 St. Athanasius also states “The only words you need for answering those are the following: ‘This is not the teaching of the Catholic Church.’”11 What does the infallibility of the Church mean for the believer? Well, far from being restrictive, infallibility actually allows the believer the freedom to know what is true. One does not have to set himself up as his own authority to decide what is true-a weighty task. Because Catholics have certainty that what the Catholic Church teaches on the matters of faith and morals is true we are able to know the truth, the truth that will set us free. (John 8:32). In essence, “a Catholic does not give a blind, degrading obedience to a fallible, human authority, that may ask him to believe without question the most preposterous statements, but a divine authority, that can neither deceive him nor be deceived.”12 In summary, infallibility is a precious gift given by Christ to His Church. This infallibility is exercised by the Magisterium of the Church so that the faithful will be guided into all truth. The truth then sets the believer free, free to worship God without having to attempt and decipher for himself what is true. In conclusion, infallibility protects the Church from error and allows the faithful to have a sure guide to know what is true and what is false.
Pope Quote of the Month
“The living and personal Gospel, Jesus Christ himself, is the "good news" and the bearer of joy that the Church announces each day, and to whom the Church bears testimony before all people.” John Paul II Christifideles Laici, 7
Catechism Quote of the Month
“The Church is catholic: she proclaims the fullness of the faith. She bears in herself and administers the totality of the means of salvation. She is sent out to all peoples. She speaks to all men. She encompasses all times. She is missionary of her very nature.” CCC 868.
Did you know? Through baptism, we are all made members of Christ’s one Body, the Church. See Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1213.
Book of the Month The Compact History of the Catholic Church By Dr. Alan Schreck
The Compact History of the Catholic Church is a lively and readable guide to the life of the church through the ages. Designed as an introduction to the history of Catholicism, this convenient resource offers more than just names, dates and places. From God’s purposes for a covenant people in the Old Testament, through Christ’s establishment of a new covenant people, to the Holy Spirit’s powerful work revitalizing the Catholic Church in the 20th century-this convenient guide will inspire, instruct and enlighten the reader. Available from the Coming Home Network for $8.99
Novena of the Month Christmas novena Heavenly Father, you fill our hearts with At Christmas, in Jesus a new light has dawned upon the world:
[1] See Lumen Gentium (LG) 18; Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Question 179 (here on, the Compendium; Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 874 [2] Our Sunday Visitor’s Catholic Encyclopedia pg. 492-493 [3] LG Chapter III, par. 369-387 [4] LG 19; Luke 10: 16; Matthew 10: 40; John 13: 20 (All Scriptures Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition) [5] LG 18; CCC 880; Matthew 16: 16:-19; Luke 22: 32; John 21: 15-17; Fathers: St. Clement of Alexandria, “Who is the rich man that is saved?”: Jurgens, 436; St. Ephraim of Syria Songs of Praise: Jurgens ,706; St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures: Jurgens 835a; St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 295: Jurgens, 1526; St. Leo the Great, Sermon 4 :Jurgens, 2191 [6] Acts 14: 23 [7] LG 20; Fathers: St. Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians: Jurgens 21; Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrrnaeans: Jurgens, 65; St. Ireneaus, Against Heresies: Jurgens 209; Against Heresies: Jurgens 212; Against Heresies: Jurgens 258; St. Clement of Alexandria, Who is the Rich Man that is saved? Jurgens 438; Apostolic Constitutions: Jurgens, 1235; St. Gregory the Great, Homily 2: Jurgens 2332 [8] Cf. Titus 1: 5; 1 Timothy 3: 2-7; [9] LG 20 [10] LG 21; CCC 875 [11] LG 22; CCC 880; this includes “binding and loosing” (Matthew 18: 18) [12] LG 22; CCC 880; this would include the power of the keys, given to St. Peter alone (Matthew 16: 19) Fathers: St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Romans: Jurgens 54a. St. Ireneaus, Against Heresies: Jurgens 210-211; Tertullian, The Demurrer Against the Heretics: Jurgens 296; St. Cyprian of Carthage, Letter to Antonianus, a Bishop: Jurgens 575; Firmilian, Letter to Cyprian: Jurgens, 602a; Eusebius Pamphilus, The Chronicle: Jurgens 651aa; Council of Sardica: Jurgens 702a. Pseudo-Tertullian: Jurgens 897 just to name a few. [13] Cf. Code of Canon Law, Latin Church (CIC) 330 [14] LG 22, CCC 881; [15] CCC 881; Matthew 16: 18. Often Protestants claim that the “rock” is the rock of revelation, or Christ himself, using an argument based upon the Greek words, “Petros and Petra,” two different words for “rock”, (basically, small rock and big rock. .However, we know from Scripture the name Jesus gave Peter was Cephas , (John 1: 42). Cephas is a translation of the Aramaic “Kepha,” which is the only word for rock in Aramaic. As far as the rock of revelation, the Catechism of the Catholic Church at one point teaches this very thing, CCC 424. Fathers: Origen, Commentary on John: Jurgens 479a; St. Ambrose of Milan, On Twelve Psalms: Jurgens 1261; St. Jerome, Against Jovinian: Jurgens 1379; St. Augustine of Hippo, Letter to Generosus: Jurgens 1418 [16] LG 22, CCC 884; [17] LG 23; CCC 886 [18] CCC 888-896 [19] CCC 767; Matthew 28: 18-20; Mark 16: 16-20; Luke 24: 47-49; Acts 1: 8 [20] LG 25; CCC 888 [21] LG 25 [22] LG 25; CCC 891 [23] LG 25 [24] LG 25; CCC 891 [25] Ibid. [26] Ibid. [27] CCC 892 [28] LG 26; CCC 893 [29] LG 26 [30] Ibid. [31] LG 27; CCC 894 [32] LG 27; CCC 895 [33] Ibid. [34] It is true that in the early Church, presbyter and bishop were used interchangeably. But the early Fathers, and probably during the Apostolic era, there is the change to a monarchical Bishop. Theodoret of Cyr writes, “At that time they called the same persons presbyters and bishops; and those we now call bishops they designated apostles. In the course of time, however, they abandoned the name of apostle to those who truly were Apostles; and the title of bishop they accorded to those who had of old been called apostles. Thus Epaphroditus was apostle of the Philippians: “Your apostle,” he says, “and the co-worker of my necessity.” Thus in Crete Titus and in Asia Timothy were apostles. Thus too the apostles and presbyters wrote from Jerusalem to those in Antioch.” Quote from Jurgens, 2165 Fathers: St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Magnesians: Jurgens 43a; 44; 47a; Letter to the Trallians: Jurgens 49; 50; Letter to the Philadelphians: Jurgens 56; 58a; Letter to the Smyrnaeans: Jurgens 65; St. Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor of Children: Jurgens 413; Stromateis or Miscellanies: Jurgens 427; St. John Chrysostom, On Philippians: Jurgens 1205; St. Jerome, Letter to Evangelus: Jurgens 1357 [35] LG 28 [36] Ibid. [37] Ibid. [38] LG 29 [39] Pope John Paul II, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (On reserving Priestly Ordination to Men Alone), 4. 1 Msgr. G. Van Nort Dogmatic Theology Volume II Christ’s Church (Westminster, The Newman Press, 1957), p 119. 2 Ibid, p 110. 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_infallibility. 4 Pastor aeternus, chapter 4. 5 Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 889. 6 Van Nort, p 106. 7 Rev Bertrand Conway, The Question Box. (Glen Rock, Paulist Press, 1961), p 87. 8 Ibid, p 88. 9 Dr. Kenneth J. Howell, Ignatius of Antioch A New Translation and Theological Commentary (Zanesville, CHResources, 2008) p 58-59. 10 Against Heresies, iv. 26. 11 Epistula ad Epictetum, 3. 12 Conway, p 89.
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