Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present Essay Example for Free

Catholic church building from Apostolic times until the present EssayThe phylogeny of priesthood at heart the Catholic Church from Apostolic times until the present has resulted in various improvements and changes in the service of holy place orders. This paper traces the roots of priesthood, the duties and responsibilities of the appointed priest, and his forms and functions in the Catholic Church. One good excerpt is the saying from Spiderman With keen power comes immense responsibility. We butt joint replace the first word in the profession of priesthood and say With corking faith comes great responsibility. What is the Catholic Priesthood? It is a masterly instituted sacrament that Christ Himself instituted as how the aforesaid(prenominal) Council of Trent explains in relation to the events of the Last Supper. The Catholic priesthood is a state of life. It follows logically on what the Church t each(prenominal)esthat the priesthood is a sacrament that imprints an indelible character. Given that fact it must(prenominal) also be to say the least a standing(prenominal) state of life. That requires a special divine employment. (Hardon, 1998) Priesthoods origin is from Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, who, according to the Hebraic Chapter of the al-Quran 726 and 82, was holy, blameless, unstained, breakd from sinners of the world, exalted above enlightenmentsa minister in the mental home which is set up not only by man but by the Lord. Being the supernal and high priest above all men, he offered himself as a sacrifice by macrocosm crucified on the cross and conferred his priesthood to his apostles (John 2021-23 Matthew 2819-20 Mark 1615-18 and Acts 233, King James Version). The uninterrupted chain of priesthood was passed on from the apostles of Christ to the first first ordained clergymen and through their successors. It was cal conduct an Apostolic Succession and was considered as a fundamental teaching on the Orthodox Church. Onl y through the Apostolic Succession can the clergymen receive the authority to become real representatives of Christ and the Apostles of the Church. (Orfanakos, 2008). As successors of the Apostles and representatives of Christ in His Church, clergymen continue the clobber of Jesus. They teach the word of matinee idol offer the sacred Eucharist and administer the new(prenominal) sacraments they govern the Church and take c ar of the spiritual needs of the members of their congregations. (Orfanakos, 2008). Being a priest is never easy. It requires time and devotion, curiously great spirituality. A man who is weak from temptation in doing earthly things and desires more cannot enter this vocation of lifetime devotion to faith. Priesthood falls under the sacrament of Holy Orders wherein a man goes through social club and decides to do their part in serving the Church and its people. It is a ministry of meditation between man and God above as he performs the following functions par don of sins, blessings and casting away evil spirits. Priesthoods foundation began on the declaration of God about priesthood to St. Peter in the region of Caes bea Philippi To thee I shall order the keys of the terra firma of heaven whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heavenAnd whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven (Sacraments, 2008). This event also led to the formation of the priests responsibility Feed My lambs. Feed My sheep. Feed My ewes (Sacraments, 2008). Its completion and perfection from that He breathed on them saying Receive ye the Holy Spirit if ye forgive a man his sins, they are forgiven to him and you withhold forgiveness of a mans sins, they shall be held. (Sacraments, 2008) In the old times, priesthood was considered as one of generations and mans stimulate superior to go in such ministry wherein their way of living is not merely a basis. In transmission line to the new Priesthood by Apostolic succession, Ordination involves laying of hands to those chosen people to become priest granted that a thorough examination of their past life before entering the congregation as well as their thoughts about God is done. Once they are found blameless, they are qualified and cursed to become priest all through their lives. Former priesthood was done by the use of Material vegetable oil but now, it is done through the spirit and laying on of hands (Sacraments, 2008). harmonise to the Assyrian Church of the east, on that point are certain qualities that a man must possess before entering priesthood. First he, must be blameless. If he was ever married, he should never have committed adultery. he should also be alert mentally, modest, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt at teaching not given to wine, not precipitate to strike, but patient, not quarrelsome, not greedy of lucre (Sacraments, 2008). He should also be a great father, one who rules well his own house, having his children under submissi on to bring them up with all purity (Sacraments, 2008). He should also a devote Catholic since birth. Similarly, deacons should also maintain a life of purity (Sacraments,2008). A absorb examination of conscience should be done by men who desire to enter this lifetime vocation. According to St. Paul, choosing priesthood is desiring to have a good work with the spirit of God (Fitzgerald, 1996). Once the decision is made, the full reliance of giving special service to the church and the people of God is expected from people who are ordained as priests. Based on the Apostolic Customs of the church, there are three major orders of priesthood Bishops, Priests and Deacons, each of which requires a special ordination. The Bishop is viewed as the successor of the Apostles while the Priest and the Deacon act in the take a leak of the Bishop. Each order is distinguished by its pastoral responsibilities. Only a Bishop may ordain. Often, other titles and offices are associated with the three orders. The Orthodox Church permits men to marry before they are ordained. Since the sixth century, Bishops have been chosen from the celibate clergy (Fitzgerald, 1996). Bishop is the highest order of priesthood. The name episcopos was given to the successors of the Apostles (Acts 2028 1 timothy 31-2 Titus 17, King James Version). The term episcopos means overseer and is also called as the Archpriest. This makes him the chief of the priest within a specific territory. There are many bishops worldwide and they are all equal among themselves since they own the same degree of priesthood. However, they are graded in their titles which depend on their administrative power. Priest occupies the warrant order of the Holy Priesthood. He is in charge of the community to which he gives spiritual services and where he administers all the sacraments, except ordination. He is the main celebrant during the Eucharist and leads the whole community of God into petition and blesses them in the nam e of the Lord . The third order belongs to the Deacon or diakonos which means assistant (Matthew 2026 Acts 61-7 King James Version). His main responsibility is to assist the priest during the celebration of sacraments and other church services. He often recites the litanies, gospel engageings and other prayers . The Catholic priesthood is an institution necessary for Christianity. According to Fr. Hardon (1998), without priesthood, Christianity would forego to exist. If there is no priesthood, Jesus Christ would not be present in the Eucharist. It is also the business of priests to give penance to sinners and anoint the sick and dying in the world. They are also the ones who reveal the divine truth to the world. In a world without priesthood, Christianity would be a memory but no all-night a reality. It would c residue to exist on earth in this admittedly, difficult valley of tears (Hardon, 1998).Controversies in Catholic Priesthood The last part of this research discusses the o ffice of priesthood as retrieved from the Jesus is Lord website which will give a clearer view of what the office of priesthood really is In the early 1970s, we who gloried in being priests were shocked to read the word of one of our best Roman Catholic Scripture scholars, Raymond E. Brown When we move from the Old volition to the New Testament, it is striking that while there are pagan priests and Jewish priests on the scene, no somebody Christian is ever specifically identified as a priest. The Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the high priesthood of Jesus by analyze his death and entry into heaven with the actions of the Jewish high priest who went into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle once a year with a offering for himself and for the sins of his people (Hebrews 96-7). But it is noteworthy that the author of Hebrews does not associate the priesthood of Jesus with the Eucharist or the Last Supper neither does he suggest that other Christians are priests in the likeness of Jesus. In fact, the once-for-all atmosphere that surrounds the priesthood of Jesus in Hebrews 1012-14, has been offered as an explanation of why there are no Christian priests in the New Testament period. Later in the same chapter Brown argues for a priesthood like that of the Levitical class in the Old Testament. He makes his case for the development of such a doctrine by means of tradition. Even those of us who knew very little of the Bible knew that the Pharisees counted tradition superior to the clear Word of God. Brown did more to demolish the credit that we were indeed priests than to ease our troubled minds. Now I see that what Brown stated in the section quoted is biblically and absolutely true. some other than the royal priesthood, which applies to all true believers in Christ, there is no office of priesthood in the New Testament. Rather, as Hebrews states so clearly of the Old Testament priests, And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continu e by priming coat of death But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost(a) that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them (Hebrews 723-25) immutable priesthood means just that in the Greek aparabatos means nontransferable. The reason it cannot be transferred to men is that its essence is Christs own, ..who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens (verse 26). (Bennett, 2008) There are many claims regarding the divinity and authenticity of Priesthood and being a priest. Depending on ones religion and belief, I can say that Priesthood is one noble job that will perpetually challenge every mans faith and their capacity to handle responsibility guaranteed by strong faith and conviction to God.ReferencesBennett, Richard (2008) The Priesthood. Introduction to the Priesthood by a Converted Priest retrieved January 15, 2008 fro m http//www.jesus-is-lord.com/priestho.htmFitzgerald, Thomas (1996). The Sacraments (Holy Orders). Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America section of Religious Education. Retrieved, January 15, 2008 from http//www.annunciationwi.com/Main/Our_Faith_Articles/Sacraments.htmlHardon, John A. (1998) What is the Catholic Priesthood. Inter Mirifica Archives. Retrieved December 15, 2008 from http//www.therealpresence.org/archives/Priesthood/Priesthood_020.htmOrfanakos, Peter (2008). The Sacrament of the Holy Priesthood. Retrieved, January 15, 2008 from www.annunciationwi.com/Main/Our_Faith_Articles/Priesthood_Orfanakos.htmlSacraments Priesthood (2008). Assyrian Church of the East. Retrieved January 15, 2008 from http//www.assyrianchurch.com.au/priesthood.htm