''The priests of the Old Covenant saw their duty as mediating between heavenly and earthly things, between God and his people. Since Christ is the “one mediator between God and men” (1 Tim 2:5), he perfected and ended that priesthood. After Christ there can be an ordained priesthood only in Christ, in Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, and through a calling and apostolic mission from Christ.
A Catholic priest who administers the sacraments acts not on the basis of his own power or moral perfection (which unfortunately he often lacks), but rather “in persona Christi”. Through his ordination, the transforming, healing, saving power of Christ is grafted onto him. Because a priest has nothing of his own, he is above all a servant. The distinguishing characteristic of every authentic priest, therefore, is humble astonishment at his own vocation.'' '(YOUCAT questions 249-250)
below from the CCC: http://www.catholiccrossreference.com/catechism/#!/search/1536-1553
The redemptive sacrifice of Christ is unique, accomplished once for all; yet it is made present in the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Church. The same is true of the one priesthood of Christ; it is made present through the ministerial priesthood without diminishing the uniqueness of Christ's priesthood: "Only Christ is the true priest, the others being only his ministers."19
Two participations in the one priesthood of Christ ⇡
Christ, high priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church "a kingdom, priests for his God and Father."20 The whole community of believers is, as such, priestly. The faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ's mission as priest, prophet, and king. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation the faithful are "consecrated to be ... a holy priesthood."21
The ministerial or hierarchical priesthood of bishops and priests, and the common priesthood of all the faithful participate, "each in its own proper way, in the one priesthood of Christ." While being "ordered one to another," they differ essentially.22 In what sense? While the common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace — a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the Spirit — the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians. The ministerial priesthood is a means by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads his Church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own sacrament, the sacrament of Holy Orders.
In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis:23It is the same priest, Christ Jesus, whose sacred person his minister truly represents. Now the minister, by reason of the sacerdotal consecration which he has received, is truly made like to the high priest and possesses the authority to act in the power and place of the person of Christ himself (virtute ac persona ipsius Christi).24
Christ is the source of all priesthood: the priest of the old law was a figure of Christ, and the priest of the new law acts in the person of Christ.25
Through the ordained ministry, especially that of bishops and priests, the presence of Christ as head of the Church is made visible in the midst of the community of believers.26 In the beautiful expression of St. Ignatius of Antioch, the bishop is typos tou Patros: he is like the living image of God the Father.27
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This priesthood is ministerial. "That office ... which the Lord committed to the pastors of his people, is in the strict sense of the term a service."28 It is entirely related to Christ and to men. It depends entirely on Christ and on his unique priesthood; it has been instituted for the good of men and the communion of the Church. The sacrament of Holy Orders communicates a "sacred power" which is none other than that of Christ. The exercise of this authority must therefore be measured against the model of Christ, who by love made himself the least and the servant of all.29 "The Lord said clearly that concern for his flock was proof of love for him."30
... "in the name of the whole Church" ⇡
The ministerial priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ — Head of the Church — before the assembly of the faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice.31
"In the name of the whole Church" does not mean that priests are the delegates of the community. The prayer and offering of the Church are inseparable from the prayer and offering of Christ, her head; it is always the case that Christ worships in and through his Church. The whole Church, the Body of Christ, prays and offers herself "through him, with him, in him," in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to God the Father. The whole Body, caput et membra, prays and offers itself, and therefore those who in the Body are especially his ministers are called ministers not only of Christ, but also of the Church. It is because the ministerial priesthood represents Christ that it can represent the Church.
there is no such thing as a New Testament “priest” as a church office.
Hi Ken,
In the English language, the meaning of the word “priest” depends on context. When talking about the office of “priest” in the Catholic Church, the word “priest” in that context is shorthand for the Latin word “presbyter”, which comes from the Greek word “presbyteros”, which is commonly translated as “elder” in most bibles. If you search the etymology of the word “priest”, you’ll see how this happened.
It’s very confusing.
This table is useful:
Bishop = “episkopos” = overseer
Priest = “presbyteros” = elder
Deacon = “diakonos” = servant
Priest = “presbyteros” = elder
Deacon = “diakonos” = servant
http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/05/holy-orders-and-the-priesthood/
from comment 7 here: http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2010/02/lawrence-feingold-on-the-sacrament-of-holy-orders-and-the-ministerial-priesthood/#comment-39778
Christ has been given all authority in Heaven and in earth. By this plenitude of authority, he commissioned the Twelve with the ministry of reconciliation to ends of the earth. The sacramental priesthood of the New Covenant was established when Christ commanded the Apostles: “Do this in memory of Me.” It is perpetuated in succession from the Apostles, as indicated by St. Paul: “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you….”
Even as each believer is a visible priest, ordained by Baptism to offer the spiritual sacrifice of their visible bodies (Romans 12:1), each Bishop and Presbyter is a visible priest, ordained by the laying on of hands to offer the visible, sacramental sacrifice of the Mass. Both kinds of priesthood are based upon an oath, that is, upon a sacrament of the New Covenant. This is not a strange mixture, but a blessed fulfillment of the Old Covenant:
see also: http://www.catholic.com/blog/tim-staples/must-bishops-be-the-husband-of-one-wifeFor from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 1:11)
from comment 97 here http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2014/05/the-witness-of-the-lost-christianities/#comment-112708
St. Polycrates, the second century bishop of Ephesus whom Eusebius quotes twice, (III.31 and V.24) says that “John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate.” And according to St. Epiphanius, drawing from St. Hegesippus and St. Clement, says that St. James also wore the sacerdotal tablet. A few lines later he says:
For his throne endures, of his kingdom there shall be no end, and he is seated on the throne of David and has transferred David’s kingship and granted it, together with the high priesthood, to his own servants, the high priests of the catholic church.
This is the patristic understanding, that Christ has not abolished kingship or priesthood or the prophetic office, but has elevated them in the New Covenant Kingdom, which, in its present form on earth, is the Church. By His choice, His ordained ministers in His Church participate in His possession and fulfillment of these three offices. Whether it was a mitre or a sacerdotal plate, the problem is that this doesn’t fit your paradigm. That’s why making hay of it being a sacerdotal plate rather than a mitre, misses the point. (And then to go on to claim that it cannot be taken literally anyway, makes it seem that your objection to translating the term as ‘mitre’ rather than sacerdotal plate is more about forensic appearances than authentic dialogue aimed at resolving what still divides us.)
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