Jesus Chose Twelve Apostles, and He Gave them the Power to Rule, to Teach and to Sanctify.
By his own authority Jesus appointed the Apostles to be his priests to carry on his work in the world. At the last Supper, he gave his Apostles the power to change bread and wine into his body and blood. "Do this in memory of me." (Lk 22, 19). After his resurrection he gave them power to forgive sins: "If you forgive men's sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound (Jn.20,23).
Though the Apostles had certain special gifts associated with their unique role as the first leaders in the Church, they also had other roles which by the will of Christ, were to be maintained in the Church until the end of time. They were to continue in the Church the Eucharist Sacrifice and the other sacraments. They were to proclaim the word of God with power, in ways that would make personal faith possible. In Christ’s name they were to guard and rule the Church with pastoral care, effectively preserving unity in the family of faith.
Christ gave men power to do in His name great and saving acts, such as offering the Eucharistic sacrifice and forgiving sins. It is the power of Christ that accomplishes the profound effect of priestly acts.
Who can be Ordained a Priest?
Only an ordained male can be ordained a priest, and the sacrament must be administered by a bishop. The priesthood is conferred by the laying on of hands, together with the appointed prayers which show that this sacramental action is indeed being performed to confer priesthood. The sacrament of Holy Orders confers a spiritual character on the soul of the person being ordained. This is a permanent mark which places on the soul the image of Christ and gives him a share in the power of Christ.
Bishops have the fullness of the Sacrament of Orders,
and all priests as well as deacons are dependent on them in the exercise of their orders.. The bishops are the successors of the Apostles, and by the will of Christ they carry out the essential and enduring tasks of shepherding the people of God.
The Duties of Priests
Priests are ordained to continue the saving action of Christ. A priest gathers the faithful for the Eucharistic sacrifice which only an ordained priest can offer. When doing this he acts in the person of Christ. The priest is designated by the bishop to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, and to carry out the pastoral care of the faithful and to form a genuine Christian community.
Diocesan Priests
are assigned to a diocese under the direction of the bishop. They work as priests in parishes, as teachers, as social workers, and as diocesan officials.
Religious Order Priests
are members of a religious community under the direction of a religious superior. They may work in parishes, or in other forms of the apostolate.
Priests have a great responsibility of teaching only what is taught authentically by the Church; that is, what is taught through the teaching authority of the Church, the Pope and the bishops in communion with him.
The Priesthood is a Great Privilege.
No one has a right to be ordained. A man is called to the priesthood by God and he receives this call through the bishop. His call is a gift. A priestly vocation is a call to a state of life requiring one to serve God in working for the spiritual welfare of others. One who feels he has a vocation should also become aware of the qualities, particularly spiritual, that he must develop and maintain. He must willingly accept the sacrifices necessary to serve well in so important an office.
