THE CHURCH:

1
THE CHURCH the Series
Part IIa Its Constitution, Hierarchy and
Primacy
2
The Constitution of the Church Hierarchical
Constitution
(Gk hierarchía rule or power of the high priest
1. A system of persons or things arranged in a gra
ded order
2.  body of persons in holy ord
ers organized into graded ranks.) Divine Origin
of the Hierarchy Christ gave His Church a
hierarchical constitution. (De fide) The
hierarchical magisterial powers of the Church
embrace the teaching power, the pastoral power
(legislative, juridical and punitive power), and
the sacerdotal power. They correspond to the
three-fold office laid on Christ as man for the
purpose of the Redemption of mankind the office
of prophet or the teaching office, the pastoral
or royal office and the priestly office. Christ
transferred this three-fold office, with the
corresponding powers, to His Apostles. The 16th
Century Reformers rejected the special priesthood
and with it the hierarchy and recognized the
general priesthood only of all the
faithful. Council of Trent (1545-1563) There
exists in the Catholic Church a hierarchy
instituted by Divine ordinance. (D 966)
3
Pius VI (1717-1799)Rejected the heretical
teaching that the power of the Church was
transferred immediately to the Church, that is,
to the totality of the faithful, and from the
Church to her pastors. (D 1502) According to
the teaching of the Church, Christ gave the
spiritual power to the Apostles immediately.
Pius X (1835-1914) Condemned the proposition
that the Church hierarchy is the result of a
general historical development. (D 2054) Pius
XII (1943) Rejected the distinction between a
Church shaped by charity, and a Church
consisting of juridical elements, for such a
distinction postulates that the Church founded by
Christ was originally merely one kept together by
the invisible bond of charity, a religious
society endowed with charisma, which only
gradually, under the influence of external
conditions, developed into a legally organized
society with an hierarchical constitution
(juridical Church). (Encyclical Mystici
Corporis)
4

• Proof of a Hierarchical Structure from Sacred
  Scripture
• Christ delegated to the Apostles the mission
  which He, as man, received from the Father.
• John 2021
• Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to
  them, Peace be with you. When he had said
  this, he showed them his hands and his side. The
  disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
  (Jesus) said to them again, Peace be with you.
  As the Father has sent me,
• so I send you.
• Christ's mission embraces His three-fold office
  of Redeemer.
• He gave them the mandate to proclaim His Gospel
  through the whole world.
• Mathew 2819
• Go, therefore, and make disciples of all
  nations, baptizing them in the name of the
  Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,
  teaching them to observe all that I have
  commanded you.

5

• Mark 1615
• He said to them, Go into the whole world and
  proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever
  believes and is baptized will be saved whoever
  does not believe will be condemned.
• endowed them with His authority
• Luke 1016
• Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever
  rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me
  rejects the one who sent me.
• Matthew 1040
• Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever
  receives me receives the one who sent me.
• promised them a wide power of binding and
  loosing
• Matthew 1818
• Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth
  shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose
  on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

6

• and transferred to them the sacerdotal powers of
  baptism
• Matthew 2819
• Go, therefore, and make disciples of all
  nations, baptizing them in the name of the
  Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit
• of celebrating the Eucharist
• Luke 2219
• Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke
  it, and gave it to them, saying, This is my
  body, which will be given for you do this in
  memory of me.
• of forgiving sins
• John 2023
• Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and
  whose sins you retain are retained.

7

• According to St. Pauls testimony,
• the Apostles considered themselves delegates of
  Christ
• Romans 15
• . . . by whom we have received grace and
  apostleship for obedience to the faith in all
  nations, for His name.
• as ministers of Christ and dispensers of the
  mysteries of God
• 1 Corinthians 41
• Thus should one regard us as servants of Christ
  and stewards of the mysteries of God.
• as ambassadors for Christ, God, (as it were)
  exhorting for us
• 2 Corinthians 520
• So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were
  appealing through us. We implore you on behalf
  of Christ, be reconciled to God.

8

• They made use of the powers transferred to
  them But they going forth preached everywhere
• Mark 1620
• But they went forth and preached everywhere,
  while the Lord worked with them and confirmed
  the word through accompanying signs.
• They gave to the faithful laws and injunctions
• Acts 1528
• It is the decision of the holy Spirit and of us
  not to place on you any burden beyond these
  necessities
• 1 Corinthians 1134
• If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so
  that your meetings may not result in judgment.
  The other matters I shall set in order when I
  come.

9

• held court and imposed punishments
• 1 Corinthians 421
• Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a
  rod, or with love and a gentle spirit?
• celebrated the Eucharist
• Acts 242, 46
• Every day they devoted themselves to meeting
  together in the temple area and to breaking
  bread in their homes. They ate their meals with
  exultation and sincerity of heart, . . . They
  devoted themselves to the teaching of the
  apostles and to the communal life, to the
  breaking of the bread and to the prayers.
• Acts 207
• On the first day of the week when we gathered to
  break bread, Paul spoke to them because he was
  going to leave on the next day, and he kept on
  speaking until midnight.

10

• and transferred Church offices by the imposition
  of hands
• Acts 66
• They presented these men to the apostles who
  prayed and laid hands on them.
• Acts1422
• They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
  and exhorted them to persevere in the faith,
  saying, It is necessary for us to undergo many
  hardships to enter the kingdom of God. They
  appointed presbyters for them in each church
  and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to
  the Lord in whom they had put their faith.
• 1 Timothy 414
• Until I arrive, attend to the reading,
  exhortation, and teaching. Do not neglect the
  gift you have, which was conferred on you through
  the prophetic word with the imposition of hands
  of the presbyterate.
• 2 Timothy 16
• For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame
  the gift of God that you have through the
  imposition of my hands.

11

• Titus 15
• For this reason I left you in Crete so that you
  might set right what remains to be done and
  appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed
  you
• as promulgators of the word of reconciliation
  and bearers of the ministry of reconciliation
• 2 Corinthians 518
• And all this is from God, who has reconciled us
  to himself through Christ and given us the
  ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was
  reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not
  counting their trespasses against them and
  entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
  So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were
  appealing through us. We implore you on behalf
  of Christ, be reconciled to God.

12
In the Ancient Church, side by side with the
Apostles, there appear presbyters, who, according
to their function, are also called bishops
(episcopos, over- seers). Acts 20I7, 28 From
Miletus he had the presbyters of the church at
Ephesus summoned. . . . Keep watch over
yourselves and over the whole flock of which the
holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which
you tend the church of God that he acquired with
his own blood. 1 Peter 51-2 So I exhort the
presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and
witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who
has a share in the glory to be revealed. Tend
the flock of God in your midst, (overseeing) not
by constraint but willingly, as God would have
it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
13
The presbyters of the community anoint the sick
in the name of the Lord and guarantee forgiveness
of sins James 5I4 Is anyone among you sick?
He should summon the presbyters of the church,
and they should pray over him and anoint (him)
with oil in the name of the Lord These
co-operators with the Apostles were elected by
the community, but received their office and
their power, not from the community, but from the
Apostles. Acts 66 (installation of the first
seven deacons) They presented these men to the
apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.
Acts 1422 (installation of the presbyters)
They appointed presbyters for them in each
church and, with prayer and fasting, commended
them to the Lord in whom they had put their
faith.
14
Titus 15-7 For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be
done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I
directed you, on condition that a man be
blameless, married only once, with believing
children who are not accused of licentiousness
or rebellious. For a bishop as Gods steward
must be blameless, not arrogant, not irritable,
not a drunkard, not aggressive, not greedy for
sordid gain, and deacons as incumbents of
Church offices with hierarchical powers. Philip
the Deacon preaches and baptizes Acts 85,
38 Thus Philip went down to (the) city of
Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. . .
. Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip
and the eunuch both went down into the water,
and he baptized him.
15
The presbyters of Jerusalem decide conjointly
with the Apostles the problems raised for the
Christian Community by the obligations of the Old
Testament Law Acts 1522 Then the apostles and
presbyters, in agreement with the whole church,
decided to choose representatives and to send
them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The ones
chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and
Silas, leaders among the brothers. The
presbyters of the community anoint the sick in
the name of the Lord and guarantee forgiveness of
sins James 5I4 Is anyone among you sick? He
should summon the presbyters of the church, and
they should pray over him and anoint (him) with
oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of
faith will save the sick person, and the Lord
will raise him up. If he has committed any sins,
he will be forgiven.
16
Perpetuation of the Hierarchy The powers
bestowed on the Apostles have descended to the
bishops. (De fide) Council of Trent
(1545-1563)) The bishops who succeeded in the
place of the Apostles belong by excellence to the
hierarchical order, and are appointed by the Holy
Spirit to rule the Church of God. (D 960)
Vatican Council I (1869-1970)Just as He
(Christ) sent the Apostles whom He had elected
for Himself from the world, as He Himself was
sent by the Father (John 20, 21), so He wishes
that there should be pastors and teachers in His
Church to the end of time. (D 182I) These
pastors and teachers are the bishops, the
successors of the Apostles. (D 1828)
17
The perpetuation of the hierarchical powers
follows necessarily on the Church desired by
Christ. The promise of His aid given to the
Apostles even to the consummation of the world.
Matthew 2820 And behold, I am with you
always, until the end of the age. The Apostles,
following the will of Christ, handed over their
powers to others, for example, St. Paul to
Timothy and Titus. 2 Timothy 42-5 For the
time will come when people will not tolerate
sound doctrine but, following their own desires
and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate
teachers and will stop listening to the truth and
will be diverted to myths. But you, be
self-possessed in all circumstances put up with
hardship perform the work of an evangelist
fulfill your ministry. Titus 21 (teaching
power) As for yourself, you must say what is
consistent with sound doctrine
18
1 Timothy 519-21 Do not accept an accusation
against a presbyter unless it is supported by
two or three witnesses. Reprimand publicly those
who do sin, so that the rest also will be
afraid. I charge you before God and Christ Jesus
and the elect angels to keep these rules without
prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism.
Titus 215 (pastoral power) Say these things.
Exhort and correct with all authority. Let no one
look down on you. 1 Timothy 52 The aim of
this instruction is love from a pure heart, a
good conscience, and a sincere faith. Titus
15 (sacerdotal power) For this reason I left
you in Crete so that you might set right what
remains to be done and appoint presbyters in
every town, as I directed you
19
In the position of the two disciples of the
Apostles (Titus and Timothy), the episcopate,
into which apostolic office finally evolves,
appears clearly for the first time. The
angels of the seven communities in Asia Minor
(Revelation 2-3) are, according to the
traditional interpretation may have been
bishops. St. Clement of Rome (c. 96) In
countries and towns they preached and appointed
their neophytes after they have proved these in
spirit, as bishops and deacons of the future
faithful. (Corinthians 42, 4) . . . Our
Apostles through the Lord Jesus Christ, knew that
disputes would arise about the episcopal office.
For this reason, as they had received exact
knowledge of this in advance, they appointed the
above named, and subsequently gave directions
that when these should fall asleep, other tried
men should take over their duties. (Corinthians
44.1-2).
20
St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 50- c.107) At the
head of the Asia Minor communities, also even in
the farthest countries (Ephesians 3.2) there
stands in each a single (monarchic) bishop, in
whose hand the whole religious and disciplinarian
conduct of the community lies . . . nobody is
supposed to do anything which concerns the Church
without the Bishop. Only that Eucharist is
regarded as valid and legal, that is consummated
under the Bishop or by one authorized by him.
There, where Jesus is, the Catholic Church is. It
is not permitted to baptize without the Bishop,
or to hold the agape. But whatever he finds good,
that is also pleasing to God, so that everything
that is done is certain and lawful .... He that
honors the Bishop is honored by God he that does
anything without consulting the Bishop, serves
the devil. (Smyrn. 8, 1-2 9, I) In every
community, side by side with and under the Bishop
there are the presbyters and the deacons as
further holders of office.
21
The Primacy of St. Peter Primacy means first in
rank. A primacy may be one of honor, of control,
of direction, or of jurisdiction, that is, of
government. A primacy of jurisdiction consists
in the possession of full and supreme
legislative, juridical and punitive power. The
Dogma and Its Opponents Christ appointed the
Apostle Peter to be the first of all the Apostles
and to be the visible Head of the whole Church,
by appointing him immediately and personally to
the primacy of jurisdiction. (De fide) Vatican
Council I (1869-1870) If anyone says that the
blessed apostle Peter was not constituted, by
Christ Our Lord, Prince of all the Apostles and
visible head of all the Church Militant or that
he (Peter) directly and immediately received from
Our Lord Jesus Christ a primacy of honor only and
not one of true and proper jurisdiction, let him
be anathema. (D 1823)
22
The invisible Head of the Church is the risen
Christ. St. Peter represents the position of
Christ in the external government of the militant
Church, and is to this extent the
representative of Christ on earth (D
694) Opponents of this dogma are the Greek
Orthodox Church and the Oriental
sects individual medieval opponents of the
Papacy, Marsilius of Padua and John of Jandun,
Wycliffe, and Huss the whole Protestant
movement the Gallicans (French heresy) and
Febronians German heresy) the old Catholics
and the Modernists. According to the
Gallicans, the fullness of Christs spiritual
power was transferred immediately to the whole
Church and through this to St. Peter, so that he
was the first servant of the Church, who was
appointed by the Church. According to the
Modernists, the primacy was not founded by
Christ, but was developed to meet the needs of
the Church in post-apostolic times. (D 2055)
23
Biblical Foundation From the very beginning
Christ distinguished the Apostle Peter from the
other Apostles. At the first meeting He announced
the change of his name from Simon to Cephas,
rock, Rocky. Matthew 1617 Blessed are
you, Simon son of Jonah. Mark 316 (He
appointed the twelve) Simon, whom he named
Peter The Aramaic name Cephas indicates the
office to which the Lord had appointed
him. Matthew 1618 And so I say to you, you are
Rocky (Cephas), and upon this rock (cephas) I
will build my church, and the gates of the
netherworld shall not prevail against it.
24

• In all the lists of the Apostles Peter is named
  in the first place.
• In Matthews gospel Peter is expressly called the
  first.
• Matthew 102
• The names of the twelve apostles are these
  first, Simon called Peter, and his brother
  Andrew James, the son of Zebedee, and his
  brother John
• From the point of view of his time of calling,
  Andrew was before Peter, the constant placing of
  Peters name at the head of the list of the
  Apostles indicates the dignity of his office.
• Peter together with James and John, was
  permitted to witness the raising of the daughter
  of Jairus
• Mark 537
• He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
  except Peter, James, and John, the brother of
  James.

25

• the Transfiguration
• Matthew 171
• After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John
  his brother, and led them up a high mountain by
  themselves.
• and the agony in the garden
• Matthew 2637
• He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
  and began to feel sorrow and distress.
• The Lord taught from Peter's boat
• Luke 53
• Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging
  to Simon, he asked him to put out a short
  distance from the shore. Then he sat down and
  taught the crowds from the boat.

26

• and paid the temple tax for Himself and Peter
  jointly
• Matthew 1727
• But that we may not offend them, go to the sea,
  drop in a hook, and take the first fish that
  comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a
  coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to
  them for me and for you.
• ordered him to strengthen the brethren after His
  own return
• Luke 2232
• Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift
  all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that
  your own faith may not fail and once you have
  turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.
• appeared to him alone before appearing to the
  other Apostles
• Luke 2434
• So they set out at once and returned to
  Jerusalem where they found gathered together the
  eleven and those with them who were saying, The
  Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to
  Simon!

27
1 Corinthians 155 . . . that he appeared to
Cephas, then to the Twelve. The primacy was
promised on the occasion of the solemn confession
of the Messiahship in the house at Caesarea
Philippi Matthew 1617-19 Blessed are you,
Simon Bar Jona because flesh and blood has not
revealed it to you, but my Father who is in
heaven. And I say to you that you are Peter
(Cephas, Rocky) and upon this rock (cephas) I
will build my Church. And the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it. And I will give to
you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. And
whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, it shall
be bound also in Heaven and whatsoever you
shall loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in
heaven. These words are addressed solely and
immediately to Peter. In them Christ promises to
confer on him a threefold supreme power in the
new religious community (ecclesia) which He is to
found. St. Peter is to guarantee to this Church a
unity and unshakable strength similar to the rock
foundation of a house. (cf. Matthew 724)
28
He is to be the holder of the keys, that is the
steward of the Kingdom of God on earth Isaiah
2222 I will place the key of the House of David
on his shoulder when he opens, no one shall
shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.
Revelation 118 Once I was dead, but now I am
alive forever and ever. I hold the keys to death
and the netherworld. Revelation 37 To the
angel of the church in Philadelphia, write this
The holy one, the true, who holds the key of
David, who opens and no one shall close, who
closes and no one shall open The keys are a
symbol of power and dominion. He is to bind and
loose, that is, following Rabbinical language,
impose the ban or loose from the ban, and also
interpreting the law, pronounce a thing to be
forbidden (bound) or permitted (loosed).
29
Here, as in Matthew 1618, the words are directed
solely and immediately to Peter. The lambs and
the sheep designate Christ's whole Body, that
is, the whole Church. John 1014-16, 26-27 I
am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine
know me, just as the Father knows me and I know
the Father and I will lay down my life for the
sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to
this fold. These also I must lead, and they will
hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one
shepherd. . . . But you do not believe, because
you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my
voice I know them, and they follow me. Feed
in ancient and biblical language means, in its
application to human beings, rule or govern Acts
2028 Keep watch over yourselves and over the
whole flock of which the holy Spirit has
appointed you overseers, in which you tend the
church of God that he acquired with his own
blood
30
By Christ's thrice-repeated mandate, Peter
obtained, not re-appointment to the Apostolic
office--he did not lose this through his
denial--but the supreme power of government over
the Church.
31
Testimony of the Fathers Commenting on the
promise of the Primacy, the Fathers assert that
the Church was built on Peter, and recognize his
pre-eminence over the other Apostles.
Tertullian (c.160-c. 220) Speaks of the Church
which was built on him. (De monog. 8) St.
Cyprian (b.?-c. d. 258) He builds the Church on
one person. (De monog. 8) St. Clement of
Alexandria (c.150-c.215) Calls the Blessed Peter
the chosen one, the selected one, the first
among the Disciples, for whom alone, besides
Himself, the Lord paid the tax. (Quis dives
salvetur 21, 4) St. Cyril of Jerusalem
(c.315-387) Calls him the head and the leader of
the Apostles. (Cat. 2, 19)
32
Peter and Paul It follows from the dogma of the
Primacy that Paul, like the other Apostles, was
subordinate to Peter as the supreme head of the
whole Church. Pope Innocent X
(1574-1655) Rejected as heretical the teaching of
the Jansenism, that Peter and Paul were joint
heads of the Church. (D 1091) The Fathers, who
frequently put Peter and Paul on an equal footing
(princes of the apostles), have in mind either
their apostolic efficacy or the contribution of
 both Apostles to the building-up of the Church
in Rome or the Church in general.
33
St. Paul, according to his own confession,
surpassed in efficacy all his co-Apostles 1
Corinthians 1510 But by the grace of God I am
what I am, and his grace to me has not been
ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than
all of them not I, however, but the grace of
God (that is) with me. Venantius Fortunatus (c.
530-c. 600/609) The Primacy of power belongs to
Peter alone to Paul belongs a leadership in the
promulgation of the faith. (Misc. IX 2, 35)
Galatians 211 I withstood him to the face.
This does not derogate from Peter's Primacy.
Paul censured the inconsistent attitude of Peter,
because, precisely on account of the latter's
high authority in the Church, it endangered the
freedom from the Old Law enjoyed by the
Christians who were converted from Paganism.
Peter well knew and recognized this freedom.  
34
The Bishops Nature of the Episcopal Power
By virtue of Divine right the bishops possess an
ordinary power of government over their
dioceses. (De fide) Vatican Council I
(1869-1870) This power of the Pope is no way
derogates from the ordinary and immediate power
of episcopal jurisdiction by which bishops, who
have been set by the Holy Ghost' to succeed and
hold the place of the Apostles feed and govern
each his own flock as true pastors but rather,
this authority is asserted, strengthened and
vindicated by the Supreme and Universal Pastor.
(D 1828 the Encyclical Satis cognitum of Leo
XIII (1896) Code of Canon Law 329 Par. 1)
According to this declaration the episcopal
power is An ordinary power, that is, it is
associated with the episcopal office. An
immediate power, that is, it is not practiced at
the order of a superior, but in the Bishop's own
name. Thus bishops are not delegates (agents) and
not vicars (representatives) of the Pope, but
independent pastors of the flocks entrusted to
them, even though they are subordinate to the
Pope.
35
A power appointed by God, for the Apostles, on
the ground of Divine ordinance, whether in the
immediate commission of Christ, or on the
direction of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2028) have
passed on their pastoral office to the bishops.
The bishops are the successors of the Apostles,
not in such a manner that an individual bishop is
a successor of an individual Apostle, but that
the bishops in their totality are successors of
the College of Apostles. A true pastoral power,
as it embraces all the ecclesiastical powers
appertaining to the exercise of the pastoral
office, the power to legislate, to judge and to
punish. (Code of Canon Law 335, Par. 1) A power
which is limited locally and materially, since it
extends only to a definite segment of the
Church, and is circumscribed by the Papal power
which is superior to it. In addition the matters
of more than usual importance--touching the
welfare of the whole Church--are reserved to the
Pope. (Code of Canon Law 220)
36
Manner of Conferring The individual bishop
receives his pastoral power immediately from the
Pope. (Sententia probabilior) Pope Pius XII
(1943) Each of them (Bishops) is also, as far
as his own diocese is concerned, a true Pastor,
who tends and rules in the name of Christ the
flock committed to his care. In discharging this
function, however, they are not completely
independent, but are subject to the proper
authority of the Roman Pontiff, although they
enjoy ordinary power of jurisdiction received
directly from the Sovereign Pontiff himself.
(Encyclical Mystici Corporis D 2287, D 1500)
The opinion cited (Papal Theory) corresponds
best to the monarchical constitution of the
Church. When the Pope unites in himself the whole
fullness of the pastoral power of the Church,
then it corresponds to this that all incumbents
of the offices subordinate to him should receive
their power immediately from him, the
representative of Christ on earth. This
conception is favored by the current practice,
according to which the Pope authorizes the bishop
nominated or ratified by him to guide a diocese,
and requires the clergy and laity to obey him.
37
A second opinion (Episcopal Theory) assumes that
each individual bishop receives his pastoral
power direct from God, as does the Pope. The
activity of the Pope in the nomination or
ratification of a bishop is claimed to consist
simply in that he allocates to the bishop a
definite territory in which he is to exercise the
power received immediately from God. In order to
establish this theory it is argued that the
bishops, as successors of the Apostles, receive
their power just as immediately from Christ, as
the Apostles received their power immediately
from Christ, not through the intermediation of
Peter. In favor of the second view the
historical fact is also urged that in Christian
antiquity and in the early Middle Ages, the
choice of bishop by clergy and people, or the
nomination of a bishop by princes was not always
and everywhere ratified by the Pope. It is
asserted that a tacit ratification and conferring
of the episcopal jurisdiction, such as is assumed
by the exponents of the former view, is not
demonstrable and is improbable. The first
theory, which was already approved by Pius VI (D
1500) received a new authoritative confirmation
by the Encyclical Mystici Corporis, but the
question still remains without final decision.
38
Position of the Parish Priest Only Popes and
Bishops possess ecclesiastical jurisdictional
power by Divine right. All other Church offices
are of Church institution. The view put forward
by Gallican theologians, who taught that the
office of parish priest was inaugurated in the
seventy-two Disciples of Christ, in order to
derive there from a claim to participation in the
government of the Church (Parochianism) is
without any biblical or historical foundation.
Pope Pius VI rejected the doctrine and claim of
the pseudo-Synod of Pistoja (1786). (D I509 ff)
39
MATTHEW 1618
MATTHEW 1818
SIMON BAR JONA / PETER
THE ELEVEN
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my church, and the gates
of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of
heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven."
Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on
earthshall be bound in heaven, and whatever you
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
40
The Exercise of Authority
Mt 18
Mt 16
PETER
BISHOP OF ROME
d., 67 AD
THE ELEVEN
LINUS, 67-79
Acts 133-4
ANACLETUS, 79-92
PAUL BARNABAS
UNBROKENSUCCESSION
BISHOPS OF THE WORLD FOR ALL TIME
CLEMENT, 92-101
UNBROKENSUCCESSION
BENEDICT XVI, 2004 -
41
As Peter is to the the eleven Apostles . . .
42
The Bishop of Rome is to the Bishops of the
world. . .
43
End of Part IIa The ChurchIts Hierarchy and
Primacy Go to Part IIb Peter and Paul Bishops
Christ and the Church