Catholic Hierarchy

1
Catholic Hierarchy

• The Catholic Church is the largest religion in
  the world, with over a billion members.
• It is almost 2,000 years old, and its leadership
  is somewhat complicated.
• The roots of the Churchs leadership are found in
  the Gospels.

2
Jesus and His Apostles

• The Call of the First Disciples
• Folks pressed to hear His words, which could the
  spirit shake,
• While Jesus stood right by the Gennesaret Lake.
• Just then He saw two boats unoccupied,
• Whose owners washed their nets right alongside.
• Christ entered Simons boat and asked him to
• Push out the boat so He the crowd could view.
• He preached to them and, when Christ ceased to
  teach,
• He told Simon, See how far your nets reach.
• Let down your nets and you will find a catch.
• Master, if last nights total we could match,

• We still would be without a single fish,
• But Ill let down my nets, if thus You wish.
• On letting down the nets, they were so full
• That they called on their friends to help them
  pull.
• Their catch was such the boats were nearly
  sinking,
• And Simon fell down, all his sins rethinking,
• Depart from me, O Lord, for I have been,
• As my boats filled with fish, so filled with
  sin.
• You need not fear, just do not sin again,
• For henceforth your job will be catching men.
• The sons of Zebedee, both James and John
• Stood shocked at all they saw there going on.
• These three immediately made up their mind
• To follow Christ and leave their boats behind.

3
The Choosing of the Twelve

• One day, Christ climbed a mountain for to pray
• And there, until the next morn, He did stay.
• He then called His twelve disciples together
• To strengthen them for all that they would
  weather.
• So over demons they received authority
• And power for to heal any infirmity.
• The twelve apostles names were James and John,
• Peter, the rock the Church was built upon,
• His brother, Andrew, and Bartholemew,
• Philip, Thomas, the taxman Matthew, too,
• And James, who was the son of Alphaeus,
• And Judas, also known as Thaddaeus,
• And Simon the Zealot, who hated the empire,
• And Judas Iscariot, who swapped life for fire.
• So Jesus sent the twelve out two by two,
• Giving specific orders what to do,
• Avoid Gentiles. Samaritans as well.
• Recover the lost sheep of Israel.
• Go out and preach, The kingdom of heavens at
  hand!

• You even shall raise people from the dead.
• As I did not charge you for all Ive said,
• In like ways shall you give it out for free.
• When traveling, dont pack like royalty.
• Dont carry bags for silver or for gold,
• Nor shall you spare tunics or sandals hold,
• Nor staff for laborers, in truth, deserve their
  food.
• When in a town, seek one with a just attitude
• And stay with him until you leave that place.
• On entering, wish for that house Gods grace.
• Bestow your peace on them, if they deserve it,
• And if they are unworthy, youll conserve it.
• Whereer you go, where they will not receive you,
• Shake their dust from your feet so when you
  leave, you
• Show God how they lack hospitality.
• Then theyll, for their great immorality,
• Far worse than Sodom and Gomorrah burn,
• Who made peace from my peacemakers return.
• I send you out as sheep with wolves surrounding

4
Peters Role

• You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God
• Coming to Caesarea Philippi,
• He asked, According to men, who am I?
• Disciples answered, Some say John has risen
• After Herod beheaded him in prison,
• While others say a prophet from of old.
• Do you think something else, or what youre
  told?
• Said Peter, Youre the Christ, the Lords true
  Son.
• Simon Bar-Jona, youre a blessed one,

• For not by flesh and blood was this revealed,
• But God, by whom the truth is not concealed.
• I tell you you are Cephas on this rock
• Ill build My Church and give it such a lock
• The powers of hell could never overtake it.
• Ill give the keys to heaven. If you make it
• Bound on earth, then in heaven, too, it will be
  bound.
• It will be loosed above what you loose on the
  ground.
• He charged that His disciples not go spread
• News He was the Messiah, as He said.

5
Commissioning the Seventy-Two

•  Then Jesus appointed seventy-two
• To preach in places He would then go through.
• He told them, sending them out two-by-two,
• The harvest is great, but laborers few.
• Pray to the Lord more harvesters be sent.
• And then He further warned before they went,
• I send you out as sheep with wolves surrounding,
• So travel not with worldly goods abounding.
• Dont carry bags for silver or for gold,
• Nor shall you spare tunics or sandals hold,
• Nor staff for laborers deserve their food.
• Dont greet men on the road, but dont be rude.

• When someone welcomes you, stay in his place.
• On entering, wish for that home Gods grace.
• Bestow your peace on them, if they deserve it,
• And if they are unworthy, youll conserve it.
• When you are served, eat whats set at the table.
• Make the sick healed and those who cant walk
  able.
• Proclaim the kingdom if theyll not receive you,
• Shake their dust from your feet so when you
  leave, you
• Show God how they lack hospitality.
• Then theyll, for their great immorality,
• Far worse than Sodom and Gomorrah burn,
• Who made peace from my peacemakers return.
• Tell that town, Gods kingdom has met you here.
• What you cast out shall fill your heart with
  fear.

6
The Last Supper

•  Then Jesus said, Ive ardently desired,
• Before My cruel betrayal has transpired,
• To share this meal with you, for Ill not eat
  again,
• Until it is fulfilled, not in the world of men.
• As they were eating, Jesus took some bread.
• He blessed it, broke it, gave it out and said,
• Take, eat. This is My Body, given up for you.
• In memory of Me, the same thing you shall do.
• He took the cup and, after thanks was given,
• Declared, In order that sins be forgiven,
• Drink this, for this cup is My Blood, which shall
  be poured,
• And shall be the new covenant, sent from the
  Lord.
• I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine
• Till in My Fathers kingdom we all dine.

• I give a new command to love each other,
• Not just as if all were sister or brother,
• But I will only count your love as ample
• If you give love as Ive given example.
• For others shall know that you follow Me
• When you love all of mankind boundlessly.

7
Washing the Disciples Feet

• Well, then, Lord, wash my hands and feet as
  well!
• One who has bathed is clean and does not smell,
• Save for the feet, since they walk on the ground.
• Yet one of you will not so clean be found.
• When finished washing all their feet by hand,
• He asked, Do you My action understand?
• You call Me Lord and Master, rightly so,
• But what is this if My ways you dont know?
• Just as you all have seen Me wash your feet,
• This action you must, one and all, repeat.
• For, just as any master is above his slave,
• No messenger outranks him who the message gave.
• So blest are you if you believe in such a way,
• But I do not mean all. For does not Scripture
  say,
• Who shares my table treats me with malignity.?
  1
• I foretell this so you will know that I am He.
• In truth, whoever welcomes one that I will send
• Welcomes Myself and Him who sent Me, in the end.

•  At night, Christ thought how He would miss His
  every friend,
• And knew that He had loved them all, right
  through the end.
• Now Judas had by Satan been inspired
• To sell Christ for the silver he desired.
• Christ knew that, as from Heaven He was sent,
• When from His close disciples He was rent,
• Then with His Father Hed be reunited.
• The twelve were each in front of Him invited.
• He washed their feet and thus a servants role
  embraced,
• And wiped them with the towel wrapped around His
  waist,
• After His outer garment was removed.
• When it was his turn, Peter disapproved.
• My Lord, do You really intend to wash my feet?
• Your understanding will at one time be
  complete.
• I will not have You kneel like youre enslaved!
• If I dont wash you, you will not be saved.

8

• Christ Before the Eleven on a Mountain in Galilee

• Jesus at the Sea of Tiberias

• Then the eleven went to Galilee,
• Where they were told that Jesus they would see.
• There on the mountainside Jesus appeared
• And they prostrated and their Lord revered.
• On earth and heaven all authority
• The Father has seen fit to give to Me.
• Preach to all nations that all people hear it.
• In My name, and the Father and the Spirit,
• Shall you baptize people from every land
• And teach them to heed all things I command.
• Baptized believers will receive salvation,
• While people who reject face condemnation.
• Those who believe will do many a sign,
• For poison shall to them be like fresh wine.
• Unharmed theyll pick up serpents and cast demons
  out,
• And in strange tongues they do not know My words
  theyll shout.
• Theyll lay hands on the sick and they shall
  cure.
• And I shall be with you forevermore.

• Then Jesus handed them some fish and bread
• And, after all of them were amply fed,
• Asked, Peter, do you love Me more than others?
• You know I do. Then feed My lambs like
  brothers.
• Again He asked, Peter, in truth, do you love
  Me?I love You, Lord. Then tend My sheep most
  faithfully.
• A third time Christ asked, Simon, do you love
  Me?So Peter said, Your thoughts are leagues
  above me,
• You know I love You, and this almost made him
  weep.
• So Christ looked deeply into his eyes, Feed My
  sheep.

9
Church Leadership After Jesus Assumption

• Throughout Jesus ministry, there are the Twelve
  Apostles, Jesus inner circle (Peter, James and
  John), and Peter seems to always have a special
  leadership role.
• In the Early Church, this leadership of Twelve,
  led by Peter, continues.
• Everything in the Early Church is shared.
• People complain that Jewish widows are receiving
  more than Greek widows.
• The Apostles, who also have the job of praying,
  teaching, etc., create a new position to
  distribute food deacons.

10
Deacons Today

• There are two types of deacons, permanent and
  transitional.
• Permanent deacons have no intention of being
  ordained to any other office transitional
  deacons are on their way to the priesthood.
• Deacons assist at, but cannot say, Mass.
• They can give homilies.
• They can baptize and officiate at weddings.
• They cannot consecrate Eucharist, Confirm, hear
  Penance, Anoint the sick, or Ordain.
• Permanent deacons can be married.

11
Priests

• Priests lead a community in prayer, worship,
  ministry, etc. Primarily, they say Mass.
• They can perform every sacrament except Holy
  Orders and Matrimony (where they officiate).
• They Baptize, (sometimes) Confirm, Consecrate
  Eucharist, hear Penance, and Anoint the sick.
• A priest who is in charge of a parish is a PASTOR.

12
Bishops

• Bishops are seen as inheriting the role of the
  Apostles.
• A bishop leads the diocese, ordaining priests and
  assigning them to parishes.
• In most cases, it is the bishop who performs
  Confirmation.

13
The Pope

• The pope is seen as inheriting Peters role, as
  leader of the Apostles, the first among the
  bishops.
• The pope is the bishop of Rome.
• The pope appoints bishops throughout the world.
• He leads the Church, including at Councils.

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So what about ARCHbishops?

• Archbishops are merely bishops of an archdiocese,
  which is an important area, such as NY, Chicago,
  LA, etc.

15
How is a Cardinal different?

• A cardinal is, in name, the pastor of a parish in
  Rome.
• (Another priest does the day-to-day running of
  the parish.)
• A cardinal is USUALLY a bishop, but does not have
  to be. (Avery Cardinal Dulles was a theologian at
  Fordham who was a cardinal, but not a bishop.)
• In Rome, the pastors (cardinals) elect their
  bishop (the pope).
• Cardinals can no longer vote when they are past
  the age of 80, although a pope can serve until
  their death.
• A meeting of cardinals to elect a pope is called
  a CONCLAVE, where a 2/3 majority is required for
  a person to be elected pope.
• The cardinals almost always elect one of their
  own, but do not need to.

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MAGISTERIUM

• The pope and bishops together make up the
  Magisterium, the teaching authority of the
  Church.