CHURCH AS AN INSTITUTION

THE CHURCH TEACHES, SANCTIFIES AND RULES WITH THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST—AN
AUTHORITY WHICH AUTHENTICALLY EXPRESSES LOVE, SERVICE AND TRUTH, NOT
DOMINATION
Christ the lord set up in his church a variety of offices which aim at the good of the whole body. (ccc,
874).
CLERICS (Pope, bishops, priests, deacons) are responsible to the LAITY for teaching (professing
approved doctrines), sanctifying (administering sacraments), and ruling (governing faith and morals)
In order to shepherd the People of God and to increase its numbers without cease, Christ the Lord set up
in his Church a variety of offices which aim at the good of the whole body. The holders of office, who are
invested with a sacred power, are, in fact, dedicated to promoting the interests of their brethren, so that all
who belong to the People of God . . . may attain to salvation. (CCC, 874)
ORDAINED MINISTRY/ CLERICS refers to the ministerial activities in the Church that arise from the
sacrament of Holy Orders. The ordained ministers are the bishops, priests and deacons.
POPE, THE ROMAN PONTIFF
HOLY FATHER Successor of St. Peter the Apostle (CCC 879)
VICAR OF CHRIST the Pope has full, supreme, & universal power over the whole Church, a power
which he can always exercise unhindered. (LG 22)
BISHOP OF ROME The perpetual and visible source & foundation of the unity both of the bishops and
of the whole company of the faithful. (CCC 882)
PASTOR OF THE ENTIRECHURCH enjoys infallibility in virtue of his office he proclaims by a
definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. (CCC 891)
EPISCOPAL COLLEGE
"The college of bishops exercises power over the universal Church in a solemn manner in an ecumenical
council." (CCC 884)
The authority to faithfully interpret the Holy Bible and the Sacred Tradition “belongs to the bishops all
over the world in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome”.
ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
power over the universal Church - must always be confirmed or at least recognized by the Pope. (LG 22)
MAGISTERIUM
the teaching authority of the Church – which is not superior to the Word of God, but its servant (CCC, 85-
86).
INDIVIDUAL BISHOPS
Comes from the Greek word “episcopos” meaning “overseer”.
Each bishop shares in the concern for all the Churches and they exercise this by ruling well their own
Churches especially to the poor, to those persecuted for the faith, as well as to missionaries who are
working throughout the world. (CCC 886; Galatians 2:10)
PRIESTS
OFFER SACRIFICE coming from the Latin word “presbyteros” meaning “elder” and “sacerdos”
They share in the ministry of the Bishops. They are to preach the Gospel, shepherd the faithful as well as
celebrate divine worship especially in the Mass.
DUTIES
Bring men and women into the people of God through Baptism, forgive sins in the name of Christ and the
Church through penance, relieve and console the sick with holy oil; celebrate the liturgy
Unite all faithful as one family and lead them effectively through Christ and in the Holy Spirit to God the
Father
DEACONS
They serve the people of God in the service of the Liturgy, of the Gospel and works of charity.
Usually addressed as "reverend"
- The vestments most particularly associated with them are the alb, stole and dalmatic
DUTIES
- Administering Baptism solemnly
- Being custodian and distributors of the Eucharist
- Assisting and blessing marriages in the name of the Church
- Bringing Viaticum to the dying
- Reading the Sacred Scriptures to the faithful
- Instructing and exhorting the people
- Presiding over the worship & prayer of the faithful
- Administering sacramentals
- Officiating at funeral and burial services.

CONSECRATED/ RELIGIOUS
They are those who enter the state of life which is constituted by the profession of
the evangelical counsels for the sake of the Kingdom (LG 44; CCC 914-915)
- Dedicating their life for the service of the Church and mission
EVANGELICAL COUNSELS
chastity, poverty and obedience
• They do not enter into the hierarchical structure of the Church, nor are they ordained.
• Examples: Nuns/ Religious Sisters, Brothers, Eremetic Life, Societies of Apostolic Life
LAITY
-includes all the baptized persons but excluding those who received Holy Orders and the consecrated
persons (nuns and brothers).
incorporated into Christ by baptism and are “made sharers in their particular way in the priestly,
prophetic, and kingly office of Christ, and have their own part to play in the mission of the whole
Christian people in the Church and in the world.” (CCC #897).
MISSIONS
cooperate with their pastors in the service of the ecclesial community through the exercise of different
ministries accdg to the grace and charisms which the Lord has been pleased to bestow on them. (CCC
910).
By uniting their forces, they can bring the world to the norms of justice and the practice of virtue through
their acts of kindness and therefore impregnate culture and human works with a moral value (CCC 909).
Parents - "by leading a conjugal life in the Christian spirit and by seeing to the Christian education of
their children”. (CCC 902)