Section 4 The Lived mission of the Church Part 1 The Leadership Structure of the Church Section 4 The Lived mission of the Church

The Church and Hierarchy The Church comprises two distinct but interconnected groups: the hierarchy and the laity. The hierarchy is the Apostles and their successors, the Pope and bishops of the Church.

Hierarchal Leadership: Divine Authority and Service The hierarchy consists of the ordained ministers of the Church: bishops (including the Pope), priests and deacons. Without the hierarchy, the Church is without the leadership instituted by Christ that makes Christ present in the Church through the Sacraments.

Hierarchal Leadership: Divine Authority and Service At the top of the hierarchy is the Pope, who is a bishop with supreme power over the whole Church. Next are the bishops, whose authority depends on their union with the Pope. Priests are the bishops coworkers. Deacons are at the lowest level of the hierarchy.

Hierarchal Leadership: Divine Authority and Service The Church is hierarchical because Christ himself set up this structure. Christ established the bishops as the successors of the Apostles, and the Pope as the successor of Peter, the head of the Apostles.

Organizational Structure of the Church The Holy See – means “holy seat” in Latin The seat of the central administration of the whole Catholic Church, under the leadership of the Pope, the Bishop of Rome. Diocese A geographic area governed by a bishop. Parish Distinct community within a diocese run by one or more priests. Family Because family is where the faith is first taught and practiced, it can be thought of as the most basic level of the Church, sometime called the domestic church

The Pope: Visible Head of the Church Who is the Pope? The Pope is a first bishop, or the leader of all the bishops. Successor of Peter – Christ established the Apostles as a permanent college with Peter at the head. The Pope is the successor to Peter, just as the bishops are the successors of the Apostles. Bishop of Rome – the Apostles established Rome as the spiritual center of the Church. As the Bishop of Rome, the Pope is leader of the spiritual center of the Church.

The Pope: Visible Head of the Church Who is the Pope? Head of the College of Bishops – the body of bishops, or the college of bishops, is united with the Pope as their head. The Pope has the responsibility for providing leadership and without the Pope, the bishops have no authority. Vicar of Christ – The Pope is the Vicar of Christ, meaning that he acts for Christ as Christ’s human representative on earth. A vicar is someone who serves as a substitute or agent for someone else. The Pope is a visible sign of Christ’s presence on earth. Pastor of the Universal Church – The Pope has the responsibility to minister to Catholics throughout the world

The Role of the Bishops As successors of the Apostles, the bishops are entrusted with faithfully passing down the Apostolic Tradition. Teaching the faith, celebrating divine worship (Eucharist), and acting as pastoral leaders A bishops is the visible source of unity within a diocese. All bishops are ordained as priest before they become bishops. The Pope appoints a priest to become a bishop who has been recommended by a local bishop.

Archbishop John J. Meyers, The Role of the Bishops An archbishop governs a particularly important or large diocese (ex. New York) Province – a grouping of two or more dioceses with an archbishop as its head. A cardinal is a senior Church official, usually a bishop, appointed by the Pope to serve as a member of the college responsible for electing the Pope. Major offices in the Church are headed by cardinals. Archbishop John J. Meyers, Archdiocese of Newark

Sanctifying the Office of Bishop The bishop sanctifies, or makes holy, the Church by overseeing the administration of the Sacraments in his diocese. The bishop also celebrates some Sacraments. (ex. Confirmation) The bishop is the only person who can ordain priests and deacons.

The Collegial Nature of the Bishops Bishops are also concerned with churches around the world. A bishop’s relationship with other bishops is collegial, meaning they share equally in the authority to make decisions affecting the Church in a particular country or region or even the Church worldwide. Bishops gather with the Pope in Ecumenical Councils to discuss the worldwide Church. Bishops also meet together in small groups.

The Priesthood Priests are the coworkers of the bishops who are responsible for the welfare of the diocese. The bishop gives individual priests the authority over a specific parish community or another office within the diocese. Holy Orders confers a sacred power on the priest, which is to be used in service to the faithful. The priest represents Christ to the community. The priest’s primary role is that of sacramental minister. He presides over the celebration of the Eucharist and performs the other Sacraments of Baptism, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, and Matrimony.

The Diaconate Most deacons are not full-time Church ministers and are different than priests. Some earn a living outside the Church. Deacons can be married and raise families. Deacons are examples of service to the Church and the world. The primary role of a deacon is to be of service to the church and to the world. Service in the Liturgy Deacons can assist in the Eucharist and can be a minister in Baptism and Matrimony. Service in the Word Deacons give homilies and may lead celebrations of the Liturgy of the Word along with fulfilling teaching positions in the parish. Service in Charity Deacons dedicate their lives to various ministries of charity.

Deacons are Called to a Life of Holiness Pope Paul VI called deacons to commit themselves to the following activities: Carefully study and meditate on Scripture Frequently attend the Mass; if possible, daily Receive the Eucharist frequently Examine your conscience daily Develop a special devotion to Mary, Mother of God

Section 4 The Lived mission of the Church Part 2 Many Vocations to Holiness Section 4 The Lived mission of the Church

The Evangelical Counsels Priests, brothers, and sisters make promises of celibacy, or to remain unmarried, poverty, chastity, and obedience. All Christians are called to follow the evangelical counsels of chastity, obedience, and poverty.

Poverty The evangelical counsel of poverty calls us to focus on spiritual riches, not material wealth. Christ called every Christian to be “poor in spirit” and to use money and possession in a moderate and healthy way. When a person in the consecrated communal life takes a vow of poverty, she or he literally does give up the right to individual possessions. Priests do not take a vow of poverty.

Chastity Chastity is the healthy integration of our sexuality into our whole person. Every baptized person is called to lead a chaste life and control their desires. Married couples are called to be faithful to each other. Young people are called to complete abstinence before marriage. The goal of chastity is to help you to develop a greater respect for life. Those in the consecrated life are called to a life of celibacy in which they commit to not getting married nor having any sexual relations. This allows them to dedicate themselves to God and to their ministry.

Obedience All Christians are called to obey Christ and, in effect, the Church’s Magisterium. Christ gave the Pope and bishops the authority to teach us God’s truth. Ordained ministers and those in consecrated life promise to obey their religious superiors.

The Mission of the Laity The laity’s primary role in the Church is being witnesses to God’s love to the whole world. We have a right and a duty to make known to others the saving message of Christ. The laity share in Christ’s priesthood. The laity can offer their daily work, family life, and leisure activities to Christ. The laity can develop a life of prayer and offer intercessions for the needs of others. The laity can assist in ministries of the Church such as lectoring and serving as a Eucharistic minister.

The Prophetic Office of the Laity To be a prophet means to share God’s Word with those who need to hear it. The laity are called to be witnesses to Christ in every circumstance of their lives. The laity can participate in the prophetic office of Christ by: Proclaiming Christ through words and through the witness of their lives Becoming catechists and religion teacher Providing a Catholic voice on television, radio, Internet sites and blogs, and other media Speaking up to their pastors on matters relating to the good of the Church