Worldwide Communion of Catholic Apostolic Churches (WCCAC) :: View topic - The Diaconate, Priesthood and the Episcopate

BpAndre

The proper understanding of the three-fold ministry is that of a sacred and supernatural office. This priesthood was not established instead of, or opposed to, the common priesthood of the people of God, but to offer sacrifice on behalf of them, as established by Jesus Christ. The Twelve Apostles saw themselves as holders of Divine Offices, established by Christ Himself. This understanding is clearly seen in the Book of Acts, in deciding to replace Judas;

“In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, ‘Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry. (Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong he burst open on the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) For it is written in the book of Psalms,

‘Let his habitation become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it’; and ‘His office, let another take.” (Acts 1:15-20)

“And they prayed and said, ‘Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.” (Acts 1:24-26)

The Greek word for office is “episcopi”, from which we get “Episcopal”, and so name this succession of office, “Episcopal” or “Apostolic Succession”.

Deacon. The deacon has the ministry of service to others as an assistant to the bishop, but differently from the priest. The deacon ministers to the temporal need of the community, ensuring that all are cared for, especially the very young and very old or infirmed. Like the priest, he is ordained through the laying on of hands to his sacred office.
“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’ And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus and Nicanor, and Timon and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them.” (Acts 6:1-7)

“In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as an appointment of Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the Father, and the presbyters as the Sanhedrim of God, and assembly of the apostles. Apart from these, there is no Church. Concerning all this, I am persuaded that ye are of the same opinion. For I have received the manifestation of your love, and still have it with me, in your bishop, whose very appearance is highly instructive, and his meekness of itself a power; whom I imagine even the ungodly must reverence, seeing they are also pleased that I do not spare myself. But shall I, when permitted to write on this point, reach such a height of self-esteem, that though being a condemned man, I should issue commands to you as if I were an apostle?” The Epistle of St. Ignatius to the Trallians (short version) – Ch. 3. CCEL.

Priest. The priest is the assistant of the bishop, at the sacrifice of the Mass, in administering the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Matrimony, and the Anointing of the Sick. To the priest is given the spiritual authority from the bishop to consecrate the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of our Lord, during the Mass.

Bishop. The Church’s bishops are the successors to the Apostles, and posses (and are possessed by) the fullness of the priesthood of the New Covenant. From the bishop, the deacon and priest is spiritually linked, for it is the bishop alone who ordains those called to the diaconate and the priesthood. To the bishop is charged the spiritual welfare of the local church, its instruction, guidance and process of spiritual maturity. The bishop is the spiritual Shepherd, the Father of the local church in their faith, and is configured to Christ. Every validly ordained (consecrated) bishop stands in a line of succession, through prayer and the laying on of hands when ordained, back in time to the Apostles themselves, and ultimately to Christ Jesus.

As Christ empowered the twelve disciples, we see a clear establishment of divine authority to them, as Christ likens to being ministers over the Divine Kingdom, in which He is King. We see this distinctively in Matthew 16:15 –19; “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Jesus, in this reference to the “keys of the kingdom”, is understood to be establishing in Peter a successive office akin to that of a prime minister appointed by a Davidic King, as illustrated in Isaiah 22:15 – 22, which shows a successive dynastic office under the King, from which Shebna was removed and Eliakim succeeded him;

“I will thrust you from your office, and you will be cast down from your station. In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your girdle on him, and will commit your authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”

In these verses, we see an almost identical establishment of a prime minister, in the person of Simon Peter, and in the apostles as fellow ministers holding a supernatural office only hinted at in the Old Covenant, prefigured in the earthly Davidic kingdom, perfected in the Heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ. Unlike Eliakim, what was opened or shut by Peter, as prime minister, and by the twelve collectively as fellow ministers, as we see in John 20:19 – 23, and elsewhere in Scripture, was not confined to the profane, but included the sacred as well.

Bishops then, as successors of the disciples, are partakers in holding a successive, dynastic Divine office, established by Jesus Christ himself, to be a father to the inhabitants of the local Church, as ministers of that heavenly Davidic Kingdom, in which Christ Himself is King. As illustrated, this is what Christ established, and this is how the disciples understood their office, and how it was to continue after their death.

Each bishop is responsible for the conduct and care of the local church under his care. “While the bond of concord remains and the indivisible sacrament of the Catholic Church continues, each bishop disposes and directs his own work as one who must give an account of his administration to the Lord.” St. Cyprian of Carthage, Letter of Cyprian to Antonias, A Bishop in Numidia 251 – 252 A.D. 27

Each member of the Church likewise, is responsible for their obedience to the bishop, for his care and welfare as their “Father in the faith”. Although theologians and biblical scholars teach the Word and assist the Church in unfolding Scriptural meaning, they are not official teachers in the sense and manner that bishops are. Unlike bishops, theologians and scholars have not received the sacramental empowerment to teach the Gospels, as those with this important apostolic commission. Thus a family relationship exists within the Church, with the local bishop as the father, the presbyters and deacons as elder brothers, in concert with the efforts of the religious men and women under vows. The laity live out this teaching as the members of the family, and teach others through both word and their lives, as defined and held by the Church – some of whom will succeed the offices of their elder family members, as God calls them:

“Now it becomes you also not to treat your bishop too familiarly on account of his youth, but to yield him all reverence, having respect to the power of God the Father, as I have known even holy presbyters do, not judging rashly, from the manifest youthful appearance [of their bishop], but as being themselves prudent in God, submitting to him, or rather not to him, but to the Father of Jesus Christ, the bishop of us all. It is therefore fitting that you should, after no hypocritical fashion, obey [your bishop], in honor of Him who has wired us [so to do], since he that does not so deceives not [by such conduct] the bishop that is visible, but seeks to mock Him that is invisible. And all such conduct has reference not to man, but to God, who knows all secrets.

Now it becomes you also not to despise the age of your bishop, but to yield him all reverence, according to the will of God the Father, as I have known even holy presbyters do, not having regard to the manifest youth [of their bishop], but to his knowledge in God; inasmuch as ‘not the ancient are [necessarily] wise, nor do the aged understand prudence; but there is a spirit in men.’ For Daniel the wise, at twelve years of age, became possessed of the divine Spirit, and convicted the elders, who in vain carried their grey hairs, of being false accusers, and of lusting after the beauty of another man's wife. Samuel also, when he was but a little child, reproved Eli, who was ninety years old, for giving honor to his sons rather than to God. In like manner, Jeremiah also received this message from God, ‘Say not, I am a child.’ Solomon too, and Josiah, [exemplified the same thing.] The former, being made king at twelve years of age, gave that terrible and difficult judgment in the case of the two women concerning their children. The latter, coming to the throne when eight years old cast down the altars and temples [of the idols], and burned down the groves, for they were dedicated to demons, and not to God. And he slew the false priests, as the corrupters and deceivers of men, and not the worshippers of the Deity. Wherefore youth is not to be despised when it is devoted to God. But he is to be despised who is of a wicked mind, although he be old, and full of wicked days. Timothy the Christ-bearer was young, but hear what his teacher writes to him: ‘Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in word and in conduct.’ It is becoming, therefore, that ye also should be obedient to your bishop, and contradict him in nothing; for it is a fearful thing to contradict any such person. For no one does [by such conduct] deceive him that is visible, but does [in reality] seek to mock Him that is invisible, who, however, cannot be mocked by any one. And every such act has respect not to man, but to God. For God says to Samuel, ‘They have not mocked thee, but Me.’ And Moses declares, ‘For their murmuring is not against us, but against the Lord God.’ No one of those has, [in fact,] remained unpunished, who rose up against their superiors. For Dathan and Abiram did not speak against the law, but against Moses, and were cast down alive into Hades. Korah also, and the two hundred and fifty who conspired with him against Aaron, were destroyed by fire. Absalom, again, who had slain his brother, became suspended on a tree, and had his evil-designing heart thrust through with darts. In like manner was Abeddadan beheaded for the same reason. Uzziah, when he presumed to oppose the priests and the priesthood, was smitten with leprosy. Saul also was dishonored, because he did not wait for Samuel the high priest. It behooves you, therefore, also to reverence your superiors.

It is fitting, then, not only to be called Christians, but to be so in reality: as some indeed give one the title of bishop, but do all things without him. Now such persons seem to me to be not possessed of a good conscience, seeing they are not steadfastly gathered together according to the commandment.

It is fitting, then, not only to be called Christians, but to be so in reality. For it is not the being called so, but the being really so, that renders a man blessed. To those who indeed talk of the bishop, but do all things without him, will He who is the true and first Bishop, and the only High Priest by nature, declare, ‘Why call ye Me Lord, and do not the things which I say?’ For such persons seem to me not possessed of a good conscience, but to be simply dissemblers and hypocrites.” St. Ignatius. The Epistle of St. Ignatius to the Magnesians [Short & Long]– Ch. 3 & 4. CCEL.

[cited from the official catechism of the Catholic Apostolic National Church]
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Bishop Andre' Jhohn-William Queen, SCR
Vicar General
Catholic Apostolic National Church
Phone: 773.942.4660