Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-09
TEACH BY WORD
AND EXAMPLE
BISHOP C0NATY OUTLINES
PRIESTLY DUTIES
Holds Spiritual Authority, Possesses
the Ministry Of Reconciliation
and is for the
People

Ihe Priesthood and Its Duty to So
! clety' was the topic of Rt. Rev. Risbon
Conaty Sunday morning at the Cathe.
ural OF st. Vibiana It was the first
high mass celebrated by Rev. Bernar-
d!ne Schiaparelli. who was ordained to
the priesthood last Friday.
Inc bishop dwelt upon the sublime
olgnity OF the Christian priesthood and
said 1t demanded a special call from
God, years of preparation, the so1em-
nifty of life vows and constancy of SER
wee i'll the interests of God and the
people. He said:
Inc priest Is called to be n man
or God, model of Christian life a
preacher of good tidngs His priest.
| hood is a participation in the divine
priesthood of Christ and dates its instl-
tuition from the last supper. when
CHRIST commanded his apostles to do in
commemoration of ihm that which thev
had seen him do.
Its reason for existence is in the
molly sacrifice of the mass and in the
forgiveness of sins Christ constituted
MS apostles priests of his sacrifice and
gave them authority over sin.
Demand an Altar
THE priesthood of the old law was
H'l times. even in barbarism, have felt
the impulse of nature leading them to
demand an altar with sacrifice and a
priesthood to administer it.
"All races have looked upon the
priesthood of their religion as one set
apart and sanctifed for the special pur.
poses of the spiritual. In the old law
the patriarch was the priest.
With the later development of the
vol tn,n
tribe of Levi out of which alone came
those who We're sanctified unto the
priesthood. Among all the tribes they
were the beloved because called by God
to the works of religion. Aaron and
Melchisedec are the two great types
of the priesthood of the old law.
They foreshadowed and prefigured the
perfect priesthood of Jesus Christ
ION the altar of Cavalry he offered
himself in the sacrifice of his blood and
by it redeemed mankind from sin.
Mystic 5acrifice
"At the last supper he Offered him
self as a mystic sacrifice in the bread
and wine of the Eucharist, and he or.
datned priesthood that was to COM
memorate what he had done in the
bread and wine of a perpetual sacrifice
which was to be a clean oblation from
lilC liciliS W lilt SSlllllB VI TIE SUM-
This was not only a sacrifice but
sacrament, and by it men were to re-
ceive the food which was needed to
strengthen their souls in the difficulties
of life.
Christ constituted his priesthood as
the teacher of truth, sending forth to
all the nations that all men might hear
the gospel of salvation, that all men
might be reached by the ministry of
-sIs H.,
all the nations in all the periods of the
worlds existence.
The priesthood of Christ was estab-
liehed as the sentinel or the walls Of
Jerusalem that night and day the
people might be warned of impending
danger and protected in the way of SAL
vation.
Demands Sanctified Life
"The priesthood demands a sanctifed
life. absolute unselfshness, a heart full
of compassion and sympathy for the
sinner, a life full of love for God and
the people.
The very word priest or presbyter
suggests one venerable, one though
young in years yet old in the experience
of Gods ways and Gods love. The
people have learned to call him father
There comes to the priest on the day
of his ordination certain transfigura-
tion and he becomes, as it were, man
of eternity. The dignity conferred upon
him in the order of grace is thet most
sublime of all dgnities, and it is equally
the most sublime of all sponsibiltles.
He becomes at once the teacher OF
the people, not only by word but by
example.
He holds spiritual authority over
them, he possesses the ministry Of rec
onciliation by which in the authority
of Christ sin is pardoned and grace is
poured into the repentant soul.
He is a priest not for himself but
for the people, and his heart should be
large, full of patience and sympathy,
for he is called to be another Christ,
going about among men. doing good.
seeking the stray sheep and bringing
them in kindness and gentleness to the
fold