The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-06-07

| IL cannot De Qu0SI1OHSu CudC OuIA6L
chose twelve apostles (Cf Luke 6, 49,.
Christ gave his power to the apos-
ties (Cf. John 20, 21). He had fully
endowed the apostles to carry on the
work which Jesus came to earth to
do. He sent them into all the world
to teach, sanctify, and govern (Cf.
Mt. %, 1920. The apostles exer-
cised the power of teaching by going
forth preaching the Word of God;
they exercised the power Of sancti-
flying by administering the means of
grace, the sacraments; they exercised
the power of governing by making
laws, for the guidance Of the faithful.
The apostles exercised the threefold
power of Christ in virtue of their
divine mission, independent of the lay
members; they demanded acceptance
and obedience as messengers of Jesus
Christ. Here apply the words of
Christ: He that heareth you, heareth
Me; he that despiseth you, despiseth
Me; and he that despiseth Me, despi-
seth Him that sent Me- CLuke 10, 49,.
The apostles received their threefold
power from Christ, partly by ordina-
ton to the priesthood, and partly by
their being sent The powers of the
priesthood come from two chief
sources, namely, by ordination and by
mission. By ordination the priest re-
ceives power to administer the sacra-
ments and to preach the gospel. But the
power to govern comes from them
being sent by one in authority. This
is necessary for right order. This
latter power arising from mission, is
called the power of jurisdiction. Juris-
diction is necessary for the valid ad-
ministration of the sacrament of pen
ance, and for the lawful exercise of
the ministry.
The Government of the Church is
MonarchicaI.
Jesus Christ while on earth was
the Head of the Church. He is even
now the invisible Head of the Church.
It is His Church. He cannot but
be the Head of it. He chose twelve
apostles to go forth and build up His
Kingdom, the Church. The twelve
apostles constituted the original HER
archy of the Church. The twelve
needed a head to establish and pre-
serve unity to accomplish successfully
the work assigned. In the monarchi-
cal form of government the supreme
power rests ultimately in one person.
This is the form of government which
Christ chose for His Church. 1t is
quite manifest from Holy Scripture
that Jesus vested the supreme power
!, in st. Peter The other apostles held
their power subordinate to st. Peter
st. Peter was made Primate of the
Apostles It is of faith that Christ
gave to Peter the primacy, not only
of honor, but also of jurisdiction
Therefore the exercise of all power in
the Church must ultimately proceed
from the visible Head of the Church.
the Pope. The Pope is the visible re
=, preventative of Jesus Christ in the
Church. AS such he holds supreme
power, not by the choice of the other
! apostles, but directly, Immediately
= from Christ.
Space will not allow developing OF
the argument which is somewhat
: lengthy. We shall, therefore, but in
, dictate the line of argument. Christ
had promised to make Peter theSvis
) ible foundation of His Church. "Thou
r art Peter; and upon this rock I will
: build My Church (Mt. 16, 49,. Christ
) promised Peter the supreme power
when He said to him: "And / will
! give to thee the keys of the Kingdom
/, of Heaven" (Mt 16, 1917 Such promise
/ was made to Peter alone, not to the
+ other apostles. The power of the keys
Q is further designated as power to bint
q and loose Qbid). There must be some
:, thing special in this promise to Peter
r for like power is afterward given t.
r the apostles without previous prom
f Use. When did Christ fulfill His prom
: Use to Peter? st. John tells Us I'll
e 15-17). After the Resurrection Chris
8 in presence of six of the other apos
q ties said to Peter: Feed My Lambs
Q feed My sheep" These words O
e Christ are without limitation, ant
t were spoken to Peter alone. There
h are many other distinctions conferred
v on st. Peter by Christ. Peter shoulC
# be fisher Of men (Cf. Luke 5, 100
b Christ would wash Peters feet frs
(Cf John Is, g.; Christ appeared tt
Peter alone (Cf. Luke "a, 34); HI
babe Peter to confirm his brethren
D (Cf. Luke %, 32).
st. Peter was always looked upol
as chief st. Peter suggests the cleo
/, ton of an apostle to take the plac
5 of Judas (Cf. Acts 1, 15). Pete
7, preached on the Day of Pentecost t.
d the assembled Jews (Acts 2, 1D. Il
# the council of Jerusalem Peter was tn
IT first to speak (Acts Is, y. In the list
, of the apostles (Cf Mt. 10, 2; Nix.
5, 16; Luke 6, 14) st. Peter is Away
d the first named, although he was no
: the first chosen. The Fathers bea
IT testimony to the primacy of ST. Peter
Is The government of the Catholi
ID Church is by divine institution NOR
archical in form, all power, suprem
IS power being vested in one person
st st. Peter originally, and in his SUI
" cessors afterward. AS all power prC
ID ceeded from Christ, so all power i
Sf | C1,,,~oI cboI1Id nro0ood frOT