apostolic succession

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I looked over the apostolic succession stuff on scripturecatholic.com/ which was very informative. Can anyone tell me how the practices of today in regards to succession of popes and bishops compare to the ways of old? Have they changed? If so, why? Please excuse my ignorance on this matter, I’m very unexposed to the current methods of the church.
 
Well…

As far as “how to pick a Pope”, it has changed quite a bit. At one point, a Pope was picked when a bird landed on one of the folks present and it was determined that it was devine providence => therefore, he must be Pope! They have taken votes by election among all the faithful they were able to gather, they have elected by Cardinals only (which is the case now). Sometimes the Pope was a bishop prior to selection, sometimes a layman. In one sense, it really doesn’t matter who becomes Pope; God will keep them from teaching error no matter what happens. In another sense it does matter a great deal, as a bumbling idiot is not likely to teach anything worth hearing - he simply won’t teach error when he does teach. Did that make sense?

As far as Apostolic Succession goes, it has been the same since the Bible:
2 Timothy 1:6
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the **laying on of my **hands.

That’s right - the laying on of hands confers the succession. BTW, the East Orthodox have Apostolic Succession, and they maintain it the same way (…which makes sense…).

Hope this helps.

God Bless,
RyanL
 
Who does the laying of hands? Only reason I ask is because if a pope is dead someone would have to lay hands in substitute for him.
 
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newbiefound:
Who does the laying of hands? Only reason I ask is because if a pope is dead someone would have to lay hands in substitute for him.
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Any bishop holds the authority to confer Holy Orders-- for a deacon, priest or bishop.

For ordaining bishops, Church laws dictate that they must be authorized to do so, and have I think three bishops to do it *licitly. *

A pope is typically picked from among bishops. Therefore he does not have to be ordained to the rank of bishop-- he already holds it. If the pope was chosen and was not a bishop, he would have to first be ordained as a bishop, and then to take Peter’s throne.
 
Becoming a Bishop requires the laying on of hands. After that, it’s about the “office” they hold. For example, the Bishop of Fort Wayne / South Bend (my diosese) doesn’t need to have been ordained by the previous Bishop of FTW/SB. He gets appointed to the office. In fact, this is exactly what we see in the Bible:
Acts 1:20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
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Peter appoints someone to fill the office (“bishoprick”) of Judas. It didn’t require that Judas layed hands on him, simply that he be appointed to the office (after those with Apostolic Authority layed hands on him).

Make sense?

God Bless,
RyanL
 
Okay yeah I think I’ve got it. So when someone becomes a bishop they must have other bishops lay hands on them but it doesn’t matter which bishops do the laying of hands? Does it matter how many do it?

There are priests, deacons, diocese, bishops, cardinals, and the pope. I’m still trying to figure out the differences between them. Am I leaving some positions out? I’m reading into these on newadvent.org.
 
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newbiefound:
Okay yeah I think I’ve got it. So when someone becomes a bishop they must have other bishops lay hands on them but it doesn’t matter which bishops do the laying of hands? Does it matter how many do it?

There are priests, deacons, diocese, bishops, cardinals, and the pope. I’m still trying to figure out the differences between them. Am I leaving some positions out? I’m reading into these on newadvent.org.
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The three levels of the Catholic hierarchy are deacon, priest and bishop.

A deacon is an administrative assistant who has taken holy orders, and who also assists with sacramental duties. Some deacons go on to be priests, others remain deacons for life. In the latter case, a deacon can be married.

A priest can perform the Mass – the critical act being the consecration of the Eucharist.

A bishop oversees priests (the word means “overseer.”) A bishop can also consecrate the Eucharist, ordain deacons and priests, and with other bishops he can ordain bishops.

A Diocese is the area overseen by a bishop. A parish is the area overseen by a pastor (who is a priest appointed to oversee that parish.)

A monsignior is a priest of special merit – the title is honorific.

An archbishop is one with administrative duties and oversight of other bishops.

A cardinal is a bishop of special merit, and is normally assigned special duties. Nowadays, cardinals also vote to elect the new Pope.

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the successor of Peter.
 
To piggyback what Vern has just said, it is the Bishops alone to whom the Apostolic gift is imparted. Priests share in this, but do not have the “fullness” of the priesthood (the ability to confer holy orders, etc.). The Priest also does not have “rights” to perform his duties - this is to say that his Bishop can at any point, with cause, impose restrictions on what a Priest can and cannot do. For example, if a Priest is overly harsh in confession, the Bishop can disallow the Priest from granting absolution. If the Priest routinely departs from the approved liturgy, the Bishop can remove that responsibility from the Priest.

Hope that helps.

God Bless,
RyanL
 
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newbiefound:
I looked over the apostolic succession stuff on scripturecatholic.com/ which was very informative. Can anyone tell me how the practices of today in regards to succession of popes and bishops compare to the ways of old? Have they changed? If so, why? Please excuse my ignorance on this matter, I’m very unexposed to the current methods of the church.
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The ordination of bishops is done according to the 4th canon of Nicea. A bishop is ordained by atleast three bishops of the area.
 
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