Priests as "Christ on earth"

[FFR]

I am new to this site and ask your pardon if I have missed a thread with this topic (there are so many threads, it’s overwhelming for a newbie) or have misplaced this topic in the wrong thread.

When I was a child in Catholic school, the teachers taught us over several years, very clearly and firmly (with a thrashing - yes, a thrashing - for those of us who questioned) that, upon ordination, priests (like the pope) were the incarnation of Christ on earth. Thus, whatever one was told by the priest was true; quite simply, it was Christ speaking with you.

More recently, I have heard similar remarks about priests from Catholics, although these are persons from groups that I’m told are not mainstream (e.g., Society of St. Peter).

Is this characterization of priests common within the Church at this time?

Thank you for allowing me to post.

 

[Theophorus]

Firstly welcome to the forums. I think that what you have been told is an over simplified version of the Catholic theology of Priesthood.

The Church does indeed believe that upon ordination to the priesthood a man becomes on a basic level(whats called an ontological change/change in his being) an ‘Alter Christus/Another Christ’ through whom Christ works, that is the priest acts in the person of Christ(in persona Christi) this does not mean that every word which springs from the mouth of a priest(any priest even the pope) is automatically gospel truth, rather it means that Christ has given the Church a body of men who can dispense the Sacraments in his name, who can forgive in his name, and who when they say “THIS IS MY BODY” during the Mass, can mean it in a way no one else can as they have been conformed to Christ in a special way. This is not the same thing as priest as incarnation of Christ, but rather the answer to Jesus’ call and his sending out of the disciples as continued down through the centuries cf “as the Father has sent Me, I also send you” Jn 20:21 & “do this in remembrance of me” Lk 22:19.

I hope this is of some help.

God bless

 

[Michael19682]

I am new to this site and ask your pardon if I have missed a thread with this topic (there are so many threads, it’s overwhelming for a newbie) or have misplaced this topic in the wrong thread.

When I was a child in Catholic school, the teachers taught us over several years, very clearly and firmly (with a thrashing - yes, a thrashing - for those of us who questioned) that, upon ordination, priests (like the pope) were the incarnation of Christ on earth. Thus, whatever one was told by the priest was true; quite simply, it was Christ speaking with you.

More recently, I have heard similar remarks about priests from Catholics, although these are persons from groups that I’m told are not mainstream (e.g., Society of St. Peter).

Is this characterization of priests common within the Church at this time?

Thank you for allowing me to post.

A past cardinal in nY said that he said to a past Pope “When we are with you, we believe we are with Peter.”

 

[Michael19682]

Or maybe it was a written letter…don’t recall exactly
Long long time ago

 

[PaulfromIowa]

priests (like the pope) were the incarnation of Christ on earth. Thus, whatever one was told by the priest was true; quite simply, it was Christ speaking with you.

No, a priest can be wrong as can anyone else. There are, unfortunately, priests and bishops who deviate from the Gospel in their teachings and advice.

What you may have heard is that the priest acts “in persona Christi,” in the person of Christ, in performing the sacraments. In consecrating the Eucharist or in absolving sins, the priest, by virtue of his ordination, does act in the person of Christ.

 

[QNDNNDQDCE]

When I was a child in Catholic school, the teachers taught us over several years, very clearly and firmly (with a thrashing - yes, a thrashing - for those of us who questioned) that, upon ordination, priests (like the pope) were the incarnation of Christ on earth. Thus, whatever one was told by the priest was true; quite simply, it was Christ speaking with you.

We are often told when we are young that our parents and our teachers are always right too. It would be good if this were correct, but it’s often not the case.