The Papacy: The "Final Step" of Priesthood?

[marchoi]

Is the Papacy the “final step” of the priesthood? My understanding is that there are three stages of Holy Orders: diaconate, presbyterate, episcopacy. The Pope, while the Supreme Pontiff and the Vicar of Christ on Earth, is not ordained to the Papacy. Methinks the Papacy is not the “final step” of the priesthood.

 

[Catholic4Christ]

I’m not so sure I follow you?

 

[marchoi]

I’m not so sure I follow you?

It came up in a different thread. Instead of derailing the other thread, I decided to start a new one.

How many know there are several steps in the consecrated Priesthood? Recently learned that the Papcy is the final step in the Earthly Priesthood.

I have heard the Papacy as the 4th order of the Earthly Priesthood. He is selected by the Lord, as His Vicar on Earth, through the Cardinals. He selects who will be Bishops, of our Eastern Brothers also. He is no longer a member of the Magesterium, but signs off on the Magesterium in establishing Canon Law, Etc. And the Holy Father is the only Catholic/Universal word on Morality and Faith. And if the Pope is not officially ‘Installed’ As the Pope, bar emergencies, he remains as Bishop, with the authority of a Bishop. Several steps are required to select, install a new Pope. Aware that the Pope takes 3 vows of being a Servant, a Bishop 2?

And my reply was:

Also, the Papacy (I assume) is not “the final step” of the priesthood. There are three orders of the priesthood - diaconate (deaconate), presbyterate (priests), and the episcopacy (bishops). A bishop, by virtue of his consecration, has the “fullness” of the priesthood. There is no further ordination or consecration to the Papacy.

So there’s the context.

 

[porthos11]

The Papacy is not another degree of Holy Orders. The Pope is a bishop, and in that sense is equal to all other bishops in Holy Orders. It’s possible for a Pope to cease being a Pope, but once a bishop, always a bishop. Or to put it another way, the episcopacy leaves an indelible character (as does priesthood and diaconate), on the man’s soul, but the Papacy does not.

 

[Derwin_James]

The previous responder speaks correctly, especially when one considers that his other title is “Bishop of Rome”

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Right. We teach about Holy Orders in RCIA and our sources agree with the previous responders that the bishop is the ‘final step’. The deacons and priests exercise their ministry as representatives of the bishop (or patriarch).

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Is the Papacy the “final step” of the priesthood? My understanding is that there are three stages of Holy Orders: diaconate, presbyterate, episcopacy. The Pope, while the Supreme Pontiff and the Vicar of Christ on Earth, is not ordained to the Papacy. Methinks the Papacy is not the “final step” of the priesthood.

That is correct.

 

[SenorSalsa]

So a newly ordained Priest and a Rabbi are talking, and the rabbi asks “So what is the next step?”
To which the priest replies “well it doesn’t necessarily work that way, but I suppose I could be ordained Bishop”

Rabbi: "And whats the next step after that?

Priest: “There really isn’t one, a bishop is the completion of Holy Orders, but I could be appointed as archbishop”

Rabbi: “and then?”

Priest: “Cardinal I suppose, but I would still just be a bishop”

Rabbi “And after that?”

Priest “I guess being elected Pope, but really, I am still just a bishop”

Rabbi: “What comes after that?”

Priest “well theres nothing above the Pope”

Rabbi: “surely there is something”

Priest: “what do you want, me to become God?”

Rabbi: “Well, one of our guys made it”

Just a joke that relates pretty well to the idea of the topic

 

[peary]

Is the Papacy the “final step” of the priesthood? My understanding is that there are three stages of Holy Orders: diaconate, presbyterate, episcopacy. The Pope, while the Supreme Pontiff and the Vicar of Christ on Earth, is not ordained to the Papacy. Methinks the Papacy is not the “final step” of the priesthood.

**Absolutely not. The papacy is an entirely different charism of leadership in the Church. It is the cohesiveness which binds the Church together.

The pope chooses priests to become pastoral bishops of dioceses and archdioceses. The pope also chooses certain bishops and teachers in the Church to become his Cardinals who have the responsibility of choosing a pope, usually from their own ranks.

The pope has already been ordained a priest early in his ministry. There are no “final steps” to the priesthood leading to the papacy. Holy Orders is the sacrament which bestows priesthood upon one being ordained, period.**

 

[bpbasilphx]

The Pope, while the Supreme Pontiff and the Vicar of Christ on Earth, is not ordained to the Papacy.

The Pope is the Pope PRECISELY because he is a bishop–the Bishop of Rome.

 

[porthos11]

The Pope, while the Supreme Pontiff and the Vicar of Christ on Earth, is not ordained to the Papacy.

The Pope is the Pope PRECISELY because he is a bishop–the Bishop of Rome.

But he is not ordained to the Papacy. He is ordained to the episcopacy, which in today’s age, has already happened many years before he is elected.