What's 'in persona Christi'?

[pulchraesamicamea]

Can someone explain this to me in more of a detail?

After I converted in 2015, I’ve always genuflected when I saw a priest in procession during Mass in Canada.
However, I’ve realized that many people do not genuflect here in Korea when a priest comes in persona Christi, but rather bow. Since then, I’ve bowed when a priest comes in procession- but when a foreign priest visits the church, I genuflect because I know it’s more appropriate.
I want to learn more about in persona Christi and what it means in our Holy Church, and perhaps help my mom and my dad (who are fairly new converts) and for my brother who decided to join the Church.

 

[Vico]

Can someone explain this to me in more of a detail?

After I converted in 2015, I’ve always genuflected when I saw a priest in procession during Mass in Canada.
However, I’ve realized that many people do not genuflect here in Korea when a priest comes in persona Christi, but rather bow. Since then, I’ve bowed when a priest comes in procession- but when a foreign priest visits the church, I genuflect because I know it’s more appropriate.
I want to learn more about in persona Christi and what it means in our Holy Church, and perhaps help my mom and my dad (who are fairly new converts) and for my brother who decided to join the Church.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1548 In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis :

It is the same priest, Christ Jesus, whose sacred person his minister truly represents. Now the minister, by reason of the sacerdotal consecration which he has received, is truly made like to the high priest and possesses the authority to act in the power and place of the person of Christ himself (virtute ac persona ipsius Christi) .

Christ is the source of all priesthood: the priest of the old law was a figure of Christ, and the priest of the new law acts in the person of Christ.

 

[paperwight]

‘In persona Christi’ doesn’t mean that at all times and in all places we treat the priest as if he were Jesus Himself, though. It is not appropriate to genuflect to him.

 

[Minks]

That old saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” has merit, within reason. It depends upon the circumstances. Remember that disciplines—essentially, the way we do things—can change from one country to another, and, also, within a country.

Abstaining from meat on Friday (a discipline) is an easy example. Before Vatican II, that was the rule, worldwide. After VII, it’s mandatory for many parts of the world, but is not mandatory in others, including the US, as long as a Catholic is certain to observe another type of sacrifice. However, a bishop in a mandatory abstinence country could choose to temporarily lift that requirement—during flood clean-up, or a very large festival, for examples.

A priest is in persona Christi during special moments when he’s standing in for Christ because that’s how Christ set it up before He left us. The rest of the time, a priest is all that makes a priest a priest, with many hats for many roles, but at those times, even though he is special and a direct-line emissary for Christ, he is not in persona Christi.

Since people generally take the easy way when and where possible, few people bow or genuflect toward the tabernacle upon entering a pew if the Holy Eucharist is visible, nor do they bother to bow to the tabernacle. I can’t be that blase.

Read until you’re comfortable in explaining it to others, and, of course, give them the names of your study materials. If they then read what you’ve told them, it will be easier for them to remember; there’s likely enough info generated through the Church that one could learn something new each day!

There’s always catholic.com, usbbc.org, and vatican.va.org, but I’m partial to scborromeo.org.

 

[pulchraesamicamea]

Thanks everyone! I had a great difficulty explaining this to my parents. As the first convert of the family, the explaining falls on me.

 

[Minks]

Just before you try to explain something, talk to Jesus. Say, with the deep meaning that you feel, “Jesus, please help me!” He WILL help you!