They were ordained by Jesus at the last supper when he told them, “Do this in memory of me.” The Apostles would not be able to do what Jesus did (consecrate the bread and wine which became his body and blood) unless he had given them the authority to do so. They also received the authority to forgive and retain sins in John 20 when Jesus breathed on them.
I am delighted to hear that you desire to receive Jesus fully in the Eucharist. However, if your denomination’s priesthood does not have valid orders, then transubstantiation does not occur at your altars.
Are you willing to profess a “communion” with those who disagree with you on doctrinal matters?
As I said previously, it does not matter what you believe. It matters what actually happens at the consecration.
Concerning the Orthodox churches, who primarily disagree with Catholics over the authority of the Pope, Vatican II’s “Decree on Ecumenism” (“Unitatis Redintegratio,” 1964) stated, “These Churches, although separated from us, yet possess true sacraments, above all — by apostolic succession — the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy.” A certain communion in sacris including the Holy Eucharist, “given suitable circumstances and the approval of Church authority, is not merely possible but is encouraged”
I’d be careful about saying that in such a black/white fashion. If Catholics are right about the validity, and necessity, of clergy orders then you would presumably also be right about whether the Real Presence is included in a Protestant Eucharist. In any event, however, we are told that where two or more are gathered in His name that He is there also. Christ is most certainly PRESENT in a Protestant Church service because Christians are gathering together in His name.
I believe from a Catholic perspective that the Old Catholic Churches have valid orders, although like the Orthodox they also are in schism from the Catholic Church. If that’s the case, then you are going to have a valid Eucharist in those Churches as well.
I am pleased to hear of the hunger you have for the Lord!
We are RC RC’sWell, I am 60. By some standards that makes me old.
I don’t know anything about the “Old Catholics” who I think broke away from the Catholics and are therefore “New catholics” or “New Something or other.”
CDL
Sure. Luther did. A few Protestant groups still do. Heck, my dad, the Methodist, believes in the Real Presence - until I ask him to explain transubstantiation…then he wants nothing to do with that.
Sure there is…are you unfamiliar with the verses concerning the laying on of hands?
Not even close.
Yes God is everywhere…
Well, maybe.
This is exactly how my father has described it…“believe what you want”.
That assumes that it is important to trace a line of succesion all the way back to the Apostles. To us Apostolic means adherring to the teachings of the Apostles as recorded in Scripture. Even if ther is an Apostolic Succession, it does not show that only priests can consecrate communion. As I quoted earlier Jesus sent the 11 Apostles to baptize.
Yet the Church recognizes baptism by Protestants and the laity. Why is one commisioning exclusive and the other is not?
Nor does it explain why bishops alone can conduct confirmation when Jesus did not distinguish commisioned the Apostles as a group, not into groups of bishops and priests, which the Epistle toTitus shows to be the same office. So why do bishops and priests have different authority?
That is a fairly common mix of apples and oranges. The presence in the Holy Eucharist is real AND physical. The bread and wine ARE the body and blood of Christ. When one receives the Holy Eucharist in one’s hand, and takes it and moves it to one’s mouth, one is physically moving the eternal God, the unmovable Prime Mover, through space and time, because it pleases God to let one do so. There is nothing figurative going one here, though much that is spiritual and sacramental accompanies this physical reality.
Yes.
So, being “like” the Apostles is enough, even if you are not a member of the same Church that they started, in your view. As long as it looks the same, as far as you’re concerned, it is the same?
He also gave the Apostles the authority to make the rules of the Church, and promised them that whatever rules they made on earth would be upheld and enforced in Heaven.
Are you absolutely certain he was doing a solemn exorcism? Lay people can do certain kinds of exorcisms, but not solemn exorcisms. (The act of sprinkling your house with Holy Water is a kind of exorcism that lay people can do.)
And again, the discipline of the Church was given to the Apostles, and passed on to their successors. Bishops have quite a bit of latitude around what they can permit priests to do, under special circumstances. I was Confirmed by a priest, for example, because he received permission and faculties to do that from the Bishop. This is actually quite normal for adult converts.
It just proves that your charity is lacking and your information is wrong.
