Alter Christus
A priest holds an office beyond community leadership and preaching. He is ordained to act in persona Christi (in the person of Christ). This is why he says "This is MY body," not "This is Jesus' body." At the altar, the man disappears, and Jesus acts.
The words spoken at the altar are the words of the Last Supper, and the doctrine behind them runs through Luke 22, 1 Corinthians 11, and the Letter to the Hebrews on Christ as the one high priest. Catholic/Christian Pro carries in-depth Bible studies on those passages, audio devotionals on the Mass, guided prayers, worship playlists and full offline access. $49 one-time, lifetime access, no subscription and no recurring charge, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Start today.
Get Pro for $49 One-time payment. Lifetime access, no subscription. 30-day money-back guarantee.Jesus was celibate. St. Paul recommended celibacy (1 Cor 7). A priest gives up a physical family to be a father to thousands, a spiritual father. He is married to the Church. This availability allows him to serve God and his people with an undivided heart.
Celibacy in the Latin Church is a discipline rather than a dogma, and both the case for it and the history of it are usually argued by people who have read neither passage. Pro gives you in-depth Bible studies on 1 Corinthians 7 and Matthew 19:12, guided prayers for priests and for vocations, audio devotionals, worship playlists and full offline access. One payment of $49, lifetime access, no subscription and no recurring charge, 30-day money-back guarantee. Start today.
Get Pro for $49 $49 once. Lifetime access, no recurring charge. 30-day money-back guarantee.We call them "Father" because they give us spiritual life through the sacraments. They baptize us, forgive our sins, feed us the Eucharist, and anoint us when we die. They are there for the most important moments of human existence.
The man who baptises, absolves, feeds and anoints a whole parish carries that work with very few people praying for him by name, and that praying belongs to the laity. Catholic/Christian Pro gives you guided prayers for priests and for vocations, in-depth Bible studies on Holy Orders and on the priesthood in Hebrews, audio devotionals, worship playlists and full offline access. $49 one-time, lifetime access, no subscription and no recurring charges, 30-day money-back guarantee. The sacraments stay free, and your parish will never charge you for confession or for the Mass. This buys study material and audio, nothing else. Start today.
Get Pro for $49 One-time payment. Lifetime access, no subscription. 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.Prefer to give instead of buy? Support this ministry with a donation.