Role of a Priest in a Catholic Church
In the Catholic Church, a priest is a man who has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders from a bishop. At the ordination ceremony, the bishop confers upon the new priest sacred powers that he must use for the spiritual good of all people.
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Origin
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The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ's apostles were the first priests. For more than two thousand years, it has been the duty of Catholic priests to represent Christ to the world.
Assignments
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Some priests teach, serve as hospital chaplains or perform administrative work for their bishops, but most are assigned to a parish, a local community of Catholics.
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The Mass
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A priest's most important function is to celebrate Mass, also known as the Eucharist. This is the supreme Catholic liturgy, in which the priest, by the power of Christ, changes bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus.
The Sacraments
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Of Catholicism's seven sacraments, the priest administers five: baptizing infants and converts, granting absolution to sinners in confession, dispensing Holy Communion, performing marriages and bringing the last rites to the sick and dying. The other two, Confirmation and Holy Orders, are reserved to bishops.
Preaching
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It is a parish priest's duty to preach, at least on Sunday, explaining to his congregation the teachings of Jesus and how they can be applied to daily life.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Melinda
