Explain the royal, prophetic and priestly office of the faithful and the sacramental priesthood

 14. Explain the royal, prophetic and priestly office of the faithful and the sacramental priesthood. What is the relationship between collegiality of the Bishops and the primacy and infallibility of the Roman Pontiff? 

Introduction: The Church is the supernatural society established by Jesus Christ where the Christ believers are joined as a part of the mystical body of Christ. It is union and communion of Christ’s believers with one-another in and through the grace of Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to God the Father. The main and fundamental work of the Church is to extend the kingdom of God by preaching the word of God and by baptizing the peoples who are not under her. It was the commandment of Jesus, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nation baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:19). All baptized person are the members of the Church. By receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, one does not become the member of the Church only; he is also incorporated with the Body of Christ. Baptism is the door to enter into the Church. There are seven sacraments in the Church. The two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Orders, faithful shares the priestly, prophetic and royal function in the Church. But there is different between these two sacraments. It will be discussed, as it is proceed to this theme.

The Sacramental or Ministerial Priesthood and Common Priesthood: The ministerial or sacramental Priesthood is a type of priesthood by divine institution some among Christ’s faithful are through the sacrament of Holy order, marked with an indelible character and are thus constituted Sacred Ministry; thereby they are consecrated  and deputed that each according to his own grade, they fulfill, in the person of Christ the Head, the offices of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling, and so they nourish the people of God of bishop, priests, deacon. The Holy order is conferred by the imposition of hands and the prayer of consecration. 

The common priesthood of all the faithful participates, each in its own proper way, in one priesthood of Christ. While being ordered one to another, they differ essentially. While the common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace – a life of faith, hope and charity, a life according to the spirit, the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians. The ministerial priesthood is a means by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads his church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own sacrament, the sacrament of Holy Orders.

The Priestly, Kingly and Prophetic Function of Laity in Common Priesthood: The adjective lay is derived from the Greek word laikos (Lat., laicus) meaning “of or from the people.” In early Christianity the term came to connote “the chosen people of God.”  By reason of their special vocation it belongs to the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God's will. 

Priestly Role: The supreme and eternal Priest, Christ Jesus wills to continue his witness and service also through the laity. For this reason the laity, dedicated to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit, are marvelously called and wonderfully prepared ever more abundant fruits of the Spirit may be produced in them. For all their works, prayers and apostolic endeavors, their ordinary married and family life, their daily occupations, their physical and mental relaxation, if carried out in the Spirit, and even the hardships of life, if patiently borne-all these become "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. “Thus laity consecrates the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives." In a very special way, parents share in the office of sanctifying "by leading a conjugal life in the Christian spirit and by seeing to the Christian education of their children (CCC 901-902)." They can also serve by the ministry lector and acolyte.

Prophetic Role: Christ, the great Prophet, who proclaimed the Kingdom of His Father both by the testimony of His life and the power of His words, continually, fulfills His prophetic office until the complete manifestation of glory. He does this not only through the hierarchy who teach in His name and with His authority, but also through the laity whom He made His witnesses and to whom He gave understanding of the faith and an attractiveness in speech so that the power of the Gospel might shine forth in their daily social and family life. Thus lay people also fulfill their prophetic mission by evangelization. Through married and family, they play a special prophetic function. Lay people who are capable and trained may also collaborate in catechetical formation, in teaching the sacred sciences, and in use of the communications media” (CCC 906). They also have duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church, and they have a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard to the integrity of faith and morals and reverence toward their pastors, and with consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons."

Kingly Role: Christ, becoming obedient even unto death and because of this exalted by the Father,(206) entered into the glory of His kingdom. His kingdom is a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace. The Lord wishes to spread His kingdom also by means of the laity. Laity has the principal role to establish justice, charity and peace. They will contribute to use created goods, technical skill and civic culture for the benefit of all according to the design of the Creator and the light of His Word.  They will also play role to have equal distribution of the goods among all men thus it can be conducive to universal progress in human and Christian freedom.

The Priestly, Kingly and Prophetic Function of Sacramental Priesthood: There are three levels of divinely established ecclesiastical ministry in the Church. They are called bishops, priests and deacons. Each minister has their particular priestly, kingly and prophetic function. Here is a description of those functions of bishops, priests and deacons. 

Bishop: Bishops are the successors of the apostles. They are teachers for doctrine, priests for sacred worship, and ministers for governing. They have taken up the service of the community by presiding in place of God over the flock.  Bishop as priest preaches the word of God to all nations, and constantly administering the sacraments of faith to those who believe, by their paternal functioning. He incorporates new members in His Body by a heavenly regeneration, and finally by their wisdom and prudence He directs and guides the People of the New Testament in their pilgrimage toward eternal happiness. As a Priest by Episcopal consecration the fullness of the sacrament of Orders is conferred, that fullness of power, namely, which both in the Church's liturgical practice and in the language of the Fathers of the Church is called the high priesthood, the supreme power of the sacred ministry. As a prophet the principal duties of bishops is preaching of the Gospel. For bishops are preachers of the faith, who lead new disciples to Christ and they are authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach to the people committed to them the faith they must believe and put into practice, and by the light of the Holy Spirit illustrate that faith. His kingly function includes as vicars and ambassadors of Christ, governing the particular churches entrusted to them by their counsel, exhortations, example, and even by their authority and sacred power, which indeed they use only for the edification of their flock in truth and holiness. Pope is also a bishop who is Vicar of Christ, Successor of Peter, Head of the college of bishops, bishop of Rome and the Pastor of the Universal Church. As Pope, he has full authority over the universal Church.  He has highest, full, immediate, universal authority.     

Priest: Priests are prudent cooperators with the Episcopal order, its aid and instrument. They are called to serve the people of God, constitute one priesthood with their bishop. They sanctify and govern under the bishop's authority, that part of the Lord's flock entrusted to them they make the universal Church visible in their own locality and bring an efficacious assistance to the building up of the whole body of Christ. As Priest, they exercise their sacred function especially in the Eucharistic worship or the celebration of the Mass by which acting in the person of Christ and proclaiming His Mystery they unite the prayers of the faithful with the sacrifice of their Head and renew and apply in the sacrifice of the Mass until the coming of the Lord.  As Prophet,  they gather together God's family as a brotherhood all of one mind and lead them in the Spirit, through Christ, to God the Father. In the midst of the flock they adore Him in spirit and in truth.(182) Finally, they labor in word and doctrine,  believing what they have read and meditated upon in the law of God, teaching what they have believed, and putting in practice in their own lives what they have taught. As king, because the human race today is joining more and more into a civic, economic and social unity, it is that much the more necessary that priests, by combined effort and aid, under the leadership of the bishops and the Supreme Pontiff, wipe out every kind of separateness, so that the whole human race may be brought into the unity of the family of God.

Deacon: Deacons are at a lower level of the hierarchy, upon whom hands are imposed "not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service. In communion with the bishop and his group of priests they serve in the diaconate of the liturgy, of the word, and of charity to the people of God. It is the duty of the deacon, according as it shall have been assigned to him by competent authority, to administer baptism solemnly, to be custodian and dispenser of the Eucharist, to assist at and bless marriages in the name of the Church, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read the Sacred Scripture to the faithful, to instruct and exhort the people, to preside over the worship and prayer of the faithful, to administer sacramentals, to officiate at funeral and burial services.

Collegiality of the Bishops: It is an organic reality not mere catagory of office holders. It is the best expression of communion of all the churches, which constitute the universal church. It embodies a strong bond of faith, love and order which tie the Catholic Church together. Bishops belong to this college by virtue of their Episcopal Ordination, in which they receive the fullness of the sacrament of orders, and their communion with the members of the college and the Pope. The bishop of Rome is a member of this college but he is also the head, operative center and usual spokesman.

Primacy of Roman Pontiff: In virtue of his office that is as Vicar of Christ and pastor of the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff has full, supreme and universal power over the Church. As head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals.

Infallibility: The doctrine of Infallibility means that popes are divnely preserved from error when they make declarations from Ex cathedra the (from the chair of Peter) addresseed to the whole church on faith and morals. a supernatural gift free from error in all offcial pronouncements on matters of faith and morals. This doctrine was defined dogmatically in the First Vatican Council of 1869–70.

The Relationship between Collegiality of the Bishops and the Primacy and Infallibility of the Roman Pontiff: The college or body of bishops has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, as its head." As such, this college has "supreme and full authority over the universal Church; but this power cannot be exercised without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff. The college of bishops exercises power over the universal Church in a solemn manner in an ecumenical council.  But "there never is an ecumenical council which is not confirmed or at least recognized as such by Peter's successor. The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals.

Conclusion: Through the sacrament of baptism, we the faithful become the free children of God, co-worker of Chris. So, all the baptized persons attained these three roles from Christ by the authority of the Church. We all become king/pastor, priest and prophets. As we attained these roles the duties and responsibilities are also entrusted on us to in order to extend the kingdom of God, which is established by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. If things are neglected we have to be accountable to Christ who is our king, our priest and our pastor.