PAPACY SUCCESSION

How does the Catholic Church has made it this long?

One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church

For about 2000 yrs. the Catholic Church has existed.

The One Church that Jesus founded has been preserved through close 2000 yrs in History

It is the Church of Jesus & the Apostles. The Church that God wills for all Eternity.

It is the same Church that Jesus Himself founded, and The Holy Spirit guides through all History.

1. How does the Catholic Church has made it this long?

2. What is going to guarantee, it will continues until Jesus comes again?

Jesus wants to preserve the Church

This is all Jesus put into place to preserve his Church until He comes again:

PAPACY SUCCESSION And Holy Orders

Jesus chose the First Pope If you give someone a very important

mission, Do you would choose someone who denies you,

not once, not twice, but 3 times?

Maybe you would chose someone who is more loyal to you, and who deserve to be your friend!!

But Jesus; however, did something else!

Peter was the one Apostle, Jesus choose to be the Head of His Church.

Jesus saw in Peter not a friend, who denied Him, but a ROCK.

Jesus saw a strong man, humble by his weakness and Now ready to be loyal to Christ even it will cost him his life which eventually did.

* Peter

* & The office of the Pope

This Apostolic Succession

Peter is the ROCK in which Christ build his Church.

Peter was the first Pope of the Beginning of unbroken line of Bishops

We call This Apostolic Succession.

Peter means ROCK Jesus set Peter over the whole Church to

lead it, and eventually laid down his life for it.

PETER means “Rock”: Jesus gave Peter this name; his original name was Simon.

Jesus said: “You are PETER, and on this Rock, I will build my Church.” (Mateo 16:13-18)

In the Scriptures a person receive a New name to show that he has a new mission, which was true with Peter.

Peter receive a new name, a new mission,. He was the foundation of the Church

The Keys from His Kingdom Jesus gave Peter the Keys from his Kingdom, too.

He gave the keys of the Kingdom of God, to a poor fisherman; someone who denied him, when He was in his way to the cross.

Peter was entrusted with the Keys of the Kingdom of HEAVEN.

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of netherworld shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Mt 16:18-19)

This is real authority: Peter was just the 1st Pope in the long unbroken lien of Popes throughout the 2000 yrs of the Church’s History.

Fishers of Men Jesus called Peter -the fisherman- on the sea shore; and

Jesus said: I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:18-22)

Since the 1st day that Jesus call Peter, He fished for the souls of men.

This Apostolic Succession

When Jesus began His public ministry, he called 12 man, to share his ministry with them.

Jesus called each of them out of their every day jobs and life to follow Him.

This Apostles travel with Jesus; they helped Him, and listen to Him.◦ They love Jesus and Jesus love them.

Jesus entrusted the Apostles with a very important mission

The Mission was to preach Jesus’ message to everyone.

Promise to send the Holy Spirit

Jesus ascended into Heaven, but He promise that He will send the Holy Spirit to

teach them all things

APOSTLE: from the Greek word that means Emisary.

An Emissary or Apostle es a person who is sent on a mission from someone else.

Jesus send the apostles to on a Mission:

◦ “…As my father has sent Me, even so I send you” (John 20:21)

◦ “Go and teach all nations” (Mathew 28:19)

The apostles were chosen by Jesus, called by Jesus and sent out by Jesus to all the people of the world.

Jesus has a mission, too!

Jesus entrusted the apostles with a very important mission, His own mission!

Who sent Jesus on His Mission? The GOD FATHER sent Jesus down to earth to save us from our sins.

When Jesus died y rose, He fulfill the Mission that the Father gave him, but he hasn’t done yet…

Jesus need to appoint the apostles to carry on His mission, so all people and all nations, will know that He save them.

He not only gave them the mission, but also, Jesus gave the apostles the power to carry it out.

Jesus said the apostles that he never leave them. So he send the Holy Spirit.

SACRAMENTS OF THE HOLY ORDERS

Through out the time the Church, has never been without Bishops and Popes to lead her

In fact, you can trace your Bishop, all the way back to the 12 apostles

How you can do this? Through the SACRAMENTS OF THE HOLY ORDERS ,

Jesus ordained the apostles as the first priest and bishops of the Church

Then, the apostles ordained more men to be priest and bishops

Until today, your Bishop was ordained by another Bishop, and all whom have received this power from Christ.

Bishops

The Bishops are called “The Successors of the Apostles”.

Apostolic Succession: means the Bishops were chosen, and ordained to carry on the Mission of the Apostles: THE MISSION OF CHIRST.

ST Peter and the apostles knew that they were call by God, for a very important mission leading, helping, and serving the Church, us.

Good Shepherds The Pope and the Bishops who help Jesus

have the power to ordain other Priests and Bishops◦ through the Sacraments Of The Holy Orders, so

that the line es never broken.

The Pope learned from Jesus how to serve those, whom he is head of, and whom he has authority over.

The Pope mission is to watch over his flock, and help each person on earth to love Jesus, and become Holy.

The Bishops carry in his hand a CROZIER as a sing of His duty, to be a “Good Shepherd “ of his flock: us.

267 Popes in History of Catholic Church

Peter was the apostle chosen by Christ to be head of the apostles, and head of the whole Church.

First 4 Popes: St. Peter, St. Linus, St Anacletus, & St. Clement.

The current Pope is “Pope Francis”.

There has been 267 popes during the whole History of Catholic Church.

ever since Jesus chose the 1st Pope, (“Peter”) the line of Pope, who is the Head of the Church has been unbroken, even till today.

Jesus clearly set Peter the head of the Universal Church from the very beginning.

Carry a Big Responsibility: TO TEACH One of the roles of the Pope and the Bishops is to

teach millions, and million of souls. But God did not leave them alone, with this

responsibility: He promise that He will be with the Apostles, and now their successors always.

So The HOLY SPIRIT guides the Pope & the Bishops, in union with him, to teach what is True.

This is a PROMISE of “INFALLABILITY” The Pope & the Bishops, in union with him, are infallible.

INFALLIBLE means that the Pope & Bishops, in union with him, can never teach error. (because the Holy Spirit guides them)

The Pope can only teach the TRUE in matters of Faith and Morals.

And it is GUARANTEED that it is the THRUTH by the Power of the HOLY SPIRIT.◦ Therefore, the Pope is INFALLIBLE– the Pope can teach only the

true, in matters of faith and morals.

Remember Our Church is Apostolic and build on the Apostles, who

were chosen by Jesus to lead the Church.

The Head of the Apostle is Peter, the 1st Pope.

The Office of the Papacy continues to guide the Catholic Church .

And we look the Pope as our Spiritual Father and Shepherd to guide us.

Any Question?

Papacy Succession