The first Christian communities lived this form of fellowship intensely. 116 Thus the Apostle Paul gives them a share in his Ministry of preaching the Gospel 117 but also intercedes for them. 118 The intercession of Christians recognizes no boundaries: "for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions," for persecutors, for the salvation of those who reject the Gospel. 119

The essential rite of the Sacrament of Holy Orders for all three degrees consists in the Bishop's imposition of hands on the Head of the ordinand and in the bishop's specific consecratory Prayer asking God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and his gifts proper to the Ministry to which the candidate is being ordained. 60

Since the Second Vatican Council the Latin Church has restored the diaconate "as a proper and permanent rank of the hierarchy," 58 while the Churches of the East had always maintained it. This permanent diaconate, which can be conferred on married men, constitutes an important enrichment for the Church's Mission. Indeed it is appropriate and useful that men who carry out a truly diaconal Ministry in the Church, whether in its Liturgical and pastoral life or whether in its social and charitable works, should "be strengthened by the imposition of hands which has come down from the Apostles. They would be more closely bound to the altar and their ministry would be made more fruitful through the Sacramental grace of the diaconate." 59

"At a lower level of the hierarchy are to be found deacons, who receive the imposition of hands 'not unto the Priesthood, but unto the Ministry."' 53 At an ordination to the diaconate only the Bishop lays hands on the candidate, thus signifying the deacon's special attachment to the bishop in the tasks of his "diakonia." 54

"The Priests, prudent cooperators of the episcopal college and its support and instrument, called to the Service of the People of God, constitute, together with their Bishop, a unique sacerdotal college (presbyterium) dedicated, it is, true to a variety of distinct duties. In each local assembly of the Faithful they represent, in a certain sense, the bishop, with whom they are associated in all trust and generosity; in part they take upon themselves his duties and solicitude and in their daily toils discharge them." 51 Priests can Exercise their Ministry only in dependence on the bishop and in Communion with him. the promise of obedience they make to the bishop at the moment of ordination and the kiss of peace from him at the end of the ordination liturgy mean that the bishop considers them his co-workers, his sons, his brothers and his friends, and that they in return owe him love and obedience.

"It is in the Eucharistic cult or in the Eucharistic assembly of the Faithful (synaxis) that they Exercise in a supreme degree their sacred office; there, acting in the person of Christ and proclaiming his mystery, they unite the votive Offerings of the faithful to the Sacrifice of Christ their Head, and in the sacrifice of the Mass they make present again and apply, until the coming of the Lord, the unique sacrifice of the New Testament, that namely of Christ offering himself once for all a spotless victim to the Father." 49 From this unique sacrifice their whole Priestly Ministry draws its strength. 50

"Christ, whom the Father hallowed and sent into the world, has, through his Apostles, made their successors, the Bishops namely, sharers in his consecration and Mission; and these, in their turn, duly Entrusted in varying degrees various members of the Church with the office of their Ministry." 43 "The function of the Bishops' ministry was handed over in a subordinate degree to Priests so that they might be appointed in the order of the Priesthood and be co-workers of the episcapal order for the proper fulfillment of the Apostolic mission that had been entrusted to it by Christ." 44

The Second Vatican Council "teaches . . . that the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred by episcopal consecration, that fullness namely which, both in the Liturgical tradition of the Church and the language of the Fathers of the Church, is called the high Priesthood, the acme (summa) of the sacred Ministry." 36

"The divinely instituted ecclesiastical Ministry is Exercised in different degrees by those who even from ancient times have been called Bishops, Priests, and deacons." 32 Catholic doctrine, expressed in the liturgy, the Magisterium, and the constant practice of the Church, recognizes that there are two degrees of ministerial participation in the Priesthood of Christ: the episcopacy and the presbyterate . the diaconate is intended to help and serve them. For this reason the term sacerdos in current usage denotes Bishops and Priests but not deacons. Yet Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly participation (episcopate and presbyterate) and the degree of Service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a Sacramental act called "ordination," that is, by the Sacrament of Holy Orders:

Through the ordained Ministry, especially that of Bishops and Priests, the presence of Christ as Head of the Church is made visible in the midst of the community of believers. 26 In the beautiful expression of St. Ignatius of Antioch, the Bishop is typos tou Patros: he is like the living image of God the Father. 27

The liturgy of the Church, however, sees in the Priesthood of Aaron and the Service of the Levites, as in the institution of the seventy elders, 11 a prefiguring of the ordained Ministry of the New Covenant. Thus in the Latin Rite the Church prays in the consecratory preface of the ordination of Bishops:

Holy Orders is the Sacrament through which the Mission Entrusted by Christ to his Apostles continues to be Exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of Apostolic Ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate.

Christ invites his disciples to follow him by taking up their cross in their turn. 113 By following him they acquire a new outlook on illness and the sick. Jesus associates them with his own life of poverty and Service. He makes them share in his Ministry of compassion and healing: "So they went out and preached that men should repent. and they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them." 114

Given the delicacy and greatness of this Ministry and the respect due to persons, the Church declares that every Priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the Sins that his penitents have confessed to him. He can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents' lives. 72 This secret, which admits of no exceptions, is called the "Sacramental seal," because what the penitent has made known to the priest remains "sealed" by the Sacrament.

When he celebrates the Sacrament of Penance, the Priest is fulfilling the Ministry of the Good Shepherd who seeks the lost sheep, of the Good Samaritan who binds up wounds, of the Father who awaits the prodigal son and welcomes him on his return, and of the just and impartial judge whose judgment is both just and merciful. the priest is the sign and the instrument of God's merciful love for the sinner.

As in all the Sacraments additional rites surround the celebration. Varying greatly among the different Liturgical traditions, these rites have in common the expression of the multiple aspects of Sacramental grace. Thus in the Latin Church, the initial rites - presentation and election of the ordinand, instruction by the Bishop, examination of the candidate, litany of the saints - attest that the choice of the candidate is made in keeping with the practice of the Church and prepare for the solemn act of consecration, after which several rites syrnbolically express and complete the mystery accomplished: for bishop and Priest, an anointing with holy chrism, a sign of the special anointing of the Holy Spirit who makes their Ministry fruitful; giving the book of the Gospels, the ring, the miter, and the crosier to the bishop as the sign of his Apostolic Mission to proclaim the Word of God, of his fidelity to the Church, the bride of Christ, and his office as shepherd of the Lord's flock; presentation to the priest of the paten and chalice, "the Offering of the holy people" which he is called to present to God; giving the book of the Gospels to the deacon who has just received the mission to proclaim the Gospel of Christ.

Since the Sacrament of Holy Orders is the sacrament of the Apostolic Ministry, it is for the Bishops as the successors of the Apostles to hand on the "gift of the Spirit," 63 The "apostolic line." 64 Validly ordained Bishops, i.e., those who are in the line of apostolic succession, validly confer the three degrees of the sacrament of Holy Orders. 65

Prayer to Jesus is answered by him already during his Ministry, through signs that anticipate the power of his death and Resurrection: Jesus hears the prayer of faith, expressed in words (the leper, Jairus, the Canaanite woman, the good thief) 84 or in silence (the bearers of the paralytic, the woman with a hemorrhage who touches his clothes, the tears and ointment of the sinful woman). 85 The urgent request of the blind men, "Have mercy on us, Son of David" or "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" has-been renewed in the traditional prayer to Jesus known as the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" 86 Healing infirmities or forgiving Sins, Jesus always responds to a prayer offered in faith: "Your faith has made you well; go in peace."

The evangelists have preserved two more explicit Prayers offered by Christ during his public Ministry. Each begins with thanksgiving. In the first, Jesus confesses the Father, acknowledges, and blesses him because he has hidden the mysteries of the Kingdom from those who think themselves learned and has revealed them to infants, the poor of the Beatitudes. 48 His exclamation, "Yes, Father!" expresses the depth of his heart, his adherence to the Father's "good pleasure," echoing his mother's Fiat at the time of his conception and prefiguring what he will say to the Father in his agony. the whole prayer of Jesus is contained in this loving adherence of his human heart to the mystery of the will of the Father. 49

The Gospel according to St. Luke emphasizes the action of the Holy Spirit and the meaning of Prayer in Christ's Ministry. Jesus prays before the decisive moments of his Mission: before his Father's witness to him during his baptism and Transfiguration, and before his own fulfillment of the Father's plan of love by his Passion. 43 He also prays before the decisive moments involving the mission of his Apostles: at his election and call of the Twelve, before Peter's confession of him as "the Christ of God," and again that the faith of the chief of the Apostles may not fail when tempted. 44 Jesus' prayer before the events of salvation that the Father has asked him to fulfill is a humble and trusting commitment of his human will to the loving will of the Father.

Becoming a disciple of Jesus means accepting the invitation to belong to God's family, to live in conformity with His way of life: "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother." 40 Parents should welcome and respect with joy and thanksgiving the Lord's call to one of their children to follow him in virginity for the sake of the Kingdom in the consecrated life or in Priestly Ministry.

The Christian funeral confers on the deceased neither a Sacrament nor a Sacramental since he has "passed" beyond the sacramental economy. It is nonetheless a Liturgical celebration of the Church. 185 The Ministry of the Church aims at expressing efficacious Communion with the deceased, at the participation in that communion of the community gathered for the funeral and at the proclamation of eternal life to the community.

Sacramentals derive from the baptismal Priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a "blessing," and to bless. 172 Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and Sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained Ministry (Bishops, Priests, or deacons). 173

In the Eastern Churches a different discipline has been in force for many centuries: while Bishops are chosen solely from among celibates, married men can be ordained as deacons and Priests. This practice has long been considered legitimate; these Priests Exercise a fruitful Ministry within their communities. 73 Moreover, priestly celibacy is held in great honor in the Eastern Churches and many priests have freely chosen it for the sake of the Kingdom of God. In the East as in the West a man who has already received the Sacrament of Holy Orders can no longer marry.

No one has a right to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Indeed, no one claims this office for himself; he is called to it by God. 69 Anyone who thinks he recognizes the signs of God's call to the ordained Ministry must humbly submit his desire to the authority of the Church, who has the responsibility and right to call someone to receive orders. Like every grace, this sacrament can be received only as an unmerited gift.

"Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination." 66 The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve Apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their Ministry. 67 The college of Bishops, with whom the Priests are united in the Priesthood, makes the college of the twelve an ever-present and ever-active reality until Christ's return. The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason, the ordination of women is not possible. 68

Forgiveness of Sins brings Reconciliation with God, but also with the Church. Since ancient times the Bishop, visible Head of a particular Church, has thus rightfully been considered to be the one who principally has the power and Ministry of reconciliation: he is the moderator of the penitential discipline. 66 Priests, his collaborators, Exercise it to the extent that they have received the comMission either from their bishop (or religious superior) or the Pope, according to the law of the Church. 67

Since Christ Entrusted to his Apostles the Ministry of Reconciliation, 65 Bishops who are their successors, and Priests, the Bishops' collaborators, continue to Exercise this ministry. Indeed bishops and Priests, by virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, have the power to forgive all Sins "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

The formula of absolution used in the Latin Church expresses the essential elements of this Sacrament: the Father of mercies is the Source of all forgiveness. He effects the Reconciliation of sinners through the Passover of his Son and the gift of his Spirit, through the Prayer and Ministry of the Church:

Intrinsically linked to the Sacramental nature of ecclesial Ministry is its character as Service. Entirely dependent on Christ who gives Mission and authority, ministers are truly "slaves of Christ," 392 in the image of him who freely took "the form of a slave" for us. 393 Because the word and grace of which they are ministers are not their own, but are given to them by Christ for the sake of others, they must freely become the slaves of all. 394

"How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? and how are they to hear without a preacher? and how can men preach unless they are sent?" 390 No one - no individual and no community - can proclaim the Gospel to himself: "Faith comes from what is heard." 391 No one can give himself the mandate and the Mission to proclaim the Gospel. the one sent by the Lord does not speak and act on his own authority, but by virtue of Christ's authority; not as a member of the community, but speaking to it in the name of Christ. No one can bestow grace on himself; it must be given and offered. This fact presupposes ministers of grace, authorized and empowered by Christ. From him, they receive the mission and faculty ("the sacred power") to act in persona Christi Capitis. the Ministry in which Christ's emissaries do and give by God's grace what they cannot do and give by their own powers, is called a "Sacrament" by the Church's tradition. Indeed, the ministry of the Church is conferred by a special sacrament.

Christ is himself the Source of Ministry in the Church. He instituted the Church. He gave her authority and Mission, orientation and goal:

The very differences which the Lord has willed to put between the members of his body serve its unity and Mission. For "in the Church there is diversity of Ministry but unity of mission. To the Apostles and their successors Christ has Entrusted the office of teaching, sanctifying and governing in his name and by his power. But the laity are made to share in the Priestly, prophetical, and kingly office of Christ; they have therefore, in the Church and in the world, their own assignment in the mission of the whole People of God." 387 Finally, "from both groups [hierarchy and laity] there exist Christian Faithful who are consecrated to God in their own special manner and serve the salvific mission of the Church through the profession of the evangelical counsels." 388

"In order that the Mission Entrusted to them might be continued after their death, [the Apostles] consigned, by will and testament, as it were, to their immediate collaborators the duty of completing and consolidating the work they had begun, urging them to tend to the whole flock, in which the Holy Spirit had appointed them to shepherd the Church of God. They accordingly designated such men and then made the ruling that likewise on their death other proven men should take over their Ministry." 374

Jesus is the Father's Emissary. From the beginning of his Ministry, he "called to him those whom he desired; .... and he appointed twelve, whom also he named Apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach." 368 From then on, they would also be his "emissaries" (Greek apostoloi). In them, Christ continues his own Mission: "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 369 The apostles' ministry is the continuation of his mission; Jesus said to the Twelve: "he who receives you receives me." 370

The word "catholic" means "universal," in the sense of "according to the totality" or "in keeping with the whole." the Church is catholic in a double sense: First, the Church is catholic because Christ is present in her. "Where there is Christ Jesus, there is the Catholic Church." 307 In her subsists the fullness of Christ's body united with its Head; this implies that she receives from him "the fullness of the means of salvation" 308 which he has willed: correct and complete confession of faith, full Sacramental life, and ordained Ministry in Apostolic succession. the Church was, in this fundamental sense, catholic on the day of Pentecost 309 and will always be so until the day of the Parousia.

Like the prophets before him Jesus expressed the deepest respect for the Temple in Jerusalem. It was in the Temple that Joseph and Mary presented him forty days after his birth. 349 At the age of twelve he decided to remain in the Temple to remind his parents that he must be about his Father's business. 350 He went there each year during his hidden life at least for Passover. 351 His public Ministry itself was patterned by his pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the great Jewish feasts. 352

From the beginning of Jesus' public Ministry, certain Pharisees and partisans of Herod together with Priests and scribes agreed together to destroy him. 317 Because of certain acts of his expelling demons, forgiving Sins, healing on the sabbath day, his novel interpretation of the precepts of the Law regarding purity, and his familiarity with tax collectors and public sinners 318 --some ill-intentioned persons suspected Jesus of demonic possession. 319 He is accused of blasphemy and false prophecy, religious crimes which the Law punished with death by stoning. 320

Jesus Entrusted a specific authority to Peter: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 287 The "power of the keys" designates authority to govern the house of God, which is the Church. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, confirmed this mandate after his Resurrection: "Feed my sheep." 288 The power to "bind and loose" connotes the authority to absolve Sins, to pronounce doctrinal judgements, and to make disciplinary decisions in the Church. Jesus entrusted this authority to the Church through the Ministry of the Apostles 289 and in particular through the ministry of Peter, the only one to whom he specifically entrusted the keys of the kingdom.

Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation, announcing this salvation from afar or near and serving the accomplishment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise; protected Lot; saved Hagar and her child; stayed Abraham's hand; communicated the law by their Ministry; led the People of God; announced births and callings; and assisted the prophets, just to cite a few examples. 194 Finally, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of the Precursor and that of Jesus himself. 195

"Therefore, the study of the sacred page should be the very soul of sacred theology. the Ministry of the Word, too - pastoral preaching, catechetics and all forms of Christian instruction, among which the Liturgical homily should hold pride of place - is healthily nourished and thrives in holiness through the Word of Scripture." 111

"It is the task of exegetes to work, according to these rules, towards a better understanding and explanation of the meaning of Sacred Scripture in order that their research may help the Church to form a firmer judgement. For, of course, all that has been said about the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgement of the Church which Exercises the divinely conferred comMission and Ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of God." 88

"The Ministry of catechesis draws ever fresh energy from the councils. the Council of Trent is a noteworthy example of this. It gave catechesis priority in its constitutions and decrees. It lies at the origin of the Roman Catechism, which is also known by the name of that council and which is a work of the first rank as a summary of Christian teaching. . " 12 The Council of Trent initiated a remarkable organization of the Church's catechesis. Thanks to the work of holy Bishops and theologians such as St. Peter Canisius, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Turibius of Mongrovejo or St. Robert Bellarmine, it occasioned the publication of numerous catechisms.

Likewise, it belongs to the Sacramental nature of ecclesial Ministry that it have a collegial character. In fact, from the beginning of his ministry, the Lord Jesus instituted the Twelve as "the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy." 395 Chosen together, they were also sent out together, and their fraternal unity would be at the Service of the fraternal Communion of all the Faithful: they would reflect and witness to the communion of the divine persons. 396 For this reason every Bishop Exercises his ministry from within the episcopal college, in communion with the bishop of Rome, the successor of St. Peter and Head of the college. So also Priests exercise their ministry from within the presbyterium of the diocese, under the direction of their bishop.

Finally, it belongs to the Sacramental nature of ecclesial Ministry that it have a personal character. Although Chnst's ministers act in Communion with one another, they also always act in a personal way. Each one is called personally: "You, follow me" 397 in order to be a personal witness within the common Mission, to bear personal responsibility before him who gives the mission, acting "in his person" and for other persons: "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ..."; "I absolve you...."

Sacramental Ministry in the Church, then, is at once a collegial and a personal Service, Exercised in the name of Christ. This is evidenced by the bonds between the episcopal college and its Head, the successor of St. Peter, and in the relationship between the Bishop's pastoral responsibility for his particular church and the common solicitude of the episcopal college for the universal Church.

Christ has willed that in her Prayer and life and action his whole Church should be the sign and instrument of the forgiveness and Reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his blood. But he Entrusted the Exercise of the power of absolution to the Apostolic Ministry which he charged with the "ministry of reconciliation." 42 The apostle is sent out "on behalf of Christ" with "God making his appeal" through him and pleading: "Be reconciled to God." 43

The whole Church is united with the Offering and intercession of Christ. Since he has the Ministry of Peter in the Church, the Pope is associated with every celebration of the Eucharist, wherein he is named as the sign and servant of the unity of the universal Church. the Bishop of the place is always responsible for the Eucharist, even when a Priest presides; the bishop's name is mentioned to signify his presidency over the particular Church, in the midst of his presbyterium and with the assistance of deacons. the community intercedes also for all ministers who, for it and with it, offer the Eucharistic Sacrifice:

The Sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: "The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the Ministry of Priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of Offering is different." "In this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner." 188

The Liturgy of the Hours is intended to become the Prayer of the whole People of God. In it Christ himself "continues his Priestly work through his Church." 50 His members participate according to their own place in the Church and the circumstances of their lives: Priests devoted to the pastoral Ministry, because they are called to remain diligent in prayer and the Service of the word; religious, by the charism of their consecrated lives; all the Faithful as much as possible: "Pastors of souls should see to it that the principal hours, especially Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and on the more solemn feasts. the laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually." 51

But "the members do not all have the same function." 12 Certain members are called by God, in and through the Church, to a special Service of the community. These servants are chosen and consecrated by the Sacrament of Holy Orders, by which the Holy Spirit enables them to act in the person of Christ the Head, for the service of all the members of the Church. 13 The ordained minister is, as it were, an "icon" of Christ the Priest. Since it is in the Eucharist that the sacrament of the Church is made fully visible, it is in his presiding at the Eucharist that the Bishop's Ministry is most evident, as well as, in Communion with him, the ministry of Priests and deacons.

The ordained Ministry or ministerial Priesthood is at the Service of the baptismal Priesthood. 38 The ordained priesthood guarantees that it really is Christ who acts in the Sacraments through the Holy Spirit for the Church. the saving Mission Entrusted by the Father to his incarnate Son was committed to the Apostles and through them to their successors: they receive the Spirit of Jesus to act in his name and in his person. 39 The ordained minister is the Sacramental bond that ties the Liturgical action to what the apostles said and did and, through them, to the words and actions of Christ, the Source and foundation of the sacraments.

Jesus' words and actions during his hidden life and public Ministry were already salvific, for they anticipated the power of his Paschal mystery. They announced and prepared what he was going to give the Church when all was accomplished. the mysteries of Christ's life are the foundations of what he would henceforth dispense in the Sacraments, through the ministers of his Church, for "what was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries." 32

"To accomplish so great a work" - the dispensation or communication of his work of salvation - "Christ is always present in his Church, especially in her Liturgical celebrations. He is present in the Sacrifice of the Mass not only in the person of his minister, 'the same now Offering, through the Ministry of Priests, who formerly offered himself on the cross,' but especially in the Eucharistic species. By his power he is present in the Sacraments so that when anybody baptizes, it is really Christ himself who baptizes. He is present in his word since it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church. Lastly, he is present when the Church prays and sings, for he has promised 'where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them."' 11

Catechesis strives to awaken and nourish in the Faithful faith in the incomparable greatness of the risen Christ's gift to his Church: the Mission and the power to forgive Sins through the Ministry of the Apostles and their successors:

After his Resurrection, Christ sent his Apostles "so that repentance and forgiveness of Sins should be preached in his name to all nations." 524 The apostles and their successors carry out this "Ministry of Reconciliation," not only by announcing to men God's forgiveness merited for us by Christ, and calling them to conversion and faith; but also by communicating to them the forgiveness of sins in Baptism, and reconciling them with God and with the Church through the power of the keys, received from Christ: 525

Lay people who possess the required qualities can be admitted permanently to the ministries of lector and acolyte. 436 When the necessity of the Church warrants it and when ministers are lacking, lay persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply for certain of their offices, namely, to Exercise the Ministry of the word, to preside over Liturgical Prayers, to confer Baptism, and to distribute Holy Communion in accord with the prescriptions of law." 437

The Bishop is "the steward of the grace of the supreme Priesthood," 423 especially in the Eucharist which he offers personally or whose Offering he assures through the Priests, his co-workers. the Eucharist is the center of the life of the particular Church. the bishop and Priests sanctify the Church by their Prayer and work, by their Ministry of the word and of the Sacraments. They sanctify her by their example, "not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock." 424 Thus, "together with the flock Entrusted to them, they may attain to eternal life." 425

Periods of renewal in the Church are also intense moments of catechesis. In the great era of the Fathers of the Church, saintly Bishops devoted an important part of their Ministry to catechesis. St. Cyril of Jerusalem and St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose and St. Augustine, and many other Fathers wrote catechetical works that remain models for us. 11

In the ecclesial Service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high Priest of the redemptive Sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis: 23