Page 560 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

life” (Vatican Council II—the Conciliar and Post permanently. This presence of Christ under the species
Conciliar Documents, “Decree on Ecumenism,” chap. 3, ‘is called real, not in an exclusive sense, as if the other
II, 22, p. 427). kinds of presence were not real, but par
“By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all excellence” (The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,
personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin” (New Instruction on the Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery,
Catholic Catechism, 1994, Canadian Conference of Chap. 1, E, p. 114).
Catholic Bishops, 1263). “In the celebration of Mass there is proclaimed the
“Baptism not only purifies from all sins, but also makes wonderful mystery of the real presence of Christ our
the neophyte ‘a new creature,’ an adopted son of God, Lord under the eucharistic species. The Second Vatican
who has become a ‘partaker of the divine nature,’ Council and other magisterial pronouncements of the
member of Christ and co-heir with him, and a temple Church have confirmed this truth in the same sense
of the Holy Spirit” (New Catholic Catechism, 1265). and the same words as those in which the Council of
Confirmation: This rite is given subsequent to Trent defined it as an article of faith. ... Christ becomes
baptism, usually in early adolescence. It is performed by present through an essential change in the
elements” (The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,
the laying on of the priest’s hands and anointing with General Instruction on the Roman Missal, foreword, 3,
oil. Confirmation is supposed to “increase and deepen p. 154).
baptismal grace.” By confirmation the recipient is “As often as the sacrifice of the cross by which ‘Christ
thought to receive the Holy Spirit, especially in His gifts our Pasch is sacrificed’ (1 Co. 5:7) is celebrated on the
and serving power. altar, the work of our redemption is carried
“In confirmation the baptized receive the Spirit poured out” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Chapter 1,
out on the apostles at Pentecost and by this gift they 3, p. 324).
are more perfectly conformed to Christ and are “The sacrifice on the altar is no mere commemoration
strengthened ... so that they may bear witness to Christ of Calvary, but a true and proper act of sacrifice,
for the building up of the church” (Christian whereby Christ the high priest, by an unbloody
Celebration: The Sacraments, p. 98). immolation offers himself a most acceptable victim to
Holy Orders (the Priesthood): We have already dealt the eternal father, as he did on the cross” (Catholic
with this. Catechism, 1975).
Eucharist (Mass): This is the Roman Catholic form of The consecrated wafer is worshipped as Christ.
the Lord’s Supper. Rome teaches that the bread and “The faithful should therefore strive to worship Christ
wine actually become the body and blood of the Lord our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. ... Pastors [priests]
Jesus Christ through the rituals performed by the priest. should exhort them to this, and set them a good
This is called transubstantiation. The sacrifice of Christ example. ... The place in a church or oratory where the
is allegedly re-offered in each Mass. By being present at Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle [the
box where the consecrated wafer is kept and
the ceremony and partaking of the elements of the worshiped between Masses] should be truly
Eucharist the participants allegedly receive spiritual prominent. It ought to be suitable for private prayer so
nourishment. Except for a few special occasions, Roman that the faithful may easily and fruitfully, by private
Catholics only eat the wafer and do not drink the wine. devotion also, continue to honour our Lord in this
“Hence the Mass, the Lord’s Supper, is at the same time sacrament” (Vatican Council II—the Conciliar and Post
and inseparably: a sacrifice in which the sacrifice of the Conciliar Documents, The Constitution on the Sacred
cross is perpetuated; a memorial of the death and Liturgy, Instruction on the Worship of the Eucharistic
resurrection of the Lord, who said ‘do this in memory Mystery, Chap. 3, I B, p. 132).
of me’ (Lk. 22:19) … In the Mass, therefore, the “All the faithful ought to show to this most holy
sacrifice and sacred meal belong to the same mystery sacrament the worship which is due to the true God, as
—so much so that they are linked by the closest bond. has always been the custom of the Catholic
For in the sacrifice of the Mass Our Lord is immolated Church” (The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,
when ‘he begins to be present sacramentally as the Instruction on the Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery,
spiritual food of the faithful under the appearances of Intro., C 6, p. 109).
bread and wine.’ … For in it Christ perpetuates in an While certain forms of the Mass have changed since
unbloody manner the sacrifice offered on the cross, Vatican II (e.g., it can be performed in vernacular
offering himself to the Father for the world’s salvation languages instead of Latin), the foundational dogma of
through the ministry of priests” (Vatican Council II—the the Mass has not changed.
Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, The
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Instruction on the Penance: This is the act of confessing one’s sins to a
Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery, Introduction, C 1, priest and doing good deeds and performing various
2, p. 108). rituals (such as repeating the Rosary) according to the
“In this sacrament Christ is present in a unique way, instruction of the priest in order to make restitution for
whole and entire, God and man, substantially and

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