Apostolic succession means that every Catholic bishop is part of an unbroken chain back to one of the original Apostles who were sent into the world by Jesus after receiving his authority as the original shepherds of his Church.
The Apostles were made sacramental priests at the Last Supper and were given special graces at Pentecost which allowed them to interpret Sacred Scripture, administer the sacraments, and ordain other men.
Apostolic succession makes sure that these gifts and authority were personally passed on from the Apostles to to the bishops who followed them, ensuring that Jesus’ Church would last until the end of time.
Beginning with the spread of the early Church, the Apostles ordained men with the same mission and authority to proclaim the Gospel, celebrate the sacraments, and serve the people of God in their communities.
By a laying on of hands in the Sacrament of Holy Orders, today’s Catholic bishops continue to hand on the witness of the original Apostles. Under the authority of their bishop, Catholic priests and deacons share in these orders.
Because their bishops follow one after another all the way back to the original Apostles, and teach, sanctify, and govern the Church with the same authority, Catholics can profess that their Church is apostolic.
Out of all of the Christian Churches, only the Catholic and Orthodox Churches can claim to have apostolic succession and the authority attached to it.
All the way back to Jesus and the Apostles:
Passing authority from the Apostles to the bishops today:
A direct lineage to Jesus’ Apostles:
The unbroken line that ensures that the Gospel is authentic:
Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Matthew 28: 18-20
Appointing apostolic leadership in communities:
Entrusted by the Apostles to oversee the community:
“Just as the office which the Lord confided to Peter alone, as first of the Apostles, destined to be transmitted to his successors, is a permanent one, so also endures the office, which the apostles received, of shepherding the Church, a charge destined to be exercised without interruption by the sacred order of bishops.” Hence the Church teaches that “the bishops have by divine institution taken the place of the Apostles as pastors of the Church, in such wise that whoever listens to them is listening to Christ and whoever despises them despises Christ and him who sent Christ.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church 862
The Apostles transferred their gifts to bishops:
Apostolic succession by laying on of hands:
This is what St Clement of Rome said towards the end of the first century: “The Apostles”, he wrote, “have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ was sent by God. Christ, therefore, was sent forth by God, and the Apostles by Christ.” Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God…. Our Apostles also knew, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, that there would be strife on account of the episcopal office. “For this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they had obtained a perfect foreknowledge of this, they appointed those [ministers] already mentioned, and afterwards gave instructions that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry”. This chain of service has continued until today; it will continue to the end of the world. Indeed, the mandate that Jesus conferred upon the Apostles was passed on by them to their successors. Going beyond the experience of personal contact with Christ, unique and unrepeatable, the Apostles passed on to their successors the solemn mandate that they had received from the Master to go out into the world. “Apostle” comes precisely from the Greek term, “apostéllein”, which means “to send forth”.
Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 3 May 2006
The standard of Apostolic tradition:
Evidence for succession even in Jewish culture:
The Truth, Goodness, and Beauty of the Catholic Church
The unity that Jesus called for:
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