Presbytery (college)
As presbytery (of ancient Greek πρεσβύτερος presbyteros , German , Mature ' ; πρεσβυτέριον presbytérion "gathering of elders" and "elders") is in the Roman Catholic Church , the communion of the priests of a diocese called, of the diocesan bishop projects. Ordinary members of the presbytery are the priests incardinated in the diocese , as well as the diocesan bishop and the auxiliary bishops . Other priests who have a duty in the diocese but belong to another diocese or order are extraordinary members. The presbytery is represented by the priestly council , which must exist in every diocese. By belonging to the presbytery through ordination or incardination, the priest is "located" in his diocese and in the college of priests.
The idea of a college of priests goes back to the early Christian Traditio Apostolica of St. Hippolytus of Rome . The Second Vatican Council anchored the term in various resolutions. It is established with the foundation of the college of apostles through Jesus Christ :
“From the beginning, the Lord Jesus called 'those who he wanted to him ... and ordered twelve to be with him and that he might send them to preach' ( Mk 3:13 EU ). […] The Church has the duty to spread the faith and salvation of Christ, both on the basis of the express mandate given by the apostles to the college of bishops, assisted by the presbyters, in unity with the Successor of Peter and the supreme Shepherds of the Church, as well as because of the life that Christ infuses into his members. "
"As caring co-workers, as helpers and organs of the order of the bishops, the priests who are called to serve the people of God, in unity with their bishop, form a single presbytery, which is of course entrusted with different tasks."
“The priests who were incorporated into the priesthood through ordination are all connected with one another in an intimate sacramental brotherhood ( omnes inter se intima fraternitate sacramentali nectuntur ). Especially in the diocese, whose service they are assigned under their own bishop ( sub Episcopo proprio ), they form one presbytery ( unum presbytery efformant ). "
The collegial structure of the presbytery makes it clear that "even in the official representation of Christ, nobody is (for himself) alone a priest, but always only as a member of a college and in fraternal union with others". Collegiality is clearly expressed when all priests present lay hands on the candidate after the bishop at the ordination . The annual Chrism Mass on Maundy Thursday or a few days before Easter takes place deliberately in concelebration between the bishop and his college of priests and is understood as a sign of the solidarity of the priests with their bishop in the one priesthood of Christ .
literature
- Joseph Friday : Presbytery. II. Systematic-theological . In: Walter Kasper (Ed.): Lexicon for Theology and Church . 3. Edition. tape 8 . Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1999, Sp. 542 f .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Joseph Friday: Presbytery. II. Systematic-theological . In: Walter Kasper (Ed.): Lexicon for Theology and Church . 3. Edition. tape 8 . Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1999, Sp. 542 .
- ↑ Traditio Apostolica 7.
- ↑ Joseph Friday: Presbytery. II. Systematic-theological . In: Walter Kasper (Ed.): Lexicon for Theology and Church . 3. Edition. tape 8 . Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1999, Sp. 542 .