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and the Common Priesthood of the Baptized
by Charles M. Mangan
Is there a connection between the Mother of Priests,
the Ministerial Priesthood, and the Common Priesthood of the Baptized
(also known as the Priesthood of the Laity)?
Mother of Priests
Mary, the Ever-Virgin Mother of God, miraculously brought forth from her chaste womb the Son of God made flesh. Therefore, she is the Mother of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, Who, because He is the one and only Mediator between the Eternal Father and sinful mankind, is the Great High Priest Who selflessly offered Himself unto death for the redemption of the fallen world. Jesus the Priest, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “by love made Himself the least and the servant of all” (CCC, #1551).
A Catholic priest is a baptized man who has validly received the second degree (presbyterate) of the Sacrament of Holy Orders from a duly consecrated Catholic bishop, thereby conforming to him the sacred image of Christ the High Priest for the purpose of ordained ministry as a co-worker of the Bishops. On two levels, the Catholic priest is linked to Christ: by Baptism, through which he is a member of the Common Priesthood of the Baptized; by Holy Orders, through which he participates in the Ministerial Priesthood. The Catholic priest is a “double brother” to Jesus.
As the Mother of Christ, Mary is also the Mother of all Catholic priests. She lovingly looks upon these men as her own beloved sons much as she considers her beloved Son, the Messiah and Risen Lord. Priests are both brothers of Jesus and sons of His Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Ministerial Priesthood
The one Priesthood of Christ is made present through the Ministerial Priesthood (also referred to as the Hierarchical Priesthood). Those who are ordained to the Ministerial Priesthood—whether priests or bishops— discharge “a means by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads His Church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own sacrament, the Sacrament of Holy Orders” (#1547).
The Ministerial Priesthood is one of the two participations in the one Priesthood of Christ (the other participation is the Common Priesthood of the Baptized). The Ministerial Priesthood, which differs essentially from the Common Priesthood of the Baptized, “is at the service of the common priesthood”; indeed, it “is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians” (CCC, #1547). Through the specific ministry of bishops and priests, “the presence of Christ as head of the Church is made visible in the midst of the community of believers” (CCC, #1549).
How may we succinctly describe the Ministerial Priesthood? The November 32, 1964 Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium), from the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council (1962-1965), used a key word: service. “Now, that duty, which the Lord committed to the shepherds (bishops and priests) of His people, is a true service . . .” (#24). The Ministerial Priesthood, which depends wholly on the one Priesthood of Christ, generously and faithfully serves the Common Priesthood of the Baptized.
Common Priesthood of the Baptized
When one receives the Sacrament of Baptism, several things occur:
It is b. and f. that are primarily concerned with the Common Priesthood of the Baptized, which is, like the Ministerial Priesthood, a sharing in the one Priesthood of Christ.
The incorporation into the Mystical Body of Christ —the Church (b.)—means that all those validly baptized “have become ‘living stones’ to be ‘built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.’ By Baptism they share in the priesthood of Christ, in His prophetic and royal mission” (CCC, #1268). Without exaggeration the Church asserts: “Baptism gives a share in the common priesthood of all believers” (CCC, #1268). And this Common Priesthood of the Baptized is displayed “by the unfolding of baptismal grace—a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the Spirit” (CCC, #1546).
The imprinting on the immortal soul (f.) with the indelible spiritual character identifies the recipients with Christ the Great High Priest. “The baptismal seal enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy Liturgy of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the witness of holy lives and practical charity” (CCC, #1273).
The imprinting on the immortal soul (f.) with the indelible spiritual character identifies the recipients with Christ the Great High Priest. “The baptismal seal enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy Liturgy of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the witness of holy lives and practical charity” (CCC, #1273).
What may we say about the Common Priesthood of the Baptized? “The whole community of believers is, as such, priestly. The faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet, and king. Through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation the faithful are ‘consecrated to be...a holy priesthood” (CCC, #1546).
How may we respond to the question posed at the beginning of this essay? The Mother of Jesus is the Mother of ordained Catholic priests because they are in the Ministerial Priesthood that derives from Christ. The Mother of Jesus is the Mother of the baptized since they possess the Common Priesthood of the Baptized that also comes from Christ. Clearly, Jesus is the answer! Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mother of Catholic priests and Mother of all the baptized, pray for us.
Father Mangan is a priest of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
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