and Barnabas were also ordained: 'Then they,, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away' (Acts xiii. 3).
7. But are not 'all' Christians true Priests by their Baptism?
No; as the true Priesthood of the Old Law was propagated by natural descent from Aaron, so it is also in the New Law propagated by a spiritual descent from the Apostles — that is, by ordination.
8. Why, then, does St. Peter say that all Christians are 'a kingly Priesthood'? (i Pet. ii. 9).
Because all, by their Baptism, are obliged to offer up to God internal or spiritual sacrifices (1 Pet. ii. 5) of faith, hope, and charity, of prayer and mortification.
From this passage it can no more be inferred that all Christians are true Priests than that all are true Kings. In the Old Law, also, God said to the Israelites: 'You shall be to me a priestly kingdom' (2 Kings xix. 6); nevertheless, there was a particular Priesthood, which alone was authorized to offer sacrifices. — Punishment of King Ozias (2 Paral. xxvi.).
9. Who can validly administer the Sacrament of Holy Orders?
Bishops only, who have received this power by a particular Consecration.
As no one can be made a Priest except by the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which can validly be administered only by a Bishop, who again has received the power of administering it from another Bishop lawfully consecrated, it is evident that, by an uninterrupted succession of Bishops lawfully ordained and consecrated, the Priesthood ascends to the Apostles, on whom Christ Himself conferred the Priestly and Episcopal powers both for themselves and for their successors.
10. Cannot also civil authorities, or Christian communities, confer spiritual powers?
No; they cannot confer spiritual powers on others, because they have none themselves.
Hence the Council of Trent decrees (Sess. XXIII, ch. 4) 'that all those who, being only called and instituted by the people, or by the civil power and magistrate, ascend to the exercise of these ministrations, and those who of their own rashness assume
