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Author Topic: "president of the celebration" in the II century?  (Read 467 times)

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Offline grieux

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"president of the celebration" in the II century?
« on: February 03, 2012, 01:17:26 PM »
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  • I have a doubt. In the New Cathecism, number 1345, one can read the following quotation assigned to St. Justin Martyr:

    "On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place.
    The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits.
    When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things.
    [...]
    Then someone brings bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who presides over the brethren.
    [...]
    When he who presides has given thanks and the people have responded, those whom we call deacons give to those present the "eucharisted" bread, wine and water and take them to those who are absent.171"

    Well then, has a translation mistake occurred or did St. Justin really use a word equivalent to "preside"? When this is the case, doesn't this example taken from the Sub-Apostolic Period help supporting the Vatican II doctrine of the "priesthood of the faithful" and all its implications on the Mass?

    It's the first time I post here and I appreaciate your generous attention. Greetings from Brazil.


    Offline Sunbeam

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    "president of the celebration" in the II century?
    « Reply #1 on: February 03, 2012, 04:48:05 PM »
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  • Hello, Grieux.

    What you are quoting is from a translation of Justin’s First Apology.
    There is a similar translation of the whole text that you can read here:-
    http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.ii.html
    (Click on the icon at top-left to bring up the Table of Contents)

    The following chapters are particularly relevant to your enquiry:-
    Chapter LXV (Administration of the sacraments.)
    Chapter LXVI (Of the Eucharist.)
    Chapter LXVII (Weekly worship of the Christians.)

    To see these in a proper perspective it is advisable to read the whole of the Apology, as well as the introductory note at:- http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.i.html

    As you can see from Chapter I (Address), Justin was writing to the pagan Emperor Antoninus Pius.  Justin’s purpose was to explain to the head of state that the Christian religion did not represent a threat to the Roman Empire.  Whilst the Apology provides some evidence of liturgical practice at the time, it should not be read as if it was complete in that respect, or that it was meant to be used as a rubrical text for the instruction of the Church.

    I understand (although I don’t have supporting evidence to hand) that Justin (who wrote in Greek) did, in fact, use a term meaning “president” rather than one meaning “priest”.  But he had a very good reason for doing so.  It would have been counter-productive to his purpose to have used the term “priest” when the Emperor would have understood it to refer to a rival of the pagan priests who were in his favour.  

    One thing is for certain, Justin was not writing an apology for the Novus Ordo Missae, and its accompanying Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani.

    Nevertheless, his use of the term “president” provided a convenient pretext for the liturgical revolutionaries of the 20th century, in effect, to use it in place of the term “priest”, especially when they defined the Novus Ordo Missae as something quite different from the true Mass that has been handed down to us.

    As to the “New Catechism” (Catechism of the Catholic Church), since it promotes the heresies of Vatican II, you would be better off with an approved catechism written before 1960.  None has higher authority that the Roman Catechism (sometimes known as The Catechism of the Council of Trent) promulgated by Pope St Pius V in 1566.  There is an English translation of it here:-
    http://www.catholicprimer.org/trent/catechism_of_trent.pdf

    I hope you find these remarks of help.