In our consideration of the Catholic priesthood, the fact that the priest acts in persona Christi is very important, but we must complement it with the notion that the priest also acts in persona Ecclesiae.
For this, we need to ask ourselves three things:
- Is there a doctrine about the priest acting in persona Ecclesiae?
- What does this acting consist of?
- How is it manifested?
A. Existence of the Topic
The expression in persona or ex persona was used by Saint Justin, Tertullian, Saint Cyprian, Saint Athanasius, Saint Hilary, Saint Augustine (for example, “sed in Ecclesiae persona”),[1] Saint Chromatius of Aquileia, Saint Isidore of Seville, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and many others,[2] all of whom who knew it from Saint Paul’s expression in 2 Cor 2:10: in persona. The saintly Doctors and other ecclesiastical authors utilized this expression many times, and the Magisterium of the Church has since made it her own.[3]
B. What Is Meant by the Expression To Act In Persona Ecclesiae?
To act in persona Ecclesiae refers to a work that encompasses the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, and the members, both those who are associated to the Paschal mystery by baptism, in water and in the Spirit, and those who, “in a manner known only to God . . . are associated with this paschal mystery (Paschali mysterio consociati)”;[4] in other words, this acting in persona Ecclesiae encompasses not only those who are members of the Body of the Church by visible baptism–Catholic, Orthodox, and the majority of Protestants–but also those who are only members of the soul of the Church (the Jews, Muslims, the followers of the large Afro-asiatic religions, those in sects, pagans, and so on). These, because they are of good faith in their beliefs and comply with the dictates of the natural law are, in short, men and women of good will who have baptism in votum. Thus, upon acting in persona Ecclesiae, the hearts of all members, visible and invisible, of Christ, head of the Church, should beat in the heart of each one of us.
To act in persona Ecclesiae implies:
- Acting in her name, in the extent of our responsibilities;
- In her representation, according to our role;
- With her power, in the measure that it is given to us;
- By a certain sacramental identification with the Mystical Body of Christ.
C. Its Manifestations
– In the Baptized
On account of their baptismal character, the baptized act in persona Ecclesiae when they pray according to the rite of the Church, although they do so not as public but rather as private persons. The Church has assigned them to pray in Her person, which is not a simple delegation, but rather an “authentication” of their mission.[5] This would seem to be the traditional doctrine, as it is endorsed by both the holy Fathers and the Doctors of the Church.
Saint Thomas gives various cases in which the laity act in persona Ecclesiae, such as, for example, the first two of the following cases:
- in praying the Our Father
- in praying the Creed
- in the Liturgy of the Hours
Regarding the praying of the Our Father, Aquinas writes, “But, what is to be said about those who do not want to forgive and yet, nevertheless, recite the Our Father? It would appear that they should never recite it, because they would be lying; for this reason it is said that some have removed this clause: as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. But this is rejected by Saint John Chrysostom for two reasons: first, because it does not stick to praying the form of the Church, and, secondly, because the prayer is not accepted by God if the form which Christ established is not kept. For this reason, it must be said that they do not sin when reciting the Our Father, even when they have resentment and grave sin, because such people should do what good they can, be it giving alms, prayers, or things of this sort, which dispose the person for the recovery of grace; nor do they lie, because this prayer is not prayed in their own name but rather in the name of all the Church (ista oratio non funditur in propia persona sed totius Ecclesiae[6]), and it is evident that the Church pardons the debts of all those who are in the Church. However, such a one loses the fruit because the only ones who receive the fruit are those who pardon. It appears, though, that not only those who forgive offenses receive the fruit, and so the way that Saint Augustine resolves the question at hand should be known. Regarding love of enemies, it has been said previously that God wants us to forgive offenses, for the very reason that by it He forgives our sins; now then, He forgives those who pray to Him, and, for this reason, whoever is disposed, because they are prepared to forgive anyone who asks for it, does not lose that fruit while they do not hate anyone.”[7] In another place he teaches the same.[8]
Regarding the praying of the Creed, Aquinas comments, “The confession of faith is drawn up in a symbol in the person, as it were, of the whole Church (quod confessio fidei traditur in symbolo quasi ex persona totius Ecclesiae), which is united by faith. Now the faith of the Church is a living faith, since such is the faith to be found in all those who are of the Church not only outwardly but also by merit. Hence the confession of faith is expressed in a symbol, in a manner that is in keeping with living faith, so that even if some of the faithful lack living faith, they should endeavor to acquire it.”[9]
In praying the Liturgy of the Hours: lay people can pray in persona Ecclesiae when they pray the Liturgy according to the Roman Rite. This is what the Preliminary Documents teach: “Communities of canons, monks, nuns, and other religious who celebrate the liturgy of the hours by rule or according to their constitutions, whether with the general rite or a particular rite, in whole or in part, represent in a special way the Church at prayer (Ecclesiam orantem specialiter repraesentant). They are a fuller sign of the Church as it continuously praises God with one voice and they fulfill the duty of ‘working,’ above all by prayer, ‘to build up and increase the whole Mystical Body of Christ, and for the good of the local Churches.’[10] This is especially true of those living the contemplative life.”[11] Elsewhere we read, “Hence, when the people are invited to the liturgy of the hours and come together in unity of heart and voice, they show forth the Church in its celebration of the mystery of Christ.”[12] Furthermore, “the Liturgy of the Hours, like other liturgical services, is not a private matter but belongs to the whole Body of the Church, whose life it both expresses and affects.”[13]
Those Who Have Received Holy Orders
Bishops, priests, and deacons act in persona Ecclesiae in their actions as public persons. This can be seen in different ways.
With respect to the Liturgy of the Hours, “the bishop represents Christ in an eminent and conspicuous way and is the high priest of his flock; the life in Christ of his faithful people may be said in a sense to derive from him and depend on him. He should, then, be the first of all the members of his Church in offering prayer. His prayer in the recitation of the liturgy of the hours is always made in the name of the Church and on behalf of the Church entrusted to him.”[14] In another place, “United as they are with the bishop and the whole presbyterate, priests are themselves representative in a special way of Christ the Priest and so share the same responsibility of praying to God for the people entrusted to them and indeed for the whole world.”[15]
With respect to prayer: “Prayer is twofold, common and individual. Common prayer is that which is offered to God by the ministers of the Church representing the body of the faithful (quae per ministros Ecclesiae in persona totius fidelis populi Deo offertur): where-fore such like prayer should come to the knowledge of the whole people for whom it is offered: and this would not be possible unless it were vocal prayer. Therefore it is reasonably ordained that the ministers of the Church should say these prayers even in a loud voice, so that they may come to the knowledge of all.”[16]
“Some prayers fall under a fixed precept, while others do not. Without doubt, certain prayers are fixed, and must have a precept for those who, by their office, are intermediaries between God and the people, as ministers of the Church; from this it follows that it pertains to them, on account of their office, to say prayers to God in representation of the entire Church (in persona totius Ecclesiae). For this reason, they are obligated by the rules of the Church to pray the canonical hours.”[17]
This applies even in the case of a sinful priest: “It must be said that that prayer is not made by the priest in his person, because generally, being a sinner, it would not be heard, but rather it is made in the name of the entire Church (fit in persona totius Ecclesiae), in whose representation (in cuius persona) they can pray in the manner of a public person. A lay person cannot do so, as they are only a private person.”[18]
“The action of one man can contribute to the salvation of an-other in two ways: in the first way, inasmuch as he acts as an individual person. Then grace is required in order that his action may be meritorious for himself or for another. In the second, as a per-son representing the community. This applies to the ministers of the Church, who work for the salvation of others by administering the sacraments and pouring forth prayers to God in the name of the Church (ex persona Ecclesiae). No grace is needed for this but only a power or state, for such actions are performed not only by good but also by wicked men. Now Christ as head of the Church is considered as a person representing the community, and all the ministers of the Church are His vicars.”[19]
With respect to the Word of God, Aquinas (referring to the epilogue of Saint John’s Gospel) writes, “For it was granted to John to live until the time when the Church was at peace; and this is the time when he wrote all these things. John mentions such things so that we will not think that his gospel has less authority than the other three, seeing that he wrote after the death of all the other apostles, and the other gospels, especially that of Matthew, had been approved by them. Now John states that his Gospel is true, and he speaks in the person of the entire Church (loquitur in persona totius Ecclesiae) which received it.”[20]
“The answer is that prayer is twofold: one is private and is offered to God in one’s own person; the other is public and is offered to God in the person of the entire Church (quam quis offert Deo in persona totius Ecclesiae), as is clear from the prayers said in the church by priests. It is these latter prayers that the Apostle has in mind here. There is also an objection against a gloss which states that prophesying is called unlocking the Scriptures. According to this, anyone who preaches prophesies. But bishops preach with their head covered with a miter. The answer is that one who preaches or teaches in the schools speaks from his own person. Hence even the Apostle (Rom 2:16) calls the gospel his own, namely, on account of the energy he used in preaching it. But one who recites Sacred Scripture in the church, for example, by reading a lesson or an epistle or a gospel, speaks from the person of the whole church (ex persona totius Ecclesiae loquitur). This is the kind of prophesying that the Apostle understands here.”[21]
Regarding the priest as the minister of the sacraments, the An-gelic Doctor comments, “Consequently, others with better reason hold that the minister of a sacrament acts in the person of the whole Church (minister sacramenti agit in persona totius Ecclesiae), whose minister he is; while in the words uttered by him, the intention of the Church is expressed; and that this suffices for the validity of the sacrament, except if the contrary be expressed on the part either of the minister or of the recipient of the sacrament.”[22]
“It may happen that a man’s faith is defective in regard to something else, and not in regard to the reality of the sacrament which he confers: for instance, he may believe that it is unlawful to swear in any case whatever, and yet he may believe that baptism is an efficient cause of salvation. And thus such unbelief does not hinder the intention of conferring the sacrament.”[23]
“But if his faith be defective in regard to the very sacrament that he confers, although he believe that no inward effect is caused by the thing done outwardly, yet he does know that the Catholic Church intends to confer a sacrament by that which is outwardly done. Wherefore, his unbelief notwithstanding, he can intend to do what the Church does, albeit he esteem it to be nothing. And such an intention suffices for a sacrament: because as stated above the minister of a sacrament acts in the person of the Church by whose faith any defect in the minister’s faith is made good (minister sacramenti agit in persona totius Ecclesiae, ex cuius fide suppletur id quod est fidei ministro).”[24]
Regarding the Mass: “The prayer put up in the Mass can be considered in two respects: first of all, in so far as it has its efficacy from the devotion of the priest interceding, and in this respect there is no doubt but that the Mass of the ‘better’ priest is the more fruitful. In another respect, inasmuch as the prayer is said by the priest in the Mass in the place of the entire Church, of which the priest is the minister (oratio in Missa profertur a sacerdote in persona totius Ecclesiae, cuius sacerdos est minister); and this ministry remains even in sinful men, as was said above in regard to Christ’s minis-try.”[25]
Saint Thomas, however, raises this objection: “Further, it does not seem feasible for one outside the Church to act on behalf of the Church (non videtur aliquid posse agere in persona totius Ecclesiae). But when the priest consecrates the Eucharist, he does so in the person of the entire Church (sacerdos consecrans eucharistiam hoc agit in persona totius Ecclesiae), as is evident from the fact of his putting up all prayers in the person of the Church (quod omnes orationes proponit in persona Ecclesiae). Therefore, it seems that those who are outside the Church, such as those who are heretics, schismatics, and ex-communicate, are not able to consecrate the Eucharist.”[26] To this he responds: “The priest, in reciting the prayers of the Mass, speaks instead of the Church (sacerdos in Missa in orationibus quidem loquitor in persona Ecclesiae), in whose unity he remains; but in consecrating the sacrament he speaks as in the person of Christ, Whose place he holds by the power of his orders. Consequently, if a priest severed from the unity of the Church celebrates Mass, not having lost the power of order, he consecrates Christ’s true body and blood; but because he is severed from the unity of the Church, his prayers have no efficacy.”[27]
Regarding the sacrament of Confession: “If these false reasons are followed, they can support an erroneous conclusion; that is, if someone says that the prayer that imparts divine absolution be-longs to the ministry of the priesthood, it follows that it must be said in the indicative, ‘I absolve you of your sins,’ that is to say, ‘I declare you absolved of your sins.’ I do not approve of this solution, if we simply leave our understanding at the way those words sound.[28] This is because the remission of sins is not consigned to the prayer of the priest, but rather to the passion of Christ. In any other way, if the priest were in mortal sin, he could not absolve. However, the prayer that obtains the disposition to receive the effect of the sacrament for the one who confesses precedes the confession; that prayer, although it is worth more if offered by a just person than if offered by a sinner, because the merit of the person offering it is added, nevertheless has no impediment to its efficacy even when offered by a sinful priest, because it is pronounced by him in the name of the entire Church (quia proponitur ab eo in persona totius Ecclesiae). In the forms of the sacraments the words pronounced by the just do not do more than those pronounced by a sinner, because the merit of man does not act there, but rather Christ’s Passion and God’s power.”[29]
Speaking of false worship: “Now it is a lie if one signifies outwardly that which is contrary to the truth. . . . Falsehood in out-ward worship occurs on the part of the worshiper, and especially in common worship which is offered by ministers impersonating the whole Church (per ministros exhibitur in persona totius Ecclesiae). For even as he would be guilty of falsehood who would, in the name of another person, proffer things that are not committed to him, so too does a man incur the guilt of falsehood who, on the part of the Church, gives worship to God contrary to the manner established by the Church or divine authority, and according to ecclesiastical custom.”[30]
How great is the dignity that we have!
How enormous is the responsibility that we bear!
We should widen our hearts so as to spiritually embrace all men and women, and to be their representative in our prayers. Moreover, we should pray for those who, beyond this world, are being purified from their sins.
[1] Ennar in Ps.25.
[2] Marliangeas, Clés pour une Théologie du Ministere (Paris 1978) 246.
[3] For example: Pius XI, DS 2275, 2300; Ecumenical Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 28; Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests, Presbytero-rum Ordinis, 2: “in persona Christi Capitis . . . nominee totius Ecclesiae,” 13: “personam specialiter gerunt Christi”; etc. CIC 899, 900. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Christifidelis Laici, 22; Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis, 15; and passim.
[4] Ecumenical Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, 22.
[5] Marliangeas, Clés pour une Théologie du Ministere (Paris 1978) 230.
[6] Reportationes ineditae leoninae, II, 6.
[7] Reportationes ineditae leoninae, III, 1: XXIX 2.
[8] Saint Thomas Aquinas, In III Sent., dist. 30, q. 5.
[9] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., II-II, q. 1, a. 9, ad 3; cfr. III, q. 83, a. 5, ad 12.
[10] Ecumenical Second Vatican Council, Decree Concerning the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church, Christus Dominus, 33; Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life, Perfectae Caritatis, 6, 7, 15; Decree on the Mission Activity of the Church, Ad Gentes, 15.
[11] General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, 24.
[12] General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, 22.
[13] General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, 20 and 84; cfr. Ecumenical Second Vati-can Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 26; cfr. Saint Thomas Aquinas, In IV Sent., dist. 24, q. 3, a. 1, ad 2, where he speaks of those who, without being ministers, are directed to pray.
[14] General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, 28: “Episcopus, utpote qui eminenti et aspectabili modo Christi personam gerat et sui gregis sacerdos magnus sit, a quo vita suorum fidelium in Christo quodammodo derivatur et pendet, primus in oratione inter Ecclesiae suae membra esse debet, eiusque oratio in Litugia Horarum recitatione semper Ecclesiae nomine ac pro Ecclesiae sibi commisa peragitur.”
[15] General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, 28: “Presbyteri, cum episcopo cunctoque prebyterio coiunti et ipsi personam specialiter gerentes Christi sacerdotis, idem mundus participant, Deum deprecantes pro toto populo sibi commiso, immo pro universo mundo.”
[16] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., II-II, q. 83, a. 12.
[17] Saint Thomas Aquinas, In IV Sent., dist. 15, q. 4, a. 1.
[18] Saint Thomas Aquinas, In IV Sent., dist. 12, q. 1.
[19] Saint Thomas Aquinas, Questiones disputatae “De Veritate,” q. 29, a. 5.
[20] Saint Thomas Aquinas, Super Evangelium Ioannis, 21, 6.
[21] Saint Thomas Aquinas, Super 1 Cor, XI, 2.
[22] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., III, q. 64, a. 8, ad 2.
[23] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., III, q. 64, a. 9, ad 1.
[24] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S.Th., III,q. 64, a. 9, ad 1.
[25] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., III, q. 82, a. 6.
[26] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., III, q. 82, a. 7, obj. 3.
[27] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., III, q. 82, a. 7, ad 3.
[28] For a further explanation, see Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., III, q. 84, a. 3, ad 5: “It is true in a sense that the words, ‘I absolve thee’ mean ‘I declare thee absolved,’ but this explanation is incomplete. Because the sacraments of the New Law not only signify, but effect what they signify. Wherefore, just as the priest in baptizing anyone, declares by deed and word that the person is washed inwardly, and this not only significatively but also effectively, so also when he says: ‘I absolve thee,’ he declares the man to be absolved not only significatively but also effectively. And yet he does not speak as of something uncer-tain, because just as the other sacraments of the New Law have, of themselves, a sure effect through the power of Christ’s Passion, which effect, nevertheless, may be impeded on the part of the recipient, so is it with this sacrament.”
[29] Saint Thomas Aquinas, De forma absolutionis, 3.
[30] Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., II-II, q. 93, a. 1.
