THE MODELS OF THE

CHURCH AS AN
INSTITUTION
THE MODELS OF THE
CHURCH
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5 BASIC DOMINANT MODELS OF THE
CHURCH
1. Church as Institution
2. Church as Communion
3. Church as Sacrament
4. Church as Prophet/Herald
5. Church as Servant
 1. Church as Institution

Pope

BiBishopso

Priests and Religious

Laity

Considered as a visible, hierarchical structure

emphasizing authority, rights and power of its office.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE HOLY
FATHER, THE POPE?

The Pope (Roman

Pontiff or Holy
Father) is the
successor of St.
Peter the Apostle
(CCC 879)
Background of the Papacy…

Jesus Christ made Simon the

"rock" (the meaning of the word
“Peter”) on whom He would build
his Church. He gave him the
keys of His Church and instituted
him shepherd of the whole flock
(John 21:15-17; Matthew 16:18-
19; CCC 881)
 Background of the Papacy…
Peter‟s successor, the
Pope, who is also the
Bishop of Rome" is the
perpetual and visible
source and foundation
of the unity both of the
bishops and of the
whole company of the
faithful. (CCC 882)
By reason of his office
as Vicar of Christ, and
as pastor of the entire
Church, the Pope has
full, supreme, and
universal power over the
whole Church, a power
which he can always
exercise unhindered.
(Lumen Gentium 22)
B. WHAT IS THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS
OR THE EPISCOPAL COLLEGE?

The College of Bishops is a

collective body of the
successors of the Apostles.
They are the bishops from all
parts of the world who are in
full communion with the Pope
and which is always headed
by the Pope.
College of Bishops…

"The college of bishops

exercises power over the
universal Church in a solemn
manner in an ecumenical
council." (CCC 884) But an
ecumenical council must always
be confirmed or at least
recognized by the Pope. (LG 22)
Individual bishops…

"The individual
bishops are the visible
source and foundation
of unity in their own
particular Churches."
(CCC 886)
Bishops…
The bishops exercise
their pastoral office over
the portion of the
People of God assigned
to them assisted by
priests and deacons.
(LG 23)
Bishops…
Each bishop shares in the
concern for all the Churches and
they exercise this by ruling well
their own Churches as portions
of the universal Church and
extend it especially to the
poor, to those persecuted for the
faith, as well as to missionaries
who are working throughout the
world. (CCC 886; Galatians
2:10)
The Magisterium as the teaching authority

The authority to faithfully interpret the

Holy Bible and the Sacred Tradition
“belongs to the bishops all over the
world in communion with the successor
of Peter, the Bishop of Rome”.
Together, they comprise the
Magisterium – the teaching authority of
the Church – which is not superior to
the Word of God, but its servant (CCC
#‟s 85-86). The present Pope and
bishops hold that authority as
successors of the apostles. Christians
therefore are obliged to listen to them
for Christ, addressing the apostles,
says that “he who hears you, hears
me” (Lumen Gentium 10 and Luke
10:16).
Magisterium…
“The mission of the Magisterium is
linked to the definitive nature of the
covenant established by God with
his people in Christ. It is this
Magisterium's task to preserve
God's people from deviations and
defections and to guarantee them
the objective possibility of
professing the true faith without
error… To fulfill this service, Christ
endowed the Church's shepherds
with the charism of infallibility in
matters of faith and morals.” (CCC
890)
 Magisterium…

The Pope, as head of

the college of bishops, The people of God who
enjoys infallibility in faithfully listen to the
virtue of his office, Magisterium receive the
when, as supreme anointing of the Holy Spirit
pastor and teacher of who instructs them and
all the faithful - who guides them in all truth (John
confirms his brethren 16:13). This is always true
in the faith -- he especially in matters of faith
proclaims by a and morals.
definitive act a
doctrine pertaining to
faith or morals. . .
(CCC 891)
C. The Laity and their Vocation in the life
of the Church (CCC #‟s 897-913)
The “laity” includes all the
baptized persons but excluding
those who received holy orders
and the consecrated persons
(nuns and brothers).They are
incorporated into Christ by
baptism and are “made sharers
in their particular way in the
priestly, prophetic, and kingly
office of Christ, and have their
own part to play in the mission of
the whole Christian people in the
Church and in the world.” (CCC
#897).
Laity…
They are called to cooperate with
their pastors in the service of the
ecclesial community through the
exercise of different ministries
according to the grace and
charisms which the Lord has
been pleased to bestow on them.
(CCC # 910). By uniting their
forces, they can bring the world
to the norms of justice and the
practice of virtue through their
acts of kindness and therefore
impregnate culture and human
works with a moral value (CCC #
909).
 Laity…
Parents share in the
office of sanctifying "by
leading a conjugal life in
the Christian spirit and
by seeing to the
Christian education of
their children”. (CCC
902)
 Laity…
• Those who “possess the required
qualities can be admitted
permanently to the ministries of
lector and acolyte. When the
necessity of the Church warrants it
and when ministers are lacking, lay
persons, even if they are not lectors
or acolytes, can also supply for
certain of their offices, namely, to
exercise the ministry of the word, to
preside over liturgical prayers, to
confer Baptism, and to distribute
Holy Communion in accord with the
prescriptions of law.” (CCC 910-
913)
D. The Consecrated Life: Who are the persons who
belong to the Consecrated Life?

They are those who enter the

state of life which is constituted
by the profession of the
evangelical counsels (chastity,
poverty and obedience) for the
sake of the Kingdom, while not
entering into the hierarchical
structure of the Church. (LG
44; CCC 914-915)
Consecrated life…
In the consecrated life,
Christ's faithful, moved by
the Holy Spirit, propose to
follow Christ more nearly, to
give themselves to God who
is loved above all and,
pursuing the perfection of
charity in the service of the
Kingdom, to signify and
proclaim in the Church the
glory of the world to come.
(CCC 916)
Some forms of Consecrated Life:
D.1. The eremitic Life
They are hermits who devote
their life to the praise of God
and salvation of the world
through a stricter separation
from the world, the silence of
solitude and assiduous
prayer and penance. (Canon
603, par. 1; CCC 920-921)
D.2. Consecrated virgins and widows
They are those who are
called by the Lord to cling
only to him with greater
freedom of heart, body,
and spirit, have decided
with the Church's approval
to live in their respective
status of virginity or
perpetual chastity for the
sake of the Kingdom of
heaven.
Cont’n…
They are consecrated to God
by the diocesan bishop
according to the approved
liturgical rite. (CCC 922-924)
In this rite, a virgin is
"constituted as a sacred
person, a transcendent sign of
the Church's love for Christ,
and an eschatological image
of this heavenly Bride of Christ
and of the life to come.” (CCC
923)
Cont’n…
Another form of
consecrated life is
that of a woman
living in the world
(or the nun) in
prayer, penance,
service of her
brethren, and
apostolic activity,
according to the
state of life and
spiritual gifts given
to her. (Canon 604,
par. 2)
 D.3. Religious Life

Lived within institutes

canonically erected by the
Church, religious life is
distinguished from other forms
of consecrated life by its
liturgical character, public
profession of the evangelical
counsels, fraternal life led in
common, and witness given to
the union of Christ with the
Church. All religious, whether
exempt or not, take their place
among the collaborators of the
diocesan bishop in his pastoral
duty. (CCC 925-927)
D.4. Secular institutes

The members of secular institutes

share in the Church's task of
evangelization in the world and from
within the world, where their
presence acts as leaven in the
world. “They commit themselves to
the evangelical counsels by sacred
bonds and observe among
themselves the communion and
fellowship appropriate to their
"particular secular way of life.” (CCC
929)
 D. 5. Societies of apostolic life

The members of societies of

apostolic life do not profess
religious vows. Instead, they pursue
the particular apostolic purpose of
their society, and lead a life as
brothers or sisters in common
according to a particular manner of
life, strive for the perfection of
charity through the observance of
their constitutions.
2. THE CHURCH AS COMMUNION:
CALLED TOGETHER AS PEOPLE OF
GOD (CCC 781-810)
IMAGES:
• A. People of God
• B. Body of Christ
• C. Temple of the Holy Spirit
A. PEOPLE OF GOD
• It refers to a people that God
acquired for Himself. (CCC
782)
• It is "a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation.“ (I
Peter 2:9)
• Membership is thru faith in
Christ and baptism.
• Its head is Jesus Christ; and
the Holy Spirit flows from the
head into the body.
Cont’n…
• They are the temples of the
Holy Spirit
• Their status is of dignity and
freedom as children of God
• Their mission is to become
salt of the earth and light of
the world (Matthew 5:13)
Cont’n…
• Thru their faith and
baptism they received the
anointing of the Holy Spirit
and are consecrated to be
a spiritual house and a
holy priesthood. (CCC
784)
Cont’n…
• Thru their membership in the
Church, all members of the
people of God become
sharers in Christ‟s priestly,
prophetic, and kingly/royal
offices
B. AS THE BODY OF CHRIST
• Jesus says "Abide in me,
and I in you. . . . I am the
vine, you are the
branches.“ (John 15:4)
• "He who eats my flesh
and drinks my blood
abides in me, and I in
him.“ (John 6:56)
Cont’n…
• There are three aspects
of the Church as the
Body of Christ: (a) the
unity of all her members
with each other as a
result of their union with
Christ; (b) Christ as head
of the Body; and (c) the
Church as bride of Christ.
(CCC 788-789)
 Cont’n…
• The body's unity “From this follows that if
does not do one member suffers
away with the anything, all the members
diversity of its suffer with him, and if one
members member is honored, all the
• The unity of the members together
Mystical Body rejoice.”(CCC 790-791)
produces and Christ and his Church
stimulates charity
among the make up the "whole
faithful Christ" (Christus totus)
(CCC 795)
•)
C. TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
• The Holy Spirit
makes the Church
"the temple of the
living God“
(Ephesians 2:1)
•CCC 798:
• “The Holy Spirit is "the principle of every vital and truly saving
action in each part of the Body." He works in many ways to build
up the whole Body in charity: by God's Word "which is able to
build you up"; by Baptism, through which he forms Christ's
Body; by the sacraments, which give growth and healing to
Christ's members; by "the grace of the apostles, which holds first
place among his gifts"; by the virtues, which make us act
according to what is good; finally, by the many special graces
(called "charisms"), by which he makes the faithful "fit and ready
to undertake various tasks and offices for the renewal and
building up of the Church."
Cont’n…
• God gives us charisms
for the building up of the
Church.
• Discernment of
charisms is necessary
so that all the diverse
and complementary
charisms work together
"for the common good.
(I Cor. 12:7)
3. THE CHURCH AS A
SACRAMENT OF CHRIST
… As sacrament of Christ
• "The Church, in Christ, is like a
sacrament - a sign and instrument,
that is, of communion with God
and of unity among all men”. The
Church… “gathers humans "from
every nation, from all tribes and
peoples and tongues“ (CCC 775)
Cont’n…
• As a sacrament, the
Church "is the visible plan
of God's love for
humanity," because God
desires "that the whole
human race may become
one People of God, form
one Body of Christ, and be
built up into one temple of
the Holy Spirit."
4. THE CHURCH… SENT AS A
PROPHET
… Sent as a prophet
• From the Hebrew word “nabi” (to
utter; to speak)

• In the Old Testament, a prophet is

a person chosen to speak for God
and to guide the people of Israel
Cont’n…
• Mission of the Church:
• To proclaim that
which is heard,
believed and been
commissioned to
proclaim.
Cont’n…
• The Church as an
institution is the
one that delivers
God's latest
message to the
people here and
now, based on
their precise need.
5. THE CHURCH AS SERVANT TO
THE WORLD

• As a community of
believers, Christians
are enjoined to
serve the world and
foster universal
brotherhood
 As servant…

• Christ was sent by the Father “to bring good news to the poor … to
heal the contrite of heart.” (Luke 14:18)
• Christ came to the world “to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke
19:10)
 As servant… Cont’n…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YehxfK8oXx0

• The story of “Christ and the Rich Young Ruler” epitomizes our Lord‟s attitude
towards wealth and His concern for the poor who needs special care and
attention.
Model of a servant Church in the
Philippines
• The Church of the Poor
• This is the model of the
Church that is not only for
the poor but also of the poor.
• The unity of Christ is not
simply a unity of disciples; it
is also a unity, solidarity and
fellowship with the
oppressed, humiliated and
the suffering.
 It calls for the Church to have
solidarity with the poor.
1. The poor The Church of the poor
should not be
discriminated asks for the
empowering of the
2. The poor poor for the
should not be transformation of
deprived of the society, to be engaged
right to receive in
in integral
abundance the
help of the evangelization. The
spiritual goods poor are not just
of the Church. recipients of charity but
are active agents of
change.
 Cont’n…

• “The Church encompasses with her love all those who are afflicted by
human misery and she recognizes in those who are poor and who suffer
the image of her poor and suffering founder. She does all in her power
to relieve their need and in them she strives to serve Christ” (Lumen
Gentium # 8).
 Cont’n…
“The „Church of the Poor‟ is one
whose members and leaders have
a special love for the poor…. It is
not an exclusive or excluding love
in such a way that there is no
room in a Christian‟s heart for
those who are not poor. For
always, the Christian must love all
persons…. Christ was able to
love well-to-do people like
Zaccheus and the family of
Martha, Mary and Lazarus” (JH
Kroeger)
Cont’n…
“The „Church of the Poor‟ is
one where the entire
community of disciples …
will have such a love of
preference for the poor as to
orient and tilt the center of
gravity of the entire
community in favor of the
needy” (PCP II)
Cont’n…
• “When the Church in
the Philippines
becomes truly this
Church of the Poor,
the poor will feel at
home in her, and will
participate actively, as
equal to others, in her
life and mission. The
Church will then
become truly a
communion, a sign
and instrument, for the
unity of the whole
Filipino nation” (JM
Kroeger quoting PCP
II)
The Essential Qualities of the Life of the Church –
Marks of the Church: One, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic (based on CCC#811-870)
The Church is One…

The Church is “one

because of her
founder Jesus
Christ who
reconciled all
human beings to
God by the cross”
(CCC #813).
Holy…

The Church is
holy because “it
has the fullness
of the means of
salvation”
Cont’n…
“it is thru the
Church that
we acquire
holiness by
the grace of
God”
(CCC #824).
Cont’n…

• The Church is holy

because Jesus Christ,
the founder and head
of the Church, is the
Holy One of God.
(John 6:69)
Cont’n…
• Jesus continuously
sends the Holy Spirit
to teach and
strengthen the
members of the
Church in holiness.
Cont’n…

• The holiness of
the Church
seeks to
transform
sinners enabling
them to become
saints.
Catholic…
The Church is Catholic “(a)
because Christ is present in
her ; and (b) because she has
been sent out by Christ on a
mission to the whole human
race” (CCC #‟s 830-831).
Cont’n…

God extends his love to all

nations to any type of people
of whatever race, nationality or
color. The Church therefore is
universal in its mission.

Universal = Catholic
Apostolic…

• Similarly, the
Church is
Apostolic because
“she was and
remains built on
the foundation of
the Apostles”
(CCC#857).
Cont’n…
The current Church
is governed by the
lawful successors of
the Apostles who
can trace their
historical origin to
the time when Christ
called the apostles
and appointed Saint
Peter as head
among them.
Cont’n…
• Denominations/sec
ts that broke away
from the Church
have lost their
direct connection
with the Apostles.
They were founded
by individuals who
never had any
authority from
either Christ or the
Apostles.
Cont’n… The One, Holy, Catholic
and Apostolic Church
keeps on spreading the
word of God, working,
praying and hoping that
one day all peoples from
all parts of the world “may
all become one” (John
17:21)… and that they
learn to “love one another
as Christ loves His
Church” (John 13:34).

2nd TO THE LAST SLIDE