Q.

Good morning Father,

I always read your questions and answers and I would like to thank you for your work. Since I am a follower of St Thomas and St Augustine, reading your answers brings me a lot of joy.

I wanted to ask you a question. I have always thought that it is only in the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession, the priest acts in persona Christi. However, a few days ago, I read the homily from Pope Benedict XVI in the Chrism Mass of the 5 April 2007 and it confused me. It seems that he talks about all the Sacraments and not only about the two above mentioned.

Could you please explain if I am right or not to consider in persona Christi only the Holy Communion and the Confession?

A.

Dear friend,

1. Jesus is the main ministrant in every ceremony.

“It is Jesus the one that baptizes,” wrote St Augustine.

2. St Thomas, regarding who acts in the sacraments, distinguishes between principal agent and secondary agent.

The main agent is Jesus Christ.

He wrote “There are two ways of producing an effect; first, as a principal agent; secondly, as an instrument. In the former way the interior sacramental effect is the work of God alone: first, because God alone can enter the soul wherein the sacramental effect takes place; and no agent can operate immediately where it is not: secondly, because grace which is an interior sacramental effect is from God alone, [­­­…]; while the character which is the interior effect of certain sacraments, is an instrumental power which flows from the principal agent, which is God. In the second way, however, the interior sacramental effect can be the work of man, in so far as he works as a minister. For a minister is of the nature of an instrument, since the action of both is applied to something extrinsic, while the interior effect is produced through the power of the principal agent, which is God.” (Summa theologiae III, 64, 1).

3. The principal agent and the secondary one act simultaneously in the sacraments. The secondary agent acts to enable the principal one to confer grace.

In that moment, the secondary and the principal agent are a single person.

That is the reason why we say that the ministry acts in persona Christi.

This is true for all sacraments, including the Baptism and the wedding.

4. The priest does manage the sacraments, as the salesperson of a pharmacy would take the drugs required from the clients from the shelters.

 They are not acts that the priest performs autonomously alone.

These are actions where  he put himself in contacts with Christ so that He can celebrate through him.

In every sacrament, Christ acts in person.

5. Here we find a beautiful difference between Christ and the various founders of religions.

These are all people from the past. They are defunct. They cannot act in this world.

Christ, on the other hand, is resurrected and lives forever.

He not only lives, but also works and communicates his divine life to men.

Christ is not simply the initiator of that religion that passes under the name of Christianity.

He is its living and active Head.

The Pope is not the successor of Jesus Christ, but he is his vicar.

6. Jesus continually gives his holy life to men.

However, in an ordinary way he communicates it through the sacraments acting through the minister, who is united with him through intention.

At that moment, both operate: Christ as the principal agent, the minister as a secondary and instrumental agent.

At that moment, the minister operates by opening himself to Christ, forming with him as one person.

He acts, as it is correctly said, in persona Christi.

7. In the celebration of the sacraments we should keep the gaze of faith always fixed on Jesus.

It is He who acts through the minister.

It is He  who continues his priesthood and who dispenses divine life to men, that divine life which we appropriately call sanctifying grace.

I wish you well, I remember you in pray and I bless you

Father Angelo

Translated by Rossella Roma

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