How does the Servants of the Good Shepherd compare with the Roman Catholic Church and the ethnic Orthodox?

The Servants of the Good Shepherd is, strictly speaking, NOT a Church. We are a jurisdiction within the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church established by Jesus Christ upon the Apostles. We view the Roman Catholic and the various Orthodox Churches to be what we are, a jurisdiction in the same Church established by Christ. The "CHURCH" is larger than any one jurisdiction. The Apostolic link with the early Church is found in our Apostolic Succession and in our faith and praxis.

Does the Unity Servants of the Good Shepherd consider themselves an ‘off shoot’ from the Roman Catholic Church and/or the ethnic Orthodox Churches?

We are historically and fraternally connected to the Roman Catholic Church, however, we did not leave the peace and unity of the Church. The Pope at Rome, + Eugene III, in 1145 granted us permission to elect our own Bishops without the need for a Papal Mandate. This did not mean we were outside the Church, only that we were totally self-governing and autocephalous. In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council confirmed our autocephalous status within the Church. Pope Leo X in the Papal Bull, "Debitum Pastoralis" in 1520 again confirmed we had the right to consecrate Bishops without a Papal Mandate which is the definition of an Autocephalous jurisdiction. An Autonomous jurisdiction is basically self- governing but cannot consecrate Bishops without a Mandate from the Patriarch. In 1717, the Theological Faculty at Paris acknowledged our autocephalous status, which came to be known as the Leonine Privilege. While we reject the exaggerated claims to Papal authority unknown in the early Church and reject the innovative theologies that have attended this false claim to supremacy, we remain part of the Western Church because we retain the Orthodox faith and praxis of the Church in the first thousand years without rejecting the working of the Holy Spirit in the larger Western Church which power is evident even today. According to the local practice of each priest, some commemorate the Pope of Rome in the Mass.

Are you Catholic or are you Orthodox?

We are Catholic and Orthodox, Orthodox and Catholic. The term Orthodox Catholic means we have retained the faith of the Church believed everywhere, by everyone at all times. The term Catholic in Greek means universal, classic, from the whole. We teach, believe and practice the faith of the Church Catholic and we have retained the ‘right thinking’ [Orthodox] faith of the Apostles. The Church has always been Orthodox and Catholic as the terms have similar meaning.

What is your Apostolic Succession that links you to the Apostolic Church?

Our Apostolic Succession is from Jesus Christ through St. Peter at the Apostolic See at Rome and through St. Paul the Apostle.

How can you claim to be part of the larger Church when you are not in communion with any of the Patriarchs and not subject to Rome?

It is easy to fall into the trap of some in defining the Church in terms of submission to a Patriarch and defining "TRUTH" or Orthodoxy as being in communion with the more wealthy jurisdictions. I only have to remind the reader of the Arian Heresy that captured the minds of most in the East who formed what many call the ‘official’ Eastern Orthodox Church. In truth, there is no such thing as an "official" church defined in terms of communion with or subjection to an Old World Patriarch. St. Basil of Capadocia was not in communion with St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, yet both are Saints. St. Basil regarded St. Epiphanius as a fanatic and St. Epiphanius questioned the Orthodoxy of St. Basil. Both groups constitute part of the True Church regardless of their division. Again, who were part of the Church, the Christians of Southern Italy under St. Paulinus of Nora or the Christians of Antioch under St. Meletius the Confessor? These groups were not in communion with each other. St. Paulinus never recognized the election of St. Meletius as Patriarch of Antioch. St. Paulinus preferred to be in communion with another group in Antioch under their own Antiochian Patriarch. St. Paulinus was not in communion with St. Basil either. While St. Paulinus was in communion with St. Meletius, the rest of "Official" Orthodoxy did not recognize either St. Basil or St. Meletius. The followers of St. John Chrysostom were labeled "Joannite" and many, including St. Epiphanius and St. Philo did not recognize the Joannite. Both were part of the One Church established by Christ upon the Apostles, but were not in communion with each other. Each considered the other Schismatic, but then we know this is a human response not born of the spirit of God. Pope Pius IX established Bishops to compete with Bishops who were canonically established and then called the canonical Bishops Schismatics. If one wants to apply the canons, it was Pius IX and the noncanonical Bishops he installed that were schismatics for violating the canons that prohibit one Bishop from intruding in the diocese of another Bishop.

Does the Servants of the Good Shepherd allow Priests and Bishops to marry?

Yes, we do permit married Bishops and Priests.

What does our faith teach us about the Eucharist?

Our faith teaches us that what we proclaim in the Eucharist, Christ's death and resurrection, is also made present in that very action by the power of God's love and goodness through the ministry of the Priest. This is the heart of our faith in the sacrament we call the Eucharist, the holy sacrifice of the Mass, the real presence of Christ.

What are some of the ways in which the Eucharist is described?

It is called "Eucharist because it is an action of thanksgiving to God". It is sometimes referred to as "the Breaking of Bread" because Jesus used this rite, above all, at the Last Supper. The Eucharist is also called "the memorial of the Lord's passion and resurrection...the Holy Sacrifice" because it makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Savior and includes the Church's offering.

Why is the Eucharist so important to the church?

The Eucharist is at the heart of the Church's life. In the celebration of this mystery of faith, Christ himself is present to his people. Rich in symbolism and richer in reality, the Eucharist bears within itself the whole reality of Christ and mediates his saving work to us. In short, when the Church gathers in worship of God and offers the Eucharistic sacrifice, not only is Christ really and truly present under the appearance of bread and wine, but he also continues his saving work of our salvation.

What does the Eucharist truly make present?

In the Eucharist, Jesus has instituted the sacrament in which the very passion, death and resurrection he would undergo would be made present again in our lives in a way that enables us to share in the benefits of the cross. We speak of our dying to sin and rising to new life because we participate in the mystery of Jesus' death and resurrection. The Church uses the word "re-present" [make present again] to speak of what is happening in the Mass. The term "holy sacrifice" of the Mass is also exact because sacramentally the death and resurrection of Jesus is once again made present. The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice. The Mass is a continuation of the Sacrifice offered once for all and not a new Sacrifice.

When and why was the Eucharist instituted?

At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his body and blood. He did this to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is received, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future life is given to us.

What is the relationship between the Eucharist and the Last Supper?

The origins of the Eucharist are found in the Last Supper. In the context of the Last Supper Jesus instituted a new memorial sacrifice. As a perpetual memorial to his death and Resurrection, in the course of the Passover meal with his apostles, he took the bread "blessed and broke it and gave it to his disciples and said 'Take, eat, this is my body'" [Matt. 26.26]. In like manner he took the ceremonial cup of wine "gave thanks and passed it to his disciples saying 'this cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood'" [Lk. 22.20]. Finally, he commanded them: "Do this in remembrance of me" [1 Cor. 11.24].

Like the Passover meal, this memorial sacrifice of the new law is both sacrifice and sacred meal. Both aspects remain inseparably a part of the same mystery. In an unbloody re- presentation of the sacrifice of the cross and in application of its saving power, the Lord is offered in the sacrifice of the Mass when through the words of consecration and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Christ is present in a sacramental form under the appearance of bread and wine to become the spiritual food of the faithful.

What does it mean that Jesus died once and for all?

It is true that there is only one sacrifice -- the self-giving of Christ on the cross at Calvary. Once and for all Jesus, who was the victim for our sins, offered himself up for our redemption. "Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant" [Heb. 9.15].

This one great sacrifice was accomplished by Jesus, the priest and victim, who offered himself on the altar of the cross for our redemption. This sacrifice need not and cannot be repeated, but it can be re-presented so that we are able, sacramentally and spiritually, to enter it and draw spiritual nourishment from it. While it is true that we cannot be physically present at Calvary, there is a real, sacramental and spiritual sense in which we are present as we participate in the Eucharist since the merit obtained for us through the death of Jesus is applied to us in what we call the paschal mystery --- passover from death to life.

How long have Christians celebrated the Eucharist as we do?

One of the most intriguing aspects of the celebration of the Eucharist is the fact that it has changed so little over twenty centuries. The essential elements are found in the narrative of the institution of the Eucharist as recorded in the gospels. The liturgical structure of that celebration developed very rapidly in the early life of the Church as we see in Saint Paul's first letter to the Corinthians [1Cor.11.26] and the essential elements have remained unchanged. Even in many of the details, we find in the celebration of the liturgy today an identity with what went before us for so many centuries.

What is meant by the liturgy of the word in the celebration of the Eucharist?

The liturgy is divided into two parts: the liturgy of the word and the liturgy of the Eucharist. There are normally two readings. The first is from either the Old Testament or the New Testament [other than the gospels]; the second is from one of the gospels.

A significant integral part of the celebration of the liturgy of the word is the homily or commentary by the priest on the readings or some other element of the faith and life of the Church. Since so much in our culture changes rapidly, it is essential that the teaching of Christ be applied to circumstances of our day in a way that allows the believer to see the full implications of his or her profession of faith.

At this point in the liturgy, the creed is recited as a summary profession of our faith acknowledging what we have read as the word of God and announcing our adherence to the teaching of Christ and the profession of his Church so that we can proceed to celebrate worthily the Eucharist. The priest then invites the faithful to offer their prayers for the needs of the Church, the community and their personal concerns. This is called the prayer of the faithful.

What is meant by the liturgy of the Eucharist?

The Liturgy of the Eucharist is the very heart of the Mass. Using one of the Eucharistic prayers, the priest prays over the gifts, asks the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them, recites the narrative of consecration, elevates the host and cup for the faithful to reverence and proceeds to call to mind the passion, resurrection and glorious return of the Lord Jesus. In this sacred, sacramental action the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ and we, through our participation in this mystery of faith, share spiritually in Jesus' death and resurrection.

The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus. Indeed, the Lord said: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him" [Jn. 6.56]. Life in Christ has its foundation in the Eucharistic banquet: "As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me" [Jn. 6.57].

What is meant by Christ's real presence in the Eucharist?

The faith of the Church concerning the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine is traced back to the words of Jesus himself as recorded in the gospel of Saint John. In the Eucharistic discourse after the multiplication of the loaves our Lord contrasted ordinary bread with a bread that is not of this world but which contains eternal life for those who eat it. He said: "I am the bread of life . . . I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh" [Jn. 6.48, 51].

What Jesus offers us is his continuing, enduring presence every time we celebrate the Eucharist. The bread and wine become his body and his blood. "This is my body . . . this is the cup of my blood."

The way in which Jesus is present in the Eucharist cannot be explained in physical terms because it transcends the ordinary necessities of space and measurement. It is a supernatural mystery that the person who becomes fully present at Mass is the same Risen Savior who is seated at the right hand of the Father. In becoming present sacramentally, Christ's condition does not change. He does not have to leave heaven to become present on earth.

Why is the Eucharist kept in the tabernacle?

The real presence endures after the celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy. It is for this reason that there is a tabernacle in Church. Once communion has been distributed, the remaining hosts are placed in the tabernacle to provide viaticum for those who turn to the Church in their final hour and also to provide a focal point for prayer and worship of Christ in his real presence.

With the passage of time, reverent reflection led the Church to enrich its Eucharistic devotion. Faith that Jesus is truly present in the sacrament led believers to worship Christ dwelling with us permanently in the sacrament. Wherever the sacrament is, there is Christ who is our Lord and our God; hence he is ever to be worshipped in this mystery. Such worship is expressed in many ways: in genuflections, in adoration of the Eucharist and in the many forms of Eucharistic devotion that faith has nourished.

Why is it important to prepare myself to receive the Eucharist?

To respond to the Lord's invitation to eat his flesh and drink his blood, the believer must be prepared. Saint Paul urges us to examine our conscience. "Whoever therefore eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the Body and Blood of the Lord" [1 Cor. 11.27]. Before we approach the table of the Lord it is important to reflect on our life, ask God's forgiveness for our failings and if necessary, due to serious sin, to avail ourselves of sacramental confession.

Is everyone permitted to receive the Eucharist?

All believers in our Lord Jesus Christ are welcome at His altar and table.

How does the Eucharist make us God's people?

Just as individually we are brought into union with Christ through our participation in the paschal mystery and our share in the consecrated bread and wine, so the Church as the new people of God comes to be in its celebration of the Eucharist. We are a people made one with Christ and one with each other precisely in the Eucharist.

Why should I attend mass and receive the Eucharist?

Since we are constituted God's family -- God's people -- his Church -- precisely by our participation in the Eucharist, we cannot grow into Christ's new body as a healthy and full member without sharing in the Eucharist. On each Sunday, which is a commemoration of the day Jesus rose from the dead, the faithful come together not only to profess the faith but also to renew the life of Christ within them. Not as individuals isolated from each other and related only to God but precisely as God's family interrelated to each other and through the Church related to God do we gather -- made one in the Eucharist.

For this reason the Church calls upon believers to celebrate the great gift of God with us in the Eucharist every Sunday. To absent one's self from the Sunday Eucharist is to diminish one's own spiritual life -- one's own communion with Christ's new body, the Church. We celebrate Eucharist as a faith family -- as the Church -- on Sunday because it is here that we find our identity, our unity and our very being as members of Christ' body, members of his Church.