Page:The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII.djvu/407



AXGLICAN ORDERS. 401

the power "of crynsecrating art/J of offering the true hod >j and blood of the Lord" ^ in that sacrifice which is no "nitde cam- mew/rration of the sacrifice offered cm. the Cross." ^ This form had indeed afterwards added to it the words "for the office and work of a priest," etc. ; â€” but this rather shows that the Anglicans themselves perceived that the first form was defective and inadequate. But even if this addition could give to the form, its due signification, it was intro- duced too late, as a cenum- had already elapsed since the adoption of the Edwardine Ordinal, for, as the hierarchy had become extinct, there remained no power of ordain- ing, .lajsrain has help been recently sought for the plea of the vahdity of Orders from the otiier prayers of the same Ordinal. For, to put aside other reasons which show this to be insufficient for the purpose in the Anglican rite, let this argument suffice for all: from them has been deliberately removed whatever sets forth the dignity and office of the priesthood in the Catholic rite. That form consequently cannot be considered apt or sufficient for the sacrament which omits what it ought essentially to signify.

The same holds good of Episcopal consecration. For to the formula "Receive the Holy Ghost" not only were the words "for the office and work of a bi$h</p," etc., added at a later period, but even these, as we shall presently state, must be undei^tood in a sense different to that which they bear in the Catholic rite. Nor is anj-thing gained by quoting the prayer of the preface "Almighty God," since it in like manner has been stripped of the words which denote the summum sacerdotium. It is not here relevant to examine whether the Episcopate be a completion of the priesthood or an Order distinct from it, or whether when bestowed, as they sa}.* per saltum, on one vvho is not a priest, it has or has not its effect. But the Episcopate undoubtedly by the institution of

Â» Councfl of Trent, Sesa. XXIII., de Sacr. Ord, Can. 1, ' Ibid, Seas. XXIL, de sacrif. Miasae, Can. 3.