Msgr. Van Noort considered only those who hold formal
succession with the apostles as being the legitimate successors of the apostles.
This is evident when he distinguishes between those licitly and illicitly consecrated.
He writes,
The term apostolic normally means
something originating with the apostles. Everyone grants that the Church is in
some sense apostolic.
1. Protestants usually mean by
apostolicity, apostolicity of doctrine. That is all that is required, they say,
and it suffices.
2. But Greek schismatics and Anglicans -- at least a large number
of them -- require in addition to apostolicity of doctrine some sort of
apostolicity of government. They do not, however, specify legitimacy of the
mode of succession.
3. According to Catholic teaching, Christ's Church essentially and necessarily
enjoys a triple sort of apostolicity: apostolicity of doctrine, government, and
membership.
It has already been proved that Christ Himself founded a
living organization, a visible Church. Granted that fact, it should be obvious
that an essential part of that
Church’s structure is apostolicity of government.
…
2. Apostolicity of government
– or mission, or authority – means the Church is always
ruled by pastors who form one same juridical person with the apostles. In other
words it is always ruled by pastors
who are the apostles legitimate successors.
It has already been proved that
Christ Himself founded a living organization, a visible Church. Granted
that fact, it should be obvious that an essential part of that Church’s structure is apostolicity of
government. For on no one but the Apostolic College, under the
headship of Peter, did Christ confer the
power of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling the faithful until the end
of the world. This triple power,
therefore necessarily belongs, and can only belong, to those who form one moral
person with the apostles: their legitimate successors.
…
Obviously a man does not become a genuine successor to the apostles
merely by arrogating to himself the title of "bishop," or by carrying
on in some fashion a function once performed by the apostles. Neither is it enough for a man merely to
possess some one, individual power, say for example, the power of orders.
The power of orders can be acquired even
illicitly, and once acquired can never be lost. What is required for genuine
apostolic succession is that a man enjoy the complete powers (i.e. ordinary
powers, not extraordinary) of an apostle. He must, then, in addition to the power
of orders, posses also the power of jurisdiction. Jurisdiction means the power to teach and govern. This power is conferred only by a
legitimate authorization and, even though once received, can be lost
again by being revoked.[1]
[1] Gerardus van Noort, “Christ's Church,” (Volume II) translated
by John J Castelot & William R. Murphy (Westminster, MD: The Newman Press,
1959), 151-153.
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