In Leviticus, chapter 9, we read that God commands Moses, as part of the old covenant, to ordain a specialized, professional priesthood to offer sacrifices for the people. Later, as part of “the new covenant in [his] blood” (Lk 22:20), Jesus establishes a new ordained priesthood for the church and gives its members the authority and power to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (see Lk 22:14-20).

All Christians share in a common “holy priesthood “offering “spiritual sacrifices” (1 Pt 2:5) such prayer, almsgiving (see Heb 13:15-16), and faith in Jesus (see Phil 2:7). But the special mission that Christ gave his apostle, their successor, and the Eucharist and administering the sacrament of reconciliation – was not to be shared by all of his followers. “For … all the parts [of Christ’s body] do not have the same function “(Rom 12:4).

The New Testament refers to three types of permanent ordained offices in the Church: bishop (in Greek, episkopos), elder (presbyteros, from which we derive the English words “presbyter” and “priest”), and deacon (diakonos). The term presbyteros, usually translated “elder,” appears often in scripture (for example, Acts 15:2-6; 21:18; 1 Pt 5:1; 1 Tim 5:17). Nearly all Christians accepted this ordained ministry for the first sixteen centuries of the church’s history, though certain heretical groups, such as the Cathari (who taught Gnostic ideas),rejected it.

Non-Catholic Christians sometimes cite 1 Peter 2:5, 9 and Rev 1:6 to support their claim that if the Church is “a kingdom of priests,” it cannot have a special ministerial priesthood as well. Nevertheless, in these texts, 1 Peter is quoting - and Rev is echoing – the words of God to the ancient Hebrews recorded in Exodus 19:6. If the Lord could refer to that entire nation as priests, even though they had an ordained priesthood, then surely the same is true of the Church.

WHY IS CAHOLIC WORSHIP FULL OF RITUALS

Leviticus and other biblical books show that God himself prescribed numerous religious rituals for the ancient Israelites. Sacrifices and offerings, ordination ceremonies and priestly behavior, holidays and festivals- all had their designated rituals (see Lev 1:1-10:20; 16:1-34; 23:1-44). In addition devout customs grew up among the people, such as those for mourning the dead (see 1 Sam 31:11-13) and anointing kings (see 1 Sm 10:1).

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the apostles were all faithful Jews, practicing the religious rituals of their people. Mary and Joseph “fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord” (Lk 2:39) with regard to the circumcision, purification, and presentation after Jesus’ birth (see Lk 2:21-39). The family took part in the temple rituals of the great holy days (see Lk 2:41-43), just as Jesus later did with his apostles (see Lk 22:1-13; Jn 2:13; 7:2-10; 10:22-23).

Our Lord also followed the weekly synagogue rituals (see Lk 4:16-20). At meals- including the last supper- he prayed the ritual blessings customary among the Jews (see Mk 14:22; Lk 22:19; 24:30). In fact, the words of the Catholic Church’s Eucharistic rite today still echo the ancient Jewish table blessing Jesus himself prayed.

The first Christians no longer practiced Jewish rituals that have been rendered   unnecessary for Christ’s coming, such as temple sacrifices (see Heb 9:1-28). But they by no means abandoned all ritual, as New Testament passages indicate: “the breaking of the bread [the Eucharist] and … the prayers” (Acts 2:42); the customary three o’clock prayers at the temple (see Acts 3:1; the laying on of and anointing with oil (see Acts 6:6; Jas 5:14); the apparent quotations from the liturgy (see also Col 1:15-20; Phil 2:6-11; Tim 3:16). When Acts says that the Church leaders at Antioch were “worshiping” (13:2), the Greek verb used is leiturgeo (the root of our English word “liturgy”), which refers to ritual worship.