Catechism of the Catholic Church

228 Part One appointed twelve, whom also he named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach.” 368 From then on, they would also be his “emissaries” (Greek apostoloi ). In them, Christ continues his own mission: “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 369 The apostles’ ministry is the continuation of his mission; Jesus said to the Twelve: “he who receives you receives me.” 370 859 Jesus unites them to the mission he received from the Father. As “the Son can do nothing of his own accord,” but receives everything from the Father who sent him, so those whom Jesus sends can do nothing apart from him, 371 fromwhom they received both the mandate for their mission and the power to carry it out. Christ’s apostles knew that they were called by God as “ministers of a new covenant,” “servants of God,” “ambassadors for Christ,” “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” 372 860 In the office of the apostles there is one aspect that cannot be transmitted: to be the chosen witnesses of the Lord’s Resurrec- tion and so the foundation stones of the Church. But their office also has a permanent aspect. Christ promised to remain with them always. The divine mission entrusted by Jesus to them “will con- tinue to the end of time, since the Gospel they handed on is the lasting source of all life for the Church. Therefore, . . . the apostles took care to appoint successors.” 373 The bishops—successors of the apostles 861 “In order that the mission entrusted to them might be continued after their death, [the apostles] consigned, by will and testament, as it were, to their immediate collaborators the duty of completing and consolidating the work they had begun, urging them to tend to the whole flock, in which the Holy Spirit had appointed them to shepherd the Church of God. They accordingly designated such men and then made the ruling that likewise on their death other proven men should take over their ministry.” 374 368 Mk 3:13-14. 369 Jn 20:21; cf. 13:20; 17:18. 370 Mt 10:40; cf. Lk 10:16. 371 Jn 5:19, 30; cf. Jn 15:5. 372 2 Cor 3:6; 6:4; 5:20; 1 Cor 4:1. 373 LG 20; cf. Mt 28:20. 374 LG 20; cf. Acts 20:28; St. Clement of Rome, Ad Cor. 42, 44: PG 1, 291-300. 425, 1086 876 642 765 1087 77 1087