High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Sacerdotalism is the
idea that a propitiatory sacrifice for sin must be offered by the
intervention of an order of men separated to the priesthood. This
system of the priesthood is taught in the Old Testament. The term
sacerdotalism comes from the Latin sacerdos, priest, literally one
who presents sacred offerings, sacer, sacred, and dare, to give.
According to Roman Catholics, sacerdotalism, in the documents of
Vatican II, is the teaching that "through the ministry of
priests, the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful is made perfect in
union with the sacrifice of Christ, the sole Mediator. Through the
hands of the priests and in the name of the whole Church, the
Lord's sacrifice is offered in the Eucharist in an unbloody and
sacramental manner until He Himself returns." Thus priests
"exercise within the Church a function of the apostles.
