http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/stj18011.htm

"Saint Bernard tells us that everything has come to us through Mary; and we may also say that everything has come to us through the priest; yes, all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts. If we had not the Sacrament of Orders, we should not have Our Lord. Who placed Him there, in that tabernacle? It was the priest. Who was it that received your soul, on its entrance into life? The priest. Who nourishes it, to give it strength to make its pilgrimage? The priest. Who will prepare it to appear before God, by washing that soul, for the last time, in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest -- always the priest. And if that soul comes to the point of death, who will raise it up, who will restore it to calmness and peace? Again the priest. You cannot recall one single blessing from God without finding, side by side with this recollection, the image of the priest."

-- Jacob R. (jacobrainey@hotmail.com), November 25, 2004

Answers

Blasphemy? Without the priesthood the Church Christ founded for all men as the channel of salvation could not exist. And without the Church men could not be saved. Indeed, without the Church men would not even be aware of the possibility of salvation.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), November 25, 2004.

jacob,

"Saint Bernard tells us that everything has come to us through Mary;

yes, Jesus came to us through Mary... what is your point? is it so bad to recognize that someone chose to do the will of God and became the source through which the Lamb of God entered the world?

and we may also say that everything has come to us through the priest; yes, all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts.

yes, this is also accurate. Don't forget that we have a High Priest in Christ from Whom all good things flow. Christ Himself established His priesthood and gave the powers of apostolic succession. Without ordained priests who function as channels of the Holy Spirit to enact their power of ordination in the sacramentals of the church, there are no sacraments which can be performed.

you are reading too much into what is said. It simply is recognizing the relationship between man and God, that God selects men through whom He channels His graces.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), November 25, 2004.

Without our priests, we have NO access to the sacraments.. We should all pray for our good priests every single day of our lives.

-- Lesley (martchas@hotmail.com), November 26, 2004.