# Apostle ## Catechism of the Catholic Church A term meaning one who is _sent_ as Jesus was sent by the Father, and as he sent his chosen disciples to preach the Gospel to the whole world. He called the Twelve to become his Apostles, chosen witnesses of his Resurrection and the foundation on which the Church is built ([[1.2.3.9.p29|ccc-857]]). The apostolic office is permanent in the Church, in order to ensure that the divine mission entrusted to the Apostles by Jesus will continue to the end of time. The bishops receive their office as successors of the Apostles through the Sacrament of [[holy-orders|Holy Orders]] ([[1.2.3.9.p29|ccc-860]]). _See_ [[apostolic-succession|Apostolic Succession]]. ## Ignatius Catholic Study Bible **Apostles** Authority of: [[matthew-10#^matthew-10-1|Mt 10:1-4, 5, 40]]; [[matthew-16#^matthew-16-18|16:18-19]]; [[matthew-18#^matthew-18-17|18:17-18]]; [[matthew-19#^matthew-19-27|19:27-30]]; [[matthew-20#^matthew-20-25|20:25-28]]; [[matthew-28#^matthew-28-16|28:16-20]]; [[mark-03#^mark-03-13|Mk 3:13-15]]; [[mark-10#^mark-10-42|10:42-45]]; [[mark-16#^mark-16-15|16:15-18]]; [[luke-10#^luke-10-16|Lk 10:16]]; [[luke-22#^luke-22-24|22:24-30]]; [[luke-24#^luke-24-44|24:44-49]]; [[john-20#^john-20-21|Jn 20:21]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-02#^acts-of-the-apostles-02-42|Acts 2:42]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-04#^acts-of-the-apostles-04-33|4:33, 35]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-05#^acts-of-the-apostles-05-12|5:12]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-06#^acts-of-the-apostles-06-2|6:2-6]]; [[1-corinthians-12#^1-corinthians-12-28|1 Cor 12:28-30]]; [[2-corinthians-13#^2-corinthians-13-10|2 Cor 13:10]]; [[2-thessalonians-03#^2-thessalonians-03-14|2 Thess 3:14]]; [[ephesians-02#^ephesians-02-20|Eph 2:20]]; [[ephesians-04#^ephesians-04-11|4:11]] Apostles other than the Twelve: [[acts-of-the-apostles-14#^acts-of-the-apostles-14-4|Acts 14:4, 14]]; [[romans-01#^romans-01-1|Rom 1:1]]; [[1-corinthians-15#^1-corinthians-15-7|1 Cor 15:7, 9]]; [[galatians-01#^galatians-01-19|Gal 1:19]]; [[2-timothy-01#^2-timothy-01-11|2 Tim 1:11]] Apostolic succession: [[john-20#^john-20-21|Jn 20:21]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-01#^acts-of-the-apostles-01-15|Acts 1:15-26]]; [[2-timothy-02#^2-timothy-02-2|2 Tim 2:2]]; [[titus-01#^titus-01-5|Tit 1:5]] Called "holy" (i.e., saints): [[ephesians-03#^ephesians-03-5|Eph 3:5]] Teachers of the Church: [[matthew-16#^matthew-16-18|Mt 16:18-19]]; [[matthew-18#^matthew-18-17|18:17-18]]; [[matthew-28#^matthew-28-16|28:16-20]]; [[luke-24#^luke-24-48|Lk 24:48-49]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-02#^acts-of-the-apostles-02-42|Acts 2:42]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-15#^acts-of-the-apostles-15-6|15:6, 22-29]] The Twelve: [[matthew-10#^matthew-10-1|Mt 10:1-4]]; [[matthew-19#^matthew-19-28|19:28]]; [[mark-03#^mark-03-13|Mk 3:13-19]]; [[mark-06#^mark-06-30|6:30]]; [[luke-06#^luke-06-13|Lk 6:13-16]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-01#^acts-of-the-apostles-01-2|Acts 1:2, 13, 21-25]]; [[1-corinthians-15#^1-corinthians-15-5|1 Cor 15:5]]; [[revelation-21#^revelation-21-14|Rev 21:14]] Witnesses of the Resurrection: [[matthew-28#^matthew-28-16|Mt 28:16-20]]; [[mark-16#^mark-16-14|Mk 16:14-20]]; [[luke-24#^luke-24-48|Lk 24:48]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-01#^acts-of-the-apostles-01-21|Acts 1:21-26]]; [[acts-of-the-apostles-04#^acts-of-the-apostles-04-33|4:33]]; [[1-corinthians-09#^1-corinthians-09-1|1 Cor 9:1]]; [[1-corinthians-15#^1-corinthians-15-5|15:5, 7, 9]] *See also* [[authority]]; [[church]] ### Sources [[index-of-doctrines|Index of Doctrines]] ## Divine Intimacy Index - Rectitude of intention necessary for the —: [[25-apostolic-action#Meditation 2|25,2]]; [[332-a-right-intention#Meditation 1|332,1]], [[332-a-right-intention#Meditation 2|332,2]]; - should continually die to self-love and vainglory [[25-apostolic-action#Meditation 2|25,2]]; [[332-a-right-intention#Meditation 2|332,2]]; - purification of the — through the hardships of the apostolate: [[332-a-right-intention#Meditation 2|332,2]]; [[338-apostolic-hope#Meditation 2|338,2]]; - hindrances and trials which — meets with constitute his dark night: [[338-apostolic-hope#Meditation 2|338,2]]; - is collaborator with God: [[319-god-collaborators#Meditation 1|319,1]], [[319-god-collaborators#Meditation 2|319,2]]; [[341-spiritual-paternity-and-maternity#Meditation 1|341,1]], [[341-spiritual-paternity-and-maternity#Meditation 2|341,2]]; - should place himself at the complete disposal of God: [[319-god-collaborators#Meditation 2|319,2]]; - to share his love with all men [[320-one-with-the-mind-of-christ#Meditation 1|320,1]]; [[339-progress-in-the-apostolate#Meditation 1|339,1]]; - to live in intimate affinity with Infinite Love, of which he is a humble collaborator and instrument: [[320-one-with-the-mind-of-christ#Meditation 2|320,2]]; - to be the intimate friend of God by acting according to His Heart: [[321-the-soul-of-the-apostolate#Meditation 1|321,1]]; - should be completely docile to the action of the Holy Spirit: [[344-the-holy-spirit-and-the-apostolate#Meditation 2|344,2]]; - every Christian is an —, chiefly in the strength and participation of the sacrifice with which Jesus redeemed the world: [[324-various-forms-of-the-apostolate#Meditation 1|324,1]]; - an interior soul is an —: [[327-the-apostolate-of-example#Meditation 2|327,2]]; - should dedicate sufficient time to prayer and recollection [[325-apostolic-prayer#Meditation 2|325,2]]; [[331-sanctification-in-the-apostolate#Meditation 2|331,2]]; [[339-progress-in-the-apostolate#Meditation 1|339,1]]; - finds in his apostolate all means necessary for his sanctification [[331-sanctification-in-the-apostolate#Meditation 1|331,1]]; - seeking recollection is a grace which protects one against dangers of activity: [[331-sanctification-in-the-apostolate#Meditation 2|331,2]]; - should seek to maintain balance between action and contemplation: [[331-sanctification-in-the-apostolate#Meditation 2|331,2]]; [[342-martha-and-mary#Meditation 1|342,1]]; - should live the ideal of sanctity he proposes to others [[327-the-apostolate-of-example#Meditation 1|327,1]]; - necessity of a serious formation of the —: [[330-the-formation-of-apostles#Meditation 1|330,1]], [[330-the-formation-of-apostles#Meditation 2|330,2]]; - not for himself but for souls, for their spiritual advantage: [[333-self-forgetfulness-and-abnegation#Meditation 2|333,2]]; - should spend himself completely for the benefit of souls: [[333-self-forgetfulness-and-abnegation#Meditation 2|333,2]]; [[341-spiritual-paternity-and-maternity#Meditation 2|341,2]]; - the true — is happy to have sons to nourish by his toil and prayers: [[341-spiritual-paternity-and-maternity#Meditation 2|341,2]]; - should have deep humility: [[334-humility-in-the-apostolate#Meditation 1|334,1]], [[334-humility-in-the-apostolate#Meditation 2|334,2]]; - knowledge of one’s nothingness should keep one continually united to Jesus, whence comes all help: [[334-humility-in-the-apostolate#Meditation 2|334,2]]; - to ever keep in mind humility, union with God, detachment from one’s judgment and will: [[340-apostolic-maturity#Meditation 2|340,2]]; - should be a perfect gentleman: [[335-human-qualities-and-apostolic-charity#Meditation 2|335,2]]; - should procure for himself an intellectual formation adequate for the apostolate in which he wishes to work: [[337-education-and-culture-at-the-service-of-the-apostolate#Meditation 1|337,1]]; - should be convinced that victory is not attained except by Calvary: [[338-apostolic-hope#Meditation 1|338,1]]; - should hope in spite of all the difficulties and failures he may meet with in the apostolate: [[338-apostolic-hope#Meditation 2|338,2]]. See: [[apostolate|Apostolate]] ### Sources - [[25-apostolic-action|25. Apostolic Action]] - [[319-god-collaborators|319. God Collaborators]] - [[320-one-with-the-mind-of-christ|320. One with the Mind of Christ]] - [[321-the-soul-of-the-apostolate|321. The Soul of the Apostolate]] - [[324-various-forms-of-the-apostolate|324-various-forms-of-the-apostolate| 324. Various Forms of the Apostolate]] - [[325-apostolic-prayer|325. Apostolic Prayer]] - [[327-the-apostolate-of-example|327. The Apostolate of Example]] - [[330-the-formation-of-apostles|330. The Formation of Apostles]] - [[331-sanctification-in-the-apostolate|331. Sanctification in the Apostolate]] - [[332-a-right-intention|332. A Right Intention]] - [[333-self-forgetfulness-and-abnegation|333. Self-forgetfulness and Abnegation]] - [[334-humility-in-the-apostolate|334. Humility in the Apostolate]] - [[335-human-qualities-and-apostolic-charity|335. Human Qualities and Apostolic Charity]] - [[337-education-and-culture-at-the-service-of-the-apostolate|337. Education and Culture at the Service of the Apostolate]] - [[338-apostolic-hope|338. Apostolic Hope]] - [[340-apostolic-maturity|340. Apostolic Maturity]] - [[341-spiritual-paternity-and-maternity|341. Spiritual Paternity and Maternity]] - [[344-the-holy-spirit-and-the-apostolate|344. The Holy Spirit and the Apostolate]]