During his life, our Lord established the hierarchical structure of the Church and chose twelve men whom he named as his Apostles, and whom he sent out with authority to teach, govern and sanctify. These Apostles, having received instruction from the Lord and through the Holy Spirit's inspiration, established the means by which their authority would continue in the Catholic Church, specifically through the bishops of the Church.
We consider the meaning of the word "Apostle" and what were the "requirement" of becoming an apostle. The role of the Apostles in the early Church shows us the divinely instituted structure of the true Church of Jesus Christ. The vocation of an apostle is made evident in the calling of Peter and Andrew (from the Sunday's Gospel) and Paul's own insistence that he is a true apostle (Second Reading from 1 Corinthians)
Finally, we look to St Matthias, patron of the Diocese of Great Falls - Billings, who was chosen to join the Apostles after the fall of Judas.
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