WHAT IS A PROPHET?
The Catholic Church is led by prophets--but even greater--by Apostles' successors.
A "prophet" is any human person, male or female, ordained or lay, who has received the gift of prophecy from God. A prophet is given power and authority from YHVH* to receive His Word and communicate the Word to others. Above all, prophets are consumed with love for YHVH and His commandments, powerfully conscious of His presence and devoted to His covenant. They are driven by the need to recall people to love of YHVH and His covenant (c.f. Jer. 20:9), often regardless of the cost. Their primary mission is precisely this: to be a thorn in the side of God's people, to call people back to love of God & neighbor in the covenant, according to which the faithful are blessed and the unfaithful are cursed. Their goal is the purity of YHVH's people, including purity of doctrine and worship. Among their special gifts is the ability to read and interpret signs and manifestations of God's will, especially in past and present events. These are often communicated by the prophet to the people through symbolic gestures, allegories, and parables as well as words.
"Prophet" is not a governing office of the Church held by a single person at a time; rather, prophecy is a gift God has given many and various men and women throughout the course of biblical and post-biblical history. In the New Covenant, all Christians receive the Holy Spirit and a share of the prophetic vocation, though it can only be properly exercised in communion with the Apostles and their successors. Apostles and their successors, the bishops, hold an office which includes the gift of prophecy, but its authority is greater than prophecy alone. (There are many prophets in the Church: Acts 2:14-18, 11:27, 13:1, 15:32; 1Cor 14; etc. Apostles and their successors have authority before other prophets in the Church: 1Cor. 12:28, Eph 2:20 & 4:11. No true prophet could contradict the authoritative teaching of the Apostles and their successors, which is guaranteed by the power of the Holy Spirit.)
Is the Catholic Church led by prophets? The Catholic Church is led by the successors of Jesus' Apostles, the bishops the Apostles ordained to govern the Church on earth. At the head of these is the successor of the Apostle Peter, the "vizier" or prime minister holding the keys of Jesus' Kingdom, whom we call "Pope."* The pope and the bishops do indeed participate in the prophetic vocation: they have been given supreme authority from YHVH to receive His Word and communicate the Word to others. Their primary mission is to call people back to love of God & neighbor in the covenant, according to which the faithful are blessed and the unfaithful are cursed. Their goal is the purity of YHVH's people, including purity of doctrine and worship. Among their special gifts is the ability to read and interpret signs and manifestations of God's will, especially in past and present events. Their authoritative teaching is guaranteed by the power of the Holy Spirit. As successors of the Apostles, their authority is greater than other prophets within the Church. No true prophet could contradict the authoritative teaching of the Apostles' successors.
There are many common errors about prophecy. Some moderners believe that prophets are merely "people who predict the future." Though many prophets throughout history have been able to do this, this is not a prophet's primary role, which is explained above. Others believe that a prophet is "someone who gives people new revelation about God." Many Old Testament prophets did this, but it is no longer necessary because God has completely revealed Himself in the incarnation of His Son in the fullness of times (Gal. 4:4; c.f. Jn. 1:1&14, 14:9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:1-3; 1Jn. 1:1-3; etc.). It is impossible for anyone to reveal "more than" God Himself, so any "new revelations" are really representations of the Word we have already been given. In sum, modern prophets, by the power of the Holy Spirit, preach and teach Jesus Christ the Word of God and fullness of God's Self-revelation, call and recall us to His covenant, apply the meaning of the Word and the covenant to our lives, and interpret signs of the times.
*"YHVH" is a transliteration of the biblical Name of God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
*"Pope" is really a term of affection because it means "papa." The prime minister of the Davidic Kingdom has always been referred to as the "father" of the Kingdom's inhabitants (c.f. Is. 22:20-24).
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