CCC 983

Catechesis strives to awaken and nourish in the faithful faith in the incomparable greatness of the risen Christ's gift to his Church: the mission and the power to forgive sins through the ministry of the apostles and their successors:

The Lord wills that his disciples possess a tremendous power: that his lowly servants accomplish in his name all that he did when he was on earth.⁵²⁹ Cf. St. Ambrose, De poenit. I, 15: PL 16, 490PL — Patrologia Latina (Migne). Priests have received from God a power that he has given neither to angels nor to archangels .... God above confirms what priests do here below.⁵³⁰ John Chrysostom, De sac. 3, 5: PG 48, 643PG — Patrologia Graeca (Migne). Were there no forgiveness of sins in the Church, there would be no hope of life to come or eternal liberation. Let us thank God who has given his Church such a gift.⁵³¹ St. Augustine, Sermo 213, 8: PL 38,1064PL — Patrologia Latina (Migne).