Assessment of Religious Knowledge (ARK) Practice Exam

The continuation of the mission entrusted by Christ to His Apostles is carried out by the bishops of the Church. This is rooted in the belief that Christ established the Apostles as the first leaders of the Church and that their mission to spread the Gospel and shepherd the faithful has been passed down through apostolic succession.

Bishops are considered successors to the Apostles, holding a special role in teaching, governing, and sanctifying within the Church. They are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the faith, administering the sacraments, and ensuring that the teachings of Christ are handed down accurately and effectively to each new generation. This leadership not only involves spiritual guidance but also an active role in mission work, pastoral care, and community engagement, thereby perpetuating the foundational mission given by Christ.

Other roles in the Church, such as the laity or theologians, while crucial to the Church's overall mission, do not hold the same sacramental authority or direct apostolic lineage as bishops do. Similarly, the saints in Heaven are honored and interceded to, but they do not actively continue the mission in the same sense that bishops do on Earth.