Although the universal Church of God is constituted of distinct orders of members, still, in spite of the many parts of its holy body, the Church subsists as an integral whole, just as the Apostle says: "We are all one in Christ." No difference in office is so great that anyone can be separated, through lowliness, from the head. In the unity of faith and baptism, therefore, our community is undivided. There is a common dignity, as the apostle Peter says in these words: "And you are built up as living stones into spiritual houses, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." And again: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart."
For all, regenerated in Christ, are made kings by the sign of the cross; they are consecrated priests by the oil of the Holy Spirit, so that beyond the special service of our ministry as priests, all spiritual and mature Christians know that they are a royal race and are sharers in the office of the priesthood. For what is more king-like than to find yourself ruler over your body after having surrendered your soul to God? And what is more priestly than to promise the Lord a pure conscience and to offer him in love unblemished victims on the altar of one’s heart?
--Pope St Leo the Great, Sermon
天主的普世教會是由不同的階層所組成，是為了使不同的肢體合成一個神聖的整體。然而如同保祿使徒所說的，「我們大家都在基督內合而為一。」沒有任何人，會由於職司，而與他人分離：竟至使身體最卑微的部份遠離頭部。親愛的諸位，我們由信仰與洗禮的統一，而組成一個不可分割的團體，並擁有同等的尊嚴。關於這種尊嚴，使徒伯多祿曾以最神聖的語氣說：「你們好象活石，被建造成一座神殿，成為聖潔的祭司，藉耶穌基督奉獻天主所悅納的神靈祭品」；接著又說：「你們是特選的種族，王家的祭司，聖潔的國一民，屬於主的子民。」
在洗禮中十字架的標記使所有在基督內重生的人,成為君王；聖神的傅油、更祝聖他們為祭司。這樣，除了我們牧職中的特殊職務之外，所有領受精神與超性恩寵的基督徒應該知道自己也有分於王家的種族和祭司的職務。一個靈魂由於服從天主，而作肉體的主人，還有比這更當稱王的嗎？一個人將純潔的良心奉獻與主，並在自己心靈的祭壇上，呈上虔誠之情的無玷犧牲，有什麼比這更屬祭司職務呢？這職務是藉天主的聖寵而賜下，並為眾人所共享的。你們因我們晉升教宗周年日而歡欣，猶如你們親受榮耀一般，這確是一件虔敬而值得讚頌的事。這樣是整個教會在慶祝這唯一祭司職的奧跡；當祝聖之油傾注時，誠然，聖油大量地流注在上部的肢體，然而，也充分地達到了居於下位的肢體。
--聖良一世教宗講道集
Leo the Great: all faithful are priests and kings
