Catholics or Mormons. Who is right?

Question

According to the Bible, priesthood authority is necessary to perform saving ordinances like baptism, confirmation, etc., but which church has the authority to do so?

The Catholics claim they still have it since it was passed down in an unbroken chain since the time of Peter to the present Pope and the Mormons, to my knowledge, claim the authority was lost due to apostasy and subsequently "restored" to their prophet Joseph Smith in 1830 by the resurrected John the Baptist and Peter James and John.

And I know, I know, all churches are good, no one has a monopoly on faith, etc, etc, but someone has exclusivity on the ability to perform proper ordinances through the priesthood. Since Protestant churches all broke off from the main Catholic vein, they are out; and to my knowledge Mormons are the only ones who claim a restoration. So who is it, the Catholics or the Mormons?

Thanks for your answers so far. Here are a few appendages.

Paul, speaking to the Hebrews re: Priesthood authority states,
"For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." Hebrews 5:1, 4

All of Hebrews 7 speaks of this authority

Jesus, speaking to Peter, promised him Priesthood keys to govern His church, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven" - Matthew 16:19

Charles Wesley cleverly penned the following over his brother’s (John Wesley’s) decision to ordain without authority to do so:
"How easily are bishops made
By man or woman’s whim:
Wesley his hands on Coke hath laid,
But who laid hands on him?"
Quoted in C. Beaufort Moss, The Divisions of Christendom: A Retrospect (n.d.), 22.

Obviously Priesthood authority is not something believers can take upon themselves.

Answer 1

As an enthusiastic Mormon, I’m convinced that the priesthood was restored by John the Baptist and Peter, James and John. That such authority was required seems obvious to me. Phillip baptized, but could not give the gift of the Holy Ghost, so the Apostles came down to do that. At another time, the church leaders found people who had been baptized, but clearly by uninformed and unauthorized men. Those who had authority then re-baptized them.

I understand the Catholic reliance on Christ’s promise to Peter that “the gates of hell” shall not prevail against the faithful, but the earliest Greek text uses the word “Hades”, which does NOT really translate to hell, but to the place where ALL the dead are until the resurrection. Thus, Christ’s promise to Peter is that death shall not prevail, but that Christ, through His atonement, will conquer death. It cannot be construed to mean any organization would continue.

A fair reading of the New Testament indicates that the Apostles did not expect the church to survive for long. If they thought it would, they would have given better instructions on how to run the organization, so it would not have splintered into the multitude of denominations we find today. After all, Christ needed to come to a world so evil that even the Son of God would be crucified. In such a world, His church did not survive in its purity for much past the first century.

If the church was destined to survive, there would be no reason for Peter to utter his prophesy that there would be a restoration of all things before Christ’s return, nor for John to predict that an angel would bring the gospel to us on earth in the last days. However, they DID make these prophesies, they ARE in the Bible, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fulfillment of those prophesies.

Answer 2

Well, that is something I guess you have to find out for yourself. Of course Mormons will agree that we believe there was a great apostasy and a need for a restoration of the gospel and Priesthood. And likewise, I am sure Catholics will tell you they believe they hold the Priesthood.
I believe a man must be ordained to receive the Priesthood by one who already holds it worthily. I also believe that when Christ's disciples died, the true Priesthood was not passed on.
But, that is what I believe, I cannot "prove" that to anyone. I have comfort and a strong testimony that what I believe is true and the most complete.
The only one you or anyone of us can ask, and expect a correct answer, is our Heavenly Father.
Good luck.

Answer 3

Fair question, except you're missing some key ingredients. First of all, the Protest-ants who, as you say, "broke off" from the main Catholic vein protested many of the Satanic things that were and had been going on in the Catholic church of centuries and many of which are still going on. All this Satanic history of the Catholic church is hardly a condemnation of all Catholics as it is of the line of Popes who condoned it.

If you're on unfamiliar ground here try reading Martin Luther's (not Martin Luther King) 95 Thesis' and other writings. He was the one key person who led the Reformation. Many of the issues he found, in his day, that the Catholic church was doing you will find they are still condoning.

What about Mormons? I've known a number of Mormons over the years. I also know that the Mormon church was founded by "a guy who looked into a hat and saw rocks talking to him". Have you ever had a rock talk to you? How many mushrooms have you had today?

This statement is in their church history and the fact that they fail to claim Jesus Christ as their sole salvation and hold him, along with God and the Holy Ghost/Spirit (The Trinity or triune God) as not three God's but One...Mormon doctrine is Satanic. Because the Bible tells us that "no one can get to the Father except for through the Son."

So, although Mormons (and many Catholics and many so-called Christians, or Prostestants) claim to be Christians they are anything but if you examine their church doctrine. Many people who go to church even seem to know so little about the Bible and so much less about their own church's doctrine whether Catholic, Protestant or Mormon. Much of the Mormon doctrine is covered in the Bible...it's referred to as a new age religion.

This could be the sole reason why we see some "Christian churches" promoting abortion and sodomy (homosexuality) among so many other things if not condoning all of the above.

One thing is certain. Although not all churches are good - all mankind is sinful and no one has a monopoly on Faith. But God, the Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ have an oligarchy on faith so to speak and Jesus Christ as a man who walked this Earth is the only man who did so without sin.

To answer your question plainly neither the Catholics nor the Mormons are right entirely. Perhaps no man-made church is entirely right except for the sake of the egos of those of us who think ours is. One thing is certain. Without Christ there is no salvation and without salvation there is only certain damnation in hell with Satan fanning the flames.

Answer 4

You left out the various branchs of the Orthodox Church.

Answer 5

Out of the two, the Catholic Church is by far more biblical. No "prophet" would speak any message that is not in agreement with the Bible. That is what Smith does. The Catholics...

Answer 6

If the Catholic claim is true look for the historical references! There can be NO restoration if an unbroken lineage occurred.

Catholicism has this unbroken chain of Authority from Jesus Christ to Pope Benedict XVI. Hard to refute the facts, biblical or otherwise!

I tried and failed. Catholicism is what it claims.

Praise Be Jesus Christ, now and forever.

Answer 7

The only TRUE religion is the one obeying ALL the scriptures. And NOT adding to the Bible.
The Catholic faith does not obey Matthew 28; 19,20.
The Mormons do not promote the Bible, but instead use ' The book of Mormon'.
Muslims do not regard Jesus as God's son. But the Bible says he is.
We should all investigate every religion to find the TRUE one.
.

Answer 8

Neither. Their is one faith. New Testament Christianity.
The christian church did not come out of Catholicism. They originally were created from the roman empire and combined with pagonistic religions from Constatine and his church of Constantinople. Ministers have the authority to excersize baptisms. I suppose, even Catholic and Mormon ministers will do if there is no Christian around as long as its done in Jesus' name and by immersion. That is the only way. Biblically. See the entire book of Acts for demonstrations of baptisms.

Answer 9

God gives you the authority to baptize your child as well. Take your authority from the Bible itself, not from a church's doctrine, or rules made up from mortal mens' interpretation of the Bible. Their interpretation could be wrong.

Answer 10

Neither.

And what makes you think that all churches are good? Churches promote in-group thinking based on fictional gods. They are one of the prime reasons for all the violence in the world. Also, faith is highly over-rated. It really is just belief in something because you want to believe it. Because all religions are false, what is proper to any of them is really just personal interpretation. Each is improper from the other's point of view.