Holy Orders: ..The Real "Men in Black"
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collinmandersonHoly Orders: ..The Real "Men in Black"
Uploaded by
collinmandersonHoly Orders
..the real Men in Black
Holy Orders:
The Sacrament through which a man
is made a bishop, priest or deacon,
and is given the grace and power to
fulfil the responsibilities of the order to
which he is ordained.
It is through this
sacrament that the
mission Christ
entrusted to his
apostles is continued in
the Church today.
Scriptural Foundation
The prefigurement of the common priesthood of the
faithful is found in Israel. Israel was chosen by God
to be a holy nation set apart.
Within this nation, however, there was a
specific tribe (Levi) that was
consecrated to perform the ritual
sacrifices and interpret the law.
In Acts 1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus, we see very specific
reflection of distinct offices (Bishop, Priest and Deacon)
Difference between the common priesthood
of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood
The ministerial or hierarchical priesthood of bishops and
priests, and the common priesthood of all the faithful
participate, "each in its own proper way, in the one priesthood
of Christ." While being "ordered one to another," they differ
essentially. In what sense? While the common priesthood of
the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace
a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the
Spirit, the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the
common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the
baptismal grace of all Christians. The ministerial priesthood
is a means by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads his
Church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own
sacrament, the sacrament of Holy Orders.
CCC 1547
3 Levels of the Sacrament
1. Episcopate (Bishop) this is the highest form
of the Priesthood. They have the grace to
guide, shepherd and sanctify the Church
2. Presbyterate (Priest) serve the Bishop by
proclaiming the word and offering sacrifices.
They are able to celebrate the mysteries of the
Sacraments.
3. Diaconate (Deacon) serve the Bishop by
aiding in worship, charity and pastoral
preaching.(baptisms, funerals and
marriage)
Episocate, Presbyterate and
Diaconate
"The divinely instituted ecclesiastical ministry is exercised in
different degrees by those who even from ancient times have
been called bishops, priests, and deacons." Catholic doctrine,
expressed in the liturgy, the Magisterium, and the constant
practice of the Church, recognizes that there are two degrees of
ministerial participation in the priesthood of Christ: the
episcopacy and the presbyterate. The diaconate is intended to
help and serve them. For this reason the term sacerdos in
current usage denotes bishops and priests but not deacons. Yet
Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly
participation (episcopate and presbyterate and the degree of
service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a sacramental act
called "ordination," that is, by the sacrament of Holy Orders:
Let everyone revere the deacons as Jesus Christ, the bishop as
the image of the Father, and the presbyters as the senate of
God and the assembly of the apostles. For without them one
cannot speak of the Church.
CCC 1554
Episcopate (Bishops)
"Amongst those various offices which have been
exercised in the Church from the earliest times, the
chief place, according to the witness of tradition, is
held by the function of those who, through their
appointment to the dignity and responsibility of
bishop, and in virtue consequently of the unbroken
succession going back to the beginning, are regarded
as transmitters of the apostolic line.
CCC 1555
"Episcopal consecration confers, together with the office of sanctifying, also the
offices of teaching and ruling. . . . In fact . . . by the imposition of hands and
through the words of the consecration, the grace of the Holy Spirit is given, and a
sacred character is impressed in such wise that bishops, in an eminent and visible
manner, take the place of Christ himself, teacher, shepherd, and priest, and act as
his representative (in Eius persona agant). "By virtue, therefore, of the Holy Spirit
who has been given to them, bishops have been constituted true and authentic
teachers of the faith and have been made pontiffs and pastors.
CCC 1558
The Pope: Bishop of Rome
"One is constituted a member of the episcopal
body in virtue of the sacramental consecration
and by the hierarchical communion with the
head and members of the college." The
character and collegial nature of the episcopal
order are evidenced among other ways by the
Church's ancient practice which calls for
several bishops to participate in the
consecration of a new bishop. In our day, the
lawful ordination of a bishop requires a special
intervention of the Bishop of Rome, because he
is the supreme visible bond of the communion of
the particular Churches in the one Church and
the guarantor of their freedom.
CCC 1559
Presbyterate (Priests)
"Because it is joined with the episcopal order, the office of priests
shares in the authority by which Christ himself builds up and
sanctifies and rules his Body. Hence the priesthood of priests,
while presupposing the sacraments of initiation, is nevertheless
conferred by its own particular sacrament. Through that
sacrament priests by the anointing of the Holy Spirit are signed
with a special character and so are configured to Christ the priest
in such a way that they are able to act in the person of Christ the
head.
CCC 1563
"Whilst not having the supreme degree of the
pontifical office, and notwithstanding the fact
that they depend on the bishops in the exercise
of their own proper power, the priests are for all
that associated with them by reason of their
sacerdotal dignity; and in virtue of the sacrament
of Holy Orders, after the image of Christ, the
supreme and eternal priest, they are consecrated
in order to preach the Gospel and shepherd the
faithful as well as to celebrate divine worship as
true priests of the New Testament.
CCC 1564
Diaconate (Deacon)
Deacons share in Christ's mission and grace in a special way. The
sacrament of Holy Orders marks them with an imprint ("character") which
cannot be removed and which configures them to Christ, who made himself
the "deacon" or servant of all. Among other tasks, it is the task of deacons to
assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries,
above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at
and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in
presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various
ministries of charity.
CCC 1570
Before one is ordained a priest, one is
ordained a transitional deacon.
Once one is ordained a deacon, they cannot
receive the sacrament of Matrimony.
If, however, they are already married, the
permanent diaconate can be still be
received.
CCC 1571
The sacrament is celebrated through an
Ordination Rite during the Mass.
Given the importance that the
ordination of a bishop, a priest, or a
deacon has for the life of the
particular Church, its celebration
calls for as many of the faithful as
possible to take part. It should take
place preferably on Sunday, in the
cathedral, with solemnity appropriate
to the occasion. All three
ordinations, of the bishop, of the
priest, and of the deacon, follow the
same movement. Their proper place is
within the Eucharistic liturgy.
CCC 1572
Minister of the Sacrament
A Bishop in good
standing with the
Bishop of Rome is
the ONLY one who
can ordain men to
the priesthood
Essential Elements
Matter
Imposition of Hands
Form
Spoken prayer of consecration
Requirements for Reception
Baptized Catholic Male
Adequate education
and formation
No one can give
themselves the mandate
or the mission to proclaim
the Gospelit comes from
the grace of God.
Further, priests come
from the community but
are not chosen by the
community.
Effects of the Sacrament
The Soul is permanently marked
with the character of the
Sacrament.
Special configuration to Christ
in accordance with the order
received.
Grace of the Holy Spirit to live the
ministry and service of the order
received.
Implications
A life of service and leadership to the other
members of the Church in accordance with the
order received.
Those who receive this sacrament
model Christ in
Celibacy
Poverty (Non-diocesan)
Obedience
Permanence of commitment
Growth towards perfection in holiness
