The Sacrament of the Holy Orders

Holy Orders is the Sacrament by which men become priests and are given a sacred power (sacra potestas) to act in total sacramental identification with Christ (to act in persona Christi) in order confect Christ's Body and offer it up to the Father at the Mass for the remission of sins; to forgive sins through the Sacrament of Penance; to solemnly baptize; to preside during the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony; to offer Unction to the dying; to preach; and to otherwise teach, guide, and sanctify their sheep.

As in the Pastoral Epistles, the rite consists of the Bishop's laying on of hands on the head of the priest-candidate with the consecrating prayer asking God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the gifts of the ministry. There are three dimensions to ministry, that of Bishop, Priesthood, and the Diaconate.

WHY IS THE SACRAMENT CALLED HOLY ORDERS"?

The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry. Holy - refers to the Church Order Latin word : ordo/ordines - meaning designating an established civil body or corporation with a hierarchy Ordination Latin word: ordinatio - sacramental act which means to incorporate someone into an order for it confers a gift of the Holy Spirit that permits the exercise of a "sacred power" which can come only from Christ himself through his Church. Ordination is also called consecratio, (means dedication to the service and worship of a deity) for it is a setting apart and an investiture by Christ himself for his Church.

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS FROM THE SCRIPTURE

The Sacrament of Holy Orders began with the Last Supper, when Christ Jesus commissioned his Apostles to continue the Eucharistic celebration. He also commissioned his Apostles following the Resurrection to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8).
"Do this in memory of me." Gospel of Luke 22:19 and 1 Corinthians 11:25 "Now be solicitous for yourselves and for the whole flock in which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as bishops to pasture the Church of God, which He purchased with his own blood. Acts of the Apostles 20:28 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. First Letter of Paul to Timothy 4:14 "Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4-5

"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business...These they set before the apostles; and they praying, imposed hands upon them. Acts 6:3,6

(St. Paul to Timothy, whom he ordained) "For which cause I admonish thee, that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee, by the imposition of my hands." I Timothy 1:6

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION

A. The priesthood of the Old Covenant The chosen people was constituted by God as "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." But within the people of Israel, God chose one of the twelve tribes, that of Levi, and set it apart for liturgical service; A special rite consecrated the beginnings of the priesthood of the Old Covenant. The priests are "appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

Instituted to proclaim the Word of God and to restore communion with God by sacrifices and prayer, this priesthood nevertheless remains powerless to bring about salvation, needing to repeat its sacrifices ceaselessly and being unable to achieve a definitive sanctification, which only the sacrifice of Christ would accomplish.

The liturgy of the Church, however, sees in the priesthood of Aaron and the service of the Levites, as in the institution of the seventy elders, a prefiguring of the ordained ministry of the New Covenant. Thus in the Latin Rite the Church prays in the consecratory preface of the ordination of bishops:
God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by your gracious word you have established the plan of your Church. From the beginning, you chose the descendants of Abraham to be your holy nation. You established rulers and priests and did not leave your sanctuary without ministers to serve you. .

B. The priesthood of Christ Everything that the priesthood of the Old Covenant prefigured finds its fulfillment in Christ Jesus, the "one mediator between God and men." The Christian tradition considers "holy, blameless, unstained," "by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified," that is, by the unique sacrifice of the cross. St. Thomas Aquinas makes the point that only Christ is the true priest, the others serving as his ministers (Hebrews 8:4).

THE THREE MAJOR DEGREES OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS

St. Ignatius, Bishop of Syria around 100 AD, in his Letter to the Magnesians (6), established the hierarchy of bishop, priest, and deacon for the early Churches, the pattern which still exists today. Bishops are the successors of the Apostles, and priests and deacons are his assistants in rendering service.

A. Ordination of Bishops The first is that which Christ Himself bestowed upon His Apostles: the episcopate. A bishop is a man who is ordained to the episcopate by another bishop (in practice, by several bishops). He stands in a direct, unbroken line from the Apostles, a condition known as "apostolic succession." Ordination as a bishop confers the grace to sanctify others, as well as the authority to teach the faithful and to bind their consciences. Because of the grave nature of this responsibility, all episcopal ordinations must be approved by the Pope. The symbol of this office is the mitre.

B. Ordination of Priests The second level of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is the priesthood. No bishop can minister to all of the faithful in his diocese, so priests act, in the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as "co-workers of the bishops." They exercise their powers lawfully only in communion with their bishop, and so they promise obedience to their bishop at the time of their ordination. The chief duties of the priesthood are the preaching of the Gospel and the offering of the Eucharist. The symbols of this office are the stole, the chasuble, a paten with bread on it, and a Chalice filled with wine. C. Ordination of Deacons The duties of the deacon are to handle the sacred vessels, to be of service to the priests and Bishops (inside and outside of the liturgy), to read the Epistle and Gospel at the Mass, to be general stewards, and to serve the widows and orphans. The symbols of this office are the dalmatic, the stole (worn over the left shoulder, as opposed to around the neck as priests wear them, and under the dalmatic), and the Book of the Gospels.

THE MINOR DEGREES OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS

A. Acolytes The duties of the acolyte are to light the Altar candles, carry the candles in procession, prepare the water and wine for the Mass, and assist the priest during the Mass The symbols of this order are the candle, the cruet, and a linen bag. (Note that altar boys are sometimes designated "acolytes" and fulfill the duties of the acolyte during the Mass.)

B. Lectors The duty of the lector is to chant the Epistle when Mass is sung without a deacon and subdeacon. The symbol of this order is the Book of the Epistles.

C. Porters (Doorkeepers or Sextons) The duties of the porter are to ring the bells, to open the church and sacristy, and to open the book for the priest. Most of these duties have passed to the laity, such as sacristans, etc., but in traditional priestly orders, this clerical order is kept as an office and stepping-stone toward the priesthood. The symbol for this order is keys.

ELIGIBILITY FOR SACRAMENT

The recipient of the Sacrament must be a baptized, healthy male, at least 25 years of age, who has a vocation from God, a strong Catholic faith, intelligence, a good moral character, and a life marked by sanctity. He must be committed to living a celibate and chaste life, and to prayer (especially the Divine Office, which he is obligated to pray), and must have been properly formed in seminary. Traditional priestly formation lasts for 6 years and includes a thorough study of Latin, liturgy, liturgical chant, philosophy, Theology, Church History, moral Theology, dogmatic Theology, and Canon Law. During the first year, they receive the cassock; during the second, the tonsure; during the third and fourth, they are ascend through the minor orders; in the fifth, they are ordained to the sub-diaconate and then the diaconate; and after the sixth, they are ordained priests. The seminarian's days are heavily scheduled, much like a monk's, with daily Mass, the Divine Office, classes, private study, and community devotions.

No one has a right to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders. Indeed no one claims this office for himself; he is called to it by God. Anyone who thinks he recognizes the signs of God's call to the ordained ministry must humbly submit his desire to the authority of the Church, who has the responsibility and right to call someone to receive orders. Only men can be ordained .The reasons are set forth in Pope John Paul IIs apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis. It concludes, I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Churchs faithful.

THE RITE OF ORDINATION

As in Baptism and Confirmation, the Sacrament of Holy Orders leaves an indelible mark on the soul of the recipient and can never be repeated once validly received; once a priest, always a priest (even if a priest is laicized and removed from his office, this mark remains). As said, the minister of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is the Bishop, and the matter of the Sacrament is the imposition of hands, which takes place during the beautiful ceremony of ordination. The form of the Sacrament is the words:

English:

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty Father, to these Thy servants, the dignity of the Priesthood; renew the spirit of holiness within them, so that they may hold from Thee, O God, the office of the second rank in Thy service and by the example of their behavior afford a pattern of holy living.

Latin: Da, quaesumus, omnipotens Pater, in hos famulos tuos presbyterii dignitatem. Innova in visceribus eorum spiritum sanctitatis, ut acceptum a te, Deus, secundi meriti munus obtineant; censuramque morum exemplo suae conversationis insinuent.

THE EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS

The indelible character

This sacrament configures the recipient to Christ by a special grace of the Holy Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ's instrument for his Church.

The grace of the Holy Spirit

The grace of the Holy Spirit proper to this sacrament is configuration to Christ as Priest, Teacher, and Pastor, of whom the ordained is made a minister. The grace to guide and defend his Church with strength and prudence as a father and pastor, with gratuitous love for all and a preferential love for the poor, the sick, and the needy. This grace impels him to proclaim the Gospel to all, to be the model for his flock, to go before it on the way of sanctification by identifying himself in the Eucharist with Christ the priest and victim, not fearing to give his life for his sheep With regard to deacons, "strengthened by sacramental grace they are dedicated to the People of God, in conjunction with the bishop and his body of priests, in the service (diakonia) of the liturgy, of the Gospel, and of works of charity

Rite of Ordination to the Priesthood

Ordination to the priesthood takes place within the context of the Catholic Mass. The rite, most of which dates back many centuries, is punctuated with a number of distinct parts which are described below with both text and pictures. It is a time of great joy and celebration on the part of the newly ordained priest, his family and friends, and all of those who have supported and encouraged him along the journey of his vocation. The celebration continues with a reception following the Mass of Ordination. The following day, or shortly thereafter, the new priest celebrates his first Mass giving thanks to God and to all of those who have helped him along the way. Family and friends usually gather for this special Mass.

Gathering Ordained as deacons several months before, the ordinands gather for the Mass of priestly ordination dressed in albs and the diagonally-worn stoles of deacons.

Calling of the Candidates After the opening prayers of the Mass and the scripture readings, the ordaining Bishopin this case the Most Reverend Carlos A. Sevilla, S.J.calls each priestly candidate by name. The candidate responds, "Present," and steps forward.

Presentation and Inquiry The bishop then asks for testimony that the candidates have received proper training and are worthy of ordination. The religious superior, or some other official, attests that the candidates are prepared and have been approved for ordination.

Acceptance The bishop then says: "We rely on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, and we choose these men, our brothers, for priesthood in the presbyterial order." The people respond "Thanks be to God" and also give their approbation by a hearty round of applause.

Examination of the Candidate Each candidate approaches the bishop who asks him if he is willing to serve Christ and his Church as a faithful priest.

Promise of Obedience Hand in hand with the bishop, the ordinand then promises obedience to the authority of the Church and to his own religious superiors.

Prayer for the Candidates The bishop kneels and invites all of those present to join in prayer for the candidates. This period of prayer includes the Litany of the Saints.

Chanting of the Litany The singing of the Litany of the Saints is an especially moving and memorable moment in the ordination ritual. The candidates prostrate themselves before the altar as the prayers of the Litany invoke God's saving mercy and the intercession of all the saints to send down the Holy Spirit upon these men, soon to be priests.

Laying on of Hands This is the most solemn moment of the ordination and the essential act in the sacrament of Holy Orders. The bishop ordains each man by laying his hands on the candidate's head and praying silently as he invokes the Holy Spirit upon the new priest.

The One Priesthood of Christ All the other priests who are present also join in the ordination ceremony. Each one in turn lays his hands upon the head of the newly ordained priests. This signifies that they all belong to, and participate in, the one priesthood of Jesus Christ. It is also a sign welcoming the newly ordained into their common brotherhood as priests.

Vesting the New Priest Each newly ordained now removes his deacon's stole and is presented with the symbols of his new office in the Church: a priestly stole and chasuble. Usually a priest who is a personal friend of the ordinand is invited to assist with the vesting of the stole and chasuble.

Anointing of the Hands The bishop anoints the palms of the new priest with the oil of chrism. "The Father anointed our Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. May Jesus preserve you to sanctify the Christian people and to offer sacrifice to God." After the anointing with the oil, the priest's hands are wrapped with a linen cloth.

Presentation of the Gifts After the gifts of bread and wine are brought to the altar, the bishop gives the paten and the chalice to each new priest. These are the vessels used at each Mass to hold the sacred Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. As the priest receives the chalice and paten, the bishop says: "Accept from the holy people of God the gifts to be offered to Him. Know whay you are doing, and imitate the mystery you celebrate: model your life on the mystery of the Lord's cross."

Liturgy of the Eucharist After the ordination ritual itself has finished, the Massconcelebrated by the bishop, the newly ordained priests, and all priests presentcontinues as usual.

Communion The new priests assist with the distribution of communion.

First Priestly Blessings Before the Mass concludes, it is traditional that the ordaining bishop receives the first blessing of the new priest. Then the new priests give their blessing to all of their relatives and friends who have joined them in this celebration.

The Reception After the Mass of Ordination, the celebration continues at a reception with family, friends, food, and drink. This is truly a time to celebrate since ordination to the priesthood was the focal point for many years of studies and preparation and is the beginning of a new phase of the person's ministry.

First Mass of Thanksgiving The first Mass celebrated personally by the newly ordained priest is usually a special one of thanksgiving to God for the gift of priesthood. Family and friends, who have supported the seminarian along the journey of his vocation, experience many graces and find great consolation in their new priest.

Source: http://norprov.org/news/ordinations2005.htm