Holy Orders
HOLY ORDERS
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
(Luke 22:19)
HOLY ORDERS
The chief power of the priest is to offer the Sacrifice of the Mass. Here he exercises his office of reconciliation by applying to the people the power of the Cross of Christ to unite man to God in love and to change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. The priest also administers the Sacrament of Penance to remove the chief obstacle to reconciliation, which is sin.
Holy Orders is a sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the church until the end of time.
The anointing of the Spirit seals the priest with an indelible, spiritual character that configures him to Christ the priest and enables him to act in the name of Christ the Head. As a co-worker of the order of bishops he is consecrated to preach the Gospel, to celebrate divine worship, especially the Eucharist from which his ministry draws its strength, and to be a shepherd of the faithful.
The Sacrament provides a foundation for teaching all the Sacraments.
HOLY ORDERS
- “The priest is indeed another Christ, or is some way he is himself a continuation of Christ” Pope Pius XI, Encyclical on the Priesthood
- Catholics should show reverence and honor to the priest because he is the representative of Christ Himself and the dispenser of His mysteries.
SACRED ORDER OF DIACONATES
- Receives the imposition of hands from the bishop to ministry.
- Marks them with an ‘imprint character’ which cannot be removed and configures them to Christ, who made Himself servant of all.
- “IN ORDER TO SERVE” Tasks of deacons to share in Christ’s mission in the church include assisting the bishop and priests in the divine mysteries, above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in celebrating baptisms, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity. CCC 1570
