The Sacrament of Holy Orders

So far in this series on the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church, we have covered the three Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist), and the two Sacraments of Healing (Penance, and Anointing of the Sick).  Now, we will cover the Sacraments of Service, of which there are two, Holy Orders and Matrimony.  Tonight, we will cover Holy Orders.

The three Sacraments of Initiation, and the two Sacraments of Healing, are directed towards the salvation of the person who receives the Sacrament.   The two Sacraments of Service, however, are directed towards the salvation of others.   (They can help the person who receives them on the path to personal salvation, but only through the service of others.)

Why is this Sacrament called “Holy Orders”?   The word “order” in Roman times designated a governing body.    The word “ordination” means incorporation into an order.

The ordained ministry has its origins in the Old Testament. One of the 12 tribes of Israel, the Levite tribe, was set aside for liturgical functions.    They offered gifts and sacrifices to God on behalf of the people in atonement for sins.    Christ, in turn, set 12 men apart to be apostles, giving them power he did not give to everyone (i.e. to forgive sins, to confect the Eucharist).  So, there is plenty of evidence throughout the course of Divine Revelation that God willed certain men be “set apart” or “consecrated” for a special mission.

What is this mission, what distinguishes it from the common mission of all the baptized?   The Catechism explains it well in paragraph 1547:   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.

Lay people exercise what is known as the common priesthood of the Baptized through the unfolding of their Baptismal grace, in sacrificial acts of faith, hope, and love.  The ordained ministerial priesthood, on the other hand, is at the service of the common priesthood.   Since it is a separate mission from the normal mission of the lay Catholic, it is fitting it have its own Sacrament to confer this mission, and that is the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

We must keep in mind that there is only one priest, Jesus Christ. He alone is the Savior of the world, and it his sacrifice, that brings salvation, not the sacrifice of Father Joe or Father Tom.  However, the one priesthood of Jesus Christ is made present through Father Joe and Father Tom.

So, the ordained priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood.   What else distinguishes the ministerial priesthood from that of the lay priesthood?  There are two other things.

1)      Only in in the ministerial priesthood is “Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis.”  (Catechism, paragraph 1548).  Lay people do not make present this particular aspect of the reality of Christ.

2)      Only in the ministerial priesthood is someone empowered to “act in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice.”  (Catechism, paragraph 1552).  A priest is not just “another Christ."  He also, when celebrating the liturgy, acts in the name of the whole Church, something a layman cannot do.   (Now, people may think of the whole Church based on our words and deeds, so it is important we act in virtuous way, but in no official, efficacious way can we act on behalf of the whole Church.  Only those ordained can do that.)

Because only they are configured to Christ as head of the Church, and only they have the authority to act in the name of the whole Church, only those in Holy Orders have the authority to teach, lead worship, and govern in the Church.   With today’s shortages of priests, it seems sometimes lay people are doing some of this, but in reality, they are only relaying the teaching and the authority of those in Holy Orders, they are not teaching or governing proper themselves in the name of Christ and His Church.

There are three degrees of participation in the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

1)      Bishops receive the fullness of the Sacrament, and in receiving such, become successors to the apostles, and share responsibility, as heads of particular churches, with the Holy Father in the governing of the entire Universal church.   They, together, exercise full and final authority to teach, govern, and sanctify the faithful.   This order is called the episcopacy.

2)      Priests share in the Bishops ministry, but seeing their ministry is totally dependent on that of the Bishop, it is not quite the fullness of the Sacrament.    They represent the Bishop in the different parishes of that Bishop’s particular church.   This order is called the presbyterate.

3)      Deacons do not share in the ministerial priesthood, like Bishops and priests do.  They cannot offer sacrifice in persona Christi as do Bishops and priests.  However, they are ordained for service to the Church in other ways, and therefore, still receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  This order is called the diaconate.

This Sacrament is celebrated by the entire local Church, at a Cathedral, since one being ordained is usually ordained for service for a specific local Church.  The moment of grace in the Eucharistic liturgy where this Sacrament is actually conferred is the laying on of hands, followed before and/or after by a specific consecratory prayer by the Bishop.   This follows tradition that started with the first apostles, who realizing they were not going to be around forever, began the laying on of hands as a way to impart what they received from Christ so that the Church could continue. "I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands" (2 Tim 1:6),

Only a baptized male can receive this Sacrament since, in the words of the Catechism “The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry.  The college of bishops, with whom the priests are united in the priesthood, makes the college of the twelve an ever-present and ever-active reality until Christ's return. The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible (p.  1577). This has been, and will forever be the case. 

The effect of this Sacrament is two-fold a) an indelible character, and b) a special grace of the Holy Spirit , both of which serve to configure a man to Christ as Head of the Church, which involves sanctifying through the Sacraments, teaching through his homilies and other liturgical moments, and pastoring, or governing, his flock.

It is an awesome privilege and grace to be a priest.  While one may feel a call inside to pursue the priesthood, the ultimate grace that is the Sacrament of Holy Orders come from the outside (which is the case with all the Sacraments)   Listen to these beautiful words from the Catechism:   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. Like every grace this sacrament can be received only as an unmerited gift. (p.1578)

The priesthood is not about the worthiness of the man receiving it.  He is not better or more holy than anyone else.   He can go to heaven or hell like anyone else.   But through this Sacrament, a man goes to a place with Our Lord, to a kinship with Christ, which perhaps is surpassed only by the Saintliest of Saints.  He first goes to seminary, which is meant to be a time of learning and growing to know and love the Lord,  in the spirit of the three years the Lord had journeying with His disciples.  In those early formation days, and then throughout his priesthood, he goes to the Upper Room with the disciples.  He goes to the foot of the Cross with the beloved John, and then is present with the disciples when he appears after His Resurrection.    He gives his whole life to the Church, for the sake of the Lord whom he loves.    He, like Our Lord, pours out his soul for His Bride, the Church.   He “weds” himself to the Church, so to speak, like Jesus did.

Perhaps this is why in the Latin Church, only celibate men can enter the ministerial priesthood, while married men can be deacons.   (In the Eastern Church, married men can be priests, too, but they must pledge to not enter into marriage again. )   The celibacy requirement is something that could be changed (evidence is strong some of the early Bishops were married)    The values of celibacy is probably a topic for a separate post, but I think you get a taste here why it is appropriate for priests to not be married to someone, for being in persona Christi, they are "married" truly, in a deep, mystical way, to the Church, like Our Lord.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is beautiful.  It is unique.  It confers a special, special grace.   Because it is so unique, is not for everyone, and we do not see it celebrated often,  these are all probably reasons why of all the Sacraments, we may think we encounter this one the least in our daily lives as Catholics. But every time we go to Mass, and the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, we see it.   Every time we get our sins forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance, we see it.  Every time we hear a homily or read an encyclical or a pastoral letter, we see it.  Every time we are given direction or permission to do something in the Church, we see it.   Without the grace of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, none of this happens.   Praise God for this great grace!   Let more men be given the desire to receive this Sacrament, and come forward and humbly place that desire at the governing office of the Church, who will discern the authenticity of the call, and act appropriately. 

Joseph, protector of Holy Church, pray for us.