MEETING JESUS IN

THE SACRAMENTS
CHAPTER 8
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS

Why Men Become

Priests?
Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men

WHY BECOME A PRIEST?

Many men are attracted to the essential
sacramental role the priest has in the Church.
The examples of men who are already ordained
inspire those considering the priesthood.

Who Can Be
Ordained?
Holy Orders is the means for
perpetuating the mission of
Christ.
No one has the right to receive
Holy Orders.
Holy Orders is reserved only for
baptized males.
The Church is bound to the
choice made by the Lord himself
not to include women among the
Twelve.
This practice is part of the
Churchs Deposit of Faith.

Celibacy
The renunciation of marriage made by those
who receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders
for more perfect observance of chastity
This commitment is in imitation of Christ
It is a sign of new life and service to which
the Churchs ministry is made holy

Areas of
Formation
HUMAN
FORMATION
SPIRITUAL
FORMATION
INTELLECTUAL
FORMATION
PASTORAL
FORMATION

Understanding the
Sacrament of Holy Orders
The orders of bishop and priest enable the
one who is ordained to act in the person of
Christ.

The order for deacon is intended to help and

serve the priests and bishops in their work.

Priesthood in
the Old
Testament
In early Israel, the
father of the family
acted as priest.
During the Exodus,
Moses selected
seventy elders to aid
him in discerning
Gods will.
After the Temple was
constructed, the main
role of priests was
Temple duty.

The
Priesthood of
Christ
The ministerial
priesthood shares the
unique priesthood of
Christ and is at the
service of the common
priesthood.
The Apostles soon
realized they needed
help in their ministry.
The Apostles chose
men to serve as
presbyters and selected
episcopoi to continue
their work after their
deaths.

Brief History of the

Sacrament
2nd Century: bishop ordained priests and
deacons to help him in his ministry
4th Century: clergy gained more privileged
status
Middle Ages: diaconate a step to priesthood
Influence of monasticism (celibacy)
Council of Trent: seminary training for priests
Vatican II: restored the permanent diaconate;
called for a New Rite of Ordination

Celebrating the Sacrament

of Holy Orders

The Ordination
of Bishops
Fullness of Holy
Orders
The ordinary confers
the sacrament on the
bishop-elect through
laying on of hands
and a consecratory
prayer
Receives Book of the
Gospels, ring, mitre,
and crosier

The Ordination
of Priests
Presented to the
bishop after assent
of the community
The bishop confers
the sacrament on the
ordinand through
laying on of hands
and a consecratory
prayer
Receives a stole and
a chasuble and has
hands anointed with
chrism

The Ordination
of Deacons
Transitional or
permanent
The bishop confers
the sacrament on the
ordinands through
laying on of hands
and a consecratory
prayer
Receives Book of the
Gospels, a stole, and
a dalmatic

The Grace of the

Sacrament of Holy Orders

Holy orders conforms the

ordained minister even more
closely to Christ, giving him an
indelible character.

The Grace of the

Sacrament of Holy Orders
ACTING AS CHRIST THE HIGH PRIEST

ACTING AS CHRIST THE TEACHER

ACTING AS CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Ordination Leads to a
Ministry of Service
Holy Orders gives bishops,priests, and deacons
special graces to be faithful to their vocation

Bishops and priests serve the People of God by

teaching, worship, and pastoral governance

Ordination Leads to a
Ministry of Service
Service to the Universal Church

Service to the Local Church

Ordination to the episcopate

makes each new bishop a
member of the episcopal
college.

To preach the Gospel to all

The pope, as head of the

college of bishops, has the
added charism of infallibility.

To sanctify the People of God

by providing the Eucharist and
other sacraments
To govern the parish through
pastoral ministry

Ordination Leads to a
Ministry of Service
Facilitating a Call to Serve
The history of every
priestly vocation, indeed
of every Christian
vocation, is the history of
an inexpressible dialogue
between the love of God
who calls and the freedom
of the individuals who
lovingly respond to him.

St. Maximilian Kolbe

Polish priest who was
martyred at Auschwitz
after sacrificing himself
in place of a young
Jewish man, saying
these words:
I AM A CATHOLIC
PRIEST