Holy Orders

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Holy Orders
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Holy Orders

• Ministry a way of life by which one serves the
  needs of others
• All who are baptized share in the priesthood of
  Jesus, but there are two ways for this to be
  carried out

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Holy Orders

• Common priesthood of the faithful - shared by all
  the baptized
• Ministerial or hierarchical priesthood - shared
  by deacons, priests and bishops - gained through
  Holy Orders

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Holy Orders

• Common Priesthood of the Faithful includes men
  and women religious
• They live a consecrated life, and dedicate
  themselves to God by making a commitment to
• practice chastity in celibacy
• live a life of poverty
• act in obedience

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Holy Orders

• Religious usually live in community
• Those who are baptized but not religious are
  members of the laity

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Holy Orders

• Ministerial or hierarchical priesthood
• Conferred by Holy Orders
• Three degrees of Holy Orders

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Holy Orders

• First degree BISHOPS
• Successors to the apostles
• Receive this degree through Episcopal ordination
• Responsible for a diocese
• Belong to the Episcopal college (bishops working
  together with the Pope)

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Holy Orders

• Second degree PRIESTHOOD
• Co-worker with the Bishop
• Ordained for three purposes
• Preach Gospel
• Celebrate sacraments
• Take care of the religious needs of all believers
  
• Make a promise of obedienceto the bishop
• Promise to live a celibate life

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Holy Orders

• Third degree DIACONATE
• Ordained not to the priest-hood but to the
  ministry of service
• Transitional deacons men ordained as deacons who
  will become priests
• Permanent deacons men ordained as deacons who
  will NOT become priests - may be married and have
  families

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Holy Orders

• Ministry in the Early Church
• After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem,
  a specifically Christian priesthood developed
• When Christianity became the official religion of
  the Roman Empire, the priesthood developed out of
  a need for leadership in liturgy

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Holy Orders

• Ministry in the Early Church
• Prior to the 10th century, priests could marry -
  by the 11th century, celibacy became a
  requirement, although it had become the practice
  before then

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Holy Orders

• EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT
• The first effect of the sacrament is an increase
  of sanctifying grace.
• With this, there is the sacramental grace which
  makes the recipient a fit and holy minister in
  the discharge of his office.
• The dispensation of sacraments requires grace,
  and the rightful discharge of sacred offices
  presupposes a special degree of spiritual
  excellence.

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Holy Orders

• EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT
• The principal effect of the sacrament is the
  character
• a spiritual and indelible mark impressed upon
  the soul, by which the recipient is distinguished
  from others, designated as a minister of Christ,
  and deputed and empowered to perform certain
  offices.

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Holy Orders

• EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT
• The sacramental character of holy orders
  distinguishes the ordained from the laity.
• It gives
• To the deacon, the power to minister officially
• to the priest, the power to offer the Mass and
  dispense the sacraments
• to the bishop, the power to ordain new priests
  and to confirm the faithful.

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Holy Orders

• The Council of Trent defined the existence of a
  permanent character. Its existence is shown
  especially by the fact that ordination like
  baptism, if ever valid, can never be repeated