Holy Orders:

1
Chapter 10

• Holy Orders
• Ministering to Gods Life

2
Salvation History

• Beginning with the people of Israel, priestly
  people are those
• Old Testament
• Tribe of Levi set apart for liturgical
  celebrations
• Priest offering sacrifice for sins
• Priesthood of Christ
• Fulfillment of the Old Testament
• True sacrifice on the cross

3
Three Degrees of Orders

• Episcopal Ordination
• Fullness of the sacrament of Orders
• Bishops as the true and authentic teachers of the
  faith
• Successors of the Apostles
• Ordination of Priests
• Co-workers of the bishops
• Carry out the commission of Christ to preach and
  teach the faith
• Leaders of the local assembly (parish)
  communities
• Ordination of Deacons
• Diakonia in order to serve
• Assist bishops and priests preaching the Gospel
• Carry out various ministerial and administrative
  tasks

4
Effects of Orders

• Indelible character
• Recipient configured to Christ by a special grace
  of the Holy Spirit
• Cannot be repeated
• Vocation to service
• Represents Christ as priest, prophet, and king
• Three-fold office of Christ as the Head of the
  Church
• Priest ? one who offers sacrifice for the people
• Prophet ? announcing salvation to the people
• King ? reigns in glory
• Grace of the Holy Spirit
• Strength to evangelize
• Act in persona Christi
• Christ present to the people
• Matter
• Imposition of hands by the bishop
• Form
• Asking for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit

5
Who Can Receive?

• Ordination restricted to men only
• Reflecting choice of Christ in choosing males as
  Apostles and their choices of men for successors
• No one has a right to receive the sacrament
• Must be called by God and the Church
• Seminary training
• Knowledge of Theology
• Living celibate lifestyle / formed to God
• Instruction in Pastoral Ministry

6
Rite of Ordination

• Presentation of the Candidate(s)
• Election of the bishop and consent of the people
• The candidates for Orders are approved and
  affirmed by the people
• Examination of the Candidate(s)
• Are you resolved
• To carry out duties of caring for the flock
• To celebrate the mysteries of Christ
• To preach the Gospel
• To consecrate life to God
• Promise of Obedience
• Do you promise respect and obedience to my and
  my successors?
• Invitation to Prayer / Litany of the Saints
• Prayer for the descent of the Spirit onto the
  candidate(s)
• Laying on of Hands / Prayer of Consecration
• Key moment of the Rite

7
Rite (II)

• Investiture with Stole and Chasuble
• Symbols of priestly ministry
• Anointing of Hands
• Symbolizing that the priest will offer sacrifice
  on behalf of the people
• Presentation of Gifts
• Receive from the holy people of God the gifts to
  be offered to him. Know what you are doing, and
  imitate the mystery you celebrate model your
  life on the mystery of the Lords cross.
• Kiss of Peace
• Sign of welcome to the office of presbyter

8
Ordained Power?

• Ordination does not make a cleric better than the
  rest of the people
• Deacons, priests, bishops should be respected but
  not put on a pedestal
• Authority from service
• Foot Washing at the Last Supper
• Ministry implies service
• Holy Orders as a Sacrament at the Service of
  Communion
• Not just liturgical actions
• Clergy must be involved in the community working
  for the people
• Archbishop Oscar Romero
• Father Michael Pfleger

9
Celibacy

• Celibacy
• Remaining deliberately unmarried and not have
  sexual intercourse for a purpose
• Service to others
• Call to consecrate themselves with undivided
  heart to the Lord
• Sign of new life to service
• Carry out the ministry of the Church

10
Institutional Structure

• Jesus did not set up an institutionalized
  structure on earth
• Peter as the leader, Apostles sent to preach
• The early Church had the task of appointing
  leaders to carry out the mission
• Important task of unifying various communities
• Eventually, three offices emerge
• Bishops, priests, and deacons

11
Bishops

• Term taken from the Greek episcopos
• Meaning overseer
• From the example of Jesus as the Good Shepherd,
  bishops are the pastors or shepherds of a local
  church or flock
• Successors of the Apostles, connection from the
  12 to every validly ordained bishop
• Symbols
• Mitre (pointy hat)
• Crosier (shepherds staff)

12
Priests

• Term taken from the Greek presbuteroi
• Meaning elder or leader
• Leader of a local assembly under a bishop
• Carry out the command of Christ to preach the
  faith and teach the people
• Remember Christs command to spread the faith to
  the 4 corners of the world

13
Deacons

• Term taken from the Greek diakonoi
• Meaning server or helper
• Assist bishops and priests
• Celebration of the Eucharist
• Caring for the faithful
• Two types
• Permanent
• Can be married or unmarried
• Transitional
• Candidates preparing for priesthood

14
Papal Titles

• Holy Father
• Pope
• From the Latin papa meaning father
• Supreme Pontiff
• Historical term from the Latin pontifex maximus
• Supreme bridgebuilder
• Vicar of Christ
• Representative of Christ on Earth
• Successor of Peter
• Continues the mission entrusted to Peter
• Prince of the Apostles
• Bishop of Rome
• Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province
• Patriarch of the West
• Servans Servatorum Dei
• Servant of the Servants of God
• Primate of Italy
• Sovereign of Vatican City State