HOLY ORDERS

MEANING:

The Sacrament of apostolic ministry.

The Sacrament by which men become priests and are given a sacred power (sacra potestas) to act in total sacramental identification with Christ.

“Order” means the group or body of those who carry on certain functions. Like teaching, sanctifying and governing.

“Ordination” is the sacramental act by which one is integrated into the orders of bishops, priests and deacons.

ORIGIN

Old Testament

New Testament

OLD TESTAMENTThrough Moses God called all the Israelites to be “a kingdom of priest, a holy nation”

The old testament priesthood was powerless to effect definitive salvation.

It was never able to perfect the worshippers by the same sacrifices offered continually year after year.

NEW TESTAMENT Four basic dimensions :The priest is a discipleThe priest is an apostleThe priest is called a presbyterThe priest is presider at the Eucharist

Institution of the Holy OrdersAt the Last Supper Jesus

instituted the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In this new sacrifice the gift offered to God would not be a mere token gift, such as a sheep or an ox or bread and wine. The gift now, for the first time and always, would be a gift worthy of God.

It would be the gift of God's own Son a gift of infinite value, even as God himself is infinite.

In the Mass, under the appearances of bread and wine, Jesus would daily renew the once-and-forever offering which, upon the cross, he made of himself to God. In the Mass he would give to each of us, his baptized members, the opportunity to unite ourselves with him in that offering.

DEGREES OF THE SACRAMENT

BISHOPSBy episcopal consecration is conferred to the fullness of the sacrament of Orders and together with the office of sanctifying, the duty also of teaching and ruling.

Bishops in an eminent and visible manner undertake Christ’s own role as teacher, shepherd , and high priest and act in his person.

Each bishop has, as Vicar of Christ, the pastoral responsibility for a particular diocese entrusted to him.

PRIESTS“The function of the bishops ministry was handed over in a subordinate degree to priests so they might be appointed in the order of the priesthood and be workers of the episcopal order for the proper fulfillment of the apostolic mission entrusted to it by Christ.”

3 Main Functions

To preach the GospelShepherd the faithfulCelebrate divine worship as true priest of the New Testament

Sacred FunctionsActing in the person of Christ.They unite the votive offerings of the faithful to the sacrifice of Christ their head.

Make present again and apply the unique sacrifice of the New Testament.

Three Priestly Function of Minister

Of God’s wordOf the sacramentsOf the leadership in the faith community

DEACONS“Strengthened by sacramental grace, in the communion with the bishop and his body of priests, deacons serve the people of God in the service of the liturgy, of the Gospel, and of works of charity. ”

DutiesTo administer baptism solemnlyTo be custodians and to distributors

of the sacrificeTo assist and bless marriages in the

name of ChurchTo bring viaticum to the dyingTo read the sacred scripture to the

faithful

To instruct and exhort the people

To preside over the worship and prayer of the faithful

To administer sacramentalsTo officiate at funeral and burial services

EFFECTS OF HOLY ORDERS

A. The Spirit and the Life of the Ordained

No one can authentically preach God’s word except from a life wholly conformed to it, and conversely by preaching the Word always affects the whole life of the preacher

No one can lead others into the prayer of Christ except from a life conformed to that prayer, and conversely leading others in genuine Christian prayer affects the whole life of the prayer-leader.

No one can shepherd with the affection of Christ the good shepherd except from a little conformed to such affections, and conversely shepherding the others with the affection of Christ affects the whole life of the shepherd.

The ordained ministry thus incarnates the priesthood of Jesus Christ himself. The transformation through ordination involves the whole life of the ordained because the nature of the ministries themselves.

B. Spirituality of Priest The Holy Spirit

The spirit of the Lord is the principal agent in the spiritual life of all Christians, especially of priests. He creates the “new heart”, inspires and guides it with the new law of love and pastoral charity.

Following his action on Christ himself the spirit reveals and communicates the fundamental calling which the father address to everyone from all eternity through Christ Jesus, and become the indwelling principle and wellspring of its fulfillment .

The Spiritual life of Priests

Vatican II declared that priests, who have already received in the consecration of baptism the sign and the gift of the Christian calling to perfection, are bound in a special way to strive this perfection since they are consecrated to God in s new way by their ordination.

Since every priest in his own way represents the person of Christ himself, he is endowed with a special grace which enables him, through his service of the people, to better pursue the perfection of Christ. This means witnessing to the “radicalism of the Gospel,” particularly through living out the evangelical counsels: apostolic, pastoral obedience, celibacy , and evangelical poverty.

John Paul’s exhortation to Priests

John Paul II addressed 5,000 priests from throughout the world as follows:

a. The priestly vocation is essentially call to holiness, in the form which derives from the Sacrament of Orders

b. Holiness is intimacy with God , it is the imitation to Christ, who was poor , chaste and humble; it is unreserved love for persons and a giving of oneself on their behalf and for their true good; it is love for the church which is holy and wants us to be holy.