The Sacrament of the Holy Order

“is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be
exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It
includes three degrees”—the orders of bishop, priest, and deacon. (Catechism, 1536)

What is the sacrament of the holy order?

Catholic men who “take Holy Orders” receive a special sacrament called Holy Orders, which

creates the hierarchy of deacon, priest, and bishop. These men (who are ordained by a bishop by
means of that sacrament) serve the spiritual needs of others in the Catholic Church.

A baptized man must first be ordained a deacon before being ordained a priest and ordained a

priest before being ordained a bishop. So every priest and every bishop has experienced the

Sacrament of Holy Orders more than once, but he experiences ordination to each level only
once.
From: https://www.dummies.com/religion/christianity/catholicism/the-catholic-sacrament-of-holy-
orders/

The 3 catergories:

Like a flower developing from bud to full bloom, so does the sacrament of Holy Orders unfold
itself through three stages as it confers successively the powers of deacon, priest, and bishop.
Deaconship, priesthood, and bishopric are the three stages in the sacrament of Holy Orders as it
was instituted by Christ. At each stage, as in every sacrament, there is an increase in sanctifying
grace. At each stage there is the imprinting of a character upon the soul; each successive character,
like a progressively brighter sun, enveloping and containing the one that has gone before.
In that character are rooted the right and the power that belong to the order which is being received.

 For the deacon it is the right to baptize, to preach, and to administer Holy Communion.
 For the priest it is the power to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ
and to forgive sins.
 For the bishop, who alone has the complete fullness of the priesthood, it is the power to
confirm and to ordain—to pass the power of the priesthood on to others in the sacrament
of Holy Orders.
Then, besides the increase in sanctifying grace and the priestly character with its accompanying
power, there is the special sacramental grace which gives to the one ordained a claim upon God
for whatever actual graces he may need in the faithful discharge of his office.

Deacons :
Deacons receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders from a bishop and are ordained not to the
ministerial priesthood but to the ministry of service. Through ordination the deacon is conformed
to Christ, who came to serve, not to be served. In the Latin Church, deacons may baptize, proclaim
the Gospel, preach the homily, assist the bishop or priest in -the celebration of the Eucharist, assist
at and bless marriages, and preside at funerals. They dedicate themselves to charitable endeavors,
which was their ministerial role in New Testament times. The ministry of charity involves service
to the poor and marginalized and working with parishioners to help them become more involved
in such ministry. As clerics, deacons are required to say the Liturgy of the Hours daily; Deacons,
like bishops and priests, are ordinary ministers of the Sacrament of Baptism and can serve as the
church's witness at the sacrament of Holy Matrimony, which the bride and groom administer to
each other. Deacons may also preside over funeral rites outside of Mass, They can preside over
various services such as Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and they may give certain
blessings.

Priests :

By ordination, "priests are united with the bishops in [priestly] dignity and at the same time depend
on them in the exercise of their pastoral functions; they are called to be the bishops' prudent co-
workers" (CCC, no. 1595). With the bishop, priests form a presbyteral (priestly) community and
assume with him the pastoral mission for a particular parish. The bishop appoints priests to the
pastoral care of parishes and to other diocesan ministries. The priest promises obedience to the
bishop in service to God's people.

The Rite :
The Rite of Ordination occurs within the context of Holy Mass. After being called forward and
presented to the assembly, the candidates are interrogated. Each promises to diligently perform the
duties of the Priesthood and to respect and obey his ordinary (bishop or religious superior). Then
the candidates lie prostrate before the altar, while the assembled faithful kneel and pray for the
help of all the saints in the singing of the Litany of the Saints.
The essential part of the rite is when the bishop silently lays his hands upon each candidate
(followed by all priests present), before offering the consecratory prayer, addressed to God the
Father, invoking the power of the Holy Spirit upon those being ordained.
After the consecratory prayer, the newly ordained is vested with the stole and chasuble of those
belonging to the Ministerial Priesthood and then the bishop anoints his hands with chrism before
presenting him with the chalice and paten which he will use when presiding at the Eucharist.
Following this, the gifts of bread and wine are brought forward by the people and given to the new
priest; then all the priests present, concelebrate the Eucharist with the newly ordained taking the
place of honour at the right of the bishop. If there are several newly ordained, it is they who gather
closest to the bishop during the Eucharistic Prayer.
The laying of hands of the priesthood is found in 1 Timothy 4:14:
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with
the imposition of hands of the presbyterate."
The following is the full text of the Rite during the Mass (after the Prelude, the Introit, the
Procession, the Opening Hymn, the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Opening Prayer, and the First and Second
Readings and the Gospel have all taken place), taken from a program for an ordination of priests
for the Diocese of Peoria in 2015:
The Calling of the Candidates: Those to be ordained are called by name, they stand in their place
and answer: "Present".
The Presentation of the Priest Candidates:
Vocation Director: Most Reverend Father, Holy Mother Church asks you to ordain these, our
brothers, to the responsibility of the Priesthood.
Bishop: Do you know them to be worthy?
Vocation Director: After inquiry among the Christian people and upon the recommendation of
those responsible, I testify that they have been found worthy.
Bishop: Relying on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we choose these men,
our brothers, for the Order of the Priesthood.
All: Thanks be to God.
Homily of the Bishop
Promise of the Elect:
Bishop: My dear sons, before you enter the Order of the Priesthood, you must declare before the
people of God your intention to undertake this office. Do you resolve, with the help of the Holy
Spirit, to discharge without fail the office of Priesthood in the presbyteral rank, as worthy fellow
workers with the Order of Bishops in caring for the Lord's flock?
Elect: I do.
Bishop: Do you resolve to exercise the ministry of the word worthily and wisely, preaching the
Gospel and teaching the Catholic faith?
Elect: I do.
Bishop: Do you resolve to celebrate faithfully and reverently, in accord with the Church's tradition,
the mysteries of Christ, especially the Sacrifice of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of
Reconciliation, for the glory of God and the sanctification of the Christian people?
Elect: I do.
Bishop: Do you resolve to implore with us God's mercy upon the people entrusted to your care by
observing the command to pray without ceasing?
Elect: I do.
Bishop: Do you resolve to be united more closely every day to Christ the High Priest, who offered
himself for us to the Father as a pure Sacrifice, and with him to consecrate yourselves to God for
the salvation of all?
Elect: I do, with the help of God.
Promise of Obedience of the Priest Candidates:
Each of the candidates goes to the Bishop and, kneeling before him, places his joined hands
between those of the Bishop.
Bishop: Do you promise respect and obedience to me and my successors?
Elect: I do.
Bishop: May God, who has begun this good work in you bring it to fulfillment.
Invitation to Prayer
Litany of the Saints
Laying on of Hands: The Bishop first lays hands on the head of each candidate, followed by the
concelebrating priests and all the priests present.
Prayer of Consecration
Investiture with the Stole and Chasuble
Anointing of Hands: The Bishop receives the linen gremial and anoints with Sacred Chrism the
palms of each new priest as he kneels before him.
Procession of the Gifts of Bread and Wine by the relatives of the ordained and Offertory Hymn
Presentation of the Gifts
The Bishop stands and gives the kiss of peace to the new priests, followed by the concelebrants
and all the priests present. The Liturgy of the Eucharist (the Preparation of the Altar, the Sanctus,
the Memorial Acclamation, the Great Amen, the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei), the Communion
Antiphon and Hymn, and the Prayer after Communion and Solemn Blessing and Dismissal) then
proceeds as normal, with the newly ordained to the immediate right of the Bishop and the other
celebrants.
The Bishops :
By ordination to the episcopacy, bishops receive the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders
and become successors of the Apostles. Through this Sacrament, a bishop belongs to the college
of bishops and serves as the visible head or pastor of the local church entrusted to his care. As a
college, the bishops have care and concern for the apostolic mission of all the churches in union
with and under the authority of the Pope-the head of the college of bishops, the Bishop of Rome,
and the successor of St. Peter.