Holy Orders

THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY ORDERS

Christ established his Church, and instituted the ministry of shepherding his people through the sacrament of Holy Orders.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders comprises bishops, priests and deacons. The bishops are the successors of the Apostles. The sacrament has been passed down from Christ who called his chosen ones to be ordained. There is an unbroken succession from Peter to our present Pope Francis, who is the bishop of Rome.

There are two types of deacons, permanent and transitional. The permanent deaconate are usually married and after discerning their vocational calling, undertake the requisite training, followed by ordination as deacons for the service of God’s people in the Church. The transitional deaconate is a step toward the priesthood.

The Church is God’s family. By divine constitution, “the husband is the head” (Ephesians 5:23) of a natural family. In the Church, Christ who does his Father’s will (John 4:34), and chooses certain men to represent him as “Bridegroom” to the Church, His “Bride.”

In this secular age, there is the controversy of why the Church reserves this sacrament to men only. Christ does his Father’s will and the Church only has the mandate to do the Father’s will as proclaimed and exemplified by Christ and his Apostles. Neither Christ nor the Apostles conferred this sacrament on anyone other than men. Not even the Blessed Virgin Mary, the most blessed of all women was called to the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Yet, the Church reverences and venerates her as the most honored of the entire human race, for all time.

Vocations

In this age, where there is a scarcity of vocations, let us resolve to pray for more vocations. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2)

If you are curious or feel called to the priesthood or religious life, contact your parish priest or call the Office of Vocations at 407-246-4876.