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Doctrine: Baptism | Confirmation | Eucharist | Matrimony | Anointing | Reconciliation | Justification
Priestly celibacy in patristics and in the History of the ChurchFoundation of priestly celibacy
Holy Orders in the Economy of Salvation. The priesthood of the Old Covenant.
PRIESTS IN THE Early Church AND IN VATICAN IIAD CATHOLICI SACERDOTII ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XI ON THE CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD
CHRISMAL MASS HOMILY OF JOHN PAUL II Holy Thursday, 28 March 2002
CHRISM MASS IN ST PETER'S BASILICA HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER Holy Thursday, 20 April 2000
AD CATHOLICI SACERDOTII ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XI ON THE CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD
SACERDOTII NOSTRI PRIMORDIA on ST. JOHN VIANNEY AUGUST 1, 1959
SACERDOTALIS CAELIBATUS ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PAUL VI ON THE CELIBACY OF THE PRIEST JUNE 24, 1967 To the Bishops, Priests and Faithful of the Whole Catholic World.
NEW DEACONS HOMILY OF JOHN PAUL II Castelgandolfo, 11 April 1980 Dear sons and brothers in Christ,
PASTORES DABO VOBIS TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY AND
FAITHFUL ON THE FORMATION OF PRIESTS IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE
PRESENT DAY
Christus DOMINUS PROCLAIMED BY HIS HOLINESS,
POPE PAUL VI ON OCTOBER 28, 1965
PERFECTAE CARITATIS PROCLAIMED BY HIS HOLINESS
POPE PAUL VI ON OCTOBER 28, 1965
OPTATAM TOTIUS PROCLAIMED BY HIS HOLINESS POPE
PAUL VI ON OCTOBER 28, 1965
PRESBYTERORUM ORDINIS PROMULGATED BY HIS
HOLINESS, POPE PAUL VI ON DECEMBER 7, 1965
The Sacrament of Holy Orders
By Frederick PogorzelskiHoly Orders is the sacrament of Apostolic Ministry, by which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised and passed on in the Church through the laying on of hands ( Titus 1:5-9 ) ( Acts 1:8-26; 2:4; 6:1-7; 13:1-3; 14:22-23; 20:28 ) ( 2 Tim 1:6-7 ) ( Mt 16:18-19 ) ( Jn 10:36; 20:22-23; 21:17 ) ( 1 Tim 3:1-13; 4:14; 5:22 ). Through Baptism, all the faithful share in the priesthood of Christ. Through Apostolic Succession, ordination is conferred by the Bishop, who himself is under authority of the Pope, the successor of Saint Peter. Church authority alone has the responsibility and the right to call someone to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders. Ordained ministers receive a sacred power for the service of the faithful. Ordained ministry is exercised in three degrees: deacons, presbyters, and bishops. The sacrament of Holy Orders produces in the soul an indelible spiritual mark or character ( Mt 8:4; 19:12 ) ( 1 Cor 7:32 ) ( Eph 4:11 ) ( Mk 3:14-19; 10:45 ) ( Lk 6:12-16; 22:27 ) ( 1 Cor 12:27-31 ). Through the outward sign of the sacrament of Holy Orders, a person receives the inward gift of grace and in some sense participates in divine nature. The ordained person now serves in the name and in the person of Christ the Head in the midst of the community ( 1 Tim 2:5 ) ( Rev 1:6; 5:9-10; 20:6 ) ( 1 Pet 2:5-9; 5:1-4 ) ( Jn 21:15-17 ) ( Mk 10:43-45 ) ( Eph 2:20 ) ( 1 Cor 4:1-21 ).
Holy Orders is Biblical and Prefigured in the Old Testament as
The priesthood is prefigured in the Old Testament as God chose one of the twelve tribes of Israel, that of Levi, and set it apart for liturgical service. However, it could not bring about salvation or sanctification, which only Christ would do ( Gen 14:18 ) ( Ex 19:6; 29:1-30 ) ( Isa 61:6 ) ( Num 1:48-53; 11:24-25 ) ( Heb 4:12-16; 5:1-10; 6:20; 7:5-27; 8:1-7; 10:1-14 ) ( Josh 13:33 ) ( Lev 8:1-36 ) ( Mal 2:7-9 ) ( 2 Tim 2:2 ).
The sacrament of Holy Orders is one of the normative routes God provided for us His creatures for we are not orphans left desolate. He will come to us ( Jn 14:15-18 ) ( Heb 13:1-6 ).