The Sacrament of Holy Orders establishes Bishops, Priests and Deacons as official Church leaders. Consecrated men, “like the Apostles... have left everything behind in order to be with Christ and to put themselves, as he did, at the service of God and their brothers and sisters” (Pope John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Vita Consecrata, no. 1). Those who are called to serve and build the Church as ordained ministers, through this sacrament, are ordained “to serve in the name and in the person of Christ the Head in the midst of the community.” (CCC 1591). Women, too, participate in consecrated life by dedicating themselves to Christ, taking vows, and living in a religious community or in a spiritual lifestyle recognized by the church.
The outward signs of Holy Orders is the laying on of hands by the Bishop with a prayer of consecration; additional rites include: anointing of chrism, presentation of a ring, miter and crosier - for a bishop, the gift of a Book of the Gospels - to the deacon, priest or bishop, and the presentation of the chalice and paten - to the priest. Ordination “confers a gift of the Holy Spirit that permits the exercise of a ‘sacred power’ which can come only from Christ himself through his Church” (CCC 1538). Just like the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, the Sacrament of Holy Orders leaves an indelible character or permanent mark on the soul.
There are degrees of Holy Orders. Bishops lead the local church as Christ’s representative. Bishops ordain men to act in their place in the community. Priests serve at the discretion of the Bishop. Deacons are ‘helpers’ who can serve at the liturgy, of the word and by preaching.
During this week’s session, our Candidates and Catechumens will discuss the different leaders of the Church and how their roles and responsibilities continue Christ’s mission. Christ is the head of the Church while the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the recognized leader of the Catholic Church on earth. We will discuss what is meant by papal infallibility and, in particular, specific conditions that must be present for a teaching to be safeguarded from error by the Holy Spirit.
Through the sacrament of Baptism, God calls us all to share in the common priesthood of the faithful by serving others and leading them to Christ.