Ordination of St. Lawrence, Fra Angelico, c. 1447-1449
 

“Holy Orders 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: episcopate (bishops), presbyterate (priests), and diaconate (deacons).”[1]

In the ancient tradition of the Israelites, priests were descended from the tribe of Levi, one of the 12 tribes of Israel, and were particularly tasked with the liturgical service of the temple and leadership roles. In addition to this established order of priestly ministries, the Lord in the scriptures spoke of how he desired to make of Israel a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation,”[2] meaning that every one of the chosen people would bear the responsibility and share in the privilege of offering prayer and praise to God, each in their own unique walk of life. This general priestly identity and this specified priestly service are the foundational principles in the Church’s understanding of the nature of Christ’s faithful in the Church: The Common Priesthood (the laity) and the Ministerial Priesthood (the ordained).

The Second Vatican Council observes, in both its documents and subsequent catechism, that,

The ministerial or hierarchical priesthood of bishops and priests, and the common priesthood of all the faithful participate, ‘each in its own proper way, in the one priesthood of Christ.’ While being ‘ordered one to another,’ they differ essentially. In what sense? While the common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace – a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the Spirit -, the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians. The ministerial priesthood is a means by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads his Church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own sacrament, the sacrament of Holy Orders.[3]

Like Baptism and Confirmation, this sacrament places upon its recipient an irreplaceable and immutable seal upon their lives, thus that the man ordained a priest becomes “a priest forever”[4] after Christ the Great High Priest, in whose own priesthood he shares. The same is said of the bishop, who enjoys the fullness of priestly authority and identity, and even of the deacon, according to his own rank, who shares in Christ’s ministerial work of service to charity.

If you are discerning a vocation to the diaconate or to the priesthood, please follow the link below to the Diocese of Bridgeport’s Vocation Office website to discover more on these vocations of Holy Orders:

Discover the Diaconate 

Discover the Priesthood