Holy orders
Through the sacrament of holy orders, or ordinationThe process by which a person becomes a minister of a church., a man vows to lead other CatholicA group of Christians who accept the Pope in Rome as their leader. by bringing them the sacraments, especially the EucharistA service celebrating the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, using elements of bread and wine.. He promises to do this by proclaiming the gospelThe teachings of Jesus and the apostles. and by providing to Catholics other means to achieve holiness. In order to be ordained a priest, a man must be first ordained a deaconChristian minister below the level of a priest.
Ordination
In Catholicism, holy orders is the sacrament by which men are ordained as priests or deaconChristian minister below the level of a priest. It is a sacrament carried out by a bishop, who must lay his hands on the candidate.
Taking holy orders is a commitment for life both to God and to the Catholic Church, as the man is given certain powers, including passing on God鈥檚 forgiveness of sins.
The following is a prayer said at the ordination of a priest:
Lord, holy Father, 鈥 when you had appointed high priests to rule your people, you chose other men next to them in rank and dignity to be with them and to help them in their task鈥 you extended the spirit of Moses to seventy wise men. 鈥 You shared among the sons of Aaron the fullness of their father鈥檚 power.
Holy Orders differs from other sacraments as it has three separate stages. It can only be given by a man who has himself undertaken all three rites and has therefore become a bishop.
The three stages of Holy Orders:
- Being ordained a deacon - a deacon may baptise, preach and distribute Holy Communion (but not to transubstantiate it).
- Being ordained a priest - a priest is believed to have the power to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ (transubstantiation) and to forgive sins.
- Being ordained a bishop - only a bishop has the complete fullness of the priesthood, with the power to confirm and to ordain deacons, priests and other bishops through the sacrament of Holy Orders.