THE SACRAMENT OF
HOLY ORDER
The Reverend Keith Alan Mathur
St. Thomas More Parish R.C.I.A.
9 February 2010
Sacramental Categories
 Baptism, Confirmation,
and Eucharist--Sacraments of Initiation
(ground the Christian in
a vocation to holiness
and mission of
evangelization)
 Holy Order and
Matrimony--- Sacraments
of Service
 (ground the recipient to
the service of others)
 Anointing of the Sick and
Penance--- Sacraments of
Healing
 (united the recipient to
Christ’s passion in order to
forgive sins and bring about
strength)
What is Holy Order?
“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.”
HOLY ORDER
Form of the
Sacrament
Prayer of Consecration (example for Priests)
 Come to our help, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God; you are the source of every
honor and dignity, of all progress and stability. You watch over the growing family of man by
your gift of wisdom and your pattern of order. 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; and so there grew up the ranks of priests and the offices of Levites,
established by sacred rites.
 In the desert you extended the spirit of Moses to seventy wise men who helped him to rule
the great company of his people. You shared among the sons of Aaron the fullness of their
father's power, to provide worthy priests in sufficient number for the increasing rites of
sacrifice and worship. With the same loving care you gave companions to your Son's apostles
to help in teaching the faith: they preached the gospel to the whole world.
 Lord, grant also to us such fellow workers, for we are weak and our need is greater.
 Almighty Father, grant to this servant of yours the dignity of the priesthood. Renew within
him the Spirit of holiness. As a co-worker with the order of bishops may he be faithful to the
ministry that he receives from you, Lord God, and be to others a model of right conduct. May
he be faithful in working with the order of bishops, so that the words of the Gospel may reach
the ends of the earth, and the family of nations, made one in Christ, may become God's one,
holy people. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. R. Amen.
Laying on of Hands
HOLY ORDER
Matter of
the Sacrament
Baptized Male
Why is this sacrament called “order”?
 Latin word --- “ordo” meant an established civil
body
 “Ordinatio” meant an incorporation into an
“ordo.”
 Since ancient times the church has had 3 levels of
ordo into the church: 1.) Bishop, 2.) Priest,
3.) Deacon
 Integration into one of these bodies was
established by a rite called “ordinatio”/
ordination!
 Sacred power from Christ through His Church
Brief Historical &
Scriptural Outlook
“Priesthood” of the Old Testament
 Exodus 19:6 ---The chosen people
was constituted by God as a
“kingdom of priests and a holy
nation.”
 God chose the 12 tribes of Israel
from within the whole group.
 Tribe of Levi--- set apart for
liturgical service
 Leviticus 8--- appointed to act on
 1.) Proclaim Word of God
 2.) Restore communion with
God by sacrifices and prayer
 3.) Need to repeat sacrifices
ceaselessly.
 4.) Unable to achieve a
definitive sanctification, which
only the sacrifice of Christ
brings about.
behalf of men in relation to God; to  Abraham, Moses, Aaron,
offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
Levi
Summary of Old Testament Priesthood
 Everything that the priesthood of the Old Testament
prefigured finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ-> the one true
mediator between God and man.
 Melchizedek---King of Salem; serves in OT as the
prefiguration of the priesthood of Christ.
 “offered bread and wine” for sacrifice
 “You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek of old.”
KEY= “to offer sacrifice”
Priesthood of the New Testament
 Selection of the 12 apostles
 Preach, teach, and baptize
 Laying on of hands (Apostolic succession)
 Essential component of the sacrament
 Letter to the Hebrews--- close connection to Melchizedek
 Jesus Christ  High Priest
 The model of the priesthood
 Priest is ordained : “In persona Christi Capitis”
 In the person of Christ, the Head.
Two Participations in the One
Priesthood of Jesus Christ
 Ministerial Priesthood
 Common Priesthood
 Priests/Bishops
 AKA- Baptismal
 At the service of the people
Priesthood
 We are all baptized
priest, prophet, and king.
 Unfolding of baptismal
graces--- called to live a
life of faith, hope, love.
 The 2 priesthoods are
ordered to each other…
built each other up, yet
they differ essentially.
 At the service of the unfolding
of the baptismal grace of all
Christians.
 Means by which Christ builds
up and leads the Church.
 3 fold office: 1.) Teach, 2.)
Worship, 3.) Govern
 Confers a sacred power->
sacrament
1 SACRAMENT(1 ORDER)
3 DEGREES
 Bishop
 Priest
 Deacon
 Bishop and Priest Exercise ministerial
participation in the priesthood of Christ.
 Deacon Service
THE BISHOP
Official Title: The Most Reverend
John O. Barres, D.D., S.T.D., J.C.L.
Ways of Addressing Him:
(Formal –Your Excellency),
(Informal– Bishop),
(Friendly– Johnnie )
Bishop
 Ordained to the “Episcopacy”; not to be confused with Episcopalian.
 “The fullness of the sacrament of Holy Order”
 Established first. 12 apostles (Apostolic succession)
 The area grew too large and deacons were appointed to help serve
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the Bishop.
Each bishop has pastoral care of the territory entrusted to him.
Bishops act in a collegial nature.
Pope---Vicar of Christ on Earth
Cardinal--- Elevation; College of Cardinals
 Not a 4th degree of the Sacrament
 Archbishop--- Bishop of large diocese
What he wears and uses…
BREAK TIME
The Priest
Official Title: The Reverend Keith A.
Mathur, M.A., M.Div.
Unofficial Title: Father Keith A. Mathur
How to Address: Father
Official Title: The Reverend Monsignor John
P. Murphy
Unofficial Title: Monsignor John Murphy
How to Address: Monsignor
Priesthood
Ordination of Priests
 “Co-workers of the Episcopal Order”
 Preach the Gospel
 Shepherd the faithful
 Perform the sacraments
 Pastoral care of parishes and other ministries
 Promise of respect and obedience
 Celebrating Eucharist--- key function of the priesthood
 Share in the mission of Christ
2 Types of Priests
 Diocesan
 Committed to a
particular geographical
area (diocese)
 Serve the needs of a
parish, school, office,
prison, high school, etc.
 Make promises of
obedience and celibacy
at ordination.
 6-9 years to become a
Diocesan priest.
 Religious
 Member of a religious
community.
 Different calling than
diocesan priesthood.
 Calling to poverty, chastity,
and obedience.
 E.g.- Franciscans,
Dominicans, Jesuits,
Oblates, etc.
 Each have a unique
charism.
 Typically 10-12 years to
become a religious priest.
What is the difference between
a Monsignor and a Father?
•It is an ecclesiastical honor.
•Named by the Holy Father, recommended by the
Bishop.
•Not an ordination or sacrament. Just an honorary
title.
•The three awards or offices most often associated
with the style "monsignor" are Protonotary
Apostolic, Honorary Prelate, and Chaplain of His
Holiness.
Universal Patron of All Priests
St. John Marie Vianney
“The priesthood
is the love of the
heart of Jesus
Christ.”
What a priest wears…
The Deacon
Official Title: Mr. Thomas
Shubella or Deacon Thomas
Shubella
Transitional Deacon: Rev. Mr.
How to Address Him: Deacon
The Ordination of Deacons
 Greek word: “diakonia”-> “service”
 Configured to Christ the Deacon or Servant.
 Intended to help and assist the priest/bishop
 Ordained by a bishop
 What can they do? Baptize, Proclaim Gospel,
Preach homily, bless marriages, preside at
funerals.
 “Ministers of the cup”
 “Sacred character imposed on them”
Two types of Deacons
 Permanent
 Must be 35 years or
older
 Can be single or married
 Once ordained, they can
not remarry if wife dies
or annulment.
 Once ordained, if single
they are to remain single.
 Transitional
Celibacy
Last year of
seminary
Preparation for
the priesthood
What they wear…
Who can confer the Sacrament of Order?
The Sacrament of Holy Order is the
sacrament of the apostolic ministry, it is
for the bishops as the succesors of the
apostles to hand on the “gift of the
Spirit.”
“The Apostolic line”
The Effects of the Sacrament
 1.) Indelible character
 Ontological character --- configured to Christ
 Speak with authority, governance, jurisdiction
 Cannot be repeated or conferred temporarily
 2.) The Grace of the Holy Spirit
 Configuration as Priest, Teacher, and Pastor
 Grace of strength
 Grace to guide and defend the Church
 Gratuitous love for all
 Preferential love for poor
 Sanctification of souls
Who may be ordained to the priesthood?
 “Only a baptized male validly receives sacred ordination.”
 Connects with the Lord Jesus choosing twelve men to be the
apostles who were his successors.
 Some say: Well, the culture of the time was anti-woman.
 Jesus is counter-cultural.
 The Church is bound by the choice the Lord himself made.
 Key notion: “No one has a right to receive this sacrament.”
 It is a calling by God and one must humbly submit to proper
authority.
 Gift from God
Why can men only be priests?
 Just as bread and wine are matter of the sacrament of Eucharist, a
baptized male is the matter of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
 Jesus chose 12 men to be his successors.
 Priest is an icon of Christ. Christ was a man.
 Symbolic understanding:
 Church is the Bride of Christ… Holy Mother Church
 Male priest marries the female Church. Nuptial imagery
Oppressive Theology???
 Absolutely not!
 The Church teaches that women play an integral role in building up
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the life of the Church.
Goal: Salvation of souls
Priest is not more guaranteed salvation. Rather greater burden on
him.
Greatest human being to ever live: Mary, a woman.
Yet never once does Jesus call her an apostle or make her a priest.
She has a specific role in salvation history.
Equality before the Lord is NOT sameness.
Acknowledges distinction/both have unique roles.
You don’t call a plumber to fix your roof.
Priestly Celibacy…
“Clerics are obliged to observe perfect and
perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of
heaven and therefore are bound to celibacy which is
a special gift of God by which sacred ministers can
adhere more easily to Christ with an undivided
heart and are able to dedicate themselves more
freely to the service of God and humanity.”
COMMENTS or QUESTIONS