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Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the Sacrament through which
Jesus appointed leaders for His Church to
ensure its survival throughout the ages. It is
used to ordain priests, deacons, and bishops.
Matter and Form
Matter is like the material that makes up a
substance, and form is like the shape that gives
something its identity (Aveling). Together they make
up the substance of something (Aveling). An
example would be a wooden spoon (Aveling). Wood
is the matter, and the shape of a spoon is the form.
Christ left the matter and form to be determined by
the Church for Holy Orders because He did not
specify them (“Catholic Sacraments: A Primer”). The
laying on of hands by the bishop has throughout the
centuries generally been considered the matter
(Ahaus). The prayer of consecration and asking for
and conferring the outpouring of the Holy Spirit has
been recognized as the form.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders leaves a
permanent mark on the soul of the recipient (“The
Sacrament of Holy Orders in the Catholic Church).
“The purpose for which any
high priest is chosen from
among his fellow-men, and
made a representative of men in
their dealings with God, is to
offer gifts and sacrifices in
expiation of their sins.”
(HEB. 5:11)
Scriptural Basis for Holy
Orders
The Sacrament of Holy Orders is justified
in Scripture. Many denominations of the
Church say that the Sacrament is not
Biblical. In 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a
chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, God’s special possession, that you
may declare the praises of him who called
you out of darkness into his wonderful
light.” Peter is defending the priesthood,
as it is an important aspect in all of
Christianity. “No man on earth has a right
to be ordained. Those who sense a call
from God to Holy Orders humbly submit
to Church authority” (Barrack). Since the
sacrament of Holy Orders is the
sacrament of the apostolic ministry, it is
for the bishops as the successors of the
apostles to hand on the "gift of the Spirit,"
the "apostolic line." Validly ordained
bishops, i.e., those who are in the line of
apostolic succession, validly confer the
three degrees of the sacrament of Holy
Orders. (CCC 1576)
John 20:21-22 - "As the Father has sent
me, so I send you ... and He breathed on
them saying 'Receive the Holy Spirit"
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The Evolution of Holy
Orders
Jesus first conferred the
sacrament of Holy Orders to the
Apostles. Over the years, the liturgy
and practice has evolved in several
ways. However, the laying on of
hands has always been a part of
Holy Orders. The Apostles used the
laying on of hands to confer Holy
Orders to their successor, and it has
been used by the bishops ever since.
Also, in the early days of the
Church, the people were asked to
determine if a candidate lived a life
prepared for Holy Orders. In the
modern liturgy of Holy Orders, the
bishop reads about this tradition.
After the seventh century, the
vestments gained symbolic value in
the liturgy. The first clergy did not
wear special vestments until the
barbarians conquered Rome. Once
the barbarians took over, the old
Roman clothing became unique.
During Holy Orders, the candidates
wear several vestments with
symbolic significance. One of these
vestments, the maniple, was used in
the early Church to wipe the chalice
and hands.
Works Cited
Ahaus, Hubert. "Holy Orders." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton
Company, 1911. 26 Sept. 2011 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11279a.htm>.
Aveling, Francis. "Form." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton
Company, 1909. 27 Sept. 2011 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06137b.htm>.
Aveling, Francis. "Matter." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton
Company, 1911. 27 Sept. 2011 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10053b.htm>.
Barrack, Martin K. "Sacrament of Holy Orders." Second Exodus. N.p., n.d. Web. 26
Sept. 2011.
Catechism of the Catholic Church. Citta del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice
Vaticana, 1994. Print.
"Catholic Sacraments: A Primer." The Beginning Catholic's Guide to the Roman Catholic
Church. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://www.beginningcatholic.com/sacraments.html>.
Ferdinand, Marilyn. Into Great Silence. N.d. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/?p=128>.
Monks Kneeling. N.d. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://www.mmcoffee.com/
images/Praised_be_Jesus_Christ3.jpg>.
Nowacki, Artur. IMG-6652. N.d. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2011.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/nowaccy/3620141565/>.
Praying Priest. N.d. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://blog.adw.org/
wp-content/uploads/Priest-prays-Breviary.jpg>.
“The Sacrament of Holy Orders in the Catholic Church." The Beginning Catholic's Guide to the
Roman Catholic Church. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://www.beginningcatholic.com/holyorders.html>.
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