THE SACRAMENT OF
HOLY ORDERS
Importance Of
Instruction On This Sacrament
If one attentively considers the nature
and essence of the other Sacraments, it will readily be seen that they all
depend on the Sacrament of Orders to such an extent that without it some of
them could not be constituted or administered at all; while others would be
deprived of all their solemn ceremonies, as well as of a certain part of the
religious respect and exterior honor accorded to them. Wherefore in continuing the exposition of
the doctrine of the Sacraments, it will be necessary for pastors to bear in
mind that it is their duty to explain with even special care the Sacrament of
Orders.
This explanation will be highly
advantageous. First of all to the
pastor himself, then to all those who have entered on the ecclesiastical state,
and finally to the people in general.
To the pastor himself, because by treating of this subject he himself
will be more deeply moved to stir up within him the grace he has received in
this Sacrament; to those who have been called to the portion of the Lord, {a} partly
by animating them like a spirit of piety, and partly by affording them an
opportunity of acquiring a knowledge of such things as will enable them all the
more easily to advance to higher orders; to the rest of the faithful, first,
because it enables them to understand the respect due to the Church's
ministers, and secondly, because as it often happens that many may be present
who have destined their children, while yet young, for the Church's Service, or
who desire to embrace that life themselves, it is far from right that such
persons should be unacquainted with the principal truths regarding this
particular state.
In the first place, then, the
faithful should be shown how great is the dignity and excellence of this
Sacrament considered in its highest degree, the priesthood.
Bishops and priests being, as
they are, God's interpreters and ambassadors, empowered in His name to teach
mankind the divine law and the rules of conduct, and holding, as they do, His
place on earth, it is evident that no nobler function than theirs can be
imagined. Justly, therefore, are they called not only Angels, but even gods,
because of the fact that they exercise in our midst the power and prerogatives
of the immortal God.
In all ages, priests have been
held in the highest honor; yet the priests of the New Testament far exceed all
others. For the power of consecrating
and offering the body and blood of our Lord and of forgiving sins, which has
been conferred on them, not only has nothing equal or like to it on earth, but
even surpasses human reason and understanding.
And as our Savior was sent by His
Father, 1 and as the Apostles and disciples were sent
into the whole world by Christ our Lord, 2 so priests are daily sent with the same
powers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and
edifying of the body of Christ. 3
Requirements in
Candidates for Orders
Holiness, Knowledge,
Prudence
The burden of this great office, therefore,
should not be rashly imposed on anyone, but is to be conferred on those only
who by their holiness of life, their knowledge, faith and prudence, are able to
bear it.
Let no one take the honor to
himself, but he that is called by God as Aaron was; 4 and they are called by
God who are called by the lawful ministers of His Church. It is to those who arrogantly intrude
themselves into this ministry that the Lord must be understood to refer when He
says: I did not send prophets, yet they ran. 5
Nothing can be more unhappy and wretched than such a class of men as this, and
nothing more calamitous to the Church of God.
In every action we undertake it
is of the highest importance to have a good motive in view, for if the motive
is good, the rest proceeds harmoniously.
The candidate for Holy Orders, therefore, should first of all be
admonished to entertain no purpose unworthy of so exalted an office.
This subject demands all the
greater attention, since in these days the faithful often sin gravely in this
respect. Some there are who embrace
this state to secure the necessaries of life, and who, consequently, seek in
the priesthood, just as other men do in the lowest walks of life, nothing more
or less than gain. Though both the
natural and divine law lay down, as the Apostle remarks, that he who serves the
altar should live by the alter; 6 yet to
approach the altar for the sake of gain and money is one of the very gravest of
sacrileges.
Some are attracted to the
priesthood by ambition and love of honors; while there are others who desire to
be ordained simply in order that they may abound in riches, as is proved by the
fact that unless some wealthy benefice were conferred on them, they would not
dream of receiving Holy Orders. It is
such as these that our Savior describes as hirelings, who, in the words of
Ezechiel, feed themselves and not the sheep, 7 and whose baseness and dishonesty have not
only brought great disgrace on the ecclesiastical state, so much so that hardly
anything is now more vile and contemptible in the eyes of the faithful, but
also and in this, that they derive no other fruit from their priesthood than
was derived by Judas from the Apostleship, which only brought him everlasting
destruction.
But they, on the other hand, who
are lawfully called by God, and who undertake the ecclesiastical state with the single motive of promoting
the honor of God, are truly said to enter the Church by the door.
This, however, must not be
understood as if the same law did not bind all men equally. Men have been created to honor God, and this
the faithful in particular, who have obtain the grace of Baptism, should do
with their whole heart, their whole soul, and with all their strength.
But those who desire to receive
the Sacrament of Orders, should aim not only at seeking the glory of God in all
things-an obligation admittedly common to all men, and particularly to the
faithful-but also to serve Him in holiness and justice in whatever sphere of
His ministry they may be placed. Just
as in the army all the soldiers obey the generals orders, though they all have
not the same functions to discharge, one being a centurion, {b}
another a prefect, so in like manner, though all the faithful should
diligently practice piety and innocence, which are the chief means of honoring
God, yet they who are in Holy Orders have certain special duties and functions
to discharge in the Church. Thus they
offer Sacrifice for themselves and for all the people; they explain God's law
and exhort and form the faithful to observe it promptly and cheerfully; they
administer the Sacraments of Christ our Lord by means of which all grace is
conferred and increased; and, in a word, they are separated from the rest of
the people to fill by far the greatest and noblest of all ministries.
Having explained all this, the
pastor should now turn his attention to the special properties of this Sacrament,
so that the faithful who desire to enter into the ecclesiastical state may
understand the nature of the office to which they are called and the extent of
the power bestowed by God on the Church and her ministers.
This power is twofold: the powers
of orders and the power of jurisdiction.
The power of orders has for its object the real body of Christ our Lord
in the Blessed Eucharist. The power of
jurisdiction refers altogether to the mystical body of Christ. The scope of this power is to govern and
rule the Christian people, and lead them to the unending bliss of heaven.
The power of orders not only
embraces the power of consecrating the Eucharist, but also fits and prepares
the souls of men for its reception. It
also embraces all else that can have any the reference to the Eucharist. Regarding this power numerous passages of
Sacred Scripture may be adduced; but the weightiest and most striking are those
which are read in St. John and St. Matthew: As the Father, says our
Lord, hath sent me I also send you. . . . . Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive they
are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain they are retained; and: Amen, I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon
earth shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth
shall be loosed also in heaven. 8 These texts, when expounded by pastors, in
accordance with the teaching and authority of the Fathers, will through great
light on this truth.
This power far excels that given
under the law of nature to certain ones who had charge of sacred things. The period previous to the written law must
have had its priesthood and its spiritual power, {c}
since it is certain that it had its law; for these two, as the Apostle
testifies, are so closely connected that if the priesthood is transferred, the
law must necessarily be transferred also. 9 Guided, therefore, by a natural instinct,
men recognized that God is to be worshipped; and hence it follows that in every
nation some, whose power might in a certain sense be called spiritual, were
given the care of sacred things and of divine worship.
This power was also possessed by
the Jews; but though it was superior in dignity to that with which priests were
invested under the law of nature, yet it must be regarded as far inferior to
the spiritual power that is found in the New Law. For the latter is heavenly, and surpasses all the power of
Angels; it is derived not from the Mosaic priesthood, but from Christ our Lord
who was a priest, not according to the order of Aaron, but according to the
order of Melchisedech. 10 For He it is who, Himself endowed with the
supreme power of granting grace and remitting sins, left to His Church this
power, although He limited it in extent and attached it to the Sacraments.
Names of this
Sacrament
Hence to exercise this power
certain ministers are appointed and solemnly consecrated, which consecration is
called the Sacrament of Orders, or Sacred Ordination. The Fathers used this word, which in itself
has a most extensive signification, to show the dignity and excellence of God's
ministers.
In fact, order, when
understood it its strict meaning and acceptation is the arrangement of superior
and inferior things so disposed as to stand in mutual relation towards each
other. Now as in this ministry there
are many grades and various functions, and as all these are disposed and
arranged according to a definite plan, the name Order has been well and
properly applied to it.
That Sacred Ordination is to be
numbered among the Sacraments of the Church, the Council of Trent 11 has established by the same line of reasoning as we
have already used several times. Since
a Sacrament is a sign of a sacred thing, and since the outward action in this
consecration denotes the grace and power bestowed on him who is consecrated, it
becomes clearly evident that Order must be truly and properly regarded as a
Sacrament. Thus the Bishop, handing to
him who is being ordained a chalice with wine and water, and a paten with
bread, says: Receive the power of offering sacrifice, etc.. In these words, pronounced along with the
application of the matter, the Church has always taught that the power of
consecrating the Eucharist is conferred, and that a character is impressed on
the soul which brings with it grace necessary for the due and proper discharge
of that office, as the Apostle declares thus: I admonish thee that thou stir
up the grace of God which is in thee, by the imposition of my hands; for God
hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of
sobriety. 12 {d}
Number of Orders
Now, to use the words of the holy
Council: The ministry of so sublime a priesthood being a thing all divine,
it is but befitting its pits worthier and more reverent exercise that in the
Church's well ordered disposition there should be several different orders of
ministers destined to assist the priesthood by virtue of their office,-Orders
arranged in such a way that those who have already received clerical tonsure
should be raised, step by step, from the lower to the higher orders. 13
It should be taught, therefore,
that these Orders are seven in number, and that this has been the constant
teaching of the Catholic Church. These
orders are those of porter, lector, exorcist, acolyte, subdeacon, deacon and
priest.
That the number of ministers was
wisely established thus may be proved by considering the various offices that
are necessary for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the
consecration and administration of the Blessed Eucharist, this being the
principal scope of their institution.
They are divided into major or
sacred, and minor orders. The major or
sacred orders are priesthood, deaconship and subdeaconsship; while the minor
orders are those of acolyte, exorcist, lector and porter, concerning each of
which we shall now say a few words so that the pastor may be able to explain
them to those especially whom he knows to be about to receive any of the orders
in question. {e}
In the beginning should be
explained first tonsure, and it should be shown that this is a sort of preparation
for the reception of orders. As men are
prepared for Baptism by exorcisms and for Matrimony by engagement, so to those
who dedicate themselves to God by tonsure the way is opened that leads to the
Sacrament of Orders; for by the cutting off of hair is signified the character
and disposition of him who desires to devote himself to the sacred ministry.
The Name
"Cleric"
Regarding the name cleric,
{f}
which is then given him for the first time, it is derived from the fact
that he thereby begins to take the Lord for his lot and inheritance, just as
those, who among the Jews were attached to the service of God, were forbidden
by the Lord to have any part of the ground that would be distributed in the
land of promise: I, he said, am
thy portion and inheritance. 14 And although these words are true of all the
faithful, yet it is certain that they apply in a special way to those who
consecrate themselves to the service of God.
The hair of the head is cut off
in the form of a crown. It should be
always worn thus, and should be enlarged according as one is advance to higher
orders.
The Church teaches that this
usage is derived from Apostolic origin, as mention is made of it by the most
ancient and authoritative Fathers, such as St. Denis the Areopagite, St.
Augustine and St. Jerome. 15
It is said that the Prince of the
Apostles first introduced this usage in memory of the crown of thorns which was
put upon our Saviors head, so that the devices resorted to by the impious for
the ignominy and torture of Christ might be used by His Apostles as a sign of
honor and glory, as well as to signify that the ministers of the church should
strive to resemble Christ our Lord and represent Him in all things.
Some, however, assert that by
tonsure is denoted the royal dignity, that is, the portion reserved especially
for those who are called to the inheritance of the Lord. It will readily be seen that what the
Apostle Peter says of all the faithful: You are a chosen generation, a
kingly priesthood, a holy nation, 16 applies especially and with much greater
reason to the ministers of the Church.
Still there are some who consider
that by the circle, which is the most perfect of all figures, is signified the
profession of a more perfect life undertaken by ecclesiastics; while in view of
the fact that the hair of their heads, which is a kind of bodily superfluity,
is cut off, others think that it denotes contempt for external things, and
detachment of soul from all human cares. {g}
After tonsure it is customary to
advance to the first order, which is that of porter. The function (of porter) is to guard the keys and doors of the
church, and to allow no one to enter there to whom access has been
forbidden. Formerly the porter used to
assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, to see that no one approached to near
the altar, or disturbed the priest during the celebration of the divine
mysteries. Other duties were also assigned
to him, as may be seen from the ceremonies used at his ordination.
Thus the Bishop, taking the keys
from the alter, hands them to him who is being made porter, and says: Let
your conduct be that of one who has to render to God an account of those things
that are kept under these keys. How
great was the dignity of this order in the ancient Church may be inferred from
a usage which exist in the Church in these times. For the office of treasurer, which is still numbered among the
more honorable functions of the Church, was entrusted to porters, and carried
with it also the guardianship of the sacristy.
The second degree of orders is this office of
reader, whose duty it is to read in the church in a clear and distinct voice
the books of the Old and of the New Testament, and especially those which are
read during the nocturnal psalmody. {h} Formerly it was also his duty to teach the
faithful the first rudiments of the Christian religion.
Hence it is
that when ordaining him, the Bishop, in the presence of the people, handing him
a book in which are set down all that regards this office, says: Take, and be you an announcer of the
word of God; if you faithfully and profitably discharge your office, you shall
have a part with those who from the beginning have well ministered the word of
God.
Exorcist
The third order is that of
exorcists, to whom is given the power to invoke the name of the Lord over those
who are possessed by unclean spirits.
Hence the Bishop when ordaining them presents to them a book in which
the exorcisms are contained, and at the same time pronounces this form of
words: Take, and commit to memory, and have the power of imposing hands over
the possessed, whether baptized or catechumen.
The fourth degree is that of
acolytes, and it is the last of the orders that are called minor and not
sacred. Their duty is to attend and
serve the ministers who are in major orders, that is, the deacon and subdeacon,
in the Sacrifice of the altar. {i} They also carry and attend to the lights
during the celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass, and especially during the
reading of the Gospel, from which fact they are also called candle-bearers.
Therefore at the ordination of
acolytes the Bishop observes the following rite: First of all he carefully
warns them of the nature of their office; then hands to each of them a light,
saying: Receive this candlestick and
candle, and remember that henceforth you are given the charge of lighting the
candles of the church, in the name of the Lord. Then he hands them empty cruets in which are presented the wine
and water for the Sacrifice, saying: Receive these cruets to supply wine and
water for the Eucharist of Christ's blood, in the name of the Lord. {j}
The Major Orders
Subdeacon
From the minor orders, which are
not sacred, and of which we have been speaking until now, one lawfully enters
and ascends to major and Sacred Orders.
Now the subdiaconate is the first degree of (major orders). It's function, as the name itself indicates,
is to serve the deacon at the altar. It
is the subdeacon who should prepare the altar linen, the vessels and the bread
and wine necessary for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice. He also it is who presents water to the
Bishop or priest when he washes his hands during the Sacrifice of the
Mass. It is also the subdeacon who now
reads the Epistle which in former times was read at Mass by the deacon. He assists as witness at the Holy Sacrifice,
and guards the celebrant from being disturbed by anyone during the sacred
ceremonies.
The various duties that pertain to the subdeacon are indicated by
the solemn ceremonies used at his ordination.
In the first place the Bishop warns him that obligation of perpetual
continence is attached to this order, and declares that no one is to be
admitted among the subdeacons who is not ready and willing to accept the
obligation in question. Then, after the
solemn recitation of the Litanies, the Bishop enumerates and explains the
duties and functions of the subdeacon.
Thereupon each one of those who are being ordained receives the chalice
and sacred paten from the Bishop; and, to show that he is to serve the deacon,
the subdeacon receives from the archdeacon cruets filled with wine and water,
together with a basin and towel with which to wash and dry the hands. At the same time the Bishop pronounces these
words: See what sort of ministry is entrusted to you; I admonish you,
therefore, to show yourself worthy to please God. Other prayers follow, and finally, when the Bishop has clothed
the subdeacon with the sacred vestments, for each of which there are special
words and ceremonies, he gives him the book of the Epistles, saying: Receive
the book of the Epistles, with power to read them in the Holy Church of God, as
well for the living as for the dead. {k}
The second degree of Sacred
Orders is that of the deacons,{l} whose
functions are much more extensive and have always been regarded as more holy. His duty it is to be always at the side of
the Bishop, guard him while he preaches, serve him and the priest during the
celebration of the divine mysteries, as well as during the administration of
the Sacraments, and to read the Gospel in the Sacrifice of the Mass. In former times he frequently warned the
faithful to be attentive to the holy mysteries; he administered our Lord's
blood in those churches in which the custom existed that the faithful should
receive the Eucharist under both species; and to him was entrusted the
distribution of the Church's goods, as well as the duty of providing for all
that was necessary to each one's sustenance.
To the deacon also, as the eye of the Bishop, it belongs to see who they
are in the city {m} that lead a good and holy life, and who not;
who are present at the Holy Sacrifice and sermons at appointed times, and who
not; so that he may be able to give an account of all to the Bishop, and enable
him to admonish and advise each one privately, or to rebuke and correct
publicly, according as he may deem more profitable. He should also read out the list of the catechumens and present
to the Bishop those who are to be admitted to orders. Finally in the absence of a Bishop or priest, he can explain the
Gospel, but not from the pulpit, thus letting it be seen that this is not his
proper office.{n}
The Apostle shows the great care
that should be taken that no one unworthy of the diaconate be promoted to this
order, when in his Epistle to Timothy 17 he sets forth a deacon's character, virtues
and integrity. The same point is also
gathered from the rites and solemn ceremonies which the Bishop employs when
ordaining him. The Bishop uses more
numerous and more solemn prayers at the ordination of a deacon than at that of
a subdeacon, and he also adds other kinds of sacred vestments. {o}
Moreover, he imposes hands on him, just as we read the Apostles used to
do when ordaining the first deacons. 18 Finally, he hands him the book of the
Gospels, with these words: Receive the power to read the Gospel in the
Church of God, both for the living and the dead, in the name of the Lord.
Third and highest degree of all
Sacred Orders is the priesthood. The Fathers of the first centuries usually designated
those who have received this order by two names. At one time they called them presbyters
– A Greek word signifying elders, not only because of the ripe years very
necessary for this order, but much more on account of their gravity, knowledge
and prudence; for it is written: Venerable old age is not that of long time,
nor counted by the number of years, but the understanding of a man is gray
hairs, and an unspotted life is old age. 19 At other times they call them priests,
{p}
both because they are consecrated to God, and because to them it belongs
to administer the Sacraments and take charge of things sacred and divine.
Twofold Priesthood
But as the Sacred Scripture describes a
twofold priesthood, one internal and the other external, it will be necessary
to have a distinct idea of each to enable pastors to explain the nature of the
priesthood now under discussion.
The Internal Priesthood
Regarding
the internal priesthood, all the faithful are said to be priests, once they
have been washed in the saving waters of Baptism. Especially is this name given to the just who have the Spirit of
God and who, by the help of divine grace, have been made living members of the
great High – priest, Jesus Christ; for, enlightened by faith which is inflamed
by charity, they offer up spiritual sacrifices to God on the alter of their
hearts. Among such sacrifices must be reckoned every good and virtuous action
done for the glory of God.
Hence we read in the Apocalypse: Christ hath washed us from our sins in
his own blood, and hath made us a kingdom, and priests to God and his Father.
20 In
like manner was it said by the Prince of the Apostles: Be you also as living
stones built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering up spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ; 21
while the Apostle exhorts us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
pleasing unto God, your reasonable service. 22 And long before this David had said: A
sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit:
a contrite and humble heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 23 All this
clearly regards the internal priesthood.
The External Priesthood
The external priesthood, on the
contrary, does not pertain to the faithful at large, but only to certain men who
have been ordained and consecrated to God by the lawful imposition of hands and
by the solemn ceremonies of holy Church, and who are thereby devoted to a
particular sacred ministry.
This distinction of the priesthood
can be seen even in the Old Law. That David spoke of the internal priesthood,
we have just shown. On the other hand, everyone knows the many and various
precepts given by the lord to Moses and Aaron regarding the external
priesthood. Along with this He
appointed the whole tribe of Levi to the ministry of the Temple, and He forbade
by law that anyone belonging to another tribe should dare to intrude himself
into that function. Hence it was that king Ozias 24
was afflicted with leprosy by the Lord for having usurped the sacerdotal ministry,
and had to suffer grave chastisements for his arrogance and sacrilege.
Now as the same distinction (of a
twofold) priesthood may be noted in the New Law, the faithful should be
cautioned that what we are now about to say concerns that external priesthood
which is conferred on certain special individuals. This alone belongs to the
Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Functions
of the Priesthood
The office of a priest, then, is to
offer Sacrifice to God and to administer the Sacraments of the Church. This is
proved by the very ceremonies used at his ordination. When ordaining a priest, the Bishop first of all imposes hands on
him, as do all the other priests who are present. Then he puts a stole on his
shoulders and arranges it over his breast in the form of a cross, declaring
thereby that the priest is clothed with power from on high, enabling him to
carry the cross of Christ our Lord and the sweet yoke of God’s law, and to
inculcate this law not only by words , but also by the example of a most holy
and virtuous life.
He next anoints his hands with holy
oil, and then gives him the chalice with wine and the paten with a host, saying
at the same time: Receive the power to offer Sacrifice to God, and to
celebrate Masses, both for the living and the dead. By these words and ceremonies the priest is
constituted an interpreter and mediator between God and man, which indeed must
be regarded as the principal function of the priesthood.
Lastly, placing his hands a second
time on the head ( of the person ordained the Bishop) says: Receive the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive
they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain they are retained, 25 thus communicating to him that divine power of
forgiving and retaining sin which was given by our Lord to His disciples. Such, then, are the special and principal
functions of the sacerdotal order. {q}
Degrees
of the Priesthood
Priests
Now although ( the sacerdotal order
) is one alone, yet it has various degrees of dignity and power. The first degree is that of those who are
simply called priests, and of whose functions we have hitherto been speaking.
Bishops
The second is that of Bishops, who are
placed over the various dioceses to govern not only the other ministers of the
Church, but the faithful also, and to promote their salvation with supreme
vigilance and care. {r} Hence it is that in Sacred Scripture they
are often called pastors of the sheep. Their office and duty has been well
described by St. Paul in his sermon to the Ephesians, as we read in the Acts of
the Apostles; 26 while St. Peter, 27 the Prince of the Apostles has also laid down a
divine rule for the exercise of the Episcopal office. And if Bishops strive to conform their actions according to this
rule, there can be no doubt that they will be good pastors and will be also
esteemed as such. Bishops are also
called pontiffs. This name is derived from the pagans, who thus
designated their chief priests.
Archbishops
The
third degree is that of Archbishops, who preside over a number of Bishops and
who are called Metropolitans, Because they are Bishops of those cities which
are regarded as the metropolis of their respective provinces. Hence they enjoy greater dignity and more
extensive power than Bishops, although their Ordination is the same.
Patriarchs
In
the fourth degree come Patriarchs, that is to say, the first and highest of the
Fathers. Formerly, besides the Roman Pontiff, there were in the universal
Church only four Patriarchs, who, however, were not of equal dignity. Thus Constantinople, through it reached the
patriarchal honor only after all the others, yet it obtained a higher rank by
reason of being the capital of the Empire. Next in rank came the Patriarch of
Alexandria, which Church had been founded by St. Mark the Evangelist by order
of the Prince of the Apostles. The third was that of Antioch, where Peter fixed
his first See. Finally, that of Jerusalem, a See first governed by James, the
brother of our Lord.
The Pope
Above all these, the
Catholic Church has always placed the Supreme Pontiff of Rome, whom Cyril of
Alexandria, in the Council of Ephesus, named the Chief Bishop, Father and
Patriarch of the whole world. He sits
in that chair of Peter I which beyond every shadow of doubt the Prince of the
Apostles sat to the end of his days, and hence it is that in him the Church
recognizes the highest degree of dignity, and a universality of jurisdiction
derived, not from the decrees of men or Councils, but from God Himself.
Wherefore he is the Father and guide of all the faithful, of all the Bishops,
and of all the prelates, no matter how high their power and office; and as
successor of St. Peter, as true and lawful Vicar of Christ our Lord, he governs
the universal Church.
From what has been said,
therefore, pastors should teach what are the principal duties and functions of
the various ecclesiastical orders and degrees, and also who is the minister of
this Sacrament. {s}
The
Minister of Holy Orders
Beyond all doubt, it is to the Bishop that the
administration (of orders) belongs, as is easily proved by the authority of
Holy Scripture, by most certain tradition, by the testimony of all the Fathers,
by the decrees of the Councils, and by the usage and practice of Holy Church.
It is true that permission has
been granted to some abbots occasionally to administer those orders that are
minor and not sacred; yet there is no doubt whatever that it is the proper
office of the Bishop, and of the Bishop alone to confer the orders called holy
or major.
To ordain subdeacons, deacons and
priests, one Bishop suffices; but in accordance with an Apostolic tradition
that has been always observed in the Church, Bishops are consecrated by three
Bishops. {t}
We now come to indicate who are
fit to receive this Sacrament, and especially the priestly order, and what are
the principle dispositions required of them.
From ( what we shall lay down
concerning the dispositions requisite fro the priesthood ) it will be easy to
determine what ought to be observed in conferring the other orders, due account
being taken of the office and dignity of each.
Now the extreme caution that should be used in conferring this Sacrament
is gathered from the fact that, while all other Sacraments impart grace to the
recipient for his own use and sanctification, he on the other hand, who
receives Holy Orders is made partaker of heavenly grace precisely that by his
ministry he may promote the welfare of the Church and therefore of all mankind.
Hence we readily understand why
it is that ordinations take place only on special days, on which, moreover, in
accordance with a very ancient practice of the Catholic Church, a solemn fast is
appointed in order that by holy and fervent prayer the faithful may obtain from
God ministers who will be well qualified to exercise properly and to the
advantage of the Church the power of so great a ministry. {u}
Qualifications
for the Priesthood
Holiness of Life
The chief and most necessary
quality requisite in him who is to be ordained a priest is that he be
recommended by integrity of life and morals: first because, by procuring or
permitting his ordination while conscious of mortal sin, a man renders himself
guilty of a new and enormous crime; and secondly, because the priest is bound
to give to others the example of a holy and innocent life.
In this connection pastors should
set forth the rules which the Apostle laid down to Titus and Timothy, 28 and he
should also explain that those bodily defects, which, by the Lord’s command
excluded from the service of the altar in the Old Law, should for the most part
be understood of deformities of soul in the New Law. This is why the holy custom has been established in the Church
that he who is about to be admitted to orders should first take great care to
cleanse his conscience in the Sacrament of Penance.
Competent Knowledge
In the second place there is
required of the priest not only that knowledge which concerns the use and
administration of the Sacraments; but he should also be versed in the science
of Sacred Scripture, so as to be able to instruct the people in the mysteries
of the Christian faith and the precepts of the divine law, lead them to piety
and virtue, and retain them from sin.
The priest’s duties are twofold.
The first is to consecrate and administer the Sacraments properly; the second
is to instruct the people entrusted to him in all that they must know or do in
order to be saved. Hence the words of the Prophet Malachias: The lips of the
priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth; because
he is the angel of the Lord of hosts. 29
Now to fulfill the first of these
duties it is enough for him to be endowed with a moderate share of knowledge.
As for the second, it is no mere ordinary, but very special knowledge that is
required. At the same time, however, it should be remembered that a profound
knowledge of abstruse questions is not demanded of all priests in an equal
degree. It is enough that each one
knows all that is necessary for the discharge of his office and ministry.
Canonical Fitness
This Sacrament should not be conferred
on children, nor on the insane or mad, because they are devoid of the use of
reason. {v} yet if it does happen to be administered to them, we must
unhesitatingly believe that the sacramental character becomes impressed on
their souls.
As
for the precise age requisite for the reception of the various orders, this
will easily be found in the decrees of the Council of Trent. 30
Slaves also are excluded. He who is
not his own master and who is in the power of another, should not be dedicated
to the divine service.
Homicides and men of blood are
also rejected, because they are excluded by a law of the Church and are
declared irregular.
The same must be said of the
legitimate and of all those not born in lawful wedlock. It is only right that those who are
dedicated to the divine service should have nothing in them which could expose
them to the well-deserved derision or contempt of others.
Finally, those who are notably
maimed or deformed should not be admitted. A defect or deformity of this kind
cannot but offend the eye and stand in the way of the due administration of the
Sacraments.
Effects of Holy Orders
This much being explained, it now
remains for pastors to point out the effects of this Sacrament. It is evident
that the Sacrament of Orders, while mainly concerned, as already explained,
with the welfare and beauty of the Church, nevertheless also confers on the
soul of him who is ordained the grace of sanctification, fitting and qualifying
him for the proper discharge of his functions and for the administration of the
Sacraments, in the same way as by the grace of Baptism each one is qualified to
receive the other Sacraments.
Another grace is clearly
conferred by this Sacrament; namely a special power with reference to the most
Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. This power is full and perfect in the
priest, because he alone can consecrate the body and blood of our Lord; but it
is greater or less in the inferior ministers in proportion as their ministry approaches
the Sacrament of the Altar.
This power is also called a
spiritual character, because those who have been ordained are distinguished
from the rest of the faithful by a certain interior mark impressed on the soul,
by which they are dedicated to the divine worship. It is this grace which the
Apostle seems to have had in view when he said to Timothy: Neglect not the
grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with imposition of
hands of the priesthood; and again: I admonish thee, that thou stir up
the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of my hands. 31 {w}
Admonition
This much will suffice for the
Sacrament of Orders. We have aimed at
presenting nothing more than the principal points that bear on the subject, so
as to supply the pastor with sufficient matter for instructing the faithful,
and directing them to Christian piety.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders – Endnotes
{a} The clerical state is called “the portion of
the Lord” because clerics choose the Lord for their inheritance (see below, on
tonsure). On the obligations of clerics
see St. Alphonsus, Theol. Mor. Vi. 860-830;
code of Canon Law, canons 108 ff
{b}
A centurion was the officer in command of a century or hundred soldiers in the
Roman army.
{c}
According to St Jerome, Abel and all the first-born were priests (in Tradit.
Haebr.).
{d}
On the necessity, meaning and sacramental nature of orders see Summa Theol.
Suppl. Xxxiv. 1-3; St. Alphonsus, Theol. Mor. Vi 734-738.
{e}
On the number of orders see Summa Theol. Suppl. Xxxvii.
{f}
Cleric comes from the Greek,
κλήρоѕ,
a lot.
{g}
On tonsure see Summa Theol. Suppl. Xl. 1-3.
{h}
That is at Matins.
{I}
The term “acolyte” is taken from the Greek, and means follower or companion.
{j}
The four minor orders, as well as the three major orders, are all mentioned in
a letter of Pope Cornelius to Fabius of Antioch about the year 250. Individual
minor orders are also mentioned by Tertullian, Cyprian and other early Fathers.
{k}
Subdeacons are mentioned explicitly in the letter of Pope Cornelius referred to
above. It cannot be doubted, however, that the subdiaconate is older than the
third century.
{l}
The word deacon is derived from the Greek
διάκουος. minister
{m}
The deacons being in attendance on the Bishop, would naturally be found in the
cities. Most churches in the first centuries had only seven deacons, even where
the Christian community was large. At
Rome Pope Fabian divided the city into seven regions, each of which had its
deacon.
{n} That deacons may preach is shown by the example of St Stephen (Acts v), St.
Philip (Acts viii) and St. Vincent (Aug., Serm. 2. de Sancto Vincentio).
{o}
On the various ecclesiastical vestments see Summa Theol. Suppl. xl. 7.
{p}
The word used here in the Latin text is “sacerdos,” which is derived from
“sacer,” holy, and “dare,” to give.
{q}
On the matter and form of orders see Summa Theol. Suppl. xxxiv. 4, 5; xxxvii.
5; St. Alphonsus, Theol. Mor. Vi. 739-759. On the rites and ceremonies of
ordination see Code of Canon Law, canons 1002 ff.
{r}
Although the episcopate completes the priesthood and forms one order with it,
Bishops are by divine right superior to priests both in the hierarchy of orders
and in that of jurisdiction, inasmuch as they are the ordinary ministers of
Confirmation and ordination, and possess superior legislative, judiciary and
coercive powers.
{s}
On the various ecclesiastical orders and degrees see Summa Theol Suppl. xxxvii;
xl. 4-6.
{t}
On the minister of orders see Summa Theol. Suppl. xxxviii; St. Alphonsus,
Theol. Mor. Vi. 760-780; Code of Canon Law, canons 951 ff.
{u}
On the recipient of orders see Summa Theol. Suppl. xxxvi; xxxix; St. Alphonsus,
Theol. Mor. Vi. 781-805; Code of Canon Law, canons 968 ff.
{v}
On the requisites for Sacred Ordination see the Code of Canon Law, canons 968
ff.
{w}
On the effects of orders see Summa Theol. Suppl. xxxv.