1. Holy Orders The Sacrament
Theology IV - Marriage and Christian Vocation
Lesson #13
Mr. Rick Lanciano

2. Hearings God’s Voice
The Scripture are filled with God calling his people to service
The Scriptures are filled with examples of God calling his people to service.
God calls people in many different ways, including men to the priesthood.
One of the ways God calls men to priesthood is through the invitation of others in the faith community.
God calls people in many different ways
The invitation of the faith community is but one of those ways

3. The Call to Priesthood A person may be called from an early age
Another man tellinhg him he would be a good priest
From an early age, a person may feel called to the priesthood - all Catholics assist in that call.
There are several signs that help a man determine if he is being called to priesthood (e.g. another man telling him he would be a good priest).
A man who is discerning a call to the priesthood must first be a believer who can recognize God’s voice and know how to listen to it.
Among the ways a man tests his call to the priesthood are: going to daily Mass, praying regularly, volunteering in service work, participating in a discernment program, and many others.
After a time of personal discernment, a man makes a formal application to be a candidate for priesthood.
There are several qualifications for a man to be accepted as a candidate for either a diocesan or religious priest.
Spiritual Direction
Daily Mass
Prayer
One must be a believer and must be able to recognize God’s voice
Volunteer Service
Discernment Retreat

4. Preparing for Ordination
4 Areas of Formation
Human
Pastoral
Spiritual
Intellectual
There are four man areas of priestly formation:
human formation
spiritual formation
intellectual formation
pastoral formation
The Church itself and the bishop are the first representatives who help in forming a man for the priesthood.
The major seminary is the place for priestly formation.
Life is the seminary includes prayer, study, and formation.
Major Seminary
Life in the Seminary
First Representatives

5. Celebration of the Sacrament of Holy Orders
Movement of Ordination Rite
Book of the Gospels
The ordination of bishop, priest, and deacon all follow the same movement and all take place during the Mass.
The essential rite of ordination is the laying on of hands by the bishop on the candidate while reciting a prayer of consecration.
Some of the duties of priestly ordination are shared by the bishop in his homily: teaching, sanctifying, and shepherding.
There are other secondary rites of ordination;
a priest receives the gifts of bread and wine to help him model his life on the cross of Christ
the bishop receives the Book of Gospels as a sign of his mission to proclaim God’s word
deacons are given the Book of the Gospels, as well, as a sign that they, too, will support the bishop by heralding God’s word.
Chalice w Bread/Wine
Laying on of Hands
Instruction Homily is read describing duties of a priest
Secondary Rites

6. The Effects of the Sacrament of Holy Orders
Christ acts
Indelible Character = Sacred Power
In Persona Christi
Priest
Bishop
Holy Orders confers an indelible spiritual character or sacred power on the man that lasts for a lifetime.
Holy Orders guarantees that Christ acts through the bishop and priest, especially in the sacraments.
Even if the minister is unworthy or sinful, this does not prevent Christ from acting in the sacraments.
The sacred power of Holy Orders is one of service over authority.
In general, the grace of the Holy Spirit that comes from ordination is a connection to Christ as priest, teacher and pastor.
Lifelong
Ex Opere Operato
As priest
GRACE
As teacher
Connects to Christ
As pastor