CATHOLIC IDENTITY SERIES

Holy Orders – Year for Priests

FATHER JOHN J. PASQUINI | SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA CATHOLIC

Posted: 07.02.09

All Christians are called to be a priestly people, a healing, loving, forgiving people, but some of the faithful are specifically set aside by Jesus for unique ministerial roles.

The priesthood conferred by the sacrament of holy orders is one that is specifically designated for teaching, leading worship, and meeting the pastoral needs of the people.

The most important of the holy orders is that of the bishop because he serves as the visible head of the local or particular church (cf., 1 Tm 3:1-7; Ti 1:7). Every bishop in the world can trace himself back in time to an apostle. Consequently, bishops have the fullness of the priesthood and are crucial in protecting the true faith. The greatest of the bishops is of course the pope, since he is the successor of the leader of the apostles, Peter.

The next order is the order of presbyter or what we commonly call the priest (cf., 1 Tm 5:17). He is a “prudent co-worker” and extension of the bishop. He receives his authority from the bishop, and teaches in power because of his tie to the tree of apostolic succession.

The final order is that of the deacon who likewise is attached to the bishop, but who is entrusted primarily with works of charity (cf., Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tm 3:8-13).

Holy orders were instituted by Christ (Lk 22:19; Jn 20:22), conferred by the imposition of hands by an apostle or his successor (Acts 6:6; 13:3; 14:23), and give grace (1 Tm 4:14; 2 Tm 1:6-7).

Ignatius of Antioch, the disciple of the apostle John, affirms the role of holy orders in the building up of the kingdom of God and the Church: “The sole Eucharist you should consider valid is one that is celebrated by the bishop himself, or by some person (presbyter/priest) authorized by him. Where the bishop is to be seen, there let all his people be; just as wherever Jesus Christ is present, we have the Catholic Church. … This is the way to make certain the soundness and validity of anything you do (“Smyrnaeans,” 8). Let the bishop preside in the place of God, and his clergy (presbyters/priests) in the place of the apostolic conclave, and let my special friends the deacons be entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ (“Magnesians,” 6). Without these three orders no church has any right to the name (“Trallians,” 3).

The gift of the priesthood is exactly that, a magnificent gift of God’s love for his people, a gift from the sacred heart of Jesus!

Return to Diocese of Palm Beach Front Page