Part III, The Means of Grace: Holy Orders

1. On whom did Christ Himself confer the Priesthood?

On His Apostles.

2. Was the Priesthood to end with the death of the Apostles?

Xo; no more than the Church was to end at their death.

3. How was the Priesthood continued?

By the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

4. What is Holy Orders?

Holy Orders is that Sacrament which communicates to those who receive it the full power of Priesthood, together with a special grace to discharge their sacred duties well.

5. What are the principal powers of the Priesthood?

1. The. power to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of our Lord ; and 2. The power to forgive sins.

The power of consecrating bread and wine Christ gave to His Church at the Last Chapter (comp, p. 263, quest. 9) ; and the power of forgiving sins He gave after His Esurrection (comp. p. 275, quest. 4),

6. Is there in Holy Orders also a visible sign which mdicates the communicating of the invisible power and grace?

Yes, there are several: the imposition of hands and the prayer of the Bishop, and the delivery of the chalice with wine, and of the paten with bread.

The imposition of hands and prayer are also mentioned in Holy Scripture: 'I admonish thee, that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of mv hands.' Thus wrote St. Paul to Bishop Timothy, 2 Tim. i. 6; and in a similar manner, 1 Tim. iv. 14. By prayer and imposition of hands Paul

and Barnabas were also ordained: 'Then they,, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away' (Acts xiii. 3).

7. But are not 'all' Christians true Priests by their Baptism?

No ; as the true Priesthood of the Old Law was propagated by natural descent from Aaron, so it is also in the New Law propagated by a spiritual descent from the Apostles — that is, by ordination.

8. Why, then, does St. Peter say that all Christians are 'a kingly Priesthood'? (i Pet. ii. 9).

Because all, by their Baptism, are obliged to offer up to God internal or spiritual sacrifices (1 Pet. ii. 5) of faith, hope, and charity, of prayer and mortification.

From this passage it can no more be inferred that all Christians are true Priests than that all are true Kings. In the Old Law, also, God said to the Israelites: 'You shall be to me a priestly Mngdom' (2 Kings xix. 6) ; nevertheless, there was a particular Priesthood, which alone was authorized to offer sacrifices.— Punishment of King Ozias (2 Paral. xxvi.).

9. Who can validly administer the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

Bishops only, who have received this power by a particular Consecration.

As no one can be made a Priest except by the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which can validly be administered only by a Bishop, who again has received the power of administering it from another Bishop lawfully consecrated, it is evident that, by an uninterrupted succession of Bishops lawfully ordained and consecrated, the Priesthood ascends to the Apostles, on whom Christ Himself conferred the Priestly and Episcopal powers both for themselves and for their successors.

10. Cannot also civil authorities, or Christian communities, confer spiritual powers?

No; they cannot confer spiritual powers on others, because they have none themselves.

Hence the Council of Trent decrees (Sess. XXIII, ch. 4) Hhat all those who, being only called and instituted by the people, or by the civil power and magistrate, ascend to the exercise of these ministrations, and those who of their own rashness assume

them to themselves, are not to be looked upon as ministers of the Church, but as thieves mid robbers, ivho have not entered by the door' (John x. 1, 8).

11. Can a Priest be deprived of his Ordination?

No; he can as little be deprived of Ordination as of Baptism because it imprints an indelible character upon the soul.

A Priest, therefore, or a Bishop, cannot be deprived of the powers which he has received in his Ordination or Consecration to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and to offer up the H0I7 Sacrifice of the Mass, to administer Confirmation, Extreme Unction, and Holy Orders; but the power of remitting sins by Sacramental Absolution can be taken from him, because the valid administration of the Sacrament of Penance is also dependent on Jurisdiction — that is to say, on his mission or authorization by a laAvful spiritual Superior (eomp. p. 280, note to quest. 7). For this very reason the Priest and Bishops of the schismatical Greek Church, and all those who ever have fallen away from the Catholic Church, retain the powers of their Ordination and Consecration which originally they received from the Catholic Church; but all other spiritual power which depends on the Apostolical Mission, and comes from the Head of the Catholic Church, expires with their separation from the Church.

12. Are there any other Orders besides those of Priest and Bishop?

Yes; there are others which are preparatory degrees to the Priesthood.

13. Which are these other Orders?

1. The Four Minor Orders, by which those who receive them are qualified for various offices connected with the Divine Service; namely, those of Porter, Lector, Exorcist, and Acolyte.

2. The Order of Sub-deacon, who has to assist the Deacon when serving at the altar; and

3. The Order of Deacon, who immediately assists the Priest at the altar, and helps him also in baptizing, preaching, and giving Holy Communion.

14. Who can and ought to etabrace the Ecclesiastical state?

He only who is called to it by Godparents who, actuated by temporal . interests, force their children to take Holy Orders, sin most grievously, and are responsible for all the evil consequences resulting from it.

15. What should the faithful do in order to obtain worthy Priests and Pastors?

They should often and fervently pray to God for that grace, and render themselves worthy of it by their love of the Church and respect for the Priesthood.

'Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth laborers into His harvest' (Matt. ix. 38).

Application. Always show due respect and submission to Priests, as the Representatives of God and the Dispensers of His Holy Mysteries : and should you happen to perceive in any of them human failings and infirmities, do not be scandalized, but whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do ; but according to their works do ye not ' ( Matt, xxiii. 3 ) .