160. Major and Minor Orders

At the beginning of the four seasons Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—the Ember Days are celebrated to implore God's blessings on the fruits of the earth; those days are likewise intended as special occasions for praying for the clergy. The Ember Days are the Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays following December 13, the first Sunday in Lent, Pentecost and September 14. Ordinations take place on Ember Saturdays, Ember Days are days of penance, fasting, and abstinence.

What are the major orders?

— The major orders are the: subdiaconate, diaconate, and priesthood.

1. The subdiaconate is still a preparation for the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and is of ecclesiastical institution. A subdeacon is pledged to perpetual celibacy and the daily recitation of the Divine Office.

The subdeacon presents the water at High Mass, sings the epistle, brings the vessels to the altar, holds the paten during the canon, and gives the kiss of peace to the choir. In practice, today all these are done by a priest.

2. The diaconate is the lowest degree in the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The deacon receives sacramental grace.

The deacon assists the priests at Holy Mass, reads or sings the Gospel, preaches; at High Mass he incenses the celebrant and the choir, gives the altar bread, pours wine into the chalice, takes off the pall and puts it on, receives the kiss of peace, etc. Today, the one performing these ceremonies is generally a priest, although during the divine function he is termed deacon.

3. The priesthood is the second degree in the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The episcopate, which is the highest degree in the Sacrament, is the fullness of the priesthood. Thus priests may be classified into two grades: (a) priests, and (b) bishops.

(a) Those who by ordination to the priesthood have power to offer Holy Mass, to administer solemn Baptism, and Extreme Unction; but who need jurisdiction for Penance and the administration of Matrimony and an indult for Confirmation, except when, acting as "extraordinary ministers," they administer Confirmation to those in danger of death from serious illness.

(b) Those of the episcopacy possessing the additional power of administering Confirmation and Holy Orders.

4. The ordinations of a deacon and a priest, and the consecration of a bishop, are only three degrees in a single sacrament, which confers orders for each degree.

By means of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the graces earned by the sacrifice of Christ are to be applied to the faithful of all times. "As the Father has sent me, I also send you" — for the same ends: to glorify God and lead men to salvation; by the same means: through prayer and teaching: in difficulties and against obstacles, and with the promise of ultimate victory: "And I appoint to you my kingdom, even as my Father has appointed to me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom: and you shall sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:29-30).

As an introduction to Holy Orders, a candidate receives the tonsure. The minor orders follow: porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte. Then come the major orders: subdeacon, deacon, and priest. Finally, at his consecration, a bishop receives the fullness of the priesthood.

What are the minor orders?

— The minor orders are the lower ranks of the clergy, through which aspirants are prepared to receive holy priesthood: porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte.

1. Minor orders were instituted by the Church in the early days when men of outstanding merit performed certain offices. They are not a sacrament, but only preparatory steps to major orders.

For the minor orders, the symbols of office are handed over to the aspirant, with accompanying words constituting the form. Given to the (a) porter is a key, with the right to guard over the church doors: (b) lector, a book with the right to read certain passages of Holy Scripture when ordered by priest or bishop; (c) exorcist, the book of exorcisms, with the right to exorcise evil spirits: and (d) acolyte, a candlestick, with the right to carry lights and give wine and water at Holy Mass.

2. Minor orders are preceded by the tonsure, a ceremony of cutting part of the hair, to denote admission into the holy ministry.

By the tonsure, a cleric is incardinated or assigned to the diocese to which he will belong upon his ordination. He may not change to another diocese without the consent of his bishop and the bishop of the diocese to which he wishes to transfer.