The Sacraments of the Catholic Church
Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his
apostles continues to be exercised in the church until the end of time.
At the ordination of priests, the Church prays:
Lord, holy Father,...
when you had appointed high priests to rule your people,
you chose other men next to them in rank and dignity
to be with them and to help them in their task....
you extended the spirit of Moses to seventy wise men...
You shared among the sons of Aaron the fullness of their father's power.
This sacrament configures the recipient to Christ by special grace of the Holy Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ's instrument for his Church.
Deacons are ministers ordained for tasks of service of the Church; they do not receive the ministerial priesthood, but ordination confers on them important functions in the ministry of the word, divine worship, pastoral governance, and the service of charity, tasks which they must carry out under the pastoral authority of their bishop.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1537-1600
We pray daily for more vocations to the Priesthood and the Permanent Diaconate.