CCC 1533 - Sacrament of Holy Orders - Catechism Tour #52

Summary

This video script delves into the sacramental life of the Catholic Church, focusing on the sacraments of Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony. It explains that these sacraments serve the community and contribute to personal salvation through service. Holy Orders, with its three degrees of episcopate, presbytery, and diaconate, perpetuates Christ's mission in the Church. Holy Matrimony sanctifies marriage, emphasizing duties and dignity. The script also distinguishes between the common priesthood of the baptized and the ministerial priesthood, highlighting Christ's unique role and the importance of the Pope and bishops in the Church's unity.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The Catholic Church's sacramental life is divided into sacraments of initiation, healing, and the service of communion, including Holy Orders and Matrimony.
• 🛐 Holy Orders is the sacrament through which Christ's mission, entrusted to the Apostles, continues in the Church through bishops, priests, and deacons.
• 📜 The term 'Holy Orders' comes from the Latin word 'ordo,' referring to an established governing body, and ordination incorporates one into this sacred order.
• ✝️ The sacrament of Holy Orders imparts a special grace and power from Christ, through the Church, to perform sacred duties, beyond just being a delegate of the community.
• 👑 The Old Testament priesthood, such as the Levites, prefigured the priesthood of the New Covenant, where Christ is the one true high priest.
• 🕊️ There are two participations in Christ's priesthood: the common priesthood (shared by all baptized) and the ministerial priesthood (held by ordained ministers).
• 📖 In the Catholic Church, both the common and ministerial priesthoods are essential, whereas Protestantism emphasizes the common priesthood.
• 🤲 The ministerial priesthood serves the common priesthood by helping Christians live out their baptismal grace through faith, hope, and charity.
• ✝️ The priest acts 'in Persona Christi,' meaning he represents Christ and the Church, especially when offering the Eucharist.
• ⚖️ The holiness of the minister does not affect the effectiveness of the sacraments, a principle known as 'ex opere operato,' where the grace of the sacrament is independent of the minister's personal sanctity.

Q & A

What is the sacramental life of the Church?

The sacramental life of the Church refers to the seven sacraments that Catholics believe were instituted by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church to administer as visible signs of God's presence and grace.

What are the two sacraments at the service of communion?

The two sacraments at the service of communion are Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony. These sacraments are meant to serve the entire community, particularly the Body of Christ, the Church.

What is the purpose of the sacrament of Holy Orders?

The sacrament of Holy Orders is a consecration for the duties and dignity of the state of matrimony, as well as for feeding the Church through the word and grace of God.

What are the three degrees included in the sacrament of Holy Orders?

The sacrament of Holy Orders includes three degrees: the episcopate, the presbytery, and the diaconate.

How is the sacrament of Holy Orders related to the mission of Christ?

The sacrament of Holy Orders continues the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles and is the sacrament of apostolic ministry.

What is the significance of the term 'ordo' in the context of Holy Orders?

In Latin, 'ordo' refers to an established governing or civil body. In the context of Holy Orders, it signifies being incorporated into a sacred order or body within the Church.

What is the role of the Pope in the Church according to the Catechism?

The Pope is the visible foundation of the Church, entrusted with the keys of the Church, and is the head of the College of Bishops, the Vicar of Christ, and pastor of the universal Church on earth.

What is the difference between the common priesthood and the ministerial priesthood?

The common priesthood is exercised by all baptized Christians through their baptismal grace, while the ministerial priesthood is a service to the common priesthood, transmitted through the sacrament of Holy Orders, and is directed towards unfolding the baptismal grace of all Christians.

How does the Catechism describe the relationship between the Old Covenant priesthood and the priesthood of Christ?

The Catechism describes the Old Covenant priesthood, including the priesthood of Aaron, the Levites, and the seventy elders, as prefiguring the ordained ministry of the New Covenant. Christ's priesthood is unique and is made present through the ministerial priesthood in the Church.

What does it mean for a priest to act 'in persona Christi'?

For a priest to act 'in persona Christi' means that by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, the priest acts in the person of Christ, the head of the Church, in his role as Shepherd, high priest, and teacher of truth.

How does the Catechism address the issue of a minister's sin affecting the sacrament?

The Catechism states that the sacramental principle of ex opere operato ensures that the effect of the sacrament is not related to the holiness of the minister, meaning that the minister's sin cannot impede the fruit of grace.

Outlines

00:00

⛪ Overview of the Sacramental Life and Holy Orders

This paragraph introduces the section of the Catechism dealing with the sacramental life of the Church, focusing on the sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony. These two sacraments serve the community, specifically the Body of Christ. While Holy Orders is a consecration to serve the Church through God's word and grace, Matrimony is consecrated to dignify the marital state. The continuation of Christ's apostolic mission through Holy Orders is explained, mentioning its three degrees: episcopate (bishops), presbyterate (priests), and diaconate (deacons). It recalls earlier teachings on the Church's hierarchy and the importance of Holy Orders in sustaining the Church’s mission.

05:01

📜 The Meaning and Structure of Holy Orders

This section delves into the sacramental nature of Holy Orders, explaining the meaning behind the word 'order' (ordo in Latin) and its roots in both Scripture and Church tradition. It outlines the three orders of bishops, priests, and deacons, detailing how ordination incorporates individuals into these orders. The significance of ordination as a sacramental act, which confers sacred power from Christ, is emphasized, distinguishing it from a mere delegation by the community (a Protestant view). Ordination, through the laying on of hands, empowers individuals to act in the person of Christ and perform priestly duties.

10:02

🕊️ Priesthood in the Old Covenant vs. Christ's Priesthood

This paragraph compares the priesthood of the Old Covenant with the unique priesthood of Christ. In the Old Covenant, the tribe of Levi was set apart for priestly duties, mainly offering sacrifices in the temple. However, their role was limited—they could not bring about salvation. In contrast, Christ’s priesthood, perfected through His sacrifice on the cross, achieves salvation. The Old Covenant priesthood prefigures the New Covenant ministry, with the Catechism highlighting how the one priesthood of Christ is made present through the ministerial priesthood without diminishing His unique priesthood.

15:03

✝️ Common vs. Ministerial Priesthood

The Catechism discusses the two participations in the one priesthood of Christ: the common priesthood of all the baptized and the ministerial priesthood of bishops, priests, and deacons. Both are essential but differ in nature. The common priesthood is exercised through living out baptismal grace, while the ministerial priesthood serves the common priesthood, helping to unfold that grace. Protestantism emphasizes the common priesthood, but Catholicism acknowledges both. The ministerial priesthood is seen as acting in the person of Christ, helping to build up the Church through the sacrament of Holy Orders.

👐 Priestly Service and Acting in the Person of Christ

This final paragraph focuses on the idea that through the sacrament of Holy Orders, priests act 'in the person of Christ the Head' (in Persona Christi Capitis). Christ's priesthood is made visible in the community through ordained ministers, but their sinfulness does not diminish the efficacy of the sacraments they perform. However, poor conduct by priests can harm the Church’s mission. The concept of ex opere operato is discussed, meaning the sacraments' effectiveness is independent of the minister's personal holiness. Priests serve as both representatives of Christ and the Church, particularly when celebrating the Eucharist.

Keywords

💡Catechism

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a comprehensive summary of the Church's faith and practice. It serves as a guide for understanding Catholic doctrine. In the script, the Catechism is the foundation for the discussion of sacraments, particularly focusing on the sacraments of Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony.

💡Sacraments of Initiation

These are the three sacraments that Christians receive to become full members of the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist. The script references these sacraments as part of the catechetical journey, having been covered in a previous section.

💡Sacraments of Healing

These are the sacraments that provide spiritual healing: the Sacrament of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick. The script mentions these sacraments as part of the Church's sacramental life, which is the broader context for the discussion.

💡Sacraments at the Service of Communion

These are the sacraments that serve the unity of the Church and its mission: Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony. The script dedicates a section to explaining these sacraments, emphasizing their role in serving the community.

💡Holy Orders

The sacrament through which bishops, priests, and deacons are ordained to minister in the Church. The script explains that Holy Orders is a sacrament of apostolic ministry, with three degrees, and is essential for the continuation of Christ's mission within the Church.

💡Episcopate

Refers to the office of a bishop, who is the chief pastor of a diocese and a successor of the apostles. The script mentions the episcopate as the highest degree within the sacrament of Holy Orders.

💡Presbytery

This term refers to the office of priests, who are ordained to preach, teach, and administer the sacraments. The script discusses the presbytery as one of the three degrees of Holy Orders.

💡Diaconate

The diaconate is the first degree of Holy Orders and involves assisting bishops and priests in the liturgy and service to the community. The script describes the diaconate as a service role within the Church.

💡Apostolic Ministry

This term refers to the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles, which continues through the sacrament of Holy Orders. The script connects the concept of apostolic ministry with the ongoing work of bishops, priests, and deacons.

💡Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the visible foundation of the Church. The script discusses the Pope's role as the Vicar of Christ and the supreme authority within the Catholic Church.

💡Persona Christi

This Latin phrase means 'in the person of Christ' and refers to the way priests act in their sacramental duties. The script explains that priests act in Persona Christi when they celebrate the Eucharist and other sacraments.

💡Ordination

The rite by which individuals are incorporated into the ministerial offices of the Church. The script describes ordination as a sacramental act that confers a gift of the Holy Spirit, enabling the exercise of sacred power.

Highlights

The sacramental life of the Church includes sacraments of initiation, healing, and communion.

The sacraments of Holy Orders and holy matrimony serve the entire community of the Church.

Holy Orders is the sacrament that continues Christ's mission through apostolic ministry.

Holy Orders includes three degrees: episcopate, presbytery, and diaconate.

The Pope, as the successor of St. Peter, holds supreme power in the Church.

Bishops are the successors of the Apostles and the foundation of unity in their local churches.

Priests, with the help of deacons, assist bishops in teaching, worship, and pastoral care.

The term 'holy orders' (ordo) refers to an established governing body in the Church.

Ordination integrates a man into the order of bishops, presbyters, and deacons through a sacramental act.

The sacrament of Holy Orders confers a gift of the Holy Spirit for the exercise of sacred power.

The Old Testament priesthood prefigured the ordained ministry of the New Covenant.

Christ's priesthood is unique and is made present through the ministerial priesthood of the Church.

The Church distinguishes between the common priesthood of the baptized and the ministerial priesthood.

The ministerial priesthood serves the common priesthood by building up and leading the Church.

The priest acts in persona Christi, representing Christ in his role as head of the Church.

The presence of Christ in the ordained is visible through their ministry, despite human frailty.

The priest represents both Christ and the Church, especially in prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist.

The exercise of priestly power and authority is measured against the model of Christ's service.

Transcripts

we continue our tour of the catechism of

the Catholic Church we are in part two

of the catechism which has to do with

the sacramental life of the church we

have already covered the three

sacraments of initiation Baptism

Confirmation and Holy Eucharist and the

two sacraments of healing the Sacrament

of Penance and the sacrament of the

anointing of the sick and in this

section we cover the two sacraments at

the service of communion namely the

sacrament of Holy Orders and the

sacrament of holy matrimony

both sacraments are aimed and intended

to be of the service of the entire

community especially the body of Christ

the church though they do this in

different ways both sacraments are aimed

outward outside of the individual toward

the sake of the body of Christ the they

contribute to personal salvation through

the service to others and they build up

the people of God Holy Orders is a

consecration to feed the church by the

word and grace of God and holy matrimony

is a consecration for the duties and

dignity of the state of matrimony

so first we cover the sacrament of 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 thus it is the sacrament of

apostolic ministry it includes three

degrees the episcopate the presbytery

and the diaconate now this section this

part of the Catechism treats of the

sacrament of Holy Orders

only those elements containing two how

the sacrament of Holy Orders is passed

on in the earlier section on the church

in part one of the Catechism some

important elements were covered that

relate to the sacrament of Holy Orders

namely that among the Christian faithful

by divine institution there exist in the

church sacred ministers who are also

called clerics in law and other

Christian faithful who are also called

laity in both groups there are those

Christian faithful who professing the

evangelical counsels are consecrated to

God and so serve the church's saving

mission and to proclaim the faith and to

plant his rain Christ sends his apostles

and their successors he gives them a

share in his own mission from him they

received the power to act in his person

remember that in Part one of the

Catechism dealing with the Creed the

Catechism spoke of the office of the

Pope the Petrin ministry the Lord made

st. Peter the visible foundation of his

church he entrusted the keys of the

church to him the Bishop of the Church

of Rome successor to Saint Peter is head

of the College of Bishops The Vicar of

Christ and pastor of the universal

Church on earth and the Pope enjoys by

divine institution supreme full

immediate and universal power in the

care of souls that earlier part of the

catechism also treated the bishops of

the church the bishops established by

the Holy Spirit succeed the Apostles

they are the visible source and

foundation of unity and their own

particular churches

and the part one of the Catechism also

spoke of the priests of the church

helped by the priests their co-workers

and by the Deacons the bishops have the

duty of authentically teaching the faith

celebrating divine worship above all the

Eucharist and guiding their churches as

true pastors their responsibility also

includes concern for all the churches

with and under the Pope and so in this

part of the catechism we deal with the

sacramental nature of Holy Orders and

the Catechism poses the important

question why is this sacrament called

holy orders what does that word order

mean well in Latin that word is ordo and

it refers to an established governing or

civil body in then ordination is the

means by which one is incorporated into

an or doe in Scripture we find that the

use of the word or doe or order is found

in the Old Testament you are a priest

forever in the order of Melchizedek the

Psalms say and in the church there are

established bodies which tradition

not without a basis in Sacred Scripture

since ancient times called ordinace and

so the liturgy speaks of the Ordo a

Pisgah poram the Ordo Presbyterian and

the Ordo D akan Orem the order of

Bishops the order of priests the order

of Deacons

other groups also receive this name of

Ordo catechumens virgins spouses widows

and incorporation into these orders was

accomplished through a

right called an ordination today the

word ordination is reserved for the

sacramental act which integrates a man

into the order of Bishops presbytery

khun's and goes beyond a simple election

designation delegation or institution by

the community for it confers a gift of

the Holy Spirit that permits the

exercise of a sacred power which can

come only from Christ himself through

his church ordination is also called

consecrate co4 it is a setting apart and

an investiture by Christ himself for his

church the laying on of hands by the

bishop with the consecrate or II prayer

constitutes the visible sign of this

ordination it's important for us to know

that in the teaching of the church the

one in orders is not simply delegated by

the community that would be a Protestant

understanding of leadership in the

church in the Protestant world

the minister is one chosen by the

community and is a delegate of the

community whereas in our Catholic faith

the one who leads the church as bishop

or collaborates with the bishop as a

priest or a deacon receives power from

God for that particular work he is no

mayor delegate of the community the

sacrament of Holy Orders in the economy

of salvation is treated by the Catechism

and the Catechism speaks of the

priesthood in the old covenant in the

old testament the whole of israel

remember was called a chosen people a

kingdom of priests but within the people

of israel one particular try

the tribe of Levi was set aside to

perform priestly functions in the temple

and the priests of the temple of old

primarily offered the sacrifices they

were the ones who received the

sacrifices from the people and brought

them to the altar for the Holocaust for

the the burning of the offerings of

fruits and vegetables and the slaying

and the burning of the animals that were

offered by the people that was the role

of the priests and the priests all came

from the tribe of Levi a special Rite of

consecration was performed for these

temple priests in the Old Covenant these

priests of the tribe of Levi were

appointed to act on behalf of men in

relation to God to offer gifts and

sacrifices for sins now the priesthood

and the priests of the tribe of Levi

could offer the sacrifices for the

forgiveness of sins but they could not

bring about salvation this would be

accomplished in a definitive way through

the priesthood of Christ and his perfect

sacrifice on the cross the church sees

the priesthood of the Old Covenant

including the priesthood of Aaron the

priesthood of the Levites and the

priesthood of the seventy elders as

prefiguring the ordained ministry of the

New Covenant

the Catechism contains excerpts from the

rites of ordination that point to the

prefiguring of the new covenant

priesthood in the text of the Old

Testament but the Catechism makes clear

that in the new covenant we speak of the

one priesthood of Christ everything in

the Old Covenant

lying's expression in the one priesthood

of Christ he is the one mediator between

God and men he is the unique high priest

after the order of Melchizedek he is

holy blameless unstained and by a single

offering he has perfected for all time

those who are sanctified that is by the

unique sacrifice of the cross the

redemptive sacrifice of Christ is unique

accomplished once for all

yet it is made present in the

Eucharistic sacrifice of the church the

same is true of the one priesthood of

Christ it is made present through the

ministerial priesthood without

diminishing the uniqueness of Christ's

priesthood only Christ is the true

priest the others being only his

ministers the Catechism speaks of the

two participations in the one priesthood

of Christ and this is also important to

show the distinction between Catholicism

and Protestantism the Catechism speaks

of the church as a whole as being a

priestly people as such through the

sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation

and we can speak of the common

priesthood or the priesthood common to

all the baptized both the common

priesthood and the ministerial or

hierarchical priesthood of bishops

priests and deacons participate each in

its own proper way in the one priesthood

of Christ while being ordered to one

another they differ essentially the

common priesthood is exercised by the

unfolding of baptismal grace a life of

faith hope and charity a life according

to the spirit

the ministerial priesthood on the other

hand is at the service of the common

priesthood it is directed toward the

unfolding of the baptismal grace of all

Christians it is a means by which Christ

unceasingly builds up and leads his

church the ministerial priesthood is

transmitted by its own sacrament the

sacrament of Holy Orders in the

Protestant world there is a denial of

the ministerial priesthood and an

emphasis upon the common priesthood and

like many things in the Protestant world

it is an overemphasis is there a common

priesthood yes and the Catechism teaches

that each and every one of the baptized

participate in the common priesthood and

there is also a ministerial priesthood

transmitted through the sacrament of

Holy Orders in the Catholic world it is

a both and in regard to the common

priesthood and the ministerial

priesthood the Catechism speaks of the

priesthood exercised in the person of

Christ the head of the body the head of

the church Christ himself is present

through the Ministry of the ordained the

the bishop the priest the deacon he is

present as the head of the body the

Shepherd of his flock the high priest of

the redemptive sacrifice and the teacher

of truth this is what the church means

by saying that the priest by virtue of

the sacrament of Holy Orders acts in

Persona Christi copy T's in the person

of Christ the head as st. Thomas Aquinas

would say Christ is the source of all

priesthood the priest of the old law was

a figure of Christ and the priest of the

new law acts in the person of

Christ the presence of Christ as head of

the church is made visible in the midst

of the community of believers through

the ordained ministry the presence of

Christ in the ordained person does not

mean that the ordained person acts

without fault or without sin but the sin

of the minister cannot impede the fruit

of grace however when the human minister

leaves human traces that do not reflect

the gospel of Jesus Christ the Apostolic

fruitfulness of the church can be harmed

and this is a great sack a great tragedy

that we have seen played out more than

enough times in the history of the

church this refers to the sacramental

principle of ex Opa Opa rato namely that

the sacramental act by the very fact of

the actions being performed irregardless

of the holiness of the minister that's

that the effect of the sacrament is not

related to the holiness of the minister

the priesthood is ministerial it is

characterized by service to Christ and

his people the exercise of priestly

power and authority must therefore be

measured against the model of Christ who

by love made himself the least and the

servant of all the priest represents not

only Christ but also the church the

priest acts in the name of the whole

church the priest does this especially

when praying and most particularly when

offering the Holy Sacrifice of the mass

however this does not mean that the

priest

is the delegate of the community the

prayer and offering of the church are

inseparable from the prayer and offering

of Christ her head it is always the case

that Christ worships in and through the

church it is because the ministerial

priesthood represents Christ that it can

represent the church