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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. Jesus Christ is the true priest, the others being only his ministers. The Holy Orders includes three degrees: episcopate (bishop), presbyterate (priest), and diaconate (deacon). Those who receive the sacrament of Holy Orders are consecrated in Christ's name "to feed the Church by the word and grace of God". The Lord Jesus chose men to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to suceed them in their ministry. The church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by our Lord himself, and for this reason, the ordination of women is not possible.
No one has a right to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders. Anyone who thinks he recognizes the signs of God's call to the ordained ministry must humbly submit his desire to the authority of the Church. The grace of the Holy Spirit proper to this sacrament is configuration to Christ as Priest, Teacher, and Pastor, of whom the ordained is made a minister.
Prayer for Priests
O my Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church, Grant it love and the fight of Your Spirit, and give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to You, O Lord.
Lord, give us holy priests: You yourself maintain them in holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of Your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares which are continually being set for the souls of priests. May the power of Your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests, for You can do all things. Amen
Prayer for Vocation
Lord and merciful God, You call us into being and commission us to serve your people. We pray that our lives might make a difference and that our service might give you praise. Strengthen us, we pray, to be instruments of peace and justice in our church and in our world. May the desire to make a difference inspire many to lives of ministry as priest, sisters, brothers, and deacons. We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord.