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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.