Moral Theology / A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities

by John A. McHugh; Charles J. Callan

2776. The first five Sacraments arc necessary for the spiritual welfare of individuals, the remaining two, which are the subject of this Article, are needful, not for each person, but for the Church as a body. A member of the Church may save his soul though he remains outside the priesthood and the married state, but the spiritual good of the Church itself requires both Orders and Matrimony. Without Orders the Church would be deprived of her rulers, teachers and ministers of divine things; without Matrimony the family would lack that sacramental protection which is so important for the Christian home and the right rearing of members of society.

2777. The Sacrament of Orders.—The spiritual office and power of a member of the clergy is called Orders on account of the order or rank of superiority which it gives in the Church. The rite or Sacrament by which an Order is conferred is strictly called Ordination, and hence it is more correct to speak of the Sacrament of Ordination than of the Sacrament of Orders. Ordination may be defined as “a Sacrament of the New Law in which a member of the clergy receives spiritual power in reference to the Eucharist and the grace to exercise properly the duties of his office.”

(a) Orders is conferred only on a member of the clergy. Just as Baptism is preceded by catechumenate and Matrimony by espousals or engagement, so is Ordination preceded by tonsure, a ceremony instituted by the Church whereby a man is separated from the laity and enrolled among clerics with a view to prepare him for Holy Orders. The candidate for tonsure must be a male who has received Baptism and Confirmation (_sub levi_), and who has begun his course of theology; he sins if he approaches without a divine vocation or with the purpose not to go on for the priesthood. The privileges of clerics are those of forum and canon, and they are capable of receiving Orders, jurisdiction and benefice (Canons 108 sqq). In the reception of tonsure the cleric is admonished to make his life agree with the garb which he then assumes, or, in other words, to cultivate the special virtues of his state (see 2596 sqq.).

(b) Ordination confers spiritual power in reference to the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Sacraments. Just as the sacred vessels of the altar receive a permanent consecration, so likewise the ministers of the altar are set apart by Ordination, which confers upon them an indelible character with the power to exercise higher or lower offices in reference to the supreme Sacrament and the sole Sacrifice of the New Law. Hence, an Order once conferred is eternal and the Ordination cannot be repeated.

(c) Ordination confers grace, which is _per se_ second grace, or an increase of holiness. The special feature of the grace of Orders is its suitability for the duties of the person ordained, for, where God imposes a special obligation, He confers also a special grace. It is clear that the duties of the ordained in reference to the real Body of Christ (i.e., duties as to the Eucharist and divine worship) and the mystical Body of Christ (i.e., duties to the faithful who receive the Eucharist and the other Sacraments) call for a high degree of virtue and a life edifying to all. Hence the need of a special grace in Ordination.

2778. Distinction of the Orders.—The following distinctions of the orders or ranks of the clergy should be noted:

(a) an Order is either sacramental or non-sacramental, according as it was instituted by Christ Himself or by the Church. It is the teaching of St. Thomas that all of the Orders are sacramental in character, but there is not the same degree of certainty in each case. As to the priesthood, there is the certainty of defined dogma; as to the diaconate (and also episcopal consecration according to many) there is theological certainty, but no definition of faith; as to the subdiaconate, and the lower Orders, there is probability;

(b) an Order is Major (sacred) or Minor (non-sacred) according as its functions are concerned with consecrated or non-consecrated matter in the celebration of the Eucharist. The Major Orders, therefore, are the priesthood (whose office is to consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ), diaconate (whose office is to dispense Communion to the faithful), and sub-diaconate (whose office is to prepare the bread and wine of the sacrifice in the consecrated vessels, that is, the chalice and paten). The Minor Orders are those that prepare the matter of the Eucharist in non-consecrated vessels (acolythate), or that dispose the people for the Eucharist by freeing them from the impediments of demonic influence (exorcistate) or of ignorance (lectorate), or that exclude unbelievers from participation in the sacred rites (portership). To the Sacred Orders, on account of their closer approach to the Eucharist, are annexed the duties of celibacy and of the Divine Office.

2779. The Hierarchy of Orders and Jurisdiction.—The Orders of the clergy may be considered, not only in reference to power over the real Body of Christ (i.e., the Eucharist), but also in reference to power over the mystical Body of Christ (i.e., the Church). Those who have power over the members of the Church belong to the hierarchy, and this is understood in two senses:

(a) the hierarchy of Orders is composed of those who receive in Ordination a permanent superiority over others in reference to the worship of God and the sanctification of souls by the ministry of the Sacraments. From divine institution this hierarchy is composed of the three ranks of bishops, priests, and deacons; and from ecclesiastical institution of the lower clergy in Orders. Thus, the deacon is able to baptize and administer Communion as extraordinary minister; the priest is the ordinary minister of Baptism and the Eucharist, and only a priest can act as minister of Penance and Extreme Unction; the bishop is the minister, not only of the Sacraments mentioned, but also of Confirmation and Orders;