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Holy Orders

- Sacraments
Links
Contact Us
- LA Vocations Office
  
  (213) 637-7248
- LA Diaconate Formation
  
  (213) 637-7383
  ngdubonla-archdiocese.org
- Vicar for Women Religious
  
  (213) 637-7559
  womencalledla.org

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is a beautiful sacrament through which Christ continues His mission of teaching, sanctifying, and shepherding His people through ordained ministers. Through this sacrament, men are consecrated to serve the Church as bishops, priests, and deacons, offering their lives in service to God and His people.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:
“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.” (CCC 1536)
Jesus chose the apostles and entrusted them with the mission of proclaiming the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments, and caring for His people. Through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, this apostolic ministry continues today as ordained ministers serve the Church in the name of Christ.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders reflects different ways of sharing in Christ’s mission:
- Bishops receive the fullness of the sacrament and serve as successors of the apostles, teaching, governing, and sanctifying the faithful.
- Priests share in the ministry of the bishop and are called to preach the Gospel, celebrate the Eucharist and other sacraments, and shepherd God’s people.
- Deacons are ordained for service, assisting in the celebration of the liturgy, proclaiming the Gospel, and serving the needs of the Church and the community.
Through ordination, the Holy Spirit marks the ordained minister with a special grace and configuration to Christ, the Head and Shepherd of the Church. The priest or deacon does not serve by his own power, but through the grace of Christ working through him.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders reminds us that the Church is not only an organization, but a living community called to continue Christ’s mission in the world. Through the faithful service of bishops, priests, and deacons, Christ continues to teach, forgive, nourish, and guide His people.
Ultimately, Holy Orders is a sacrament of service and self-gift. Those called to ordained ministry are invited to lay down their lives in love for God and His people, following the example of Jesus, who came “not to be served but to serve.” (Matthew 20:28)
Learn more
See the following pages to learn about the different ways that the Lord may be calling you in your specific vocation.
- Diaconate
  Learn more about the vocation of the permanent diaconate, a ministry of service rooted in the example of Christ, who came “not to be served but to serve.” Discover the role of deacons in the Church and how they serve God’s people through charity, the proclamation of the Gospel, and assistance in the liturgy.
- Priesthood
  Learn more about the vocation of the priesthood and how priests are called to serve Christ and His Church by proclaiming the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments, and shepherding God’s people.
- Religious Life
  Learn more about the vocation to religious life, where men and women dedicate themselves to God through prayer, community, and service. Discover the different forms of consecrated life and how religious sisters, brothers, and priests witness to Christ through their commitment to the Gospel.