Holy Orders

St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church

14908 Main Street

Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772

Business Hours for the Rectory 10am - 5pm Monday through Friday (301) 627-3255

Holy Orders: Priesthood

Ordinations occur at St. Matthew’s Cathedral or at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and not on the parish level.

Office of Priestly Vocations: Rev. Mark E. Brennan, director - 301-853-4580

Although Jesus Christ, the "one High Priest and Mediator between God and man," (Hebrews 9:11-15) has shared his royal priesthood with all the baptized, He nonetheless calls and ordains some men to a distinct ministerial priesthood on behalf of the whole Church. Through ordination by the bishop, "priests by the anointing of the Holy Spirit are signed with a special character and so are configured to Christ the Priest in such a way that they are able to act in the person of Christ the Head" (Presbyterorum ordinis, 2). Thus, their priesthood differs essentially, not merely in degree, from the priesthood of the baptized. While all the baptized are able to imitate Jesus’ priestly offering of prayer, good works performed and suffering endured, the ordained priest in union with his bishop teaches and governs God’s people in love, forgives their sins and, most importantly, offers in the name of the people the Eucharistic sacrifice through which their lives are joined to Christ’s as a pleasing oblation to the Father (Lumen gentium, 10). The ministerial priesthood, while exercising solely to serve and promote the baptismal priesthood, depends directly on Christ’s acting through the bishop, rather than on any delegation by or consent of the people.

The sacramental character of the ordained priest — a gift of the Holy Spirit — is life-long and irrevocable. Its permanence is both a sign of Christ’s absolute commitment to act in the Church for the salvation of the world, and a witness to the Church’s definitive responsibility to carry out Christ’s work (1971 Synod of Bishops, Ministerial Priesthood, 5). Priests are called to prolong the presence of Christ, embodying and making visible the life of Christ in the midst of the flock entrusted to their care; it is the grace of the Sacrament of Holy Orders that enables the priest to carry out efficaciously his sacred duties (John Paul II, Pastores dabo vobis, 15).

Priests are close collaborators of the bishop, whose ministry they extend as they teach, sanctify and govern God’s people (Ibid., 16). "It is the first rask of priests as co-workers of the bishops to preach the Gospel to all" (Presbyterorm ordinis, 4). "Priests exercise the function of Christ as Pastor and Head in proportion to their share of authority. In the name of the bishop, they gather the family of God as a brotherhood endowed with the spirit of unity and lead it in Christ through the Spirit to God the Father" (Ibid., 6). Although all the sacraments have an abiding importance, the dynamic "pastoral charity" of "priestly ministry reaches its summit in the celebration of the Eucharist, which is the source and center of the Church’s unity" and over which only an ordained priest may validly preside" (Pastores dabo vobis, 23).

In the Latin rite, priests exercise their ministry in the celibate state, "for celibacy is both a sign and a motive of pastoral charity, and a pecial source of spiritual fruitfulness in the world" (The Roman Pontifical, p. 161). By means of celibacy, priests profess their willingness to be dedicated with undivided loyalty to the task entrusted to them. Through celibacy they are made a living sign of that world to come, already present through faith and charity, a world in which the children of the resurrection shall neither be married nor take wives. Indeed, the priest becomes in some fashion, both servant and spouse of the Church (Presbyterorum ordinis, 16).

In exercising their ministry, priests cannot conform themselves to this world, since they must be "witnesses and dispensers of a life other than that of this earth." Still, they must live among and know well their people" (Ibid., 3) so that their life and ministry may help people grow in the divine life and give glory to God (Ibid., 2).

In the Latin Rite, the presbyterate is conferred on those who have completed their twenty-fifth year and possess sufficient maturity. An interval of at least six months is to be observed between the diaconate and presbyterate. Men destined for the presbyterate are admitted to the diaconate only after they have completed their twenty-third year (Canon 1031).

Holy Orders: Diaconate

Office of the Permanent Diaconate - 301-853-4582

Deacons occupy the third level in the hierarchy of Orders, after bishops and priests, and receive the sacrament of Orders "not unto priesthood but unto the ministry" (Lumen gentium, 29). Under the leadership of the bishop and in cooperation with his priests, deacons serve especially in works of charity and administration, while also preaching and instructing the people in God’s Word. They assist, and at times, preside in many liturgical rites, including baptisms, marriages, and funerals (Ibid.). They may not administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick nor the Sacrament of Penance; neither may they preside at Mass. They are strengthened for their tasks by the unique sacramental grace of Him who came among us "as the one who serves" (Luke 22:27).

In the Latin Rite, married men may be ordained permanent deacons, provided they have reached thirty-five years of age and have the consent of their wives. If unmarried, a deacon may be ordained at age twenty-five (Canon 1031) and is required to make a promise of perpetual celibacy (Canon 1037).

The Office for Worship, the Vocations Office and the Office for the Permanent Diaconate collaborate in the preparation and celebration of the rites of Ordination. Input is also sought from the ordinands concerning various aspects of the ordination liturgy.

All candidates for the priesthood and diaconate are required to make a pre-ordination retreat as a final spiritual preparation for ordination and to take the prescribed Profession of Faith.

Ordination is to be celebrated during mass, whether on a Sunday or holy say of obligation, or ordinary weekdays (Canon 1010).

Ordinations to the diaconate and priesthood for service to the Church of Washington are normally celebrated in the Cathedral of St. Matthew, the Apostle. A large congregation of the faithful and clergy is invited and they should participate actively according to their proper function (Canon 1011).

Only a validly ordained bishop in union with the Holy See may ordain to the diaconate and priesthood (Canon 1012). For ordination to the diaconate within the ranks of the diocesan clergy, the proper bishop is the bishop of the diocese in which the candidate has a domicile or the diocese to which he intends to devote himself. For ordination to the priesthood of diocesan priests, the proper bishop is the bishop of the diocese into which the candidate was incardinated by the diaconate (Canon 1016).

The proper bishop may ordain the candidate himself or permit another bishop also in communion with the Apostolic See to ordain. This permission is conveyed through dimissorial letters (Canon 1015).

While the celebration of the rites of ordination to the diaconate and priesthood are distinct and separate celebrations, some elements of both are similar. Both begin with the calling of the candidates and the consent of the People of God. The bishop then instructs those present regarding the duties of the office of deacon/priest in the Church.

The candidate publicly commits himself to the obligations of his particular ministry. Since both deacons and priests minister as co-workers of the Archbishop of Washington, the candidates pledge obedience and respect to him as the chief pastor. All to be ordained to the priesthood, and all unmarried candidates for the diaconate also make a solemn promise of celibacy. After the promise of obedience, the Church calls for the prayers of the saints and of all present for those about to be ordained.

By the laying on of hands and the prayer of consecration, the bishop confers the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

The rite concludes for the newly ordained deacon with receiving the sign of office: the stole, dalmatic, and the Book of Gospels. The rite concludes for the newly ordained priest by clothing him with the signs of his new office, the stole and chasuble, after which time his hands are anointed and he receives the sign of peace from the attending bishops and priests. He is then presented with bread and wine for celebration of the Eucharist.

— Taken from Archdiocesan Policies

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