Questions on Holy Orders

[ajpirc]

What is special “power” does a deacon receive at his ordination?

What special “power” does a priest receive at his ordination?

What special “power” does a bishop receive at his ordination?

Did Christ establish these three levels of ordination when he established Holy Orders?

Does someone that has been ordained have more power over a lay person in the Catholic Church?

Is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church based on Holy Orders?

These may seem like simple questions, but recently I have been thinking a lot about simple questions.

 

[Freddy_Medina]

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church - degrees not "powers"

III. THE THREE DEGREES OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS
1554 "The divinely instituted ecclesiastical ministry is exercised in different degrees by those who even from ancient times have been called bishops, priests, and deacons."32 Catholic doctrine, expressed in the liturgy, the Magisterium, and the constant practice of the Church, recognizes that there are two degrees of ministerial participation in the priesthood of Christ: the episcopacy and the presbyterate . The diaconate is intended to help and serve them. For this reason the term *sacerdos *in current usage denotes bishops and priests but not deacons. Yet Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly participation (episcopate and presbyterate) and the degree of service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a sacramental act called “ordination,” that is, by the sacrament of Holy Orders:

Let everyone revere the deacons as Jesus Christ, the bishop as the image of the Father, and the presbyters as the senate of God and the assembly of the apostles. For without them one cannot speak of the Church.33

 

[Spirithound]

What is special “power” does a deacon receive at his ordination?

What special “power” does a priest receive at his ordination?

What special “power” does a bishop receive at his ordination?

Did Christ establish these three levels of ordination when he established Holy Orders?

Does someone that has been ordained have more power over a lay person in the Catholic Church?

Is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church based on Holy Orders?

A deacon does not receive any powers at his ordination, but rather he receives a commission to serve. The priest receives the power to confect the Eucharist, give sacramental absolution, confirm, and sacramentally anoint the sick. The bishop receives the power to ordain other men.

Yes, Christ established these three levels of Holy Orders.

No man in Holy Orders has power over a layperson, except the authority that person grants to the ordained.

I’d say yes, the Church is based on Holy Orders, in a way.

 

[pablope]

What is special “power” does a deacon receive at his ordination?

What special “power” does a priest receive at his ordination?

What special “power” does a bishop receive at his ordination?

Did Christ establish these three levels of ordination when he established Holy Orders?

Does someone that has been ordained have more power over a lay person in the Catholic Church?

Is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church based on Holy Orders?

These may seem like simple questions, but recently I have been thinking a lot about simple questions.

A deacon is given the authority to conduct marriages, baptisms, funeral services, and other duties to assist the parish priest.

The parish priest runs the parish, can do all sacraments except holy orders, and confimation (i stand corrected on this) but can confirm with the approval of his bishop.

A bishop confers holy orders (ordain a priest and deacon) and runs the diocese which is composed of several parishes.

A priest can be elevated to a bishop. A bishop to be an archbishop and cardinal. The pope comes from the ranks of the cardinals (I am not sure if a bishop can be elected pope nowadays).

 

[Aramis]

A deacon, at his ordination, receives the authority to proclaim the Gospel during mass, and the duty to teach the faith, and the duty to assist the bishop and the bishop’s priests in the sacrifice of Divine Worship services (namely, the Mass, the Divine Liturgy, the Qurbana, or Qorbono). Specifically, in all rites, he leads the prayers of the faithful (the Roman PotF, the Byzantine and Coptic litanies) and proclaims the gospel. He also makes solemn promises of celibacy and obedience. (Remembering: Celibacy means not being able to contract a new marriage - if already married, he remains so, and if not, he will never marry.)

He normally receives, in the Roman Church, the faculties to preach, to lead services in the absence of a priest*, to baptise, to be the church’s witness to marriages, and to bless sacramentals. He may be tasked to teach any level of religious education by the bishop, but especially frequently is assigned baptismal preparation, marriage preparation, and RCIA. Many RC deacons also serve in both hospital and prison ministries.

In the eastern churches, the faculties are fewer, usually including only preaching and distributing communion to the faithful (as EMHC’s are allowed in only a couple of the Eastern Churches in Union with Rome). Again, the educational role is widespread. It’s more common for deacons to function as parish administration staff in the eastern churches, and provide more assistance outside of the sacramental role. The deacon’s role in the Divine Liturgy is more visible than in the west, and the duty no less profound.

Slavic Byzantine Deacons, especially Ukrainian and Ruthenian, may be blessed to lead certain services in the absence of a priest, sometimes including “Typica with Communion”… no layman may lead that service, and when done by a priest, it’s called “The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.” (Presanctified is done on weekdays of Lent and St. Phillip’s Fast - aka advent - instead of a consecratory Divine Liturgy. Typica with communion is used in missions or when the priest is sick. )

• Almost all services except the Mass may be lead by a deacon, *if his bishop lets him. * A communion service lead by a deacon traditionally counts as a Divine Worship Service, both East and West. In the Slavic Byzantine Tradition, it’s called Deacon’s Typica with Communion.

 

[Lady_Marchmain]

The parish priest runs the parish.

Correction, if I may.

It’s important to note that in terms of the Sacrament of Holy Orders the priest running, or not running, a parish is irrelevant.

3 things pertain to priestly ordination: Confect, Shrive, Anoint

 

[ajpirc]

No man in Holy Orders has power over a layperson, except the authority that person grants to the ordained.

Why doesn’t he? I’ve always thought of the Church’s hierarchy to have been bishops at the top (organized as pope, cardinal, patriarch, etc.), then priests, then deacons, and the laymen at the bottom. Isn’t the Church run by the clergy and not the laypeople?

 

[Spirithound]

Why doesn’t he? . Isn’t the Church run by the clergy and not the laypeople?

Certainly but in today’s society, Church membership is optional. More to the point, the priests and bishops generally do not wield their own power. Most of the directives they give are part of God’s divine law, so by not murdering, I may be obeying my priest, but moreover, I’m obeying God. The exception to this may be excommunication, which is the bishop’s prerogative.

 

[Lapey]

Why doesn’t he? I’ve always thought of the Church’s hierarchy to have been bishops at the top (organized as pope, cardinal, patriarch, etc.), then priests, then deacons, and the laymen at the bottom. Isn’t the Church run by the clergy and not the laypeople?

It’s not power, it’s authority, as others have pointed out. Jesus gave His authority to the apostles, bind and loose. Yes there is a heiarchy, but not of power as a ruling class.

 

[laszlo]

Did Christ establish these three levels of ordination when he established Holy Orders?

The Apostles are the equivalent order for the bishop. By the power given to them they appointed deacons to serve them at the community meals, and also priests as helpers in the sacraments

Does someone that has been ordained have more power over a lay person in the Catholic Church?

Is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church based on Holy Orders?

Only the bishops have jurisdictional power on their own over their folks, and even this is independent from the order itself. It comes from the installation, and sometimes non bishops are appointed to such jurisdictional power. Pastors have power only in the name of the Ordinary (bishop) over their parishioners.

The hierarchy is the pope and the bishops, priests or bishops w/o jurisdiction are not members of the hierarchy.

 

[Evan]

Deacons, in the hierarchy, are under the bishop and work along side the priest. They may be assigned to a parish in which case they would be under the priest assigned to lead the parish, or they may be assigned to work in some other ministry.

So the hierarchy would be

bishop

priest and deacons

I don’t know where the laity go since the bishops are the servants of all. Maybe they are at the top just below Christ.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Deacons, in the hierarchy, are under the bishop and work along side the priest. They may be assigned to a parish in which case they would be under the priest assigned to lead the parish, or they may be assigned to work in some other ministry.

So the hierarchy would be

bishop

priest and deacons

I don’t know where the laity go since the bishops are the servants of all. Maybe they are at the top just below Christ.

At the bottom. The Bishops are our elders as stated in St. Paul’s epistles. Such is just the hierarchy on earth, but ultimately we all fall under Christ.

 

[Evan]

At the bottom. The Bishops are our elders as stated in St. Paul’s epistles. Such is just the hierarchy on earth, but ultimately we all fall under Christ.

Yet, at the institution of the priesthood, was it not Jesus Himself (one who is greater than Paul) who said “no servant is greater than his master” and showed them, in the washing of the feet, the role they were to play as bishops of His Church?

Is not one of the Pope’s titles: servants of the servants of God?
Are not the bishops the servants of God?
Are the faithful not the body of Christ on earth?

 

[TheMc]

Yet, at the institution of the priesthood, was it not Jesus Himself (one who is greater than Paul) who said “no servant is greater than his master” and showed them, in the washing of the feet, the role they were to play as bishops of His Church?

Is not one of the Pope’s titles: servants of the servants of God?
Are not the bishops the servants of God?
Are the faithful not the body of Christ on earth?

Yes, you are right, but they are still in charge. After Jesus washed their feet, did he cease to be at the top of the “chain of command”? It’s no different.

 

[Evan]

Yes, you are right, but they are still in charge. After Jesus washed their feet, did he cease to be at the top of the “chain of command”? It’s no different.

He was claiming to be the master. The Faithful are to convert the world.

The bishops are to sanctify, teach, oversee. But is this activity from above or below? Are they the supporting role, or the role of power? Do they not act out of love rather than from power?

Deacon mean… to serve.
All priests and bishops are deacons first.
Who are they to serve if not the body?

 

[TheMc]

He was claiming to be the master. The Faithful are to convert the world.

The bishops are to sanctify, teach, oversee. But is this activity from above or below? Are they the supporting role, or the role of power? Do they not act out of love rather than from power?

Deacon mean… to serve.
All priests and bishops are deacons first.
Who are they to serve if not the body?

It’s not one of power, but it is one of authority.

 

[ajpirc]

I don’t know where the laity go since the bishops are the servants of all. Maybe they are at the top just below Christ.

If the laity are at the top, then why aren’t we the ones that are interpreting Scripture and Tradition and ruling over the dioceses and making the laws for the rest of the Church? I think that if the laity were at the top and the clergy were at the bottom, then the Church would be a democracy where we would have more power over the Church than the Church having power over us. What would be the purpose of the clergy then? We would just be another Protestant denomination without the hierarchy.

Also, the bishops are our servants, but not in a way that they are our slaves. They serve us by giving us the sacraments and teaching us what we need to know. If they were slaves, they couldn’t have the authority to excommunicate their masters.

 

[ajpirc]

All priests and bishops are deacons first.

And all (or most) managers were once the employee. The manager tells his employees to serve the customers.

 

[Evan]

Also, the bishops are our servants, but not in a way that they are our slaves. They serve us by giving us the sacraments and teaching us what we need to know.

This is correct. We have a right to the sacraments. If we are living as Catholics, we cannot be denied. It is the will of God and of the Church that all who are able to, do receive the sacraments. For example: if someone will never reach an age of discernment due to lack of mental faculties, that person would no be denied confirmation.

This ties in with the old: “If I were the Pope, I would … fill in the blank ]”

Nobody ever fills in the blank with “love my neighbor more” or “bring people to God by my sanctity”. It almost always “I would act like a despot and MAKE PEOPLE LOVE GOD!!! OR ELSE!!! :bowdown:”

 

[ConstantineTG]

Yet, at the institution of the priesthood, was it not Jesus Himself (one who is greater than Paul) who said “no servant is greater than his master” and showed them, in the washing of the feet, the role they were to play as bishops of His Church?

Is not one of the Pope’s titles: servants of the servants of God?
Are not the bishops the servants of God?
Are the faithful not the body of Christ on earth?

My title is also servant of God, our Bishop said so during Liturgy

Ultimately we owe the Bishops our obedience and loyalty, thus we are under them.