The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1956-03-16
No Higher Vocation


joining group whose power and dignity were
divinely given. There can be no higher vocation
in life than the call to Holy Orders
Order or Ordination is sacrament Of the
Netp Ldw Whereby spiritual po,Der Is deh1ered
and grace is conferred for the conservation of the
Eucharist and the proper discharge of other ec-
cleSiastical functions (Tanquerey).
These words indicate that this sacrament not
only. confers grace but is a truly active, power.
This power is given primarily to consecrate the
Eucharist and secondarily to administer the other
sacraments, or for the proper discharge of sacred
functions.
The existence OF Holy Orders is generally
denied by the Protestants with the exception of
the Rtuasts For they contend that all the faith
ful are invested with the priesthood in virtue Of
Baptism, and need only public deputation in
ul.ar 10 exercise the priestly office The Modern.
lists likewise contend that the priesthood is a
merely ecclesiastical institution.
But Catholics know that order, or sacred
Ordination is truly and properly sacrament
instituted By Christ the Lord. This is of faith,
on the authority of the Council of Trent: 'If any
one shall say that Order, or Sacred Ordination,
is not truly and properly sacrament instituted
by Christ the Lord, or that it is human inven-
ton eontriVed by men skilled in ecclesiastical
matters, or that it is merely the rite of appoint
ing ministers OF the word of God and of the
saeraments, let him be anathema"
exists a visible priesthood, which belongs not TO
all but only to those who are duly ordained. For
the Apostles, who were the priests of the first
Eucharstlc sacrifices, were especially selected by
God Come, follow Me, and | will make you
fishers of men" MARK i, 1913; you have
not chosen Me- but have chosen you" John XIV,
1b).
They we're consecrated by a special rite,
and deputed TO special functions for to them and
10 them alone was given the power, at the Last
Supper, OF consecrating the body and blood of
Christ DO this in remembrance Of Ne" Luke
xNii. 49,
BY these words Christ appointed the Apostles
priests, and them alone Afterwards, the power
of forglving sins was also conferred on them
alone, when, following His Resurrection, Christ
hroatbcd on the Apostles and said: Receive the
Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they
1 gwen them and whose sins you shall
retain, they are retained John Xxx, 22)
But the priesthood like the sacrifice of the
New Law was TO be perpetual; and therefore
the Apostles appointed other ministers through
an external and visible rite, namely by laying
on of hands (Acts vi, 8; xiii 3; xiv, 3D. | Tim
w. IA. II Tim. /, s. SO TO distinguish them
from the rest Of the faithful. To them alone be
longed the office of ruling the Church of God
(Aets Xxx, 28), OF dispensing the mysteries of
God q Cor. iv, -, and of offering gifts and
sacrifices (Heh V, d.
was truly and properl" a sacrament. For the
laying on of hands, which was given only to a
few, and cautiously, according TO the admoni-
tions of ST. Paul q Tim. V, 22), a sensible
sign. as is evident II is productive of grace, as
Ia proved by these texts especially: "Do not neg
lect the grace that is In thee granted to thee by
reason OF prophecy with the laying on of hands
Of the presbyterste" Il Tim l4l; Il admonish
thee to stir up the grace of God, which is in thee
by the laying on Of my hands I'll Tim. 81. And
II instituted by Christ, for He alone can
annex grace TO external rite Moreover, Christ,
who instituted the priesthood as we know from
the words quoted above, DO this in remembrance
Of Me Whose sins you shall forgive also
determined the rite whereby the priestly grace
and power can be conferred
The existnce Of the sacrament of Holy Orders
is OF faith, as proved by this definition of the
Council of Trent ''lf anyone shall say that there
Is no hierarchy i'll the Catholic Church instituted
hy divine ordinance which consists of Bishops,
priests, and ministers, let him be anathema."