Chapter I. On the Nature and Division of Order

694. • By the name Order here is understood a rank of Clerics consecrated for special ecclesiastical Offices. But how great the dignity and excellence of this Sacrament is can scarcely be expressed by a human voice. Concerning this matter the Catechism of the Council of Trent, among many other things, speaks thus: The power conferred upon it both of consecrating and offering the Body and Blood of our Lord and of remitting sins surpasses human reason and understanding, much less can anything equal and similar to it be found on earth.

Order is commonly defined as a certain seal of the Church by which spiritual power is bestowed upon the one ordained. - St. Ligorius, no. 735, after St. Thomas, etc. According to others, it is also rightly defined as: A Sacrament of the new law by which spiritual power is handed over and grace is conferred for duly performing ecclesiastical duties.

695. Matters to Be Established. - I. Order is a true and properly so-called Sacrament of the new law.

This is established because all things required for the nature of a Sacrament are found in it, namely: first, a sensible sign, since it is conferred with an exterior sign. Second, divine institution, since Christ instituted the Apostles as Ministers of Order and gave them the power of consecrating, remitting sins, dispensing the sacred Mysteries, governing the Church, and instituting other Ministers. Acts 22. - 1 Corinthians 12. - Galatians 2. - Matthew 28. Third, the conferral of grace, as is established from 1 Timothy 4:24. Neglect not, says the Apostle, the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with imposition of the hands of the priesthood. And 2 Timothy 1:6: I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of my hands.

It is also gathered from the definition of the Council of Trent, session 23, canon 3, where it is thus read: If anyone says that Order is not truly and properly a Sacrament instituted by Christ the Lord, let him be anathema.

696. • II. Seven Orders are enumerated, namely, the Priesthood, the Diaconate, Subdiaconate, Acolytate, Exorcistate, Lectorate, and Ostiariate. The first three are called major Orders, the others minor.

This is deduced from several Councils, especially from the Council of Trent, session 23, chapter 2; for after it had said explicitly that Priests and Deacons are spoken of in the sacred Scriptures, it adds: From the very beginning of the Church, the names of the following Orders and the ministries proper to each of them, namely, Subdeacon, Acolyte, Exorcist, Lector, and Porter, are known to have been in use. Likewise, canon 2 says: If anyone says that besides the Priesthood there are not in the Catholic Church other Orders, both major and minor, through which, as though by certain steps, one tends toward the Priesthood, let him be anathema.

697. Questions. - QUESTION 1. What is the nature and property of these Orders?

Reply 1. The Ostiariate is the Order by which there is conferred a special power of opening or closing the door of the Church, admitting the worthy, and excluding the unworthy.

2. The Lectorate is the Order by which there is handed over a special power of reading psalms and lessons from the pulpit in the Church, and of catechizing the people, or instructing them in matters of Faith.

3. The Exorcistate is the Order by which there is conferred upon someone a special power of casting out demons through exorcisms instituted by the Church.

Nevertheless, today the faculty of exorcizing is reserved to Priests alone, who can use it only with the permission of the Ordinary. - Recall what was said, volume 1, no. 317.

4. The Acolytate is the Order by which there is conferred upon someone a special power of serving the Subdeacon during solemn Mass, lighting candles, and preparing and presenting the cruets of wine and water.

5. The Subdiaconate is the Order by which there is conferred upon someone a special power of serving the Deacon at solemn Mass and chanting the Epistle with solemn rite.

6. The Diaconate is the Order by which there is conferred the special power of immediately assisting the Priest at solemn Mass, chanting the Gospel during the solemn rites, preaching, and solemnly baptizing, provided, nevertheless, that a just cause intervenes. Whether a Deacon, in order to preach at some time, needs the special permission of the Bishop, or whether the permission of the Pastor or Rector of the Church suffices, appears to be determined from particular statutes or custom.

7. The Priesthood is the Order by which there is conferred the special power of consecrating the Body and Blood of Christ in the celebration of Mass, absolving from sins, and feeding subjects by deed and doctrine.

To these add the Episcopate and first tonsure, of which the former is the complement of the Priesthood itself, while the latter is not an Order but a disposition toward Orders by which someone is declared a Cleric.

698. • QUESTION 2. Is the Diaconate a Sacrament?

Reply. Yes, according to the common and certain opinion, because all things required for a Sacrament are found in it, namely: first, a sensible sign, through the imposition of hands; second, a sign of grace, in the words of the form: Receive the Holy Spirit, etc.; third, a sign instituted by God, because God alone can institute signs conferring grace. This is also established from the Council of Trent, session 23, canon 6, where it is thus defined: If anyone says that in the Catholic Church there is not a hierarchy instituted by divine ordination, which consists of Bishops, Priests, and Ministers (namely, Deacons), let him be anathema. - See St. Ligorius, no. 737.

699. • QUESTION 3. Is the Subdiaconate also a Sacrament?

Reply. It is disputed. The first probable OPINION affirms it. The reason is that the Subdiaconate, just as the Diaconate, possesses all the signs constitutive of a Sacrament; for it is: first, a sensible sign, as is evident; second, a sign of grace, since it is a sacred Order; third, a sign instituted by God, for the Council of Trent defined that in the Church there is a hierarchy instituted by divine ordination, which consists of Bishops, Priests, and Ministers; but Subdeacons, no differently from Deacons themselves, are to be numbered among the Ministers. - Thus Billuart, with many others after St. Thomas, Supplement, question 37, article 2.

The second OPINION, likewise probable, indeed perhaps more probable, denies it. For there is doubt both concerning divine institution and consequently concerning the promise of grace. Nor does the Subdiaconate appear to be numbered among the major Orders by divine institution, but only by ecclesiastical institution, since among the Greeks it is not regarded as a sacred Order. - St. Ligorius, no. 737.

But the minor Orders, according to the common opinion, are by no means to be numbered among the Sacraments. - St. Ligorius, ibid.