Christopher Wendt: Good evening, everyone. Good evening, Your Excellency. I greet all members of the Confraternity and all guests. Thank you for coming. Tonight’s broadcast is a catechism lesson from the Roman Catechism on the sacrament of holy orders. Before we get started, Your Excellency, could you start us off with a prayer?
His Excellency: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Christopher Wendt: Before we get started, I will just have a few announcements, and then we will turn it over to you. If you do not have a copy of His Excellency’s book, Credo, it is a great catechism book. You can really learn your faith, the true faith that comes to us from the apostles. I highly urge you to buy this book, either from Sophia Press directly or wherever you can buy good Catholic books, including Amazon. Get yourself a copy for your family. I also want to thank all the supporters and all the people who made donations for the missionary work for the House of Saint Benedict, House of Studies. We are on the other side of the climb. Thanks be to Jesus and Mary. We successfully climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro and were able to raise a lot of money for this House of Studies, which is a very important mission for the Church, so that the Church can have authentically Catholic-formed priests. Without further ado, I will give you, Your Excellency. Thank you.
His Excellency: Today, we will speak about the sacrament of holy orders. If one attentively considers the nature and the essence of the other sacraments, it will readily be seen that they all depend on the sacrament of orders to such an extent that without it, some of them could not be administered at all.
Now, when we look at the dignity of the sacrament, bishops, and priests being as they are, God’s interpreters and ambassadors, empowered in His name to teach mankind the Divine Law and the rules of conduct, and holding His place on Earth, it is evident that no nobler function than theirs can be imagined.
Justly, therefore, are they called not only angels but the ambassadors of God. Because of the fact that they exercise in our midst the power and prerogative of God, in all ages, priests have been held in the highest honor.
Yet the priests of the New Testament far exceed all others. The power of consecrating and offering the body and blood of our Lord and forgiving sins, which has been conferred on them, not only has nothing equal or like on Earth but even surpasses human reason and understanding.
As our Savior was sent by His Father, and as the apostles and disciples were sent into the whole world by Christ our Lord, so priests are daily sent with the same powers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and the edifying of the holy body of Christ. As St. Paul says, let us look at the requirements for candidates for Holy Orders. These are especially the holiness of life, the moral life, knowledge, and prudence.
The burden of this great office, therefore, should not be rashly imposed on anyone but is to be conferred only on those who, by their holiness of life, by the knowledge of the true faith, and prudence, are able to bear it.
There is first the divine call to the priesthood. Let no one take the honor to himself, says Holy Scripture, but he that is called by God as Aaron was. They are called by God who are called by the lawful ministers of His Church. This is very important. They are called by God who are called by the lawful ministers of His Church.
It is to those who arrogantly intrude themselves into this ministry that the Lord must be understood to refer when He says, I did not send prophets, yet they ran. Nothing can be more unhappy and wretched than such a class of men as these who are not called by God. Nothing is more calamitous to the Church of God than to admit those to the priesthood who are not called by God.
Then there must be the right intention by the candidate. In every action we undertake, it is of the highest importance to have a good motive in view. For if the motive is good, the rest proceeds harmoniously. The candidate of Holy Orders, therefore, should first of all be admonished to entertain no purpose unworthy of so exalted an office.
Some embrace this state to secure the necessities of life and consequently seek in the priesthood, just as other men do in the lowest walks of life, nothing more or less than gain. Though both natural and divine law lay down, as the apostle remarks, that he who serves the altar should live by the altar, to approach the altar for the sake of gain and money is one of the very gravest of sacrileges.
Some are attracted to the priesthood by ambition and love of honors, while others desire to be ordained simply in order that they may abound in riches.
As is proved by the fact that unless some wealthy benefice or important office in the Church were conferred on them, they would not dream of receiving Holy Orders. It is such as these that our Savior describes as hirelings who, in the words of Ezekiel, feed themselves and not the sheep, and whose baseness and dishonesty have not only brought great disgrace on the ecclesiastical state, so much so that hardly anything is now more vile and contemptible in the eyes of the faithful but also in this, that they derive no other fruit from their priesthood than was derived by Judas from the apostleship, which only brought him everlasting destruction and condemnation.
But those who are lawfully called by God and who undertake the ecclesiastical state with the single motive of promoting the glory of God and the salvation of souls are truly said to enter the Church by the door.
Those who desire to receive the Sacrament of Orders should aim not only at seeking the glory of God in all things, an obligation admittedly common to all men and particularly to the faithful, but also to serve Him in holiness and justice, in whatever sphere of His ministry they may be placed.
Though all the faithful should diligently practice piety and innocence of life, which are the chief means of honoring God, those who are in holy orders have certain special duties and functions to discharge in the Church. Thus, they offer a sacrifice for themselves and for all the people. They explain God’s law and exhort and form the faithful to observe it promptly and cheerfully.
They administer the sacraments of Christ our Lord, by means of which all grace is conferred and increased. And in a word, they are chosen from the rest of the people to fill by far the greatest and noblest of all ministries.
Now let us look at the power, the holy power, conferred by this sacrament.
The powers of orders are conferred along with the power of jurisdiction. The power of orders has for its object the real body of Christ our Lord in the blessed Eucharist, especially. The power of jurisdiction refers altogether to the Mystical Body of Christ. The scope of this power is to govern and rule the Christian people, to lead them to the unending bliss of heaven.
Let us look at the power of orders. The power of orders not only embraces the power of consecrating the Holy Eucharist but also fits and prepares the souls of men for its reception. It also embraces all else that can have any reference to the Holy Eucharist.
Regarding this power, numerous passages of Sacred Scripture may be adduced, but the weightiest and most striking are those which are read in St. John and St. Matthew. As the Father says, Our Lord has sent me; I also send you. Receive the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. And Amen, I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth shall be bound also in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth shall be loosed also in heaven. These texts, when expounded by pastors in accordance with the teaching and authority of the Church, will throw great light on this truth.
Let us look at the greatness of this power. This power far exceeds that given under the law of nature to certain people who had charge of sacred things.
The period previous to the written law must have had its priesthood and its spiritual power since it is certain that it had its law. For these two, as the apostles testify, are so closely connected that if the priesthood is transferred, the law must necessarily be transferred also.
The law of the Old Testament, guided by a natural instinct, shows that men recognize that God is to be worshiped. Hence, it follows that in every nation, some whose power might, in a certain sense, be called spiritual, were given the care of sacred things and of divine worship.
This power was also possessed by the Jews in the Old Testament. Though it was superior in dignity to that with which priests were invested under the law of nature, yet it must be regarded as far inferior to the spiritual power found in the priests of the new law.
For the latter is heavenly and surpasses all the power of the angels. It is derived not from the Mosaic priesthood but from Christ our Lord, who was a priest not according to the order of Aaron but according to the order of Melchizedek. He, who himself was endowed with the supreme power of granting grace and remitting sins, left this power to His Church. This power, also, He limited in extent and attached it to the sacraments.
The Holy Order is a sacrament. That sacred ordination is to be numbered among the sacraments of the Church is the constant tradition of the Church received from the apostles. Since a sacrament is a sign of a sacred thing, and since the outward action in this consecration denotes the grace and power bestowed on the priest who is consecrated, it becomes clearly evident that order must be truly and properly regarded as a sacrament.
The matter of the sacrament is the imposition of the hands of the ordaining bishop upon the head of the candidate. The form of the sacrament consists in their respective essential words in the preface of the ordination.
Let us look at the number of orders. The Council of Trent teaches that the ministry of so sublime a priesthood being a thing all divine, it is but befitting its worthier and more reverent exercise that in the Church’s well-ordered disposition there should be several different orders of ministers destined to assist the priesthood by virtue of their office. Orders are arranged in such a way that those who have already received clerical tonsure should be raised step by step from the lower to the higher orders according to the most ancient tradition of the Church. These orders are seven in number, and this has been the constant teaching of the Catholic Church at least since the third century.
These orders are those of porter, lector, reader, exorcist, acolyte, subdeacon, deacon, and priest. That the number of ministers was wisely established may be proved by considering the various offices that are necessary for the consecration of the Holy Eucharist in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the principal scope of the institution.
They are divided into major or sacred and minor orders according to the most ancient tradition of the Church.
The major orders are the priesthood, diaconate, and subdiaconate, while the minor orders are those of acolyte, exorcist, lector, reader, and porter.
Let us first look at the tonsure. It is a very ancient tradition received already from the apostles. In the beginning, it should be explained that just as men are prepared for baptism by exorcism and for matrimony by engagement, so those who dedicate themselves to God by tonsure are opened to the way that leads to the sacrament of Holy Orders. For by the cutting off of hair is signified the character and disposition of him who desires to devote himself to the sacred ministry.
Now, let us look at the name of clergy or clerics. Regarding this name, which is then given for the first time when he enters Holy Orders, it is derived from the fact that the candidate thereby begins to take the Lord for his lot and inheritance. Just as those among the Jews who were attached to the service of God were forbidden by the Lord to have any part of the ground that would be distributed in the land of promise. The Lord said I am the portion and your portion, your inheritance, to the priests of the old law.
These words are true of all the faithful, yet it is certain that they apply in a special way to those who consecrate themselves to the service of God in the priesthood.
Now, let us look at the meaning of the tonsure. The hair of the head is cut off in the form of a crown in the celebration, in the liturgy. It should always be worn thus in the old times and should be enlarged according as one is advanced in higher orders, according to the old tradition of the Church.
Today, it is no longer observed. The Church teaches that this usage is derived from the apostolic origin. It is also mentioned by the Church Fathers, such as St. Augustine and St. Jerome, already in the fourth century.
It is said that St. Peter first introduced the usage of the tonsure in memory of the crown of thorns that was put upon the Savior’s head, so that the devices restored by the Empress, meant for the ignominy and torture of Christ, might be used by His apostles as a sign of honor and glory. It also signifies that the ministers of the Church should strive to resemble Christ our Lord and represent Him in all things.
Some, however, assert that by tonsure is denoted the royal dignity that is the portion served especially for those who are called to the inheritance of the Lord. It will readily be seen that what Apostle Peter says of all the faithful, “You are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood,” applies especially and with much greater reason to the ministers of the Church. Still, there are some who consider that the circle, which is the most perfect of all figures, signified the profession of a more perfect life undertaken by the clergy, the form of the circle being the tonsure.
While, in view of the fact that the hair of their heads, which is a kind of bodily superfluity, is cut off, others think that it denotes contempt for external things and detachment of the soul from all human cares, as Pope St. Gregory the Great explains.
Let us now look at the minor orders according to the most ancient tradition of the Church. The porter is the first step. The function of the porter is to guard the keys and doors of the Church and to allow no one to enter who has been forbidden access.
Formerly, the porter used to assist at the Holy Mass to see that no one approached too near the altar or disturbed the priest during the celebration. Other duties were also assigned to him, as may be seen from the ceremonies of ordination. Thus, the bishop, taking the keys from the altar, hands them to the one being made porter and says, “Let your conduct be that of one who has surrendered to God an account of those things that are kept under these keys.”
How great the dignity of this order in the ancient Church may be inferred from a usage which existed at that time: the office of treasurer, also still numbered among the more honorable functions of the Church, was entrusted to the porters.
The next step is the reader, the lector. It is the reader’s duty to read in the church in a clear and distinct voice the books of the Old and New Testament, especially during the nocturnal ceremony. Formerly, it was also his duty to teach the faithful the first rudiments of the Christian religion. Hence, when ordaining him, the bishop hands him a book in which all that regards this office is set down and says, “Take and be you an announcer of the Word of God.”
The next step is the exorcist. To him is given the power to invoke the name of the Lord over those who are possessed by unclean spirits. Hence, the bishop, when ordaining them, presents a book in which the exorcisms are contained and at the same time pronounces these words: “Take and commit to memory and have the power of imposing hands over the possessed, whether baptized or catechumen.”
Then comes the acolyte, the first degree, and the last of the orders that are called minor or not sacred, non-sacramental. Their duty is to attend and serve the ministers who are in major orders. They also carry and attend to the lights during the celebration of Mass, especially during the reading of the Gospel, from which fact they are also called candle bearers.
Therefore, at the ordination of acolytes, the bishop observes the following rite. First, he carefully warns them of the nature of their office. Then he hands each of them a light, saying, “Receive these candlesticks and candles, and remember that henceforth you are given the charge of lighting the candles of the church in the name of the Lord.”
Then he hands them empty cruets in which are preserved the wine and water for the Sacrifice of the Mass, saying, “Receive these vessels to supply wine and water for the Eucharist of Christ’s body in the name of the Lord.”
According to the constant tradition of the Church, the minor orders are not sacramental. They do not pertain to the sacrament of Holy Orders.
Then the subdeacon. The subdeaconate is the first degree of the former major orders. Its function, as the name itself indicates, is to serve the deacon. Therefore, subdeacon.
It is the subdeacon who should prepare the altar linen, the vessels, and the bread and wine necessary for the celebration of Holy Mass. He also presents water to the bishop or priest when he washes his hands during Mass. It is also the subdeacon who reads the epistle, which in former times was read by the deacon at Mass.
He assists as a witness at the holy sacrifice and guards the celebrant from being disturbed by anyone during the sacred ceremonies. The various duties that pertain to the subdeacon are indicated by the solemn ceremonies at the ordination. In the first place, the bishop warns him that the obligation of perpetual continence and celibacy is attached to this order according to the ancient tradition of the Church. Today, this is no longer observed.
The bishop also declares that no one is to be admitted among the subdeacons who is not ready and willing to accept the obligation of celibacy. This, however, is no longer observed in the new canon law.
After the recitation of the litanies, the bishop enumerates and explains the duties of the subdeacon. Each one who is being ordained subdeacon receives the chalice and the paten from the bishop. To show that he is to serve the deacon, the subdeacon receives from the archdeacon the vessels filled with wine and water, together with a basin and towel with which to wash and dry the hands of the priest and bishop. At the same time, the bishop pronounces these words: see what sort of ministry is entrusted to you. I admonish you, therefore, to show yourself worthy to please God. Other prayers follow, and finally, when the bishop has clothed the subdeacon with the sacred vestment of the tunicle, for each of which there are special words and ceremonies, he gives him the Book of the Epistles, saying, receive the book of the Epistles with power to read them in the Holy Church of God. According to the universal and constant tradition of the church, the subdeaconate does not pertain to the sacrament of Holy Orders.
Now, let us look at the deacon. The diaconate is sacramental and thus the first degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders. His duty is to be always in the sight of the bishop, to guard him while he preaches, and to serve him and the priest during the celebration of Holy Mass and other ceremonies. He also reads the Gospel in the Holy Mass. In former times, the deacon frequently warned the faithful to be attentive to the Holy Mysteries. He administered our Lord’s blood in churches where the custom existed for the faithful to receive the Eucharist under both species. To him was entrusted the distribution of the church’s goods as well as the duty of providing for all that was necessary for each one’s sustenance. He should also read out the list of catechumens and present to the bishop those who are to be admitted to Holy Orders. Finally, in the absence of a bishop or priest, the deacon can explain the Gospel, and in ancient times, he did it not from the pulpit, showing that this is not his proper office but from another place in the church. The apostle shows the great care that should be taken that no one unworthy of the diaconate be promoted to this order when, in his epistle to Timothy, he sets forth a deacon’s character, virtues, and integrity.
The same point is also gathered from the rites and solemn ceremonies that the bishop employs when ordaining the deacon. The bishop uses more numerous and more solemn prayers at the ordination of a deacon than at that of a subdeacon. He also adds other kinds of sacred vestments, such as the dalmatic. Moreover, he imposes hands on the deacon, the candidate, just as we read the apostles used to do when ordaining the first seven deacons. Finally, the bishop hands him the book of the Gospels with these words: Receive the power to read the Gospel in the church.
Then let us look at the priest. The second degree of sacred order is the priesthood. The Fathers of the Church usually designated those who had received this order by two names at one time. They called them presbyters, a Greek word signifying elders, not only because of the ripe years necessary for this order, but much more on account of their gravity, knowledge, and prudence. For it is written: venerable old age is not that of a long time nor counted by the number of years, but the understanding of a man is gray hairs, and an unspotted life is already old age to be an elder presbyter. At other times, they called them simply priests, both because they are consecrated to God and because it belongs to them to administer the sacraments and take charge of things sacred and divine.
The priesthood itself is twofold. Sacred Scripture describes a twofold priesthood, one internal and the other external. Regarding the internal priesthood, all the faithful baptized are said to be priests once they have been washed in the saving waters of baptism. Especially is this name given to the just who have the Spirit of God and who, by the help of divine grace, have been made living members of the great high priest, Jesus Christ, the head of his mystical Body. For, enlightened by faith, which is inflamed by charity, the faithful offer up spiritual sacrifices to God on the altar of their hearts. Among such sacrifices must be reckoned every good and virtuous action done for the glory of God and for the love of God. Hence, we read in the Apocalypse: Christ has washed us from our sins in his own blood and has made us a kingdom and priests to God his Father. In like manner, it is said by Saint Peter: Be you also living stones, built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The apostle exhorts us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing unto God, as a reasonable service in the Letter to the Romans. And long before this, David had said: a sacrifice to God is an afflicted and contrite spirit, a contrite and humble heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. All these clearly regard the internal priesthood or the common priesthood of the faithful.
Now, let us look at the sacramental priesthood, the external priesthood, and the ministerial priesthood. This priesthood does not pertain to the faithful.
The external priesthood is not common to all, but only to certain men who have been ordained and consecrated by God through the sacrament of Holy Orders by the lawful imposition of hands and by the solemn ceremonies of this sacrament, and who are thereby devoted to a particular sacred ministry, the holy priesthood. This distinction of the priesthood can be seen even in the Old Law. David spoke of the internal priesthood we have just shown. On the other hand, everyone knows the many and various precepts given by the Lord to Moses and Aaron regarding the external priesthood. Along with these, He appointed the whole tribe of Levi to the ministry of the temple, and God forbade by law that anyone belonging to another tribe should dare to intrude upon that function. Hence, King Uzziah was afflicted with leprosy by the Lord for having usurped the sacred priestly ministry and had to suffer grave chastisements for his arrogance and sacrilege.
So we have this structure that the Holy Church transmitted to us in old times: the minor orders and the subdiaconate, which was unfortunately abolished by Paul VI in 1972, but is still kept by some seminaries and religious congregations to whom the Holy See allows the use of the tonsure, the minor orders, the subdiaconate, and then the Holy Orders, which have three steps: the diaconate, which is sacramental; the priesthood; and then the episcopate. The priesthood itself is the external priesthood, the visible ministerial priesthood, which is conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders, as opposed to the common priesthood of the faithful—the internal priesthood confirmed by baptism and strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation. All this is so wisely ordered by God that it wonderfully edifies and bears many fruits in the Mystical Body of Christ for the greater glory of God and the most efficient salvation of souls.
Christopher Wendt: Thank you, Your Excellency. Those were very great reflections on the orders. I have a question for you. Why do you think Pope Paul VI got rid of the minor orders if we had had them for so long? I tried to find anything in research about why there was this big change in, what was it, 1971 or 1972 when they were removed.
His Excellency: For me, this is also an enigma. Even the Second Vatican Council made no mention or request to abolish the minor orders at all. This was a decision of Paul VI alone. He was truly not well advised, and he did not have the authority to do this because the minor orders and the subdiaconate were constantly celebrated, used, and conferred by the Roman Church at least from the third century. How can a pope simply abolish such a venerable and constant tradition of at least 1700 years? It is incredible. It should be restored. And I believe future popes, hopefully soon, will restore this ancient, almost apostolic tradition of the minor orders in some way.
Christopher Wendt: That is beautiful. We will pray for that. I think we cannot do better than that. Your Excellency, could you close our podcast with a prayer and your blessing?
His Excellency: Yes. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Kyrie Eleison! Christe Eleison! Kyrie Eleison! Lord Jesus Christ,
You are the Good Shepherd! With Your almighty hand, You guide Your pilgrim Church through the storms of each age.
Adorn the Holy See with holy popes who neither fear the powerful of this world nor compromise with the spirit of the age, but preserve, strengthen, and defend the Catholic Faith unto the shedding of their blood, and observe, protect, and hand on the venerable liturgy of the Roman Church.
O Lord, return to us through holy popes who, inflamed with the zeal of the Apostles, proclaim to the whole world: “Salvation is found in no other than in Jesus Christ. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which they should be saved” (see Acts 4:10-12).
Through an era of holy popes, may the Holy See, which is home to all who promote the Catholic and Apostolic Faith, always shine as the cathedra of truth for the whole world. Hear us, O Lord, and through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of the Church, grant us holy Popes, grant us many holy Popes! Have mercy on us and hear us! Amen.
Dominus vobiscum.
Christopher Wendt: Et cum spiritu tuo.
His Excellency: Et benedictio Dei Omnipotentis: Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, descendat super vos et maneat semper. Amen.
Praise be Jesus Christ!
Christopher Wendt: Now and forever!
Thank you, Your Excellency. This concludes tonight’s broadcast. The next broadcast will be in September and will be a question-and-answer session where we will start together with your questions. We will also begin the consecration that will conclude on October 13th, the feast of the solar miracle of Our Lady of Fatima. If any of you want to renew your consecration or go deeper in your love for Our Lady, just reach out to us at info@livefatima.io, and we will get you signed up so you can make the consecration with all of us. Till next time, thank you.
