The Steps of Holy Orders
Dylan's Status
To help potential seminarians and others see what the seminary process is like, I provide myself as a concrete example of some of the things that happen in preparation for the priesthood.
I have currently received:
- Candidacy for Holy Orders on 27 September 2006.
- The Ministry of Lector on 21 April 2007.
- The Ministry of Acolyte on 12 April 2008.
God willing, I will next receive: the Order of Deacon in 2009.
After that, I will, God willing, receive:
- The Order of Priest in 2010.
A Brief History of the Minor Orders, the Major Orders, and Tonsure
Besides the orders of bishop. priest, and deacon, which are sacramental and instituted by Christ as degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, in the early Church there were different ministries that quickly developed and men specially entrusted with these ministries by the Church. Over time, these ministries--or "orders" as they were called--became reserved to those preparing for the priesthood.
The standard "minor orders" were:
- Porter
- Lector
- Exorcist
- Acolyte
The "major orders" were:
- Subdeacon
- Deacon
- Priest
- Bishop
There was also "tonsure," which was a ceremony that made a man a cleric under the older norms in preparation for receiving the orders.
In 1972, Pope Paul VI promulgated his motu proprio Ministeria Quaedam which eliminated the orders of Porter and Exorcist, eliminated the Subdiaconate, eliminated Tonsure, changed the appellation "orders" to "ministries," and opened to laymen the possibility of becoming lectors and acolytes.
In 1972, Pope Paul VI also promulgated his motu proprio Ad Pascendum, which established a Rite of Candidacy for Holy Orders serving something of the same function as Tonsure but without the effect of making the recipient a cleric. Becoming a deacon now made a man a cleric.
Currently, those preparing for priesthood must receive first the Ministries of Lector and Acolyte with an appropriate amount of time between these ministries. They must also receive Candidacy. These ministries as well as Candidacy are received at various times in various places.
See also the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the minor orders.
Tonsure
Status: Abrogated.
See also the Catholic Encyclopedia article on Tonsure.
Candidacy
Status: Current.
To receive Candidacy, a seminarian drafts by hand a letter to his bishop asking to be admitted as a candidate for Holy Orders. This request is signed with the person in charge of his formation as a witness, e.g., the rector of the seminary, who endorses the request and himself sends the request to the seminarian's bishop.
I received Candidacy to Holy Orders for the Diocese of Jefferson City on 27 September 2006 at Kenrick Seminary in the Archdiocese of St. Louis from His Excellency, the Most Reverend Elden Francis Curtiss.
See the testimonial letter from His Excellency, the Most Reverend Raymond L. Burke:
See the record of my admission to Candidacy:
Porter
Status: Abrogated.
See also the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the Porter.
Lector
Status: Current.
Ministeria Quaedam says the following about the lector:
The reader is appointed for a function proper to him, that of reading the word of God in the liturgical assembly. Accordingly, he is to proclaim the readings from sacred Scripture, except for the gospel in the Mass and other sacred celebrations; he is to recite the psalm between the readings when there is no psalmist; he is to present the intentions for the general intercessions in the absence of a deacon or cantor; he is to direct the singing and the participation by the faithful; he is to instruct the faithful for the worthy reception of the sacraments. He may also, insofar as may be necessary, take care of preparing other faithful who are appointed on a temporary basis to read the Scriptures in liturgical celebrations. That he may more fittingly and perfectly fulfill these functions, he is to meditate assiduously on sacred Scripture. Aware of the office he has undertaken, the reader is to make every effort and employ suitable means to acquire that increasingly warm and living love [7] and knowledge of Scripture that will make him a more perfect disciple of the Lord.
The Book of Blessings says the following about the lector:
Introduction
18. An acolyte or reader who by formal institution has this special office in the Church is rightly preferred over another layperson as the minister designated at the discretion of the local Ordinary to impart certain blessings.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Third Typical Edition says the following about the lector:
The Structure of the Mass, Its Elements and Its Parts
38. In texts that are to be spoken in a loud and clear voice, whether by the priest or the deacon, or by the lector, or by all, the tone of voice should correspond to the genre of the text itself, that is, depending upon whether it is a reading, a prayer, a commentary, an acclamation, or a sung text; the tone should also be suited to the form of celebration and to the solemnity of the gathering. Consideration should also be given to the idiom of different languages and the culture of different peoples.
In the rubrics and in the norms that follow, words such as "say" and "proclaim" are to be understood of both singing and reciting, according to the principles just stated above.
40. Great importance should therefore be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of the people and abilities of each liturgical assembly. Although it is not always necessary (e.g., in weekday Masses) to sing all the texts that are of themselves meant to be sung, every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and the people is not absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and on holy days of obligation.
In the choosing of the parts actually to be sung, however, preference should be given to those that are of greater importance and especially to those to be sung by the priest or the deacon or the lector, with the people responding, or by the priest and people together.
48. The singing at this time is done either alternately by the choir and the people or in a similar way by the cantor and the people, or entirely by the people, or by the choir alone. In the dioceses of the United States of America there are four options for the Entrance Chant: (1) the antiphon from the Roman Missal or the Psalm from the Roman Gradual as set to music there or in another musical setting; (2) the seasonal antiphon and Psalm of the Simple Gradual; (3) a song from another collection of psalms and antiphons, approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop, including psalms arranged in responsorial or metrical forms; (4) a suitable liturgical song similarly approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop.
If there is no singing at the entrance, the antiphon in the Missal is recited either by the faithful, or by some of them, or by a lector; otherwise, it is recited by the priest himself, who may even adapt it as an introductory explanation (cf. above, no. 31).
59. By tradition, the function of proclaiming the readings is ministerial, not presidential. The readings, therefore, should be proclaimed by a lector, and the Gospel by a deacon or, in his absence, a priest other than the celebrant. If, however, a deacon or another priest is not present, the priest celebrant himself should read the Gospel. Further, if another suitable lector is also not present, then the priest celebrant should also proclaim the other readings.
After each reading, whoever reads gives the acclamation, to which the gathered people reply, honoring the word of God that they have received in faith and with grateful hearts.
71. It is for the priest celebrant to direct this prayer from the chair. He himself begins it with a brief introduction, by which he invites the faithful to pray, and likewise he concludes it with a prayer. The intentions announced should be sober, be composed freely but prudently, and be succinct, and they should express the prayer of the entire community.
The intentions are announced from the ambo or from another suitable place, by the deacon or by a cantor, a lector, or one of the lay faithful.
87. In the dioceses of the United States of America there are four options for the Communion chant: (1) the antiphon from the Roman Missal or the Psalm from the Roman Gradual as set to music there or in another musical setting; (2) the seasonal antiphon and Psalm of the Simple Gradual; (3) a song from another collection of psalms and antiphons, approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop, including psalms arranged in responsorial or metrical forms; (4) a suitable liturgical song chosen in accordance with no. 86 above. This is sung either by the choir alone or by the choir or cantor with the people.
If there is no singing, however, the Communion antiphon found in the Missal may be recited either by the faithful, or by some of them, or by a lector. Otherwise the priest himself says it after he has received Communion and before he distributes Communion to the faithful.
99. The lector is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with the exception of the Gospel. He may also announce the intentions for the Prayer of the Faithful and, in the absence of a psalmist, proclaim the Psalm between the readings.
In the Eucharistic Celebration, the lector has his own proper office (cf. below, nos. 194-198), which he must exercise personally.
101. In the absence of an instituted lector, other laypersons may be commissioned to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture. They should be truly suited to perform this function and should receive careful preparation, so that the faithful by listening to the readings from the sacred texts may develop in their hearts a warm and living love for Sacred Scripture.
Introductory Rites
194. In coming to the altar, when no deacon is present, the lector, wearing approved attire, may carry the Book of the Gospels, which is to be slightly elevated. In that case, the lector walks in front of the priest but otherwise along with the other ministers.
195. Upon reaching the altar, the lector makes a profound bow with the others. If he is carrying the Book of the Gospels, he approaches the altar and places the Book of the Gospels upon it. Then the lector takes his own place in the sanctuary with the other ministers.
The Liturgy of the Word
196. The lector reads from the ambo the readings that precede the Gospel. If there is no psalmist, the lector may also proclaim the responsorial Psalm after the first reading.
197. When no deacon is present, the lector, after the introduction by the priest, may announce from the ambo the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful.
198. If there is no singing at the Entrance or at Communion and the antiphons in the Missal are not recited by the faithful, the lector may read them at the appropriate time (cf. above, nos. 48, 87).
The General Introduction to the Lectionary for Mass says the following about the lector:
Ministries in the Liturgy of the Word
49. Liturgical tradition assigns responsibility for the biblical readings in the celebration of Mass to ministers: to readers and the deacon. But when there is no deacon or no other priest present, the priest celebrant is to read the Gospel and, when there is no reader present, all the readings.
51. "The reader has his own proper function in the Eucharistic celebration and should exercise this even though ministers of a higher rank may be present." The ministry of reader, conferred through a liturgical rite, must be held in respect. When there are instituted readers available, they are to carry out their office at least on Sundays and festive days, especially at the principal Mass of the day. These readers may also be given responsibility for assisting in the arrangement of the liturgy of the word, and, to the extent necessary, of seeing to the preparation of others of the faithful who may be appointed on a given occasion to read at Mass.
52. The liturgical assembly truly requires readers, even those not instituted. Proper measures must therefore be taken to ensure that there are certain suitable laypeople who have been trained to carry out this ministry. Whenever there is more than one reading, it is better to assign the readings to different readers, if available.
53. In Masses without a deacon, the function of announcing the intentions for the prayer of the faithful is to be assigned to the cantor, particularly when they are to be sung, to a reader, or to someone else.
54. During the celebration of Mass with a congregation a second priest, a deacon, and an instituted reader must wear the distinctive vestment of their office when they go up to the ambo to read the word of God. Those who carry out the ministry of reader just for the occasion or even regularly but without institution may go to the ambo in ordinary attire, but this should be in keeping with the customs of the different regions.
55. "It is necessary that those who exercise the ministry of reader, even if they have not received institution, be truly suited and carefully prepared, so that the faithful may develop a warm and living love for Sacred Scripture from listening to the sacred readings."
Their preparation must above all be spiritual, but what may be called a technical preparation is also needed. The spiritual preparation presupposes at least a biblical and liturgical formation. The purpose of their biblical formation is to give readers the ability to understand the readings in context and to perceive by the light of faith the central point of the revealed message. The liturgical formation ought to equip the readers to have some grasp of the meaning and structure of the liturgy of the word and of the significance of its connection with the liturgy of the Eucharist. The technical preparation should make the readers more skilled in the art of reading publicly, either with the power of their own voice or with the help of sound equipment.
Directions for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest says the following about the lector:
30. Those to be chosen first by the pastor are readers and acolytes who have been duly instituted for the service of the altar and the word of God. If there are no such instituted ministers available, other laypersons, men and women, may be appointed;
The Code of Canon Law says the following about the lector:
Can. 230 §1. Lay men who possess the age and qualifications established by decree of the conference of bishops can be admitted on a stable basis through the prescribed liturgical rite to the ministries of lector and acolyte.
Nevertheless, the conferral of these ministries does not grant them the right to obtain support or remuneration from the Church.
§2. Lay persons can fulfill the function of lector in liturgical actions by temporary designation. All lay persons can also perform the functions of commentator or cantor, or other functions, according to the norm of law.
§3. When the need of the Church warrants it and ministers are lacking, lay persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply certain of their duties, namely, to exercise the ministry of the word, to preside offer liturgical prayers, to confer baptism, and to distribute Holy Communion, according to the prescripts of the law.
To receive the Ministry of Lector, a seminarian drafts by hand a letter to his bishop asking to receive the Ministry of Lector. This request is signed with the person in charge of his formation as a witness, e.g., the rector of the seminary, who endorses the request and himself sends the request to the seminarian's bishop.
A layman who is not a seminarian does something similar but obviously is not subject to the rector of a seminary.
I received the Ministry of Lector on 21 April 2007.
See my request to His Excellency, the Most Reverend John R. Gaydos to receive the Ministry of Lector:
See also the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the lector.
Exorcist
Status: Abrogated.
See also the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the Exorcist.
Acolyte
Status: Current.
The Book of Blessings says about the acolyte:
Introduction
18. An acolyte or reader who by formal institution has this special office in the Church is rightly preferred over another layperson as the minister designated at the discretion of the local Ordinary to impart certain blessings.
Directions for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest says the following about the acolyte:
30. Those to be chosen first by the pastor are readers and acolytes who have been duly instituted for the service of the altar and the word of God. If there are no such instituted ministers available, other laypersons, men and women, may be appointed;
See also the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the acolyte.
Subdeacon
Status: Abrogated.
See also the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the subdeacon.