Rite for Ordination of Priests

7/25/2019 Rite for Ordination of Priests

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Rite for ordination of priests

Holy Orders - Priesthood - Introduction| Index| The Seven

Penitential Psalms and Litany of the Saints

PART VIII OR!I"ATIO" O# PRI$STS

%The rite of ordination of a &riest is ta'en from the latest edition ofthe Roman Ponti(cal) Part I) issued on #e*ruary +,) ./+ It has*een re0uested that it *e included here as a convenience) *ecauseof its s&ecial im&ortance in the 1hurch2s litur3y and *ecause it may*e a lon3 time *efore the Roman Ponti(cal is translated into$n3lish4

The ordination of a &riest must normally ta'e &lace 5ithin the6ass) after the tract has *een sun3 or recited u& to the last verseexclusive7 or on certain days *efore the alleluia verse

The *isho& is seated on the faldstool) 5hich has *een &laced forhim at the middle of the altar He is 5earin3 the mitre

The candidates are vested in amice) al*) mani&le) and stole 5orn inthe manner of a deacon Over the left arm they carry a foldedchasu*le) the vestment of &riesthood7 and in the ri3ht hand ali3hted candle and the 5hite linen hand) used later to *ind theirhands 8in some &laces the *and is attached to the cincture9

The Pre&aratory 1eremony

%The (rst &art of the rite consists of the callin3 of the ordinandsand the formal &resentation of them to the *isho&7 the readin3 ofthe interdict7 the archdeacon2s &etition and testimony7 and the*isho&2s address to the ordinands4
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The archdeacon summons the ordinands 5ith the formula: Letthose 5ho are to *e ordained to the order of &riesthood comefor5ard

As their names are read out one *y one *y the notary) each one

re&lies: ;Present; and ste&s for5ard7 they arran3e themselves in asemicircle *efore the *isho& and 'neel

Then one of the assistants reads the interdict) a last 5arnin3 that ifanyone receives the sacrament under false &retences) he 5ill incurthe &enalty of excommunication

The most reverend father and ruler in 1hrist) His $xcellency) "")*y the 3race of


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%In the (rst &lace the *isho& addresses himself to the cler3y andthe &eo&le) consultin3 5ith them a*out the (tness of the men 5hoare *ein3 &resented for ordination This is reminiscent of oldentimes 5hen the custom &revailed of havin3 &riests and other cler3ychosen *y the 5ill of the &eo&le It must *e 'e&t in mind) then) thatin the &resent disci&line of the 1hurch the &eo&le can merely raiseo*>ections) *ut it is the *isho& 5ho ma'es the choice4

The *isho& addresses the cler3y and the &eo&le as follo5s:

6y dear *rethren) since the ca&tain of a shi& and its &assen3ersali'e have reason to feel safe or else in dan3er on a voya3e) theyou3ht to *e of one mind in their common interests "ot 5ithoutreason) then) have the fathers decreed that the &eo&le too should*e consulted in the choice of those 5ho are to *e raised to theministry of the altar

#or sometimes it ha&&ens that one or another &erson has'no5led3e a*out the life and conduct of a candidate that is not3enerally 'no5n And the &eo&le 5ill necessarily *e more inclinedto *e loyal to a &riest if they have 3iven consent to his ordination

As far as I can >ud3e) the conduct of these deacons) 5ho 5ith


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6y dear sons) 5ho are a*out to *e consecrated to the o@ice of the&riesthood) endeavor to receive that o@ice 5orthily) and onceordained) strive to dischar3e it in a &raise5orthy manner A &riest2sduties are to o@er sacri(ce) to *less) to 3overn) to &reach) and to*a&tiBe So hi3h a di3nity should *e a&&roached 5ith 3reat a5e)and care must *e ta'en that those chosen for it are recommended*y eminent 5isdom) u&ri3ht character) and a lon3-standin3 virtuouslife

Thus it 5as that 5hen the Lord commanded 6oses to choose as hishel&ers seventy men from the 5hole tri*e of Israel) to 5hom He5ould im&art the 3ifts of the Holy S&irit) He said to him: ;1hoosethe ones 5hom you 'no5 to *e elders of the &eo 8"um /9It is you yourselves 5ho are &re(3ured in these seventy elders) if

no5) *y the hel& of the sevenfold 3ifts of the Holy S&irit) you arefaithful to the Ten 1ommandments) and dis&lay soundness andmaturity in 'no5led3e and in action

Cnder the same 'ind of si3n and (3ure) our Lord) in the "e5 La5)chose the seventy-t5o disci&les) and sent them *efore Him t5o *yt5o to &reach Thus He tau3ht us *oth *y 5ord and *y deed thatthe ministers of His 1hurch should *e &erfect *oth in faith and in5or's7 in other 5ords) that their lives should *e founded on thet5ofold love of


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of 1hrist2s 1hurch) that *y your &reachin3 and exam&le you hel& to*uild u& the edi(ce 5hich is the family of


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sim&le thou3h im&ressive action) unaccom&anied *y &rayer orchant) is called the essential matter of the sacrament It si3ni(esthat the &o5er of &riesthood is conferred *y the *isho& im&osin3hands on the candidate) transmittin3 to the latter the &o5er 5hichthe *isho& himself has received from 1hrist throu3h the a&ostlesand their successors4

After the *isho& has im&osed hands on them) they return to theirformer &lace and 'neel Dhen all are in &lace the *isho& holds hisri3ht hand outstretched over them "ext the &riests 5ho are&resent come for5ard and lay *oth their hands on the head of eachcandidate Then) formin3 a semicircle *e3innin3 at the 3os&el side)they stand *ehind the candidates and hold their ri3ht handoutstretched over them >ust as the *isho& is doin3

The act of the &riests ta'in3 &art in the ceremony of layin3-on ofhands is &erha&s a relic of the time 5hen more than one *isho&too' &art in the ordination of &riests) and each *isho& &resentim&osed hands on the ordinands The &resent ceremony of the&riests) im&osin3 hands has no other &ur&ose than to ma'e moreforceful the out5ard si3n of &o5er *ein3 conferred throu3h this'ind of action

The *isho& 85earin3 the mitre9 no5 says the follo5in3 &rayer:

6y *rethren) let us im&lore


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Hear us) 5e &ray) O Lord


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hel&ers in the men *ein3 ordained) 5ho 5ill &rove themselves to *eelders in the *est sense of the term Lastly the Holy S&irit and His3ifts are invo'ed on the candidates) that they *e raised to the&riesthood and *e (lled 5ith the holiness 5hich shouldcharacteriBe this o@ice4

The *isho& continues 5ith the consecratory &reface:

It is indeed (ttin3 and ri3ht) &raise5orthy and salutary that 5eshould al5ays and every5here 3ive than's to you) O holy Lord)almi3hty #ather) everlastin3 udicious men) 5ith 5hosehel& he 5as ena*led to 3overn easily the countless multitude Thustoo you im*ued $leaBar and Ithamar) the sons of Aaron) 5ith thea*undant 3races of their father) in order to assure a su@icientnum*er of &riests for the o@erin3 of savin3 sacri(ces and the

&erformance of the more common sacred rites =y the same&rovidence) O Lord) you 3ave the a&ostles of your Son associateteachers of the faith) and *y their hel& as &reachers of a secondran' the a&ostles made their voice heard to the ends of the earthTherefore) 5e *e3 you) Lord) to su&&ort us in our 5ea'ness 5ithsimilar hel&ers) for inasmuch as 5e are 5ea'er) so much the more5e stand in need of them

The $ssential #orm

At this &oint the *isho& interru&ts the chant and recites thefollo5in3 5ords) 5hich constitute the essential form of thesacrament:

Almi3hty #ather) 5e &ray that you *esto5 on these servants ofyours the di3nity of the &riesthood Rene5 in their hearts the s&iritof holiness) so that they may *e steadfast in this second de3ree of


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the &riestly o@ice received from you) O


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The *isho& rises) removes the mitre) and says the follo5in3 &rayer)durin3 5hich all the others 'neel:

O ustice) constancy) mercy) coura3e) andall the other virtues *e reEected in their every 5ay of actin3 6aythey ins&ire others *y their exam&le) and hearten them *y their

admonitions 6ay they 'ee& &ure and s&otless the 3ift of their hi3hcallin3 #or the 5orshi& of your &eo&le may they chan3e *read and5ine into the *ody and *lood of your Son *y a holy consecration6ay they throu3h &erseverin3 charity mature ;unto the &erfectman) unto the measure of the a3e of the fulness of 1hrist); and riseon the day of the >ust and eternal >ud3ment of


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To (ll the hearts 5hich you have made

O 1omforter) to you 5e cry)

ou heavenly 3ift of


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Dho rose from death) *e 3lory 3iven)

Dith you) O holy 1omforter)

Henceforth *y all in earth and heaven Amen

The Anointin3 of Hands

After the (rst verse of the hymn the *isho& rises and sits on thefaldstool 85earin3 the mitre9 He removes his 3loves *ut &uts thee&isco&al rin3 *ac' on his (n3er The 3remiale is &laced over his'nees The ordained come for5ard and one *y one 'neel *efore the*isho& He then ta'es the oil of catechumens and anoints *oth oftheir hands 5hich they hold to3ether &alms u&5ard #irst heanoints the inside of the hands) tracin3 a cross from the thum* of

the ri3ht hand to the index (n3er of the left) and from the thum* ofthe left hand to the index (n3er of the ri3ht "ext he anoints theentire &alms He says as he &erforms the anointin3s:

6ay it &lease you) O Lord) to consecrate and sanctify these hands*y this anointin3 and our *lessin3

All: Amen

And havin3 made the si3n of the cross over the hands of theordained he continues:

That 5hatever they *less may *e *lessed) and 5hatever theyconsecrate may *e consecrated in the name of our Lord Fesus1hrist

To the a*ove form each of the ordained adds:

Amen

Then the *isho& closes or >oins to3ether the hands of the ordainedThe latter) 'ee&in3 his hands >oined) 3oes to the side of the altar5here one of the assistants of the *isho& *inds the consecratedhands to3ether 5ith a 5hite cloth) leavin3 the (n3ers free $ach of


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the ordained 3oes *ac' to his &lace The *isho& cleanses his (n3ers5ith a &iece of *read

Presentation of the Host and 1halice

The *isho& no5 &resents each of the ordained 5ith a chalicecontainin3 5ine and 5ater and a &aten u&on it 5ith a host Theordained touches 5ith the fore and middle (n3ers *oth the &atenand the cur of the chalice !urin3 this ceremony the *isho& says:

Receive the &o5er to o@er sacri(ce to


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After ta'in3 the a*lution and 5ashin3 his hands) the *isho&removes the mitre) stands at the e&istle side) and intones thefollo5in3 res&onsories) 5hich are continued *y the choir 8for themusic see the music su&&lement9:

Res&onsory

"o lon3er do I call you servants *ut my friends) for you have'no5n all thin3s I have 5rou3ht in your midst) 8alleluia9

Receive the Holy S&irit) the Advocate) 5ithin you It is He 5homthe #ather 5ill send to you) 8alleluia9

V ou are my friends if you do the thin3s that I command you

Receive the Holy S&irit) the Advocate) 5ithin you


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*efore him one *y one) he &laces *oth his hands on the head of theordained and says to each one:

Receive the Holy S&irit Dhose sins you shall for3ive) they arefor3iven them7 and 5hose sins you shall retain) they are retained

Then the *isho& unfolds the chasu*le) 5hich the ordained has 5ornfolded on his shoulders until no57 and as he lets the chasu*le dro&at the *ac' he says to each one:

The Lord clothe you 5ith the ro*e of innocence

The Promise of O*edience

Then each of the ordained comes a3ain *efore the *isho&) 'neels

and &laces his folded hands *et5een the hands of the *isho& If the*isho& is the Ordinary of the ordained he says to him:

!o you &romise me and my successors reverence and o*edience?

The &riest re&lies: I &romise

=ut if the *isho& is not the Ordinary of the ne5ly ordained he saysto him as he holds his hands 8if he is a secular &riest9:

!o you &romise reverence and o*edience to the *isho& 5ho is yourOrdinary for the time *ein3? R: I &romise

Or he says to a &riest of a reli3ious order:

!o you &romise reverence and o*edience to the &relate 5ho is yourOrdinary for the time *ein3? R: I &romise

Then the *isho&) still holdin3 the ne5ly ordained2s hands 5ithin hiso5n) 'isses him on the ri3ht chee') sayin3:

The &eace of the Lord *e al5ays 5ith you

The ordained res&onds: Amen

Admonition and =lessin3


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After5ard 5hen the ordained have returned to their &lace) the*isho& sits do5n) &uts on the mitre) ta'es the croBier) andaddresses the ordained as follo5s:

6y dear sons) as the o@ice you are underta'in3 is haBardous

enou3h) I admonish you) *efore you *e3in to cele*rate 6ass) tolearn carefully from other ex&erienced &riests the ritual of the5hole 6ass--the consecration) the *rea'in3 of the host) and thecommunion

The *isho& rises) and retainin3 the mitre and croBier) *lesses the&riests 5ho 'neel *efore him) sayin3 in a loud voice:

6ay the *lessin3 of almi3hty


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6y dear sons) &onder 5ell the order you have ta'en and the *urdenlaid on your shoulders Strive to lead a holy and devout life) and to&lease almi3hty

Rite for Ordination of Priests

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