Orders

Question 1

Chapter 1: The Priesthood of Christ

• SOURCES OF MINISTERIAL PRIESTHOOD:
  
  • Priesthood of Christ made sacramentally Present; Apostolic Succession

Answer 1

OT REVELATION

• The unity of the History of Salvation
• The priesthood of Christ is the fulfillment of the Levitical priesthood.
• The development of the priesthood in the OT
• Period of the patriarchs: there are sacrifices, but no institutional priesthood
• Exodus: Moses institutes priesthood at Sinai
• Monarchy: the King takes on priestly functions: blessing, offering sacrifice
• During the Exile there is talk of a priest who will suffer (Isaiah suffering servant)
• After Babylonian Exile priests take on much more political power.
• Throughout all of this the offering of sacrifices is central.
• All of these elements converge in the Messiah: He will be Priest and King: Gal 3:24, LG 9

NATURE OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST

• *The gospels never call Jesus a priest, but the priesthood of Christ is discussed explicitly in Heb.
• The formulation of the Letter to the Hebrew: letter meant to show Christ as Priest
• Priest in the line of Melchizedeck
• Mel. appears briefly in Gen 14 and then disappears, offers bread and wine
• Ps 110 is Messianic: Son of God, seated at right hand of the F. (see Mt 22:42; 26:63-4)
• Hebrews 7: The Priesthood of Melchizedek is:
• Superior to Levitical
• Permanent
• Universal – no genealogy
• Divine: God comes to man
• Unicity of the Priesthood of Christ: unique, perfect fulfillment of priestly function
• Multiplicity of Levitical priests and of their sacrifices
• Personal uniqueness; no other priests apart from Christ
• Lutherans say no Christian priesthood, Catholics say participation in one priesthood of Christ
• Priesthood and mediation: the priest is firstly a mediator
• Heb 9 Christ is Pontifex and therefore perfect Mediator (paradoxically Mediation Unmediated)
• 1 Tim 2:5: Mediation began with Incarnation, only one Mediator
• Christ’s priesthood is eternal, once for all
• Christ’s obedience unmade the disobedience of Adam
• The priest is above all mediator

CONSECRATION AND MISSION OF CHRIST

• Consecration: reservation for sacred use (in Christ it is simply the Hypostatic Union)
• Mission: reciprocal indissolubility: consecrated for mission; mission presupposes consecration: Christos—Anointed; Jesus: God saves
• John 17:18-19: “As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate Myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in the truth.”

Question 2

Chapter 2: The Apostolic College

Answer 2

To speak of Apostolic Succession you have to consider the Apostolate

CONTINUITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST IN THE APOSTLES

• These follow form Incarnational logic:
• First: salvation through Minister—through humanity
• Second: Minister demonstrates that redemption is a gift and precludes auto-redemption
• The Apostles participate in Jesus’ mission (John 17:18-19 above)
• Ad Gentes (AG) 3.3: “But what the Lord preached that one time, or what was wrought in Him for the saving of the human race, must be spread abroad and published to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), beginning from Jerusalem (cf. Luke 24:27), so that what He accomplished at that one time for the salvation of all, may in the course of time come to achieve its effect in all.”
• AG 2.2: “But it pleased God to call men to share His life, not just singly, apart from any mutual bond, but rather to mold them into a people in which His sons, once scattered abroad might be gathered together” (cf. John 11:52).
• LG 18.1: “For the nurturing and constant growth of the People of God, Christ the Lord instituted in His Church a variety of ministries, which work for the good of the whole body. For those ministers, who are endowed with sacred power, serve their brethren, so that all who are of the People of God, and therefore enjoy a true Christian dignity, working toward a common goal freely and in an orderly way, may arrive at salvation.”

THE INSTITUTION OF THE APOSTOLIC COLLEGE

• Apostolic College
• LG 19: “The Lord Jesus, after praying to the Father, calling to Himself those whom He desired, appointed twelve to be with Him, and whom He would send to preach the Kingdom of God; and these apostles He formed after the manner of a college or a stable group, over which He placed Peter chosen from among them.”
• Mk 3:13: “And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those whom He desired.”
• Orders are instituted during the course of Jesus Ministry – not one particular moment, formal laying on of hands
• 1 Cor 1:25: Last Supper; confers power to confect Eucharist
• Jn 20:21: Confers power to forgive sins; “As Father sent Me, so I send you.”
• Mt 28:18-20: Confers mission; “All authority given to Me… go therefore” (Teach, Sanctify, Govern)
• Acts 2: Pentecost; confers power for mission.

APOSTOLIC MINISTRY

• Sacramental
• LG 21: “…above all through their excellent service He is preaching the word of God to all nations, and constantly administering the sacraments of faith to those who believe, by their paternal functioning. He incorporates new members in His Body by a heavenly regeneration, and finally by their wisdom and prudence He directs and guides the People of the New Testament in their pilgrimage toward eternal happiness. These pastors, chosen to shepherd the Lord’s flock of the elect, are servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God to whom has been assigned the bearing of witness to the Gospel of the grace of God, and the ministration of the Spirit and of justice in glory. For the discharging of such great duties, the apostles were enriched by Christ with a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit coming upon them, and they passed on this spiritual gift to their helpers by the imposition of hands, and it has been transmitted down to us in Episcopal consecration.”
• 2 Cor 5:20: “We are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
• 1 Cor 4:1: “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”
• Sac. Structure of Ministry in correlation with Lord: apostle acts with authority of Christ
• Dialogical Modality of Revelation pertains to preaching: something received as a gift from another.
• Communal: Apostles act in reciprocal communion; together they make decisions, confirm doctrine, serve needs, etc.
• Ministerial: Service of the faithful: not dominion

Question 3

Chapter 3: Apostolic Succession

Answer 3

NECESSITY OF APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION

• Apostolic Succession is not the same as the apostolicity of the Church
• LG 20
• Gospel to be preached has Salvific (not just intellectual) content
• The Word of God is living and is celebrated (the Eucharist); that’s why it needs ministers

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION IN THE LIFE OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH

• Not a concept in the New Testament (not till 2nd Century), but the reality is present
• Act 20:28 – passing on to pastor
• 2 Tim 2:2 - passing on to teach
• Tit 1:5 - passing on to govern
• Fathers develop the concept in response to heresy
• St Clement of Rome spoke of successors to Apostles
• St Irenaeus developed concept of Apostolic Succession in Against Heresies
• Tertullian – churches with diverse authority – fount of the apostles is what marks the apostolic Church
• Ratzinger commenting on Tertullian says succession is the form of tradition

PARTICIPATION IN THE CONSECRATION AND MISSION OF CHRIST IN APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION

• Apostolic Succession
• Succession is not individual but is conferred by Apostolic College
• Consecration in Priesthood of Christ, NOT in the Priesthood of the Ordaining Bishop
• Not a simple succession of one ordinary to the next
• Not every bishop was ordained by his immediate successor
• Each bishop ordained by 3 bishops
• Succession is collegial – the Episcopal College succeeded the Apostolic College

PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST, APOSTOLATE AND APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION

• Apostolic Function continues in Bishops after death of Apostles
• Two aspects of the 12 Apostles
• Foundation: (not transmitted in Apostolic Succession)
• Visual Testimony of Pascal Mystery – they saw him Risen
• Miraculous Power
• Universal Jurisdiction
• Though this is retained by Episcopal College and Holy Father
• Charism of Inspiration
• Successors have interpretive, not constitutive power (infallibility)
• Pastoral: (transmitted in Apostolic Succession)
• Teach (Preach) – munus docendi
• Sanctify – munus sanctificandi
• Govern – munus regendi

ORDERS AS A SACRAMENT

• Sacrament of Orders
• 1 Tim 4:14
• 2 Tim 1:6
• Magisterial Teaching on the sacrament
• 13th Century (2nd Council of Lyon)
• Theological concept hadn’t been developed until this point
• Vat II (LG 21) - Episcopal Ordination declared Sacramental
• Shift in Concept
• Before: What is Priesthood… What is added in Episcopacy?
• After: What did the Apostles hand on through Episcopacy?
• This is reflected in:
• The rite of ordination
• Episcopal function is a sacramental function

Question 4

Chapter 4: Nature of the Ministerial Priesthood

Answer 4

RELATIONSHIP WITH & DISTINCTION FROM THE COMMON PRIESTHOOD

• LG 10/2
• One Priesthood of Christ – both are a participation in it
• Differ in essence and not only in degree (essentialiter, non gradu tantum)
• One is not the development of the other
• And not only in Degree?
• Confusion emerges here b/c there are two possible readings:
• They do not differ in degree, but in essence
• They differ not only in degree, but also in essence
• They do not also differ in degree
• In Catechism translated, “and not ( ) in degree” – CCC 1547
• The ministerial priesthood does not come from or flow out of the common priesthood of the faithful: XT→CP→MP
• Nor is it that the common priesthood flows out of the ministerial: XT→MP→CP
• Rather, both flow directly from the one Priesthood of Xt: MP←XT→CP
• Interrelated (Ordered to One Another) – ad invicem ordinatum

SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MINISTERIAL PRIESTHOOD

• Repraesentatio Christi Capitis et Pastoris
• Pastores Dabo Vobis 15/4 – “Priests are in the Church and for the Church a sacramental representation of Jesus Christ, Head and Shepherd”
• Sacramental Representation of Christ the Head
• Exclusive to the ministerial priesthood
• Type of representation is sacramental, not sociological
• iXt is rendered sacramentally present in the ordained minister
• Eucharistic Presence – true, real, substantial presence of Xt.
• Minister – not a substantial presence of Xt.
• Concept of representation
• Proto-Christian semantics – in light of the Incarnation, takes on the meaning of signifying the reality represented as truly present in the representation
• Church Fathers – Representatio was meant in a palpable way – “make present” as “taking the place of” or “make the stead of”
• “Re” as meaning “newly” – to make present anew
• Not just the historical Xt represented in the minister’s person
• But the actual glorious Xt – visibility of His humanity, hidden from our eyes after the Ascension, but returned anew to be perceived in this human way
• Xtians render Xt. present too; St. Paul: “no longer I who live, but Xt. who lives in me…”
• Christ is present through grace
• But is not a representation of Xt. in the strict sense
• Xt. is rendered sacramentally present in the ministerial actions of the priest
• Priest acts in persona Christi in the sacramental act
• As “Head and Shepherd”
• Shepherd is soteriological – Good Shepherd of Life
• Shepherd who not only leads His lambs, but who offers His life for them
• Unity between consecration and mission is illuminated here

VISIBILITY, AUTHORITY, AND PUBLIC CHARACTER

• Through the representation of the ordained minister (esp. priests and bishops), the presence of Xt as Head of Church is rendered visible to community of believers (CCC 1549)
• The faithful can find God in their heart, but also need an external and objective mode of finding God, outside of their own subjectivity
• In the priest, this sign is given in an immediate, sacramental, visible, and official wAY
• Public Character: follows from visible; also official
• Not only in the sense of “not for self/private”, but also in the sense of “official”
• Authority: renders the authority of Christ present
• Authority “w/ which Xt. rules increases, sanctifies, & governs his proper body” (PO 2/3)
• We are not only speaking of a juridical power – but this authority with which Xt. increases, sanctifies, and governs
• “Auctor” – one who gives increase – originator; founder; author
• Xt. is the auctoritas of the Church: (double meaning authority and author)
• He governs it as Head
• And generates it continually – He is the nutrient
• Priest’s participation in this is what enables him to carryout his hierarchical functions

ACTING IN PERSONA CHRISTI

• Church Fathers spoke of personam Christi gerere – to bear the person of Christ
• More permanent sense
• Medieval period: in persona Christi agere – to act in the person of Christ
• Acting in persona Christi same as Sacramental Representation? No
• Representation is ontological – of a permanent nature
• Action is temporal – marked by dynamic modification
• Priest’s action in persona Christi is not only acting in the name of Christ, but in the stead/place of Christ
• Priest is signed with a special seal – character of Orders – given specific works, most specially the ministry of the Eucharist
• The priest, for this particular sacramental reason, is identified with the Eternal High Priest, who is the author and principal actor of His true sacrifice (Eucharist), and who in truth is not able to be substituted by anyone
• Action in persona Christi is specially bound in the Eucharistic sacrifice to the fact that it is a bloodless sacrifice – where Christ is both priest and victim
• Only Christ’s action is able to have power of expiation before the Father
• All this also applies to the sacramental ministry in general
• Sacramental economy enters within the instrumental order
• Christ is the principal cause – minister is placed before Him as instrument
• CCC 1548

ECCLESIOLOGICAL DIMENSION

• Sacramental rep. of Jesus Xt, Head and Shepherd, is intimately interwoven with the Church
• Not two parallel relations, but interiorly united – mutual immanence
• The Church is the Body of Christ – priests represent the Head
• Their representation is located in the Church and exists for the Church
• Priest’s service consists also in repraesentatio Ecclesiae – rep. Church b/c represent its head
• The ministerial priesthood is truly ministerial
• Role to administer the potesta Christi
• Relationship with the Church – Ecclesiological Foundation (for the Church)
• Hierarchical communion
• Episcopal College
• Presbyterate
• Deacons
• College of bishops: exercise their episcopacy w/in the communion of apostolic succession
• If the auctoritas Christi is present in the episcopal college, it is not able to be exercised outside of this public ecclesial communion
• Priesthood also exercised in the communion of apostolic succession – b/c it is part of the apostolic mission

UNIVERSAL DIMENSION OF THE PRIESTHOOD

• Doctrinal Foundations
• Founded on the missionary mandate given to the apostles
• Universal dimension of priesthood means its mission is addressed to all people and times
• Consequences in the ministerial, juridical, and personal scope
• Priest governs the portion of the Lord’s flock entrusted to him
• Renders visible the universal Church and works to build up the whole Body of Xt.
• It is the priest’s task to put before the faithful the patrimony of the Church, whole & entire
• He must bring the universal to the particular
• He must have a missionary mentality – open to the needs of the Church and of the world

THE PRIESTLY TRI MUNERA

• The minister participates in the mission of Christ
• Tri Munera
• Munus docendi/propheticum – Teaching
• Priest’s preaching is not merely a repetition of human words, but the word of God – through him, the word of Jesus crosses the limits of time
• Munus regendi – Governing
• Xt is rendered visible to man and leads them toward the perfection of charity
• Munus sanctificandi – Sanctification (Sacramental)
• All activity of the priest is turned toward the sacraments
• It is with the sacrifice of Xt. that he opens the way toward the Father
• In docendi and regendi, the minster:
• Represents XT Prophet and King, participating in the auctoritas Christi – present in the apostolic succession
• Acts as a secondary cause
• Influences the faithful morally
• The auctoritas present in the sacred minister does not consist only in his juridical bond to the Church, but is born from his specific ontological qualification, which originates in the conferment of Orders.

Question 5

Chapter 5: The Ecclesiastical Ministry in the Various Degrees

Answer 5

LG 28. … the divinely established ecclesiastical ministry is exercised on different levels by those who from antiquity have been called bishops, priests and deacons.

• Difference is a difference of grade – gradual, not essential

THE DEGREES OF ORDERS

• NT Terminology
• Doesn’t use “priesthood” for Orders
• Referred to Levitical priesthood in Jewish culture and pagan priests Hellenic culture
• Lk 8 Jesus sends the 12 and in Lk 10 sends the 72 – Implicit distinction in Orders
• Act 6 Diaconate – Apostles guided by Spirit promised by Christ
• Language not univocal
• Episcopoi used for Church of Greek origin (Ph 1:1, Acts 20:28) (literally: “overseers”)
• Presbyteroi used for Church of Hebrew origin (Act 20:17; 2 Jn, 3 Jn)
• Diaconate also referred to service in general
• Fixation of concepts in Tradition
• Terms still ambiguous at earliest stage (Didache, St. Clement)
• Beginning of 2nd c. become fixed (St. Ignatius of Antioch, Traditio Apostolica)
• Monoepiscopate
• Single Bishop at head of every particular Church; biblical origin debated
• Sometimes referred to in plural (elders), sometimes in singular
• Major letters & letters of imprisonment (Rom/Cor/Gal): plural
• Pastoral Letters: bishop in sing., presbyters in pl. (posterior chronologically)
• Reconcilable with Magisterium affirmation that monoepiscopate was of divine origin
• NT reflects Apostolic Period; Bishops are by nature Post-Apostolic
• The Presbyterate: Episcopate Distinction
• Jerome said Diocese sede vacante deacon becomes head of presbyterate (he laments this)
• Other works (Latin Fathers) of this period said presbyter same a bishop
• Episcopate was held not to be distinct sacramental order but jurisdictional authority
• Potestas Ordinis was not distinct between bishop and priest
• Magisterium never defined; sacraments defined only from XIII century
• Thought that because both could confect Eucharist they were sacramentally equal
• Council of Trent: difference is that Bishop can ordain and confirm, but not because of sacramental ordination
• Ordinary minister of Ordination is Bishop (Extraordinary = minor “orders”)
• Issue of faculties being given to abbots to ordain, revoked soon after (isolated cases)
• Vat II lists three criteria of distinction
• Episcopacy is the fullness of the priesthood; presbyterate is subordinate grade
• Only Bishops are successors of Apostles; presbyters, although participate in their ministry, aren’t successors
• Bishop has paradigmatic role of headship of a Church; Presbyterate is for sake of cooperators in Episcopate
• The Ministerial Priesthood: Diaconate Distinction
• LG 29 At a lower level of the hierarchy are deacons, upon whom hands are imposed “not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service.”
• Deacons participate in Christ’s Priesthood in ministerial line
• Deaconate is a representation of Christ, but not as Christ the Head

“MUNERA” OF THE THREE DEGREES OF ORDERS

• Episcopate: Continuation of the munus apostolicum, to be a Pastor and shepherd the Church
• Teach (LG 25), Sanctify (LG 26), Govern/Guide (LG 27)
• Presbyterate: (LG 28); Teach (PO 4); Sanctify (PO 5); Govern (PO 6)
• Diaconate: (LG 29) service of the liturgy, the word, and charity (not sacra potestas but auctoritate Christi)

Question 6

Chapter 6: Sacramental Sign of Orders

Answer 6

WITNESSES OF SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION

• Act 6:3-6: pick out from among you seven men… whom we will appoint to this duty… These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
• 1 Tim 4:14: Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of presbyters laid their hands on you
• 2 Tim 1:6: Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE RITE OF ORDERS

• Apostolic Tradition from Church of Rome (beginning of II Century)
• Imposition of Hands was enriched with signs and prayers

MATTER AND FORM OF THE SACRAMENT

• Pius XII Sacramentum Ordinis
• Matter: imposition of hands (consignment of instruments is not required)
• Form: words which determine the application of the matter
• Paul VI Pontificalis romani
• Matter: hands imposed in silence on head of the ordinand
• Form: (distinct prayers for diaconal, presbyteral, episcopal ordination)

MINISTER OF ORDINATION

• Solus Episcopus: only Bishop can ordain
• In Scripture only Apostles ordain
• Laying on of hands by Presbyters (1Tim 4) just the reception of new candidate in the order of Presbyters
• Council of Florence: ordinary minister of Orders is Bishop (extraordinary = minor orders only)
• Necessary Conditions for liceity
• Episcopal Ordination
• Minister must be in Communion with Holy See
• Depends on Rite
• Latin Rite: only by mandate of Pope
• Oriental Rites: Patriarchal Synod elects & ordains, then asks recognition of Rome
• For Presyteral / Diaconal, Bishop of that diocese must approve

Question 7

Chapter 7: Effects of Orders

Answer 7

SPIRITUAL POWER DERIVED FROM THE CHARACTER

• I) Existence of the Proper Character of Orders
• Not stated explicitly in Scripture
• Augustine, in the controversy with the Donatists, said it is an indelible mark that can not be newly impressed, distinct from the sacramental grace, and includes a consecration (used by Florence)
• The Church never repeats ordination (only sub conditione)
• (LG 21/2) sacred character so impressed, that bishops in an eminent and visible way sustain the roles of Christ Himself as Teacher, Shepherd and High Priest, and that they act in His person
• (PO 2) Priest is signed with a special character and are conformed to Christ the Priest in such a way that they can act in the person of Christ the Head
• Errors regarding the Sacerdotal character
• For Lutherans the power of the minister proceeds from a delegation of the community, conferring a preexisting power in every member, which the community can revoke or the minister renounce
• XX century some spoke of a priesthood ad tempus
• Condemend by Pius XI in Ad catholici sacerdoti for denying that the priesthood is in aeternum
• Some claimed a non-ordained faithful could preside at the Eucharist in an extraordinary situation
• Condemned by CDF Sacerdotium ministeriale because it denies the necessity of a potestas spiritualis
• Nature and Characteristics
• Signum configurativum, distinctivum et potestativum
• Characteristics which pertain to the general doctrine of sacramental character
• Signum indelebile: sacrament can’t be repeated
• Being a Spiritual Power, it is distinct from the grace proper to the sacrament
• It remains valid and efficacious even apart from the state of grace
• Signum distinctivum: distinguishes one marked by the character from non-ordained
• Elements specific to Holy Orders
• Link to Christ the Head and acting visibly in persona Christi
• Considered in the light of the notion of consecration
• Vat II implies, though doesn’t define, that Episcopal ordination is an expansion of the presbyteral rather than something entirely distinct
• Character and Repraesentatio Christi Capitis
• Repraesentatio Christi Capitis: as a sacramental re-presentation of Christ, presbyters are configured with Christ in order to render him present in their own person
• Coincides with Sacramental character in that
• Distinguished from non-ordained by configuring to Christ the Head of the Church
• Grants ability to carry out the priestly function by rendering present the potestas Christi
• Signifies a stable quality
• Pneumatological dimension of the character is the ultimate reason that character is indelible
• Consecration in the Spirit isn’t a human action but an action of God
• Faithfulness of God to his gifts is the basis for the permanence
• Gift of Consecration distinct from gift of Sanctification
• Sacramental representation of Christ as permanent
• Priest as “sign-person” of Christ the Head, with his mere presence presents the face of Christ
• The minister is not a purely material instrument but he makes up part of the sign with his whole person, body and mind

GRACE OF THE SACRAMENT

• Sacramental Grace specific to Orders is distinct from the character
• It is an augment of grace directed to the good exercise of the potestas spiritualis of the character.
• Sacramental Grace causes sanctification, while the character causes sacralization
• Parallelism: Just as the hypostatic union of the Lord requires (by moral necessity) sanctifying grace in His human soul in order that he could fulfill in a perfect way his sacerdotal office, analogously, the sacralization of the priest caused by the character requires the sanctification of the individual in order to perform the duties of a priest.

Question 8

Chapter 8: The Subject of Orders

Answer 8

NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR THE VALIDITY

• Validity: Baptized, Intention, Male
• Intention: sufficient habitual intention; minor doubts at moment of ordination don’t invalidate
• The vir-sacerdotium connection:
• Arguments regarding Revelation
• Was choice of men for apostles Conditioned by Circumstance?
• (JPII): Christ’s way of acting did not proceed from sociological or cultural motives peculiar to his time (Jesus regularly challenged cultural injustices)
• Most important interpretation of Jesus’s actions is the practice of the Apostles
• Hellenic and Pagan world had priestesses
• Theological Coherence
• Christological: Minister represents Christ who was Incarnate as a man
• Ecclesiological: Spousal relation of Christ to Church
• Spousality of Christ to Church is best represented by a man
• Documents
• CDF Inter Insigniores (1974)
• “The real reason is that, in giving the Church her fundamental constitution, her theological anthropology – thereafter always followed by the Church’s Tradition –Christ established things in this way.”
• JPII Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994)
• Church doesn’t have authority; not a decision of the Church
• “Wherefore … I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.
• Case of Diaconate – Deaconesses?
• Revelation: NT speaks of deaconesses (Rm 16:1, 1Tim 3)
• History: In the first millennium there were deaconesses; some want to revive it
• Why doesn’t Church ordain women deaconesses?
• Question is whether it was sacramental, deaconate as we understand it
• Didascalia Apostolica speaks of imposition of hands
• But this doesn’t entail sacramentality; imposition of hands employed for other things
• Did they have the same function?
• Baptism of immersion and Chrismation for women – naked so needed female deaconesses to assist
• Weren’t permitted to preach or distribute Communion
• Weren’t permitted to become presbyters

OTHER CONDITIONS OF THE SUBJECT

• Liceity: Vocation, Celibate, Personal Conditions, Prerequisites
• Vocation to the Priesthood
• Nature of the Priestly Vocation
• Free gratuitous intervention of God, never a right (PDV 36/4)
• Not a development or perfection of the common priesthood
• Inserted into the Christian vocation: priest doesn’t have two vocations, priesthood and Christian
• Vocation becomes operative in the conscience of the subject at a determined historical moment
• Call of the Hierarchy: Voc. is a call from God but is not independent of the Church
• Free Response of the Candidate
• Vocation is a dialogue between God and the liberty of man
• It is an act of the will, an affirmative response to the divine will
• Priestly Celibacy
• Nature of the bond between celibacy and ministerial priesthood
• Not necessary for validity, but the nature of the priesthood itself has a relation to celibacy
• The celibate in the history of the Church. Actual legislation. 3 Elements:
• lex celibatus: someone married can’t be ordained (XII cen.) – in Latin arm
• lex continentiae: someone ordained cant have sexual relations
• Documented back to Council of Elvira (303 AD)
• Council of Trullo (VII cen.) continence only for period of exercise of cult
• Ended Lex Continentiae in the East; before this it was universal
• “Impediment of Orders” – never has been permitted for cleric to marry
• Not just as simple as, “It’s only disciplinary.” 3 Reasons:
• Impediment of Orders
• Episcopate always and universally continent
• Jesus – was celibate . . . why? . . . not b/c matrimony is evil
• Christological, ecclesiological, and eschatological meaning of the priestly celibacy
• Christological: priest exercises ministry in the manner Christ exercised his
• Ecclesiological: acts as spouse of Church; renders visible spousal character of Christ
• Eschatological: anticipates heaven in which none marry
• Personal conditions of those being ordained
• Internal and external dispositions
• Integra fides: faith as a virtue
• Recta intentio: sufficient habitual intention
• Bona existimatio: reputation which wouldn’t damage image of priesthood
• Integras mores probatasque virtutes: stability in virtues and morals
• Qualitates physicas et psychicas: not crazy
• Required Knowledge
• Deacon: established time of formation
• Presbyter:
• First 5 yrs. of philosophy/theology as transitional deacon; complete for priesthood
• Pastoral/Liturgical/Spiritual form. established by Episcopal Conference
• Bishop: doctorate or at least license in Scripture / Theology / Canon Law or be an expert
• Age and Time in between Orders
• Deacon: 25 if celibate, 35 if married
• Priest: 23 years transitional deacon; 25 years priest, 6 months of diaconate
• Bishop: 35 years old, at least 5 years a priest
• Absence from impediments and irregularities
• Irregular: perpetual impediments
• Insanity or mental illness: actual (not past), predictable, and non-reversible
• Delict of Apostasy, Heresy, Schism: external with social repercussions
• Attempted Marriage: when one is impeded from contracting, ordained, or taken vows
• Voluntary Homicide / Abortion:
• Grave Mutilation or attempted Suicide
• Performance of acts reserved to the ordained
• Simple Impediments: temporary
• Married: can be ordained after wife dies
• Exercise of Office or Administration forbidden to clerics
• Neophyte
• Dispensation reserved to Holy See for
• Heresy, Apostasy, Schism
• Attempted Marriage, Matrimony
• Voluntary Homicide / Abortion
• Dispensation for all others granted by the Ordinary
• Requisites before Ordination
• Liturgical rite of admission (candidacy): public will
• Lector and Acolyte 6 months before diaconate
• Signed Declaration of liberty, voluntary perpetual dedication , and desire to receive Orders