HOLY ORDERS IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

The tale of the two altar boys is one of those stories my parish priest – Mgr Raphael Nwosu told me when I was 10 years old, and it has stayed with me till date. One Sunday morning in the early 1900s in a small Eastern European village, a nervous altar boy was serving the parish priest as he celebrated Mass for the parishioners. During the offertory and while the altar boy was handling the cruets (wine and water containers), he mistakenly lost his bearing and the cruets smashed to pieces on the marble floor of the altar. The parish priest was furious with the poor soul, yelled at him and ordered him to get out of his sight. That young altar server left the church immediately and turned his back at it; later, that same young altar boy became the dictator leader of the Communist Regime in Yugoslavia – Josip Broz Tito. Another nervous altar boy in the same 1900s and in another part of the world – America, was assisting his bishop at Sunday Mass in his cathedral parish; during the offertory, this nervous altar boy who was in awe of the bishop was carrying the cruets when his misjudged his steps and the cruets smashed to pieces on the glittering floor of the sanctuary. The bishop went over to the altar boy, patted him on his back and said, “Don't worry about it, son - you'll probably be a bishop like me some day.” That young altar boy grew up and became Venerable Archbishop Fulton John Sheen – The Bishop of Rochester USA.

The above story illustrates the power vested in those called to the Holy Orders; it is a power to influence others positively and to serve them instead of lording it over them and condemning them. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1536, “Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus, it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate.” In the Old Testament, this sacrament has its biblical background in Numbers Chapter 11 when God chose the 70 elders, giving them some part of Moses’ spirit and in Numbers Chapter 17 When Aaron and the House of Levi were chosen and made priests dedicated to God and the things of the sanctuary. In the New Testament, Christ Himself became both the priest and the victim by sacrificing Himself as we find in Hebrews Chapter 10. Christ then handed on this ministry to His apostles by choosing them personally in Matthew 10:1-4 and sending them out to the whole world in Matthew 28:18-20. The apostles in turn chose other men to continue their work through the laying on of hands as we find in Acts 6:1-7 and 1Timothy 4:14; this has continued till this day in what the Church refers to as Apostolic Succession.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is a sacrament of service. Those who share in this sacrament are BRIDGE BUILDERS (Pontifex) between God and humanity, between the rich and poor, between men and women, and between the reconciled and the ostracised in/of our society. Like Christ the Good Shepherd, they are to go and seek out the lost sheep and those on the margins of society and bring them back to their Father’s house. Pope Francis in the priestly ordination homily of April 2021 stated this succinctly, “You will be like Him, shepherds, that is what He wants from you. Shepherds of the holy faithful people of God. Shepherds who go with the people of God: sometimes in front of the flock, sometimes in the middle or behind, but always there with the people of God…This is not a race: it is a service, a service like the one that God did to his people. And this service of God to his people has "traces", it has a style, a style that you must follow. A style of closeness, a style of compassion and a style of tenderness. This is God's style – closeness, compassion, tenderness.” Yes, the sacrament of Holy Orders is a Sacrament of gentle and merciful service to humanity after the example of Christ who came not to be served but to serve and gave His life as a ransom for all.

We are blessed in the Diocese of Portsmouth with amazing individuals who have been called by God to the three degrees of this sacrament starting with our beloved Bishop Philip Egan – Our Diocesan Bishop, the amazing Priests, and the vibrant Deacons of our diocese. If God is calling you to devote your life in selfless but cheerful service of Him and His people, please do not hesitate. We need you! The Church needs you! The world needs you! The Lord needs you! Do not be afraid! Take the first step and leave the rest to God.

Fr Johnpromise Umeozuru