Holy Orders
Scripture
At the Last Supper Jesus said to his apostles, "do this in memory of me" (Mt 22:19). And after the resurrection he told them, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (Jn 20:21).
Catechism
"Two other sacraments, Holy Orders and Matrimony, are directed towards the salvation of others; if they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is through service to others that they do so. They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up the People of God…
"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" (CCC 1534, 1536).
For more information on vocations in the Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of Washington, please follow the following link: http://www.adw.org/vocations/default.asp .
