Holy Orders and Religious Life
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.
Like Marriage, the Sacrament of Holy Orders is sometimes called a “Sacrament of Commitment.”
A Sacrament is a visible sign of God’s presence, God’s activity in our lives, in the Church and in our world.
In today’s Church, there are actually three degrees of “orders.” These are:
- Diaconate (the Order of Deacons). Deacons may be either Permanent (ordained to service as a deacon for life) or Transitional (ordained to service as a deacon as a step on the path to priesthood).
- Presebyterate (the Order of Priests)
- Episcopate (the Order of Bishops)
Men who are ordained receive from God the grace to carry on the mission entrusted by Christ to his Apostles – bishops and priests participating in the priesthood of Christ and deacons in his ministry of service. While it takes years of formation and experience to prepare priests and deacons for Ordination, ultimately it is Christ who works in and through them.
If you or someone you know is interested in discerning a call to the priesthood, the permanent diaconate or other consecrated vocations, please speak with our pastor or contact the parish office. You can also visit www.vocations.archchicago.org or www.chicagopriest.com
Vocations of Relgious Life
Vocations of Religious Life include men and women who feel called to live in Religious life as sisters, brothers, or priests taking vows in Religious Communities. If you would like more information please visit consecratedlife.archchicago.org.