The Sacrament of Holy Orders

What is Holy Orders

This Sacrament continues Christ's priesthood, which He bestowed upon His Apostles.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the Sacrament of Holy Orders as "the sacrament of apostolic ministry."

Ordination" comes from the Latin word ordinatio, which means to incorporate someone into an order. In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, a man is incorporated into the priesthood of Christ, at one of three levels: the episcopate, the priesthood, or the diaconate.

How Do I Participate

For religious vocations, please contact Msgr. Jim, Fr. Sebastian or Fr. Dennis by calling the pastoral office at (909) 861-7106.

How Do I Qualify

The Sacrament of Holy Orders can be validly conferred only on men who have been extensively trained at a Church approved seminary.   We follow the example set by Christ and His Apostles, who chose only men as their successors. The Church has the authority to determine eligibility for the sacrament.

While the episcopate is reserved to unmarried men, the regulations regarding the priesthood vary in the Eastern and Western rites of the Church. The Eastern Churches allow married men to be ordained priests, while the Western Church insists on celibacy. Once a man has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders, however, he cannot marry.

Contact

Please call Pastoral Office to make arrangements.

You may also contact a vocation director for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.