Holy Orders is the ordination of a man to his vocation to the priesthood. In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, also known as Ordination, the priest being ordained vows to lead other Catholics by bringing them the sacraments (especially the Eucharist), by proclaiming the Gospel, and by providing other means to holiness. It also includes diaconate ordinations, and ordinations to the episcopacy, for Bishops.
Picking A Path: An Illustrated Guide to Discernment
"Discernment" is a word Christians often use instead of "making a decision" or "picking a choice," although it means more than that. Discerning something means taking the choice to prayer and...
Discernment 101
It’s easy to talk about discernment – but what does it take to actually do it? Fr. Mike Schmitz talks about how discernment requires action, and how we can only discern one vocation at a time....
An Ignatian Framework for Making a Decision
11 Steps for Making a Decision Following the Ignatian Method 1. Identify the decision to be made or the issue to be resolved. The issue should be practicalCommon Questions - Holy Orders
Sets men and women apart for a life of ministry in service of Christ’s bride, the Church. For more information, visit the Vocations Office page: https://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/vocations/vocations-office/
A baptized, Catholic man can be validly ordained to that ministry. The sacrament is not merely something a man can just claim for himself, or discern alone. The sacrament is a unique calling that God gives to men that He has chosen to serve His bride, the Church. The decision to become a priest is not made in isolation - members of the community play an important role in supporting any individual wishing to discern God’s call to Holy Orders.
The purpose of a priest is to bring people to Jesus, and Jesus to people. He does this primarily by preaching the Word and offering the Sacrifice of the Mass. His daily life involves administering the sacraments and caring for the people in their daily needs.
You must pray every single day, asking God to reveal His plan for you. Do not ask yourself, “What do I want to do when I grow up?” This is the wrong question! Rather, you should be thinking and asking: “Jesus, what do You want me to do?” And listen for the answer! The primary locus of revelation is the heart. Listen with your heart! The discernment process in the priesthood must also include the Church. The local bishop is the one who ultimately decides who is and who is not called. He is assisted in this by the vocation office and the seminary. This whole process is called “discerning one’s vocation.”