HOLY ORDERS

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people.”

— Luke 4:18-19

“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.”

— Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1536

Holy Orders includes three degrees: episcopate (bishop), presbyterate (priest), and diaconate (deacon). Through Holy Orders, the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time. A man receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders is ordained a bishop, priest, or deacon.

Everyone has a vocation! In simple terms, "vocation" means a "call" - your vocation is what God calls you to do with your life. Everyone is called by God to know, love, and serve Him. Individual vocations vary between being single, married, consecrated/religious, or priesthood.

If you are discerning a vocation to the priesthood or to the religious/consecrated life, please contact the office of Vocations for the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis at (651) 962-6890 or at stpaulvocations@10000vocations.org. You can learn more by visiting 10000vocations.org.

RESOURCES