Holy Orders is the Sacrament of Apostolic Ministry whereby men become bishops, priests and deacons. The three degrees of the Sacrament are: episcopate, presbyterate and diaconate.

The bishop receives the fullness of the Sacrament that integrates him into the episcopal college and makes him the visible head of a particular church or physical area. As successors of the apostles and members of the college, bishops share in the apostolic responsibility and mission of the whole church under the authority of the Pope, the successor of St. peter. Priests are united with the bishops in dignity and depend on them in the exercise of their pastoral functions and receive from bishops the charge of parish communities or some other ecclesial office. Priests are consecrated in order to preach the Gospel and shepherd the faithful as well as celebrate divine worship, hear confessions, witness vows, etc. Deacons are ministers ordained for tasks of service to the church including ministry of the word, pastoral governance and works of charity under the direction of their bishop.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred by the bishop only on baptized men whose suitability for exercise of the ministry has been recognized. Ordination does not confer or guarantee any particular qualities or the spiritual condition of those ordained. What ordination does confer and guarantee is the effectiveness of all the Sacraments on receptive candidates.

For more information on priestly vocations in the Diocese of Phoenix, visit https://dphx.org/vocations/ 

For more information on diaconate vocations in the Diocese of Phoenix, visit https://dphx.org/deacons/