Let everyone revere the deacons as Jesus Christ, the bishop as image of the Father, and the presbyters as the senate of God and the assembly of the apostles.
For without them, one cannot speak of the Church.
- CCC, no 1554, citing St. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad. Trall. 3, 1

The Church adopted the term order from its use in the Roman Empire, where it referred to a governing group. In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, there are three degrees or "orders": bishop, priest, and deacon. The rite of ordination is the sacramental act that makes this possible. Ordination "confers a gift of the Holy Spirit that permits the exercise of a 'sacred power'...which can come only from Christ himself through the Church" (CCC, no. 1538).

By Baptism, all the members of the Church share in Christ's holy priesthood. It is called "the common priesthood of the faithful" because the entire Church shares in it. To build up this priesthood, Christ gives to his Church the ordained ministries of bishops, priests, and deacons through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Only the ordained bishop and priest may be ministers of Confirmation, the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Only bishops may ordain deacons, priests, and other bishops. "The ministerial priesthood differs in essence from the common priesthood of the faithful because it confers a sacred power for the service of the faithful. The ordained ministers exercise their service for the People of God by teaching (munus docendi), divine worship (munus liturgicum) and pastoral governance (munus regendi)" (CCC, no. 1592). Deacons in the Latin Church can baptize and witness the Sacrament of Marriage. - United States Catholic Catechism, pp. 264-265.

Laying on of Hands during the Ordination of Deacon Eric Simontis

Please contact Deacon Eric Simontis or Deacon Perry Iannaconi If you are interested in or have questions on the Permanent Diaconate. If you are interested in the Priesthood, religious or consecrated life, click the image below and please contact Father Tim Baer.