The sacrament
by which, through the authority of the Church, the
imposition of a bishop’s hands confers on a man the grace
and spiritual power to celebrate the Church’s sacraments.
There are
three forms of this sacrament: diaconate (deacon),
presbyterate (priest) and episcopate (bishop). One
sacrament, celebrated three times with successively higher
sacramental effects.
Every man in
Holy Orders is either a deacon, priest or bishop. A
monsignor, for instance, is a priest who has special
recognition as a member of the papal household. An
archbishop is a bishop in charge of a large or important
diocese called an archdiocese. A cardinal is a special
member of the papal household. Nearly all cardinals are
bishops, but there are one or two cardinals who are priests,
such as Avery Cardinal Dulles, are priests. The pope is the
Bishop of Rome.
Read More
