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Liturgy of the Word
- The readings may be taken in whole or in part from the Mass of the day or from special texts. The profession of faith and general intercessions are not said.
- 1st Reading
- Responsorial Psalm
- 2nd Reading
- Gospel
Calling of the Candidates
- Deacon: Let those to be ordained priest please come forward.
Presentation of the Candidates
- Priest: Most Reverend Father, holy mother Church asks you to ordain these men, our brothers, for service as priests
- Bishop: Do you judge them to be worthy?
- Priest: After inquiry among the people of Christ and upon recommendation of those concerned with their training, I testify that they have been found worthy.
Election by the Bishop and Consent of the People
- Bishop: We rely on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, and we choose these men, our brothers, for priesthood in the prebyteral order.
Homily
- Bishop may use these words:
- These men, your relatives and friends, are now to be raised to the order of priests. Consider carefully the ministry to which they are promoted.
- It is true that God has made his entire people a royal priesthood in Christ. But our High Priest, Jesus Christ, also chose some of his followers to carry out publicly in the Church the priestly ministry in his name on behalf of mankind. He was sent by the Father, and he in turn sent the apostles into the world; through them and their successor, the bishops, he continues his work as Teacher, Priest, and Shepherd. Priests are co-workers of the order of bishops. They are joined to the bishops in the priestly office and are called to serve God's people.
- Our brothers have seriously considered this step and are now to be ordained to the priesthood in the presbyteral order. He is to serve Christ the Teacher, Priest, and Shepherd in his ministry which is to make his own body, the Church, grow into the people of God, a holy temple.
- They are called to share in the priesthood of the bishops and to be molded into the likeness of Christ, the supreme and eternal Priest. By consecration they will be made true priests of the New Testament, to preach the Gospel, sustain God's people, and celebrate the liturgy, above all, the Lord's sacrifice.
- Bishop then addresses the Candidates:
- My sons, you are now to be advanced to the order of the presbyterate. You must apply your energies to the duty of teaching in the name of Christ, the chief Teacher. Share with all mankind the word of God you have received with joy. Meditate on the law of God, believe what you read, teach what you believe, and put into practice what you teach.
- Let the doctrine you teach be true nourishment for the people of God. Let the example of your life attract the follower of Christ, so that by word and action you may build up the house which is God's Church.
- In the same way you must carry out your mission of sanctifying in the power of Christ. Your ministry will perfect the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful by uniting it to Christ's sacrifice, the sacrifice which is offered sacramentally through your hands. Know what you are doing an imitate the mystery you celebrate. In the memorial of the Lord's death and resurrection, make every effort to die to sin and to walk in the new life of Christ.
- When you baptize, you will bring men and women into the people of God. In the sacrament of penance, you will forgive sins in the name of Christ and the Church. With holy oil you will relieve and console the sick. You will celebrate the liturgy, and offer thanks and praise to God throughout the day, praying not only for the people of God but for the whole world. Remember that you are chosen from among God's people and appointed to act for them in relation to God. Do your part in the work Christ the Priest with genuine joy and love, and attend to the concerns of Christ before your own.
- Finally, conscious of sharing in the work of Christ, the Head and Shepherd of the Church, and united with the bishop and subject to him, seek to bring the faithful together into a unified family and to lead them effectively, through Christ and in the Holy Spirit, to God the Father. Always remember the example of the good Shepherd who came not to be served but to serve, and to seek out and rescue those who were lost.
Examination of the Candidates
- Bishop:
- My sons, before you proceed to the order of the prebyterate, declare before the people your intention to undertake the office.
- Are you resolved, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to discharge without fail the office of the priesthood in the presbyteral order as a conscientious fellow worker with the bishops in caring for the Lord's flock?
- Candidates: I am
- Bishop:
- Are you resolved to celebrate the mysteries of Christ faithfully and religiously as the Church has handed them down to us for the glory of God and the sanctification of God's people?
- Candidates: I am
- Bishop:
- Are you resolved to exercise the ministry of the word worthily and wisely, preaching the Gospel and explaining the Catholic faith?
- Candidates: I am
- Bishop:
- Are you resolved to consecrate your life to God for the salvation of his people, and to unite yourself more closely to every day to Christ the High Priest, who offered himself for us to the Father as a perfect sacrifice?
- Candidates: I am, with the help of God
Promise of Obedience
- Bishop:
- Do you promise respect and obedience to me and my successors?
- Candidates: I do
- Bishop:
- May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment.
Invitation to Prayer
- Bishop:
- My dear people, let us pray, that the all-powerful Father may pour out the gifts of heaven on these servants of his, whom he has chosen to be priest.
Litany of Saints
- Deacon: Let us kneel
- Litany - Candidates are prostrate
- Bishop concludes:
- Hear us, Lord our God
- and pour out on these servants of yours
- the blessing of the Holy Spirit
- and the grace and power of the priesthood.
- In your sight we offer these men for ordination:
- support him with your unfailing love.
- We ask this through Christ our Lord.
- Amen.
- Deacon: Let us stand
Laying on of Hands
- One by one the candidates go to the bishop and kneel before him. The bishop lays hands on the head of each, in silence.
- Next all the priests present, wearing stoles, lay their hands upon the candidates in silence.
Prayers of Consecration
- Candidates kneel before the bishop.
- Bishop:
- Come to our help,
- Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God;
- you are the source of every honor and dignity,
- of all progress and stability.
- You watch over the growing family of man
- by your gift of wisdom and your pattern of order.
- When you had appointed high priests to rule
- your people,
- you chose other men next to them in rank and dignity
- to be with them and to help them in their task;
- and so there grew up
- the ranks of priests and the office of levites,
- established by sacred rites.
- In the desert
- you extended the spirit of Moses to seventy wise men
- who helped him to rule the great company of his
- people.
- You shared among the sons of Aaron
- the fullness of their father's power,
- to provide worthy priests in sufficient number
- for the increasing rites of sacrifice and worship.
- With the same loving care
- your gave companions to your Son's apostles
- to help in teaching the faith;
- they preached the Gospel to the whole world.
- Lord,
- grant also to us such fellow workers,
- we are weak and our need greater.
- Almighty Father,
- grant to these servants of yours
- the dignity of the priesthood.
- Renew within them the Spirit of holiness.
- As co-workers with the order of bishops
- may they be faithful to the ministry
- that they receive from you, Lord God,
- and be to others a model of right conduct.
- May they be faithful in working with the order of
- bishops,
- so that the words of the Gospel may reach the ends of
- the earth,
- and the family of nations,
- made one in Christ,
- may become God's one, holy people.
- We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
- who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
- one God, for ever and ever.
- Amen.
Investiture with Stole and Chasuble
- The assisting priests puts a stole and then chasuble on the newly ordained.
Anointing of Hands
- Bishop:
- The Father amointed our Lord Jesus Christ
- through the power of the Holy Spirit.
- May Jesus preserve you to sanctify the Christian
- people
- and to offer sacrifice to God.
Presentation of the Gifts
- The deacon assists the bishop in receiving the gifts of the people and he prepares the bread on a paten and the wine and water in the chalice for the celebration of Mass. He brings the paten and chalice to the bishop, who hands them to the new priests as he kneels before him.
- Bishop:
- Accept from the holy people of God the gifts to be
- offered to him.
- Know what you are doing, imitate the mystery you
- celebrate:
- model your life on the mystery of the Lord's cross.
Kiss of Peace
- Bishop: Peace be with you.
- Priest: And also with you.
Liturgy of the Eucharist.
- Continue with the Liturgy of the Eucharist
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