Priest Praying Over Communion — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “Those who receive the sacrament of Holy Orders — as a deacon, priest or bishop — are consecrated in Christ’s name ‘to feed the Church by the word and grace of God.’”

Celebrating Sacraments, from Saint Mary’s Press, states that “Holy Orders, like Matrimony, is a sacrament at the service of Communion. Through Holy Orders, men called by God are consecrated to do a particular kind of service in Christ’s name — that of leading and nourishing the Body of Christ with the word of God and the grace of the sacraments.”

The are three types of orders in this ministry, according to Celebrating Sacraments: the episcopate (order of bishops), the presbyterate (order of priests) and the diaconate (order of deacons).

Contact the Rev. Dominic Ciriaco, pastor of St. Mary’s, at 201-384-0557 for more information.