Holy Orders

Through the sacrament of Holy Orders the Church, under guidance of the Holy Spirit, calls forth those who, by an act of singular devotion, dedicate their lives totally to the service of Christ and His Church.  By preaching, teaching and the celebration of the sacred mysteries, those in Holy Orders occupy a privileged place in the life of God’s people.  There are 3 degrees to the sacrament of Holy Orders:

The Bishop- is the head and high priest of the local church or diocese.  He is entrusted with the spiritual welfare of all those in his diocese.  The Archdiocese of Anchorage covers Southcentral Alaska and the Aleutian Chain.  Most Rev. Roger L. Schwietz, OMI, is the current Archbishop of Anchorage.

The Priest- shares in the mission of the bishop.  As a pastor, a diocesan priest is the proper shepherd of a parish, exercising pastoral care in the community entrusted to him under the authority of the diocesan bishop.  His primary duties are those of teaching, sanctifying and governing, with the cooperation of other priests or deacons and the assistance of lay members of the parish.

The Deacon- is ordained to a life of service to the Church.  There are 2 kinds of deacons, transitional and permanent.  A transitional deacon is one who will eventually be ordained a priest.  A permanent deacon remains in the Order of Deacon permanently.  Transitional deacons are celibate.  Permanent deacons may be married.  All deacons are especially entrusted with the ministries of service in the Church, especially the taking of the Eucharist to the sick and infirm.  Often they will have special ministries within a parish or diocese as assigned by the bishop.

Becoming a Priest or a Deacon

To apply as a candidate for Holy Orders, especially the priesthood, one must be a baptized male, active in the practice of the Faith.  If you are interested in exploring a vocation to the priesthood, you should contact; the pastor to make your desire known.  The pastor will meet regularly with you to guide you in your discernment.  The pastor will then put you in contact with the Vocation Director of the Archdiocese.  There are also regular meetings with the Archbishop of all men in the diocese who are interested in the priesthood, as well as periodic vocation retreats.  The St. John Vianney House of Discernment is a place where one can live up to a year while formally discerning his call.

If the vocation is affirmed, one is asked to apply to the Archdiocese as a canidate for Orders.  The Vocation Director guides the application process.  Once accepted, a canidate is sponsored by the Archdiocese for formation in a college or major seminary.  The length of seminary training depends largely on the experience of the individual, but usually lasts from 6 to 8 years.

To apply for the Permanent Diaconate, one must be a baptized male, at least 35 years of age.  If married, his wife must consent to his application.  Formation for the permanent diaconate is done at the diocesan level.

A Word About the Consecrated Life

Throughout the history of the Church various religious orders have arisen to meet a particular need within the Body of Christ.  The call to a religious order is a call to live the charism, or special character, of that order and how it is lived within that community.  Members of religious orders take the evangelical vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

If a young man or woman feels called to a particular order he or she should contact a member of that order for information about their life.  Or if unsure, he or she should contact the pastor who will put them in contact with the members of various religious orders in the Archdiocese.

It is very important to remember the fostering of vocations to Holy Orders and Consecrated Life is the responsibility of EVERY PARISHIONER.  If you believe a young man or woman is called to a life of singular devotion of service to the Church, follow these simple steps:

1. Pray for the person, that they may know God’s will in their life
2. At an opportune time, tell them you feel Christ might be calling him or her to a vocation of service to the Church
3. Encourage them to speak to the pastor or another member of the clergy or religious life

You’d be surprised.  Often a young man or woman is quietly discerning a vocation and is just waiting for someone to speak to them about it.  If you do not invite them, who will?