Holy Orders
"...and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5)
"Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time…It includes three degrees of order: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate" (CCC 1536). Deacons, priest and bishops are essential to the Catholic Church because we believe that they continue the work begun by the apostles.
Jesus calls us as his disciples to a new way of life-the Christian way of life- of which stewardship is a part. But Jesus does not call us as nameless people in a faceless crowd. He calls us individually by name. Each of us-clergy, religious, layperson, married, single, adult, child-has a personal vocation. God intends each of us to play a unique role in carrying out the divine plan. The challenge, then, is to understand our role-our vocation- and to respond generously to this call from God. Chrisitan vocation entails the practice of stewardship. In addition, Christ calls each of us to be stewards of our personal vocations which we receive from God.
Here are the short definitions of what is meant by each of these terms:
-Diocesan Priest: A diocesan priest is not a member of a religious order and is ordained to serve in a particular geographical area called a diocese and takes the vow of celibacy and the vow of obedience to the diocesan bishop and his successor. He ministers in parishes within the diocese or archdiocese.
-Deacon: The deacon is a man of faith called by the church to serve God and God's people as an official representative of the Church. He assists the bishop and priest in performing sacraments, proclamation of the Gospel and by dedicating himself to the charity of others. Whether married or single, the majority of deacons support themselves through a separate profession or occupation. Ordinarily, deacons offer their ministry freely to the Church.
-Brother: A brother is a layman who publicly consecreates himself to God and ministry within the Church through vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience. He lives in community for mutual support and companionship and focuses on prayer and ministry. A brother is not ordained to the priesthood.
-Friar: The word "friar" comes from the Latin word "frater", meaning "brother". When St. Francis founded a religious community, he intended its members to live as brothers without distinction of rank, title, or education.
An example of friars are the Capuchins, who are are a religious community of both lay brothers and ordained priests. Yet, in the spirit of St. Francis, friars - lay and ordained - see themselves as brothers, as equals, with no one greater or less than the next, respectful to one another and to all of creation.
-Monk: A monk may be conveniently defined as a member of a community of men, leading a more or less contemplative life apart from the world, under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, according to a rule characteristic of the particular order to which he belongs. The word monk is not itself a term commonly used in the official language of the Church. It is a popular rather than a scientific designation, but it is at the same time very ancient, so much so that its origin cannot be precisely determined.
A monk is a man living in a religious community and makes a final profession of the solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. A monk may be a priest or a deacon, who has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders, or a religious brother, who is not ordained. Monks live in a monastery, the word from which "monk" is derived. Depending upon the circumstances of the particular order, they may have a very strict contemplative, cloistered lifestyle, like the Order of Cistercians of Strict Observance (commonly known as the Trappists), or a less strictly cloistered lifestyle, like the Benedictines.
The term nun and sister are often used interchangeably but there is a difference.
-Sister: A Catholic sister is a woman who does lives, ministers, and prays within the world. A sister’s life is often called “active” or “apostolic” because she is engaged in the works of mercy and other ministries that take the Gospel to others where they are. She professes perpetual simple vows living a life according to the evangelical counsels of poverty, celibacy, and obedience.
-Nun: A Catholic nun is a woman who lives as a contemplative life in a monastery which is usually cloistered (or enclosed) or semi-cloistered. Her ministry and prayer life is centered within and around the monastery for the good of the world. She professes the perpetual solemn vows living a life according to the evangelical counsels of poverty, celibacy, and obedience.
Information on Vocations
If you have been considering a vocation in the priesthood and would like to learn more, click here to read more about becoming a priest in the Archdiocese of Boston.
Single or married men who feel called to serve the Church in a deeper way might feel called to ordination to the diaconate. For more information on becoming a deacon in the Archdiocese of Boston, click here.
There are countless religious orders for men and women who feel called to serve God as priests, brothers, nuns and sisters. For a partial list, please click here.
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
St. Anne's School graduates who became priests:
Catholic Parishes of the Blue Hills
Most Precious Blood, St. Anne, St. Pius X
A Disciples in Mission Phase II Collaborative
Collaborative Center/Mailing Address for All Parishes
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Main Phone (857) 342-9500
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