Sacramentals derive from the Baptismal Priesthood: every Baptized person is called to be a "blessing," and to bless. 172 Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and Sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained Ministry (Bishops, Priests, or deacons). 173

This Priesthood is ministerial. "That office . . . which the Lord committed to the pastors of his people, is in the strict sense of the term a Service." 28 It is entirely related to Christ and to men. It depends entirely on Christ and on his Unique Priesthood; it has been instituted for the good of men and the communion of the Church. the Sacrament of Holy Orders communicates a "sacred power" which is none other than that of Christ. the Exercise of this authority must therefore be measured against the model of Christ, who by love made himself the least and the servant of all. 29 "The Lord said clearly that concern for his flock was proof of love for him." 30

The ministerial or hierarchical Priesthood of Bishops and Priests, and the common Priesthood of all the Faithful participate, "each in its own proper way, in the one priesthood of Christ." While being "ordered one to another," they differ essentially. 22 In what sense? While the common priesthood of the faithful is Exercised by the unfolding of Baptismal Grace - a life of faith, hope, and Charity, a life according to the Spirit - ,the ministerial priesthood is at the Service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the Baptismal grace of all Christians. the ministerial priesthood is a means by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads his Church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own Sacrament, the sacrament of Holy Orders.

Christ, high Priest and Unique mediator, has made of the Church "a kingdom, Priests for his God and Father." 20 The whole Community of believers is, as such, priestly. the Faithful Exercise their Baptismal Priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ's Mission as priest, prophet, and king. Through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation the faithful are "Consecrated to be . . . a holy priesthood." 21

The redemptive Sacrifice of Christ is Unique, accomplished once for all; yet it is made present in the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Church. the same is true of the one Priesthood of Christ; it is made present through the ministerial Priesthood without diminishing the uniqueness of Christ's priesthood: "Only Christ is the true priest, the others being only his ministers." 19

Everything that the Priesthood of the Old Covenant prefigured finds its fulfillment in Christ Jesus, the "one mediator between God and men." 15 The Christian tradition considers Melchizedek, "Priest of God Most High," as a prefiguration of the priesthood of Christ, the Unique "high priest after the order of Melchizedek"; 16 "holy, blameless, unstained," 17 "by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified," 18 that is, by the unique Sacrifice of the cross.

The Liturgy of the Church, however, sees in the Priesthood of Aaron and the Service of the Levites, as in the institution of the seventy elders, 11 a prefiguring of the ordained Ministry of the New Covenant. Thus in the Latin Rite the Church prays in the consecratory preface of the ordination of Bishops:

Instituted to proclaim the Word of God and to restore communion with God by Sacrifices and Prayer, 9 this Priesthood nevertheless remains powerless to bring about salvation, needing to repeat its sacrifices ceaselessly and being unable to achieve a definitive sanctification, which only the sacrifice of Christ would accomplish. 10

The chosen people was constituted by God as "a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation." 6 But within the people of Israel, God chose one of the twelve tribes, that of Levi, and set it apart for Liturgical Service; God himself is its inheritance. 7 A special rite Consecrated the beginnings of the Priesthood of the Old Covenant. the Priests are "appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and Sacrifices for sins." 8

Through these Sacraments those already Consecrated by Baptism and Confirmation 1 for the common Priesthood of all the Faithful can receive particular consecrations. Those who receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders are consecrated in Christ's name "to feed the Church by the word and Grace of God." 2 On their part, "Christian spouses are fortified and, as it were, consecrated for the duties and dignity of their state by a special sacrament." 3

The ministerial Priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ - Head of the Church - before the assembly of the Faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the Prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the Eucharistic Sacrifice. 31

"In the name of the whole Church" does not mean that Priests are the delegates of the Community. the Prayer and offering of the Church are inseparable from the prayer and offering of Christ, her head; it is always the case that Christ Worships in and through his Church. the whole Church, the Body of Christ, prays and offers herself "through him, with him, in him," in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to God the Father. the whole Body, caput et membra, prays and offers itself, and therefore those who in the Body are especially his ministers are called ministers not only of Christ, but also of the Church. It is because the ministerial Priesthood represents Christ that it can represent the Church.

"The divinely instituted ecclesiastical Ministry is Exercised in different degrees by those who even from ancient times have been called Bishops, Priests, and deacons." 32 Catholic doctrine, expressed in the Liturgy, the Magisterium, and the constant practice of the Church, recognizes that there are two degrees of ministerial participation in the Priesthood of Christ: the episcopacy and the presbyterate . the diaconate is intended to help and serve them. For this reason the term sacerdos in current usage denotes bishops and Priests but not deacons. Yet Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly participation (episcopate and presbyterate) and the degree of Service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a Sacramental act called "ordination," that is, by the Sacrament of Holy Orders:

It is here that the Father of the family, the mother, children, and all members of the family Exercise the Priesthood of the Baptized in a privileged way "by the reception of the Sacraments, Prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active Charity." 168 Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and "a school for human enrichment." 169 Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous - even repeated - forgiveness, and above all divine Worship in prayer and the offering of one's life.

"At a lower level of the hierarchy are to be found deacons, who receive the imposition of hands 'not unto the Priesthood, but unto the Ministry."' 53 At an ordination to the diaconate only the bishop lays hands on the candidate, thus signifying the deacon's special attachment to the bishop in the tasks of his "diakonia." 54

"All Priests, who are constituted in the order of Priesthood by the Sacrament of Order, are bound together by an intimate Sacramental brotherhood, but in a special way they form one Priestly body in the diocese to which they are attached under their own bishop. . ;" 52 The unity of the presbyterium finds Liturgical expression in the custom of the presbyters' imposing hands, after the bishop, during the Ate of ordination.

"Because it is joined with the episcopal order the office of Priests shares in the authority by which Christ himself builds up and sanctifies and rules his Body. Hence the Priesthood of Priests, while presupposing the Sacraments of initiation, is nevertheless conferred by its own particular Sacrament. Through that sacrament priests by the anointing of the Holy Spirit are signed with a special character and so are configured to Christ the priest in such a way that they are able to act in the person of Christ the head." 45

"Christ, whom the Father hallowed and sent into the world, has, through his apostles, made their successors, the Bishops namely, sharers in his consecration and Mission; and these, in their turn, duly entrusted in varying degrees various members of the Church with the office of their Ministry." 43 "The function of the bishops' ministry was handed over in a subordinate degree to Priests so that they might be appointed in the order of the Priesthood and be co-workers of the episcapal order for the proper fulfillment of the apostolic mission that had been entrusted to it by Christ." 44

The Second Vatican Council "teaches . . . that the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred by episcopal consecration, that fullness namely which, both in the Liturgical tradition of the Church and the language of the Fathers of the Church, is called the high Priesthood, the acme (summa) of the sacred Ministry." 36

The Eastern Churches that are not in full communion with the Catholic Church celebrate the Eucharist with great love. "These Churches, although separated from us, yet possess true Sacraments, above all - by apostolic succession - the Priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy." A certain communion in sacris, and so in the Eucharist, "given suitable circumstances and the approval of Church authority, is not merely possible but is encouraged." 235

The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal Priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole Community in the Lord's own Sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.

In the New Testament the word "Liturgy" refers not only to the celebration of divine Worship but also to the proclamation of the Gospel and to active Charity. 6 In all of these situations it is a question of the Service of God and neighbor. In a Liturgical celebration the Church is servant in the image of her Lord, the one "leitourgos"; 7 she shares in Christ's Priesthood (worship), which is both prophetic (proclamation) and kingly (service of charity):

"Mary's function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this Unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary influence on men . . . flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it." 511 "No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer; but just as the Priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his ministers and the Faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source." 512

The bishop is "the steward of the Grace of the supreme Priesthood," 423 especially in the Eucharist which he offers personally or whose offering he assures through the Priests, his co-workers. the Eucharist is the center of the life of the particular Church. the bishop and Priests sanctify the Church by their Prayer and work, by their Ministry of the word and of the Sacraments. They sanctify her by their example, "not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock." 424 Thus, "together with the flock entrusted to them, they may attain to eternal life." 425

"Only a Baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination." 66 The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their Ministry. 67 The college of Bishops, with whom the Priests are united in the Priesthood, makes the college of the twelve an ever-present and ever-active reality until Christ's return. The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason, the ordination of women is not possible. 68

On entering the People of God through faith and Baptism, one receives a share in this people's Unique, Priestly vocation: "Christ the Lord, high priest taken from among men, has made this new people 'a kingdom of Priests to God, his Father.' the Baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are Consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy Priesthood." 209

The People of God is marked by characteristics that clearly distinguish it from all other religious, ethnic, political, or cultural groups found in history: - It is the People of God: God is not the property of any one people. But he acquired a people for himself from those who previously were not a people: "a chosen race, a royal Priesthood, a holy nation." 202 - One becomes a member of this people not by a physical birth, but by being "born anew," a birth "of water and the Spirit," 203 that is, by faith in Christ, and Baptism. - This People has for its Head Jesus the Christ (the anointed, the Messiah). Because the same anointing, the Holy Spirit, flows from the head into the body, this is "the messianic people." - "The status of this people is that of the dignity and freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells as in a temple." - "Its law is the new commandment to love as Christ loved us." 204 This is the "new" law of the Holy Spirit. 205 - Its Mission is to be salt of the earth and light of the world. 206 This people is "a most sure seed of unity, hope, and salvation for the whole human race." -Its destiny, finally, "is the Kingdom of God which has been begun by God himself on earth and which must be further extended until it has been brought to perfection by him at the end of time." 207

"and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 541 The lifting up of Jesus on the cross signifies and announces his lifting up by his Ascension into heaven, and indeed begins it. Jesus Christ, the one Priest of the new and eternal Covenant, "entered, not into a sanctuary made by human hands. . . but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf." 542 There Christ permanently Exercises his Priesthood, for he "always lives to make intercession" for "those who draw near to God through him". 543 As "high priest of the good things to come" he is the centre and the principal actor of the Liturgy that honours the Father in heaven. 544

The ordained Ministry or ministerial Priesthood is at the Service of the Baptismal Priesthood. 38 The ordained priesthood guarantees that it really is Christ who acts in the Sacraments through the Holy Spirit for the Church. the saving Mission entrusted by the Father to his incarnate Son was committed to the apostles and through them to their successors: they receive the Spirit of Jesus to act in his name and in his person. 39 The ordained minister is the Sacramental bond that ties the Liturgical action to what the apostles said and did and, through them, to the words and actions of Christ, the source and foundation of the Sacraments.

The three Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders confer, in addition to Grace, a Sacramental character or "seal" by which the Christian shares in Christ's Priesthood and is made a member of the Church according to different states and functions. This configuration to Christ and to the Church, brought about by the Spirit, is indelible, 40 it remains for ever in the Christian as a positive disposition for grace, a promise and guarantee of divine protection, and as a vocation to divine Worship and to the Service of the Church. Therefore these Sacraments can never be repeated.

This "character" perfects the common Priesthood of the Faithful, received in Baptism, and "the confirmed person receives the power to profess faith in Christ publicly and as it were officially (quasi ex officio)." 120

Incorporated into the Church by Baptism, the Faithful have received the Sacramental character that consecrates them for Christian religious Worship. 83 The Baptismal seal enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy Liturgy of the Church and to Exercise their baptismal Priesthood by the witness of holy lives and practical Charity. 84

The Baptized have become "living stones" to be "built into a spiritual house, to be a holy Priesthood." 73 By Baptism they share in the Priesthood of Christ, in his prophetic and royal Mission. They are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that [they] may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called [them] out of darkness into his marvelous light." 74 Baptism gives a share in the common priesthood of all believers.

The mystery of Christ, his Incarnation and Passover, which we celebrate in the Eucharist especially at the Sunday assembly, permeates and transfigures the time of each day, through the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, "the divine office." 46 This celebration, Faithful to the apostolic exhortations to "pray constantly," is "so devised that the whole course of the day and night is made holy by the praise of God." 47 In this "public Prayer of the Church," 48 The faithful (clergy, religious, and lay people) Exercise the royal Priesthood of the Baptized. Celebrated in "the form approved" by the Church, the Liturgy of the Hours "is truly the voice of the Bride herself addressed to her Bridegroom. It is the very prayer which Christ himself together with his Body addresses to the Father. 49

For the purpose of assisting the work of the common Priesthood of the Faithful, other particular ministries also exist, not Consecrated by the Sacrament of Holy Orders; their functions are determined by the Bishops, in accord with Liturgical traditions and pastoral needs. "Servers, readers, commentators, and members of the choir also Exercise a genuine liturgical function." 14

The celebrating assembly is the Community of the Baptized who, "by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are Consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy Priesthood, that . . . they may offer spiritual Sacrifices." 9 This "common Priesthood" is that of Christ the sole priest, in which all his members participate: 10

God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Saviour. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.

So that this call should resound throughout the world, Christ sent forth the apostles he had chosen, comMissioning them to proclaim the gospel: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." 4 Strengthened by this mission, the apostles "went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it." 5

Forming "as it were, one mystical person" with Christ the head, the Church acts in the Sacraments as "an organically structured Priestly Community." 36 Through Baptism and Confirmation the pRiestly people is enabled to celebrate the Liturgy, while those of the Faithful "who have received Holy Orders, are appointed to nourish the Church with the word and Grace of God in the name of Christ." 37