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What Happens at an Ordination?

Ordinations are one of the most beautiful of Church celebrations. Deacon and priesthood ordinations are distinct yet similar ceremonies during a Mass. Many people never witness an ordination.

1. Call from the bishop and presentation where a notary testifies to candidates' readiness.
2. Election by the bishop and the consent of the people.
	3. The homily* is preached by the bishop.*
4. Candidates being ordained deacons with the intention of later being ordained priests, commit to celibacy.
	5. The candidates are examined* by the bishop as to their resolution and willingness to serve the people of God.*
6. The promise of obedience* is given.*
	7. The candidates then prostrate themselves on the floor while the Litany of the Saints is sung. The prostration is a symbol of their death to their former lives and their rising into a new Spirit-filled and resurrected life in the risen Christ who came among us not to be served, but to serve. The Litany of the Saints calls them down upon the candidates as the cloud of witnesses who will support and sustain them in their new lives as deacons.
	8. The most solemn moment of the ordination is the laying on of hands.* This is done in silence, the bishop laying both hands on the head of each ordained.*
9. With the candidates kneeling before the bishop, he extends his hands over them and prays the Consecratory Prayer, calling down the Holy Spirit upon them to join them into the Spirit-filled humanity of the risen Christ.
	10. Newly ordained deacons are then vested with the stole and dalmatic. The dalmatic is a symbol of service to God's people. English monarchs wear dalmatics when they are crowned. The original dalmatics were woven from white Dalmatian wool. Newly ordained priests are then vested with the stole and chasuble. The stole was the symbol of Office worn by civil magistrates in the time of Constantine. The chasuble was an outer festive garment worn by Roman men on the occasions of great celebrations and festivals.
11. The hands of the newly ordained priests are anointed with Chrism, the holy oil that permeates them with the presence of the anointed, the Christ.
12. Newly ordained deacons receive the book of Gospels from the hands of the bishop who tells them: "Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you are. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach." Newly ordained priests receive a chalice and a paten, charging them to imitate the Christ who gave us His Body and Blood at the Last Supper on the night before He died.
	13. The Kiss of Peace is given by the bishop to each of the newly ordained priests or deacons.
	14. The bishop and the newly ordained continue with the Eucharistic part of the Mass.

It is noteworthy that in the chronological development of the Church, deacons were the first to be ordained by the apostles. Subsequently, presbyters were ordained to represent their bishops (successors to the apostles) in parishes to which they were sent by their bishops.