Which description best captures Holy Orders in Catholic theology?

• A. The sacrament by which men are ordained to lead the Church.
• B. The sacrament by which men are ordained as deacons, priests, or bishops to serve the Church.
• C. A rite of blessing for weddings.
• D. A pledge of celibacy for all believers.

Answer: (B)

Holy Orders is the sacrament by which men are ordained to serve the Church as deacons, priests, or bishops. It provides the grace and authority needed to fulfill their sacred duties—proclaiming the Gospel, teaching, governing, and celebrating the sacraments, with each order having its own distinct role: bishops oversee and teach, priests preside at the Eucharist and administer most of the sacraments, and deacons assist and proclaim the Word. This ordination is understood as sharing in an apostolic mission handed down from Christ and is conferred in a way that leaves a permanent spiritual character on the ordained. It is not about blessing marriages, which is a different sacrament, nor is it a universal pledge of celibacy for all believers; celibacy is a discipline associated with some clergy but not a universal component of Holy Orders.