THE ORDINATION 
 
 OF A 
 
 t' 
 
 iH .. f ^ .^^A 
 
 ^ H 
 
 ■■vs^ix' '^^ ' 
 
 Itil* 
 
 (TRANSLATED FROM THE ROMAN PONTIFICAL AND MISSAL,) 
 
 JUNE 9th 18(5 
 
 FESTIVAL ^^ i 
 
 ^'v/^y^^ .^ ,-'^^x**x^ \ 
 
 iWoutvcal : 
 
 PRINTED BY JOn> LOVJILL.ST. 
 
THE ORDINATION 
 
 OF A 
 
 WMwtt 
 
 (TISANSLATED FROM THE ROMAN POXTIFICAL AND MIS3AL,) 
 
 JUNE 9tii 1867, 
 
 FESTIVAL OF PENTECOST. 
 
 \y'-r\^\f .y\^\^'\y> 
 
 PRINTED BY JOHxV LOVELL, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 
 
 1867. 
 
THE ORDINATION OF A PRIEST. 
 
 The Bishop hcguis Mass in the usual manner. 
 
 After reading the Epistle^ he sits down^ and puts on his 
 mitre. Then the Archdeacon calls the candidate for ordi- 
 nation, saying : Let him approachj who is to be raised to 
 the order of Priesthood. 
 
 The Bishop's Secretary reads out the namCj and the can- 
 didate answers : Here. 
 
 Then the candidate, vested as a Deacon, with amict, alh, 
 girdle, stole and maniple, holding on his left arm his 
 chasuble folded, and in his right hand a taper and a white 
 linen hand, steps forward towards the Bishop. The Arch- 
 deacon presents him to the Bishop, saying : Most Reverend 
 Father, Our Holy Mother the Catholic Church requests 
 you to raise this Deacon here present to the Order of Priest- 
 hood. 
 
 The Bishop then asks : Do you know him to be worthy ? 
 
 The Archdeacon answers : As much as human frailty 
 allows to know it, I do both know and testify him to be 
 worthy for the burden of this office. 
 
 The Bishop) says : Thanks be to God. 
 
 Theii he announces it to the clergy and people, saying : 
 Since, Beloved Brethren, both the helmsman of a vessel 
 and her crew share the same security or the same danger, 
 it is meet that, for their common interest, they should act 
 in unison. It has therefore been wisely established, that in 
 the choice of those that are to be employed in the adminis- 
 tration of the altar, the people also should be consulted. 
 For often many things concerning the life and actions of 
 a candidate, although hidden to the many, may be known 
 
by a few; moreover, obedience is more readily rendered to 
 the ordained, when assent has been given to their ordina- 
 tion. Now, this deacon about to be raised, with the help of 
 God; to the dignity of Priesthood, has led, we trust, a life 
 both irreproachable and'pleasing to God, nay, worthy of this 
 increase of Ecclesiastical honor. Still, lest one man or a 
 few might be deceived in their judgment or misled by 
 their feelings, we must ask for the opinion of the many. 
 Whatever therefore you may know concerning his actions 
 and morals, or think of his worth, manifest it with all free- 
 dom and sincerity, giving testimony according to merit, not 
 from affection . If then any one have anything against 
 him, let him, for the sake and glory of God, come forward 
 and manifest it. Let him however be mindful of his own 
 condition. 
 
 Then the Bishop^ after a short pause^ addresses the can- 
 didate in the following terms : 
 
 Beloved son, about to receive the consecration of Priestly 
 orders, strive to do so worthily, and afterwards to exer- 
 cise them in a praiseworthy manner. A priest is to 
 offer, bless, preside, preach and baptize. Thou must then 
 ascend to so high a degree with great fear, and endeavor 
 that heavenly wisdom, high moral worth, and a daily 
 observance of justice may render thee commendable. 
 When the Lord bade Moses to choose seventy men out 
 of all Israel to be his coadjutors, and share with him the 
 gifts of the Holy Spirit, he said : Take such as you 
 know to he elders among my people. Thou too, therefore, 
 Beloved Son, hast been pointed out among the seventy men, 
 and the elders, if by the working of the seven gifts of the 
 Holy Spirit, thou keepest the law of God, and showest thyself 
 both a man of strict integrity, and ripe in science as well 
 as in virtue. Under the same emblem, the Lord in the 
 New Covenant chose seventy-two disciples, whom he sent 
 two by two before him to preach ; he wished no doubt to 
 teach us both by his words and acts, that ministers of his 
 Church should be perfect in faith and good works, well 
 
5 
 
 grounded iu the virtue of twofold charity, viz., that of God 
 and of their neighbor. Strive, therefore, with the grace of 
 God, to be worthy of being chosen as a coadjutor of Moses 
 and the twelve Apostles, that is of the Catholic Bishops, 
 typified by Moses and the Apostles. Thus the Holy Church 
 is truly surrounded, adorned and governed with a wonder- 
 ful variety, since some of her children are consecrated as 
 Bishops, others in a lower order as Priests, Deacons, and 
 Subdeacons, and of all these manifold members, varying in 
 dignity, is formed the one mystical body of Christ. There- 
 fore, Beloved Son, whom the will of our brethren has chosen 
 to assist us, preserve in thy conduct the integrity of a chaste 
 and holy life, understand well what thou dost, imitate the 
 holy things thou touchest; so that, whilst celebrating the 
 mystery of the death of the Lord, ihou endeavor by morti- 
 fication to keep thy members free from all sin and lust. 
 Let thy doctrine be for the people of God spiritual medi- 
 cine ; let the good odor of thy life be the delight of the 
 Church of Christ, so that by thy preaching aud example, 
 thou mayest build up the house, viz., the family of God, 
 and that thus neither we, for our raising thee, nor thou for 
 thy ascending to so high an office, may be condemned by 
 the Lord, but rather receive the reward from his mercy. 
 
 May he grant us this blessing through his grace. Amen. 
 
 Here the Bishop with all his clergy kneels down and 
 remains so during the chaunting of the Litany of the 
 Saints, whilst the candidate lies j^t'ostrate on the pavement. 
 
 After the invocation for the souls in Purgatory, the 
 Bishop rises, turns to the candidate, and holding his pas- 
 toral staff in his left hand, imparts his blessing in the fol- 
 lowing solemn invocations : 
 
 That Thou mayest deign to bless this thy chosen one, we 
 beseech Thee, hear us. 
 
 That Thou mayest deign to bless, and sanctify this thy 
 chosen one, &c. 
 
 That Thou mayest deign to bless, sanctify and conse- 
 crate this thy chosen one, &c. 
 
 2a 
 
Then he again hieeh doion^ and the choir goes on ivith 
 the chauut. 
 
 After the Litamj^ all rise. Then the Bishojy^ and after 
 him, each one of the priests present^ imposes hands upon 
 the candidate. 
 
 Then whilst they all 'Stretch out their right hand over 
 him, the Bishop says : 
 
 Let us, dearest brethren, pray God the Father Almighty, 
 to bestow with more plentiful bounty his heavenly gifts on 
 this his servant, whom He has chosen for the dignity of 
 Priesthood, and to extend to him his merciful help, that he 
 may worthily accept so great a favor. Through Christ our 
 Lord. Amen. 
 
 Thoi the Bishop pnits aside his mitre, and turning to 
 the altar says : Let us pray. His attendants answer : 
 Let us bend our knees. — Arise. 
 
 Then turning again to the candidate^ the Bishop says : 
 
 Hear us graciously, we beseech Thee, Lord our God, 
 and pour out upon this thy servant the blessing of thy 
 Holy Spirit, and of the priestly grace, in order that 
 he, whom we present before the eyes of thy fatherly mercy 
 to be consecrated, may for ever partake of thy choicest 
 gifts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who 
 liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same 
 Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 Then the Bishop sings or reads a Preface^ loherein he 
 extols in the loftiest strains the sublimity of the Priest- 
 hood in the New Dispensation, 
 
 Afteir this, he sits down, resumes his mitre, and adapt- 
 ing the candidate^ s stole on his hr east in the form of a cross ^ 
 he says : 
 
 Receive the yoke of the Lord ; for his yoke is sweet, and 
 his burden light. 
 
 Then he places upon him the chasuble lohich remains 
 folded on his shoulders, and he says at the same time : 
 
 Receive the sacerdotal vestment, by which is signified 
 charity ; for God is powerful to increase charity, and the 
 perfection of good works in thee. — Thanks be to God. 
 
The Bishop then, laying aside his mitre, whilst all kneel 
 down, says : 
 
 God, the author o^ all sanctification, to whom belong- 
 eth all true consecration and bountiful benediction, do 
 Thou pour forth on this thy servant, whom we dedicate to 
 the honor of Priesthood, the gift of thy blessing, in order 
 that, by the gravity of his actions, and his irreproachable 
 life, he may prove himself endowed with that maturity of 
 perfection which Paul inculcated upon Titus and Timothy. 
 May he, by the virtue of the same benediction, constantly 
 meditating thy holy law, believe what he reads, teach what 
 he believes, practice what he teaches, manifest in his con- 
 duct justice, constancy, mercy, fortitude, and the other 
 virtues ; may he edify by his example, confirm by admoni- 
 tions, and preserve the gift of his ministry pure and imma- 
 culate ; may he, by his immaculate benediction, change for 
 the sanctification of the people, the bread and wine into the 
 Body and Blood of thy Son, and, having grown with 
 unblemished charity to the perfect man, according to the 
 measure of the fulness of Christ, rise on the day of thy just 
 and everlasting judgment with a pure conscience and true 
 faith, adorned with all the gifts of thy Spirit. Through 
 the same Jesus Christ, &c. 
 
 Then the Blshoj), kneeling before the altar, intones the 
 hymn : Veni Creator. 
 
 Whilst the hymn is being sung, the Bishop resumes his 
 seat, and in full pontificals, anoints icith the holy oil of 
 catechumens both hands of the candidate in the form of a 
 cross, saying at the same time : 
 
 Do Thou, Lord, deign to consecrate and sanctify 
 these hands by this unction and our benediction. Amen. 
 
 In order that whatever they bless, may be blessed, and 
 whatever they consecrate, may be consecrated and sanctifi- 
 ed in the name of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. 
 
 To which the candidate answers : Amen, 
 
 Sere the Bishop joins the candidate^ s hands, which thus 
 consecrated one of the assistants binds together with the 
 
8 
 
 linen. Then, the Bishop presents the candidate a chalice 
 loith wine and water and the paten with a host upon it, all 
 of which the candidate receives, touching at the same time 
 the cup of the chalice and the paten, lohilst the Bishop 
 says : 
 
 Receive the power of offering sacrifice to God, and 
 celebrating Mass as well for the living as for the dead. 
 
 In the name of the Lord. Amen. 
 
 2hen the Bishop proceeds with Mass, whilst the newly 
 ordained priest washes his hands and wipes them in the 
 lineii hand which had hound them. 
 
 OFFERTORY. 
 
 At the Offertory^ the new p>riest presents the Bishop with 
 a lighted candle, at the same time kissing his hand. Then, 
 kneeling at the foot of the altar,he reads aloud icith the 
 Bishop the Offertory aud Canon of the 3Iass. 
 
 Accept, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, this 
 immaculate Host, which I, thy unworthy servant, offer 
 unto Thee, my living and true God, for my innumerable 
 sins, offences and negligences, and for all here present ; as 
 also for all faithful Christians, both living and dead, that 
 it may be profitable for my own and for their salvation 
 unto life eternal. Amen. 
 
 God, who in creating human nature, didst wonder- 
 fully dignify it, and hast still more wonderfully renewed it ; 
 grant that by the mystery of this water and wine, we may 
 be made partakers of His divinity, who vouchsafed to be- 
 come partaker of our humanity, Jesus Christ, thy Son, our 
 Lord ; who liveth, &c. 
 
 We offer unto Thee, Lord, the chalice of salvation, 
 beseeching thy clemency, that, in the sight of thy divine 
 Majesty, it may ascend with the odor of sweetness for our 
 salvation, and for that of the whole world. Amen. 
 
 In the spirit of humility and with a contrite heart, let 
 us be received by Thee, Lord : and grant that the sa- 
 
orifice we offer in tlij sight this day may be pleasing to 
 Thee, Lord God. 
 
 Come, Sanctifier, Almighty, Eternal God, and bless 
 this sacrifice, prepared to thy holy name. 
 
 Washing his fingers he recites the 2bth Psalm : I will 
 wash, &c. He then proceeds : Receive, Holy Trinity, 
 this oblation, which we make to Thee, in memory of the 
 Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and in honor of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, of 
 B. John Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, of 
 these and of all the Saints : that it may be available to their 
 honor and our salvation, and may they vouchsafe to inter- 
 cede for us in heaven, whoso memory we celebrate on earth. 
 Through, &c. 
 
 Brethren, pray that my sacrifice and yours may be ac- 
 ceptable to God, the Father Almighty. The Cleric answers : 
 May the Lord receive the sacrifice from thy hands, to the 
 praise and glory of his name, to our benefit, and to that of 
 all his Holy Church. Amen. 
 
 Then are recited the Secret Prayers and the Preface with 
 the Sanctus. 
 
 CANON OF THE MASS. 
 
 We, therefore, humbly pray and beseech Thee, most 
 merciful Father, through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord, 
 that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to accept and bless these 
 gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted sacrifices, which, 
 in the first place, we offer Thee for thy holy Catholic 
 Church, to whicLi vouchsafe to grant peace ; as also to pro- 
 tect, unite and govern it throughout the world, together 
 with thy servant Pius our Pope, our Bishop Ignatius, as 
 also all orthodox believers of the Catholic and Apostolic 
 Faith. 
 
 Here is made the commemoration of the living ^ and men- 
 tioned the communion of the saints. 
 
10 
 
 ELEVATION. 
 
 Wc, therefore, beseech Thee, Lord, graciously to accept 
 this oblation of our service, as also of thy whole family ; 
 dispose our days in thy peace, command us to be delivered 
 from eternal damnation, and to be numbered in the flock 
 of thy elect. Through Christ, &c. 
 
 Which oblation do Thou, God, vouchsafe in all things 
 to make blessed, approved, ratified, reasonable, and accept- 
 able, that it miy become to us the body and blood of thy 
 most Beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 
 Who, the day before he suffered, took bread into his 
 holy and venerable hands, and with his eyes lifted up 
 towards heaven, to God, his Almighty Father, giving thanks 
 to Thee, did bless, break and give to his disciples, saying : 
 Tahe^ aud eat yc all of tJiis ; FoR Tins is MY Body. 
 
 In like mmner, after he had supped, taking also this 
 excellent chalice into his holy and venerable hands, and 
 giving Thee thanks, he blessed and gave to his disciples, 
 saying : Take, and drink yc alio/ this ; For this is the 
 
 CHALICE OF xAIY BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL TES- 
 TAMENT, THE MYSTERY OF FAITH, WHICH SHALL BE 
 SHED FOR YOU AND FOR MANY, TO THE REMISSION OF 
 
 INS. As often as ye do these things, ye shall do them in 
 remembrance of me. 
 
 The Canon continued. 
 
 Wherefore, Lord, we thy servants, as also thy holy 
 people, calling to mind the blessed passion of the same 
 Christ thy Son our Lord, his resurrection from hell, and 
 glorious ascension into heaven, offer unto thy most excellent 
 Majesty, of thy gifts and grants, a pure Host, a holy Host, 
 an immaculate Host, the holy Bread of eternal life and the 
 Chalice of everlasting salvation. 
 
 Upon which vouchsafe to look with a propitious and 
 serone countenance, and to accept them, as Thou wast gra- 
 
11 
 
 ciously pleased to accept the gifts of thy just servant Abel, 
 and the sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham, and that which 
 thy high-priest Melchisedech offered to Thee, a holy sacri- 
 fice, an immaculate Host. We most humbly beseech Thee, 
 Almighty God, command these things to be carried by the 
 hands of thy holy angel to thv altar on high, in the sight 
 of thy divine Majesty, that as many of us as, by the par- 
 ticipation of this Altar, shall receive the most sacred Body 
 and Blood of thy Son, may be filled with all heavenly 
 benediction and grace. Through the same Christ, &c. 
 
 Here is ynade the commemoration of the dead, and again 
 mentioned the communion of Saints ; then comes the Lord's 
 Prayer and the prayers preparatory to Communion, 
 
 2 he Bishop, having received the Blessed Sacrament under 
 both kinds, administers Holy Communion in the usual 
 form to the newly ordained, saying : May the body of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ preserve thee unto life everlasting. 
 
 To which the ordained answers : Amen. 
 
 Then one of the assistant priests presents the newly ordain- 
 ed with wine in a chalice ; after which,the Bishop intones 
 the following Response, which the choir continues : 
 
 I will not now call you servants, but friends, because 
 you have known all that T have done in the midst of 
 you. Alleluia. Receive the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. He 
 it is, whom the Father will send to you. Alleluia. You 
 are my friends, if you will do the things which I command 
 you. Glory be, &c. 
 
 Theii the newly ordained solemnly recites the Apostles^ 
 Creed, thus making a profession of the faith he engages 
 to teach. 
 
 After which the Bishop, seated before the altar ^ imposes 
 hands on the newly ordained, saying : 
 
 Receive thou the Holy Ghost ; whose sins thou shalt 
 forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose thou shalt re- 
 tain, they are retained. 
 
 Then unfolding the chasuble on the shoidders of the 
 nexoly ordained, he says : May the Lord bless thee with 
 the stole of innocence. 
 
12 
 
 After tliis^ the new priest places both his Ti'xndsin those 
 of the Bishop ^whilst the latter asks : Dost thou promise me 
 and my successors reverence and obedience. To which 
 the former answers : I do. 
 
 Then the Bishop embraces him, saying : May the peace 
 of the Lord be with thee for ever. And the other answers : 
 Amen. 
 
 The Bishop hereupon addresses him in a few words, 
 blesses him, and then continues the Mass. 
 
 After the last Orations, having given to the assembly his 
 solemn blessing, he thus again addresses the new priest : 
 
 Most beloved son, consider attentively the order thou 
 hast received, and the duties it imposes ; strive to lead a 
 holy and religious life, and to please Almighty God, that 
 thou mayest be able to acquire His grace, which may He 
 throUj'^h his mercy grant ihee. 
 
 After thy first Mass, say three more, one of the Holy 
 Ghost, a second in honor of the Blessed Virgin, and the 
 third for the repose of the faithful departed, and pray to 
 the omnipotent God for me also. 
 
 To which the new priest bows in assent ; then is read 
 the beginning of the GonpeJ according to St. John.