THE ORDINATION OF A PRESBYTER

The Ordination of a Presbyter is conducted during the celebration of the Mass,
immediately following the Gospel Reading.

In the Sacristy, preceding the Mass,
the Ordinary shall Consecrate an Antimension for the use of the new presbyter.

The Litany of Saints may be sung in procession preceding the Mass.

T H E   P R E S E N T A T I O N

All are seated.

The Ordinary, wearing the mitre and holding the crozier, is seated before the altar.

A presbyter of the Ordinariate presents the candidate to the Ordinary.

If the candidate is married, their spouse shall stand by their side.

Bishop _____,
on behalf of the clergy of The Old Catholic Ordinariate for Specialized Ministries,
and the people whom they serve,
we present to you _____  _____  _____  to be ordained to the presbyterate.

Do you affirm that _____ been selected in accordance with the provisions in our Canonical Norms?

I do.

Do you believe _____’s manner of life to be suitable to the exercise of this ministry?

I do.

If the candidate is married, the Ordinary shall ask the spouse:

_____, do you affirm your consent to and support of the ordination of _____ to the presbyterate?

I do.

And note, should the spouse be unable to attend for just cause,

a letter signed by them shall be presented at this time to attest to the consent.

Do those of you present join your voices with the voice of our Ordinariate,
and affirm that _____ is indeed worthy, by God’s grace, of this role?

We believe _____ is worthy! 

The candidate is then seated facing the Ordinary, and the presenter returns to their seat.

The Ordinary, usually seated, preaches the Homily.

 

T H E   E X A M I N A T I O N

When the Homily is concluded, the candidate shall stand.

The Ordinary begins the Examination.

_____, the Church is the family of God, the body of Christ, and the temple of the Holy Spirit. All baptized people are called to make Christ known as Savior and Lord, and to share in the renewing of his world. Now you are called to work as pastor, priest, and teacher, together with your bishop and fellow presbyters, and to take your share in the governance of the Church.

As a presbyter, it will be your task to proclaim, in word and by deed, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to fashion your life in accordance with its precepts. You are to love and serve the people among whom you work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor. You are to preach, to declare God's forgiveness to penitent sinners, to pronounce God's blessing, to share in the administration of Holy Baptism, in the celebration of the mysteries of Christ's Body and Blood, and to perform the other ministrations entrusted to you.

In all that you do, you are to nourish Christ's people from the riches of his grace and strengthen them to glorify God in this life and in the life to come.

And so, _____, I now ask: 

Do you believe that you are truly called by God and his people to the ministry of the Presbyteral Order?

I believe that I have been so called.

Do you believe that the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures reveal to us the deep mystery of God;
teaching us all things necessary for a salvific and life-giving relationship with God, and with one another,
through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord? 

I do.

Do you subscribe to the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds
and accept, as sources of sound doctrine and practice,
the liturgical texts of this jurisdiction?

I do.

Will you respect my pastoral direction and leadership, and that of my successors,
in all things that are just, lifegiving, and true?

I will.

Will you walk in fellowship and peace with your fellow clergy,
that this jurisdiction of Christ’s Church may be a place of concord and grace?

I will.

Will you be a faithful servant of those committed to your care,
sustaining them in word and sacrament
and laboring alongside them to know God and make God known?

I will.

Will you be diligent in the study and proclamation of the Scriptures,
that those who hear your words may become strong and faithful followers of Christ?

I will.

Will you endeavor so to minister the Sacraments of the New Covenant,
that the compassionate love of Christ may be known and received by all?

I will.

Will you strive to pattern your life in accordance with the teachings of Christ,
so that you may be a wholesome example of Christian faith and love

both for those you serve, and for the whole world?

I will.

Will you persevere in prayer, asking God's grace, both for yourself and for others,
offering all your labors to God, through the mediation of Jesus Christ,
and in the sanctification of the Holy Spirit?

I will.

May almighty God, who has given you the will to make this commitment
give you the grace and power to keep it faithfully all the days of your life.

Amen.

All stand.

P R O F E S S I O N   O F   F A I T H

_____, I now ask you to lead us in the profession of our faith. 

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven, and of earth, and of all things – seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all the ages. God from God, Light from Light,  true God from true God, begotten, not created, of one Essence with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again, according to the promise of the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified; who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

H Y M N   T O   T H E   H O L Y   S P I R I T

My dear friends, let us implore God to endue _____ with heavenly gifts, that he who has been chosen for priestly ministry may receive the graces necessary to undertake the duties associated with this calling.

The Ordinary removes his mitre and sets aside the crozier.

The candidate shall lay prostrate. All others kneel (or, if unable to kneel, are seated),
as the Veni Creator Spiritus, or another hymn invoking the Holy Spirit, is sung.

Creator Spirit, by whose aid

The world's foundations first were laid,

Come, visit ev'ry pious mind,

Come, pour thy joys on humankind.

Blest Source of Uncreated Light,

Most holy Fount, most holy Fire,

Thou the anointing Spirit art,

Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart.

Thy blessèd unction from above

Is comfort, life, and fire of love.

Enable with perpetual light

the dullness of our blindèd sight.

Chase from our minds our deadly Foe;

And peace, the fruit of love, bestow;

And, lest our feet should step astray,

Protect, and guide us in the way.

Teach us to know the Father, Son,

And thee, of both, to be but One;

that through the ages all along

This may be our endless song:

“Praise to thy eternal merit,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

Amen.   

(Tunes: PLAINCHANT or PUER NOBIS NASCITUR)

OR

Come, blessèd Spirit, eternal Breath, proceeding from above,

Gift of the Father through his Son, the source of peace and love;

Within each mind, in every heart thy heavenly grace inspire;

That truth and godliness we may pursue with full desire. 

Thou art the very Comforter in grief and all distress;

The heav’nly gift of God most high, no tongue can it express;

The fountain and the living spring of joy celestial;

The fire so bright, the love so sweet, the unction spiritual. 

Thou in thy gifts art manifold, by them Christ’s Church doth stand:

In faithful hearts thou writ’st thy law, O finger of God’s hand.

According to thy promise, Lord, you give us words with grace;

That through thy help God’s praises may resound in every place. 

O Paraclete, into our minds send down thy heav’nly light;

Kindle our hearts with fervent zeal to serve God day and night.

Our weakness strengthen and confirm, for you, Lord, know us frail;

That neither devil, world, nor flesh, against us may prevail. 

Put back our enemy far from us, and help us to obtain

Peace in our hearts with God and man – the best, the truest gain;

And grant that thou being, O Lord, our leader and our guide,

We may escape the snares of sin, and never from thee slide. 

Such measures of thy powerful grace grant, Lord, to us, we pray;

That thou may’st be our Comforter at the last dreadful day.

Of strife and of dissension dissolve, O Lord, the bands,

And knit the knot of peace and love throughout all Christian lands. 

Grant us the grace that we may know the Father of all might,

That we of his beloved Son may gain the blissful sight;

And that we may with perfect faith ever acknowledge thee,

The Spirit of Father, and of Son, One God in Persons Three. 

To God the Father laud and praise, and to the blessed Son,

And to the Holy Spirit of grace: co-equal Three in One.

We pray that you, most blessed Lord, would now the Spirit send

On all that shall profess your Name, from now to this world’s end.

Amen.

(Tunes: ELLACOMBE or FOREST GREEN)

T H E   P R A Y E R   O F   O R D I N A T I O N 

The assembly is seated. 

The diaconal stole is removed from the candidate as he approaches to kneel before the Ordinary. 

The presbyters present shall stand so as not to obstruct the view of the liturgical action.

When necessary, singular language may be made plural. 

The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise. 

God and Father of all, we rightly give our thanks and praise to you for your infinite love in calling us to be a holy people in the kingdom of your Son, who is the image of your eternal and invisible glory, the firstborn among many, and the head of the Church. We thank for the Death by which hehe has overcome death, and that, having Ascended to your right hand, he continually intercedes for us, that the Spirit's gifts may flow forth with abundance upon your people, equipping them for the work of ministry and the building up of his body.

Therefore, Father, through Jesus Christ your Son, send forth your Holy Spirit into our midst, that your servant ___ may be filled with the grace and the power of priestly ordination.

May he exalt you, O Lord, in the midst of your people; offer sacrifices acceptable to you; boldly proclaim the gospel of salvation; and rightly administer the sacraments of the New Covenant. Make him a faithful pastor, a patient teacher, and a wise councilor. Grant that in all things he may serve without reproach, so that your people may be strengthened and your Name glorified in all the world. 

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

T H E   I M P O S I T I O N   O F   H A N D S

The Ordinary resumes the mitre, approaches the candidate, looks him in the eyes, and says:

_____, receive the Holy Spirit

for the office and work of a presbyter in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church

which we now commit to you through the imposition of our hands.

The Ordinary then lays both of his hands upon the head of the candidate
and remains in silent prayer for a time.

If there are other candidates for ordination,
the Ordinary repeats the preceding declaration
and imposes hands silently upon each candidate successively.

After all candidates for presbyteral ordination have received the laying on of hands,

the Ordinary returns to his chair as the presbyters, in an orderly fashion,

impose their hands upon each ordinand as well.

T H E   I N V E S T I T U R E 

When the presbyters have completed their act of imposing hands,
the ordinand receives the presbyteral stole, the Ordinary saying: 

Receive this stole as a symbol of the yoke of our Lord’s service and remember his words:

“My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  

Next, the ordinand is vested with the chasuble, the Ordinary saying: 

Receive this chasuble as a symbol of our Lord’s abundant love,

and remember: when you manifest love to others, you are a faithful servant of Christ. 

If there are other ordinands, the Ordinary repeats the Investiture for each candidate.

T H E   A N O I N T I N G

Sacred Chrism is brought to the Ordinary who traces a cross upon the palms of the ordinand. 

Be pleased, O Lord, through this holy anointing
to consecrate and hallow these hands for priestly service.  

Then the bishop closes the hands of the Ordinary, holding them as he says:

_____, be a faithful minister of the Word and Sacraments of God:

Whatever you teach, may it be true.

Whatever you preach, may it be faithful.

Whatever you bless, may it be blessed.
Whatever you offer, may it be received.

Whatever you consecrate, may it be consecrated.

Whatever sins you forgive, may they be forgiven.

Whatever sins you retain, may they be retained.

If there are other ordinands, the Ordinaryrepeats the Anointing for each candidate.

At the conclusion of the Anointing, the Ordinary washes his hands as necessary to remove the Chrism.

T H E   P R E S E N T A T I O N   O F   T H E   C H A L I C E   A N D   P A T E N

The sacred vessels for the Mass (a paten with bread and a chalice with wine and water already mixed) are presented to the ordinand, who shall touch both with his fingers as the Ordinary says: 

Christ our Lord, a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, offered and sanctified gifts of bread and wine. Receive now these gifts of the people to be offered to God, certain that they will be returned to us with an abundance of mercy and love, and the divine presence of Christ. Understand what you do at the altar, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your teaching, your ministry, and your entire life to the mystery of Christ’s love.  

If there are other ordinands, the Ordinary repeats the Presentation for each candidate.

T H E   P R E S E N T A T I O N   O F   T H E   A N T I M E N S I O N

The Ordinary now hands the folded, consecrated Antimension to the priest-recipient, saying:

Receive this Antimension, and celebrate upon it the divine mysteries faithfully. Receive it in token of our apostolic relationship and of our fellowship in the saints. Take care to cherish this sign of unity, and ensure that it is returned to me or my successor in the event of your transfer or resignation, or buried with you in the event of your death.  

If there are other ordinands, the Ordinary repeats the Presentation for each candidate.

The folded, consecrated Antimension is then placed upon the Altar for the celebration of the Eucharist.

C O N C L U D I N G   P R A Y E R

The Ordinary stands, removes the mitre, and prays:

Father, source of all holiness, pour down upon your servant _____, whom we have ordained this day to the priesthood, the grace of your blessing. Through the conviction of his actions and the example of his life may he show himself to be an elder of your people, formed by the lessons Saint Paul set forth to Titus and Timothy: that meditating on your word, he may believe what he reads, teach what he believes, and practice what he teaches, thus setting an example of justice, steadfastness, mercy, fortitude, and of all your virtues; and confirming others in the same. Keep the gift of his ministry pure and undefiled, and grant that he may, through the perseverance of love, rise at the last great day with a clear conscience and steadfast love. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

During the Offertory, the hands of the newly ordained presbyters are washed.

The newly ordained presbyters shall join with the Ordinary at the altar
and concelebrate the remainder of the Mass.