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Holy Orders
After passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men."
(Mk 1:16)
It is through the Sacrament of Holy Orders that people are Ordained by the Church and become Deacons, Priests and Bishops.
A priest is somebody who acts on behalf of the people in relation to God. A priest, as it were, stands between us and God. In confession when the priest speaks the words of absolution it is Christ himself who forgives us. When, during Mass, the priest says the words that Jesus said at the Last Supper he acts in the person of Christ. When the priest holds the host (the bread wafer) aloft at the consecration (the moment during the mass when the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ) the priest does not say "this is Jesus' body" he says "this is my body".
The priesthood, like Marriage, is a vocational sacrament. A vocation is something that we are called to. Through our vocation we live out our Christian calling in a particular way.