At the last supper, Jesus at one point took a piece of bread and said:
" Take and eat of this, all of you, this is my body." "

He then took a glass of wine and said: "Take and drink this is my blood that is shed for you." Then he added: "Do this in memory of me!" With these words, he gave the apostles the authority to turn the bread into his body, and to turn the wine into his holy blood, and to share it with others. In other words, he established a priestly order.

The Holy Order has three degrees:

1. Episcopate (diocese)
2. Presbyterate (priesthood)
3. Diaconate

Only a baptized man can validly receive ordination after he has undergone the necessary preparation. Only those who, in the judgment of the bishop or competent superior, are suitable for that service are admitted to ordination.

Let's go in reverse order:

1. Deacon

The deacon was an usher in the first Church, which is what his name means. We remember the election of Stephen and other deacons (Acts 6). They were appointed to serve the community so that the apostles would have a freer hand to preach. Along with the ministry, the deacons also preached. This is especially evident from the case of St. Stjepan.

Today in the Church, the order of the deacon is a stepping stone to the presbyterate. But in recent times, after II. of the Vatican Council, there is also the service of permanent diaconate. A deacon can preach, perform various church services, distribute certain sacraments and blessings, according to the consent of his order.

No one can confess or celebrate mass.

2. Presbyter - priest

Presbyters are mentioned in the church from the very beginning. It seems that St. also thought of them. When James wrote about anointing the sick: " If anyone among you is sick, let him call the elders of the Church... " (Jk 5:14).

In the Old Testament, the clergy kept the tradition alive with religious services and teaching and ensured the religious life of God's people.

The priests of the New Testament have a much higher role, as Jesus Christ is higher than all the representatives of the Old Testament. Their duty is to make Jesus present in the communities they are appointed to lead, to distribute the sacraments and thus to teach and promote the religious and moral life of the community.

3. Bishop

The word itself means overseer. In the beginning there were only Apostles whom Jesus chose and sent to preach the Good News (Gospel). The apostles did this faithfully. They preached and founded church communities in various places and provinces. As the preaching forced them to go further, they left the established communities with overseers, who would take care that everything was in order in the community. Those overseers are the bishops, they are the deputies or successors of the apostles. In the bishopric there is the fullness of the priestly order.

Sveti Red

Na posljednjoj večeri Isus je u jednom trenutku uzeo komad kruha i rekao:
“Uzmite i jedite od ovoga svi, ovo je moje tijelo.”

Uzeo je zatim čašu vina i rekao: “Uzmite i pijte ovo je moja krv koja se za vas prolijeva.” Onda je dodao: “Činite to meni na spomen!” Tim riječima dao je apostolima vlast da kruh pretvaraju u njegovo tijelo, i da vino pretvaraju u njegovu svetu krv, te da to dijele drugima. Drugim riječima, ustanovio je svećenički red.

Sveti red ima tri stupnja:

1. Episkopat (biskupstvo)
2. Prezbiterat (svećeništvo)
3. Đakonat

Ređenje valjano prima samo kršteni muškarac nakon što je prošao potrebnu pripravu. Na ređenje se pripuštaju samo oni koji su po sudu biskupa ili mjerodavnog poglavara, prikladni za tu službu.

Pođimo obrnutim redom:

1. Đakon

Đakon je u prvoj Crkvi bio poslužitelj, što mu taj naziv i znači. Sjećamo se izbora Stjepana i drugih đakona (Djela apostolska 6). Oni su postavljeni da poslužuju zajedincu kako bi apostoli imali slobodnije ruke za propovijedanje. Uz službu služenja đakoni su i propovijedali. To je posebno vidljivo iz slučaja sv. Stjepana.

Danas u Crkvi red đakonata je stepenica prema prezbiteratu. Ali u novije vrijeme, nakon II. Vatikanskog sabora, postoji i služba trajnog đakonata. Đakon po slazi svoga reda može propovijedati, vršiti razne crkvene službe, dijeliti određene sakramente i blagoslovine.

Ne može ispovijedati nitk služiti misu.

2. Prezbiter - svećenik

Od samog početka spominju se u crkvi prezbiteri. Čini se da je na njih mislio i sv. Jakov kada je pisao o bolesničkom pomazanju: “Boluje li tko među vama, neka dozove starješine Crkve…”(Jk 5:14).

U Starom zavjetu svećenstvo je bogoslužjima i poukom održavalo živom predaju i osiguravalo religiozni život Božjeg naroda.

Svećenici Novog zavjeta imaju daleko uzvišeniju ulogu koliko je Isus Krist uzvišeniji od svih predstavnika Starog zavjeta. Njihova je dužnost uprisutniti Isusa u zajednicama kojima su postavljeni na čelo, dijeliti sakramente i tako poučavati i pordžavati vjerski i moralni život zajednice.

3. Biskup

Sama riječ znači nadglednik. U početku su bili samo Apostoli koje je Isus izabrao i poslao da propovijedaju Radosnu vijest (Evanđelje). Apostoli su to vjerno radili. Propovijedali su i osnivali crkvene zajednice u raznim mjestima i pokrajinama. Kako ih je propovijedanje tjeralo da idu dalje, osnovanim zajednicama su ostavljali nadglednike, koji će voditi brigu da u zajednici bude sve u redu. Eto ti nadglednici su biskupi, oni su zamjenici ili nasljednici apostola. U biskupstvu je punina svećeničkog reda.