Holy Orders

Any presentation regarding Holy Orders should begin with the word vocation or calling. Within the Church, all members are called by God to spread the gospel, minister to those in need, and lift the needs of others in prayer. This is the vocation of Baptism, being called to become and live as a disciple of Christ.

Beyond Baptism, there are a variety of callings or vocations to service. Again, vocations are a call or an invitation from God. One of those calls is to the sacrament of Matrimony or marriage. Another is the call to join a community of religious women as a sister or a community of religious men as a brother.
Still, there is the lesser-known particular vocation of being a consecrated virgin vowed to the single life and prayer.

Then, there is the call to public ministry through the sacrament of Holy Orders. Here, men are called to the three separate offices of the Church’s public ministry – deacons (the diaconate), priests (the presbyterate), and bishops (the episcopacy). Each of these is a calling to the public ministry of service to the Archdiocesan Church.

Note that in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, admissions for men interested in becoming deacons require that a man is between the ages of 32 and 52, that he may be married in the Church or single, and must have the consent of his wife.

For more information on Church doctrine concerning the sacrament of Holy Orders, the Office for the Catechism maintains an online Catechism.

If you sense that God may be calling you to a particular ministry as a sister, brother, consecrated virgin, deacon, or priest, reach out to Fr. Phil, Deacon Dwight, Deacon Larry, or any parish staff member. We will help you connect with the right person to explore how God may be calling you. You can also contact the Archdiocesan Office of Vocations. Contact the parish office or the Archdiocesan Office of Diaconate Formation for information concerning the permanent diaconate.