What really happens to priests in the ordination ritual and the ontological change
On Saturday, May 27, Cardinal Tobin will ordain four men to the Sacred Order of the Priesthood for service to the Archdiocese of Newark. The ordination of priests is a grand affair – there is much joy on the part of the families, friends, and parishioners of those being ordained and, more than likely, much nervous anticipation on the part of the men being ordained. The ordination ritual, which takes place during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, is steeped in symbolism and tradition.
For the man who is ordained, the sacred priesthood is not simply a “job;” it is not a “way of life.” Rather, the life of the priest is a share in the very life of Jesus Christ Himself. The following excerpt is taken from the suggested homily for the ordination liturgy: “In being configured to Christ the eternal High Priest…he will be consecrated as a true Priest of the New Testament, to preach the Gospel, to shepherd God’s people, and to celebrate the sacred liturgy, especially the Lord’s Sacrifice.” (“Ordination of Priests,” The Roman Pontifical, #151).
We teach and believe that, after his ordination, the priest is an “alter Christus,” that is, “another Christ.” Most especially when he offers the sacrifice at Mass, when he absolves a sinner in confession, when he baptizes, blesses and consoles, the priest is acting “in persona Christi” or “in the person of Christ.”
The teaching and belief of the Church attesting to this stature of the priest comes from the teaching of the ontological change. The “ontology” of something is the examination of what is meant by the “being” of that thing. The term “ontological change” was affirmed by Saint Thomas Aquinas. He also affirms the belief in “transubstantiation”, the process by which the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass. While the appearance (referred to as “accidents”) remains the same, the very being (“essence”) of the object changes. Through ordination, the appearance of the priest remains the same but his essence, his very being, changes. He is “another Christ.”
It is not easy to pinpoint the exact moment when this change takes place. Rather, we should look at a series of moments in the ordination liturgy by which the change becomes effective. But first, a little bit of sacramental theology. When we discuss the sacraments in the Church, we say that a sacrament is valid because of the matter and form used within the ritual. The “matter” is what is used and the “form” is what is said. For example, the sacrament of baptism requires the priest or deacon to use pure water when baptizing. If one were to use something other than water – milk, juice, etc. – the baptism would be invalid. In addition, if the priest or deacon were to use the words other when what is provided in the ritual, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” the baptism would be invalid.
So what is the matter and form required for the validity of priestly ordination? The ritual is clear that the ordaining bishop must lay hands on the head of each of those to be ordained and all the priest present do the same. Following the laying on of hands, the bishop says or sings the prayer of ordination. Following these two actions, the ritual then begins to refer to the “newly ordained priests.” There are several other parts to the ordination ritual which follow: the vesting of the newly ordained in the vestments of a priest, the anointing of each new priest’s hands with the Sacred Chrism, the presentation of the chalice and paten and the fraternal kiss of peace shared by the bishop and some of the priests with the newly ordained priests. The newly ordained then join the bishop and the other priests in offering, for the very first time, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Through all of these moments in the Mass of Ordination, the one being ordained is made, more and more, into the likeness of Christ.
Speaking personally, the “moment” of the Mass of Ordination which stands out as the point of realization of all that was happening, was the anointing of hands. My hands – hands which had shot a basketball and held a baseball bat, hands which had built creations out of Legos, hands which had hammered a tent stake into the ground at Scout camp to put up my shelter for the night – were being consecrated to offer the sacrifice. That was the moment at which I fully understood what it meant to be changed into Jesus Christ as His priest. For other priests, there might be a different point in the liturgy that this realization takes place.
The beauty of ordination is that the life of the newly ordained priest will never be the same. He has been conformed to Christ in an intimate way. When he says the words of consecration at Mass, he doesn’t say “This is Jesus’ Body” or “This is Jesus’ Blood.” He says “This is MY Body; this is MY Blood.” With the ontological change, he has been made into another Christ. The appearance of the priest is as it always was but he is different. This is the mystery of God; he calls each of us to serve him in our own way, in our own station in life. But for the priest, he is forever changed.
Our new priests need our prayers. All of our priests need our prayers. May they always remember who they are and whose they are as they work to build up the Kingdom of God on earth. May all of us, in our own particular vocation, work together.
The Mass of Ordination to the Priesthood will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 27, 2023 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. For those who cannot attend in person, the Mass will be livestreamed on the Archdiocese of Newark’s webpage, www.rcan.org.
Father Mancini is the pastor at St. Stephen’s Church in Kearny and is the Director of Archdiocesan Ceremonies and Liturgies, serving as the head Master of Ceremonies for the Archdiocese.
Featured image: Cardinal Tobin anoints the hands of a priest last year. Father Joe Mancini holds the microphone. The anointing of the hands signifies that the hands of the newly ordained priest are being prepared for the sacred duties and vessels which will be part of the priestly ministry, for example, offering the bread and the wine, anointing the sick and blessing people.
