You may remember one year ago this week Rorate reported that the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) would, at the time, be conferring the minor orders of Lector and Porter on their seminarians - the practice of the Fraternity since its foundation. Almost instantly, some "conservative Catholics" were beside themselves, claiming they "were not valid." Right ...
Traditional-minded Catholics, however, were not surprised when Universae Ecclesiae pronounced:
31. Only in Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life which are under the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, and in those which use the liturgical books of the forma extraordinaria, is the use of the Pontificale Romanum of 1962 for the conferral of minor and major orders permitted.
We will not discuss the merit of this limitation only to Ecclesia Dei institutes -- but it is clear that the mens of the Supreme Authority of the Church includes the conferral of minor orders, even if this "does not introduce any change in the discipline of the Code of Canon Law of 1983" (Universae Ecclesiae, 30).
This year, we are glad to report that, on November 13, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Lincoln, Nebraska, seminarians of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) will be ordained to the minor orders of Exorcist and Acolyte by His Excellency Archbishop Pendergrast of Ottawa.
The minor orders are of a very ancient origin in the Church. There are four minor orders and three major orders, the last of which is the priesthood. Thus, the minor orders mark important steps in one's formation and progress towards the sacred priesthood. Each minor order brings with it certain duties proper to it that enable the cleric to participate more closely in the sacred liturgy.
Porter: Porters receive custodial power over the church, which is entrusted to their care along with everything that lies within. They summon Christians to prayer and guard God’s temple against intruders. The porter is so to live that his conduct and behavior will be as so many little bells calling, inviting and impelling men to know God and serve Him with love.
Lector: Lectors are given the power to read the Lessons in the church, to catechize children and the uneducated, and to bless bread and new fruits. This act of blessing is prefigured in the ministry of lower-ranking Levites and gives the lector priestly dominion over the elements that will become the matter for the Eucharistic Sacrifice. The lector should possess all the virtues in an eminent degree so that he may indeed be a guide and a model of the spiritual life to those who see and hear him.
Exorcist: Exorcists receive the power to expel demons from the possessed in the name of the Church. This is referred to as a ‘bound power’ since Church law has for centuries reserved the solemn public exorcism of the possessed to the diocesan bishop or to a priest delegated by him. Exorcists are exhorted, however, to pray more fervently for the delivery of all souls who may find themselves oppressed by evil influences, and do so with priestly efficacy. In the ancient Church, exorcists purified the priests hands with water in preparation for the Sacrifice, and were responsible for making way among the faithful for the communicants to approach for Holy Communion.
Acolyte: Acolytes are given the power to carry the candles at Holy Mass and present the water and wine to the priest for offering at the Holy Sacrifice. They thereby gain a nearer proximity to the Blessed Sacrament, closely collaborating with the ministry of the subdeacon. Acolytes are to attain to holiness of life so as to imitate their divine Savior who is “the light of the world.”
Please remember these fine young men and all the holy priests of the FSSP in your prayers.
And, please, remember to follow @RorateCaeli on Twitter.
