Lex Orandi, Lex Serviendi: Roman Catholic Theology of Ordained Ministry in Select Texts from the Rites of Ordination

This article will explore the understanding of ordained ministry within the Roman Catholic Church. The article proceeds by examining the prayer and homily from the rites of ordination for Bishops, Priests, and Deacons in order to observe the biblical foundations of ordained ministry, the role of ordained ministry within salvation history, the functional and ontological dimensions of ordained ministry, the living out of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and the role of the Holy Spirit in ordained ministry.