Day 217: The Effects of Holy Orders

This sacrament configures the recipient to Christ by a special grace of the Holy Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ's instrument for his Church. By ordination one is enabled to act as a representative of Christ, Head of the Church, in his triple office of priest, prophet, and king. CCC 1581

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the effects of Holy Orders. It confers "an indelible spiritual character" like the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation do (CCC 1582). The Catechism Compendium summarizes this:

This sacrament yields a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit which configures the recipient to Christ in his triple office as Priest, Prophet, and King, according to the respective degrees of the sacrament. Ordination confers an indelible spiritual character and therefore cannot be repeated or conferred for a limited time. (#335)

The recipient of Holy Orders "receives a particular grace from the Holy Spirit oriented to serving the Church for Christ" (p. 198). Service to God, to the Church, and to their fellow man, especially those in dire need, those are the responsibilities of this sacrament recipients are called to. They are still men though, as subject to temptation and weakness as the rest of us are (Matt 26:41). We should keep that in mind lest we elevate priests beyond what is right, or fall into the error of the Donatists.

The Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

We can never be worthy of any of the sacraments, so failing to live up to them perfectly is inevitable. It is essential to note that Jesus confers the grace of the sacraments through the priest, so a priest's flaws cannot alter what Jesus bestows... Holiness is dependent on our response to God's call with love. St. John Vianney's words, "the Priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus," acknowledge that men called to be priests are also holy only to the extent of their love and how it can imitate Christ (CCC 1589). (p. 198)

Jesus' act of washing his disciples' feet is a potent reminder that Holy Orders is a sacrament of sacrifice and service. The priestly office requires constant turning to Christ (see CCC 1589). (p. 199)