Skip to main content
Faith Formation - Sacraments » Holy Orders

Holy Orders

“The Sacrament of Apostolic Ministry by which the mission entrusted by Christ to his Apostles continues to be exercised in the Church through the laying on of hands.  This sacrament has three distinct degrees or ‘orders': deacon, priest, and bishop. All three confer a permanent, sacramental character” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #536).

 

holy orders
 
Sacred Scripture describes the three offices of ministry:  the Order of Bishops, the Order of Priests (or Presbyters), and the Order of Deacons.  A baptized man is ordained into one of these three Orders by a prayer of consecration and the laying on of hands by a bishop in apostolic succession, and this liturgical action of Christ and the Church confers on the one ordained the sacred power to preach the Word of God and administer the other sacraments, according to the station of each Order.


Bishops and presbyters share by different degrees in the one ministerial priesthood of the New Covenant; by their consecration, bishops and priests are configured to the Lord Jesus in such a way that they can act in His Person in the sacred liturgy and stand in the Person of Christ, Head and Bridegroom of the Church. The ministerial priesthood has the task of representing Christ the Head of the Church before the whole assembly and also of acting in the name of the whole Church when offering to God the prayer of the Church. Deacons are ordained unto a ministry of service, but not to the priesthood. Deacons assist bishops and priests in the celebration of the sacred mysteries, in works of charity, in blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel, in administering baptism, and in presiding over funerals.


For more information about the priesthood or the diaconate, contact the Rectory at (314) 965-0709 or the Archdiocesan Office of Vocations at (314) 792-6460.

Vocations at St. Clement

  • Msgr. Michael Butler, Pastor 
  • Msgr. Jack Costello, Pastor, Retired
  • Fr. David Daly, LC, Atlanta, GA, Legionaries of Christ
  • Fr. Peregrine (Patrick Fletcher), O. Praem Norbertines of St. Michael's Abbey
  • Fr. Joseph Geders, C.M. Pastor - St. Vincent DePaul, Perryville & 4 missions
  • Fr. Patrick Hyde, O.P. Pastor/Campus Minister, St. Paul at Indiana Univ.
  • Sr. Chiara Madonna Judd - Sisters of Life, NY
  • Fr. John Klein, LC - Atlanta, GA, Legionaries of Christ
  • Sr. Mary Gianna Klein, Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia, Elgin, Scotland
  • Sr. Maria Josefa Kreienkamp, Carmelite Sister of the Divine Heart of Jesus
  • Seminarian Joseph Martin Kenrick-Glennon
  • Fr. Eric Olsen, Pastor Our Lady of Guadalupe, Ferguson
  • Deacon Michael Quinlan
  • Fr. Charles Samson, Professor of Sacred Scripture Kenrick-Glennon
  • Fr. George Staley, Associate Pastor St. Francis of Assisi
  • Seminarian Johnathan Struckhoff Kenrick-Glennon
  • Deacon Rich Vehige (Retired) St. Clement of Rome
Vocations