This sacrament of Holy Orders bestows the necessary grace for a man to become a member of the clergy in the Catholic Church. There are three degrees of ordination:

• Deacon – An ordained minister dedicated to service, especially in these three areas: proclamation and preaching of the Word of God, the liturgy, and charity.
• Priest – An ordained minister to serve the People of God within a particular Diocese or Religious community.
• Bishop - An ordained minister to serve the People of God in a position of authority.

• Minimum Age to receive Holy Orders: 25 – “The presbyterate is not to be conferred except on those who have completed the twenty-fifth year of age and possess sufficient maturity; an interval of at least six months is to be observed between the diaconate and the presbyterate.” (Code of Canon Law, 1031 §1).
• A Baptized Male: “A baptized male alone receives sacred ordination validly.” (Code of Canon Law, §1024).
• The person chooses freely: “A person must possess due freedom in order to be ordained. It is absolutely forbidden to force anyone in any way or for any reason to receive orders or to deter one who is canonically suitable from receiving them” (Code of Canon Law, §1026).
• The person needs to prepare in a seminary: “Those aspiring to the diaconate and presbyterate are to be formed by careful preparation, according to the norm of law” (Code of Canon Law, §1027).
• The person needs to have baptism, first communion, and confirmation: “A person is promoted licitly to orders only if he has received the sacrament of confirmation” (Code of Canon Law, §1033).
• For more information, the Code of Canon Law provides the irregularities and other impediments in canons 1040-1049.

First Step: Contact the Vocations Office by email, phone, or visit the office.

Alternative Option: Email one of the vocation directors for the Diocese of Brownsville.

• The Vocations Office will set-up an initial meeting to hear about the candidate’s vocation story. In the first meeting, the candidate receives the necessary information and paperwork.
• The Vocations Office waits for the completion of the necessary paperwork.
• Then, the Vocation Director sets up interviews for the candidate with different priests.
• The candidate will do a psychological exam with a psychologist.
• Also, the Diocese of Brownsville requests for a background check.
• Finally, the Bishop decides on whether to accept or decline the candidate’s request.
• If accepted, the Bishop decides where to send the candidate for seminary.