Holy Orders

The Sacrament of Holy Orders refers to a unique office of pastoral leadership in the Church. The mission of the ordained priest is to be a sign, to 'make present' the leadership which Christ gives to the Church. Through the Holy Spirit, the priest is ordained as one consecrated to God as a sharer in Christ's mission to serve, teach and govern the people of God. His is more than a managerial role; this kind of leadership involves a 'holy ordering' of the many gifts of the Spirit in the Church community, and to be a unifying focal point for all the gifts. Further, in the midst of the church community he is a permanent and irrevocable sign of the saving presence of Jesus Christ. Like Christ, the priest is a servant-leader. He represents Christ and the Church.

Holy Orders is a threefold sacrament: The Bishop embodies the fullness of the sacrament and, as 'chief shepherd', has overall responsibility for the faith and unity of the Diocese. In our Diocese of Helsinki, the emeritus Bishop is Msgr Teemu Sippo. Priests and deacons extend the ministry of the bishop throughout the diocese.