On September 23rd, 2024, at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Buea Town, His Lordship Michael Bibi, Bishop of the Diocese of Buea, delivered a comprehensive teaching on the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The Bishop enlightened the flock on this essential sacrament, which concerns the ordination of individuals into the priesthood, one of the seven sacraments of the Church.
Bishop Bibi began by reminding the faithful that those called to the vocation of priesthood are chosen by God to serve Him. However, it is the Church’s responsibility to train and assess candidates to determine their suitability for ordination. He captivated the Christians by explaining the rigorous process of priestly formation that candidates must undergo before they are ordained.
Bishop Bibi teaching
The Bishop clarified that there are three distinct levels of ordination in the priesthood: first as deacons, then as priests, and finally as Bishops for those appointed by the Holy Father. He noted that, according to Church tradition, a Bishop must be at least 50 years old at the time of his appointment, although the Holy Father may make exceptions in special circumstances.
In the second part of his teaching, Bishop Bibi elaborated on the procedures for the ordination of deacons, priests, and bishops. He emphasized that the ordination of deacons and priests must be conducted by the sitting bishop. However, if a bishop-elect is to be ordained, he has the privilege to choose any bishop to perform the ordination. Furthermore, when a candidate is to be ordained in another diocese, the sending bishop must send a letter to the bishop who will conduct the ordination. These ceremonies typically take place in a cathedral or a church chosen by the bishop.
The Bishop went on to explain that the essential elements (matter and form) for a valid ordination are the laying on of hands and the prayer of consecration recited during the rite. Once these actions have taken place, the individual is formally ordained as a deacon, priest, or bishop.
Ordinations are generally held on Sundays or solemnities, but the bishop has the discretion to schedule them on weekdays if necessary. For the ordination of deacons, only the bishop is permitted to lay hands on the candidates. In the case of priests, the bishop imposes his hands on the deacon to be ordained, accompanied by concelebrating priests at the altar.
Cross section of Christians at St Anthony of Padua parish Buea town
Bishop Bibi also highlighted that during diaconate ordination, the candidate is presented to the Church by his family. However, once a deacon, the family no longer needs to present the candidate during subsequent ordinations to the priesthood or episcopacy, as the individual has already been entrusted to the Church.
In closing, the Bishop touched on the subject of celibacy, reminding the Christians that ordained priests are required to live a celibate life. However, he explained that the Church allows for permanent deacons, who may marry and live normal family lives but can never be ordained as priests.
This insightful teaching by Bishop Bibi deepened the understanding of the sacrament of Holy Orders for all present and underscored the sacred nature of the priestly vocation.
