>
The sacrament of Holy Orders was established by Christ and
perpetuated by the the apostles (the first bishops of the Church).
Luke 22:19 "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for
a commemoration of me."
John 20:22-23 "When he had said this he breathed on them; and he
said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall
forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall
retain, they are retained."
Acts 6:5. And the saying was liked by all the multitude. And
they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy
Ghost, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor, and Timon and
Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.
6:6. These they set before the apostles: and they praying,
imposed hands upon them.
14:22. And when they had ordained to them priests in every
church and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to
the Lord, in whom they believed.
Tim 5:22. Impose not hands lightly upon any man, neither be
partaker of other men's sins. Keep thyself chaste.