Q: Regarding Holy Orders, I’m aware that, like with Baptism and Confirmation, Holy Orders is understood to be a non-repeatable Sacrament. However, what confuses me is this: When a man is ordained a transitional deacon, and is eventually ordained to the priesthood, wouldn’t that man have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders more than once?
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A: You can find the Apostolic Constitution of Paul VI in the front of the ritual book for ordinations. Near the beginning he says, “Among the rites of Ordination the first to be considered are those that constitute the hierarchy through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, conferred in its several degrees.” It is one sacrament with three degrees.