Qualities in Those to be Ordained

A man who receives the sacrament of orders is set to lead others. Therefore, he should be a man of holy and exemplarylife. Yet this is a requirement of precept and of propriety; it isnot of the essence of the sacrament. Even a sinful man who receives orders is validly ordained, although he does great wrong in accepting ordination.

A candidate for orders should have knowledge adequate for the proper discharge of his sacred duties. He must have a sufficiency of knowledge of the scriptures, and know the doctrines of the faith, and the requirements of Christian morality.

The personal holiness of an ordained man has nothing todo with the sacrament itself; an ordained man does not advance in degree of orders as he advances in personal holiness.

A prelate who knowingly ordains a candidate whollyunworthy of the office he assumed, commits a grave sin, and shows himself an unworthy servant of the Lord.

A man in orders who, apart from necessity, exercises his office while he is in the state of mortal sin, is guilty of another grievous sin every time he performs a sacred function.