Holy Orders is the Sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his Apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate. [Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1536] They are conferred as follows:

• Bishops (Episcopate) ) “Amongst those various offices which have been exercised in the Church from the earliest times the chief place, according to the witness of tradition, is held by the function of those who, through their appointment to the dignity and responsibility of bishop, and in virtue consequently of the unbroken succession going back to the beginning, are regarded as transmitters of the apostolic line.” [Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1555]
• Priests (Presbyterate) Priests are united with the bishops in sacerdotal dignity and at the same time depend on them in the exercise of their pastoral functions; they are called to be the bishops’ prudent co-workers. They form around their bishop the presbyterium which bears responsibility with him for the particular Church. They receive from the bishop the charge of a parish community or determinate ecclesial office. [Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1595]
• Deacons (Diaconate) Deacons are ministers ordained for tasks of service of the Church; they do not receive the ministerial priesthood, but ordination confers on them important functions in the ministry of the word, divine worship, pastoral governance, and the service of charity, tasks which they must carry out under the pastoral authority of their bishop. [Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 Reference: 1596]