ORDINATION OF SUBDEACON in the FREE CATHOLIC CHURCH (International)***171

This is essentially a preparation for the higher orders. It has been counted among the minor Orders

until the middle of twelfth century. The Greek Church still regards it as a minor Order and the church of England ignores it altogether. There is no reference to it in the New Testament and it is not claimed that it

was instituted by the Christ during His earth-life or even by His immediate apostles. In the Greek Church there is imposition of hands but not so in the Roman Church We follow the Greek example and directs the Bishop to lay his right hand upon the head of the ordinand and admit him solemnly in the Name of Christ our Lord just as was done in the case of the minor Orders

(The BISHOP celebrates the Holy Eucharist with the following special Collect before ordination

THE COLLECT

B: Let us pray in the name of God. Almighty, everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the

Church is made holy and governed. You pour forth thy sanctifying grace into the hearts of these thy servants, who are about to be numbered among the subdeacons of thy Church, that with pure heart and open mind they may faithfully receive thy blessing from on high, through Christ our Lord. C Amen

THE colllect being ended, the bishop takes his seat before the altar.

Those about to be ordained are summoned by a priest as follows

Priest: Let those who are to be ordained to the order of subdecon come forward

The ordinande come forward bearing lighted candles They bow to the bishop,

the candles are then taken from them and they are seated. The bishop charges them as follows

B Dearly beloved sons and daugthers this order of subdeaon is a grade of probation for the greater orders of deacon and priest. It gives to those who receive it greater strength and staedfastness of purpose to the end that with singleness of heart, they may dedicate their lives to Christ in his holy Church. So great, indeed, is the responsibility laid upon those who in these greater orders become Christ´s representatives, that a season o trial in this preparatory grade of the subdiaconate is oft-times appoinnted, wherein they who aspire to so sublime an estate may test themselves, if need be, more especially if they be young in body or in experiences of matters ecclesiastical, that they enter not lighly or unadvisedly upon so solemn an undertaking.

You, well-beloved sons and daughters, having already offered yourselves to the service of God and to help forward his kingdom upon earth, are now moved in your hearts to devote yourselves still further to his service and to that of your brethren an sisters. On this purpose we invoke the divine blessing; and , with the help and ready concurrence of the faitful here assembles, shall now precede in the exercise of our office to bring you as a holy oblation into the presence of Christ, not doubting that at the latter and you, having the witness of faithful service, will shine, pure and lustrous, as jewels in the crown of our Master

The bishop rises and addressed the congregation as follows

B: Let us then pray. Dearest brethren and sisters , that almighty God in great loving-kindness and watchful care of the Church may bestow a plentiful grace upon these souls now about to be raised to the Order of the subdiaconate

LITANY is singed by all. Three marked verses are singed by the bishop alone If it should happen that the candidates are all to receive the diaconate immediately after this order the litany given in the service for the ordination of a deacon is here substituted

1/ IS GOD ONE AND TRANSCENDENT ?

Is GOD in all immanent ?

Is God coming in advent ?

Some ask… Church does answer "YES":

2/ "FATHER" GOD : - ETERNAL ONE

GOD´S "SON" is in everyone

SPIRIT comes now "clothed in sun" (Rev 12.1 )

Named by Christ our "HEAVEN-MOTHER (Hebrew gospel)

3/ MORNING-STARS IN ALL STILL SING (Job 38.7

Nature-angels dance in ring

with each heaven-Queen and -King

shouting for creation's joy

4/ PILGRIMS HERE IN TIME AND SPACE

do now seek God´s hidden face

in star, gras, bird, human race

and in angels within all

5/ GOD TOLD US BEFORE CREATION ( Eph 1 5)

Pilgrimage means incarnation

Heaven´s transsubstantiation God, your children bless thee+

6/ PILGRIMS QUIT SLAVE-LIFE, flesh-pot (Exodus 16 3)

seek in east some freedom's lot

paradise, a Cam( e)lot / God your children bless Thee +

7/ WE CROSS RED SEA, PASSION'S WAVES

will not be desire's slaves

leave the past as in its graves / God your children bless Thee +

8/ PILGRIMS REACH MIND´S "SINAI DESERT" (Exodus 19 1)

are by "serpents" often much hurt

are converted by God´s prophet / God your children bless Thee +

9/ VISION- "SPIES" COME BACK FROM "EAST" (Numbers 13.1)

Do all like them? Not the least (Number 14 )

We thank "spies", some headman, priest …/. God, some children bless Thee +

10/ STAR FROM EAST SAYS NOW ADVENT -

Angels, shepherds, kings here went / God your children bless Thee+

11/ RIVER COMES FROM HOLY GHOST (Matt 13 16)

with God´s voice, dove angel host

But the world is still heard most /God, some children bless Thee +

12/ ON THE HOLY MOUNT MEET PROPHET (Matt 17 1)

"cloud, transfiguration, sunlit"

We get Gnosis, see some secret / God, your children bless Thee +

13/ EUCHARIST AND CRUCIFIXION (Matt 26. 26)

Bring the mystic benediction

Spirit-Self gets resurrection / God, your children bless Thee +

(Ordination of subdeacon continued. ) The people and ordinands are seated after the Litany

B: Dearly beloved sons and daughters who are about to be ordained to the office of subdeacon you should know what manner of ministry was in former times committed unto your order. It appertains to the subdeacon to provide water for the service of the altar, to minister to the deacon, to wash the altar cloths and corporals, to present to the deacon the chalice and paten to be used at the sacrifice,

, to guard the church doors or the gates of the sacnctuary and in later times to read the epistles before the people. Endeavour, then by fulfilling readily with neatness and diligence such of these visible ministries as are still part of your office, to show true reverence for the invisible things they may be said to typify. For the altar of holy church is the throne of Christ himself, and it is indeed fitting that they who minister before it should walk circumspectly and realize that upon them is laid the high honour of its guardianship. Do you also take head that you be watchful sentinnels of the heavenly warfare so that growing ever in virtue you may shine, lustrous and chaste, in the company of the saints. Strive earnestly to pattern your selves after the ensample of our divine Master, that you may meetly minister at the divine sacrifice, as well in the invisible sanctuary of your hearts as in the visible sanctuary of holy church

From ancient times, also, it has been required of those who enter this order that they strive to acquire certain virtues of character, such as are typified by the vestments delivered unto them. Bynthe amice, control of speech; by the maniple, the love of service or diligence in all good works; by the tunicle, the spirit of joy and gladness, or freedom from care and depression, that is to say, confidence in the good law, which may be interpreted as a recognition of the plan revealed by almighty God for the perfecting of the creation.

B: Will you then strive, as far as in you lies, to order your lives in accordance with these the precepts?

Ordinands: Yes I will

B: The Lord keep you in all these things, well-beloved sons and daughter and strengthen you in all

goodness C: Amen

B: O Lord Christt, the fountain of all goodness, who bestowest upon all who serve thee in thy holy Church the gifts pertaining to their several offices, and graciously regard these thy servants whom we now present for

the order of the subdiaconate. You will + open their hearts and minds to thy heavenly grace that they may be steadfast in thy holy service. You will increase in them, O Lord, the sevenfold gifts of the spirit, so that theygrow in the knowledge of things eternal, and they may offer their lives as a holy and continual sacvrifice unto thee. O thou great King of love, to whom be praise and adoration from men and from the angel host C: Amen

The ordinands kneel before the bishop in succession. B places right hand on the head of each and says

B: In the name of Christ our Lord, I admit thee to the order of subdeacon

B is seated and hands an empty chalice and paten, cruets and lavabo bowl with towel to each ordinand, who touches them with the right hand while B says

B: Take heed to that ministry whereof is committed to thee; I admonish thee so to demean thyself in thy ministry as to be commendable in the sight of God

B touches the amice which is upon the neck of each ordinand saying

B Take thee amice, by which restraint of the tongue is signified. In the name of the + Father and of the + Son and of the HOLY GHOST C Amen

B places the maniple on the left arm of each, saying

B Take the maniple by which is meant the fruit of good works. In the name of the +Father and of the + Son and of the Holy + Ghost C Amen

B vests one after another in the tunicle saying

B The Lord will cloth thee with the garment of gladness and the vesture of joy. In the name of the + Father and of the + Son and of the Holy + Ghost C Amen

B hands to each the book of epistles saying as he touches it with the right hand

B Take the book of epistles and receive authority to read them in God´s holy Church, both for the living and the dead. In the name of the +Father and of the + Son and of the Holy + Ghost C Amen

B rises and blesses them in this wise

B: The blessing of God almighty, the +Father, the + Son and the Holy + Ghost come down upon you

that with steadfastness and zeal you may persevere in that which to-day you have undertaken C Amen

One of the newly ordained subdeacons, vested in tunicle, read the epistle of the day

The Holy Eucharist is then continued to its close

IN THE PRAYTER OF CONSECRATION

The following clause is inserted after the words " for all bishops clergy and faithful

Especially for these whom in Christ´s holy name we have admitted to the order of the subdiaconate