Holy Orders

According to the Canon Law of the Catholic Church:

Canon 1008n. By divine institution, certain Christian faithful are marked with an indelible character and constituted sacred ministers by the sacrament of Holy Orders. They are thus consecrated and appointed to serve the People of God, each according to his or her own degree, with a new and specific title.

Canon 1009:

§1. The orders are the episcopate, the presbyterate, and the diaconate.

§2. They are conferred by the laying on of hands and the consecratory prayer that the liturgical books prescribe for each degree.

§3. Those who are constituted in the order of the episcopate or the presbyterate receive the mission and the capacity to act in the person of Christ the Head, while deacons are empowered to serve the People of God in the ministries of liturgy, word and charity.