o all we can to show it when possible.

278 Q. What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders?
A. Holy Orders is a Sacrament by which bishops, priests, and other
ministers of the Church are ordained and receive the power and grace to
perform their sacred duties.

"Other ministers," means deacons and subdeacons, properly so-called.
When a young man goes to study for the priesthood--after he has
discovered that God has called him to that sacred office--he passes
several years in learning what is necessary, and in fitting himself for
his sacred duties. After some time he receives what is called tonsure;
that is, on the day of ordination the bishop cuts a little hair from
five places on his head, to show that this young man is giving himself
up to God. The tonsure is a mark of the clerical state, and in Catholic
countries it is made manifest by keeping a small circular spot on the
crown of the head shaved perfectly clean. It reminds the cleric or
priest of having dedicated himself to God, and also of the crown of
thorns worn by Our Blessed Saviour. For this reason some of the holy
monks shaved all the hair from their head, with the exception of a
little ring, which resembles very much a wreath or crown of hair
encircling the head. You often see them thus represented in holy
pictures.

After the young student has received the tonsure and studied for a
longer time, he receives the four Minor Orders, by which he is permitted
to touch the sacred vessels of the altar, and do certain things about
the church which laymen have not the right to do, especially to serve
Mass. After more preparation he becomes a subdeacon, and then he may
wear vestments and assist the celebrant at Solemn Mass. At a Solemn Mass
there are three priests in vestments. The priest standing on the
platform of the altar and celebrating Mass is called the celebrant; the
one who stands just behind him, generally one step lower, is called the
deacon, and the one who stands behind the deacon and on the lower step
is called the subdeacon. The one who directs the whole ceremony, and
gives signs to the others when to stand, sit down, or kneel, is called
the Master of Ceremonies.

When speaking of the Mass, I forgot to tell you something about the
different kinds of Masses--that is, different as far as the ceremonies
are concerned, for they are all alike in value. First we have the Low
Mass, such as the priest says every day and at the early hours on
Sundays. It is called