§ 135. The Performers of the Power of the Sacred Acts

The performer of a sacred act is, as we have said, every lawfully ordained priest or bishop (§ 134). But the priest or bishop is in this only an instrument, since it is God Himself who acts here, and grace is not given to men by the priests, but is given, through the priests, by God Himself. Accordingly, every sacred act which has been correctly performed according to the prescribed rite is valid in itself, independently of what personal qualities the performer of that sacred act may have, and independently of whether he is otherwise, by those qualities of his, worthy or unworthy to perform a sacred act.[1]

The full authority to perform every sacred act in the Church belongs to the bishop,[2] and it is from him alone that priests receive the right to perform sacred acts.[3] Among the various sacred acts, some the bishop alone has the right to perform, in virtue of his high-priestly authority in the Church, while others may also be performed by priests (§ 60, 2). As for the rest, even with regard to those sacred acts for which priests are authorized, they remain subject to the continual oversight, authority, and judgment of their own lawful bishop.[4] Deacons have no right to perform sacred acts on their own.[5]