"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 - 1536
 
A Definition of the Three Degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders
 
Bishops (episcopate) are those who have care of multiple congregations and have the task  of appointing, ordaining, and disciplining priests and deacons. They are often called 'evangelists' in the New Testament. Examples of first century bishops include Timothy and Titus (1 Tim. 5:19-22, 2 Tim. 4:5, Titus 1:5).
 
Priests (presbyterate) are also known as "presbyters" or "elders." In fact, the English term "priest" is simply a contraction of the Greek word "presbuteros." They have the responsibility of teaching, governing, and performing the sacraments in a given congregation (1 Tim. 5:17, Jas. 5:14-15).
 
Deacons (diaconate) are the assistants of the bishops and have the task of teaching and administering certain church functions, such as the distribution of food (Acts 6:1-6).
 
For more information about discerning a vocation to the diaconate, priesthood or consecrated religious life, visit the diocesan vocations site by clicking here.