Holy Orders are directed towards the salvation of others; if they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is through service to others that they do so. They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up the People of God. (CCC 1534) The Sacrament of Holy Orders in the Catholic Church is the Rite of Ordination that empowers men to serve the Church as bishops, priests, or deacons. Instituted by Jesus Christ, Holy Orders relies on apostolic succession and the laying on of hands to pass sacred duties down through generations.