Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation (Chrismation), Eucharist (Communion), Penance (Reconciliation, Confession), Matrimony (Marriage), Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction). These sacraments are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church. They are considered efficacious signs of grace, with their power coming directly from God, and are interpreted as moments of divine intervention in a person's life, creating a particular relationship between an individual and Christ.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of sacraments | 7 |
| Examples | Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony |
| Instituted by | Jesus Christ |
| Purpose | Channels of divine grace |
| Nature | Spiritual and physical |
| Effectiveness | Not dependent on the celebrant or recipient |
| Effectiveness depends on | Recipient's disposition |
| Necessary for salvation | Yes, but not every sacrament is necessary for every individual |
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What You'll Learn
Baptism
According to Catholic theology, there are seven sacraments, and these were instituted by Jesus Christ. One of these sacraments is baptism, which is the foundational sacrament of Christian initiation. Baptism is seen as the sacrament of admission to the faith, bringing sanctifying grace to the person being baptized. In Catholicism, the baptism of infants is the most common form, but unbaptized children or adults who wish to join the faith must also receive the sacrament.
In the Catholic Church, baptism is seen as necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of receiving the sacrament. However, the Church also acknowledges that God is not bound by his sacraments, and thus, those who die for the faith can be saved without baptism.
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Confirmation
According to Catholic theology, there are seven sacraments, which were instituted by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church. Confirmation is the second or third sacrament of Christian initiation, the other two being Baptism and First Communion (Eucharist). Confirmation is the strengthening of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, enabling a Christian to become a better witness to Christ in the world. The rite of confirmation can occur as early as age 7 for children who were baptised as infants but is commonly received around the age of 13. In the United States, the designated age is between the ages of discretion and 16. In the early Church, Baptism and Confirmation were celebrated in a single ceremony, but the two sacraments gradually separated in the Roman Catholic Church.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Confirmation as:
> "Although Confirmation is sometimes called the 'sacrament of Christian maturity,' we must not confuse adult faith with the adult age of natural growth, nor forget that the baptismal grace is a grace of free, unmerited election and does not need 'ratification' to become effective."
In Confirmation, the Christian becomes more closely united with Christ. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus on the occasion of his baptism by John the Baptist. Jesus promised that the Spirit would be given to the Apostles and to the entire Church. After his death, he was raised by the Father in the power of the Spirit. Confirmation deepens our baptismal life and calls us to be missionary witnesses of Jesus Christ in our families, neighbourhoods, society, and the world.
In the Latin Church, the sacrament is to be conferred on the faithful above the age of discretion, generally taken to be about 7, unless the Episcopal Conference has decided on a different age. In Eastern Catholicism, priests are those who normally administer the sacrament, which can be administered conjointly with baptism.
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Eucharist
The Eucharist, also called the Blessed Sacrament, is the third sacrament of Christian initiation. It is a memorial of Christ's sacrifice on the cross and a reflection of his Last Supper with his disciples.
Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper while celebrating the Passover meal with his apostles. He told them, "This is my body" and "This is the chalice of my blood", and by telling them to "do this in remembrance of me", he made them priests capable of consecrating the Eucharist in the future.
The Eucharist is a sacred meal where bread and wine are consecrated by a priest and become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This change from bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is called "transubstantiation". The whole Christ is present – body, blood, soul, and divinity – under the appearances of bread and wine. This is what the Catholic Church means when they speak of the "'Real Presence' of Christ in the Eucharist.
The Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.
The Holy Mass is at the center of Catholic life because the Holy Eucharist is "the source and summit" of their faith.
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Penance
The Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments, which, according to Catholic theology, were instituted by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church. The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation (or Chrismation), Eucharist (or Holy Communion), Penance (or Reconciliation, Confession), Matrimony (Marriage), Holy Orders (ordination to the diaconate, priesthood, or episcopate), and Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction).
The Sacrament of Penance, also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession, is a means of obtaining forgiveness for sins committed after Baptism. It is a holy moment in which one confesses their sins, especially mortal sins, and receives absolution, thereby being reconciled to God and the Church.
The Sacrament of Penance is rooted in the belief that Christ himself is at work in the sacraments, and that their power comes from God rather than the celebrant or recipient. The efficacy of the sacrament depends on the recipient's disposition, and it is held that through words and ritual elements, the Sacrament of Penance nourishes, strengthens, and expresses faith.
Historically, the Sacrament of Penance has endured countless attacks, particularly during the Reformation, yet it remains firmly rooted in the Catholic faith. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a legalistic theory of penances emerged, followed by a theory of a treasury of merits put forward around 1230. This led to the granting and eventual selling of indulgences, which was protested by Martin Luther. In response, the bishops at the Council of Trent retained the private approach to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and decreed that indulgences could not be sold.
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) emphasized the intimate relationship between the external act of confession and internal conversion, prayer, and works of charity. The Sacrament of Penance is seen as a gift of God's boundless mercy, freeing individuals from their sins and challenging them to live in accordance with God's grace.
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Anointing of the Sick
According to Catholic theology, there are seven sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ, and one of them is the Anointing of the Sick. This sacrament is administered to bring spiritual and physical strength during an illness, especially near the time of death. It is usually one of the last sacraments one will receive.
The Anointing of the Sick is a sacred anointing that was instituted by Christ during his earthly ministry. It is also referred to in the Bible, where Mark recounts how Jesus sent out his twelve disciples to preach, and "they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them" (Mark 6:13). In his epistle, James also says,
> "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (Jas. 5:14–15).
The Anointing of the Sick is typically administered by a bishop or priest, who uses oleum infirmorum ('oil of the sick'), an olive oil or another pure plant oil blessed by a bishop, to anoint the patient's forehead and perhaps other parts of the body while reciting certain prayers. It can be administered at home, in a hospital, a care institution, or a church. The sacrament conveys several graces and gifts of strengthening in the Holy Spirit, including peace, comfort, courage, and the prevention of losing Christian hope in God's justice, truth, and salvation. It also imparts forgiveness of sins for those who are unable to make a confession.
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Frequently asked questions
There are seven sacraments in the Catholic Church.
The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.
The sacraments are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. They are considered to be outward signs of an inward grace.
Yes, other denominations such as Lutheran, Moravian, Reformed, Anglican, Methodist, and Baptist also recognize the sacraments, although they may have a different number of sacraments or interpret them differently.
