Michael Brooks
The Catholic Church has seven holy sacraments that are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. Each sacrament is celebrated with a visible rite, reflecting its invisible, spiritual essence. The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. These sacraments are often classified into three categories: the sacraments of initiation, consisting of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist; the sacraments of healing, consisting of the Sacrament of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick; and the sacraments of service: Holy Orders and Matrimony.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Sacraments | 7 |
| Sacraments of Initiation | Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist |
| Sacraments of Healing | Penance, Anointing of the Sick |
| Sacraments of Service | Holy Orders, Matrimony |
| Other Names | Sacraments of Christ, Sacraments of the Church, Sacraments of Faith, Sacraments of Salvation, Sacraments of Eternal Life |
| Frequency | Some sacraments are received only once, others require active and ongoing participation |
| Purpose | Channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ |
| Effect | The sacraments presuppose faith and, through their words and ritual elements, they also nourish, strengthen and give expression to it |
| Rite | Each sacrament is celebrated with a visible rite, which reflects the invisible, spiritual essence of the sacrament |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist
The Catholic Church teaches that sacraments are "efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us". There are seven sacraments in the Catholic Church, and the first three—Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist—are known as the sacraments of initiation.
Baptism is the first sacrament one receives when entering the Catholic faith. It is a sacrament of initiation, meaning that once received, the recipient officially enters the body of Christ, the Catholic Church. The recipient receives justifying and sanctifying grace when baptised, and the Holy Spirit begins to dwell within them. The form of the sacrament is the words that are spoken, and the matter is the physical substance used during the sacrament. In the Catholic faith, the sacrament is usually conferred by pouring water three times on the recipient's head while reciting the baptismal formula: "I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". The word "baptism" means "to be immersed", and for the first few hundred years of the Church's history, baptisms would be done in large natural bodies of water, such as rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans.
Confirmation is the second sacrament of initiation and is evident from its celebration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Catechism of the Catholic Church warns that, although Confirmation is sometimes called the "sacrament of Christian maturity", it should not be confused with adult faith. The sacrament is to be conferred on the faithful above the age of discretion (generally taken to be about seven), unless there is a danger of death or another grave reason. In the Latin Church, priests are those who normally administer the sacrament.
The Eucharist, also called the Blessed Sacrament, is the third sacrament of initiation. It is the sacrament by which Catholics partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and participate in the Eucharistic memorial of his one sacrifice. The bread—which must be wheaten—and the wine—which must be from grapes—used in the Eucharistic rite are, in Catholic faith, transformed in their inner reality, though not in appearance, into the Body and Blood of Christ, a change that is called transubstantiation. The term Mass refers to the act by which the sacrament of the Eucharist comes into being, while the term Holy Communion refers to the act by which the Eucharist is received.
The Catholic Christmas Season: When Does It End?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Healing: Penance and Anointing of the Sick
The Catholic Church has seven holy sacraments that are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. They are often classified into three categories: the sacraments of initiation, the sacraments of healing, and the sacraments of service.
The sacraments of healing consist of the Sacrament of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick.
Sacrament of Penance
Also commonly called the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession, this sacrament is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. It is a holy moment in which the faithful are absolved from sins committed after baptism and reconciled with God, the Church, and the Christian community. During reconciliation, mortal sins must be confessed, and venial sins may be confessed for devotional reasons. A prayer of contrition is offered at the end of the confession, and the newly absolved Catholic is urged to refrain from repeating those sins.
Anointing of the Sick
Formerly known as Extreme Unction, the Anointing of the Sick is administered to bring spiritual and physical strength and comfort during an illness, especially near the time of death. It conveys several graces and imparts gifts of strengthening in the Holy Spirit against anxiety, discouragement, and temptation, and conveys peace. It can be given to those who are afflicted with serious illness or injury, those awaiting surgery, the weakened elderly, or ill children who are old enough to understand its significance. The sacrament can be performed in a home or hospital by a priest, who prays over the person and anoints their head and hands with chrism (holy oil).
Senior Housing: Catholic Charities' Support for the Elderly
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Service: Holy Orders and Matrimony
The Catholic Church has seven holy sacraments, three of which fall under the category of "sacraments of service": Holy Orders and Matrimony. These sacraments are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ.
Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church. It includes three degrees: episcopate (bishops), presbyterate (priests), and diaconate (deacons). Deacons may be either permanent, serving as deacons for life, or transitional, serving as a deacon as a step towards priesthood. Ordination involves the laying on of hands by the bishop, along with a prayer of consecration. These are the visible signs of ordination. Only bishops can administer the sacrament of Holy Orders.
Matrimony
Marriage, or matrimony, is also considered a sacrament of service. When the Catholic Church teaches that marriage between two baptized persons is a sacrament, it is saying that the couple's relationship expresses in a unique way the unbreakable bond of love between Christ and his people. Pope Paul VI wrote that through the Sacrament of Matrimony, "husband and wife are strengthened and consecrated for the faithful accomplishment of their proper duties, for the carrying out of their proper vocation even to perfection, and the Christian witness which is proper to them before the whole world."
Jesus: Prophet or Son of God? Catholic Perspective
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Eucharist: Holy Communion
The Eucharist, also called the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, or simply Communion, is the third sacraments of initiation in the Catholic Church. It is considered the most important and central rite of Catholic worship, completing Christian initiation.
The Eucharist is based on the Last Supper, when Jesus gave his disciples bread and wine, commanding them to "do this in memory of me", referring to the bread as "my body" and the wine as "the blood of my covenant, which is poured out for many". The bread and wine used in the Eucharistic rite are, in Catholic faith, transformed in their inner reality, though not in appearance, into the Body and Blood of Christ, a change that is called transubstantiation.
The Mass, a long rite in two parts, is central to the Eucharist. The first part is the Liturgy of the Word, which consists of readings from the Bible and a homily or sermon given by a priest or deacon. The second part is the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which includes the Offering of the bread and wine at the altar, their consecration by the priest through prayer, and their reception by the congregation in Holy Communion.
The Eucharist can be received daily if desired, and a baptized child's First Communion is usually celebrated around the age of seven or eight and is preceded by their first confession.
Nixon's Catholic Strategy: Seeking the Vote
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Confirmation
In the Latin Church, Confirmation is conferred on the faithful above the age of discretion, which is generally taken to be around seven years old. However, this age is not set in stone and can be decided by the Episcopal Conference or the minister. The sacrament of Confirmation is usually celebrated by a bishop, who extends their hands over those to be confirmed and calls upon God, saying: "Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their helper and guide." Each person to be confirmed is then anointed with chrism on the forehead, as the bishop says: "Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit."
> "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 Eastern Catholicism, the sacrament of Confirmation is called Chrismation with holy Myron, and it can be administered conjointly with baptism.
Understanding Catholic Classes: A Comprehensive Guide
You may want to see also
