Sacraments Of The Catholic Church

Sacraments Of The Catholic Church

The Sacraments are at the same time sign and instruments of God’s grace. A sacrament is a visible sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace. The sacraments, received at various stages of life, give meaning and direction to the life of a Christian. Through the sacraments, Jesus touches our lives and showers his grace upon us that we may fulfill the purpose of this life on earth.

There are seven sacraments in the Catholic Church, which are divided into three categories:

      Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, Confirmation & Eucharist

      Sacraments of Healing – Penance & Anointing of the Sick

      Sacraments at the service of Communion – Matrimony & Holy Orders

Baptism

Baptism is the basis of whole Christian life and is the gateway to other sacraments. Through baptism, our original sin is removed and we are reborn into Christ and we become members of His church. Baptism is the sacrament of faith – faith of the Church and the community of believers. This sacrament is also called “the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” The two principal effects of Baptism are purification from sins and new birth in the Holy Spirit

Eucharist

The Eucharist is the sacrament in which we receive the Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. The Eucharist nourishes our life of faith. As we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the form of Bread and Wine, we are spiritually nourished and are brought closer to God. The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus. What material food produces in our bodily life, Holy Communion wonderfully achieves in our spiritual life.

Confirmation

Confirmation is the sacrament of the Holy Spirit. Reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. By confirmation, a Christian is enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit to face the challenges of life and to be a true witness of Christ in the world. Through this sacrament, we receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit - wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Confirmation seals our life of faith in Jesus.

Penance & Reconciliation

The sacrament of Penance is God’s wonderful gift to humanity. It is the channel to obtain God’s mercy. Through this sacrament, we are reconciled with God as well as with His Church, the community of believers. Through this sacrament, we receive God’s forgiveness, which requires being sorry for our sins. As we are all weak human beings, the Church encourages Catholics to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance at least monthly throughout our lifetime so that we can benefit from the graces obtained through reception of this sacrament. This sacrament is popularly called as Confession.

Anointing of the Sick

The Anointing of the Sick is the Sacrament given to seriously ill Christians, not necessarily at the point of death. The special grace received through this sacrament, unites the sick person to the passion of Christ. This sacrament of healing is meant to heal the whole person, spiritually and physically while at the same time reassuring the person of God’s love and mercy. If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again.

Matrimony

In Matrimony a baptized man and woman are united with each other as a sign of the unity between Jesus and his Church. In the Latin Rite the celebration of marriage between two Catholic faithful normally takes place during Holy Mass, because of the connection of all the sacraments with the Paschal mystery of Christ. The sacrament of marriage gives the couple the grace to grow into a union of heart and soul, to continue life, and to provide stability for themselves and their children. Children are the fruit and bond of a marriage.

Holy Orders

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. Priests serve as spiritual leaders of their communities, and deacons serve to remind us of our baptismal call to help others. Bishops carry on the teachings of the apostles. The Sacrament of Holy Orders began with the Last Supper, when Christ Jesus commissioned his Apostles to continue the Eucharistic celebration. No one has a right to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders unlike other sacraments. This sacrament can be received only as an unmerited gift.