The Seven Sacraments

• Sacraments are visible and tangible signs given by Jesus Christ to give divine grace
• There are seven sacraments

Sacraments of Initiation

• Baptism
• Confirmation
• Eucharist

Sacraments of Vocation

• Matrimony
• Holy Orders

Sacraments of Healing

• Reconciliation
• Anointing of the Sick
• God, who is invisible, communicates Himself through the visible, such as matter or flesh
• Divine grace, which is invisible, is communicated through visible tangible matter, like water or oil
• Grace, which is God's life, plus matter equals a sacrament
• Humans are not born in a state of grace, divine grace is freely given
• Humans can reject grace, they must cooperate with it
• Grace makes humans holy and pleasing to God
• The first effect of grace is that it sanctifies or makes holy
• No one can be truly holy unless in a state of grace
• Sacraments are channels of grace, similar to how pipes are channels of water
• Every sacrament is composed of matter or sign, and form or word

Matter

• This is the sign
• It is the element taken from nature
• Each matter is a natural sign

Baptism

• Water is the matter used
• Water is a natural sign of purity
• Water is also a natural sign of cleansing
• Water is a natural sign of life, because living things need water
• The form or word is: "(Name), I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
• Anyone may baptize in emergency situations

Effects of Baptism

• Cleanses from original sin
• Initiates one into the Body of Christ, the Church
• Infuses the theological virtues into the soul, as sheer gifts
• These virtues are faith, hope, and charity
• Infuses the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
• These include wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude, fear of God, counsel, piety
• Imparts the grace of rebirth
• One is born again and becomes a new creation

Confirmation

• The title "Christ" means anointed one
• In Confirmation, one is made a little Christ, and is anointed as priest, prophet, and king
• All the graces received in baptism are strengthened

Confirmation as Priest

• One is obligated to live a life of sacrifice
• One is obligated to live a religious life
• One is obligated to offer one's life to God, to center it around Christ

Confirmation as Prophet

• One is obligated to witness the truth
• One is obligated to love it, search for it, find it, and profess it

Confirmation as King

• One is obligated to live the truth, and aspire after the kingdom of God
• One is obligated to govern one's passions and strive to conquer sin
• The word 'confirm' means to strengthen
• The matter used in Confirmation must be a natural sign of strength
• Olive oil comes from the Olive tree
• Olive tree is a source of wealth

Oil as a Sign

• Wealth or blessing
• Strength and joy
• Kings were anointed with oil as a token of benevolence, a sign of favour
• The matter is oil
• The form is: "(Name), be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Eucharist

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches about the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ
• Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity
• Eucharist is the literal body of Christ
• It is sharing Christ's Body & Blood, His Passion and Resurrection
• The matter is bread and wine, signs of nourishment
• The form includes the words of Consecration: "Take this all of you and eat it, this is my body which.... This is my blood...."

Transubstantiation

• The changing of the substance of bread into Christ's body
• The changing of the substance of wine into Christ's blood
• Catholics believe that Christ, his body, blood, soul and divinity are really and truly present under the appearance of bread and wine
• After consecration, it is no longer bread, and no longer wine, but the substance of Christ's body and blood

Holy Matrimony

• Marriage is the only sacrament that the couple administers to one another
• The priest is only a witness
• The matter is the Bride and Groom
• The form is the vows in the liturgy
• Marriage between two baptized people is a sacrament, saying that the couple's relationship expresses in a unique way the unbreakable bond of love

Holy Orders

• Holy Orders is the sacrament by which bishops, priests, and deacons are ordained and receive the power and grace to perform their sacred duties
• The sacred rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination
• Apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood
• The matter is the laying on of hands
• The form is the prayers of the ritual

Penance

• This is God's gift so that any sin committed after baptism can be forgiven
• Confession is an opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God
• Confession is a moment to acknowledge sins, especially mortal sins
• The matter of the Penance is the acts of the penitent
• The form of the Penance is the words of absolution uttered by the priest

Anointing of the Sick

• This is a Sacrament of the Catholic Church, celebrating faith in the healing touch of Christ
• Jesus had deep compassion for those who were sick and the Church continues his healing mission
• The matter is Holy oil
• The form is the prayers of the ritual

Anointing of the Sick Effects

• Unites the sick person to the passion of Christ
• Imparts strength, peace, and courage to endure the sufferings of illness or old age
• Imparts the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of penance
• Restores health, if it is conducive to the salvation of their soul
• Prepares the sick person for death and passing over to eternal life