The Sacraments
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Baptism
For Catholics, the Sacrament of Baptism is the first step in a lifelong journey of commitment and discipleship. Whether we are baptized as infants or adults, Baptism is the Church's way of celebrating and enacting the embrace of God. More... Reconciliation The Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Penance, or Penance and Reconciliation) has three elements: conversion, confession and celebration. In it we find God's unconditional forgiveness; as a result we are called to forgive others. More... Eucharist Catholics believe the Eucharist, or Communion, is both a sacrifice and a meal. We believe in the real presence of Jesus, who died for our sins. As we receive Christ's Body and Blood, we also are nourished spiritually and brought closer to God. Sacrament of Holy Eucharist. More... Confirmation Confirmation is a Catholic Sacrament of mature Christian commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts. It is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation for Catholics. It is most often associated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Sacrament of Confirmation. More... Matrimony For Catholics, the Sacrament of Matrimony, or Holy Matrimony, is a public sign that one gives oneself totally to this other person. It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values and also God's values. More... Holy Orders In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, or Ordination, the priest being ordained vows to lead other Catholics by bringing them the sacraments (especially the Eucharist), by proclaiming the Gospel, and by providing other means to holiness. More... Anointing of the Sick The Catholic Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, formerly known as Last Rites or Extreme Unction, is a ritual of healing appropriate not only for physical but also for mental and spiritual sickness. There is no question that Jesus is healer. The Gospels are filled with the stories of cures he effected. The important notion is that Jesus never cured a body for its own sake. He was rather concerned for the whole person. Jesus is the bread from heaven, he is the real light, and he is the real life. The healings that Jesus performs have meaning in that they promote the salvation of the whole person. More... |
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The Sacraments |