Sacraments
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Sacraments are vital expressions of who we are as Catholic Christians. Each time we receive a sacrament we respond in a deeper way to Jesus’ call to discipleship. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1113) lists the sacraments as follows:
“The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders & Matrimony.”
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the sacrament of baptism
By Baptism we become members of the Church, the Body of Christ.
In Baptism, the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ's call to holiness and we are asked to walk by the light of Christ and to trust in his wisdom. We are invited to submit our hearts to Christ with ever deeper love.
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The Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation frees us from our sins and challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us. We are liberated to be forgivers. We obtain new insight into the words of the Prayer of St. Francis:
"It is in pardoning that we are pardoned."Learn More About Reconciliation
LEARN MORE ABOUT PREPARING FOR FIRST reconciliation
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The sacrament of the Eucharist
At its heart, the Eucharist is a sacrament of communion, bringing us closer to God and to our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life."
Through the Sacrament of the Eucharist, our church community is able to more closely encounter Christ together and be spiritually fed and strengthened to live as disciples in our world.
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the sacrament of confirmation
The sacrament of Confirmation is a sacrament of initiation. It completes the sacrament of Baptism.
While Confirmation is a distinct and complete sacrament in its own right, its purpose is to perfect in us that which was begun in Baptism. We might say—in a sense—that we are baptized in order to be confirmed.Learn More About Confirmation
LEARN MORE ABOUT PREPARING FOR CONFIRMATION
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the sacrament of marriage
The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons.
The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God.
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the sacrament of holy orders
By their consecration, bishops and priests act in the Person of Christ, representing Him as the Head of the Church.
Deacons are ordained unto the ministry of service, but not to the priesthood. Deacons assist bishops and priests in the celebration of the sacred mysteries; they can baptize, witness marriage, preside over funerals and at other liturgical events.
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the sacrament of anointing of the sick
In the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, through the ministry of the priest, it is Jesus who touches the sick to heal them from sin – and sometimes even from physical ailment.
The Rite of Anointing tells us there is no need to wait until a person is at the point of death to receive the sacrament. A careful judgment about the serious nature of the illness is sufficient.
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