Rosal

The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, in order

A baptism: the priest pours water over the baby’s head at the font, with the parents, the godfather holding a lit candle, and a big sister

The sacraments are seven: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. They are signs that Jesus instituted and entrusted to the Church, through which he gives us his grace, that is, his own life.

  1. Baptism

    The door to the Christian life: it washes away original sin and makes us children of God and members of the Church.

  2. Confirmation

    It gives the strength of the Holy Spirit to live the faith and bear witness to it.

  3. Eucharist

    Jesus himself, his Body and Blood, whom we receive in Holy Communion.

  4. Penance, or Reconciliation

    In Confession, God forgives the sins committed after Baptism.

  5. Anointing of the Sick

    It gives comfort, peace and strength to someone who is seriously ill or very old.

  6. Holy Orders

    It consecrates bishops, priests and deacons to serve the Church.

  7. Matrimony

    It joins a man and a woman for life, and God blesses their love and their family.

They come in three groups: Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist are the sacraments of Christian initiation; Penance and Anointing are the sacraments of healing; Holy Orders and Matrimony are at the service of communion. Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders are received only once.

As a family

Find out the date of each person’s baptism and celebrate it every year, like a second birthday: light their baptismal candle, if you still have it, and pray together.

To read more, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1113, 1131, 1210, 1212.

The feast that goes with this topic

The Thursday after Trinity Sunday (in many countries, the following Sunday)Corpus Christi

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