Holy orders
What Are Sacraments?
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 'The
sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by
Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is
dispensed to us' (#1131).
This is a complex definition, so let's break it down.
The word efficacious means 'effective.' This means that
according to Catholic teachings, sacraments do what they
say they do. Because of God's power, they simply work,
Catholics believe.
A sign is an object, word, or gesture that points to
something beyond itself. According to Catholic teaching,
sacraments use all kinds of human objects, words, and
gestures, but all of these point beyond themselves to
something greater, to God and His grace.
Catholics define grace as God's free gift of His presence,
His help, and His salvation.
Catholics believe, then, that sacraments point to and are
channels of God's grace. They work as an effective means
of communication between God and His people.
Let's continue. According to Catholic doctrine:
The sacraments are instituted by Christ. Christ instituted
all seven sacraments as ways in which He could be present
to His people even after His Ascension into Heaven.
The sacraments are also entrusted to the Church. Christ
gave the sacraments to the Church so that the Church
could dispense them to the faithful.
The sacraments dispense divine life. People who receive
the sacraments actually share in the divine life of God. His
presence enters into their souls, He helps them to live the
Christian life, and He saves them so that they may reach
eternal life.
According to the Catholic faith, the sacraments are a gift
from God, given through the Church as an outpouring of
His love. Through the sacraments, God justifies and
sanctifies His people (i.e., He saves them and makes them
holy), He meets His people where they are in order to
draw them up to Him, He pours out His grace, He builds up
the Church and He receives worship.
The Seven Sacraments
The Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments:
Baptism
Eucharist
Confirmation
Reconciliation
Anointing of the sick
Marriage
We will take a brief look at each of these. Please note that
each definition expresses orthodox Catholic doctrine.
In baptism, God's saving grace, His very presence, enters
into the human soul. The essential rite of baptism is very
simple. The person celebrating the sacrament (usually a
priest) says 'I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit' while pouring water over
the head of the person receiving the sacrament or dipping
the person in water. For Catholics, baptism is the
sacrament of salvation and the door to all other
sacraments.
A Catholic Baptism
A Catholic Baptism
Those who partake in the Eucharist receive the real Body,
Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ in what appears to
be bread and wine. During Mass, regular bread and wine
are consecrated by the priest, through God's power, when
he repeats Jesus's words, 'This is My Body' and 'This is the
chalice of My Blood.'
Confirmation provides a special outpouring of the Holy
Spirit, which helps the confirmed Catholic witness to Christ
and lead a mature Christian life. The rite of confirmation,
usually performed by a bishop, involves the anointing with
chrism (holy oil), the laying on of hands, and the words 'Be
sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.'
In reconciliation, which is also called 'confession' or
'penance,' a Catholic confesses his or her sins to a priest in
the spirit of true repentance and receives forgiveness. The
priest acts as a visible representative of Christ, who
forgives sins through Him, when he says the words of
absolution: 'I absolve you of your sins in the Name of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.'
Anointing of the sick offers the comfort of God's grace to
those who are ill. The sacrament provides spiritual and
sometimes physical healing, according to God's will, but
also allows the sick person to join his or her sufferings to
Christ and prepare for death. The essential rite of this
sacrament involves anointing with the oil of the sick and
prayer.
Marriage, or matrimony, joins a man and a woman
together in a life-long covenant of self-giving love. The two
spouses give their consent to join together in marriage as
the Church defines it. God gives special grace to the couple
that they may live out their vow.
In holy orders, men are ordained as bishops, priests, and
deacons through a bishop's laying on of hands and prayer.
These men are given the grace to live out their lives in
service to the Church and to God's people.
History of the Sacraments
Catholics believe that the seven sacraments were directly
instituted by Christ. He told His apostles to 'Go therefore
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...'
(Matthew 27:19).
https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-7-catholic-
sacraments-definition-history-quiz.html
what is the relationship of sacraments to Christ
A sacrament is an outward efficacious sign instituted by
Christ to give grace. Jesus Christ himself is the sacrament,
as he gave his life to save mankind. His humanity is the
outward sign or the instrument of his Divinity. It is through
his humanity that the life of the Trinity comes to us as
grace through the sacraments. It is Jesus Christ alone who
mediates the sacraments to allow grace to flow to
mankind.
Christ sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to inspire his
Apostles and his Church to shepherd his flock after his
Ascension into heaven. "As the Father has sent me, even
so I send you" (John 17:18, 20:21). Jesus is the Head of his
Body the Church (Colossians 1:18). The Church itself is a
sacrament instituted by Christ to give grace. Jesus gave us
his Body the Church to continue the works he performed
during his earthly life. Grace given to us through the
sacraments will help us lead a good life in this world and
help save us for the Kingdom of Heaven.
The sacraments were instituted by Christ and were part of
the Tradition of the early Christian Church. The Church
celebrates in her liturgy the Paschal mystery of Christ, his
Passion, Sacrifice on the Cross, Resurrection, and Glorious
Ascension. The Greek word μυστήριον or mystery in the
Greek New Testament is translated into sacramentum in
the Latin Vulgate Bible, from which we derive our English
word sacrament (examples: Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 3:9,
Colossians 1:27). The saving effects of Christ's Redemption
on the Cross are communicated through the sacraments,
especially in the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist. The
sacraments to this day are called mysteries in the Eastern
Churches.
Catholic as well as Eastern Orthodox Churches all
recognize the seven sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation,
Holy Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy
Orders, and Matrimony. The three sacraments of Christian
Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.
The two sacraments of Healing are Penance and the
Anointing of the Sick, and the two sacraments of Vocation
are Holy Orders and Marriage. Three sacraments, Baptism,
Confirmation, and Holy Orders, are given once, as they
render a permanent seal or character upon one's soul (2
Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 4:30, Revelations 7:3).
The Gospel of Mark 5:25-34 describes a woman afflicted
with hemorrhage who touched the cloak of Jesus and was
immediately healed. There is a fourth century fresco
painting in the catacomb of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter
depicting this event, which serves as an apt symbol of
Sacrament - the power that flows out from the body of
Jesus, in order to effect both remission of sin and new life
in Christ. The fresco image frames Part II of the Catechism
of the Catholic Church on the Liturgy and the
Sacraments, The Celebration of the Christian Mystery. St.
Thomas Aquinas, in the Summa Theologica, has written
the standard exposition on the Seven Sacraments.
Each sacrament consists of a visible external rite, which is
composed of matter and form, the matter being the
action, such as the pouring of water in baptism, and the
form being the words spoken by the minister. Each
sacramental rite confers a special ecclesial effect and
sacramental grace appropriate for each sacrament. The
sacraments occur at pivotal events and give meaning to a
person's life.
The sacraments act ex opere operato, by the very fact of
the action being performed, independent of the minister.
The effect on the person receiving the sacrament is
called ex opere operantis, and depends on the interior
disposition of the receiver.
Grace is a favor, the free and undeserved gift from God
through Christ Jesus, to help us respond to his call to
become children of God, to become partakers of the
divine nature and of eternal life. Our justification comes
from the grace of God. Grace is a participation in the life of
God and is necessary for salvation.
This page will include a brief introduction and some
Scriptural sources for each Sacrament.
jesuschristsavior.net/Sacraments.html
 1. What is the link between the
sacraments and the Church?
Christ has entrusted the sacraments to his Church. They
are the sacraments “of the Church” in a twofold sense:
they are “from her” insofar as they are actions of the
Church which is the sacrament of Christ’s action; and they
are “for her” in as much as they build up the Church.
What is the sacramental
character?
It is a spiritual “seal” bestowed by the
sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and
Holy Orders. It is a promise and guarantee of
divine protection. By virtue of this seal the
Christian is configured to Christ, participates
in a variety of ways in his priesthood and
takes his part in the Church according to
different states and functions. He is, therefore,
set apart for divine worship and the service of
the Church. Because this character is indelible
the sacraments that impress it on the soul are
received only once in life.
https://www.stjw.ca/adults/frequently-asked-
questions/the-celebration-of-the-christian-mystery/what-
is-the-sacramental-characterij/
What is the relationship between the sacraments and
faith?
The sacraments not only presuppose faith but with words
and ritual elements they nourish, strengthen, and express
it. By celebrating the sacraments, the Church professes the
faith that comes from the apostles. This explains the origin
of the ancient saying, “lex orandi, lex credendi,” that is,
the Church believes as she prays.
Source:
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
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Why are the sacraments efficacious?
The sacraments are efficacious ex opere operato (“by the
very fact that the sacramental action is performed”)
because it is Christ who acts in the sacraments and
communicates the grace they signify. The efficacy of the
sacraments does not depend upon the personal holiness
of the minister. However, the fruits of the sacraments do
depend on the dispositions of the one who receives them.
Source:
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
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For what reason are the
sacraments necessary for
salvation?
For believers in Christ the sacraments, even if
they are not all given to each of the faithful,
are necessary for salvation because they
confer sacramental grace, forgiveness of sins,
adoption as children of God, conformation to
Christ the Lord and membership in the
Church. The Holy Spirit heals and transforms
those who receive the sacraments.
Source:
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church
https://www.stjw.ca/adults/frequently-asked-
questions/the-celebration-of-the-christian-mystery/for-
what-reason-are-the-sacraments-necessary-for-
salvationij/
What is sacramental grace?
Sacramental grace is the grace of the Holy
Spirit which is given by Christ and is proper to
each sacrament. This grace helps the faithful
in their journey toward holiness and so assists
the Church as well to grow in charity and in
her witness to the world.

Source:
Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church
Click here to read more
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questions/the-celebration-of-the-christian-
mystery/what-is-sacramental-graceij/