Sacramental Life
The Sacraments
The sacraments are Christ's gifts to us. They provide us with his grace. Grace is received in the depths of our hearts, but the Sacraments always have an outward sign. The outward signs are God's way of treating us like the human beings we are. He conveys His unseen grace into our spiritual souls through material symbols that our physical bodies can perceive—things, words and gestures.
The outward signs of the sacraments have two parts: the "thing" itself, which is used (water, oil, etc.), and the words or gestures that give significance to what is being done.
We celebrate sacraments at various stages in our lives. They enable us to:
Believe the truths of his faith
Live according to his moral code
Grow in his gift of divine life
The seven sacraments are BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION, RECONCILIATION (Confession), EUCHARIST, MATRIMONY, HOLY ORDERS and ANOINTING OF THE SICK.
Together, they are a fundamental part of the Catholic faith.
