Sacraments & Rites
Sacraments of Initiation
Christian initiation is accomplished by means of the Sacraments which establish the foundations of Christian life. The faithful are (1) born anew by Baptism, are (2) strengthened by Confirmation and then (3) nourished by the Eucharist, the source and summit of all Christian life.
For Catholics, the Sacrament of Baptism is the first step in a lifelong journey of commitment and discipleship. Irrespective of whether we are baptized as infants or adults, Baptism is the Church's way of celebrating and enacting the embrace of God.
Confirmation is a Catholic Sacrament of mature Christian commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts. One of the three Sacraments of Initiation for Catholics, it is most often associated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
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.
Sacraments of Vocation
Two sacraments, Matrimony and Holy Orders, confer a special grace for a particular mission in the Church to serve and build up the People of God. These sacraments contribute in a special way to ecclesial communion and to the salvation of others.
For Catholics, the Sacrament of Marriage, or Holy Matrimony, is a public sign that one joins oneself totally to another person. It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values as well as God's values.
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.
Sacraments of Healing
Christ, the physician of our soul and body, instituted these sacraments because the new life that He gives us in the sacraments of Christian initiation can be weakened and even lost because of sin. Therefore, Christ willed that His Church should continue His work of healing and salvation by means of these two sacraments.
The Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Penance, or Confession) has three elements: conversion, confession and celebration. In it, we find God's unconditional forgiveness; as a result we are called to forgive others.
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 illness but also for mental and spiritual sickness.
The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church as described by Fr. Raphael Mary of the Catholic Newman Center at the University of Washington.