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  What is a sacrament?

   

  The traditional definition of a sacrament is this: "A sacrament is a visible sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace." There are three statements here:

   

  * A visible sign
  An action is performed by a minister (usually a priest). For example, when a baby is baptized in the church the priest pours water over its head and at the same time says the words "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." That is a visible sign.

   

  * Instituted by Christ
  The Lord Jesus Christ instructed His church to offer the seven sacraments to His followers. For example, His directive to His disciples in Matthew's Gospel (28/19), "Go then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples; baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you."

   

  * To give grace
  At the risk of over simplifying something that is very complex, we could describe grace as God's free gift of Himself as the controlling influence in our life and the decisions we make once we have committed ourselves to Him in faith.

   

  In summary we can say that a sacrament is one of the means God has chosen to influence our life in the direction of his purpose for giving us life.

  
  There are seven sacraments under the following categories: 
  
  1. Sacraments of Christian Initiation
      1.1. Baptism
      1.2. Confirmation
      1.3. Eucharist
  
  2. Sacraments of Healing
      2.1. Reconciliation
      2.2. Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction)
  
  3. Sacraments of Vocation
      3.1. Holy Orders
      3.2. Matrimony.  
  
  From: www.holyspiritinteractive.net
  
  
  
  The Sacraments: Msgr John Zenz walks us through the seven blessed sacraments.
  
  

  Tantum Ergo - Various Artists