The Sacrament of Holy Orders continues in the Church the apostolic ministry that the Lord gave to the Apostles. This sacrament, also called Ordination, consists of three degrees: diaconal (deacons), presbyteral (priests) and episcopal (bishops). Men who are ordained receive from God the grace to carry on the mission entrusted by Christ to his Apostles – bishops and priests participating in the priesthood of Christ and deacons in his ministry of service.
The Sacrament of Matrimony, or marriage, is a unique sacrament because it is the man and the woman that mutually administers the sacrament upon each other in the presence of a priest or deacon and other witnesses.
It is a sacred covenant, a public promise made by the husband and the wife to be true to each other until death parts them.
The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is how God gives us spiritual strength to persevere through the challenges of severe illness or impending death. The Anointing of the Sick is a healing sacrament which unites our physical suffering with the pain and suffering experienced by Jesus during his earthly life.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as Confession or the Sacrament of Penance, is a healing sacrament by which we experience the mercy of God. Through the ministry of a priest, we honestly confess our sins to Jesus and then receive his forgiveness and mercy.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is a significant step in the growth and development of every Catholic, necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. At Confirmation, we affirm our commitment to God and the Church and receive a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The Sacrament of the Eucharist, also called the Mass, is “the source and summit of the Christian Life.” All of the other sacraments point to it. When the priest prays the words of consecration over the bread and wine at Mass, we believe, in accordance with the teaching of Jesus, that they become his Body and Blood.
The Sacrament of Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, making us sons and daughters of God and members of the Body of Christ and freeing us from sin. Through Baptism, we are welcomed into the Catholic Church, the community of faith.