Rite of Election
Scrutinies
Questions and answers: Section 20: The Seven Sacraments
What is at the center of the Church’s liturgical life? The Eucharist and the other six sacraments. The Mass and the Sacraments. Eucharist (sacrifice offered in Thanksgiving) is what is sacrificed; Communion is what is received. The Mass is more than just the Eucharist. It also presents the liturgy of the Word, although it is often described as the Celebration of the Eucharist.
What is a sacrament? Efficacious (having an effect) signs of grace instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life in dispensed to us (CCC 1131). Whether a sacrament actually brings about a change in the people receiving it depends on their personal disposition (e.g. confirmation). A sign instituted by God to give grace.
What are the seven sacraments? Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation (Confession, Penance), Eucharist, Marriage, Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick.
Has the Church always spoken of there being seven sacraments? Like its understanding of Sacred Scripture and other doctrines of faith, the Church has grown in its understanding… Seven sacraments developed over time.
What do we mean when we say that the sacraments were instituted by Christ? Jesus left the Church with these seven ways was of receiving special grace to live our Christian lives. We can trace the origin of each sacrament to scripture where Jesus instituted it.
What is the sacramental “character” or “seal”? Three sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders) confer a permanent seal. Through this seal or character a Christian shares in the priesthood of Christ and assumes a particular place in the life of the Church. In Baptism we are marked as children of God and heirs of heaven, part of God’s family. In confirmation we are marked by the Holy Spirit, anointed with special strength to live the Christian life. In Holy Orders Priests and Deacons are marked as part of the ordained priesthood of Jesus Christ with the special faculties to say Mass and to administer the sacraments. This is a priesthood beyond that which Christians share with Christ.
What is the purpose of the sacraments? To communicate divine life and at make people holy. To give us grace to live our Christian lives.
Who celebrates the sacramental liturgy? Christians celebrate the sacramental liturgy. They are not private actions and for that reason the Church prefers that they be celebrated in a communal fashion.
How are the sacraments celebrated? A priest or deacon is the ordinary minister of Baptism. Any baptized Christian may be an extraordinary minister of Baptism. A bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation. He may delegate this ministry to a priest in certain circumstances. A priest is the minister of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. Deacons are ordinary Eucharistic ministers. Christian lay persons may be extraordinary Eucharistic ministers. The man and the woman to be wed are the ministers of Marriage. The priest or deacon is the witness for the Church. A bishop is the ordinary minister of Holy Orders. A priest is the minister of the Anointing of the Sick. Christians celebrate Baptism and Marriage. Catholic Christians celebrate all seven sacraments.
In what way are the sacraments “sacred signs”? Words together with signs constitute the sacred signs. These signs produce what they signify (e.g. water cleansing us, produces life in us, brings us from death to life in Baptism) and produce the divine life within us. Oil strengthens us in Confirmation. Oil may heal both soul and body in the Anointing of the Sick. The signs in the sacraments are sacred (holy) because they are used in the sacraments for a holy purpose. Water and oils receive a special blessing for use in the sacraments.
Is there only one way to celebrate the sacraments? Each sacrament has basic essentials. Alternate forms which contain the essentials may be used in special circumstances. Otherwise, the form in official books of Catholic ritual such as the Sacramentary is to be followed. The basic essentials are maintained in all Catholic rites such as the Latin, Byzantine, Alexandrian (Coptic), Syriac, Armenian, Maronite and Caldean.
How can we best understand the seven sacraments? As God’s gifts (love) to us to help us on our journey of faith. The Eucharist is understood as “the Sacrament of sacraments, toward which all the other sacraments are directed. Sacraments may be divided into three groups: sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist), healing (Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick), and service (Holy Orders and Marriage).
See: Sacraments
Prayer: Angelus:
V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary;
R. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit; Hail Mary.
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
R. Be it done unto me according to your will; Hail Mary.
V. And the Word was made flesh;
R. And dwelt among us; Hail Mary.
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God;
R. That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ
V. Let us Pray: Pour forth we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we to whom the incarnation of Christ, your Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen