Before we learn about the seven
Catholic sacraments, we need to learn
about what a sacrament is.
What is a sacrament?
(broad definition; “sacrament with a
small s”)
 God’s loving presence made visible
and tangible in our life here and now.

What is a sacrament?

God’s presence
 Sacred, holy, but not just a nameless spirit, or
“special feeling”

A loving presence
 a true experience of God must be an experience
of love

visible and tangible
 an experience of the human senses
○ seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching

our life here and now
 an experience of God today, while we are alive,
not just after we die
a
special appreciation of the sacred (that
is, God) in the world
• In our daily class prayer we say: “Let us
remember that we are in the holy presence of
God”


lack of awareness of the sacred in everyday life
Causes of sacramental dullness:
Busyness, distraction
 Pain and suffering
 Ignorance: Not knowing what to look for or where to
look

Paying attention: listening, seeing, being
focused
1.
•
Examples: meditation, prayer, retreats, physical
exercise
2.
Responding
• all true listening calls for a response
• an experience of God calls us to respond by
treating ourselves, others, the world, and God
differently
Kairos
Loaves and Fishes
Rock for Peace
Sacramental moments



After developing sacramental awareness, we may
begin to see God and the sacred in our daily lives
 “Finding God in all things” St. Ignatius of Loyola
These sacramental moments can come after long
practice…
Or can be sudden and unexpected
“Look at the stars…”
“Remember who you are, Simba…”


“large S” Sacrament
According to the Church, a Sacrament is…
An outward sign instituted by Christ to give
grace
◦ Outward sign
 Each sacrament is visible and tangible
 Each sacrament uses signs, symbols, and rituals
◦ Instituted by Christ
 Each sacrament can be traced back to something Jesus Christ
did
◦ To give grace
 Each sacrament gives those who receive it certain gifts directly
from God

Sacraments can be divided into three groups
◦ Sacraments of Initiation
 Baptism
 Confirmation
 Eucharist
◦ Sacraments of Healing
 Reconciliation (also called Penance)
 Anointing of the Sick
◦ Sacraments of Vocation
 Matrimony (also called Marriage)
 Holy Orders

Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation
◦ Considered “initiation rituals” because they make us
full members of the Church community
◦ At Easter Vigil, new adult members of the Church
receive all three of these Sacraments

Reconciliation
◦ Heals our relationships with God and each other

Anointing of the Sick
◦ Heals our body, mind or soul

Vocation means “calling”
◦ These sacraments affirm the life to which God has
called us

Matrimony
◦ Called to share our life with another person

Holy Orders

◦ Called to dedicate our life in service to Christ and
the community as a priest
Also called the Sacraments of Commitment,
because those receiving are committing themselves
to a way of life.
Symbols and Rituals

Each Sacrament has certain symbols and
rituals
◦ Symbol: something that represents
something else
 Some symbols are obvious: water, bread, oil
 Some are less obvious
 Ex. What are the symbols used in Reconciliation?
◦ Ritual: a series of repeated symbolic actions
 The Church calls these rites
 Involves words, gestures, objects
Effects

Each Sacrament has certain effects on
the person receiving it
◦ Example: Baptism
 Main effect is initiation into the Church
 It also cleanses a person from Original Sin
 IMPORTANT!!! This cleansing is not just symbolic,
but is actual. The water in Baptism really works.
History

Each Sacrament has a long, rich history
and has gone through many changes
1. How is it tied to events in the life of Jesus?
2. How was it practiced in early Church
3. How has it developed and changed in the
past 1500 years? What is it like today?