WEYDEN, Rogier van der
Seven Sacraments Altarpiece
1445-50
Oil on oak panel
Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp
The seven
sacraments
of the Church
25
Compendium of the Catechism
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224. What are the sacraments
and which are they?
1113-1131
The sacraments, instituted by
Christ and entrusted to the
Church, are efficacious signs of
grace perceptible to the senses
. Through them divine life is
bestowed upon us. There are
seven sacraments: Baptism,
Confirmation, Holy Eucharist,
Penance, Anointing of the Sick,
Holy Orders, and Matrimony.
Introduction
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God instituted the physical signs that
we call sacraments, in order to
express the supernatural realities of
grace:
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we are born to supernatural life
through Baptism,
we are strengthened by Confirmation,
we are sustained by the food of the
Eucharist,
we recover the supernatural life lost by
sin through Penance,
and we make ready for the journey that
will end up in heaven through the
Anointing of the Sick.
Holy Orders provide ministers for the
Church,
and Matrimony, from which children
are born to perpetuate human society
and, when regenerated by baptism,
make the Church grow.
DOLCI, Carlo
Christ Blessing the Sacraments
Bridgeman Art Library
Corsham Court, Wiltshire
Main ideas
1. What are the sacraments?

The sacraments are
physical and efficacious
signs of grace instituted by
Jesus Christ and entrusted
to the Church, by which
divine life is dispensed to
us.

CARPACCIO, Vittore (1450-1525)
The Baptism of the Selenites
Tempera on canvas, 1502-1507
(141 x 285 cm)
Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni, Venice
A physical sign is
something apparent which
reveals something hidden;
if I see smoke, I discover
that there is a fire.
 But we also say efficacious
sign, because the
sacrament not only
signifies but also produces
grace (smoke only points
to the existence of fire but
does not produce fire).
2. Why were the sacraments instituted?
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Christ wanted to adapt
Himself to our nature,
bestowing divine gifts on us
through the material things
we use, so that it would be
easier for us to receive
those gifts.
The humanity of Christ is
the instrument united to His
divinity used to carry out the
redemption of mankind. In
the same way, the
sacraments are the
instruments separated from
His divinity through which
God sanctifies us, adapting
Himself to our nature and
understanding.
POUSSIN, Nicolas
The Sacrament of Ordination
1636-40
Oil on canvas
Collection of the Duke of Rutland, Belvoir Castle
3. Jesus Christ instituted the seven sacraments
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POUSSIN, Nicolas
The Seven Sacraments: Marriage
1647-48
Oil on canvas, 117 x 178 cm
National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
All the sacraments have been
instituted by Jesus Christ –who
is the author of grace and can
communicate it through
physical signs. There are seven
sacraments: Baptism,
Confirmation, Eucharist,
Penance, Anointing of the Sick,
Holy Orders and Matrimony.
The seven sacraments meet all
the needs of the spiritual life of
Christians.
4. The sacraments of the Church

Christ entrusted the
sacraments to His Church
and we can say that they are
“of the Church” in a double
sense:

the Church makes or
administers or celebrates
the sacraments,
 the sacraments make the
Church (for example,
baptism generates new
faithful for the Church).

Sacraments therefore are
dispensed by the Church
and for the Church.
POUSSIN, Nicolas
The Seven Sacraments: Eucharist
1647
Oil on canvas
National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
5. The sacraments of faith
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CARRENO DE MIRANDA, Don Juan
The Miracle of the Holy Sacrament
1423
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham
UK
The purpose of the sacraments
is to sanctify men, to build up
the Body of Christ, –that is, the
Church– and, finally, to worship
God.
In so far as they are signs, they
also have a teaching
dimension. They not only
presuppose faith, but also
strengthen it, nourish it and
express it through words and
actions. That is why they are
called the sacraments of faith.
6. Effects of the sacraments
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The sacraments, if received
with the required dispositions,
produce the following effects :
Sanctifying grace: The
sacraments confer or increase
sanctifying grace.
b) Sacramental grace: As
Christians, we have the right to
receive from God at the
appropriate time the necessary
help to fulfil the duties upon
receiving that sacrament.
c) Character. Baptism,
Confirmation and Holy Orders
also confer character, which is
a spiritual and indelible “seal”
that brings about a particular
sharing in the priesthood of
Christ.
a)
7. What does a sacrament consist of?
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A sacrament consists of matter,
form and the minister who
performs it with the intention of
doing what the Church does.
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Matter is the physical reality or
action, such as natural water in
baptism or the acts of the
penitent in the sacrament of
penance (contrition, confession
and atonement).
 Form consists of the words
uttered in order to perform the
sacrament.
 Minister is the person who
performs or administers the
sacrament.
8. Diversity of sacraments
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Sacraments can be divided
into three groups :
Sacraments of Christian
initiation: Baptism,
Confirmation and Eucharist.
b) Sacraments of healing:
Penance and Anointing of the
Sick.
c) Sacraments for the service of
the community: Holy Orders
and Matrimony.
a)
9. The sacraments are necessary for salvation
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If we are to live a Christian life, the
sacraments are not only important
but also necessary.
The sacraments invariably confer
grace if they are received with the
appropriate dispositions. If we
don’t receive more grace, we
should not blame the sacrament
for it, but our lack of proper
preparation.
Christians should endeavour to
receive the sacraments with the
best attitude they can, so as to
receive grace abundantly.
SASSETTA
The Miracle of the Holy Sacrament
1423
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, UK
Resolutions
for Christian
life
Resolutions to move forward
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Thank Our Lord for the
institution of the seven
sacraments and show that we
appreciate it by preparing very
well to receive them.
Receive often the sacraments
of Penance and the Eucharist.