The seven sacraments are ceremonies instituted by Christ to give humanity grace. For Roman Catholics, these are very important because the ceremonies are occasions of experiencing God’s saving grace. Jesus Christ himself is the sacrament. He gave his life to save man, so that the grace from the Father will flow to mankind. Grace is free and a gift from God and is necessary for man’s own salvation.
The sacraments are called the mysteries and the Roman Catholic religion recognizes all these seven sacraments. They may be categorized according to Initiation, Healing, and Vocation. The three Initiation sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist, while the two healing sacraments are Penance and Anointing of the Sick. The last two sacraments of vocations are Holy Order and Matrimony. Of the seven sacraments Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders were given only once and they render a permanent seal or character upon one’s soul.
Each of the seven sacraments has ecclesial and sacramental grace that gives meaning to a Roman Catholic believer’s life. The rite of the sacraments is composed of matter and form; matter as the action such as pouring of water and anointing of oil, and the form as the word being spoken by the priest.
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