Basic Christian Instructions: Catechism on Channels of Divine Grace (Sacraments)

What are sacraments? Sacraments are Efficient Signs of the Grace Signs Each sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible reality. For example: In Baptism, the visible sign is the water, the invisible reality is the coming of the Holy Spirit. Sacrament is the Latin translation of the Greek word mystery. Efficient. The seven sacraments are efficient signs, because they make effective the invisible reality they represent.

What are sacraments? Sacraments are Efficient Signs of the Grace Of the Grace The sacraments are efficient signs of the grace, because they transmit the grace of God. Baptism, Confirmation and Ordinations can be received once only, because they impart the Character. The Character is a spiritual seal which consecrates us to Christ. It cannot be erased, nor repeated.

What are sacraments? The seven sacraments were instituted by Christ himself. The Church does not have the power to establish any sacrament, but only to celebrate them in the name of Christ. Each sacrament has three essential elements: Minister, matter and form. The minister is the one who administers the sacrament. The matter is the visible object which is used in the sacrament. The form is the wording used by the minister to administer the sacrament.

Jesus instituted the sacrament of Baptism when he said to his apostles: Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) We must be Baptized in order to be saved. Jesus said: I tell you solemnly, unless a man is born through water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5)

3 kinds of Baptism Sacramental Baptism Baptism acquired by those who receive the sacrament of Baptism. Baptism of the Blood It is received by those who died for Jesus Christ through Martyrdom before they where baptized. Baptism of Desire Is receive by those who did Gods will, but did not have the opportunity to know the Church and be baptized.

The original sin is forgiven. Baptism frees us from guilt and the eternal punishment of the original sin. However, our human nature remains weak and inclined to sin. We become children of God. The bible says: The Spirit you received is the Spirit of sons, and makes us cry out: Abba, Father! The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God (Romans 8:15- 16)

We become members of the Church. The Bible says: Your bodies are members making up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:15) We receive the character. The character is a spiritual and indelible seal, which consecrates us to Christ for all eternity. On our baptism, our soul is forever marked to belong to God.

Who can perform baptism? The Bishop, the Priest and the Deacon are the only people who can administer Sacramental Baptism. Any one can perform baptism in case of emergency. Who can receive the sacrament of baptism? Any person who believes in Christ, knows the Creed, the ten commandments, the seven sacraments and the Lords prayer. Children who cannot know all these things, are baptized in the faith of the Church and of their parents and godparents. Baptism can only be received once.

The matter of Baptism is water. The baptismal water, by the power of the Holy Spirit, gives death to the old man, who was corrupted by the original sin, and gives life to the new one, who is born again in Jesus Christ.

Jesus instituted the sacrament of Confirmation Jesus breathed on his disciples and said to them: As the Father sent me, so I am sending you. Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-22) The Confirmation of the Spirit took place for the first time on Pentecost. The Holy Spirit, like tongues of fire, came over the apostles and Mary gathered in prayer in the Cenacle (Acts 2:1-4) Afterwards, Confirmation in the Spirit took place anytime the apostles laid their hands over the disciples. The bible says: They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the moment Paul had laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them. (Acts 19:6)

We receive the Holy Spirit Together with the Spirit we receive also the seven gifts: Wisdom, intellect, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. We become soldiers of Christ We confirm our faith, and become witnesses of Christ till death.

Only the Bishop given power to administer Confirmation. Since the successors of the Apostles are the Bishops, they are the only minister for Confirmation. Priests can also administer the Confirmation in danger of death, or in special cases.

Only the Christian Catholic can receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Before receiving Confirmation, we must prove that we know the Creed, the Ten Commandments, the seven Sacraments, and the Our Father. We receive the Confirmation once only, because it communicates the character. Confirmation should only be given to persons who have the use of reason.

The Laying of Hands As Scripture says: Peter and John laid on them, and they receive the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:15, 17) The sacred chrism, which makes us prophets, kings, and priests like Jesus Christ. The names Christ and Christian come from the word Chrism, which means anointed. The Sacred Chrism is olive oil mixed with perfume. It is consecrated by the Bishop on Holy Thursday. The perfume means that those who receive the Confirmation must bring into the world the sweet smell of Christ. Sometimes, the Bishop slaps the cheek of the candidates, to signify that the soldier of Christ must endure bravely all kinds of trials.

Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist during the last supper. The Eucharist as the Lords supper. The Eucharist is called the Lords supper because we celebrate the Eucharist we take part of the Lords last supper. The Eucharist as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In every Eucharist, we repeat the passion, death on the Cross of our Lords Jesus Christ. The Eucharist as the Memorial of Jesus Resurrection. Because in the mass we behold the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Eucharist as Thanksgiving. Eucharist is a Greek word which means Thanksgiving, thus we give thanks to God for what he has done for us in the Eucharist.

Transubstantiation means changing of substance. It is not like what we know in science. It is a divine act of God to change one matter into another. At the moment of consecration, the bread and wine becomes the body and blood of our Lord. The bread and wine at the moment of consecration becomes the real Body and real Blood of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is Jesus Christs real presence on earth.

We receive the Body and Blood of our Lord. Jesus is present in a real and substantial way, with his person, body, soul, and divinity. As Jesus said: He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. (John 6:56) We repair for the sins of the living and the dead. The Eucharist has the power to forgive the venial sins. We also offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass for the souls in Purgatory. We are in communion with the Church, and we receive eternal life. Jesus said: I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and shall raise him up on the last day. (John 6:51, 54)

The Bishop and the Priest is the minister of the Eucharist. They celebrate the Mass In Persona Christ. which means in the person of Christ. The Bishop and the priests celebrate the Mass for free. However, the faithful have the duty to give their offering in order to support their daily necessities.

Every Christian Catholic can receive Holy Communion if he is in the state of grace. The Church invites us to receive the Holy Communion any time we attend to the Holy Mass.

The matter of the Eucharist is the bread and wine. Following the example of Jesus, the bread must be of wheat, and the wine of the vine. The Mass is invalid if we use any other matter, like the bread of corn, or the wine of coconut.

Jesus instituted the sacrament of Penance when he said to the apostles: As the Father sent me, so I am sending you. Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained. (John 20:22- 23) All of us need the sacrament of Penance; because we all are sinners. We cannot say that there is no need to confess our sins to the priest, and that we can confess our sins straight to God.

A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me. So the father divided the property within them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery. When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. Then he came to his senses and said, How many of my fathers paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of Hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants. So he left he place and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found. And they began to celebrate. - Luck 15:11-24

Penance remits all sins, and gives sanctifying grace. The sanctifying grace is communion with God, that we lost when we committed a mortal sin. After a good confession, we feel the joy of being pure of all sins, and in communion with God. We reconcile with the Church. Every mortal sin, even the most secret one, separates us from the Church. When we sin we damage the Church, destroy the unity and harmony between brothers and sisters, and scandalize them. The priest represents the Church which we reconcile to

The Bishop and the priests. Our confessions are secret. It is forbidden for the priest to tell it to any soul. If he does, he is excommunicated.

Every Christian Catholic can receive the sacrament of Penance, provided he regrets his sins, and promises not to sin again. We must go to confession any time we commit a mortal sin. Every faithful must go to confession at least once a year.

The confession of sins. We must confess. We must not confess the same sins more than once. The Absolution. The priest gives the absolution in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. If the penitent does not show signs of repentance, the priest cannot give the absolution.

Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament of Ordination during the Last Supper. He said to his apostles: This is my body which will be given to you. This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as a memorial of me. (Luke 22:19-20) When we receive the vocation from the Lord, we should have the courage to abandon everything and follow him.

The sacrament of Ordination confers either the diaconate, the priesthood or the episcopacy. The Ordination communicates the grace of the Holy Spirit. The Ordination impresses on us the character, which consecrates us to the Lord for ever.

The minister of the Ordination is the Bishop and the Pope. The Candidate for Ordination must be Christian Catholic, male, celibate, with a sure vocation from God, who have passes all the required philosophical and theological studies, and who have been approved by the Church.

The sacrament of Ordination is transmitted by means of the imposition of hands. The Bishop, as he lays hands on the candidate, says the prayer of consecration. In that very moment, the candidate becomes by the power of the Holy Spirit deacon, priest, or Bishop.

Jesus instituted the sacrament of Marriage when he said: A man must leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one body. (Mathew 19:5) Marriage is a sacrament because it is a sign of the love between Christ and his Church. Marriage is a covenant of love between a man and a woman, with three fundamental properties: unity, indissolubility, and fecundity. Unit means that we cannot marry more than one person at the same time. Indissolubility means that we cannot divorce from our spouse. Fecundity means that we must be open to the procreation of children.

Perpetual and exclusive bond. Husband and wife are united forever, and cannot be divorce for whatever reason. It only ends with the death of one or the spouse. The Sacramental Grace. The grace of the sacrament of Marriage strengthens the human love between husband and wife, and help enduring the difficulties of life.

The ministers of Marriage are the two spouses. The priest is only the witness on the side of the Church. Bishop and parish priests can assist a Marriage only in their own dioceses and parishes. Other priests and deacons can assist only with the permission of the Bishop or of the parish priest.

Every Christian Catholic who has no impediments. The impediments, which makes Marriage invalid, are the following: Consanguinity: Marriage between sons and natural or adopting parents; or between first degree cousins. Sacred Ordination: with deacon, priest, or Bishop. Perpetual religious vows: with religious brothers and sisters. Former religious marriage, whose spouse is still living. Former civil marriage or natural union. Violence: when one is forced to get married. Error: exchange of person. Deceit: to lie about an important quality of the person. Crime: when a person kills his spouse in order to marry another. Age: minimum age for men and women is 18. Perpetual antecedent impotence. Whoever has no sufficient use of reason. Whoever rejects the fundamental properties of marriage.

The matter of sacrament of Marriage is the exchange of consent. The consent is the act through which a man and a woman profess to unite themselves in marriage for the whole life. The consent must be complete, free, and conscious.

Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick when he said to the apostles: They will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover. (Mark 16:18) Jesus came to heal the sick in the body and in the spirit. The Church continues the mission of Jesus to heal from any sickness of the spirit and of the body through the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

The Anointing of the sick confers the sacramental grace on the sick person. The sacramental grace has the following effects: unites the sick person with the passion of Jesus; gives him comfort, peace, and strength to endure the distress of sickness and of the old age; forgives all his sins, if the sick could not receive the sacrament of Penance; helps recovering his health, if it is good for his salvation; and prepares him for a good death.

The minister of the Anointing of the Sick is the Bishop and the priest. Jesus gave only to the apostles, and to their successors, the command to lay hands and to heal the sick.

Every Christian Catholic who is in danger of death because of sickness or old age. We can receive the Anointing of the Sick many times. We can receive it any time we are in danger of death, or when sickness gets worse. We can also receive it before a dangerous surgical operation. We must call the priest on time. The Anointing of the Sick is useless if the sick person is already dead.

The matter of the Anointing of the Sick is the blessed oil. The oil of the sick is blessed by the Bishop in the Cathedral on Holy Thursday. It is made of olives, or of the vegetables.

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Basic Christian Instructions: Catechism on Channels of Divine Grace (Sacraments)