Simply Catholic and Welcoming You

Catholic Sacraments of the Church

There are seven Catholic sacraments of the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance or Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.

(For details or specifics on any of these sacraments please click on whichever is of interest above or use the similar links at the bottom of this page.)

The sacraments are signs and instruments of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, through which Divine life is given.

While baptism and reconciliation are often referred to as sacraments of the dead, this is in the context of these sacraments bringing us back to life in Christ and fully in God's grace.

Likewise the other sacraments are referred to as sacraments of the living and, in context mean that those receiving them are already living faithful lives in the grace of God.

Catholic sacraments are only for the living as is outlined here.

The sacraments are classified as Christian Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist), Sacraments of Healing (Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick), and Sacraments of Commitment (Matrimony and Holy Orders). The Eucharist occupies a unique place as the Sacrament of Sacraments and all the other Sacraments are tied to it so as to bring us each to worthily receiving the Eucharist.

Home altar

The Catholic Sacraments Touch Our Natural and Spiritual Lives

The seven catholic sacraments are intended to touch all the stages of Christian life from birth and baptism through to death itself. Aligning our natural lives and our spiritual lives.

The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify the faithful, to build up the body of Christ and to give worship to God.

The seven catholic sacraments are God's gift to each of us. They allow us to grow closer to Him and to deepen our faith and commitment to Christ.

At St. Brigit's Community Catholic Church we believe that each of us is intended by Christ to receive ALL seven of the sacraments and were never meant to have to choose between Holy Matrimony (marriage) and Holy Orders (priesthood/clergy).

We envision a world where there are priesthood holders in every home. We believe that all men and women who truly live as Christ calls us to live should be able to receive Minor or Major Holy Orders as they feel called too and believe they can worthily serve in the capacity of sub deacons, deacons, priests, even bishops.

There is simply such an added value to having clergy who can relate to the congregation based not just on training and theories but on actual lived experience. The relatability of such clergy cannot be overemphasized.

(Indeed relatability literally means the quality of being easy to understand, sympathize with, or connect with, often due to shared experiences or similarities.)

Since we have been given seven catholic sacraments, why are we then forced to choose which six of these we are going to have in our lives? Why not all seven?

Within the various catholic rites/churches the beliefs, opinions and decisions on this question vary. Thus the answer is not carved in stone. Rather this is a decision made by leadership of each catholic rite which then became that rites tradition.

When we examine the historical context in which the decisions to not allow married clergy or women clergy and the lengths to which the leadership of those days then went to remove historical evidence of things being done differently prior to these decisions, the reasons for the decisions become clearly matters of materialistic concerns NOT spiritual requirements.

On that basis plus the success of married clergy in other catholic rite churches and the remaining evidence of effective women clergy in church history, St. Brigit's Community Catholic Church stands firmly in our decision that all adults who are attempting to live valid catholic lives should be able, indeed entitled to receive all seven catholic sacraments!

To clarify, we believe that all men and women, who feel the call to marriage and some level of priesthood and who live lives worthy of being called catholic, should be able to receive the sacraments of both Holy Matrimony and Holy Orders.

Baptism

A Wonderful Explanation of the Catholic Sacraments

I loved the explanation of the catholic sacraments and sacramentals given by the United States Council of Catholic Bishops when they referred to the sacraments as having a visible and invisible reality. They then used the example of a parent hugging their child. We see the hug (visible reality). We can't see the love the hug conveys (invisible reality).

With the sacraments we see the form and expression as they are given and received. We cannot see the grace, the absolute Love of God. Through faith we respond with our love to God and Christ. This in itself is further grace allowing us to become more Christlike in our lives.

What a simple and beautiful way of making the ‘mystery’ of the catholic sacraments readily understandable. Of course this is my take away in my words and not nearly as well said as they did but this I remember the rest I'd have to look up ;)

In order to treat each of the sacraments with the respect and detail they each deserve, I will write a separate page for each of them and link those pages to this page.

In the list below simply tap the name of the sacrament. Each name in this list is a link for further details on that catholic sacrament.

Catholic Baptism

Catholic Confirmation

Catholic Mass/The Holy Eucharist

Confession/Reconciliation

Confessional Coaching

Last Rites/Anointing of the Sick

Ordination/Holy Orders

Holy Matrimony

Sacraments are only for the Living