What are the seven sacraments?
The short answer
The seven sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance (Confession), Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. Each is a visible sign instituted by Christ that truly gives the grace it signifies.
What a sacrament is
The Catechism defines the sacraments as "efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us" (CCC 1131). Efficacious matters: sacraments do not only point to grace, they give it.
The three groups
Sacraments of Initiation — how a person becomes a full member of Christ's Body:
- Baptism — rebirth in water and the Spirit; removes original sin and all personal sin.
- Confirmation — the strengthening gift of the Holy Spirit, sealing baptismal grace.
- Eucharist — Christ's body and blood, completing initiation and nourishing the whole of life.
Sacraments of Healing:
- Penance and Reconciliation (Confession) — forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism.
- Anointing of the Sick — strength, peace and healing for those seriously ill or elderly (James 5:14-15).
Sacraments at the Service of Communion:
- Holy Orders — bishops, priests and deacons ordained to serve the Church.
- Matrimony — the lifelong covenant of a baptized man and woman, a sign of Christ's love for the Church.
Which can be received only once?
Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders leave an indelible spiritual "character" and are never repeated (CCC 1121). The Eucharist and Confession are meant to be received often.
Why seven?
The Church observes that the sacraments "touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life" (CCC 1210): birth, growth, nourishment, healing, illness, vocation and mission. The number seven was formally defined by the Council of Trent, but all seven appear in the practice of the early Church.