The sacramental life of the Church is an integral part of our Catholic faith that calls us to greater conversion and presents Christian life as a lifelong journey. The Church’s seven sacraments provide opportunities to ritualize, celebrate and work our way through life’s most joyful and most sorrowful experiences. They celebrate God’s loving presence—expressed in and through Jesus—and can be grouped into three categories: the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist), the Sacraments of Healing (Penance & Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick), and the Sacraments of Vocation (Holy Orders and Marriage).
Sacraments of Initiation These three sacraments--Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist—celebrate a person’s entrance and lifelong growth in the Church. We call them “Sacraments of Initiation” because they bring Catholic Christians into the life of Christ.
Sacraments of Healing The sacraments of Penance & Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick are the Church’s response to our need for healing—both physical and spiritual. These sacraments continue Jesus’ work of restoring health and bringing salvation to the broken, the vulnerable, and the sick.
Sacraments of Vocation These sacraments celebrate two different lifelong callings—or, ways to live out Jesus’ challenge to build up the Kingdom of God. We call Holy Orders and Marriage “Sacraments of Vocation” because they bring people into particular ministries of the Church—as ordained clergy or as married people.