The Seven Sacraments: Holy Orders

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In holy orders, men are ordained as bishops,

The Seven Sacraments priests, and deacons through a bishop's laying on of


hands and prayer. These men are given the grace to
live out their lives in service to the Church and to
 Baptism God's people.
 Eucharist
 Confirmation One of the primary functions of deacons, priests,
 Reconciliation and bishops is to administer the sacred rites
 Anointing of the sick of the Church to God's people: ... Priests
 Marriage have the power and authority to celebrate five —
Baptism, Penance, Holy Eucharist (Mass),
 Holy orders
Matrimony, and Anointing of the Sick.
In baptism, God's saving grace, His very presence,
enters into the human soul. The essential rite of
baptism is very simple. The person celebrating the
sacrament (usually a priest) says 'I baptize you in
the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit' while pouring water over the head of the
person receiving the sacrament or dipping the
person in water. For Catholics, baptism is the
sacrament of salvation and the door to all other
sacraments.
Those who partake in the Eucharist receive the
real Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ
in what appears to be bread and wine. During Mass,
regular bread and wine are consecrated by the
priest, through God's power, when he repeats
Jesus's words, 'This is My Body' and 'This is the
chalice of My Blood.'
Confirmation provides a special outpouring of the
Holy Spirit, which helps the confirmed Catholic
witness to Christ and lead a mature Christian life.
The rite of confirmation, usually performed by a
bishop, involves the anointing with chrism (holy oil),
the laying on of hands, and the words 'Be sealed
with the gift of the Holy Spirit.'
In reconciliation, which is also called 'confession'
or 'penance,' a Catholic confesses his or her sins to
a priest in the spirit of true repentance and receives
forgiveness. The priest acts as a visible
representative of Christ, who forgives sins through
Him, when he says the words of absolution: 'I
absolve you of your sins in the Name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit.'
Anointing of the sick offers the comfort of God's
grace to those who are ill. The sacrament provides
spiritual and sometimes physical healing, according
to God's will, but also allows the sick person to join
his or her sufferings to Christ and prepare for death.
The essential rite of this sacrament involves
anointing with the oil of the sick and prayer.
Marriage, or matrimony, joins a man and a woman
together in a life-long covenant of self-giving love.
The two spouses give their consent to join together
in marriage as the Church defines it. God gives
special grace to the couple that they may live out
their vow.

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