The seven sacraments are an important part of Catholic practice and are considered to be visible rites that are seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of God to all. The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church are:
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Baptism: This sacrament is seen as the sacrament of admission to the faith, bringing sanctifying grace to the person being baptized. In Catholicism, the baptism of infants is the most common form, but unbaptized children or adults who wish to join the faith must also receive the sacrament.
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Confirmation: This sacrament is seen as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and is often performed on adolescents or adults who have already been baptized.
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Eucharist: This sacrament is considered the most important sacrament of Catholic life. The ceremony consists of blessing and consuming bread and wine, which embody the blood and body of Christ.
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Penance: This sacrament is an opportunity for self-reflection and requires that the person take full responsibility for his or her sins, both those in thought and in action. During the rite, sins are recounted privately to a priest, who is seen as a healer aiding the process, and the priest commonly assigns acts of penance, such as specific prayers or acts of restitution, to complete in the following days.
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Anointing of the Sick: This sacrament is an opportunity for those who are ill or suffering to receive spiritual healing. A person can receive the sacrament as many times as needed throughout their life, and a person with a chronic illness might be anointed again if the disease worsens.
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Holy Orders: This sacrament is the process by which a man becomes a priest, bishop, or deacon in the Catholic Church.
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Matrimony: This sacrament is the process by which a man and a woman become married in the Catholic Church.
The sacraments are often classified into three categories: the sacraments of initiation (into the Catholic Church and the mystical body of Christ), consisting of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist; the sacraments of healing, consisting of the Sacrament of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick; and the sacraments of service: Holy Orders and Matrimony.
