ST.
LAWRENCE PARISH
A ROMAN
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
SACRAMENTS
Initiation - Healing - Vocation
Baptism -
"By which we are born into the new life in Christ"
The fruits of this sacrament are:
• Remission of original sin.
• Birth into the new life by which man becomes an adoptive son
of the Father, a member of Christ, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.
• Incorporation into the Church, the body of Christ, and participation
in the priesthood of Christ.
• The imprinting, on the soul, of an indelible spiritual sign,
the character, which consecrates the baptized person for Christian worship.
Because of this character, Baptism cannot be repeated.
Eucharist -
"By which Christ associates his Church and all her members with
the sacrifice of the cross"
The fruits of this sacrament are:
• An increase in the communicant's union with Christ.
• Forgiveness of venial sins.
• Preservation from grave sins.
• A strengthening of the bonds of charity between the communicant
and Christ.
• A strengthening of the unity of the Church as the Mystical Body
of Christ.
Confirmation -
"By which we are more perfectly bound to the Church and enriched
with a special strength of the Holy Spirit"
The fruits of this sacrament are:
• An increase and deepening of baptismal grace.
• A deepening of one's roots in the divine affiliation, which makes
one cry, "Abba, Father!"
• A firming of one's unity with Christ.
• An increase of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• A strengthening of one's bond with the Church and closer association
with her mission.
• Special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the
faith by word and action as a true witness of Christ, to confess the
name of Christ boldly, and to never be ashamed of the cross.
• The imprinting, as in Baptism, of a spiritual mark or indelible
character on the Christian's soul. Because of this character, one can
receive this sacrament only once in one's life. Top
Reconciliation -
"By which sins after Baptism are forgiven"
The fruits of this sacrament are:
• Reconciliation with God: the penitent recovers sanctifying grace.
• Reconciliation with the Church.
• Remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins.
• Remission, at least in part, of temporal punishment resulting
from sin.
• Peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation.
• An increase of spiritual strength for the Christian life.
Anointing of the Sick -
"By which a special grace is conferred during grave illness
or old age"
The fruits of this sacrament are:
• Unity with the passion of Christ, for the sick person's own good
and that of the whole Church.
• Strength, peace, and courage to endure as a Christian the sufferings
of illness or old age.
• Forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain
it through the sacrament of Penance.
• Restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of
the soul.
• Preparation for entering eternal life. Top
Matrimony -
"By which a man and a woman form with each other an intimate
communion of life and love"
The fruits of this sacrament for the spouses are:
• The grace to love each other with the love with which Christ
has loved his Church.
• A perfecting of their human love.
• A strengthening of their indissoluble unity.
• Sanctification on their way to heaven.
• The grace to "help one another to attain holiness in their
married life and in welcoming and educating their children."
• An integration into God's covenant with man: Authentic married
love is caught up into divine love.
Holy Orders -
"By which the task of serving in the name and in the person
of Christ is conferred"
The fruits of this sacrament are:
• The mission and faculty ("the sacred power") to act
in persona Christ
• Configuration to Christ as Priest, Teacher, and Pastor
• The imprinting, as in Baptism, of an indelible character that
cannot be repeated or conferred temporarily. Top