Sacraments & Services
Introduction
The Sacraments are instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, for the life of her members.
“The Sacraments have a visible and invisible reality, a reality open to all the human senses but grasped in its God-given depths with the eyes of faith. When parents hug their children, for example, the visible reality we see is the hug. The invisible reality the hug conveys is love. We cannot "see" the love the hug expresses, though sometimes we can see its nurturing effect in the child.
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The visible reality we see in the Sacraments is their outward expression, the form they take, and the way in which they are administered and received. The invisible reality we cannot "see" is God's grace, his gracious initiative in redeeming us through the death and Resurrection of his Son. His initiative is called grace because it is the free and loving gift by which he offers people a share in his life, and shows us his favour and will for our salvation. Our response to the grace of God's initiative is itself a grace or gift from God by which we can imitate Christ in our daily lives.
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Through the Sacraments, God shares his holiness with us so that we, in turn, can make the world holier”.
“The Sacraments have a visible and invisible reality, a reality open to all the human senses but grasped in its God-given depths with the eyes of faith. When parents hug their children, for example, the visible reality we see is the hug. The invisible reality the hug conveys is love. We cannot "see" the love the hug expresses, though sometimes we can see its nurturing effect in the child.
​
The visible reality we see in the Sacraments is their outward expression, the form they take, and the way in which they are administered and received. The invisible reality we cannot "see" is God's grace, his gracious initiative in redeeming us through the death and Resurrection of his Son. His initiative is called grace because it is the free and loving gift by which he offers people a share in his life, and shows us his favour and will for our salvation. Our response to the grace of God's initiative is itself a grace or gift from God by which we can imitate Christ in our daily lives.
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Through the Sacraments, God shares his holiness with us so that we, in turn, can make the world holier”.
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Every Sacrament is therefore a channel of God's grace with the potential to transform our lives. However, the sacraments are not ‘magic’, meaning that regardless of what we do or how we live they universally bear fruit. Rather, they truly bear fruit when received with the right dispositions, preparation and intention (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1131). How much we benefit from the life God offers us in the Sacraments depends on our own internal dispositions and our desire to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.
There are Seven Sacraments entrusted by Christ to His Church.
These are grouped in this way:
Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
Christian initiation is accomplished by three sacraments together: Baptism which is the beginning of new life; Confirmation which is its strengthening; and the Eucharist which nourishes the disciple with Christ's Body and Blood for his transformation in Christ. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1275)
Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick
Through the Sacraments of Healing, Christ continues His work of forgiveness and restoration in the Church. In Reconciliation, we receive God’s mercy and are reconciled with Him and with the Church; in the Anointing of the Sick, those who are seriously ill, frail, or facing the difficulties of sickness are strengthened by God’s grace, comfort, and peace.
Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Holy Orders and Matrimony
The Sacraments at the Service of Communion are directed towards the salvation of others and the building up of the People of God. In Holy Orders, bishops, priests, and deacons are ordained to serve the Church; in Matrimony, a man and woman are united in a lifelong covenant of love, open to the grace of God and the service of family and community.
To find out more about each sacrament and how St Joseph can support you in preparing, please visit the dedicated sacrament pages.