LESSON 1 | ON CHRISTIAN PRAYER

Learning Outcomes: Students can learn about the fundamentals of prayer, its challenges and significance in the
Christian life.
LESSON CONTENT
Dialogue with God
“‘Lord, teach us to pray.’”1
The Apostles and earliest disciples who followed Christ were observant Jews. Those in Jerusalem went to the Temple
faithfully and prayed; those outside Jerusalem went to the synagogues, making periodic pilgrimages to the Temple. They
prayed the Shema every day, and they were familiar with the Pentateuch, the prophecies, and the other writings of Scripture
— especially the Psalms, which are rich sources of prayer. Still, in approaching Christ to make the request above, they
evidently recognized that there must be something missing from their lives of prayer.
The disciples recognized that prayer is something more than just using the right words or presenting God with our
petitions. Prayer is a relationship; more specifically, it is the way we develop, deepen, and sustain our relationship with God. It
is, put plainly, our dialogue with God. The eloquence of our prayers is far less important than the humility of our souls and the
sincerity of our faith, hope, and charity. The disciples could see that Christ had a depth of prayer and a profound relationship
with the Father, for which they too longed.
“‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’”2
Christ’s disciples had noticed something different about how St. John the Baptist and his followers had prayed. They
noticed a difference, too, in how Christ prayed. Christ spent long periods of time dedicated exclusively to prayer. He addressed
God as his Father, and invites us to do the same, for through divine filiation we, too, are children of God. 3 The Holy Spirit is the
interior teacher of Christian prayer:
The Holy Spirit, whose anointing permeates our whole being, is the interior Master of Christian prayer. He is the artisan of
the living tradition of prayer. To be sure, there are as many paths of prayer as there are persons who pray, but it is the same
Spirit acting in all and with all. It is in the communion of the Holy Spirit that Christian prayer is prayer in the Church.
(CCC 2672)

A Life of Prayer
Prayer is the raising of our minds and hearts to God. 4 Christian prayer is an effort above all to meditate on the
mysteries of Christ: to get to know him, to love him, and to be united with him.
We learn about the nature of prayer by contemplating the life of Christ. Whenever he prayed to his Father, he was also
teaching us how to pray.5
In the Gospels, Christ not only recited traditional Jewish prayers but also prayed spontaneously, raising heartfelt
prayers of thanks to his Father in Heaven. He prayed alone, and he prayed with others. He prayed in silence and meditation,
and he prayed aloud. He read Scripture and often meditated prayerfully upon it, especially the Psalms. He worshiped in the
Temple, celebrated the Jewish holy days, made pilgrimages, fasted, and practiced other forms of mortification.
When asked to teach his disciples how to pray, Christ responded with what we call the Lord’s Prayer. The words “Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,” form perhaps the most cherished prayer in all of Christianity. St. Thomas
Aquinas declared it the perfect prayer, and an early Christian writer, Tertullian, described it as “truly the summary of the
whole Gospel.”6
In teaching his disciples to pray, however, Christ did not just give them the words. More importantly, he emphasized
the proper interior dispositions for prayer. He stressed that prayer must be undertaken with a humble spirit, in complete faith
and trust in God.
Although the Lord’s Prayer may be the perfect prayer, it is not the only type of prayer that Christ gave his disciples. He
also taught his followers by his example, and he practiced many forms of prayer. In his Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax
Collector, for example, he praised the tax collector for approaching God with head bowed, seeking forgiveness, and he
criticized the Pharisee for proudly extolling his own virtue and obedience to the Law. 7 In other parables and teachings, Christ
warned against empty public displays of piety. He also urged his disciples to pray with hope and persistence, secure in the
knowledge that God, whom he invited us to address as “Father,” would give them every good thing for which they asked.
Above all, Christ’s example in the Garden of Gethsemane illustrates the ideal attitude of prayer in humility and
submission to God: “‘Not my will, but thine be done.’”8
Prayer does not always come easily; even the most devout people can struggle with aridity, inattentiveness,
inconvenience, and ineffectiveness. Prayer, nevertheless, is an indispensable part of our relationship with Christ and our
efforts to grow in personal holiness in response to our baptismal vocation.
God calls us first, and prayer is an indispensable element of our response to that call. We do well to follow the
examples of the Apostles and first disciples of Christ: “All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer.” 9

1
Lk 11: 1.
2
Ibid.
3
Cf. CCC 2610– 2611.
4
St. John Damascene, De Fide Orth. 3, 24: PG 94, 1089 C, Paris, 1857– 1866.
5
Cf. CCC, 2607, 2708.
6
Tertullian, De Orat. 1: PL 1, 1155.
7
Cf. Lk 18: 9– 14.
8
Cf. Lk 22: 42.
9
Acts 1: 14.
1
 CLOSE UP
The Battle of Prayer
Prayer does not always come easily or naturally for anyone. It can be a real struggle to maintain a
habitual life of prayer and to trust that our prayers are effective.

The Catechism refers to this as the “battle of prayer.” These are some common struggles in prayer
and how to overcome them.10
— Lack of time, or too busy to pray. This view arises from the failure to see prayer as an
essential element in our lives. Prayer is not something optional or superfluous; it is
absolutely vital. We should make time for prayer and maintain this schedule as rigorously as
we do for other, less important activities.
— Distractions, or difficulty concentrating on prayer. Distractions are real, and they can make concentration difficult. We lose
count of our Rosary beads, or our minds wander while we are reading Sacred Scripture. The solution is not to give up but to
be persistent and continually refocus on God. We can offer him these frustrating distractions with humility and view them as
opportunities to grow in virtue.
— Dryness, or aridity, in prayer. We all can have “arid” moments, sometimes referred to as “desert experiences,” in our prayer
life. Nothing is working, our prayer feels hollow and even futile, and we become apathetic about our spiritual growth. Even
Bl. Teresa of Calcutta (lovingly known as “Mother Teresa”) experienced aridity in her prayer life. When we experience
spiritual dryness, we can think of Christ’s own desert experience — his forty days in the wilderness. Temptations abound,
but we can be purified in the desert by the Holy Spirit so we can seek God’s glory above all else and emerge on the other side
with renewed spirit and energy.
— Uninspired, or not knowing what words to use. If we have been away from prayer for a while and it feels awkward, we can
devote ourselves at first to the rote prayers: the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the like. Try to meditate on the meaning of
the words. Spontaneous personal prayer will come along soon enough. Or, if it is difficult to pray, begin by telling God how
difficult it is. Explain why you find it so difficult, and ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to pray.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we
ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. (Rom 8:
26)

Types of Prayer
Just as Christ’s prayer life was infinitely rich and varied, the Church also presents us with many different ways to pray.
We can speak of four types, or purposes, of prayer:
— Petition, or intercession, is the type of prayer in which we request something from God. We may ask for his
assistance in our difficulties, his intervention in a personal matter, his forgiveness, his healing, or his help in the
growth in virtue. We can ask these favors for ourselves or for others. Praying for the needs of others is called
intercessory prayer. Christ, however, did insist that before we present our petitions to the Father, we have a
conversion of heart and a true reconciliation with God and with one another. 11
Intercession is a prayer of petition which leads us to pray as Jesus did. He is the one intercessor with the Father on behalf
of all men, especially sinners. 12 He is “able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always
lives to make intercession for them.”13 The Holy Spirit “himself intercedes for us . . . and intercedes for the saints according
to the will of God.”14 (CCC 2634)

— Adoration is the type of prayer in which we praise God for his greatness and perfection and worship him as we
ponder the mysteries of the Blessed Trinity and the redemption that Christ won for us.
Praise is the form of prayer which recognizes most immediately that God is God. It lauds God for his own sake and gives
him glory, quite beyond what he does, but simply because HE IS. It shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart
who love God in faith before seeing him in glory. By praise, the Spirit is joined to our spirits to bear witness that we are
children of God,15 testifying to the only Son in whom we are adopted and by whom we glorify the Father. Praise embraces
the other forms of prayer and carries them toward him who is its source and goal: the “one God, the Father, from whom are
all things and for whom we exist.”16 (CCC 2639)

— Contrition is the type of prayer in which we express true sorrow for our sins. It is often tied to prayer of petition
because our sorrow is accompanied by our request for God’s forgiveness.
The first movement of the prayer of petition is asking forgiveness, like the tax collector in the parable: “God, be merciful to
me a sinner!”17 It is a prerequisite for righteous and pure prayer. A trusting humility brings us back into the light of
communion between the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and with one another, so that “we receive from him whatever we
ask.”18 Asking forgiveness is the prerequisite for both the Eucharistic liturgy and personal prayer. (CCC 2631)

— Thanksgiving is the type of prayer in which we give gratitude to God for his countless gifts. We thank God for the
gift of life, for the blessings he has showered upon us, for his forgiveness, and for having answered our prayers.
Thanksgiving characterizes the prayer of the Church which, in celebrating the Eucharist, reveals and becomes more fully
what she is. Indeed, in the work of salvation, Christ sets creation free from sin and death to consecrate it anew and make it
return to the Father, for his glory. The thanksgiving of the members of the Body participates in that of their Head. (CCC
2637)

Methods of Prayer
We can also categorize prayer into three main methods; these are sometimes also called ways, or expressions, of
prayer:

10
Cf. CCC 2752, 2755.
11
Cf. CCC 2608.
12
Cf. Rom 8: 34; 1 Jn 2: 1; 1 Tm 2: 5– 8.
13
Heb 7: 25.
14
Rom 8: 26– 27.
15
Cf. Rom 8: 16.
16
1 Cor 8: 6.
17
Lk 18: 13.
18
1 Jn 3: 22; cf. 1: 7– 2: 2.
2
 — Vocal prayer is the method of prayer in which we make use of our bodies to express the interior prayer of our hearts.
When we vocalize our prayers, we engage our human senses more fully as we speak to God using the words and, in
the case of singing, melodies our hearts wish to express.
Vocal prayer in groups may also edify others as the faithful bind their thoughts and intentions to each other’s prayers.
We should hold vocal prayer in high esteem; Christ taught the Lord’s prayer to the disciples as a vocal prayer, and the
Hail Mary includes the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel when he appeared to the Blessed Virgin Mary to ask her to
become the Mother of the Savior.
— Mental prayer, or meditation, is the method of prayer in which we engage our thoughts, imagination, emotions, and
desires, thus elevating our minds and hearts to God. It is the active consideration of what God has revealed to us, the
example of Christ, and the discernment of what God asks of us. Scripture, the writings of the Fathers of the Church,
and other spiritual readings and devotions are often the pathways to deeper meditation. Meditation is an essential
means of encountering Christ in our life of prayer. We do not pray only to speak to God but also to allow him to speak
to us.
We can meditate on God in order to give him adoration and thanks, focusing on all that he has taught us. We can also
speak to God about ourselves, our sorrows, joys, concerns, successes, and failures.
— Contemplation is the richest yet simplest form of meditative prayer; it is the method of prayer in which we practice
an active, often wordless listening for God, beginning with a deep desire to place ourselves in the presence of Christ so
we may better hear his voice in our hearts. It seeks a union with Christ and is generally practiced in concert with self-
denial and mortification.
Contemplative prayer is not to be undertaken lightly; it demands regular practice and is suited best to those who can
make such a commitment to this form of prayer. It is, as the Catechism teaches:
a gaze of faith fixed on Jesus, an attentiveness to the Word of God, a silent love. It achieves real union with the prayer of
Christ to the extent that it makes us share in his mystery.”19

Proper Dispositions for Prayer

For prayer to be fruitful, it cannot be merely the recitation of words. Prayers recited thoughtlessly or by rote may not
prove as effective as a single prayer of depth and sincerity. True prayer requires appropriate interior dispositions.
Prayer often requires effort, even struggle. Prayer does not always come easily. Every person goes through periods
where he or she is highly distracted in prayer or is confronted with doubts or frustrations over unanswered prayer. Even St.
John of the Cross and Bl. Teresa of Calcutta (lovingly known as “Mother Teresa”) wrote of the “dark night of the soul,” times
when they found it difficult even to place themselves in the presence of God. The Catechism refers to these obstacles as the
“battle of prayer”:
Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort. The great figures of
prayer of the Old Covenant before Christ, as well as the Mother of God, the saints, and he himself, all teach us this: prayer
is a battle. Against whom? Against ourselves and against the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away
from prayer, away from union with God. We pray as we live, because we live as we pray. If we do not want to act
habitually according to the Spirit of Christ, neither can we pray habitually in his name. The “spiritual battle” of the
Christian’s new life is inseparable from the battle of prayer. (CCC 2725)

Prayer requires devotion and recollection. Prayer is an act of faith. In prayer, we must place ourselves in the
presence of God and be mindful that it is to him we are speaking:
In the battle of prayer, we must face in ourselves and around us erroneous notions of prayer. Some people view prayer as a
simple psychological activity, others as an effort of concentration to reach a mental void. Still others reduce prayer to ritual
words and postures. Many Christians unconsciously regard prayer as an occupation that is incompatible with all the other
things they have to do: they “don’t have the time.” Those who seek God by prayer are quickly discouraged because they do
not know that prayer comes also from the Holy Spirit and not from themselves alone. (CCC 2726)

Prayer requires humility. Recognizing our own unworthiness and misery, our utter dependence on God as Father,
and our privilege to be his children, we should approach prayer with a humble heart. Indeed, Christ praised not the proud
Pharisee but the repentant tax collector, who prayed, “‘God have mercy on me a sinner!’” 20
Prayer requires confidence. God will always answer our prayers, and while his response might not always
correspond exactly with our desires, it will always proclaim his glory and achieve our own good. “‘Truly, I say to you, if you ask
anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name.’” 21 We can accomplish nothing by trusting in our own human power, 22
but everything is possible if we ask it of God in confidence.23
God gives us many things out of his liberality without our asking; but some things he wills to give us only on condition of
our asking; which arrangement works to our advantage, teaching us to have recourse to God with confidence, and to
recognize him as the author of our good. (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh, II-IIæ, 83, 4)

Prayer requires perseverance. Even when our prayers seem to go unanswered, and even when we go through
periods of spiritual dryness or distraction, Christ calls us to persevere in prayer.
“Pray constantly . . . always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.” 24 St.
Paul adds, “Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance
making supplication for all the saints.” 25 For “we have not been commanded to work, to keep watch and to fast constantly,
but it has been laid down that we are to pray without ceasing.” 26 This tireless fervor can come only from love. Against our

19
CCC 2724.
20
Lk 18: 13.
21
Jn 16: 23; cf. CCC 2736– 2737.
22
Cf. Jn 15: 5.
23
Cf. Mk 9: 22; Phil 4: 13.
24
1 Thes 5: 17; Eph 5: 20.
25
Eph 6: 18.
26
Evagrius Ponticus, Pract. 49: PG 40, 1245C.
3
 dullness and laziness, the battle of prayer is that of humble, trusting, and persevering love. This love opens our hearts to
three enlightening and life-giving facts of faith about prayer. (CCC 2742)

Prayer requires our acceptance of the will of God. Christ himself modeled this fundamental aspect of prayer in the
Garden of Gethsemane as he was about to be handed over for his Crucifixion: “‘Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from
me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.’” 27 After asking God for what we think is good for us, we should always
submit ourselves to his will, for he surely always knows what is best for us.

CLOSE UP
The Fruit of Prayer
St. Teresa of Calcutta, lovingly known as “Mother Teresa” and widely recognized as among the most
saintly women of the twentieth century, famously said:
The fruit of silence is prayer;
the fruit of prayer is faith;
the fruit of faith is love;
the fruit of love is service;
the fruit of service is peace.
Prayer necessarily draws us closer to God, which in turn increases our faith. Among the fruits of this
increase in faith obtained through prayer are the following:
— Growth in the spiritual life. In prayer, we exercise the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, and God strengthens us in
our struggle to please him and avoid sin. Prayer helps us to control our disordered passions and fix our thoughts on God: “Set
your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”28
— A sense of divine filiation. In prayer, we address God as Father, acknowledging that we are his children by virtue of our Baptism.
Prayer reinforces our familial relationship with God and our desire to share fully in the divine life of the Blessed Trinity. “In the
New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his
Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit.”29
— Friendship with Christ. As we draw closer to the Father, so, too, do we draw closer to Christ. “‘No longer do I call you servants . . .
but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.’” 30
— Docility to the Holy Spirit. As our prayer deepens, the Holy Spirit enlightens our understanding and increases our love so we may
align our human wills with the divine will and obey God’s Commandments.

Popular Prayers and Devotions

Effective prayer may take many different forms. The Church — through her liturgical year, Sacraments, and pious
practices — provides many opportunities for both private and communal prayer and emphasizes the importance of scheduling
and integrating prayer into our daily lives.
The Tradition of the Church proposes to the faithful certain rhythms of praying intended to nourish continual prayer. Some
are daily, such as morning and evening prayer, grace before and after meals, the Liturgy of the Hours. Sundays, centered
on the Eucharist, are kept holy primarily by prayer. The cycle of the liturgical year and its great feasts are also basic
rhythms of the Christian’s life of prayer. (CCC 2698)

The liturgical year includes Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, along with a number of special feast days.
Several of these seasons and feasts are associated with particular pious practices. Lent, for example, in the Latin Rite of the
Catholic Church, begins with the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday; it is an ideal time for praying the Stations of the
Cross and is marked by fasting and abstinence. Advent invites the faithful to light candles and pray expectantly as we await the
coming of Christ, both in his glorious Second Coming and his Birth to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
These are some of the most popular prayers and devotions practiced by Catholics throughout the year:
— The Liturgy of the Hours, also called the Divine Office, is the official prayer of the Church, and our participation
in it unites us with the entire Church. It punctuates and sanctifies every day with psalms, prayers, hymns, Scripture
readings, and selections from the writings of the Fathers of the Church to be prayed at times throughout the day.
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours is obligatory for all bishops, priests, and deacons as well as most consecrated
religious. The Church earnestly invites all of the faithful to join in this prayer, whether as an individual, family as the
domestic church, or local community (parish). Many parishes offer opportunities to gather for Morning Prayer or
Evening Prayer.
It is of great advantage for the family, the domestic sanctuary of the Church, not only to pray together to God but
also to celebrate some parts of the liturgy of the hours as occasion offers, in order to enter more deeply into the life
of the Church. (General Instruction on the Liturgy of the Hours 14, 27)
— The Holy Rosary is a beloved Marian devotion in which the faithful meditate on particular moments in the lives of
Christ and his Mother. At the heart of every Rosary is praying the Hail Mary ten times for each mystery. There are
four sets of five mysteries upon which to meditate: the Joyful, Sorrowful, Luminous, and Glorious Mysteries.
— Reading Scripture is always a good way to enter into a spirit of prayer. Reading and meditating on the Gospels, the
Epistles, the Old Testament, the Psalms, the Song of Songs, or the Book of Isaiah are highly commendable ways to
become more familiar with the Word of God and to enter into intimate conversation with our Lord.
— Lectio Divina is a contemplative method of reading, praying, and meditating on Scripture.
— Novenas are devotions made over the course of nine days, normally seeking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin
Mary or the saints.
— The Stations of the Cross, sometimes called the Way of the Cross, is a devotion especially popular in Lent; it
involves progressive prayer and meditation on fourteen specific moments in Christ’s Passion and Death.

27
Lk 22: 42.
28
Col 3: 2.
29
CCC 2565.
30
Jn 15: 15.
4
 — The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a relatively new devotion that came from the mystical experience of St. Faustina
Kowalska (d. 1938). Prayed on a set of beads, it offers praise to Christ for his Passion and begs him in his great mercy,
“Have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
— The Angelus is a Marian devotion commemorating her Annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel and the Incarnation
of Christ; it is traditionally prayed at sunrise, midday, and sunset.
— The Morning Offering is a prayer upon rising that dedicates the day to God and asks for his guidance and
protection.
— Grace at meals, which include a blessing before and thanksgiving after a meal, are brief prayers of praise and
thanksgiving to God, who “give[s] us each day our daily bread.” 31

The Meaning of the Lord’s Prayer

Our Father: We address ourselves to God the Father because we — all the members of the Church — are his children
by divine filiation.32
— Who art in Heaven: God is Omnipresent, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us if we are in a state of grace (free of
mortal sin). We, nevertheless, say “in Heaven” because it helps us contemplate the power and splendor of God and
reminds us of our ultimate destination if we are faithful.33
— Hallowed by thy name: God’s name is sacred and holy, and we ask that it be known, honored, and loved by all. 34
— Thy kingdom come: We look to the establishment of the Kingdom of God here on earth and hope to join him in
Heaven for all eternity.35
— Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven : God wills that all people be saved.36 We must always submit ourselves
to God’s will because his desires for us are always greater than what we desire for ourselves. We ask,
furthermore, that we and all people may serve as instruments of his will.
— Give us this day our daily bread : We rely on God’s providence and ask him for what is necessary for the life of our
bodies (food, shelter, etc.) as well as for our souls (the Eucharist). 37
— Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us : If we forgive anyone and everyone who
has sinned against us, God will pardon us from our sins as well in like measure. 38
— Lead us not into temptation: Avoiding sin starts by avoiding the “near occasions” of sin. We ask God to supply us
with the means and the discernment to overcome temptations and avoid sin by guarding our senses, being faithful
in prayer, and receiving the Sacraments frequently and devoutly.39
— Deliver us from evil: We ask God to spare us from sin, the only true evil, and from its ultimate punishment, which
is Hell. We also ask protection from the effects of evil in this world, such as illness, tragedy, and oppression. These
latter evils can be turned into good, however, if we accept them as mortifications and unite ourselves to the
suffering of Christ on the Cross.40
St. Paul urged the faithful, “Pray constantly,” 41 following the teaching of Christ, who desired that we, “ought always to
pray and not lose heart.”42 Being in the presence of God and making our lives an unceasing and sincere prayer to him is the
essence of praying always. Brief, spontaneous prayers at random times throughout each day can also do much to keep us
mindful of the presence of God and of our Christian vocation to love and serve God and others.
Prayer in the events of each day and each moment is one of the secrets of the kingdom revealed to “little children,” to the
servants of Christ, to the poor of the Beatitudes. It is right and good to pray so that the coming of the kingdom of justice
and peace may influence the march of history, but it is just as important to bring the help of prayer into humble, everyday
situations; all forms of prayer can be the leaven to which the Lord compares the kingdom. 43 (CCC 2660)

Sacrifice and Self-Denial

No life of prayer and no Christian quest for holiness is complete without mortification and self-denial:
The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. 44
Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the
Beatitudes. (CCC 2015)

Mortification is derived from the Latin mors, meaning “death,” and facere, “to make”; it has the sense, then, of “killing
the flesh.” Mortification is a means of seeking holiness through self-discipline and self-denial. We introduced this term in an
earlier chapter in the context of redemptive suffering.
The purpose of mortification is not only to avoid sin but also to subdue the body so as to strengthen the soul against
future and stronger temptations. Just as someone on a diet builds self-control by turning down a delicious dessert, we can build

31
Lk 11: 3; cf. Mt 6: 11.
32
Cf. CCC 2782.
33
Cf. CCC 2974– 2795.
34
Cf. CCC 2807.
35
Cf. CCC 2818.
36
Cf. CCC 2822.
37
Cf. CCC 2830– 2831.
38
Cf. CCC 2839– 2840; Mt 5: 7.
39
Cf. CCC 2846– 2847.
40
Cf. CCC 2850– 2851.
41
1 Thes 5: 17.
42
Lk 18: 1.
43
Cf. Lk 13: 20– 21.
44
Cf. 2 Tm 4.
5
spiritual self-control by controlling our own bodily appetites. St. Paul compared growth in the spiritual life to the training of an
athlete:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Well, I
do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others
I myself should be disqualified. (1 Cor 9: 24– 27)

Mortification can be practiced frequently, even continually. When directed toward training ourselves to avoid
temptation, mortification usually involves cultivating prudence in avoiding the “near occasions” of sin. We should, for example,
bite our tongues when tempted to join in gossip or to voice uncharitable criticism and should avert our eyes from an
immodestly dressed person or image in order to avoid sexual temptation. Mortification can also include intentional self-denial
of a perfectly innocent pleasure such as drinking our coffee black instead of adding cream and sweetener, or arising in the
morning at the first sound of the alarm instead of hitting the snooze button and sleeping a few more minutes.
Self-denial can also involve accepting opportunities to practice virtue, such as bearing a headache or a small
inconvenience without complaining or waiting patiently in line at the supermarket. Fasting and abstinence during Lent and the
one-hour fast from food and drink before Holy Communion are also examples of mortification. Even making the effort to
attend daily Mass or to pray when we feel tired or overwhelmed requires self-discipline and is an opportunity to grow in
virtue. As St. Paul advised his disciple St. Timothy:
Train yourself in godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds
promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Tm 4: 7– 8)

Self-denial is perfected by charity. As St. Leo the Great advised, “Let us give to virtue what we refuse to self-indulgence.
Let what we deny ourselves by fast be the refreshment of the poor.” When we fast from a meal or choose to live in a simpler
fashion then we can otherwise afford, we can do so in solidarity with the poor of the world and thus offer these mortifications
for their intention.
“Let us listen to our Lord: ‘He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a
very little thing is dishonest also in much.’ It is as if he were saying to us: ‘Fight continuously in the apparently
unimportant things which are to my mind important; fulfill your duty, punctually; smile at whoever needs cheering up,
even though there is sorrow in your soul; devote the necessary time to prayer, without haggling; go to the help of anyone
who looks for you; practice justice, and go beyond it with the grace of charity.’” (CPB 77)

Conclusion
Christ taught us to pray in humility and hope. Without prayer, growth in faith and holiness is virtually impossible
because through prayer we build our relationship and intimacy with God. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the most elevated
expression of our prayer, and we are called to participate fully and actively in each liturgy so that we may receive the greatest
possible spiritual benefits and graces.
As the expression of public worship established by Christ in the Christian community and the means by which the
Sacraments are celebrated, the liturgy is an extension of Christ’s priestly mission. It is the way in which we, as a Church, pray
and offer worship to God, entering into the life of the Blessed Trinity. Seated at the right hand of the Father, Christ is our
Eternal High Priest and the spotless Lamb who intercedes for us and reconciles us with God.
Through prayer, devotions, and sacramentals, we can be drawn into a richer experience of God. Self-denial and
mortification, furthermore, help train our minds and bodies so we may focus more fully on all that is good and holy so as to
grow in virtue and holiness as we fix our gaze upon our heavenly reward.

LESSON 2 | INTRODUCTION TO THE SACRAMENTS

Learning Outcomes: Students can understand what sacraments are, its dynamics, and effects in the life of a Christian.

LESSON CONTENT
Why We Need the Sacraments
Through his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, our Lord Jesus Christ won for us the graces of redemption.
Grace is the very divine life of the Blessed Trinity made available to us so we can grow in holiness and enjoy eternal life with
God in Heaven. God can dispense this grace any way he wishes, and he does dispense his grace to us in many ways;
nonetheless, he chose to institute the Seven Sacraments as special channels by which he makes his grace available to human
beings.
Every human person is both physical and spiritual by nature, comprising a body and a soul. St. Thomas Aquinas
explained that humanity is drawn to the physical world by the senses. Human beings, furthermore, have a fundamental need to
understand that which is invisible, and we begin to do this by experiencing that which is visible.
Consider the experience of love. One person can tell another, “I love you,” with great frequency, but it becomes
difficult to believe that love is genuine if it is not expressed in tangible ways such as through acts of kindness, respect, self-
sacrifice, and affection.
That is why we have a natural need to “ritualize” the significant events in our lives. We have, for example, graduation
ceremonies, awards banquets, and harvest dinners of thanksgiving for the bounty of the earth. These rituals signify something
deeper, whether it is academic achievements, societal bonds, or the benevolence of God. These ceremonies, moreover,
symbolically join us both with those who celebrate them with us and with those who have celebrated them in the past.

6
 So, it is with the Seven Sacraments established by Christ. Sacraments give form to the spiritual events and
“milestones” of our lives and serve as signs of deeper realities. There is, however, one major difference between the
Sacraments and these other rituals: a Sacrament has a supernatural dimension since it actually conveys the very grace it
signifies.

Categorizing the Sacraments

The Catechism groups the Seven Sacraments into three categories:
— Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist
— Sacraments of Healing: Penance and Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick
— Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Holy Orders and Matrimony

The Meaning of Sacrament

Grecophone Christians of the early Church used the word mysterion to refer to a Sacrament; the word “mystery” — a
sign of something sacred or hidden and inexhaustible — is derived from this word. Members of the Eastern Rites of the
Catholic Church call the Sacraments “the Holy Mysteries.” Later, as Latin became the common language of the Western Church,
the term sacramentum (“oath”) was adopted because there was no equivalent Latin word for the Greek mysterion. In the
Roman Empire, a sacramentum referred to the initiation of new legionnaires. They would take an oath of office and would also
be branded behind the ear, which was a sign of their new status, privileges, and responsibilities.
As taught in the Catechism, “The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the
Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.”45
An efficacious sign of grace: A Sacrament is a sign: it is a physical act that points to a deeper, spiritual reality. A
Sacrament is an efficacious sign of grace: God dispenses his graces to us through the performances of these sacramental signs
and rites. The sacramental act does exactly what it signifies but on the spiritual level. For example, in Baptism, the ritual of
immersion or pouring of water is a physical sign of the spiritual cleansing from sin that occurs as a consequence of grace.
Celebrated worthily and in faith, the Sacraments confer the grace that they signify. 46 They are efficacious because
Christ himself is at work in them, he who acts in his Sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each Sacrament
signifies.47 Using again the example of Baptism, it is Christ who really baptizes through the words and deeds of his human
minister.
Instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church: Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition affirm that Christ, in
establishing his New Covenant, left us the Seven Sacraments as particular fonts of grace for our salvation. He also gave charge
of the Sacraments to the Apostles so the Church would continue to confer his sanctifying grace and to build communion
between himself and his people until the end of time.

CLOSE UP
The Institution of the Sacraments in Scripture
The Bible does not record the institution of each of the Seven Sacraments explicitly, but the words and actions
of Christ and the use of the Sacraments in the Apostolic era of the history of the Church provide ample
evidence that they were indeed instituted by Christ himself. Following are some key passages:

 Baptism: “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’” (Mt 28: 19).
 Confirmation: “When Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them” (Acts 19:
6).
 The Eucharist: “‘Take, eat; this is my body.... Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the
covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’” (Mt 26: 26– 28).
 Penance and Reconciliation: “‘If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven’” (Jn 20: 23).
 The Anointing of the Sick: “Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (Jas 5: 14).
 Holy Orders: “‘Do this in remembrance of me’” (Lk 22: 19).
 Matrimony: “‘What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder’” (Mk 10: 9).

Sacraments are “powers that come forth” from the Body of Christ, 48 which is ever-living and life-giving. They are
actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church. They are “the masterworks of God” in the new and everlasting
covenant. (CCC 1116)
The Sacraments signify three things:
— the sanctifying cause, which is the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ;
— the sanctifying effect, which is the grace of God; and
— the sanctifying end, which is our hope of eternal glory.

St. Thomas Aquinas concisely described this threefold reality as follows:

As a sign, a sacrament has a three-fold function. It is at once commemorative of that which has gone before, namely the
passion of Christ, and demonstrative of that which is brought about in us through the passion of Christ, namely grace, and
prognostic, i.e., a foretelling of future glory. (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh III, 68, 8)

Christ instituted Seven Sacraments and gave his Apostles the power to administer them in his Church: Baptism, the
Eucharist, Confirmation, Penance and Reconciliation, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. We will examine
each of the Seven Sacraments over the next few chapters.
The mysteries of Christ’s life are the foundations of what he would henceforth dispense in the Sacraments through the
ministers of his Church. “What was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries [Sacraments].” 49
45
CCC 1131.
46
Cf. Council of Trent (1547): DS 1605; DS 1606.
47
Cf. CCC 1127.
48
Cf. Lk 5: 17; 6: 19; 8: 46.
49
St. Leo the Great, Sermo. 74, 2: PL 54, 398; quoted in CCC 1115.
7
 By which divine life is dispensed to us: The grace that comes to us in the Sacraments is a sharing in the divine life of
God. This flow of grace is the work of the Holy Spirit in his sanctifying role of establishing the presence of God within us. When
we receive sacramental grace, we receive the divine life of God.

CLOSE UP
Signs of the Sacraments
In the institution of the Sacraments, Christ employed a material, or physical, sign, which he transforms
and uses as a channel of grace. In fact, each of the Seven Sacraments has a material element (matter) that
is central to the nature of the Sacrament. Following is the matter used in each Sacrament:
 Baptism: water
 Confirmation: Sacred Chrism (blessed oil) and the laying on of hands
 The Eucharist: wheat bread and grape wine
 Penance and Reconciliation: oral confession
 The Anointing of the Sick: Oil of the Sick
 Holy Orders: the prayer of ordination and the laying on of hands
 Matrimony: the couple themselves (in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church)

Ex Opere Operato
As mentioned above, a Sacrament confers the grace it signifies. The Church uses the phrase ex opere operato to
describe this great truth:
This is the meaning of the Church’s affirmation50 that the sacraments act ex opere operato (literally: “by the very fact of the
action’s being performed”), i.e., by virtue of the saving work of Christ, accomplished once for all. It follows that “the
sacrament is not wrought by the righteousness of either the celebrant or the recipient, but by the power of God.” 51 From the
moment that a sacrament is celebrated in accordance with the intention of the Church, the power of Christ and his Spirit
acts in and through it, independently of the personal holiness of the minister. Nevertheless, the fruits of the sacraments also
depend on the disposition of the one who receives them. (CCC 1128)

Christ gave us the Seven Sacraments as the primary means by which he would sanctify us. Because it is Christ who
acts, the validity of a Sacrament does not depend upon the holiness of his human minister or of the recipient. Thus, a
Sacrament is valid even if the minister of the Sacrament is in a state of mortal sin as long as he intentionally and validly
celebrates the Sacrament.
Celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace that they signify. 52 They are efficacious because in them
Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each
sacrament signifies. The Father always hears the prayer of his Son’s Church which, in the epiclesis of each sacrament,
expresses her faith in the power of the Spirit. As fire transforms into itself everything it touches, so the Holy Spirit
transforms into the divine life whatever is subjected to his power. (CCC 1127)

The reception of sacramental grace, however, does depend on the disposition of the recipient. As the Council Fathers
of the Ecumenical Council of Trent explained in the sixteenth century, the Sacraments “confer Grace on those who do not place
an obstacle thereunto.”53 Lacking the intention or desire for the Sacrament would present an obstacle to the recipient’s ability
to receive the grace offered. For example, if a person were to receive Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin, he or she would
receive no grace from the Eucharist and would be committing a sacrilege, another grave sin. Or, if a person were to receive
Confirmation out of habit or for the sake of appearances, he or she would receive less sacramental grace than if he or she
received it out of a sincere desire to enter into a more intimate communion with and more perfect imitation of our Lord.
The greater our faith, conversion of heart, and desire to follow the will of God, the more abundant will be the effects of
sacramental grace.54 As a corollary, although the efficacy of the Sacrament does not depend upon the moral state of its
minister, the minister’s faith and devotion in conferring the Sacrament will enhance not only the good disposition of the
recipients (and therefore the effects of sacramental grace) but also the opportunity to contribute to his or her own
sanctification in celebrating the Sacrament.
Through the loving and powerful presence of Christ and our active cooperation and proper disposition, the
Sacraments provide us with unique spiritual gifts. In its own way, each Sacrament supplies us with the graces necessary to
serve God and to accomplish his plan for our salvation and the salvation of others.

CLOSE UP
The Sacraments That Leave an Indelible Character
Of the Seven Sacraments, three — Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy
Orders — imprint an indelible character, or mark, on the soul that
distinguishes the followers of Christ from others.
Because of this character, each of these Sacraments can be received
only once. This character configures us to Christ, distinguishes us
perpetually from those who do not have the sign, and disposes us to
cooperate with grace.

Matter, Form, and Minister

The celebration of each of the Seven Sacraments includes three elements: the matter, the form, and the minister.
Matter. In each of the Sacraments, God uses physical matter as a means through which he sends, or communicates, his
divine life, or grace, to us. A Sacrament is a visible sign of God’s grace because it has a material, or physical, sign; this material
sign is the matter of the Sacrament. For example, water is the matter in the Sacrament of Baptism. Although the water used for
Baptism is ordinary water, it is elevated to a supernatural purpose and becomes a conduit for grace when used in the
Sacrament.

50
Cf. Council of Trent (1547): DS 1608.
51
Thomas Aquinas, STh III, 68, 8.
52
Cf. Council of Trent (1547): DS 1605; DS 1606.
53
Cf. Council of Trent (1547): 7, 6.
54
Cf. CCC 1098.
8
 Form. The prescribed words of the sacramental rite make the physical signs (matter) indicators of something much
deeper. These words are called the form of the Sacrament. The form of the Sacrament, uttered by the minister, allows the
matter of the Sacrament to become an efficacious sign. Using again the example of Baptism, the form in the Latin Rite of the
Catholic Church is, “N., I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” which is pronounced
while the minister immerses the recipient or pours water over his or her head. Without the form of the Sacrament, the sign is
not present, and the matter is not sacramental.
Minister. The third element for every Sacrament is the minister, the person through whom Christ performs the
sacramental act. Christ is the ultimate and true minister of every Sacrament, but he works through his Church and the visible
actions of the human ministers he has appointed for this purpose. As we will see over the next few chapters, the ordinary
minister varies from Sacrament to Sacrament. For example, only a bishop can confer Holy Orders, but in Baptism, the ordinary
minister can be a bishop, priest, or deacon.
In addition to the divinely instituted matter and form of each Sacrament, which are immutable with respect to the
sacramental sign, there are accompanying symbols and actions; these help to demonstrate and interpret what is happening
during the Sacrament. The Church can and at various times has modified and adapted these symbols and actions to various
circumstances of time and place for the benefit of the faithful. 55 Nonetheless, “no sacramental rite may be modified or
manipulated at the will of the minister or the community.” 56 For example, one of the accompanying rites in Baptism is to clothe
the newly baptized Christian in a white garment, which symbolizes purity (Original Sin and his or her actual sins having been
washed away) and newness of life.

CLOSE UP
The Sacraments Were Tailor-made for Human Beings
Once sin had entered the world and disrupted God’s relationship with humanity, God began to reveal his
plan of redemption, which led eventually to the institution of the Seven Sacraments by Christ. He chose
“sensible signs” — symbols perceivable by the senses, including words, gestures, and material objects —
which point us to a deeper spiritual reality. These sensible signs of the Sacraments perform several
functions:
— they appeal to the nature of humanity, which lives in the physical world in a sensory
environment;
— they apply a spiritual remedy to the sinfulness of humanity; and
— they give us concrete signs and act to help us avoid superstitious practices.

Sacramental Grace

God dispenses grace to us in two primary forms: sanctifying grace and actual grace. Sanctifying grace is the grace we
receive in the Sacraments. The Catechism describes it as “a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to
enable it to live with God, to act by his love.” 57 This divine life is so different from human experience that St. Paul refers to it as
“a new creation.”58
Participation in God’s life enables us to accomplish things far beyond our natural human capacities. We need only to
remember the saints who lived and died for Christ to witness human beings who have achieved this communion of love.
Sanctifying grace also enables us to become temples of God the Holy Spirit; adopted sons of God the Father; and friends of God
the Son, who redeemed us and made us heirs to Heaven. Sanctifying grace is an undeserved gift from God; without it we cannot
share in his divine life in the way or to the extent he desires.
Sanctifying grace is the gratuitous gift of his life that God makes to us; it is infused by the Holy Spirit into the soul to heal
it of sin and to sanctify it. (CCC 2023)

Sanctifying grace is sometimes called habitual grace because it encourages virtue and a permanent disposition to
choose good over evil.59 Possessing habitual grace, however, does not mean we are immune from sinning. Even after receiving
the Sacraments, we can and do often succumb to concupiscence and temptation; we continue to sin and to experience doubts
and crises of faith.
We must, therefore, remain vigilant against sin and temptation. The power of sanctifying grace in the soul is weakened
by venial sins, which are lesser offenses against God. It is lost through mortal sins, which are grave offenses against God that
destroy our relationship with him. In committing a mortal sin, a person chooses a disordered act freely and willingly,
separating him- or herself from God and his divine love.60
For sins committed after Baptism, a worthy reception of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation restores
sanctifying grace to our soul and repairs our relationship with God. The Church thus strongly recommends frequent
Confession both as a means of obtaining grace to avoid future sins and as a means of keeping smaller sins from growing into
more serious ones.61
Actual grace is the grace by which God strengthens us at particular moments when we are tempted to do wrong — to
commit an actual sin — or, conversely, when we want to do something virtuous.
Sanctifying grace makes us “pleasing to God.” Charisms, special graces of the Holy Spirit, are oriented to sanctifying grace
and are intended for the common good of the Church. God also acts through many actual graces, to be distinguished from
habitual grace which is permanent in us. (CCC 2024)

55
Cf. CCC 1205.
56
CCC 1125.
57
CCC 2000.
58
2 Cor 5: 17.
59
Cf. CCC 2024.
60
Cf. RP 17.
61
Cf. CIC 988.
9
 Actual grace is the intervention of God in our lives that propels us towards goodness. This grace does not force us to
choose good over evil; rather, it helps us to make the right moral decisions. Actual grace is freely given and is available to every
man, woman, and child. Every person has a serious responsibility to choose whether to respond to God’s gift of grace. When
we consistently rely on God’s help, especially in moments of small temptations, he will give us the grace needed to overcome
larger temptations.

Proper Disposition
As indicated earlier, we must approach the Sacraments with the proper disposition in order to receive the fullness of
the sacramental graces freely given by Christ. This means that we must not only desire to receive the promised graces but also
be in the proper spiritual condition (be in a state of grace, not aware of having committed any mortal sin) to receive them. This
requires proper preparation for the Sacraments.

We can also take heart that God’s assistance is available to us as we prepare for the Sacraments. The grace of the Holy
Spirit will awaken our faith, convert our hearts, and conform our wills to God’s will. We only need the initiative to seek it.

The Holy Spirit prepares the faithful for the sacraments by the Word of God and the faith which welcomes that word
in well-disposed hearts. Thus, the sacraments strengthen faith and express it. (CCC 1133)

To receive a Sacrament unworthily is a serious matter. Referring to the Eucharist, St. Paul wrote, “Whoever, therefore,
eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the
Lord.”62 Such profanation of the Sacraments is called sacrilege, which is a grave sin.

The Sacraments are NECESSARY

The Sacraments are necessary for our growth in holiness. They mark us as faithful disciples of God and enable us to
live in the community of believers with charity toward all. They call us to manifest the truth of God’s commands by our
acceptance and response to his call to be witnesses to others.
The Sacraments are necessary for our salvation. All Christians need the abundant graces of God available in the
Sacraments so we can respond to our Christian vocation. The Sacraments are the primary means by which God sanctifies us.
The Sacraments draw us closer to God. As encounters with Christ that allow us to share in the divine life of the Blessed Trinity,
the Sacraments enable us to become more closely united to God

The Sacraments constitute three divine calls to us. Through the Sacraments, God calls us:
1. to a life of personal holiness and Christian vocation;
2. to worship him as his Church indicates in order to obtain the graces we need to grow in holiness and fulfill
our vocations; and
3. to live according to his moral teachings and his Church.

The Sacraments unite us to the Christian community. As actions of the Church, the Sacraments possess a fundamental
communal dimension. In the Sacrament of Baptism, we become members of the Christian community, which is the Church. In
the Sacrament of the Eucharist, we are united together with Christ as members of his Mystical Body. In the Sacrament of
Penance and Reconciliation, we are restored in our relationships with God and neighbor. The Sacraments make available to us
the graces to practice charity so we can build up the unity of the Church.

Conclusion
The Seven Sacraments celebrated by the Church are the rites of the New Covenant instituted by Christ during his life
on earth. “The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is
dispensed to us.”63 Thus, Christ is the primary Sacrament of God, the source of all grace flowing from God to the universe.
Through his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, he has gained the graces of redemption for fallen humanity and
reconciled us with the Father. Christ acts in the Sacraments through and along with the Holy Spirit, dispensing grace to the
faithful and assisting us in our journey toward holiness.
Christ is the true minister and cause for each Sacrament, and in the reception of the Sacraments, we can have a
personal encounter with Christ himself, who promised to remain with us “‘always, to the close of the age.’” 64 The Sacraments
are intricately connected to our understanding of the risen Christ, and they are the path for our spiritual education and
perfection.
What are the sacraments, which early Christians described as the footprints of the Incarnate Word, if not the clearest
manifestation of this way which God has chosen in order to sanctify us and to lead us to heaven? Don’t you see that each
sacrament is the love of God, with all its creative and redemptive power, giving itself to us by way of material means? (St.
Josemaria Escriva, Conversations, homily of October 8, 1967)

The Catechism teaches that our earthly lives can be understood as sacramental lives; that is, we encounter Christ in
this life in the Sacraments, by which he is present here on earth. Incorporated into “new life” with Christ in Baptism, our
earthly lives become preparations for and anticipations of the fulfillment of that new life in Christ in Heaven.
For the Christian the day of death inaugurates, at the end of his sacramental life, the fulfillment of his new birth begun at
Baptism, the definitive “conformity” to “the image of the Son” conferred by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and
participation in the feast of the Kingdom which was anticipated in the Eucharist — even if final purifications are still
necessary for him in order to be clothed with the nuptial garment. (CCC 1682)

62
1 Cor 11: 27.
63
CCC 1131.
64
Mt 28: 20.
10
 LESSON 3 | SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION: BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION

Learning Outcomes: Students can learn the essentials regarding the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.

LESSON CONTENT
Enter The Spirit
Behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians and in charge of all her treasure,
had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit
said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” So, Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you
understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up
and sit with him. Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this:
As a sheep led to the slaughter
or a lamb before its shearer is dumb,
so he opens not his mouth.
In his humiliation, justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken up from the earth.

And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture, he told him the good news of Jesus. And as they went along
the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?” And he
commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And
when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on
his way rejoicing. (Acts 8: 27– 39)
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,
who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they
had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 8: 14– 17)

I. The Sacrament of Baptism

Baptism is the Sacrament of Initiation by which a person enters the Church founded by Christ. In Baptism, the
celebrant either immerses the recipient in water or pours water over his or her head while uttering the words prescribed by
Christ: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
By this Sacrament, the recipient is cleansed of all sin (both Original Sin and actual sins) and receives sanctifying grace,
which is essential for our eternal salvation. Baptism is often likened to a doorway through which we enter into the life of the
Church and the other Sacraments.
Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitæ spiritualis ianua),65 and the door
which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become
members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of
regeneration through water in the word.”66 (CCC 1213)

Old Testament roots. In the Old Testament, water is a symbol of cleansing, healing, and salvation, as the Church
reminds us in the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, the great feast at which new believers have been baptized into the Church since
Apostolic times. During this liturgy, several readings from the Old Testament signify the importance of water in salvation
history and prefigure the Sacrament of Baptism in the New Covenant:
— the First Reading, from the Book of Genesis: At the dawn of creation, the Holy Spirit breathed on the waters
and made them a wellspring of holiness;
— the Third Reading, from the Book of Exodus: God saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by having them
cross through the Red Sea;
— the Fifth Reading, from the Book of Isaiah: The Lord calls all of us who are thirsty to the wellsprings of
salvation; and
— the Seventh Reading, from the Book of Ezekiel: The Lord will sprinkle clean water upon us and give us a new
heart.

CLOSE UP
An Examination of Conscience
This examination of conscience is based on the Sacraments of Baptism and
Confirmation:
— Do I make a continuing effort to keep my baptismal promises to reject
Satan, his empty promises, and his works, and to believe all that the
Church teaches in the Apostles’ Creed?
— Do I try to live as a true child of God?
— Do I avoid persons and things that could harm my faith?
— Do I have a plan to strengthen my relationship with Christ?
— Do I pray to the Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind?
— Do I stand up courageously to defend the Faith when it is challenged?

Instituted by Christ. After his Resurrection, Christ instructed his Apostles, “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have

65
Cf. Council of Florence: DS 1314: vitæ spiritualis ianua.
66
Roman Catechism II,2,5; Cf. Council of Florence: DS 1314; CIC, cann. 204 § 1; 849; CCEO, can. 675 § 1.
11
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.’” 67 In obedience to this command, from her foundation
the Church has welcomed all peoples into her communion through Baptism.
The importance of Baptism in God’s plan of salvation was made abundantly clear from the beginning of Christ’s public
ministry, which he inaugurated by being baptized by St. John the Baptist in the River Jordan. 68 Although the baptism of St. John
was not the Sacrament of Baptism, the water symbolized repentance and new life. At that time, St. John had been telling his
followers:
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy
to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”69

Christ explicitly linked Baptism with salvation. “‘He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe
will be condemned.’”70 In this vein, he characterized Baptism and salvation as a rebirth. When a leader of the Jews, Nicodemus,
came to talk to Christ in secret, our Lord told him:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is
born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born
anew.’” (Jn 3: 5– 7)

CLOSE UP
The Exorcism at Baptism
In her Rite of Baptism, the Church offers two prayers of exorcism, the casting out of demons, for the
person being baptized.
An exorcism is an act whereby the Church, publicly and authoritatively, asks in the name of Jesus that a
person or object be liberated from the power of the Devil and withdrawn from his dominion. Christ
performed exorcisms during his earthly ministry, 71 and the Church has received the power and office of
exorcizing from him.
Two exorcisms are performed within the Rite of Baptism in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. First, the
bishop, priest, or deacon calls upon any impure spirits who may be present to depart from the person to
be baptized. Second, the minister touches the eyes, ears, and lips of the person to be baptized as he prays
the Ephphetha:
The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak.
May he soon touch your ears to receive his word,
and your mouth to proclaim his faith,
to the praise and glory of God the Father.72
By contrast, the more spectacular exorcism popularized in literature and cinema, called a solemn exorcism or major exorcism, can be
performed by a bishop (or a priest with his bishop’s permission). The exorcist must proceed with prudence, strictly observing the rules
established by the Church. Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or the liberation from demonic possession through the
spiritual authority that Christ entrusted to his Church.
Mental or psychological illness is a very different matter and is the concern of medical science. Therefore, before an exorcism is
performed, it is essential to ascertain that the Church is dealing with the presence of the Devil or his demons rather than an illness. 73

Just as we are born as children of our parents through natural birth, we are reborn as children of God through
Baptism. Just as we are born into natural life through natural birth, we are reborn into the life of the Holy Spirit through the
waters of Baptism.
Baptism is also a sign of our hope for resurrection and eternal life. In being submerged in the waters of Baptism, we
die to sin; in being raised out of the waters of Baptism, we are born to new life. As St. Paul teaches:
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried
therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too
might walk in newness of life. (Rom 6: 3– 4)

On the day of Pentecost, the Apostles baptized some 3000 people. Thereafter, Baptism is mentioned frequently in the
Acts of the Apostles as a means of conversion, salvation, and entry into the Church.

Celebrating Baptism
The Rite of Baptism is ordinarily performed in a church. Every church is equipped with a basin of water, called a
baptistry, especially for this purpose. Some churches have a large baptismal pool to accommodate Baptism by immersion.
Baptism can take place within or outside of Mass. Infants are usually baptized shortly after birth. The most
appropriate and traditional time to baptize catechumens is during the Mass of Easter Vigil. Catechumens are those who have
been preparing to enter the Catholic Church; before being baptized, they usually undergo an extended process of formation
and education called the catechumenate.
Who can receive Baptism? Any unbaptized person above the age of reason who believes in Christ and the Sacraments
and sincerely desires to enter the Church may be baptized. In the case of young children and infants, the parents and
godparents supply the desire to have the child baptized, which is sufficient. At least one godparent, a practicing Catholic at
least sixteen years old who is in good standing with the Church, must be designated to help teach and model the Catholic Faith;
in addition, a name, ordinarily that of a saint or biblical hero, must also be chosen for the candidate.
Although some Protestant communities do not baptize infants, this practice dates to the early Church and is implicit in
Scripture when St. Paul writes of having baptized “the household of Stephanas,” 74 which likely included young children.

67
Mt 28: 19– 20.
68
Cf. Mt 3: 13.
69
Mt 3: 11.
70
Mk 16: 16.
71
Cf. Mk 1: 25– 26; 3: 15; 6: 7, 13; 16: 17.
72
Order of Baptism, “Rite of Baptism for One Child,” no. 101.
73
Cf. CIC, can. 1172.
74
1 Cor 1: 16.
12
 The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church. There is explicit testimony to this practice
from the second century on, and it is quite possible that, from the beginning of the apostolic preaching, when whole
“households” received baptism, infants may also have been baptized. 75 (CCC 1252)

In the case of infants, the Church recognizes their need of the priceless gift of Baptism and proclaims the responsibility
of Catholic parents to have their children baptized as soon as possible.
Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed
from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called. 76
The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents
would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth. 77
Christian parents will recognize that this practice also accords with their role as nurturers of the life that God has entrusted
to them.78 (CCC 1250– 1251)

At least one of the parents must consent to the Baptism, and there must be hope that the child will be brought up in
the Catholic Faith.79
Matter, form, and minister. These three elements are essential for the validity of a Sacrament. In Baptism, the matter,
or essential material sign, is water. The form of the Sacrament in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church is the simple and familiar
affirmation given to us by Christ: “N., I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” 80 In the
Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, the formula is this: “The Servant of God N. is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
The ordinary minister of Baptism is a bishop, priest, or deacon. In a grave emergency, however, when one of these
ordinary ministers of Baptism is not available, anyone can baptize — whether Catholic, one of our separated brethren, of
another faith tradition, or having no faith at all — as long as he or she intends to confer the Sacrament, immerses the recipient
in water or pours or sprinkles water over the recipient’s head, and recites the Trinitarian formula of the Rite of Baptism. For
this reason, it is good for every Catholic to know the formula of Baptism by heart so we can have it ready if we encounter
someone in danger of death.
Baptism in the ordinary form of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. The celebrant begins the Rite of Baptism by
making the Sign of the Cross on the forehead of the candidate for Baptism, indicating that he or she will soon belong to Christ.
Scriptural passages are read to explain how Baptism makes possible our entry into the life of faith. The celebrant then says a
prayer of exorcism over the candidate to signify liberation from sin and anoints him or her with oil. Then the candidate — or
the godparent(s), in the case of an infant — recites the baptismal promises, which consist of the renunciation of Satan and a
Profession of Faith.
The celebrant administers Baptism either by immersing the candidate in water or by pouring water over his or her
head three times while saying the form of the Sacrament. “[Name], I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit.” Immersion and affusion are both permissible methods of Baptism, as both customs are traceable to the
early Church; the word affusion is derived from the Latin affundere, meaning “to pour on.”
After the Baptism has been performed, the new Christian is anointed with Sacred Chrism, a mixture of olive oil and
balsam that was blessed by the local bishop; it is symbolic of the anointing of the Holy Spirit (more details about Sacred
Chrism in Part II). The recipient is also clothed in a white garment to indicate purity from sin and that he or she has risen with
Christ. A baptismal candle is lit from the Easter candle in the church to remind all the faithful that the baptized are to be the
light of the world.
Baptism in the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church. In the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, Baptism by triple
immersion is the norm for infants and adults alike, with affusion being employed only in danger of death. Another distinction
in the Eastern Rites is that all three Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation (called Chrismation), and the Eucharist
— are ordinarily conferred at the same time no matter the recipient’s age. In the Latin Rite, by contrast, these three
Sacraments are normally conferred together only in the case of an adult convert.

Effects of Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism has several transformative effects on the new Christian.
Baptism forgives and cleanses the soul of both Original Sin and any actual sins. Nevertheless, the
consequences of Original Sin, called concupiscence, remain.
— Baptism imprints an indelible character on the soul that consecrates the recipient for
Christian worship.
— Baptism incorporates us into Christ’s Mystical Body, the Church.
— Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord’s will, it is
necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism. (CCC 1277)
— Baptism confers sanctifying grace, also called habitual grace or the grace of justification, which is a share in God’s
own divine life.
— Baptism confers actual grace, which is divine assistance to resist sin and do good.
— Baptism makes us children of God. By divine filiation, we become his adopted sons and daughters.
— Baptism makes of us temples of the Holy Spirit, capable of worshiping God as he desires, made sacred because of
the indwelling of the Blessed Trinity.
75
Cf. Acts 16: 15, 33; 18: 8; 1 Cor 1: 16; CDF, instruction, Pastoralis Actio: AAS 72 (1980) 1137– 1156.
76
Cf. Council of Trent (1546): DS 1514; cf. Col 1: 12– 14.
77
Cf. CIC, can. 867; CCEO, cann. 681; 686,1.
78
Cf. LG 11; 41; GS 48; CIC, can. 868.
79
Cf. CIC, 868.
80
Order of Baptism, “Rite of Baptism for Children in Danger of Death,” no. 160; cf. Mt 28: 19– 20.
13
 — Baptism initiates us into the common priesthood of the faithful. We share in the one priesthood of Christ and in
his priestly, prophetic, and royal mission.
— Baptism infuses us with the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity (love).
— Baptism infuses us with the supernatural moral virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude, which
help to perfect the theological virtues.
— Baptism makes possible our entry into eternal happiness in Heaven after death.
“Baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift…. We call it gift, grace, anointing, enlightenment, garment
of immortality, bath of rebirth, seal, and most precious gift. It is called gift because it is conferred on those who
bring nothing of their own; grace since it is given even to the guilty; Baptism because sin is buried in the water;
anointing for it is priestly and royal as are those who are anointed; enlightenment because it radiates light; clothing
since it veils our shame; bath because it washes; and seal as it is our guard and the sign of God’s Lordship.” 81

Our identification with Christ through Baptism presents us with the opportunity to be Christ for everyone around us.
How will people see Christ unless we model ourselves after him? St. Paul referred to this calling as to “put on Christ.” 82 Putting
on Christ means that we must pray, act, and speak in every situation as he would. If we truly desire to cooperate with Christ’s
grace, we ought to live according to the Commandments, including the Great Commandment
concerning love of God and neighbor, so others will recognize his presence in our lives.
Baptism is the Sacrament instituted by God the Son through which God the Holy Spirit
moves us to answer God the Father’s universal call to holiness. As we receive the many gifts of the
Holy Spirit and a share in the divine life of the Blessed Trinity, it becomes our obligation to
pursue holiness. The kind of holiness to which Christ calls us — perfection — is not attainable by
human effort alone. Through Baptism, however, God provides the grace and virtues necessary to
continue our growth in holiness and live out our commitment of love and service to him and all
people, aligning ourselves always with his will.
Through Baptism, Christ fills our human soul with his divine holiness. Liberated and
purified from sin, we enjoy the new condition of belonging to God. Referring to this spiritual transformation, St. Paul reminded
the Corinthians: “You have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and in the Spirit of our God.”83
According to the Apostle’s teaching, Christ purifies the entire Church “by the bath of water with the word,” and
thereby she becomes “holy and without blemish.” 84 Through Baptism, the individual members of the Church are delivered
from sin, and the Mystical Body of Christ as a whole is strengthened. 85 Sanctified in Baptism, we become able and obligated to
lead a holy life both as individuals and as a community.86

Divine Filiation
The concept of divine filiation — the status of baptized Christians as children of God the Father — was introduced
earlier in this book, and our current study of the Sacrament of Baptism presents us with an opportunity to explore this
mystery more deeply.
Divine filiation is a fundamental reality of the Christian life. In the natural order, the human person is made in the
image and likeness of God by way of conception. In the supernatural order, the human person is made an adopted child of God
by way of Baptism. “We are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”87
Although there is a sense in which every human person, baptized or not, is a child of God, the fullness of this
relationship is established only in the Sacrament of Baptism, by which we are reborn by water and the Holy Spirit and
incorporated as members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Indeed, God the Holy Spirit, who is the bond of union between the
Father and the Son, makes us adoptive children of the Father and allows us to share in the love of the Blessed Trinity.
The Christian life is the pursuit of holiness and perfection, ever conscious of this great dignity of divine filiation —
children of God the Father, through the Son, and in the Holy Spirit. We must always be mindful that we are indeed his children
and must live accordingly in faith, hope, and charity.
Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, is our model of perfect divine filiation. Following his example, we must
seek to align our human wills with the Father’s will. We must give ourselves completely as Christ did, which necessarily
involves sacrifice. St. Paul understood this essential, sacrificial dimension of our Christian discipleship and divine filiation: “I
have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” 88
The Mass is the root and center of the life of a child of God because in the Eucharist we unite our sacrifices to the one
Sacrifice of Christ made present for us on the altar. By this means, we become co-redeemers with him, not only alter Christus,
or “another Christ,” but also ipse Christus, or “Christ himself.”
By divine filiation, we call God our Father. Human beings have a unique status among all of God’s visible creation.
Created in his image and likeness, we are the only creatures to whom God issues his call to holiness and eternal union with
him in Heaven. God has a special love, governance, and providence for all of humanity and has elevated us through grace to a
participation in the divine life of the Blessed Trinity, thus making us members of the Mystical Body of Christ and “partakers in

81
St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio 40, 3– 4: PG 36, 361C; cf. CCC 1216.
82
Gal 3: 27.
83
1 Cor 6: 11.
84
Eph 5: 26– 27.
85
cf. Eph 2: 21.
86
St. John Paul II, L’Osservatore Romano, N. 13, April 1, 1992.
87
1 Jn 3: 2.
88
Gal 2: 20.
14
the divine nature.”89 This effectively makes us “sons in the Son,” brothers and sisters of Christ. We lost this dignity due to sin,
but the Son became man to redeem us and sent us the Holy Spirit as proof of our identity as children of the Father:
When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were
under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our
hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir. (Gal 4: 4– 7)
Baptism unites us in Christian fraternity. Our unity in Christ, who is “the first-born among many brethren,” 90 binds us
in a supernatural fraternity as sons and daughters of God and enables us to call upon God as “Our Father.” Christian holiness is
personal and individual, but it is never egocentric; rather, the Church is the new communion between God and humanity. 91
This fraternity also extends to all people in the broader sense that every human person is a child of God and all are
called to holiness. All Christians, therefore, have a great apostolic responsibility to draw others toward Christ and his Church.
This apostolate, moreover, can only be pursued in a spirit of holiness and love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

CLOSE UP
Other Types of Baptism
For those people who have had the Gospel preached to them, have had the possibility of asking for Baptism,
and know of its necessity, Baptism by water is necessary for salvation. In addition to Baptism by water,
moreover, the Church recognizes two means by which a person can be saved and enter into eternal life in
heavenly glory: Baptism of Blood and Baptism of Desire.
Baptism of Blood occurs when a person who has not been baptized with water suffers death for the sake of his
or her faith in Christ. Baptism of Desire, by contrast, refers to the salvation of those persons who never had an
opportunity to accept the Gospel and receive sanctifying grace in the Sacraments but who, through human
reason and will and the promptings of actual grace, came to believe in a Supreme Being, to seek the truth, and
to strive to live by that truth and serve God as best they could.
“Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we
must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of
the Paschal mystery.”92 Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the
truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that
such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity. (CCC 1260)
As indicated earlier in this book, the Church has ample reason to hope for the salvation of babies and infants who have died before being
baptized.
With respect to children who have died without Baptism, the liturgy of the Church invites us to trust in God’s mercy and to pray for their
salvation. (CCC 1283)

The life of a child of God is a life of faith, hope, and charity. Baptism infuses us with the theological virtues of faith,
hope, and charity. To live the full measure of our Baptism means to practice these virtues in every situation. We live by faith,
conscious that God is our Father, and confident in the hope that he has prepared a place for us in Heaven. We live in charity
because, as children of God, we are guided by the Holy Spirit to love God and neighbor. The theological virtues strengthen us
against the temptations and struggles of life.
Divine filiation helps us live in the presence of God. God is never far from us. 93 Through his sanctifying grace, the
Blessed Trinity truly lives within us. 94 By remaining purposefully mindful of God’s presence, we can transform our lives into a
continuous prayer as we fulfill our daily duties with love and care:
He ‘prays without ceasing’ who unites prayer to works and good works to prayer. Only in this way can we consider as
realizable the principle of praying without ceasing.95

II. The Sacrament of Confirmation

Confirmation is the Sacrament of Initiation by which God infuses in us the grace of Pentecost and perfects the grace
received in Baptism. Whereas in Baptism we receive a share in the divine life and the theological virtues of faith, hope, and
charity, in Confirmation we receive an increase in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which strengthen us to serve the Church and
draw others into the friendship of God.
These virtues are vital in the modern world. The Church and her teachings are frequently attacked; notably, many
people criticize the Church for daring to defend the teachings of Christ on issues concerning respect for human life, marriage,
war, and our obligation to the poor. Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, we receive the spiritual strength to bear witness
to Christ and to bring him to a world that needs him so desperately.
Old Testament roots. Isaiah prophesied that the Holy Spirit would come to rest upon the Messiah, and that this same
Holy Spirit would empower him for his mission of salvation:
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. (Is 11: 2– 3)

Christ, who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, fulfilled this prophecy at his Baptism in the River Jordan,
when the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. 96 He also proclaimed himself the fulfillment of Isaiah’s
prophecy when he read these same verses to the assembly at the synagogue. 97

89
2 Pt 1: 4.
90
Rom 8: 29.
91
Cf. CCC 2790.
92
GS 22 § 5; cf. LG 16; AG 7.
93
Cf. Acts 17: 28; CCC 300.
94
Cf. CCC Jn 14: 23; 2 Cor 6: 16.
95
Origen, De Orat. 12: PG 11,452c.
96
Cf. Mt 3: 13– 17; Lk 3: 21– 22.
97
Lk 4: 16– 22.
15
 Instituted by Christ. Christ promised an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon his people at many times throughout his
ministry. This promise was fulfilled most dramatically at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles “as
tongues of fire,”98 emboldening them to preach the Good News to all people, just as Christ had instructed them before his
Ascension into Heaven:
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all
Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8)

Indeed, in the Scripture passage quoted in the introduction to this chapter, 99 we see how Sts. Peter and John went to
Samaria after they heard how many people were accepting Christ. These new disciples had “only been baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus,” and upon their arrival, the two Apostles prayed these Christians would receive the Holy Spirit “for it had not
yet fallen on any of them.” “Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.” 100 In the Acts of the Apostles,
thus, we see how the Apostles administered the Sacrament of Confirmation and conferred the Holy Spirit by the laying on of
hands.
In addition to the laying on of hands, anointing with oil was an integral part of the celebration of
Confirmation in the early Church, as the Catechism teaches:
Very early, the better to signify the gift of the Holy Spirit, an anointing with perfumed oil ( chrism) was added to the laying
on of hands. This anointing highlights the name “Christian,” which means “anointed” and derives from that of Christ
himself whom God “anointed with the Holy Spirit.”101 (CCC 1289)

Celebrating Confirmation
In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the Sacrament of Confirmation is normally conferred in the context of the
Mass and is typically the last Sacrament of Initiation to be received, being conferred separately from Baptism and the
Eucharist. Nonetheless, adult catechumens still receive all three of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. In the
Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, by contrast, Confirmation — often called Chrismation after the Sacred Chrism used to
anoint the recipient — is conferred along with Baptism and the Eucharist, even for infants and small children.
Who may receive Confirmation? Every baptized person who has not received this Sacrament can and should be
confirmed in order to complete his or her initiation into the Church. A person preparing to receive Confirmation is called a
confirmand.
In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the confirmand must normally have reached the age of reason, but the precise
age of reception is left to the discretion of the local bishop. Catholic parishes and schools typically establish a particular age or
academic grade for Confirmation; in practice, it is usually celebrated between ages twelve and eighteen, or between the
seventh and twelfth grades. The expectation is that children of such ages are capable of spiritual maturity and have developed
their wills sufficiently, with the help of grace, to act as Christ wills, even in difficult situations.
A candidate for Confirmation who has attained the age of reason must profess the faith, be in the state of grace, have the
intention of receiving the sacrament, and be prepared to assume the role of disciple and witness to Christ, both within the
ecclesial community and in temporal affairs. (CCC 1319)

CLOSE UP
Soldiers for Christ
In the extraordinary form of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the Rite of Confirmation includes a light slap on
the cheek to remind the confirmand that the service of Christ is difficult and even dangerous. This slap symbolizes
the need for strength in the face of persecution — even to the point of death — and is a reminder that every
Christian needs to be a soldier for Christ. This term was used by St. Paul in an Epistle to St. Timothy:
Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to
faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 102
To be a soldier of Christ, then, means to seek strength through grace, to share and teach the Catholic Faith and the
Good News of the Gospel, and to be willing to suffer for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every baptized Christian in danger of death who has not received Confirmation, however, should receive this
Sacrament, regardless of age.
All Christians seeking to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation normally undergo a period of preparation and
catechesis.
Preparation for Confirmation should aim at leading the Christian toward a more intimate union with Christ and a more
lively familiarity with the Holy Spirit — his actions, his gifts, and his biddings — in order to be more capable of
assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life. To this end catechesis for Confirmation should strive to awaken
a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, the universal Church as well as the parish community. The latter
bears special responsibility for the preparation of the confirmands.103 (CCC 1309)

As part of this preparation, the confirmand selects a sponsor and a Confirmation name. The sponsor will assist him or
her in preparing for the Sacrament and will also ensure that the confirmed person acts as a true witness of Christ, faithfully
fulfilling the obligations to which the recipient has been called by this Sacrament.
Matter, form, and minister. The matter of Confirmation is twofold: (1) the Sacred Chrism used to anoint the
confirmand on the forehead, and (2) the laying on of hands. Sacred Chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balsam that has been
blessed by a bishop. It is the same Sacred Chrism used for the post-Baptismal anointing and thus signals the close connection
between Baptism and Confirmation as a “double sacrament,”104 in the words of St. Cyprian.

98
Acts 2: 3.
99
Cf. Acts 8: 14– 17.
100
Acts 8: 14– 17.
101
Acts 10: 38.
102
2 Tm 2: 1– 3.
103
Cf. Order of Confirmation, “Introduction,” no. 3.
104
CCC 1290.
16
 As in Baptism, the Sacred Chrism is symbolic of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The prophet Isaiah indicated that
anointing with oil is a sign of abundance and joy, an “oil of gladness instead of mourning.” 105 In the Latin Rite of the Catholic
Church, during the annual Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, Sacred Chrism is blessed by the local bishop. This Sacred Chrism is
used by himself and his priests for the administration of the Sacraments throughout the following year.
The similarity between the names Christ and Chrism is not accidental. The Greek chrisma, meaning “anointing,” refers
both to the oil used for anointing (Sacred Chrism) and to the Holy Spirit, who effects the anointing. The Greek christos, as we
have noted several times, means “the anointed one”; this is the title par excellence of Jesus, into whose communion we are
anointed by the Holy Spirit, truly becoming “another Christ.”
The laying on of hands is not unique to Confirmation; this sign is used also in the Sacraments of Holy Orders and the
Anointing of the Sick and sometimes in extra-liturgical prayer. In the New Testament as well in Sacred Tradition, the laying on
of hands represents the calling down of the Holy Spirit upon a person, generally upon those being commissioned for a special
task or those in need of healing.
In the ordinary form of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the form of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the
pronouncing of the words, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit,” 106 by the minister while he anoints the confirmand’s
forehead in the form of a cross with Sacred Chrism. In the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, the minister pronounces the
words, “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit,” each time he anoints the confirmand’s forehead, eyes, ears, nostrils, breast, back,
hands, and feet, each in the form of a cross. A seal “is a symbol of a person, a sign of personal authority, or ownership of an
object.”107 This notion of being sealed by the Holy Spirit is central to understanding the purpose of Confirmation:
The seal of the Holy Spirit marks our total belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service for ever, as well as the
promise of divine protection in the great eschatological trial. 108 (CCC 1296)

The ordinary minister of Confirmation is a bishop. In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, under certain
circumstances, a bishop can delegate this task to a priest. In the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, conferral of the
Sacrament is routinely delegated to priests. These priests use Myron (Sacred Chrism) that has been consecrated by a bishop,
thus maintaining the apostolic connection.
The Rite of Confirmation in the ordinary form of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. After
the Profession of Faith and the renewal of baptismal promises, the bishop extends his hands over the
confirmands to signify the gift of the Holy Spirit. He recites a prayer asking God to send his Holy
Spirit “to be their helper and guide” and to grant them “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the
spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence.” 109 If the number of
confirmands is not too large, he may also lay his hands momentarily on each one’s head.
The bishop then anoints the forehead of each confirmand with Sacred Chrism and uses his
or her Confirmation name to proclaim, “N., be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” A sign of peace
between the bishop and confirmand concludes the Rite, indicating that the confirmand is in
communion with his or her bishop and the universal Church.

Effects of Confirmation
Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the same that was granted to Christ’s Apostles and other
disciples at Pentecost. Among its effects are the following:
— Confirmation increases and deepens the sanctifying grace and actual grace received in Baptism.
— Confirmation imprints an indelible character on the soul; therefore, Confirmation, like Baptism, can neither be
undone nor repeated.
— Confirmation roots us more deeply as children of God the Father through divine filiation. We are also united
more closely to Christ through the Holy Spirit, thus sharing more deeply in the life of the Blessed Trinity.
— Confirmation increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety,
and fear of the Lord.
— Confirmation bestows special graces that enable the confirmand to spread and defend the Faith by word and
deed as a true witness to Christ.
— Confirmation bestows graces to prepare us to practice our apostolate, the work of evangelizing those around us
for Christ.
— Confirmation helps us proclaim and defend the truths of the Church, thereby bringing people closer to the Faith.
An essential part of the universal call to holiness and the common priesthood of the faithful is a vocation to evangelize
those whom we meet outside the Faith as well as our fellow Catholics, many of whom need to understand and experience their
faith in a deeper way. The best preparation for this apostolate is a regular prayer life and a serious intention to become more
knowledgeable about the history and teachings of the Church.

Conclusion
God has called us into existence to share his love, and he desires that we share his love with others. He has chosen to
give us a share in his own divine life in the Sacraments, the first of which is Baptism, which grants us the grace needed to enter
Heaven and makes us members of Christ’s Church. Baptism carries both blessings and responsibilities. Because all people have
not been baptized, we must realize that we are personally called to be part of a great mystery, the mystery of God’s plan of
salvation for the whole world.

105
Is 61: 3.
106
Order of Confirmation, “Rite of Confirmation of a Person in Danger of Death,” no. 56.
107
Cf. Gn 38: 18; 41: 42; Dt 32: 34; CT 8: 6; cf. CCC 1295.
108
Cf. Rev 7: 2– 3; 9: 4; Ez 9: 4– 6.
109
Order of Confirmation, “Rite of Confirmation of a Person in Danger of Death,” no. 391.
17
 Although Baptism is a gift beyond our understanding, we are obligated to use the graces we have received through
Baptism to know, love, and serve God. Every baptized person is given the grace to love God and obey his Commandments. This
Sacrament marks a permanent change in who we are and what we can accomplish with God’s grace.
The essential effect of Confirmation is to perfect the grace received in Baptism, strengthening the already existing
bond between the baptized person and the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit. It graces the confirmed person to
witness to Christ by word and deed. As sons and daughters of God, we are called upon to act in every situation as Christ
himself would act. When tempted to deny the Faith or to sin, we should rely on the great spiritual strength given us by God in
the Sacrament of Confirmation.

18
 LESSON 4 | SACRAMENTS OF INTIATION: THE EUCHARIST

Learning Outcomes: Students can realize the significance and importance of the Eucharist to one’s life.

LESSON CONTENT
His Sacred Presence
The story about the two disciples on the road to Emmaus 110 recorded by St. Luke in his Gospel is more than just a
dramatic account of a post-Resurrection appearance by Christ. It is the first recorded Mass after the Last Supper. Consider the
following:
1. As they walked, the risen Christ, whom they had not yet recognized, explained to them his Passion and
Resurrection and how it fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament.

[Jesus] said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not
necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all
the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Lk 24: 25– 27)

2. Christ then revealed himself to them during the meal.

When [Jesus] was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their
eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. (Lk 24: 30– 31)
These passages strongly resemble (1) the Liturgy of the Word and (2) the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the two principal
divisions of the Mass as it has been celebrated since apostolic times. These passages also communicate, in a very clear way, the
truth of what happens at the Eucharist: Jesus Christ is made present in a unique and tangible way under the appearances of
ordinary bread and wine. Our worship and celebrations of the Eucharist today thus links us directly to the post-Resurrection
appearance of Christ at this early Christian liturgy on the road to Emmaus on that Easter morning two thousand years ago.

The Sacrament of the Eucharist

The Eucharist is the third of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. In the Eucharist, Christ gives us his own Body,
Blood, Soul, and Divinity as spiritual nourishment, filling us with sanctifying grace and uniting us more fully to himself and to
his Mystical Body, the Church. The Eucharist is known by many names, and both the Sacrament and the Eucharistic species
themselves are often called the Blessed Sacrament.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the whole Christian life. All other Sacraments and all else that the Church
does is ordered to the Eucharist because the mission of the Church is to gather the faithful in union with Christ, who is really
and substantially present in the Eucharist.111
The word eucharist is derived from the Greek eucharistein, meaning “to give thanks.” This word is drawn from St.
Luke’s account of the Last Supper, during which Christ gave thanks, 112 consecrated the bread and wine, and offered his Body
and Blood to his Apostles.
Old Testament roots. We have already highlighted many foreshadowings of the Eucharist in the Old Testament. During
the first Passover, the People of God ate a spotless lamb in anticipation of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. God
instructed them to celebrate Passover annually as a memorial of his saving deeds.
While the Israelites were wandering in the desert for forty years, God provided them manna, the “bread from heaven,”
for their daily nourishment.113 Later, the Temple sacrifice featured a “thank offering” (in Hebrew, todah) that included bread
and wine, a ritual that was still practiced during the time of Christ. Finally, the prophet Isaiah foretold of a servant of God who
would pour out his own blood in sacrifice for the New Covenant.114

CLOSE UP
An Examination of Conscience
— This examination of conscience is based on the Sacrament of
the Eucharist:
— Do I receive the Eucharist only when I am in the state of grace?
— Do I prepare myself through prayer for the Real Presence of
Christ in the Eucharist?
— Do I spend at least a few minutes in thanksgiving after receiving
the Eucharist?
— Do I take advantage of every opportunity to receive the
Eucharist?
— Do I encourage others to receive the Eucharist often?
— Do I act respectfully while in the presence of the Eucharist?

Instituted by Christ. Christ instituted the Eucharist, the New Passover, at the Last Supper as a pledge of his love, as a
way of remaining with us forever, as a memorial of his Death and Resurrection, and as the Sacrifice of the New Covenant.
Through every celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross is made present to us.
During his earthly ministry, Christ called himself the “Bread of Life,” comparing himself to the manna from Heaven
given to the Israelites in the desert:

110
Cf. Lk 24: 25– 31.
111
Cf. CCC 1324.
112
Lk 22: 19.
113
Cf. Ex 16.
114
Cf. Is 42: 1– 9; 49: 8.
19
 “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down
from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of
this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have
no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my
flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread
which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.” (Jn 6: 48–
58)

In St. Luke’s account of the Last Supper and St. John’s account of the Bread of Life discourse quoted above, they
recorded Christ’s words in Greek — “ego eimi,” which means “I am,” and “touto estin,” “this is” — which have a literal rather
than a figurative connotation. Christ’s language here is unequivocal: he is the Bread of Life in a real rather than a metaphorical
sense. Even when some of his listeners doubted, asking, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 115 — indeed many of his
own disciples abandoned him upon hearing this teaching — he did not qualify his statements or explain them away as mere
symbolism.116 The people had heard him correctly: Christ is truly the Bread of Life who came down from Heaven.
This was one of many startling statements and prophecies that would find their fullest meaning when Christ broke the
bread at the Last Supper, saying, “‘This is my body, which is given for you.’” 117 The next day at Cavalry, he died on the Cross to
atone for the sins of the world.
When Christ celebrated the New Passover at the Last Supper, he instructed the Apostles, “‘Do this in remembrance of
me,’” thus giving them the power to change ordinary bread and wine into his Body and Blood. This profound gift of the
Eucharist is celebrated and shared at every Mass through the power handed on by Christ to his Apostles, and from the
Apostles to their successors, the bishops, down through the ages.
Because it is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. The sacrificial character of the Eucharist is
manifested in the very words of institution: “This is my body which is given for you” and “This cup which is poured out
for you is the New Covenant in my blood.” 118 In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the
cross, the very blood which he “poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”119
The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its
memorial and because it applies its fruit:
[Christ], our Lord and God, was once and for all to offer himself to God the Father by his death on the altar of the
cross, to accomplish there an everlasting redemption. But because his priesthood was not to end with his death, at the Last
Supper “on the night when he was betrayed,” [he wanted] to leave to his beloved spouse the Church a visible sacrifice (as
the nature of man demands) by which the bloody sacrifice which he was to accomplish once for all on the cross would be
re-presented, its memory perpetuated until the end of the world, and its salutary power be applied to the forgiveness of the
sins we daily commit.120 (CCC 1365– 1366)
Bishops and priests throughout the world continue to celebrate the Eucharist.
The Real Presence. We call the sacramental presence of Christ in the Eucharist the “Real Presence” and refer to the
change of the bread and wine into his Body and Blood as “transubstantiation.” Explaining the doctrines of transubstantiation
and the Real Presence, the Catechism teaches:
“Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always
been the conviction of the Church of God . . . that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of
the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine
into the substance of his blood.”121 (CCC 1376)

In the Eucharist, our Lord is present “truly, really, substantially.” 122 The story of Christ’s appearance to the two
disciples on the road to Emmaus illustrates this great mystery. The disciples would say to each other later, “‘Did not our hearts
burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?’” 123 But it was only in the breaking of
the bread, the Eucharist, that they truly recognized his Real Presence among them.
In his First Epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul recorded the institution of the Eucharist and warned his spiritual
children to partake of the Eucharist worthily by “discerning the body,” that is, recognizing Christ’s Real Presence, lest they “eat
and drink judgment” upon themselves.124 The Eucharist is not an ordinary meal; it is a sacrificial banquet in which we partake
of the Body and Blood of Christ, our Redeemer.

CLOSE UP
An Act of Spiritual Communion
When we are not able to attend Mass daily or if we attend Mass but are not properly disposed to
receive the Eucharist, we can still receive the Lord spiritually in our hearts through the practice
of spiritual communion. This is an act by which, through prayer, we express our desire for
Christ to make himself present in our souls in a spiritual manner.
There exist many Acts of Spiritual Communion. Following are a few of the most popular:
— Popularized by Piarist fathers and St. Josemaria Escriva:
I wish, my Lord, to receive you with the purity, humility, and devotion with which
your Most Holy Mother received you, with the spirit and fervor of the saints.

115
Jn 6: 52.
116
Cf. Jn 6: 60– 66.
117
Lk 22: 19.
118
Lk 22: 19– 20.
119
Mt 26: 28.
120
Council of Trent (1562): DS 1740; cf. 1 Cor 11: 23; Heb 7: 24, 27.
121
Council of Trent (1551): DS 1642; cf. Mt 26: 26 ff.; Mk 14: 22 ff.; Lk 22: 19 ff.; 1 Cor 11: 24 ff.
122
Council of Trent (1551): DS 1651; cf. CCC 1374.
123
Lk 24: 32.
124
Cf. 1 Cor 11: 28– 29.
20
 — Recommended by St. Alphonsus Ligouri:
My Jesus, I believe that you are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I long for you in my soul.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though you have already come, I
embrace you and unite myself entirely to you; never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
— Written by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val:
At Thy feet, O my Jesus, I prostrate myself and I offer Thee repentance of my contrite heart, which is humbled in its
nothingness and in Thy holy presence. I adore Thee in the Sacrament of Thy love, the ineffable Eucharist. I desire to
receive Thee into the poor dwelling that my heart offers Thee. While waiting for the happiness of sacramental
communion, I wish to possess Thee in spirit. Come to me, O my Jesus, since I, for my part, am coming to Thee! May Thy love
embrace my whole being in life and in death. I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee. Amen.

It is evident from a number of other early Christian writings that the Eucharist was understood as a change of the
bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. St. Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist,
was ordained the third Bishop of Antioch, a local church in Asia Minor that St. Peter had founded before he went to Rome.
From Antioch, St. Ignatius wrote to the local church in Philadelphia about AD 107, warning the faithful:
Be careful, therefore, to take part only in the one eucharist; for there is only one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ and one cup
to unite us with his blood, one altar and one bishop with the presbyters and deacons, who are his fellow servants. Then,
whatever you do, you will do according to God.125

St. Irenæus of Lyon learned the Faith from St. Polycarp, who was a disciple of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist. Near
the end of the second century, St. Irenæus elaborated on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist:
He declares that the cup, taken from the creation, is his own blood, by which he strengthens our blood, and he has firmly
assured us that the bread, taken from the creation, is his own body, by which our bodies grow. . . . [W]hen the mixed cup
and the bread that has been prepared receive the Word of God . . . [it] becomes the Eucharist, the body and blood of
Christ.126

The early Christians understood that the Eucharist established at the Last Supper and in Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross
fulfilled our Lord’s words in the Gospel of St. John about the Bread of Life being necessary for salvation. This belief went to the
root of their faith, forming the foundation of their prayer, community, and religious practice. 127 Gathered around the Eucharist
and strengthened by its spiritual nourishment, the early Church grew strong in faith.
Because the Sacrifice of Christ allows us to be saved, the Eucharist is at the center of the Catholic Faith:
The Eucharist is the heart and the summit of the Church’s life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all her members
with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once for all on the cross to his Father; by this sacrifice he pours out the
graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church. (CCC 1407)

The Mass, Our Greatest Prayer

The Mass is the ultimate prayer of the Church. The Council Fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican
described the Mass as “the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from
which all her power flows.”128
The purposes of the Mass are diverse. The Mass gives glory and honor to God and cultivates the faith of his people.
Christian liturgy is the response of faith and love to the Father’s infinite spiritual blessings. It is an exercise of our Lord’s
priestly office, continued in and by the Church under the impulse of the Holy Spirit, which builds up the Body of Christ.
In the liturgy of the New Covenant every liturgical action, especially the celebration of the Eucharist and the sacraments, is
an encounter between Christ and the Church. The liturgical assembly derives its unity from the “communion of the Holy
Spirit” who gathers the children of God into the one Body of Christ. (CCC 1097)

The word “liturgy” comes from the Greek ergos, meaning “work,” and leiton, meaning “of the people”; essentially it
means “public work,” or any work performed for the common good. Since the early Church, liturgy has referred to her public
and official worship of God, including the Mass, or Divine Liturgy, and all its official rites and ceremonies — the worship of God
by the People of God.
Liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations of the Church, which is the “sacrament of unity,” namely,
the holy people united and ordered under their bishops.129
Therefore liturgical services pertain to the whole body of the Church; they manifest it and have effects upon it; but they
concern the individual members of the Church in different ways, according to their differing rank, office, and actual
participation. (SC 26)

A holy sacrifice. The Mass is a true Sacrifice to God, and so it is more formally called the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
This statement does not mean that Christ is “re-sacrificed” in the Mass; rather, the Holy Sacrifice of the Eucharist on the altar
and the redemptive Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross are one and the same. Christ is made present by the Consecration of the
bread and wine into his true Body and Blood, offering himself for us in a renewal of the one Sacrifice of Calvary.
The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victim is one and the same: the same
now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.”
“And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody
manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner . . . this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.” 130
(CCC 1367)

Because it is a renewal of the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, the Mass has the same purposes:
— a latreutic purpose, to honor and adore God;
— a eucharistic purpose, to give thanks to God;
— a propitiatory purpose, to make reparation for our sins; and
— an impetratory purpose, to ask God for his gifts and graces.
125
St. Ignatius, Epistle to the Philadelphians, 4.
126
St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies.
127
1 Cor 11: 27– 29.
128
SC 10.
129
St. Cyprian, On the Unity of the Catholic Church, 7; cf. Letter 66, n. 8, 3.
130
Council of Trent (1562): Doctrina de Ss. Missæ Sacrificio, c. 2: DS 1743; cf. Heb 9: 14, 27.
21
 In the centuries before the Incarnation, God prepared his people for the perfect Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross and the
institution of its perpetual renewal through the celebration of the Eucharist. It was prefigured in the sacrifices of the Old Law,
particularly the sacrifice of the paschal lamb of Passover, and its offering throughout the world was prophesied by Malachi:
“From the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my
name, and a pure offering.” (Mal 1: 11)

The Mass is called the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, “the ‘sacrifice of praise,’”131 a spiritual Sacrifice, and a pure and holy
Sacrifice because “it completes and surpasses all the sacrifices of the Old Covenant.” 132
While the sacrifices offered by the People of God in the Old Testament were imperfect, needing to be repeated time
and time again, the Sacrifice of Christ is perfect, needing to be offered only once and for all. The Sacrifice of the Eucharist,
likewise, transcends time and place, bringing into our very presence in a mystical way the one Sacrifice of Christ.
At the Last Supper when Christ gave his Apostles the Eucharist, he commanded them, “‘Do this in remembrance of
me.’”133 The Eucharist is both a memorial that proclaims Christ’s saving deeds and a re-presentation by which we participate in
the one and eternal Sacrifice of Christ.
In the sense of Sacred Scripture the memorial is not merely the recollection of past events but the proclamation of the
mighty works wrought by God for men. 36 In the liturgical celebration of these events, they become in a certain way present
and real. This is how Israel understands its liberation from Egypt: every time Passover is celebrated, the Exodus events are
made present to the memory of believers so that they may conform their lives to them. (CCC 1363)

On Calvary, Christ offered himself to the Father; in the Eucharist, the resurrected Christ continues this offering
through the bishop or priest, who acts in persona Christi capitis (in the Person of Christ the Head). Through the liturgy of the
Mass, we are privileged to participate in the Sacrifice of Christ, uniting it to our own sacrifices, which we offer to God.
The Eucharist is the heart and the summit of the Church’s life, for in it Christ associates his Church and all her members
with his sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving offered once for all on the cross to his Father; by this sacrifice he pours out the
graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church. (CCC 1407)

The Eucharist, a “thanksgiving.” The Mass is also a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. The Greek eucharistia, in fact,
means “thanksgiving.” Christ’s own words at the Last Supper, repeated by the celebrant (and concelebrants, if any are present)
in the words of Consecration, clearly indicate that the bread was changed into his Body and the wine into his Blood of the
covenant, thus illuminating his earlier self-identification as the Bread of Life. The word eucharist thus refers not only to the
Sacrament of the Eucharist but also to the celebration of the Eucharist in the Mass.
The Mass and indeed all liturgy, then, has a dual dimension:
The dual dimension of the Christian liturgy as a response of faith and love to the spiritual blessings the Father bestows on
us is thus evident. On the one hand, the Church, united with her Lord and “in the Holy Spirit,” 134 blesses the Father “for his
inexpressible gift”135 in her adoration, praise, and thanksgiving. On the other hand, until the consummation of God’s plan,
the Church never ceases to present to the Father the offering of his own gifts and to beg him to send the Holy Spirit upon
that offering, upon herself, upon the faithful, and upon the whole world, so that through communion in the death and
resurrection of Christ the Priest, and by the power of the Spirit, these divine blessings will bring forth the fruits of life “to
the praise of his glorious grace.”136 (CCC 1083)

An action of Christ and of the Church. In celebrating the Mass, the Church participates in the one Sacrifice of Christ :
The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of the Church . The Church which is the Body of Christ participates in the offering
of her Head. With him, she herself is offered whole and entire. She unites herself to his intercession with the Father for all
men. In the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the
faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer, and work, are united with those of Christ and with his total offering, and so acquire
a new value. Christ’s sacrifice present on the altar makes it possible for all generations of Christians to be united with his
offering. (CCC 1368)

The Church does this “in communion with and commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints.” 137
Above all, the faithful participate in the Mass by interiorly uniting themselves to the one Sacrifice of Christ that the
bishop or priest offers on the altar. While only the celebrant and concelebrants offer the Mass and act in persona Christi capitis,
the faithful also participate in the celebration through the common priesthood into which we were initiated at Baptism.138 This
interior participation should consist of actively sharing in the congregational prayers, responses, and hymns; receiving
Communion when in the state of grace; showing proper reverence, posture, and deportment; and, at times, taking on certain
liturgical functions permitted to the laity such as lector, cantor, or acolyte.
By participating in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the faithful can unite themselves to the Sacrifice of Christ. By “liv[ing] the
Holy Mass as the center and root of their interior life,” 139 they can order their entire day, their work, and all their activities
accordingly. Every part of our ordinary lives can gain redemptive value to the extent that we unite all that we do to the
Sacrifice of Christ.

The Real Presence of Christ

At Mass, in a mysterious way, the bread and wine truly become the Body and Blood of Christ, which the faithful
receive as a sharing and participation in Christ’s Death and Resurrection. Although the bread and wine are not altered in color,
weight, taste, molecular structure, or any other observable property, they do in reality become the true Body and Blood of
Christ. When we receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist, we truly eat his Body and drink his Blood.
131
cf. Roman Missal, Third Edition, The Communion Rite, no. 134– 135.
132
CCC 2643.
133
CCC 1330.
134
Lk 22: 19.
135
Cf. Ex 13: 3.
136
Lk 10: 21.
137
2 Cor 9: 15.
138
Eph 1: 6.
139
CCC 1370.
22
 The Church uses the word transubstantiation — from the Latin trans, meaning “across,” and substantia (”nature,” or
“substance”), which we discussed in Chapter 3 — to describe the change by which the bread and wine, while retaining their
physical appearances, really become the Body and Blood of Christ in substance. The term Real Presence describes Christ’s true
and substantial presence in the Eucharistic species (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity) under the appearance of bread and wine.
The Church speaks of Christ being present among us in many different ways. Christ is always present in our midst. We
encounter him in prayer, in Scripture, in the celebration of the Sacraments, in the Church community, and in works of charity,
to name a few. However, Christ’s presence in the Eucharist — called the Real Presence — is radically different than the other
ways he is present to us.
The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is a much more profound presence because Christ is physically present to
us in his Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. After citing the “many ways” in which Christ is present in his Church, the
Catechism teaches:
“He is present . . . most especially in the Eucharistic species.”140
The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as
“the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend.” 141 In the most blessed sacrament of the
Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole
Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.”142 “This presence is called ‘real’ — by which is not intended to exclude
the other types of presence as if they could not be ‘real’ too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it
is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present.” 143 (CCC 1373– 1374)

This true, real, and substantial presence of Christ — Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity — is therefore qualitatively
superior to his presence in other situations.
The idea of eating Christ’s Body and drinking his Blood was repugnant to first-century Jews. While Eastern Orthodox
Christians and a few Protestant ecclesial bodies believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, most Protestants do not
believe that Christ is substantially present in the Eucharist, preferring instead to consider their version of Communion as
merely symbolic. Although the language of transubstantiation was not formally adopted until the fourteenth century, the
Church has professed her belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist since Apostolic times, viewing his words in the
Gospel as unequivocal: “‘This is my body. . . . this is my blood.’”144

Celebrating The Eucharist

The Sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated in the Sacrifice of the Mass, or Divine Liturgy. In the Mass, the faithful
participate in the one Sacrifice of Christ and, in receiving the Eucharist, share in his divine life as members of his Mystical
Body. Outside of the Mass, the Eucharist is reserved to be administered to those who cannot join the local community in the
public worship of God: the hospitalized, homebound, incarcerated, etc. The reserved Eucharist is adored in the tabernacle, and
the Church worships the Real Presence of our Lord in other liturgical celebrations such as Benedictions and Eucharistic
processions.
Who may receive the Eucharist? In order to receive the Eucharist, one must be a Catholic in “good standing.” This
means that the recipient must be a baptized Catholic who has been initiated into the Sacrament of the Eucharist, often referred
to as First Holy Communion.
In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, children commonly receive their First Holy Communion around the age of
reason, about seven or eight years old. Before receiving First Holy Communion, they are instructed in the principal mysteries
of the Faith, especially the Real Presence. Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation should precede First
Holy Communion. Adult converts ordinarily are initiated into the Eucharist at the time of their entrance into the Catholic Faith,
usually following the catechumenate.
Before receiving Holy Communion the communicant should first examine his or her conscience to ensure he or she
has the proper disposition. A proper disposition applies to both the soul and the body:
— The communicant must be in the state of grace, free of any awareness of mortal sin.
To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us
to examine our conscience: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy
manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the
bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment
upon himself.”145 Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to
communion. (CCC 1385)
— In order to receive the Eucharist with appropriate reverence and devotion, the communicant should prepare with
prayer, reflection, contrition, thanksgiving, and acts of love.
— The communicant must truly desire to receive the Eucharist, as it is beneficial to our salvation and allows us a more
intimate relationship with Christ.
It is a Precept of the Church to receive the Eucharist at least once annually, although “the Church strongly
encourages the faithful to receive the holy Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, or more often still, even daily.” 146
“‘Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.’” 147

140
SC 7.
141
St. Thomas Aquinas, STh III, 73, 3c.
142
Council of Trent (1551): DS 1651.
143
Paul VI, MF 39.
144
Mt 26: 26, 28.
145
1 Cor 11: 27– 29.
146
CCC 1389.
147
Jn 6: 53.
23
 — The communicant’s interior reverence for the Eucharist should be reflected in the disposition of his or her body. In the
Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the communicant must, except for grave reasons, fast from all food and drink except
water and medicine for one hour before receiving Communion. We ought also to make an effort to be clean in body
and dressed appropriately, according to local custom.
The communicant should bow his or her head or make another act of reverence just before receiving Holy
Communion is also appropriate. In general, one may receive standing or kneeling and may receive Holy Communion
on the tongue or in the hand, although norms and practices vary widely. Whatever method is used, the reception of
Communion must be approached with due preparation and reverence.
The Church does not permit intercommunion between Catholics and members of Protestant ecclesial communities
because these communities have not retained the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the means by which bishops, priests, and deacons
are ordained to serve the Church. They have not continued the Apostolic Succession that traces the priesthood in a direct line
back through the bishops, to the Apostles, and to Christ himself. Due to their separation from the Catholic Church, which dates
to the Reformation of the sixteenth century, the clergy of these ecclesial communities lost the power to confect the Eucharist
and change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Indeed, most of these Protestant ecclesial communities do
not profess the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, believing instead in a particular mode of change or merely symbolic
presence.
Ecclesial communities derived from the Reformation and separated from the Catholic Church, “have not preserved the
proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness, especially because of the absence of the sacrament of Holy
Orders.”148 It is for this reason that, for the Catholic Church, Eucharistic intercommunion with these communities is not
possible. However these ecclesial communities, “when they commemorate the Lord’s death and resurrection in the Holy
Supper . . . profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and await his coming in glory.” 149 (CCC 1400)

Eastern Orthodox Christians, on the other hand, have retained the true priesthood through Apostolic Succession and a
belief in the Real Presence and, thus, celebrate the Sacraments validly. Although members of the Orthodox Churches are not in
full communion with the Catholic Church, they may receive Holy Communion from a Catholic minister under certain limited
conditions.
The Eastern churches that are not in full communion with the Catholic Church celebrate the Eucharist with great love.
“These Churches, although separated from us, yet possess true sacraments, above all — by apostolic succession — the
priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in closest intimacy.” A certain communion in sacris, and
so in the Eucharist, “given suitable circumstances and the approval of Church authority, is not merely possible but is
encouraged.”150 (CCC 1399)

Matter, form, and minister. The matter of the Sacrament of the Eucharist is bread and wine. The bread must be made
from wheat flour, which is “the fruit of the earth,” and the wine from grapes, “the fruit of the vine.” 151 In the Latin Rite of the
Catholic Church, the bread must be made with wheat flour and water only and is thus unleavened, in keeping with the custom
of the bread baked and eaten by the Jews at Passover. 152 This bread is usually formed into small wafers. In the Byzantine Rite
and most Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, the bread is made with wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast only and is thus
leavened, signifying the leaven that Christ called his disciples to be in the world. 153
The use of bread and wine signifies that the Eucharist is true food and drink, though it is spiritual food and drink. The
bread and wine also point to the Passion and Death of Christ, when his Blood was shed and thus separated from his Body.
The form of the Sacrament is the words of Consecration pronounced by the priest at the altar:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my Body,
which will be given up for you. [. . .]
Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the chalice of my Blood,
the Blood of the new and eternal covenant,
which will be poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.154

CLOSE UP
Fragments of the Eucharistic Species
Occasionally a minister of Holy Communion will break consecrated hosts in half before distributing
them to the communicants. This typically happens when there are not enough consecrated hosts
available for the number of people who want to receive Holy Communion.
Christ, however, is not divided in this fracturing. “Christ is present whole and entire in each of the
species and whole and entire in each of their parts.” 155 The whole Christ is present under each and every
fragment of the Eucharist, so when a host is broken in two and a communicant receives one part of that
host, he or she receives the entire Body of Christ. It is not Christ being broken into pieces; rather, the
one real and sacramental presence of Christ in his Body and Blood is shared by all who receive him.
Likewise, Christ is not multiplied if there are additional hosts. Occasionally a person receives two hosts
that are stuck together or a child gets in the Communion line a second time and receives a second host; in such circumstances, we would
still receive the one Body of Christ.
At many Masses, the faithful are invited to receive the Eucharist under both species: the consecrated bread and the consecrated wine.
“Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it takes place under both kinds”; 156 nonetheless, we receive Christ fully — Body, Blood,
Soul, and Divinity — under one or both species.

148
UR 22 § 3.
149
UR 22 § 3.
150
UR 15 § 2; cf. CIC, can. 844 § 3.
151
Roman Missal, Third Edition, The Liturgy of the Eucharist, no. 25.
152
Cf. Ex 12: 15, 19– 20; Dt 16: 3– 4.
153
Cf. Mt 13: 33; 1 Cor 5: 6– 8; Gal 5: 9.
154
Roman Missal, Third Edition, Eucharistic Prayer I [The Roman Canon], nos. 89– 90.
155
CCC 1337.
156
Roman Missal, Third Edition, “General Instruction on the Roman Missal,” no. 281.
24
 Ordinarily, if only one species of the Eucharist is to be distributed, it is the consecrated bread. However, a person may be given the
Eucharist (Body and Blood of Christ) under the species of the consecrated wine alone, 157 for example, if the communicant is unable to take
solid food due to disability or cannot digest wheat gluten due to Celiac disease.

The minister of the Sacrament is a bishop or priest. In the celebration of the Eucharist, the minister acts in persona
Christi capitis (“in the Person of Christ the Head”). As St. John Paul II explained:
The priest offers the Holy Sacrifice in persona Christi; this means more than offering “in the name of,” or “in the place of
Christ.” In persona means in specific sacramental identification with “the eternal High Priest” 158 who is the author and
principal subject of this sacrifice of His, a sacrifice in which, in truth, nobody can take His place.

It is useful to make a distinction between the minister of the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the minister of Holy
Communion. While a bishop or priest is the minister of the Sacrament, bishops, priests, and deacons are the ordinary ministers
of Holy Communion, the Rite by which the Body and Blood of Christ are distributed to the individual faithful. This is the case
whether the distribution takes place during Mass or outside of Mass, for example, at a hospital.
In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, a person who has not received the Sacrament of Holy Orders — whether
consecrated religious or lay — under certain conditions can be designated as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion
and thus may assist in the distribution of Communion. Such conditions include situations in which there are not sufficient
ordinary ministers of Holy Communion present for the distribution of the Eucharistic species.
To avoid confusion and maintain descriptive accuracy, it is a good practice to avoid calling an extraordinary minister
of Holy Communion an “extraordinary minister of the Eucharist” or a “Eucharistic minister.” Such a person does not
administer the Sacrament in the Person of Christ the Head; rather, he or she helps to distribute it to the faithful.
At Mass, when the priest says the words of Consecration over the bread and wine during the Eucharistic Prayer, the
substance of the bread and wine is changed by the power of the Holy Spirit acting through the Son into the Body and Blood of
Christ. It is Christ himself — living, glorious, truly and really present — under the appearances, or accidents, of bread and
wine.
The essential signs of the Eucharistic sacrament are wheat bread and grape wine, on which the blessing of the Holy Spirit is
invoked and the priest pronounces the words of consecration spoken by Jesus during the Last Supper: “This is my body
which will be given up for you. . . . This is the cup of my blood. . . .” (CCC 1412)

While our human senses still perceive the Eucharistic species as ordinary bread and wine, we know by faith that
Christ is present under the appearances, or accidents, of bread and wine. In the words of St. Thomas Aquinas in the hymn
Tantum Ergo (“Down in Adoration Falling”), “Faith for all defects supplying / where the feeble senses fail.”
The Rite of Holy Communion. Christ becomes present in the Eucharist through the words of Consecration. In the Rite
of Holy Communion, by contrast, whether celebrated during Mass or outside of Mass, the faithful receive the Body and Blood of
Christ.
Receiving Holy Communion in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. During Mass, the Communion Rite begins with the
Lord’s Prayer followed by the Sign of Peace and the Agnus Dei, in which we ask mercy and peace from Christ: “Lamb of God,
you take away the sins of the world.”159 Raising up the consecrated host above the paten or the chalice, the bishop or priest
says or sings:
Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.160
He responds with the people in the words of the centurion:
Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.161

When the distribution of Holy Communion begins, the faithful approach the altar. The ordinary or extraordinary
minister of Holy Communion presents the host or chalice to the recipient and says, “The Body of Christ” or “The Blood of
Christ,” respectively. (If the Eucharistic species are distributed together by intinction, he or she says, “The Body and Blood of
Christ.”) The communicant bows his or her head or shows some other form of reverence; responds, “Amen”; and then receives
the Eucharist.162
Christ invites us to receive his Body and Blood in the Eucharist frequently, even daily. A communicant may even
receive our Lord a second time on the same day if he or she participates in a second liturgy or falls in danger of death after the
first.163 Although the Church only requires the faithful to receive the Eucharist once every year, frequent Communion is highly
encouraged:
It is in keeping with the very meaning of the Eucharist that the faithful, if they have the required dispositions, 164 receive
communion when they participate in the Mass. 165 As the Second Vatican Council says: “That more perfect form of
participation in the Mass whereby the faithful, after the priest’s communion, receive the Lord’s Body from the same
sacrifice, is warmly recommended.”166 (CCC 1388)

157
CIC, can. 925.
158
St. John Paul II, Dominicæ Cenæ (February 24, 1980), 8.
159
Roman Missal, Third Edition, The Communion Rite, no. 130.
160
Roman Missal, Third Edition, The Communion Rite, no. 132.
161
Roman Missal, Third Edition, The Communion Rite, no. 132; cf. Mt 8: 8.
162
cf. Roman Missal, Third Edition, The Communion Rite, no. 134– 135.
163
Cf. CIC, cann. 917, 921.
164
Cf. CIC, can. 916
165
Cf. CIC, can. 917; The faithful may receive the Holy Eucharist only a second time on the same day (Cf. Pontificia Commissio Codici Iuris Canonici Authentice
Intrepretando, Responsa ad proposita dubia, 1: AAS 76 [1984] 746).
166
SC 55.
25
 Receiving Holy Communion in the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church. Most of the Eastern Rites use leavened bread
rather than unleavened bread for the Eucharist. Communion is almost always given under both species. Churches that use
unleavened hosts will give Communion by intinction, meaning that the consecrated host is dipped into the chalice containing
the Blood of Christ before being placed on the tongue of the communicant. In those that use leavened bread, cubes of the
consecrated bread (Body of Christ) are soaked in a chalice of the Blood of Christ. The communicant approaches the altar, and
the bishop, priest, or deacon places the Body and Blood of Christ into the communicant’s mouth using a golden spoon.

Effects of the Eucharist

According to Christ’s own words, his Body is true food and his Blood is true drink. 167
Whereas the ordinary food we consume is converted into our bodies, the spiritual food of the
Body and Blood of Christ converts us instead into Christ, binding us ever closer to him and to the
Church, his Mystical Body.
With worthy reception of this great Sacrament comes many graces:
— The Eucharist strengthens and increases our intimate union with Christ, the
life of divine grace first received at Baptism.
— The Eucharist reinforces the unity of the Church as the Mystical Body of
Christ.
— The Eucharist increases graces and virtues within the soul.
— The Eucharist pardons venial sins but not mortal sins, which render a person unworthy to receive Holy
Communion.
— The Eucharist helps preserve us from sin by strengthening us against temptation with actual grace,
diminishing our tendency toward sin, and curtailing pride and self-centeredness.
By the same charity that it enkindles in us, the Eucharist preserves us from future mortal sins. The more
we share the life of Christ and progress in his friendship, the more difficult it is to break away from him
by mortal sin. The Eucharist is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins — that is proper to the
sacrament of Reconciliation. The Eucharist is properly the sacrament of those who are in full communion
with the Church. (CCC 1395)
— The Eucharist decreases the temporal punishment due for sins already committed, thus reducing the
amount of purification we might otherwise require in Purgatory after death.
The Eucharist is a sign of our promise of eternal life in Heaven. Through this great gift, Christ draws us ever closer into
his life so we may grow in holiness and approach the perfection that will be achieved when we stand in the glory of God with
all the blessed. We call the reception of Eucharist “Holy Communion” because it unites us ever more intimately with God, with
one another, and with the Communion of Saints:
Having passed from this world to the Father, Christ gives us in the Eucharist the pledge of glory with him. Participation in
the Holy Sacrifice identifies us with his Heart, sustains our strength along the pilgrimage of this life, makes us long for
eternal life, and unites us even now to the Church in heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints. (CCC 1419)

Eucharistic Adoration
Outside of Mass, Christ remains present in the Eucharist, reminding us that he will be with
us until the end of time and that he wishes to share himself with us as often as possible. It became
the custom in the early Church to reserve, or set aside, the remaining consecrated hosts of the
Eucharist when the Mass ended. Every Catholic church has a tabernacle where the Body of Christ
is stored in a container called a ciborium (based on the Latin cibus, meaning “food”). The Eucharist
is thereby readily available to take to the sick who could not attend Mass so they too may share in
the “one bread” as a sign of union with the Church community.
The acknowledgement of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist has led to the
development of Eucharistic devotions, which express our love and gratitude to Christ present with
us in the Blessed Sacrament.
The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not
refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious
offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease. (CCC 1380)

Eucharistic adoration before the tabernacle is a pious practice. Many churches also have scheduled times of adoration
when a consecrated host is displayed, or exposed, in an ornate receptacle called a monstrance. When the Eucharist is exposed
or reposed into the tabernacle, it is usually marked with a liturgy called the Rite of Benediction. Some churches have chapels
for prayer where the Eucharist is exposed continuously for private devotion, on the condition that there are always some
worshipers present. This practice is called perpetual adoration.
Spiritual communion is a pious act whereby we express in prayer our desire to receive the Eucharist when we are
unable to do so because of unavailability or awareness of a mortal sin on our soul. At these times, we can make an Act of
Spiritual Communion. Although we are unable to participate in the Eucharist physically, spiritual communion allows us still to
move closer to the Lord.
Eucharistic processions are conducted in some churches on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, also known
as Corpus Christi. The Eucharist is placed in a monstrance, which is then carried through the church and sometimes around the
church and even through the streets of the town or city. In some places, the faithful line the streets to await the passing of the
Eucharist or to follow along in the procession. This observance is usually accompanied by homilies explaining and inspiring
reverence and devotion for Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament.

167
Cf. Jn 6: 55.
26
 CLOSE UP
Reserving the Blessed Sacrament
Consecrated hosts that have not been consumed during Holy Communion are reserved
in the tabernacle. These hosts can be used for offering Holy Communion to the sick and
homebound, for Communion services outside of Mass, or for those occasions when an
insufficient number of hosts have been consecrated during a Mass.
The reservation of hosts in the tabernacle also means that Christ is there, and the
faithful are encouraged to visit the church or the Eucharistic adoration chapel for
prayer and worship of the Real Presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
We observe this piety out of respect for what is holy. The Catechism teaches that “the
Eucharistic presence of Christ begins at the moment of the consecration and endures as
long as the Eucharistic species subsist.” 168 An implication of this teaching is that when the consecrated wine is sufficiently
diluted, it is no longer the Blood of Christ. Even so, it is disposed of with reverence. Likewise, the consecrated host and wine,
once consumed, remain the Body and Blood of Christ until they lose their appearance of bread and wine.

Conclusion
God demonstrated his infinite love for us by sending his only Son to die for our sins. Christ shares this love with us by
joining himself to us in the Eucharist. Although his desire to be one with us is beyond our understanding, we would be foolish
not to take advantage of this great gift.
Before Christ ascended into Heaven, he promised to be with us until the end of time. He has kept this promise by
remaining present to us in the Eucharist. When the words of Consecration are spoken, Christ becomes truly present in Body
and Blood.
Pope Paul VI explained how the Real Presence of Christ — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — in the Eucharist is
distinct from the many other ways that he is present to us:
These various ways in which Christ is present fill the mind with astonishment and offer the Church a mystery for her
contemplation. But there is another way in which Christ is present in His Church, a way that surpasses all the others. It is
His presence in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which is, for this reason, “a more consoling source of devotion, a lovelier
object of contemplation and holier in what it contains” 169 than all the other sacraments; for it contains Christ Himself and it
is “a kind of consummation of the spiritual life, and in a sense the goal of all the sacraments.” 170
This presence is called “real” not to exclude the idea that the others are “real” too, but rather to indicate presence par
excellence, because it is substantial and through it Christ becomes present whole and entire, God and man. 171 And so it
would be wrong for anyone to try to explain this manner of presence by dreaming up a so-called “pneumatic” nature of the
glorious body of Christ that would be present everywhere; or for anyone to limit it to symbolism, as if this most sacred
Sacrament were to consist in nothing more than an efficacious sign “of the spiritual presence of Christ and of His intimate
union with the faithful, the members of His Mystical Body.”172 (MF 38– 39)

The reception of the Eucharist is a participation in the life of the Blessed Trinity, which foreshadows our complete and
eternal participation in the heavenly liturgy. We should strive to receive worthily this great Sacrament as often as possible so
we can receive the many graces offered and grow in personal holiness.

LESSON 5 | SACRAMENTS OF HEALING: PENANCE AND THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK

Learning Outcomes: Students can discuss the significant points regarding penance and anointing of the sick.

LESSON CONTENT

Christ The Healer

Every human being needs spiritual and physical healing. As a consequence of our fallen nature, we sin, suffer illness
and injury, and will eventually die. Each of us is probably much more in need of healing than we would like to admit.
Although we may feel overwhelmed by sin and illness, we are not powerless against them. With the assistance of
God’s grace, we can and must overcome sin in our quest for holiness. Suffering is unavoidable and difficult, but Christ gave it
redemptive value through his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Finally, we must strive for a “good death” in the
state of grace, the gateway into eternal life.
Christ gave us the Sacraments of Healing — the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation and the Sacrament of the
Anointing of the Sick — to mitigate our spiritual and physical sufferings. Through the Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation, we are forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God and to the Church. Through the Sacrament of the Anointing of
the Sick, we are forgiven of our sins, strengthened in our illness and infirmity, and prepared for our final journey into the
presence of God.
In the Sacrament of Baptism, all our sins are pardoned — Original Sin as well as any actual sins we have committed —
and we receive the gift of supernatural life; this is our first conversion. Yet, during the course of our lives, countless
conversions are necessary. The effects of Original Sin remain, so we continue to struggle against concupiscence, which is the
tendency toward sin. We are called to conversion every time we separate ourselves from God through sin and every time God’s

168
CCC 1377.
169
Ægidius Romanus, Theorems on the Body of Christ, theor. 50 (Venice, 1521), p. 127.
170
STh, IIIa, 73, 3, c.
171
Cf. Council of Trent, Decree on the Holy Eucharist, c. 3.
172
Pius XII, encyclical Humani Generis; AAS XLII (1950), 578.
27
plan for our lives requires more than we are presently giving to him. We, therefore, are continually called to conversion
because we are sinful beings who have a divine vocation to the Christian perfection of holiness, which is attainable only in God.
The Sacraments of Healing are not always easy to request or celebrate. Too often we are reticent to confess our sins in
the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, even privately and anonymously to a bishop or priest who is promised to
secrecy and has the power to pronounce God’s absolution for us. We may hesitate to request the Sacrament of the Anointing of
the Sick — for ourselves or for a loved one — because we associate it with our approaching death. These two Sacraments,
however, come from the very heart of Christ’s salvific mission: he came to heal us of all our infirmities, and we should be eager
for his healing touch.

I. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is a Sacrament of Healing in which Jesus Christ himself, through the
actions of his earthly minister, forgives actual, or personal, sins committed after Baptism. It is the means instituted by Christ to
restore our communion with God and his Church when we have broken or weakened it by sin. Christ healed people and
forgave their sins during his earthly ministry, and this healing is offered to all people by the power of the Holy Spirit acting
through the Church in the Sacrament of Penance.
“Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God’s mercy for the offense committed against him,
and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by
example, and by prayer labors for their conversion.”173 (CCC 1422)

Through the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, God heals us from our actual sins committed after Baptism and
calls us again to a conversion of heart, a recommitment to virtue and holiness. This Sacrament fosters a wholehearted
conversion to God, a hatred of the sins we have committed, a sincere hope for God’s pardon and peace, and a firm desire to
amend our lives.
Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of
sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time it entails the
desire and resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s mercy and trust in the help of his grace. This conversion of
heart is accompanied by a salutary pain and sadness which the Fathers called animi cruciatus (affliction of spirit) and
compunctio cordis (repentance of heart).174 (CCC 1431)

173
LG 11 § 2.
174
Cf. Council Of Trent (1551): DS 1676– 1678; 1705; cf. Roman Catechism, II, V, 4.
28
 CLOSE UP

An Examination of Conscience
This examination of conscience is based on the Sacraments of Penance and Reconciliation and
the Anointing of the Sick:
— Do I confess my sins at least once a month?
— Do I confess all mortal sins in kind and number?
— Do I follow the advice given to me by the bishop or priest in Confession?
— Do I request and follow the advice from my spiritual director?
— Do I make regular acts of reparation for my sins?
— Do I make reparation for the sins of others?
— Do I fulfill the penance assigned by the bishop or priest as soon as possible?
— Am I mindful that I could die at any moment?
— Do I maintain myself in the state of grace?
— Do I carry identification that indicates I am a Catholic so I should be given the Anointing of the Sick in case of accident
or sudden illness?
— Do I pray for a happy death?
— Do I offer all my sufferings, contradictions, and illnesses as expiation for my sins and the sins of others?

Above all, conversion is the work of God, who gives us the grace to begin our lives anew and to fear offending him and
being separated from him.175 By our divine filiation, we know that God is a merciful Father who stands always ready to forgive
us if and when we return to him.
Mortal and venial sins. Not all actual sins are alike; they are differentiated both by their gravity, or seriousness, and by
the culpability of the person committing them. The Church accordingly distinguishes between mortal sins and venial sins.
Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with him. At the same time it damages communion
with the Church. For this reason conversion entails both God’s forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church, which are
expressed and accomplished liturgically by the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. 176 (CCC 1440)

A mortal sin is grave offense against God that destroys a person’s relationship with him by severing him or her from
divine love. It “destroys charity in the heart of man. . . . [I]t turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his
beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him” (CCC 1855).
Mortal sin breaks or destroys the relationship between God and the sinner, alienating the person from the divine life
of God and from the Church. Consequently, those who die in a state of deliberate and unrepentant mortal sin, having chosen to
be separated from God in this life, will be separated from him for all eternity. This state of eternal separation from God is called
Hell.
Mortal sin also alienates us from the Sacraments, including the Eucharist, which we may not receive again until we
have obtained absolution in the Sacrament of Penance. It also diminishes our natural desire to do good and allows us to be
influenced by disordered affections and powers, which lead us to further sin and separation from God.
For a sin to be considered mortal, three conditions must be met:177
— the sinful act must be a grave, or serious, matter as defined by the Church;
— the individual committing the sin must have full knowledge that the act is serious, i.e., that it will separate him or
her from God and his Church; and
— the sinner must freely choose to commit the act, knowing these consequences.

CLOSE UP
An Act of Contrition
Within the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, one of the acts of the
penitent is to show contrition for sins by means of an Act of Contrition. One of the best known
is the Confiteor (“I confess . . .”) prayed at Mass and in other liturgies.
There are many Acts of Contrition. Following are a few of the most popular:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins, because I
dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell; but most of all because they offend you, my
God, who are all-good and deserving of all of my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your
grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you,
whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with the help of your grace, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid
whatever leads me to sin. Our savior, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us; in his name, my God, have mercy. Amen.
My Lord, I am heartily sorry for all my sins; help me to live like Jesus and not sin again. Amen.
O God, I am sorry that I have sinned against you. Because you are so good, and with your help, I will try not to sin again. Amen.

A venial sin, by contrast, is an act that transgresses the moral law but does not meet all three of the conditions for
mortal sin. A sin is venial if the act is not a grave matter, if the sinner was not aware that it was a grave matter, or if the act was
not committed with full consent. Venial sin thus damages — but does not sever — our relationship with God; venial sin,
therefore, does not in itself put us in danger of Hell.
Nevertheless, venial sins must not be dismissed as trivial in nature. If we allow venial sins to become vices (i.e., bad
habits), they can easily lead us to commit mortal sins. If we fail to battle small evils, we will find ourselves more likely to
commit greater evils.178
Sin creates a proclivity to sin; it engenders vice by repetition of the same acts. This results in perverse inclinations which
cloud conscience and corrupt the concrete judgment of good and evil. Thus sin tends to reproduce itself and reinforce itself,
but it cannot destroy the moral sense at its root. (CCC 1865)

175
Cf. CCC 1432.
176
Cf. LG 11.
177
Cf. RP 17 § 12.
178
Cf. CCC 1863.
29
 Frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation makes it easier for us to recognize and combat
venial sins. Through this Sacrament, God also provides us with actual grace to help us avoid sin in the future and to fortify our
union with Christ:
Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended
by the Church.179 Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies,
let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament
the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful: 180
Whoever confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined
with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear “man” — this is what God has made; when you
hear “sinner” — this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made.
. . . When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing
yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the
light.181 (CCC 1458)

When we sin by committing an act in violation of God’s Law, it is called a sin of commission. We refer to sin as an “act”
because it is something deliberately and freely chosen; nonetheless, sin is not always something we do. We can also sin by not
doing something we ought to do. When we sin by refusing to perform an act that is required or failing to act virtuously in a
given situation, it is called a sin of omission.

CLOSE UP
Characteristics of a Good Confession
In general, a “good Confession” has the following characteristics. It is:
— preceded by a thorough examination of conscience because — by a careful
recollection of our mortal and venial sins and our sins of omission and commission —
we are helped not only in remembering our sins but also in contemplating their
destructive nature, the harm they have done, how they have separated us from God,
and the regret we must feel for having committed them;
— concrete, i.e., without vague generalities;
— concise, i.e., simply stating our sins with humility;
— clear so the bishop or priest understands the moral weight of each sin, keeping in mind
appropriate modesty in our way of speaking or describing these sins; and
— complete, i.e., including every mortal sin since the last Confession and mortal sins not previously confessed, whether
voluntarily withheld or involuntarily forgotten.
If we have only venial sins, we should nevertheless foster true sorrow for them; contrition is necessary for the effectiveness of
the Sacrament.

The Church also recognizes seven Capital Sins, so called because they are at the “head” (in Latin, capita) of all other
sins. The Capital Sins are pride, avarice, envy, anger, lust, gluttony, and sloth. These sins indicate disordered interior
dispositions, which often lead to further serious sins. For example, the sin of pride can commonly lead to a loss of a sense of sin
and to an erroneous conscience, which is characterized by increasing difficulty to distinguish right from wrong and good from
evil.
Although a sin is a personal act, we also are culpable for the sins committed by others insofar as we cooperated with
their sin by participating with the act; by praising or encouraging the sin; or by protecting, covering up for, or failing to hinder
the sin of another person. We will delve into the question of cooperation in sin in a later chapter.
Old Testament roots. Sin has afflicted all human beings since the Fall of Adam and Eve. Throughout salvation history,
God has consistently and repeatedly sought ways to reconcile us with himself. In the Old Testament, God established a
covenant with his people through Moses and provided ritual sacrifice as a means to atone for sin. He also gave his Chosen
People the Ten Commandments and warned them of the consequences of failing to observe his Law.
Hope for redemption and forgiveness is a perennial theme in the Old Testament. The Psalmist extolled the forgiveness of the
Lord on many occasions:
The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger for ever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor requite us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (Ps 103: 8– 12)

The prophets exhorted the People of God to repentance and foretold the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah wrote of a
wounded healer, a Suffering Servant, who would deliver the Chosen People from their injuries and iniquities:
Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have
made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you so that he does not hear. (Is 59: 1–
2)

St. John the Baptist, whom Christians recognize as the last of the prophets, preached the urgent need to repent from
sin,182 and he recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah, proclaiming to the crowds, “‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world!’”183

179
Cf. Council of Trent: DS 1680; CIC, can. 988 § 2.
180
Cf. Lk 6: 36.
181
St. Augustine, In Jo. Ev. 12, 13: PL 35, 1491.
182
Cf. Mk 1: 4, 15; Mt 3: 2; Lk 3: 3.
183
Jn 1: 29.
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 CLOSE UP
Sins of Omission
In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Christ described the judgment that awaits those who sin by
omission, i.e., failing to do good when they ought to have done so:
“The King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you
did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave
me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in
prison and you did not visit me.’
“Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister
to thee?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go
away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Mt 25: 40– 46)
The word “omission” is derived from the Latin ob- and mittere, which mean “to let [something] go down.” For this reason in the Confiteor
(“I confess . . .”) at the beginning of Mass in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, we acknowledge publicly and ask forgiveness because “I
have greatly sinned . . . in what I have done and in what I have failed to do.”184

Instituted by Christ. The call to conversion was an essential part of Christ’s proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Our
Lord calls us not only to the fundamental conversion of Baptism but also to the daily conversion of Christian discipleship. We
must continually respond to God’s grace, always centering our lives on Christ and striving for holiness and eternal life in
Heaven.
Only God can forgive sins. Christ frequently forgave the sins of those he encountered during his earthly ministry.
Through his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, Christ forgave the sins of all people and made possible our eternal
union with God in Heaven. He calls each person to an interior conversion and repentance, which is to be manifested in
external, sensible ways.
Jesus’ call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, “sackcloth
and ashes,” fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. Without this, such penances
remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance. 185
(CCC 1430)

Christ not only forgave sins but also revealed the effects of God’s forgiveness. Sin separates us from communion with
both God and the People of God, which is his Church. By forgiving his or her sins, Christ welcomes the forgiven sinner into the
community of the faithful, the Communion of Saints.186
Christ delegated to his Apostles, the first bishops and priests of his Church, the power to forgive sins in his name. In
doing this, he gave them the authority to reconcile sinners with the Church and “to be the sign and instrument of the
forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his blood.” 187
Christ had foreshadowed this central role of his Church in the forgiveness of sins when he told St. Peter, “‘I will give
you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth shall be loosed in heaven.’”188 As the Catechism teaches:
The words bind and loose mean: whomever you exclude from your communion, will be excluded from communion with
God; whomever you receive anew into your communion, God will welcome back into his. Reconciliation with the Church
is inseparable from reconciliation with God. (CCC 1445)

Christ instituted the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation during one of his post-Resurrection appearances in the
Upper Room:
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them,
and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any,
they are retained” (Jn 20: 19, 22– 23).

CLOSE UP
Confessing Mortal Sins
In order to be restored to the state of grace through the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, the
penitent must have contrition and purpose of amendment, confessing all mortal sins both in kind and
number.
The confession of the kind of sin involves a description that allows the bishop or priest to assess the
gravity of the sin and the penitent’s culpability. For example, there is a difference in gravity between
saying, “I was uncharitable toward a coworker,” and confessing, “I screamed a profane and racist insult at
my coworker and afterward gossiped about her behind her back.” Again, there is a difference between
saying, “I have been impure,” and revealing, “I spend several hours each week looking at pornography on
the Internet and was unfaithful to my wife during a business trip last weekend.”
A penitent should also indicate the number of times he or she committed each kind of mortal sin so as to
confess all sins and to recognize habitual sins that may require special attention.

Celebrating the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the Rite of Penance is normally celebrated in a church, usually in a small room
called a confessional, or a reconciliation room. With good reason, however, confessions can be heard almost anywhere, 189 and
there are many situations where confessions are heard in less formal settings such as communal penance services in which
multiple bishops or priests are hearing confessions. No matter the location, confessions are always heard with respect to the
privacy and anonymity of the penitent.
184
Roman Missal, Third Edition, Penitential Act, no. 4.
185
Cf. Jl 2: 12– 13; Is 1: 16– 17; Mt 6: 1– 6; 16– 18.
186
Cf. CCC 1443.
187
CCC 1442.
188
Mt 16: 19; cf. CCC 1442, 1444.
189
Cf. CIC, can. 964 § 2– 3.
31
 Who may receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation? Any baptized Catholic may receive the Sacrament of
Penance. Most parishes have scheduled times each week or even every day when a bishop or priest is available to hear
confessions, and every priest is expected to be reasonably available upon request.
The Church requires every Catholic over the age of reason to confess his or her mortal sins at least once per year.
Persons who are aware of unconfessed mortal sins, moreover, may not receive the other Sacraments, including the Eucharist,
until they have been absolved in the Sacrament of Penance. Additionally, children in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church are
required to have confessed their sins before they receive their First Holy Communion. 190
Matter, form, and minister. The matter of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is the “acts of the penitent”
— specifically, the contrition, confession, and satisfaction of the penitent.
— Contrition is a true sorrow for having sinned and can be described as either perfect or imperfect. Perfect contrition
is sorrow that arises out of love for God; imperfect contrition, or attrition, is sorrow that arises out of a fear of
eternal damnation or a consciousness of the “ugliness” of sin. Perfect contrition is obviously preferable, but
imperfect contrition does indicate a conversion of heart and a desire to make amends for sin. 191 Lack of substantial
contrition will render the Sacrament ineffective for the penitent’s soul.

CLOSE UP
The Necessity of Confession
Many have questioned why God chooses to forgive mortal sins through the celebration of
the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. It is true that Christ can forgive mortal sins
however he pleases; he is not constrained by the Sacraments that he himself instituted. As
his followers, however, we cannot pick and choose how to be forgiven according to our
preferences; instead, we must follow the means given to us by Christ for our salvation.
Christ instituted the Sacrament of Penance by instructing his Apostles to forgive sins. 192 The
penitent, therefore, must seek God’s forgiveness in the Church through her bishops, the
successors to the Apostles. A bishop or his priest can absolve us of our sins as long as we
show contrition for those sins and resolve to sin no more.
In addition to the spiritual benefits of the Sacrament, a personal, auricular confession of sins corresponds to the nature of the
human person. We all have the need to unburden ourselves and to open our hearts, especially regarding actions that inflict
painful guilt and regret. What better way is there to gain the assurance of forgiveness and the knowledge of unconditional divine
love than in hearing the words of Christ himself, spoken by his minister, “Your sins are forgiven”? 193
In light of the marvelous benefits of a personal, auricular confession of sins, everyone should avail him- or herself habitually and
frequently of this Sacrament. Joy, peace of mind, better preparation to receive Christ in Holy Communion, and greater sensitivity
of conscience are a few of the benefits that result from the reception of this Sacrament.

— Confession is the disclosure of sins to the priest within the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. The Church
recommends a thorough examination of conscience before participating in the Sacrament. The Church also calls
upon the penitent to confess all unforgiven mortal sins (i.e., mortal sins committed since the last Confession) both in
kind and number, that is, to name each sin and state how many times it was committed. Confessing all mortal sins in
kind and number is necessary for a valid Confession. Consciously concealing mortal sins in Confession constitutes
an obstacle to the reception of the Sacrament:
“When Christ’s faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the
divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine
goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, ‘for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the
doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know.’”194 (CCC 1456)

If a mortal sin is not confessed because of involuntary forgetfulness, the absolution remains effective even though the
Confession lacked material integrity. If the penitent, however, later remembers this sin, he or she should confess it at the next
reception of the Sacrament. Ordinarily, proper preparation for Confession and a good examination of conscience will prevent
any serious sins from being forgotten or neglected.
— Satisfaction is the fulfillment of the penance itself; it completes the matter of the Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation. The bishop or priest will impose some kind of penance upon the penitent — usually prayers, works of
mercy, sacrifices, service to a neighbor, and the like. The penance may include restitution if the harm done to a person
can be remedied, especially in sins of theft, property damage, or harm to another’s reputation. Sincere completion of
the penance will make satisfaction for the sins committed and must be accomplished as soon as possible, ideally
immediately after the Rite of Penance is concluded.
Many sins wrong our neighbor. One must do what is possible in order to repair the harm (e.g., return stolen goods,
restore the reputation of someone slandered, pay compensation for injuries). Simple justice requires as much. But sin also
injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationships with God and neighbor. Absolution takes away sin, but it
does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. 195 Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health
by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must “make satisfaction for” or “expiate” his sins. This satisfaction is
also called “penance.” (CCC 1459)

190
Cf. CCC 1457.
191
Cf. CCC 1451, 1452, 1453.
192
Cf. Jn 20: 23.
193
Mt 9: 2; Mk 2: 5; Lk 5: 20; 7: 48; cf. 1 Jn 2: 12.
194
Council of Trent (1551): DS 1680 (ND 1626); cf. St. Jerome, In Eccl. 10, 11: PL 23: 1096.
195
Cf. Council of Trent (1551): DS 1712.
32
 CLOSE UP
A Guilty Conscience
Some people associate the Catholic Church with guilt. Such people frequently think the Church makes
unreasonable demands on how her members — and, for that matter, all people — should act. When
people fail to live up to these standards, the Church foists upon them a “guilty conscience” and makes
them admit how they have sinned, causing humiliation and shame.
But this is not the case. Every person has a sense of right and wrong. (The very fact some people think
it is wrong for the Church to uphold standards of conduct is proof in itself they have senses of right and
wrong, though improperly formed.) The guilty feelings we experience as a consequence of sin come
not from some person or group outside ourselves but from within. We know in our hearts that we have
done wrong and that we have offended other people and the Lord because our consciences tell us so.
We need to reconcile with them.
By having instituted the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, Christ works through his Church to
offer us healing and a way to clear our consciences. God gives us every opportunity to turn back to him as well as actual grace to avoid sin.
We feel guilty because we are guilty. If we have been completely honest with the bishop or priest in Confession and have true contrition for our
sins, we will experience a peace in our consciences that is far more powerful than the feeling of guilt. We have reconciled with the Lord and all
people!

The form of the Sacrament is the words of absolution uttered by the minister, which are discussed below.
The minister of the Sacrament is a bishop or priest. Furthermore, the minister cannot divulge to anyone what he learns
through the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance; this is called the seal of confession.
The Rite of Penance. In the early centuries of Christian history, the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation was
generally celebrated publicly, and those who had committed grave sins were given severe penances to be performed over a
long period of time. In the seventh century the Sacrament came to be celebrated privately. Despite this change, the
fundamental structure of the Sacrament of Penance has remained the same: the penitent expresses contrition, confesses his or
her sins, and makes satisfaction for those sins; the bishop or priest absolves the penitent of his or her sins. 196
Individual, auricular, and secret Confession is the ordinary method for celebrating the Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation.197 Confession is individual because sin is personal, so it is appropriate that sins should be forgiven in a personal
manner. Confession is auricular because the Sacrament involves a judgment, and the bishop or priest (acting as judge in the
Person of Christ the Head) needs to hear the penitent’s sins in order to absolve them and to apply a satisfactory penance.
Finally, Confession is secret because the penitent must be able to accuse him- or herself of personal sin without fear of
defamation or public scandal.
The tradition in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. The penitent may kneel behind a screen or grill, which enhances
anonymity, or meet face-to-face with the bishop or priest, often sitting in a chair. After the Sign of the Cross and an opening
prayer or Scripture reading, the penitent should ask for forgiveness and state how long it has been since his or her last
Confession. The penitent then confesses his or her sins, stating clearly the kind and number of sins committed. The minister
may ask questions to clarify the gravity or culpability of some sins, and he may offer some pastoral advice to help avoid sin in
the future.
The penitent then sincerely makes an Act of Contrition, a prayer stating his or her sorrow for sin and resolution to
avoid sin in the future. The bishop or priest will then raise his hand and pronounce the words of absolution:
God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and the resurrection of his Son,
has reconciled the world to himself
and sent the Holy Spirit among us
for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church
may God grant you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.198

After a closing prayer and the Sign of the Cross, the penitent leaves the confessional, or reconciliation room, to
perform the assigned penance.
Like all the sacraments, Penance is a liturgical action. The elements of the celebration are ordinarily these: a greeting and
blessing from the priest, reading the word of God to illuminate the conscience and elicit contrition, and an exhortation to
repentance; the confession, which acknowledges sins and makes them known to the priest; the imposition and acceptance
of a penance; the priest’s absolution; a prayer of thanksgiving and praise and dismissal with the blessing of the priest.
(CCC 1480)

In addition to the penance received in Confession, one should practice the virtue of penance. The virtue of penance is
the habit of mortification; personal prayer; almsgiving; helping the poor and needy; fasting; and accepting our daily crosses in
order to strengthen ourselves against temptation, guard against sin, and grow closer to God.
Canon law allows for the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation to be celebrated in two other, less common forms. In a
communal penance service, a group of penitents prepares for Confession together, and then each penitent individually
confesses to a bishop or priest before returning to give thanks for God’s forgiveness communally. The Catechism describes
such a service as follows:
The sacrament of Penance can also take place in the framework of a communal celebration in which we prepare ourselves
together for confession and give thanks together for the forgiveness received. Here, the personal confession of sins and
individual absolution are inserted into a liturgy of the word of God with readings and a homily, an examination of
conscience conducted in common, a communal request for forgiveness, the Our Father and a thanksgiving in common.

196
Cf. CCC 1447, 1448.
197
Cf. CCC 1484.
198
Order of Penance, “Rite for Reconciliation of Individual Penitents,” no. 46.
33
 This communal celebration expresses more clearly the ecclesial character of penance. However, regardless of its manner of
celebration the sacrament of Penance is always, by its very nature, a liturgical action, and therefore an ecclesial and public
action.199 (CCC 1482)

Even rarer is general absolution, whereby under extraordinary and grave circumstances, a bishop or priest may
pronounce absolution over a group of penitents without having heard their confessions individually:
In case of grave necessity recourse may be had to a communal celebration of reconciliation with general confession and
general absolution. Grave necessity of this sort can arise when there is imminent danger of death without sufficient time
for the priest or priests to hear each penitent’s confession. Grave necessity can also exist when, given the number of
penitents, there are not enough confessors to hear individual confessions properly in a reasonable time, so that the penitents
through no fault of their own would be deprived of sacramental grace or Holy Communion for a long time. In this case, for
the absolution to be valid the faithful must have the intention of individually confessing their grave sins in the time
required.200 The diocesan bishop is the judge of whether or not the conditions required for general absolution exist. 201 A
large gathering of the faithful on the occasion of major feasts or pilgrimages does not constitute a case of grave necessity. 202
(CCC 1483)

CLOSE UP
God Stands Ready to Forgive
No matter how often we sin or how seriously we sin, God stands ready to forgive us when we seek him in the
Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. He also actively seeks us when we are lost, watching and hoping for
our return. Christ illustrated this truth in several of his parables, particularly the Parable of the Prodigal Son 203
and the Parable of the Lost Sheep.204
The Parable of the Prodigal Son is the story of a young man who collected his inheritance from his father and
traveled far from home to live on his own. He quickly squandered his money and found himself impoverished,
working a menial job, and starving. He then decided to return home to his father, beg his forgiveness, and ask to
be accepted not as his son but as one of his hired hands. As he approached his home, however, his father, who
had been watching for his return, saw his son from a distance and rushed out to meet him, giving him a warm and
celebratory welcome, forgiving everything, and rejoicing that his son had come back to him.
Interpreting this parable in the allegorical sense, 205 the father is God, and the Prodigal Son is a person who separates him- or herself from God
through sin and wastes the great gifts he or she has been given. Living apart from God is unfulfilling and disastrous, and the son finally regrets his
foolishness and returns home repentant. The father, like God, has been eagerly awaiting and actively seeking his return. He also gives us all the
graces we need to return to him, and when we do, he forgives any and all of the sins that we have committed against him for which we are truly
contrite.
In the Parable of the Lost Sheep, Christ described a shepherd who, when one of his 100 sheep went missing, left the flock to look for the one who
was lost. He finally found the lost sheep and returned it to the fold. Christ taught that there is more rejoicing in Heaven for the one sinner who
repents than for the ninety-nine who have no need of repentance.
Interpreting this parable also in the allegorical sense, this is how our relationship with God is. He beckons us to turn away from sin and share in his
divine life, and he offers his forgiveness — won through the death of Christ on the Cross — for our sins. We cannot receive his forgiveness,
however, unless we are contrite and resolve to begin a new life and avoid all sin.

Effects of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

When received with proper sorrow, contrition, and a commitment to conversion, the Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation is the ordinary means by which God forgives mortal and venial sins committed after Baptism, reconciles us with
himself and the Church, and strengthens us against future temptation. In the Sacrament of Penance, we continually “put on the
Lord Jesus Christ,” as St. Paul urged the Romans.206
— Penance forgives our mortal sins; returns us to the state of grace, or justification; allows us to return to Holy
Communion; and removes the eternal punishment (Hell) that would have been due for these mortal sins.
— Penance forgives our venial sins and remits a portion of the temporal punishment due for sin, which would have
to be satisfied on earth or in Purgatory.
— Penance reconciles us to God and to the Church, restores us to God’s divine life of grace, grants us peace of
conscience, and provides us spiritual consolation.
— Penance strengthens us by conferring actual graces to help avoid sin in the future.

II. The Sacrament of the Anointing Of The Sick

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is the Sacrament of Healing that gives health to the soul — and sometimes to the
body — by prayer and anointing with oil. Its purpose is to confer a special grace on Christians who suffer from grave illness,
injury, or old age.
“By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the
suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the
good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ.” 207 (CCC 1499)

Old Testament roots. Sickness, like sin itself, has been experienced by all human beings since the Fall. The Old
Testament People of God often linked illness to sin and associated repentance with healing.
The man of the Old Testament lives his sickness in the presence of God. It is before God that he laments his illness, and it
is of God, Master of life and death, that he implores healing. 208 Illness becomes a way to conversion; God’s forgiveness

199
Cf. SC 26– 27.
200
Cf. CIC, can. 962 § 1.
201
Cf. CIC, can. 961 § 2.
202
Cf. CIC, can. 961 § 1.
203
Cf. Lk 15: 11– 32.
204
Cf. Lk 15: 1– 7.
205
Cf. “Interpreting Scripture: The Spiritual Sense,” Chapter 2.
206
Rom 13: 14; cf. St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 310.
207
LG 11; cf. Jas 5: 14– 16; Rom 8: 17; Col 1: 24; 2 Tm 2: 11– 12; 1 Pt 4: 13.
208
Cf. Ps 6: 3; 38; Is 38.
34
 initiates the healing.209 It is the experience of Israel that illness is mysteriously linked to sin and evil, and that faithfulness
to God according to his law restores life: “For I am the Lord, your healer.” 210 The prophet intuits that suffering can also
have a redemptive meaning for the sins of others. 211 Finally Isaiah announces that God will usher in a time for Zion when
he will pardon every offense and heal every illness.212 (CCC 1502)

Vestiges of this belief are still evident in the New Testament when, for example, Christ met a blind beggar. “[Christ’s]
disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’” 213
Instituted by Christ. Although suffering is intimately connected to sin, personal suffering is not a direct consequence of
personal sin in the way the Jews had imagined. In the modern era we recognize that a person’s health, fortune, and general
well-being are not tied to his or her own sins or the sins of his or her family. Rather, everyone suffers because of Original Sin,
which has disordered human nature and our appetites in such a way that we continue to be vulnerable to sin. By not seeking
what is good and holy, we cause ourselves and others to sin. The human suffering resulting from sin, however, is not
distributed to each individual in proportion to his or her guilt. In what is a great mystery, the innocent often suffer most and
the guilty suffer least.
The Gospels record many instances of Christ curing people. The Apostles, moreover, shared in this healing ministry
while Christ was on earth:
All those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to [Jesus]; and he laid his hands on every one of
them and healed them. (Lk 4: 40)

[Jesus] called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. .
. . So they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that
were sick and healed them. (Mk 6: 7, 12– 13)

Jesus healed people both to demonstrate that he is the Messiah and to show compassion with their suffering. All
Christians are called to emulate this compassion by caring for the sick and suffering.
Christ’s compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that “God has
visited his people”214 and that the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Jesus has the power not only to heal, but also to forgive
sins;215 he has come to heal the whole man, soul and body; he is the physician the sick have need of. 216 His compassion
toward all who suffer goes so far that he identifies himself with them: “I was sick and you visited me.” 217 His preferential
love for the sick has not ceased through the centuries to draw the very special attention of Christians toward all those who
suffer in body and soul. It is the source of tireless efforts to comfort them. (CCC 1503)

Christ’s healing actions show us that the Kingdom of God has indeed come upon us. The Kingdom of God, moreover, is
not limited to physical healing; it brings spiritual healing and victory over sin and death through the Death of Christ on the
Cross. Christ’s Passion and Death reveal that suffering, understood properly, can make us more like him and unite us to his
redemptive acts.
Christ invites his disciples to follow him by taking up their cross in their turn. 218 By following him they acquire a new
outlook on illness and the sick. Jesus associates them with his own life of poverty and service. He makes them share in his
ministry of compassion and healing: “So they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many
demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.”219 (CCC 1506)

As St. James testified, Christ perpetuates his healing ministry through the Church:
Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed
sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (Jas
5: 14– 16)

Celebration of the Anointing of the Sick

Who may receive the Anointing of the Sick? Because in previous generations the administration of the Sacrament of
the Anointing of the Sick was so closely associated with impending death, it was referred to as Extreme Unction (from the
Latin extremus, meaning “utmost” or “end” because it was given at the last end of the recipient’s life). It was commonly offered
together with the Sacraments of Penance and Reconciliation and the Eucharist to a dying individual in a celebration known as
the Last Rites.
The Anointing of the Sick, however, is not reserved for those who are on their deathbed. The Church encourages the
reception of this Sacrament by those about to undergo a serious surgical operation and those suffering an illness or injury
from which there is a danger of death. It is important that a person in danger of death be informed of his or her medical
situation so that he or she may prepare for death and make final peace with God. This Sacrament may be received more than
once if the recipient’s condition worsens or if he or she suffers a new, serious illness.
To receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick fruitfully, the recipient must be in the state of grace. The
Anointing of the Sick should not be administered to those who are obstinately unrepentant of known mortal sin, 220 and if there

209
Cf. Ps 32: 5; 38: 5; 39: 9, 12; 107: 20; cf. Mk 2: 5– 12.
210
Ex 15: 26.
211
Cf. Is 53: 11.
212
Cf. Is 33: 24.
213
Jn 9: 2.
214
Lk 7: 16; cf. Mt 4: 24.
215
Cf. Mk 2: 5– 12.
216
Cf. Mk 2: 17.
217
Mt 25: 36.
218
Cf. Mt 10: 38.
219
Mk 6: 12– 13.
220
Cf. CIC, can. 1007.
35
is doubt on this issue, the Sacrament may be administered conditionally. Ideally, when administered to a gravely ill person, the
Anointing of the Sick should be celebrated immediately after the Sacrament of Penance and should be followed by reception of
the Sacrament of the Eucharist.221 Such a reception of Holy Communion is known as Viaticum, a Latin word meaning literally
“with you on the way”; it refers to provisions a person takes on a journey, in this case, the journey from earth to Heaven. The
celebration of these three Sacraments is the Church’s traditional way to prepare a gravely ill individual for his or her final
hours of suffering and eventual death.
The recipient of the Anointing of the Sick must have attained the age of reason, about seven years of age. Since sin
requires an act of the will, a person cannot sin before the age of reason; only a person who is capable of sinning has need of
this Sacrament.
The Sacrament may be given to a person who is unconscious or in a coma on condition that he or she has been
baptized and was aware of the penalty for dying without repentance for sins. It is, furthermore, permissible to anoint
conditionally the bodies of people who have just died; those who have been pronounced clinically dead are sometimes found
later to be still alive, and vital signs cannot always be detected reliably in emergency situations.
Matter, form, and minister. The matter of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is the Oil of the Sick and the laying on of
hands. The Oil of the Sick is olive oil 222 blessed by the bishop. Along with the Oil of Catechumens and Sacred Chrism, it is one of
the three Holy Oils that, in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, is consecrated by the bishop at the Chrism Mass on Holy
Thursday.
The form of the Sacrament in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church is the following prayer:
Through this holy anointing
may the Lord in his love and mercy help you
with the grace of the Holy Spirit.
May the Lord who frees you from sin
save you and raise you up.223

The minister of the Sacrament is a bishop or priest.

The Rite of the Anointing of the Sick in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. The celebration of this Sacrament is not a
private act but a communal liturgy. For this reason many parishes offer communal celebrations of the Sacrament in the church,
inviting those who are sick and infirm so the whole local community can pray for them and join in their joy of receiving
spiritual and even physical healing.
Like all the sacraments the Anointing of the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration, 224 whether it
takes place in the family home, a hospital or church, for a single sick person or a whole group of sick
persons. (CCC 1517)
As noted above, this Sacrament is typically celebrated together with Penance and the Eucharist. The Rite of the
Anointing of the Sick itself begins with a reading from Scripture. The bishop or priest then lays his hands on the recipient in
silence, praying over him or her “in the faith of the Church” and calling upon the healing power of God.
The minister then anoints the sick person on the forehead and both hands with oil while saying the prayer, “Through
this holy anointing . . .” as above, and, depending on local traditions and the condition of the recipient, he “may anoint
additional parts of the body, for example, the area of pain or injury.” 225 If the hands of the person cannot be anointed, the
forehead alone may be anointed; in case of grave necessity, any part of the body may be anointed.

Effects of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is not necessary to the Christian life in the sense of “necessary for
salvation,” but it does assist us in seeking salvation. It should be welcomed if available. Pastors should instruct the faithful
about the benefits of this Sacrament, and the faithful should encourage the sick, the infirm, those facing surgery, and their
caretakers to contact a bishop or priest to receive the Anointing as soon as there is any danger of death. 226 To deprive a person
in danger of death of this Sacrament is a grave matter.
Like all the Sacraments, the Anointing of the Sick imparts special graces to those who receive it:
— The Anointing of the Sick unites the recipient to the Passion of Christ as he or she offers up any physical and
psychological pain for his or her good and the good of the Church.
— The Anointing of the Sick provides strength, peace, and courage to endure the sufferings of illness or old age in a
Christian manner.
— The Anointing of the Sick forgives sins and reduces or removes the temporal punishment due for sin if the recipient
has true contrition but is unable to receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.
— The Anointing of the Sick restores sanctifying grace if the recipient has committed mortal sin and is truly penitent.
— The Anointing of the Sick can restore health if it is good for the salvation of the recipient’s soul.
— The Anointing of the Sick spiritually prepares the recipient for death and entry into eternal life in Heaven.
Those people facing death need the grace of God to ensure that they accept the death that
God has permitted them to suffer. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick gives them the peace
and power necessary to resist the Devil as they face passage from this world to the next.

221
Cf. CCC 1517.
222
Olive oil is traditionally used, but any vegetable oil is permissible.
223
Pastoral Care of the Sick, “Anointing outside Mass,” no. 124; cf. CIC, can. 847 § 1.
224
Cf. SC 27.
225
Pastoral Care of the Sick, “Anointing outside Mass,” no. 125.
226
Cf. SC 75; cf. CCC 1515.
36
 Sickness and death can and should be a means for sanctifying ourselves, and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the
Sick helps give meaning to these painful realities of life. Christ invites all of us to take up the cross of facing death since doing
so will give us a new perspective on illness and suffering, which can then take on redemptive value. By accepting suffering for
the well-being of others, we imitate Christ our loving God, who accepted his Passion and Death for our salvation. When we
accept our own suffering, we help to spread the grace of God.

Conclusion
God is the perfect Father, and we are his adopted children by Baptism. When we sin, no matter how terrible the sin, he
waits for our return as if welcoming back the Prodigal Son, ready to rush out and greet us as we resolve to reconcile with him.
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is a wonderful gift. Just as we are empowered by Baptism and
Confirmation and nourished by the Eucharist, Christ instituted the Sacrament of Penance to cleanse and heal us. The more
frequently we receive this great Sacrament, the better equipped we will be during our lifelong struggle to grow in holiness and
to avoid sin out of love for God.
Many people fear death above all else. Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick so we may embrace
the Holy Spirit, follow the Son safely through death into the next life, and enter into the presence of the Father in Heaven for all
eternity. Those in any danger of death should receive this Sacrament without delay. When we embrace suffering out of love for
God, we prepare for the final reception of the Anointing of the Sick and can reduce our purification in Purgatory.
Reception of the Anointing of the Sick is encouraged for any illness, infirmity, or surgery that might occasion a danger
of death. Through this Sacrament, God provides us the grace to endure our cross and to unite it with Christ’s redemptive
Passion and Death for our intentions and the needs of others.

LESSON 6 | SACRAMENTS AT THE SERVICE OF COMMUNION: HOLY ORDERS

Learning Outcomes: Students can aware the essential aspects of the sacrament of Holy Orders and about the priestly vocation.

LESSON CONTENT
At Our Service
Many people, including some Catholics, hold a negative view of the Church hierarchy. They imagine that the Pope and
bishops have all the authority and responsibility in the Church, exercising it over all her members through their priests and
deacons. Lay men and women — according to this interpretation — have no power, and their only responsibility is dutiful,
financial, and prayerful support of the clergy and the various institutions of the Church.
This erroneous view, however, fails to understand correctly the vocation and identity of those called to Holy Orders.
In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, bishops are ordained and given the grave responsibility of ensuring that the pastoral and
spiritual needs of the faithful in their dioceses are met. To assist them in this service, they ordain priests and deacons who
dedicate their lives to the service of the People of God, especially through the celebration of the Sacraments and works of
charity.
It is true that bishops, priests, and deacons have the power to celebrate the Sacraments as the Church’s earthly
ministers. It is critical to remember, nevertheless, that such power is given to them by Christ through the Sacrament of Holy
Orders; they are empowered to meet the pastoral and spiritual needs of the faithful, ultimately to bring everyone into
communion with Christ in the Blessed Trinity. Thus, a bishop, priest, or deacon’s power must be viewed as a great
responsibility, for he is called by Christ to serve the People of God in their quest to grow in holiness and one day share in
eternal life in Heaven. Thus rightly seen, it is particularly appropriate that the Pope, who is the Vicar of Christ on earth, is also
called the “Servant of the Servants of God.”

The Sacrament of Holy Orders

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is a Sacrament at the Service of Communion, which Christ instituted and entrusted to
his Church in order to pass on the ministries of deacon, priest, and bishop until the end of time. Through the ordained ministry
— particularly the offices of bishop and priest — the presence of Christ as Head of the Church is made visible among the
People of God.227
Service to others is an essential element of the universal call to holiness. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, every
member of the Church is made a sharer in Christ’s mission of priest, prophet, and king; this baptismal vocation is referred to as
the common priesthood of the faithful. The common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood (comprised of
bishops, priests, and deacons) both participate in the one priesthood of the Eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ.
There is, however, an essential difference between the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial
priesthood. Members of the lay faithful exercise the common priesthood within their particular states in life, seeking to bring
others into union with Christ by prayer and example in their work, friendships, and family. Priests, bishops, and deacons
exercise the ministerial priesthood in the liturgical and sacramental celebrations of the Church thus serving the common
priesthood. The Catechism describes the relationship between the common priesthood and ministerial priesthood in these
words:
The ministerial or hierarchical priesthood of bishops and priests, and the common priesthood of all the faithful participate,
“each in its own proper way, in the one priesthood of Christ.” While being “ordered one to another,” they differ
essentially.228 In what sense? While the common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace
— a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the Spirit —, the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the
227
Cf. LG 21.
228
LG 10 § 2.
37
 common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians. The ministerial priesthood is a
means by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads his Church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own sacrament,
the sacrament of Holy Orders. (CCC 1547)

CLOSE UP
An Examination of Conscience
This examination of conscience is based on the Sacrament of Holy Orders:
— Do I remember to pray for all deacons, priests, and bishops, especially those who serve
my parish and diocese?
— Do I receive the Sacraments in humility and openness to grace, recognizing that it is
Christ who is acting through his deacon, priest, or bishop?
— Do I respect the role of my bishop as my pastor, looking past any personal failings to
see Christ?
— Do I take seriously my own vocation in my present state of life?
— (for males) Do I consider prayerfully whether God is calling me to Holy Orders?

Not only does the ministerial priesthood make Christ present to the faithful but also it acts in the name of the entire
Church by presenting her prayers to God, most importantly the Eucharistic Sacrifice. 229
The ministerial priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ — Head of the Church — before the assembly
of the faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above
all when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice.230 (CCC 1552)
The one Sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred according to one of three different degrees, or levels, each differing in
its responsibilities, powers, and authorities. The three degrees of Holy Orders are the episcopacy (bishops), the presbyterate
(priests), and the diaconate (deacons).
Bishops participate in the fullness of the priesthood of Christ. The word “bishop” is derived from the Greek episkopos,
which means “overseer.” Every bishop is appointed by the Pope as a successor of the Twelve Apostles, and his sacred vocation
is to sanctify, teach, and govern the Church, usually by overseeing a diocese:
Bishops, who by divine institution succeed to the place of the Apostles through the Holy Spirit who has been given to
them, are constituted pastors in the Church, so that they are teachers of doctrine, priests of sacred worship, and ministers of
governance. (CIC, 375 § 1)

As teachers of the Faith, bishops instruct the members of the Church in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. United
with the Pope, who is the successor of St. Peter, the bishops as a body can exercise the Magisterium, the teaching office of the
Church, which is infallible in matters of faith and morals.
Bishops possess the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders and thus have the authority to administer all of the
Sacraments (except Matrimony in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, at which he can preside). In the celebration of the
Sacraments, a bishop acts in persona Christi capitis (“in the Person of Christ the Head”). Only bishops may confer Holy Orders,
and as such, they are responsible for handing on the sacramental power that Christ gave to his Apostles so the Church might be
sanctified in every age until he comes again at the end of time.
Bishops, finally, are ordained to govern the Church. The Pope appoints a bishop over each diocese. A diocese is a
particular, local Church that comprises part of the universal Church and within which “the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic
Church of Christ is truly present and operative.” 231 Although they ordain priests and deacons to assist them at most parishes,
each bishop is responsible for the parishes and the spiritual life of all Catholics in his diocese. (The Pope has immediate and
universal jurisdiction throughout the world, so he is ultimately responsible for all Catholics.)
United with his priests and deacons, a bishop perpetuates the ministry of Jesus Christ, proclaiming the Good News and
providing access to the life of grace through the Sacraments. Together with the Pope, the bishops comprise the episcopal
college, which is responsible for the good of the whole Church. This relationship between the Pope and the bishops mirrors
that of St. Peter and the Apostles in the early Church.
Priests are ordained to assist their bishops in preaching the Gospel, guiding the faithful, leading divine worship, and
celebrating the Sacraments. The word “priest” is derived from the Germanic priester, which comes from the Greek presbyter,
meaning “elder.”
In the celebration of the Sacraments, like his bishop a priest acts in persona Christi capitis (in the Person of Christ the
Head). Priests can administer the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation (when authorized by his bishop), the Eucharist,
Penance, and the Anointing of the Sick; they can administer the Sacrament of Matrimony in the Eastern Rites of the Catholic
Church and preside at Matrimony in the Latin Rite. They cannot, however, celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which is
reserved to bishops.
The highest act of the office of priest is offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. By means of the power of the Holy Spirit
conferred upon him in the Sacrament of Holy Orders, a priest can confect the Eucharistic bread and wine into the Body and
Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Eucharist nourishes everyone in the Church, who is the Mystical Body of Christ, and unites
her with her Head, our Lord, the Eternal High Priest.
Diocesan priests are co-workers with their bishops in sanctifying the Church 232 and, therefore, share in her worldwide
mission. Diocesan priests exercise their ministry in union with and dependence on the local bishop, to whom they promise
obedience during the Rite of Ordination. Every diocesan priest is united to his bishop and to all other priests in the diocese in
which he serves. Religious priests, who serve in particular religious communities (such as the Benedictines, Dominicans, or

229
Cf. CCC 1552.
230
Cf. SC 33N; LG 10.
231
CIC, 369.
232
Cf. CCC 1562.
38
Franciscans), pledge obedience not to their diocesan bishops but to their religious superiors, through whom they are united to
the other members of their religious community.
In addition to celebrating the Sacraments, priests fulfill many important roles in the life of the Church. Their whole
lives are devoted to the service of the People of God, administering parishes, teaching in schools and universities, performing
various acts of charity, and defending the most vulnerable members of society.
Deacons are ordained to assist their bishops, to whom they are united through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and
their priests. The word “deacon” is derived from the Greek diakonos, which means “servant,” and Christ calls deacons to a life
of service to his Church.
At Mass, deacons read the Gospel and assist in the distribution of Holy Communion. Although deacons cannot
celebrate most of the Sacraments they can celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism and, in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church,
preside over the Sacrament of Matrimony if it is celebrated outside of Mass. Additionally, deacons perform various acts of
service and charity within their dioceses, including presiding over the Liturgy of the Hours and Exposition and Benediction of
the Blessed Sacrament, preparing couples for Matrimony, consoling the bereaved, blessing the faithful, and facilitating parish
ministries.
Though there is only one office of diaconate in Holy Orders, a particular deacon’s ministry will take one of two forms:
permanent or transitional.
— A permanent deacon intends to serve in this office for the rest of his life. If he is married at the time of his ordination,
he must have his wife’s permission, and should she die, he is not to remarry; if he is not married at the time of his
ordination, he vows publicly a life of celibacy.
— A transitional deacon intends to serve in this office for a time, usually six months to a year, before being ordained to
the priesthood. The focus of his diaconate is on preparation, priestly formation, and pastoral training.
Old Testament roots. Aaron, the brother of Moses, helped liberate the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and was appointed
by God to be the first priest of the Old Covenant. When God gave Moses the Law on Mt. Sinai, however, Aaron failed to prevent
the Israelites from practicing idolatry; moreover, he helped them forge a golden calf to worship in place of the one true God.
The members of the Tribe of Levi were the only Israelites to remain faithful to God during this episode, 233 and, as a result, he
established them as the priestly tribe for his Chosen People. Henceforth, the Levites performed the liturgical rituals for the
people in the tabernacle, the tentlike structure containing the Ark of the Covenant.
When the Israelites settled in the Promised Land and built the Temple in Jerusalem, the Levite priests were responsible
for leading worship, teaching, and guarding and maintaining the Temple.
The Book of Numbers also recounts the origin of the office of elders in the religious structure of Israel:
The Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people
and officers over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come
down and talk with you there; and I will take some of the spirit which is upon you and put it upon them; and they shall bear
the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.” (Nm 11: 16– 17)

Both the Levites and the seventy elders prefigure the priesthood of the New Covenant in Christ. 234
There seems to be a disconnect, however, between the priesthood of the Old Covenant and the priesthood of Jesus
Christ in the New Covenant. Since the Levites comprised the order of priests and Christ was born out of the Tribe of Judah,
how can he be a priest? The clue to this answer can be found in the Book of Genesis, where we encounter Melchizedek, whose
name means “king of righteousness.”
Melchizedek was a “priest of God Most High” who brought bread and wine to Abraham and blessed him after his
return from battle. Abraham, the “father of a multitude,” recognized Melchizedek as his superior and accepted his blessing.
Melchizedek’s ministry prefigures the one priesthood of Jesus Christ. 235
“Christ is the source of all priesthood: the priest of the old law was a figure of Christ, and the priest of the new law acts in
the person of Christ.”236 (CCC 1548)
Melchizedek is referenced again in the Psalms:
The Lord says to my lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
till I make your enemies your footstool.”
The Lord sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your foes!
Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day you lead your host
upon the holy mountains.
From the womb of the morning
like dew your youth will come to you.
The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest for ever
after the order of Melchizedek.” (Ps 110: 1– 4)

The first “Lord” referenced in Psalm 110 is God; the second “lord” is the Messiah, who will sit at God’s right hand. This
prophecy was fulfilled when the Messiah conquered Satan in his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension (the Paschal
Mystery), whereupon God the Father made him a priest “after the order of Melchizedek.”

233
Ex 38: 21.
234
Cf. CCC 1541, 1542, 1543.
235
Cf. Gn 14: 18– 20.
236
STh III, 22, 4c.
39
 Among the books of the New Testament, the Epistle to the Hebrews above all explains the manner in which Christ’s
priesthood derived from that of Melchizedek rather than from the Aaronite or Levite priesthood:
If perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further
need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order
of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of
whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident
that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest,
not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of
him, “Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
On the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made
nothing perfect); on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without
an oath. Those who formerly became priests took their office without an oath, but this one was addressed with an oath, “The
Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘Thou art a priest for ever.’” This makes Jesus the surety of a better covenant.
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he
holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw
near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted
above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of
the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests,
but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever. (Heb 7: 11– 28)
Melchizedek, his priesthood, and his prefigurement of the one priesthood of Jesus Christ are commemorated in Eucharistic
Prayer I (the Roman Canon) when the bishop or priest prays over the recently consecrated Body and Blood of Christ:
[O Lord,] Be pleased to look upon these offerings
with a serene and kindly countenance,
and to accept them,
as once you were pleased to accept
the gifts of your servant Abel the just,
the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith,
and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek.237

Similarly, Melchizedek is remembered in the antiphons, prayers, and readings of

the Rite of Holy Orders; the Votive Mass of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest;
and other celebrations related to those in Holy Orders.
Instituted by Christ. Christ established the Sacrament of Holy Orders at the Last Supper
with his command: “‘Do this in remembrance of me.’” 238 Christ thus empowered his Apostles to
make him present in the Eucharist under the appearance of bread and wine, and he entrusted this
mission to their successors through the Sacrament of Holy Orders for all generations until the end
of time.
The Last Supper marked the definitive institution of the priesthood by Christ by way of his
institution of the Mass and the Sacrament of the Eucharist; nevertheless, he had been preparing his Apostles to receive the
Sacrament of Holy Orders for some time. He had already made St. Peter the visible head of the Apostles on earth, in effect the
first Pope, by granting him “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” 239 and declaring him to be the “rock [upon which] I will build
my Church.”240 In selecting his Twelve Apostles, he was, moreover, preparing the hierarchy of the Church. The Twelve went on
to ordain bishops, handing on the authority they had received from Christ, and all Catholic bishops throughout history have
their succession from this source. Through his private instruction to the Apostles, our Lord readied them to be able to hand on
his teaching authority.241
Christ is himself the source of ministry in the Church. He instituted the Church. He gave her authority and mission,
orientation and goal:
In order to shepherd the People of God and to increase its numbers without cease, Christ the Lord set up in his Church a
variety of offices which aim at the good of the whole body. The holders of office, who are invested with a sacred power,
are, in fact, dedicated to promoting the interests of their brethren, so that all who belong to the People of God . . . may
attain to salvation.242 (CCC 874)

After his Resurrection, Christ granted his Apostles additional powers and responsibilities by instituting the
Sacraments of Baptism and Penance and charging them to teach and convert all nations. In the weeks after Christ’s Ascension,
the Eleven Apostles discerned that they were to elect another Apostle to replace Judas Iscariot and to restore their number to
twelve, in keeping with the symbolism of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. When the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost as
Christ had promised, the teaching authority of the nascent Church founded upon St. Peter was forever confirmed. The Apostles
then began their missionary journeys to spread the Good News, and soon they ordained deacons 243 to assist them in their
ministry and established bishops in the local churches, who in turn ordained deacons and priests to assist them. 244

237
Roman Missal, Third Edition, Eucharistic Prayer I (the Roman Canon), no. 93.
238
Lk 22: 19.
239
Mt 16: 19.
240
Mt 16: 18.
241
Cf. Mt 13: 10– 16, 36– 43.
242
LG 18.
243
Cf. Acts 6: 1– 6.
244
Cf. 1 Tm 3: 1.
40
 St. Peter established the Christian community in Antioch and then went to head the community in Rome, and it was
there that he was martyred some years later. In consequence, the Bishop of Rome is acknowledged as the Pope, the visible
head of the Church on earth.

Celebrating Holy Orders

The Sacrament of Holy Orders is celebrated in a public ceremony that is rich in symbolism and reverence. Holy Orders
is administered to males in keeping with the decision and example of Christ, who chose only men as his Apostles (see A Male
Priesthood below).

CLOSE UP
Symbols of the Ordained
Over the course of her history, the Church has received, adapted, and developed many
garments, vessels, and other objects that illustrate and help the faithful understand
some of the powers and responsibilities of those in Holy Orders. Following are a few of
them from the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church:
Symbols of a Bishop:
— Mitre. The bishop’s mitre is a tall head covering that has been worn by
the Pope since the tenth century. By the twelfth century it had become
customary for every bishop to wear the mitre as a symbol of his office.
— Ring. The bishop’s ring is a both a symbol of his office as a successor to
the Twelve Apostles and a symbol of his having foregone natural marriage in favor of a “spiritual marriage” to
the Church. The ring worn by the Bishop of Rome is called the Fisherman’s Ring in recognition of his being a
successor of St. Peter, who was a fisherman.
— Chair. The bishop’s chair (in Latin, cathedra) is usually ornately decorated and represents his teaching
authority within the diocese. The church in which it resides is called the cathedral, which is named for the
cathedra.
— Crosier. This shepherd’s staff represents the bishop’s role as a chief pastor, or shepherd, of his flock, which is
comprised of the faithful of his diocese.
Symbols of a Priest:
— Stole: This long band of cloth worn over the shoulders was a sign of office in the Roman Empire. In the Church
it is a sign of priestly authority, and it is worn whenever a priest or bishop celebrates the Sacraments.
— Chasuble. Originally an outer garment worn for warmth, in the Church it symbolizes the yoke of Christ, and its
color corresponds to the liturgical season or feast day the priest or bishop is celebrating.
— Chalice and paten. A chalice is an ornate cup made of precious materials, usually metal, that holds the wine to
be consecrated and become the Blood of Christ; a paten is a small plate that holds the bread to be consecrated
and become the Body of Christ. These are symbols of the priesthood because the highest duty of the priest is the
celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Symbols of a Deacon:
— Dalmatic. This sleeved, outer garment has been worn by deacons since the early Church.
— Stole. This long band of cloth worn over the left shoulder was a sign of office in the Roman Empire. In the
Church it is a sign of diaconal authority, and it is worn whenever a deacon celebrates or assists at the
Sacraments.
— Book of the Gospels. The Book of the Gospels is a symbol of his ministry of the Word of God. The deacon
proclaims the Gospel at Mass, and centuries ago a deacon would store this book in his home for safekeeping.

Who may receive Holy Orders? A candidate for ordination to the diaconate, priesthood, or episcopacy must be a
baptized male of mature age and excellent character. He must also have both an interior call (a sense of his own vocation) and
an exterior call (the discernment of his bishop or religious superior that he is indeed called to be ordained). It is important to
emphasize that Holy Orders is a vocation, not a right; no one has the “right” to be ordained. “Like every grace this sacrament
can be received only as an unmerited gift.”245
Normally, an ordinand — a candidate for ordination — completes a period of study, preparation, and discernment
before being admitted to the diaconate or priesthood. The candidate must understand the nature and responsibilities of Holy
Orders, have a sound grasp of Catholic theology, and, if it befits his state in life, be willing to commit himself to lifelong celibacy
“for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.”246 Ordination to the episcopate ordinarily follows an appointment by the Pope.
As mentioned earlier, candidates for the priesthood are first ordained as transitional deacons to continue their
preparation. They usually serve in this capacity for no more than a year. Permanent deacons, an order of service from the
earliest days of the Church, have always been active in the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church and were restored to the Latin
Rite of the Church following the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican; permanent deacons can be married or unmarried
men over the age of thirty-five at the time of their ordination. A permanent deacon who is married at the time of his ordination
may not remarry, except when waived for serious reasons, should his wife die.
Matter, form, and minister. The matter of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is the laying on of hands by the ordaining
bishop.
The form of the Sacrament is the prayer of consecration prayed by the ordaining bishop wherein he asks God for the
outpouring of the Spirit and the gifts proper to the ministry of the ordinand. There is a different prayer of consecration
depending on whether one is being ordained to the episcopacy, presbyterate, or diaconate. 247
The minister of Holy Orders is a bishop. Every Catholic bishop is a successor of the Twelve Apostles, whose power was
handed on in an unbroken line of bishops going back to the Apostles. All bishops, then, have the power to pass on the three
orders of bishop, priest, and deacon through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
The Second Vatican Council “teaches . . . that the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred by episcopal
consecration, that fullness namely which, both in the liturgical tradition of the Church and the language of the Fathers of
the Church, is called the high priesthood, the acme (summa) of the sacred ministry.” 248 (CCC 1557)

245
CCC 1578.
246
Mt 19: 12.
247
Cf. Pius XII, apostolic constitution Sacramentum Ordinis: DS 3858.
248
LG 21 § 2.
41
 When other bishops are in attendance at an ordination, they may also lay their hands on the ordinand, thus co-
consecrating him along with the principal consecrator. In a tradition going back to the early centuries of the Church’s history, a
bishop is ordinarily ordained by at least three bishops, but as many as can attend are welcome.
The Rite of Holy Orders. The Sacrament of Holy Orders is normally celebrated within the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on
a Sunday at a cathedral, with great solemnity. As it is a public celebration of the Church, everyone is welcome to attend, and
the presence of the lay faithful serves as a solemn reminder to every new bishop, priest, or deacon that he is receiving one of
the Sacraments at the Service of Communion, and that his life will be marked by service to the whole People of God.
The Order of Mass for the Conferral of Holy Orders, and the additional rites therein, varies among the various Catholic
traditions, but the essential Rite — whether it is a bishop, priest, or deacon being ordained — is the laying on of hands by the
ordaining bishop and the prayer of consecration he prays.
The tradition in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church:
As in all the sacraments additional rites surround the celebration. Varying greatly among the different liturgical traditions,
these rites have in common the expression of the multiple aspects of sacramental grace. Thus in the Latin Church, the
initial rites — presentation and election of the ordinand, instruction by the bishop, examination of the candidate, litany of
the saints — attest that the choice of the candidate is made in keeping with the practice of the Church and prepare for the
solemn act of consecration, after which several rites symbolically express and complete the mystery accomplished: for
bishop and priest, an anointing with holy chrism, a sign of the special anointing of the Holy Spirit who makes their
ministry fruitful; giving the book of the Gospels, the ring, the miter, and the crosier to the bishop as the sign of his
apostolic mission to proclaim the Word of God, of his fidelity to the Church, the bride of Christ, and his office as shepherd
of the Lord’s flock; presentation to the priest of the paten and chalice, “the offering of the holy people” which he is called
to present to God; giving the book of the Gospels to the deacon who has just received the mission to proclaim the Gospel
of Christ. (CCC 1574)

The tradition in the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church. The text of the prayers of consecration and many of the
accompanying symbols and actions in the various Eastern Rites also differ from the Latin Rite. For example, in the Byzantine
Rite, a candidate for the priesthood is led in procession by two priests who act as official witnesses as to the ordinand’s
character and readiness to be ordained into the presbyterate.
Bishops in the Eastern Rites of the Church can and do regularly ordain married men as deacons and priests. Only
celibate men, however, are chosen as bishops.

Effects of Holy Orders

The effects of the Sacrament of Holy Orders include the following:
— Holy Orders configures the recipient to Christ so that he may serve the Church as Christ’s instrument and
visible minister on earth.
— Holy Orders confers the office of bishop, priest, or deacon.
— Holy Orders leaves an indelible character upon the soul.
Holy Orders grants a particular grace proper to the exercise of the recipient’s ministry:
• A bishop receives the grace of strength, prudence, love, and leadership, which “impels him to proclaim the
Gospel to all, to be the model for his flock, to go before it on the way of sanctification by identifying himself in
the Eucharist with Christ the priest and victim, not fearing to give his life for his sheep.” 249
• A priest or bishop receives the grace to proclaim the Gospel, to fulfill the ministry of the Word, to offer
spiritual gifts and sacrifices, to renew the faithful, to celebrate the Sacraments, and to preside over the
liturgical worship of the Church. 250 Ordination confers the power to act in persona Christi capitis (“in the
Person of Christ the Head”).
• A deacon receives the grace to dedicate himself to the faithful “in the service (diakonia) of the liturgy, of the
Gospel, and of works of charity.”251
The Sacrament of Holy Orders does not, however, guarantee that the Church’s ordained ministers will be free from sin
and error. Every bishop, priest, and deacon — like every human person except the Blessed Virgin Mary — remains damaged
by Original Sin and is therefore influenced by and susceptible to temptation.
Even when a bishop, priest, or deacon sins, however, he remains an ordained minister of the Church; that is, while every
individual ordained minister will fail to be a perfect example of Christian discipleship, the Holy Spirit guarantees that his
faults do not impede the grace of God through the Sacraments. The principle ex opere operato indicates that the
Sacraments are efficacious regardless of the relative holiness or sinfulness of the earthly minister who administers them in
the Person of Christ the Head (cf. Chapter 11, “Ex Opere Operato”).

Clerical Celibacy
Especially in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the commitment to a life of celibacy is one of the most obvious
differences between a transitional deacon, priest, or bishop and a man in the lay state. Though people might see clerical
celibacy as a burden, it is in reality a great gift. By remaining free of the cares that accompany the married state — a wife,
children, providing and maintaining a dwelling large enough for them, seeing to their spiritual needs, etc. — a man who has
been set aside by God through the Church can dedicate his mind, his heart, and his time entirely and directly to the service of
the People of God.
The model for clerical celibacy is Jesus Christ himself throughout his earthly life. Our Lord’s redemptive mission was
characterized by his utter self-giving and self-sacrifice, even giving himself over to the powers of death on the Cross. Our Lord
taught that celibacy for the good of the Kingdom of Heaven is a great gift:
He said to [the disciples], “Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs
who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have
made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it.” (Mt 19:
11– 12)

249
CCC 1586.
250
Cf. CCC 1587.
251
LG 29; cf. CCC 1588.
42
 When they embarked on their divine mission, the Apostles imitated Christ’s celibacy and dedicated themselves
entirely to spreading the Good News and baptizing nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit as
our Lord had instructed them. Similarly, most of the Church’s ordained ministers today voluntarily forgo the great joys of
married life in order to serve God’s Church, who is both the Bride of Christ and the Family of God.
All bishops are chosen from among the ranks of celibate men. In the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, priests and
deacons can be celibate or married before their ordinations, but married priests and deacons may not marry again if their
wives pass away.252 In the Latin Rite of the Church, a small number of married clergymen have converted out of other Christian
traditions and been ordained priests.

Male Priesthood
Jesus Christ called only men to be his Apostles, and Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have always observed and
upheld that only men are called to Holy Orders.
This institution should not be viewed as disrespectful toward women. Christ was revolutionary in his inclusion of
women in his ministry; indeed, we need only look to his love for his Blessed Mother to understand his divine appreciation of
the dignity of women. Nonetheless, from the Gospel accounts it is clear that Christ entrusted his sacramental ministry to males,
and in turn they handed it on to other men. St. John Paul II addressed this subject eloquently:
If Christ — by his free and sovereign choice, clearly attested to by the Gospel and by the Church’s constant Tradition
— entrusted only to men the task of being an “icon” of his countenance as “shepherd” and “bridegroom” of the
Church through the exercise of the ministerial priesthood, this in no way detracts from the role of women, or for
that matter from the role of the other members of the Church who are not ordained to the sacred ministry, since all
share equally in the dignity proper to the “common priesthood” based on Baptism. These role distinctions should
not be viewed in accordance with the criteria of functionality typical in human societies. Rather they must be
understood according to the particular criteria of the sacramental economy, i.e., the economy of “signs” which God
freely chooses in order to become present in the midst of humanity. 253

Conclusion
The whole Church is a priestly people. Every baptized person shares in the common priesthood of the faithful and is
thus called to participate in Christ’s priestly, prophetic, and kingly mission. At the same time, the Sacrament of Holy Orders
confers upon certain men a special participation in the one priesthood of Christ, a sacred power oriented toward the service of
the faithful.
There are three degrees of Holy Orders: bishop, priest, and deacon. A bishop receives the fullness of the priesthood of
Christ, whereby he is a successor to the Apostles and a member of the episcopal college, headed by the Pope. A priest receives
a share of the priesthood of Christ in the second degree, whereby he is a co-worker with his bishop for the teaching and
sanctification of the faithful. A deacon receives a share of the priesthood of Christ in the third degree, whereby he is a minister
of service to his bishop and all the faithful.
Christ has given bishops, priests, and deacons a great dignity and a great obligation. “A priest — whoever he may be
— is always another Christ.”254 Every Catholic should remember them in his or her daily prayers and the ever-present need for
vocations to bring the ministry of Christ to all the faithful.

LESSON 7 | SACRAMENTS AT THE SERVICE OF COMMUNION: MATRIMONY

Learning Outcomes: Students can aware of a love in accordance to God’s plan and the responsibilities of under matrimony.

LESSON CONTENT

Love and Marriage

With regard to chastity in married life, I can assure all married couples that they need not be afraid of showing
affection for each other. On the contrary, this inclination is at the root of their family life. What our Lord expects from them is
that they should respect each other and that they should be loyal to each other; that they should act with refinement,
naturalness and modesty. I must also tell them that the dignity of their conjugal relations is a result of the love that is
expressed in them. And there will be love if those relations are open to fruitfulness, to bringing children into the world.
To stop up the sources of life is a crime against the gift that God has granted to mankind. It proves that a person is
moved by selfishness, not love. Everything becomes clouded, because husband and wife begin to look at each other as
accomplices, and the dissensions that are produced, if this state is allowed to continue, are almost always impossible to heal.
When there is chastity in the love of married persons, then marital love is authentic; husband and wife are true to
themselves, they understand each other and develop the union between them. When the divine gift of sex is perverted, their
intimacy is destroyed, and they can no longer look openly at each other.
A married couple should build their life together on the foundation of a sincere and pure affection for each other, and
on the joy that comes from having brought into the world the children God has enabled them to have. They should be capable
of renouncing their personal comfort; and they should put their trust in the providence of God. To have a large family — if such
is the will of God — is a guarantee of happiness and of effectiveness, in spite of everything that the mistaken proponents of a
life based on selfish pleasure may say to the contrary.255

252
Cf. CCC 1580.
253
St. John Paul II, Letter to Women. June 29, 1995, no. 11.
254
St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 66.
255
St. Josemaria Escriva, Christ Is Passing By, 25.
43
The Sacrament of Matrimony
The foundation of the Christian family is Christian marriage. Matrimony is a Sacrament at the Service of Communion
and a vocation to a state of life that joins one baptized man and one baptized woman in a lifelong covenant of love for “the
good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring.” 256 It is constituted by the covenant itself, which is a
permanent commitment to mutual self-giving and acceptance.257
Matrimony is a Sacrament of the New Covenant; it was instituted by Christ, who entrusted it to his Church, and it
signifies and confers grace.258 It increases sanctifying grace and also conveys a specific sacramental grace to strengthen the
couple in all aspects of married life, particularly their mutual love.259
Old Testament roots. The marriage covenant was designed by God at the very beginning of creation. The Book of
Genesis reveals that our first parents were created in the state of marriage. When God saw that it was “not good that the man
should be alone,”260 he made a woman that they might be in union together; thus, he is the “author of marriage.” 261 As the
Catechism teaches, “The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of
the Creator.”262
God who created man out of love also calls him to love — the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For
man is created in the image and likeness of God who is himself love. 263 Since God created him man and woman, their
mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man. It is good, very good, in the
Creator’s eyes. And this love which God blesses is intended to be fruitful and to be realized in the common work of
watching over creation: “And God blessed them, and God said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and
subdue it.’”264 (CCC 1604)

CLOSE UP

The Blessing of a Large Family

The Church has always regarded large families as a blessing, which often requires
heroic sacrifice on the part of the parents. “Sacred Scripture and the Church’s
traditional practice see in large families a sign of God’s blessing and the parents’
generosity.”265
Although there are licit reasons and means to limit the size of one’s family, the Council
Fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican taught, “Special mention
should be made of those who after prudent reflection and common decision courageously undertake the proper
upbringing of a large number of children.”266

The union of a man and a woman in marriage reflects the image and likeness of God, because God is love, and
marriage is a union of love.11 This was God’s original plan for marriage.
First, eros is somehow rooted in man’s very nature; Adam is a seeker, who “abandons his mother and father” in order to
find woman; only together do the two represent complete humanity and become “one flesh”. The second aspect is equally
important. From the standpoint of creation, eros directs man towards marriage, to a bond which is unique and definitive;
thus, and only thus, does it fulfil its deepest purpose. Corresponding to the image of a monotheistic God is monogamous
marriage. Marriage based on exclusive and definitive love becomes the icon of the relationship between God and his
people and vice versa. God’s way of loving becomes the measure of human love.267

The Original Sin of Adam and Eve, however, caused a rift not only between humanity and God but also between man
and woman. Sin disrupted the natural unity of husband and wife.
Their relations were distorted by mutual recriminations; 268 their mutual attraction, the Creator’s own gift, changed into a
relationship of domination and lust;269 and the beautiful vocation of man and woman to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the
earth was burdened by the pain of childbirth and the toil of work.270 (CCC 1607)

This rupture has had serious consequences for marriage. Polygamy — the state of a person having more than one
spouse — came to be tolerated, and divorce was permitted under the Law of Moses. For the sake of establishing an heir, the
Mosaic Law allowed a man to conceive a child with a concubine if he was not able to have children with his wife. The Law also
stipulated that if a man died without an heir, his brother should marry his widow.
Peoples outside the Old Covenant — the other nations surrounding Israel — had little or no guidance aside from the
natural law written on their hearts and the use of reason, which had been weakened by human nature. 271 People had indeed
strayed far from God’s original vision of marriage, but through the Law, God began to guide his people — and eventually all
people through his Church — back to the true intention and meaning of marriage.
Moral conscience concerning the unity and indissolubility of marriage developed under the pedagogy of the old law. In the
Old Testament the polygamy of patriarchs and kings is not yet explicitly rejected. Nevertheless, the law given to Moses
aims at protecting the wife from arbitrary domination by the husband, even though according to the Lord’s words it still

256
CIC, 1055 § 1; quoted in CCC 1601; cf. GS .48 § 1.
257
Cf. CCC 1601.
258
Cf. CCC 1617.
259
St. Josemaria Escriva, Christ Is Passing By, 23.
260
Gn 2: 18.
261
GS 48.
262
CCC 1603.
263
Cf. Gn 1: 27; 1 Jn 4: 8, 16.
264
Gn 1: 28; cf. 1: 31.
265
CCC 2373.
266
Cf. Gn 1: 26– 28.
267
DCE 11.
268
Cf. Gn 3: 12.
269
Cf. Gn 2: 22; 3: 16b.
270
Cf. Gn 1: 28; 3: 16– 19.
271
Cf. Chapter 17, “Freedom Must Be Grounded in Truth.”
44
 carries traces of man’s “hardness of heart” which was the reason Moses permitted men to divorce their wives. 272 (CCC
1610)

The prophets also began to preach that a faithful, exclusive marriage between a man and a woman was a reflection of
God’s covenant with Israel, which was characterized by the divine love God has for his Chosen People.
In the Book of Tobit, Tobias agreed to marry Sarah. She had actually wed seven men before him, but each one had died
on their wedding night due to a demon. Before consummating their marriage, Tobias prayed with Sarah, acknowledging the
divine institution of marriage:
When the door was shut and the two were alone, Tobias got up from the bed and said, “[Sarah], get up, and let us pray that
the Lord may have mercy upon us.”
And Tobias began to pray, “Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers, and blessed be thy holy and glorious name for ever. Let
the heavens and all thy creatures bless thee. Thou madest Adam and gavest him Eve his wife as a helper and support. From
them the race of mankind has sprung. Thou didst say, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make a helper for
him like himself.’ And now, O Lord, I am not taking this sister of mine because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that I may
find mercy and may grow old together with her.” And she said with him, “Amen.” Then they both went to sleep for the
night. (Tb 8: 4– 9)

The prophet Hosea was called by God to marry a woman that he knew beforehand would be unfaithful to him, and she
was. Although his wife Gomer persisted in her adultery, the longsuffering Hosea remained faithful and constantly sought to
forgive her and return her to their marriage covenant, even by purchasing her freedom from those who had enslaved her. 273
Hosea recognized his marriage as an allegory of the relationship between God and his Chosen People, a people he had
taken to be his own. Even though God foreknew the Israelites would be unfaithful to their covenant with him, he always
reached out to them and drew them back into union with him. This gradual establishment of a nuptial covenant between God
and Israel was God’s way of preparing his people for the restoration of marriage under the New Covenant, in which married
love would be raised to the level of a Sacrament and reflect Christ’s love for his Bride, the Church. 274
Instituted by Christ. The fact that Christ’s first miracle occurred during a wedding feast 275 is not lost on the Church,
who interprets it as “the confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the proclamation that thenceforth marriage will be an
efficacious sign of Christ’s presence.”276
During his public ministry, Christ affirmed the divine origin and purpose of marriage, elevated its meaning, and
emphasized its nature as a lifelong covenant and vocation:
From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one.” So they are no longer two but one. What therefore God has
joined together let not man put asunder. (Mk 10: 6– 9; cf. Gn 2: 24)

Christ understood that simply teaching that marriage should be a lifelong commitment would not enable people to
live their union in a Christian way. He, therefore, elevated marriage to the Sacrament of Matrimony, providing special graces to
married couples that enable them to carry out the fundamental purposes, or ends, of their sacred vocation.
To heal the wounds of sin, man and woman need the help of the grace that God in his infinite mercy never refuses them. 277
Without his help man and woman cannot achieve the union of their lives for which God created them “in the beginning.”
(CCC 1608)

The grace dispensed in the Sacrament of Matrimony is necessary not only to overcome the consequences of Original
Sin that we inherit from Adam and Eve but also to overcome the sinfulness that is active in the world. We experience the evil
caused by sin both around and within ourselves. A person can seriously damage his or her marriage through sin, jealousy,
selfishness, and discord. In order for marriage to overcome these human failings, a married couple must cooperate with God’s
grace, grow in holiness, and strive to follow the teachings of Christ and his Church. Marriage is oriented towards the salvation
of the spouses and their children, and the more a husband and wife recognize Heaven as their mutual goal, the more fruitful
will be their marriage.
In his Epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul affirmed that the state of marriage reflects Christ’s relationship with his Church:
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her. . . . For this
reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one. This is a great
mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church.278

CLOSE UP
Building Up the Domestic Church
The family is the first school of life. This statement applies especially to Christian homes, where children
will receive their first instruction in the Faith. For this reason, the Christian home is called the domestic
church — a “community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity.” 279
Practically speaking, most of the knowledge children receive in the domestic church will not be formal
lessons imparted in lectures but instead be learned from the witness of love with which their parents live
out their commitment to each other and to God. Marital love is oriented toward caring for God’s creation
of the family. The mutual self-sacrificing love of the spouses will educate the children in the true self-
giving that was exemplified by Christ, and children will see themselves as gifts to their parents’ life
together.
If the family is oriented toward Christ and his Church, the children will learn how to love in a truly Christian way, everyone’s personal
priorities will be in order, and their individual lives and family life will be a means to grow in holiness through imitation of Christ’s

272
Cf. Mt 19: 8; Dt 24: 1.
273
Hos 3: 1– 3.
274
Cf. CCC 1611, 1612.
275
Cf. Jn 2: 1– 11.
276
CCC 1613.
277

278
Eph 5: 25– 26, 31– 32; cf. Gn 2: 24.
279
CCC 1666.
45
 redeeming love.
A Christian home, then, must be a place centered on the love of God and obedience to his will, where Christ is the Head and selfless love
can provide happy citizens for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Although a fuller understanding of Christian marriage and the formal definition of the Sacrament of Matrimony
evolved over centuries, the early Church recognized the elevated, sacramental character of Christian marriage, according to
the will of Christ himself. Already in the second century, the theologian Tertullian asked rhetorically,
How can we describe the happiness of those marriages which the Church ratifies, the sacrifice strengthens, the blessing
seals, the angels publish, the Heavenly Father propitiously beholds? 280

In the fourth century, St. Ambrose affirmed: “We also do not deny that marriage was sanctified by Christ.” 281 Around
the same time, St. Augustine noted the unique character of Christian marriage:
Among all people and all men the good that is secured by marriage consists in the offspring and in the chastity of married
fidelity; but, in the case of God’s people [the Christians], it consists moreover in the holiness of the sacrament, by reason of
which it is forbidden, even after a separation has taken place, to marry another as long as the first partner lives . . . just as
priests are ordained to draw together a Christian community, and even though no such community be formed, the
Sacrament of Orders still abides in those ordained, or just as the Sacrament of the Lord, once it is conferred, abides even in
one who is dismissed from his office on account of guilt, although in such a one it abides unto judgment. 282

Early in the fifth century, Pope St. Innocent I denied the validity of a second marriage contracted while the spouse
from the first marriage was still living and explained, “Supported by the Catholic Faith, we declare that the true marriage is
that which is originally founded on Divine grace.”283
This evidence from the universal practice of Christianity makes clear that Christian marriage has been regarded as a
Sacrament since Apostolic times. This fact is reflected in the liturgical practice within both Western and Eastern traditions as
well as in the teachings of the Ecumenical Councils and Fathers of the Church.
The Church’s understanding of Christian marriage, therefore, differs radically from the prevailing modern view that
marriage is merely a civil contract that can be broken by either party. As a Sacrament, Matrimony is an indissoluble covenant
that serves as conduit of God’s grace and as a means of sanctification and salvation for the husband and wife and their
children.

Celebrating Matrimony
Because it is a liturgical act, the Sacrament of Matrimony is most properly celebrated within the context of Mass. The
married state is an ecclesial order that confers rights and duties within the Church between the spouses and toward their
children. Moreover, having multiple witnesses to the celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony helps guarantee its certainty
and helps the spouses remain faithful to their marriage vows. 284 As canon law stipulates, “A valid marriage contract cannot
exist between baptized persons without its being by that very fact a sacrament.” 285
Indeed, by means of baptism, man and woman are definitively placed within the new and eternal covenant, in the espousal
covenant of Christ with the Church. And it is because of this indestructible insertion that the intimate community of
conjugal life and love, founded by the Creator, is elevated and assumed into the espousal charity of Christ, sustained and
enriched by His redeeming power. (FC 13)

Proper preparation for marriage is vitally important. Couples wishing to enter into marriage will benefit greatly from
studying the Church’s teachings regarding the Sacrament of Matrimony as well as from the good example of couples and
families living in Christian marriages within the parish community. The man and woman who wish to marry should each
receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before their wedding to receive the full benefits of the grace of the Sacrament. Most
parishes and dioceses require a short period of preparation — usually a few months — between the couple’s request for and
the celebration of the Sacrament.
Who can receive the Sacrament of Matrimony? Christian marriage is necessarily a covenant between one baptized
man and one baptized woman, each of whom is “free to marry.” Impediments to marriage that would take away a person’s
freedom include being forced into marriage; being younger than 14 years old for a woman or 16 for a man; already being in a
marriage, whether civil or sacramental; being in Holy Orders; being bound by a public, perpetual vow of celibacy in a religious
institute; being too closely related to each other; etc.286
A bride and groom must also freely consent to entering this covenantal bond. Even if the man and woman satisfy the
legal prerequisites for a state-sanctioned marriage, failure to meet the Church’s requirements renders the conferral of the
Sacrament of Matrimony invalid in the eyes of the Church.287
The parties to a marriage covenant are a baptized man and woman, free to contract marriage, who freely
express their consent; “to be free” means:
— not being under constraint;
— not impeded by any natural or ecclesiastical law. (CCC 1625)
In short, a valid reception of the Sacrament of Matrimony requires that the man and woman have the intention to live
a Christian marriage, that is, they must have in mind these three goals:
— They must intend to marry for life.

280
Tertullian, Ad Uxorem, II, ix, in PL I, 1302.
281
St. Ambrose, Letter to Siricius, Ep. xlii, 3, in PL XVI, 1124.
282
St. Augustine, De Bono Conjugii, 24.
283
Pope Innocent I, Letter to Probus, Ep. ix, in PL XX, 602.
284
Cf. CCC 1631.
285
CIC, 1055 § 2.
286
Cf. CIC, nos. 1083– 1094.
287
Cf. CIC, nos. 1095– 1103.
46
 — They must intend to be faithful to one another.
— They must intend to be open to children.
In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the man and woman declare their consent (1) before an ordained minister of
the Church, who acts as the Church’s witness, and (2) in the presence of at least two witnesses.
Matter, form, and minister: the tradition in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. The matter of the Sacrament of
Matrimony is the bride and groom themselves; they administer the Sacrament to each other.
The form of the Sacrament is the vows exchanged by the bride and groom to each other. The following is an example of
wedding the vows that may be made:
I, N., take you, N., to be my wife (husband).
I promise to be true to you
in good times and in bad,
in sickness and in health.
I will love you and honor you
all the days of my life.

CLOSE UP
Some Sins Against Marriage
A marriage is a faithful and indissoluble union of one man and one woman ordered toward the procreation and education of
children. Here is a partial list of sins against marriage:
— Adultery. Any sexual act by a married person with someone who is not his or her spouse offends the fidelity proper to
marriage.
— Polygamy. Having more than one spouse at the same time offends the exclusivity of marriage.
— Homosexual relationships. Marriage is a union between one man and one woman, so a same-sex relationship offends
the procreative purpose of marriage.
— Contraception. To avoid the conception of a child through the use of any kind of barrier (condom, diaphragm, IUD, sponge,
etc.), pharmaceutical (spermicide, birth-control pill, RU– 486, contraceptive patch, etc.), elective surgery (tubal ligation, vasectomy, etc.), or incomplete
or nongenital sexual act (coitus interruptus, masturbation, oral intercourse, etc.) offends the procreative purpose of marriage.
— Divorce. Voluntarily terminating a legal marriage is a “grave offense against the natural law” that “does injury to the covenant of salvation, of which
sacramental marriage is the sign”288 and offends the unity and indissolubility of marriage.
— Cohabitation. Also called a “trial marriage” or “living together,” cohabitation offends the unity and indissolubility of marriage.

The minister of the Sacrament is the bride and groom themselves. In this sense the celebration of Matrimony is unique.
The other six Sacraments are conferred by an ordained minister of the Church — a deacon, priest, or bishop — however, this
Sacrament is conferred by the bride and groom themselves. A priest or bishop presides at the Rite of Marriage when
celebrated within Mass, and a deacon, priest, or bishop presides at the Rite of Marriage when celebrated outside of Mass. The
ordained minister acts as an official witness of the Church rather than the minister of the Sacrament.
A sacramental marriage is formed when a man and woman promise, before God and his Church, to give themselves
freely to each other in a definitive way, vowing to live a covenant of faithful and fruitful love. This exchange of consent
between the spouses is the indispensable element within the celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony. To enter into
marriage, both the man and woman must consent to a permanent, indissoluble union and declare their openness to having
children. If either person does not accept either one of these elements, then there can be no sacramental marriage.
The Church holds the exchange of consent between the spouses to be the indispensable element that “makes the
marriage.”289 If consent is lacking there is no marriage. (CCC 1626)
The consent consists in a “human act by which the partners mutually give themselves to each other”: “I take you to be my
wife” — “I take you to be my husband.” 290 This consent that binds the spouses to each other finds its fulfillment in the two
“becoming one flesh.”291 (CCC 1627)

Following the exchange of vows, the deacon, priest, or bishop, by the authority of the Church, ratifies and blesses the
marriage covenant. The sealing, or consummation, of the marriage occurs with the conjugal act.
The Rite of Marriage in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. As noted above, the celebration of the Sacrament of
Matrimony properly and normally takes place within Mass. Christian marriage is, in a supernatural way, bound up with the
union of Christ and his Church, and Christ’s love for his Church is most manifest in his gift of self made present in the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass. Through the power of the Sacrament of Matrimony, married couples are empowered to attain the love
for each other that Christ has for his Church; sacramental graces perfect their human love, strengthen their indissoluble bond,
and enable them to become holy.
In the Rite of Marriage, the presiding deacon, priest, or bishop greets the couple; questions the bride and groom about
their freedom and “intention to enter into marriage”; 292 guides them in their exchange of vows; blesses their wedding rings,
which they exchange and place on each other’s fingers “as a sign of my love and fidelity”; 293 and ratifies the marriage covenant,
giving them the blessing of the Church. 294 Other appropriate wedding traditions, which vary from culture to culture, can
sometimes be incorporated into the Rite.

Effects of Matrimony
By divine design, the union of a husband and wife signifies the union of Christ and his Church. God endows every
Christian marriage with special graces to enable the spouses to love each other with the same self-sacrificing love with which
Christ loves his Bride, the Church. These graces enable the couple to perfect and sanctify their love.
288
CCC 2384.
289
CIC 1057 § 1.
290
GS 48 § 1; OCM 45; cf. CIC, can. 1057 § 2.
291
Gn 2: 24; cf. Mt 10: 8; Eph 5: 31.
292
Rite of Marriage, “Rite for Celebrating Marriage Outside Mass,” no. 45.
293
Rite of Marriage, “Rite for Celebrating Marriage Outside Mass,” no. 48.
294
Cf. CCC 1630.
47
 The effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony are profound and reflect the two essential properties of matrimony: unity
and indissolubility. In Christian marriage, these properties “acquire a distinctive firmness by reason of the sacrament.” 295
These properties also support the two fundamental purposes of the marital act: union and procreation. Sexual
intimacy in marriage is a sign and affirmation of the spouses’ marital union and “of its very nature is ordered to the well-being
of the spouses and to the procreation and upbringing of children.”296
Even the words “marriage” and “matrimony” illumine the two purposes of marriage. The word “marriage” is derived
from the Latin maritare, which means “to provide with a spouse.” The word “matrimony” is derived from the Latin mater,
meaning “mother,” and the suffix -monium, which indicates a state, or condition.

CLOSE UP
Divorce and Reception of the Sacraments
Divorce is always a tragedy. Being divorced in itself, however, is not an obstacle to receiving the Sacraments of
Confirmation, the Eucharist, or the Anointing of the Sick. In addition, every Catholic always has recourse to
Penance, in which God forgives the sins of the contrite.
After a couple has received the Sacrament of Matrimony, even if they have obtained a civil divorce, they remain
really and truly married in the eyes of God. The Church does not recognize divorce. If the couple thinks there was
an impediment or problem with the administration of the Sacrament — for example, they were not open to
children or did not intend to make a lifelong commitment to each other — they can appeal to the Church for a
declaration of nullity, often called an annulment. Nonetheless, until or unless they obtain a declaration of nullity, their vows remain in force,
and neither person is free to receive the Sacraments of Holy Orders or Matrimony or enter into consecrated life.
A person who is validly married but attempts to contract another marriage commits the gravely evil act of adultery. Such a person is a member
of the Church but may not receive any of the Sacraments except Penance, and this adultery must be confessed. The obligation to educate their
children in the Faith remains even for remarried Catholics.
These teachings may seem difficult — especially to people living in such situations — but the Church always offers her teachings in charity and
love for all her members. The serious consequences of divorce and remarriage is directly related to the great honor with which Christ
endowed marriage when he elevated it to a Sacrament. The Church’s desire is to have all of God’s people live according to his plan; the whole
Church offers her love, prayers, and support to people in every difficult situation and desires that they return to her communion.

The union established by the spouses through their marital love and confirmed in their daily lives is of great benefit to
them. Husband and wife “help and serve each other by their marriage partnership; they become conscious of their unity and
experience it more deeply from day to day.”297
Matrimony joins the spouses in a perpetual and exclusive bond. Matrimony forms an indissoluble union between
husband and wife “‘so they are no longer two but one flesh.’”298
The intimate union of marriage, as a mutual giving of two persons, and the good of the children demand total fidelity from
the spouses and require an unbreakable unity between them. (GS 48)

The marriage covenant unites the couple in God’s covenant with man, forming a bond between two baptized persons
which, once consummated, is established and guaranteed by God and can never be dissolved.
Thus the marriage bond has been established by God himself in such a way that a marriage concluded and consummated
between baptized persons can never be dissolved. This bond, which results from the free human act of the spouses and their
consummation of the marriage, is a reality, henceforth irrevocable, and gives rise to a covenant guaranteed by God’s
fidelity. The Church does not have the power to contravene this disposition of divine wisdom. 299 (CCC 1640)

Matrimony gives couples the grace to strengthen their indissoluble unity. By elevating marriage to the Sacrament of
Matrimony, Christ supernaturally strengthened the marriage bond in order to render it permanent. Therefore, “a marriage
which is ratified (that is, between baptized persons) and consummated cannot be dissolved by any human power or by any
cause other than death.”300
The vows of marriage all point to the same goal: a total gift of self to the other person. Through this Sacrament, God
gives the graces that make possible this complete gift of self. These graces enable the couple to perfect their love for God and
one another, to strengthen their commitment to the indissolubility of their marriage, to welcome children, and to grow in
personal holiness. This supernatural assistance from Christ also helps a couple to accept their crosses and follow him, to
forgive one another, to forget their grievances, and to love one another completely as whole persons, even with their defects.
Matrimony and conjugal love gives a new significance to human sexuality. Marital love naturally involves sexual
relations between husband and wife. Sexual love demands permanence, fidelity, and openness to conceiving children. Conjugal
love is a good and noble act, which, when used properly, strengthens the marriage bond:
“Conjugal love involves a totality, in which all the elements of the person enter — appeal of the body and instinct, power
of feeling and affectivity, aspiration of the spirit and of will. It aims at a deeply personal unity, a unity that, beyond union
in one flesh, leads to forming one heart and soul; it demands indissolubility and faithfulness in definitive mutual giving;
and it is open to fertility. In a word it is a question of the normal characteristics of all natural conjugal love, but with a new
significance which not only purifies and strengthens them, but raises them to the extent of making them the expression of
specifically Christian values.”301 (CCC 1643)

“Children are really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute very substantially to the welfare of their parents.” 302
Authentic married love and the structure of the family are directed toward enabling the spouses “to cooperate with the love of
the Creator and the Savior. Who through them will enlarge and enrich His own family day by day.” 303

295
Cf. CCC 1630.
296
CIC, 1055 § 1; cf. GS 48, 50.
297
GS 48.
298
Mt 19: 6; Mk 10: 8.
299
Cf. CIC, 1141.
300
CIC, 1141; cf. CIC, 1061 § 1.
301
FC 13.
302
GS 50.
303
GS 50; cf. CCC 1652.
48
 Parents should regard as their proper mission the task of transmitting human life and educating those to whom it has been
transmitted. They should realize that they are thereby cooperators with the love of God the Creator, and are, so to speak,
the interpreters of that love. . . . Thus, trusting in divine Providence and refining the spirit of sacrifice, 304 married Christians
glorify the Creator and strive toward fulfillment in Christ when with a generous human and Christian sense of
responsibility they acquit themselves of the duty to procreate. (GS 50)

Parents have a responsibility to raise and educate their children. St. John Paul II, in his 1981 apostolic exhortation
Familiaris Consortio, affirmed the obligation of parents to serve as the primary educators of their children:
The right and duty of parents to give education is essential, since it is connected with the transmission of human life; it is
original and primary with regard to the educational role of others, on account of the uniqueness of the loving relationship
between parents and children; and it is irreplaceable and inalienable, and therefore incapable of being entirely delegated to
others or usurped by others.” (FC 36)

Respect for the unitive and procreative aims of marriage and sexual love requires that each and every marriage act
must remain open to the transmission of life; this moral teaching precludes the use of artificial means of contraception. (We
will explore more of the moral aspects of sexual love in Chapter 22.)

Marriage as a Path to Holiness

“The matrimonial covenant . . .is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of
offspring.”305 Marriage and family life ultimately provide spouses with great opportunities for self-sacrifice and for growth in
personal holiness. A husband and wife thus, in effect, help each other on the road to Christian perfection and, ultimately, assist
one another in attaining eternal life. St. John Paul II called the Sacrament of Matrimony “the specific source and original means
of sanctification for Christian married couples and families,” in part because it “takes up again and makes specific the
sanctifying grace of Baptism.”306
Authentic married love is caught up into divine love and is governed and enriched by Christ’s redeeming power and the
saving activity of the Church, so that this love may lead the spouses to God with powerful effect and may aid and
strengthen them in sublime office of being a father or a mother. 307 For this reason Christian spouses have a special
sacrament by which they are fortified and receive a kind of consecration in the duties and dignity of their state. 308 By virtue
of this sacrament, as spouses fulfill their conjugal and family obligation, they are penetrated with the spirit of Christ, which
suffuses their whole lives with faith, hope and charity. Thus they increasingly advance the perfection of their own
personalities, as well as their mutual sanctification, and hence contribute jointly to the glory of God. (GS 48)

CLOSE UP
A Declaration of Nullity
Some people who have received the Sacrament of Matrimony sadly find themselves in marriages that do not appear to be
working despite their best efforts. In such cases, the couple should seek the assistance of the Church in an effort to save the
marriage. Every marriage encounters difficulties, but prayer, frequent recourse to the Sacraments, a patient willingness to
discuss areas of conflict, and professional counseling when necessary will usually help the couple navigate rough waters and
reaffirm the happiness and security of their marital union.
There are also situations — especially those involving domestic abuse or addiction to alcohol or drugs — in which it might be
best for a couple to separate from one another. The separated husband and wife should not, however, date other people or
entertain the idea of entering into a second marriage.
Some individuals and couples seek a decree of nullity, commonly called an annulment, from the Church regarding the administration of the Sacrament of
Matrimony. An annulment is a statement that the Church, after a thorough investigation of the facts, has determined that a valid marriage did not exist in the first
place and, therefore, the couple’s union was never a sacramental marriage. The individuals who were involved in the invalid marriage are free to court and marry
others.
In order to obtain an annulment, the individual or couple must prove that some kind of impediment to a sacramental marriage existed at the time of the wedding.
For example, there must be reason to believe that at least one of the spouses did not enter into the marriage by an act of free will; was too immature to understand
its importance; had a psychological incapacity; or lacked the proper intention to welcome children, to be faithful, or to remain together until death.

Christian spouses and parents, like all of the baptized, are called to grow in holiness within their particular state of
life. By approaching the daily work, joys, and sufferings of marriage, parenting, and family life with Christian love and sacrifice,
we draw closer to God and to eternal life in Heaven. “All, including married couples, are called to sanctity, and this is a vocation
which may also require heroism. We must not forget this.”309
Husband and wife are called to sanctify their married life and to sanctify themselves in it. It would be a serious mistake if
they were to exclude family life from their spiritual development. The marriage union, the care and education of children,
the effort to provide for the needs of the family as well as for its security and development, the relationships with other
persons who make up the community, all these are among the ordinary human situations that Christian couples are called
upon to sanctify. (St. Josemaria Escriva, Christ Is Passing By, 23)

Marriage Between a Catholic and a Non-Catholic

A Catholic can marry a baptized non-Catholic or even a non-Christian in certain circumstances. Both situations,
however, present specific difficulties that demand prudence and caution.
Mixed marriage. A marriage between a Catholic and a baptized Christian of another tradition is called a mixed
marriage. To enter such a marriage requires “particular attention on the part of couples and their pastors” 310 as well as the
express permission of the local bishop.311 Although a mixed marriage is still valid without episcopal sanction — a true
marriage between Christians — episcopal permission confers licitness, or lawfulness, in the eyes of the Church. The fact that
Catholics and other Christian denominations are divided in key areas of belief and practice is bound to raise issues within a
marriage and in the course of raising a family, and “the spouses risk experiencing the tragedy of Christian disunity even in the
heart of their own home.”312
304
Cf. 1 Cor 7: 5.
305
CIC, 1055 § 1.
306
FC 56.
307
LG 40– 41; 47.
308
Pius XI, encyclical letter Casti Connubii: AAS 22 (1930), p. 583.
309
St. John Paul II, Discourse, September 17, 1983.
310
CCC 1633.
311
Cf. CCC 1634.
312
CCC 1634.
49
 The permission of the bishop for a Catholic to marry a non-Catholic is called an express dispensation. 313
This permission or dispensation presupposes that both parties know and do not exclude the essential ends and properties of
marriage; and furthermore that the Catholic party confirms the obligations, which have been made known to the non-
Catholic party, of preserving his or her own faith and ensuring the baptism and education of the children in the Catholic
Church.314 (CCC 1635)

Sometimes couples who enter mixed marriages are permitted to have a deacon, priest, or bishop from the Catholic
Church as well as a minister from the spouse’s ecclesial community witness and bless the marriage. If there is sufficient
reason, the bishop may also permit the wedding to be celebrated in a place other than a Catholic church. This permission is
called a dispensation from canonical form.
Disparity of cult. In the case of a Catholic marrying a non-Christian, a situation called disparity of cult, the potential for
difficulties in marriage is even greater. In this situation “cult” is used in its more ancient sense, meaning “a system of religious
veneration or worship.” This situation may present difficulties in the marriage. As the Catechism teaches:
Differences about faith and the very notion of marriage, but also different religious mentalities, can become sources of
tension in marriage, especially as regards the education of children. The temptation to religious indifference can then arise.
(CCC 1634)

Nonetheless, such a marriage may also provide an opportunity for the conversion of the non-Christian spouse:
In marriages with disparity of cult the Catholic spouse has a particular task: “For the unbelieving husband is consecrated
through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband.” 315 It is a great joy for the Christian spouse
and for the Church if this “consecration” should lead to the free conversion of the other spouse to the Christian faith. 316
Sincere married love, the humble and patient practice of the family virtues, and perseverance in prayer can prepare the non-
believing spouse to accept the grace of conversion. (CCC 1637).

Submission and the Marriage Covenant

At times, the following two passages from the New Testament — St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians and the First
Epistle of St. Peter — have been abused to denigrate the dignity of women. Each of these passages, when read out of context
and without the Church’s sure guidance of interpretation, can appear to assign an inferior role to the wife with respect to her
husband.
St. Paul wrote:
[Brothers and sisters:] Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the
church, his body, and is himself its Savior. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to
their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having
cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot
or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hates
his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church; however, let each one of you love
his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Eph 5: 21– 33)

St. Peter wrote:

Likewise you wives, be submissive to your husbands, so that some, though they do not obey the word, may be won without
a word by the behavior of their wives, when they see your reverent and chaste behavior. Let not yours be the outward
adorning with braiding of hair, decoration of gold, and wearing of fine clothing, but let it be the hidden person of the heart
with the imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
So once the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves and were submissive to their husbands, as Sarah
obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are now her children if you do right and let nothing terrify you.
Likewise you husbands, live considerately with your wives, bestowing honor on the woman as the weaker sex, since you
are joint heirs of the grace of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Pt 3: 1– 7)

Whereas St. Paul’s exhortation begins, “Be subject to one another out of reverence to Christ,” he goes on to describe a
complementary relationship: wives are to be subject to their husbands, and husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves
the Church, for whom he gave his very life. Christian marriage itself reflects the Mystical Body of Christ, in which the members
have different gifts and functions but work together in harmony for the good of all. Likewise, St. Peter’s Epistle calls for
husbands to honor and be considerate of their wives as “joint heirs of the grace of life”; this language clearly denotes a
complementary relationship between two people equal in dignity.
With respect to an unbelieving husband, the wife is encouraged to model a virtuous life for her husband so that he
may be converted to the Faith. What is important, according to St. Peter, is that Christians primarily adorn our spirit and
character rather than our bodies since the interior qualities that accompany a holy life will more effectively attract spouses to
the Faith.
The Church has always upheld the true meaning of these passages in terms of the complementarity of the spouses. For
example, in the fourth century, St. John Chrysostom wrote to men regarding the passage above from St. Paul’s Epistle to the
Ephesians:
Have you seen the measure of obedience? Hear also the measure of love. Would you have your wife obey you as the
Church obeys Christ? Then you care for your wife as Christ cares for the Church. And if it is necessary that you should
give your life for her or be cut to pieces a thousand times or endure anything whatever, do not refuse it. He brought the

313
Cf. CIC, 1086.
314
Cf. CIC, 1125.
315
1 Cor 7: 14.
316
Cf. 1 Cor 7: 16.
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 Church to His feet by His great care, not by threats nor fear nor any such thing; so that’s how you must conduct yourself
toward your wife!

Pope St. John Paul II elucidated the same passage this way:
In saying this, the author does not intend to say that the husband is the lord of the wife and that the interpersonal pact
proper to marriage is a pact of domination of the husband over the wife. Instead, he expresses a different concept — that
the wife can and should find in her relationship with Christ, who is the one Lord of both spouses, the motivation of that
relationship with her husband which flows from the very essence of marriage and of the family. Such a relationship,
however, is not one of one-sided domination. . . . The husband and the wife are in fact “subject to one another,” and are
mutually subordinated to one another. . . .
Love excludes every kind of subjection whereby the wife might become a servant or slave of the husband, an object of
unilateral domination. Love makes the husband simultaneously subject to the wife, and therefore subject to the Lord
himself, just as the wife to the husband. The community or unity which they should establish through marriage is
constituted by a reciprocal donation of self, which is also a mutual subjection. . . . It is certain that when the husband and
wife are subject to one another “out of reverence for Christ,” a just balance will be established, such as to correspond to
their Christian vocation in the mystery of Christ.317

Conclusion
Christian marriage, as St. Paul taught, is a “mystery” because it is intimately linked to Christ’s love for his Church,
which is the model for the kind of self-giving that is required in the Sacrament of Matrimony. The demands of married life —
lifelong love and commitment, unity, indissolubility, openness to bearing children, and the responsibilities of raising a family
— are difficult at times, but God does not ask married couples to bear these responsibilities without his divine assistance; the
Sacrament of Matrimony is a font of grace that strengthens and enables couples to live out their marriages in light of this
profound mystery.
In so doing, a husband and wife become instruments for each other’s salvation. Because marriage is a vocation
directed toward sanctity, it serves as a way for a husband and wife to grow in holiness through their relationship in Christ and
the maintenance of their marriage vows. Additionally, the begetting and raising of children in the domestic church of the
family builds up the Church community and orients the entire family on the path to perfection and eternal life.
Christian marriage is a significant commitment, but it is one that can be fulfilled with the help of sacramental graces.
As the Rite of Marriage states in the extraordinary form of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, “Nor will God be wanting to
your needs; he will pledge you the lifelong support of his graces in the holy sacrament you are going to receive.”
Marriage and family must be upheld wherever they are challenged. The very strength and harmony of society are
contingent upon the strength and harmony of the families who comprise it. “A truly sovereign and spiritually vigorous nation
is always made up of strong families.”318 The Church thus rightly points out that, in general, “the family has a right to assistance
by society in the bearing and rearing of children.”319
Despite the many contemporary challenges to the dignity of marriage, the Sacrament of Matrimony joins two people
in a Christian marriage, which is a covenant established by God for a sacred purpose. It is vital for the good of the individual,
the family, the Church, and society in general that the original and traditional status of marriage be upheld and defended by all.
Marriage is not a purely human institution despite the many variations it may have undergone through the centuries in
different cultures, social structures, and spiritual attitudes. These differences should not cause us to forget its common and
permanent characteristics. Although the dignity of this institution is not transparent everywhere with the same clarity, 320
some sense of the greatness of the matrimonial union exists in all cultures. “The well-being of the individual person and of
both human and Christian society is closely bound up with the healthy state of conjugal and family life.” 321 (CCC 1603)

317
St. John Paul II, General Audience, August 11, 1982.
318
St. John Paul II, Letter to Families, 18.
319
Pontifical Council for the Family, Charter of the Rights of the Family (1983), art. 3, c.
320
Cf. GS 47 § 2.
321
GS 47 § 1.
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