Catechism 1210–1211

Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony — seven moments where Christ acts on a person through a visible sign.

What the Church Teaches

A sacrament is an efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is given to us (CCC 1131). Efficacious is the word that carries the weight: the sign does not merely represent something, it accomplishes it.

There are seven, and the Catechism groups them by what they are for (CCC 1210–1211).

Sacraments of Christian Initiation

• Baptism — birth into new life in Christ; the door to the others (CCC 1213–1284)
• Confirmation — the strengthening and sealing of that life by the Holy Spirit (CCC 1285–1321)
• The Eucharist — the body and blood of Christ, source and summit of the whole Christian life (CCC 1322–1419)

Sacraments of Healing

• Penance and Reconciliation — the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism (CCC 1422–1498)
• Anointing of the Sick — grace, strength and forgiveness for the seriously ill, the frail elderly and those facing surgery (CCC 1499–1532)

Sacraments at the Service of Communion

• Holy Orders — the ordination of bishops, priests and deacons for the service of the Church (CCC 1536–1600)
• Matrimony — the covenant of a man and a woman, made a sacrament by Christ (CCC 1601–1666)

Where This Comes From

Each sacrament is rooted in something Christ did or commanded: baptising and commanding baptism; breathing on the apostles and giving them authority to forgive; taking bread and saying do this in memory of me; sending out the Twelve to anoint the sick with oil; blessing marriage at Cana. The number seven was fixed formally at the Councils of Lyons and Florence and reaffirmed at Trent, but the practices are far older than the counting.

Common Misunderstandings

• "Sacraments are just rituals." The Church’s claim is the opposite of ritualism: the sacraments work because Christ acts in them, not because the ceremony is performed correctly.
• "They’re magic." No. The disposition of the person matters for the fruit the sacrament bears, even though its validity does not depend on the holiness of the minister.
• "Anointing of the Sick is only for the dying." This one costs people real grace. It is for anyone seriously ill, before surgery, or weakened by age — and it can be received more than once.

What It Means in Practice

Two of the seven are available to most Catholics constantly, and both are underused: Confession and the Eucharist. If someone you love is seriously ill, ask a priest for the Anointing early rather than at the last hour.

Pray With This

• How to Go to Confession
• Prayer Before Holy Communion
• Prayer for Confirmation Candidates
• Prayer Before Surgery
• Prayer for Married Couples

In the Catechism

• 1210–1211 — the seven, and how they are grouped
• 1113–1134 — what a sacrament is and how it works
• 1131 — the definition worth memorising

Read the full text at vatican.va.