Christ instituted the sacraments of the new law. There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life: they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith. There is thus a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life. (Cathechism of the Catholic Church, 1210)
The seven sacraments were instituted by Jesus to give grace (the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not necessarily because of anything we have done to earn it.)
Grace is the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to partake of the divine nature and of eternal life. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to people that takes the form of divine favour, love, clemency, and a share in the divine life of God.
The sacraments are divided into three groups:
Christian Initiation
Vocations
Preparation for all sacraments is scheduled and facilitated by your local parish. For more information, or for registration forms, please click on the specific Sacrament.
For teachers, the Archdiocese offers the following guidelines and resources:
- Archdiocesan Standards For Preparing Children And Youth For The Sacraments (PDF, see especially pages 61-72.)
- Archdiocesan Sacramental Standards Additional Resources (PDF, primarily for teachers)