Title: Sacraments | USCCB
Headings: Sacraments and Sacramentals
Sacraments and Sacramentals
Sacraments of the Church
Sacraments of Christian Initiation
Sacraments of Healing
Sacraments of Service
Sacramentals and Other Resources

Content: The invisible reality we cannot "see" is God's grace, his gracious initiative in redeeming us through the death and Resurrection of his Son. His initiative is called grace because it is the free and loving gift by which he offers people a share in his life, and shows us his favor and will for our salvation. Our response to the grace of God's initiative is itself a grace or gift from God by which we can imitate Christ in our daily lives. The saving words and deeds of Jesus Christ are the foundation of what he would communicate in the Sacraments through the ministers of the Church. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church recognizes the existence of Seven Sacraments instituted by the Lord. They are the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist), the Sacraments of Healing (Penance and the Anointing of the Sick), and the Sacraments at the Service of Communion (Marriage and Holy Orders). Through the Sacraments, God shares his holiness with us so that we, in turn, can make the world holier. Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples | en Español
This 28 page booklet and study guide highlights the connections between the celebration of the sacraments and our social mission as followers of Jesus and the Body of Christ. . Print copies are also available for $5.95/booklet from USCCB Publishing.