Sacraments

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that:

The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament (§ 1131).

So what does all this mean?

• Efficacious sign of grace: the physical signs used in the sacraments (water, oil, bread, wine, etc.) spiritually accomplish what they signify.

Example: Baptism washes away our sins

• Instituted by Christ: Jesus is the origin of the seven sacraments of the Church and is active in the today.
• Entrusted to the Church: Christ gave authority to the Church to administer the sacraments to the faithful.
• By which divine life is expressed: While God is not limited to dispensing His saving grace through the sacraments, they are definitive events of salvation from sin and sources of divine life for us.

The sacraments are celebrated by the whole Body of Christ through liturgical actions, with each member of the body playing a certain role. That is why all the sacraments (with the exception of Reconciliation) should ideally be celebrated with the whole community publicly.