Seven Sacraments Altarpiece by Rogier van der Weyden, c. 1448             
Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp Netherlands

The seven sacraments are drawn from the love that Jesus has for all of us. A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ and shared through the Holy Spirit to give us grace. The faithful born anew by Baptism are strengthened by Confirmation and are then nourished by the Eucharist. To receive them validly, the recipient must accept them without contempt or total disbelief.

The sacraments are divided into: the sacraments of Christian initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist); the sacraments of healing (Penance and Anointing of the Sick); and the sacraments at the service of communion and mission (Holy Orders and Matrimony). The sacraments touch all the important moments of Christian life. All of the sacraments are ordered to the Holy Eucharist “as to their end” (Saint Thomas Aquinas).