Catholic AnswerFirst of all, it's just the Catholic Church, Roman Catholic was a slur first commonly used in England after the protestant revolt, it is never used by the Vatican. Secondly, there are seven sacraments in the Catholic Church, which are the visible means instituted by Christ to convey invisible grace. Normally when someone refers to "the sacrament" they are referring to the Most Holy Eucharist, which is the glorified Body and Blood of Christ appearing under the appearances of bread and wine.
from Baltimore Catechism Three, prepared and Enjoined by Order of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, © 1885 by J.L. Spalding, © 1898 and 1933 by Benziger Brothers, © 2010 Saint Benedict Press, TAN Books, Imprimatur: John Cardinal McCloskey, Archbishop of New York, 1885 and James Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, 1885; & Patrick Cardinal Hayes, Archbishop of New York, 1921. 574. Q. What is a Sacrament? [136]
A. A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.
575. Q. Are these three things, namely: An outward or visible sign, the institution of that sign by Christ, and the giving of grace through the use of that sign, always necessary for the existence of a Sacrament?
A. These three things, namely: An outward of visible sign, the institution of that sign by Christ, and the giving of grace through the use of that sign, are necessary for the existence of a Sacrament, and if any of the three be wanting there can be no Sacrament.
from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994 1113 The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. (Cf. Sacrosanctum concilium 6) There are seven sacraments in the church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. (Cf. Council of Lyons II (1274) Denzinger-Schonmetzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum {1965} 860).
1114 "Adhering to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, to the apostolic traditions, and to the consensus . . . of the Fathers," we profess that "the sacraments of the new law were . . . all instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Council of Trent {1547}: Denzinger-Schönmetzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum {1965} 1600-1601)
1113 The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. (Cf. Sacrosanctum concilium 6) There are seven sacraments in the church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. (Cf. Council of Lyons II (1274) Denzinger-Schonmetzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum {1965} 860).
1114 "Adhering to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, to the apostolic traditions, and to the consensus . . . of the Fathers," we profess that "the sacraments of the new law were . . . all instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Council of Trent {1547}: Denzinger-Schönmetzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum {1965} 1600-1601)
1115 Jesus' Words and actions during his hidden life and public ministry were already salvific, for they anticipated the power of his Paschal mystery. They announced and prepared what he was going to give the Church when all was accomplished. The mysteries of Christ's life are the foundations of what he would henceforth dispense in the sacraments, through the ministers of his Church, for "what was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries." (St. Leo the Great, Sermo. 74, 2: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina {Paris: 1841-1855} 54, 398)
1210 Christ instituted the sacraments of the new law. There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation (or Chrismation), 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; (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae III, 65, 1) 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. Jesus' Words and actions during his hidden life and public ministry were already salvific, for they anticipated the power of his Paschal mystery. They announced and prepared what he was going to give the Church when all was accomplished. The mysteries of Christ's life are the foundations of what he would henceforth dispense in the sacraments, through the ministers of his Church, for "what was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries." (St. Leo the Great, Sermo. 74, 2: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina {Paris: 1841-1855} 54, 398)
1210 Christ instituted the sacraments of the new law. There are seven: Baptism, Confirmation (or Chrismation), 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; (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae III, 65, 1) 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.
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