Sacramental Life The Celebration of the Seven Sacraments is a vital aspect of Catholic Parish Life. We know the sacraments were instituted by Christ as visible manifestations of the presence of God's grace in our lives. As we act on our faith the Sacraments become pivotal points in our lives and guide us in our spiritual journey to celebrate God's love. The word sacrament comes from the Latin word sacrare which means "to dedicate." Thus, a sacrament is a rite which not only signifies some specific grace, but which produces that grace in the souls of the person to whom it is administered. What is grace? It is that which makes us fulfill our mission as children of God. It is not a state of being. It is a power that comes from God and regenerates and nourishes. It is the energy that feeds the growth of the believing spirit of people. Each sacrament has an inward and outward expression. The outward, for example, in baptism, is the water. This symbolizes the rebirth and cleansing of the soul of the child, which is inward. Although everything which is in and of the Church is sacramental, there are seven formal sacraments which correspond to the different stages and situations of a person's life. The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church are generally grouped into three categories:
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