THis is part one of a five part class.

1. Introduction to the Sacraments
Rev. Paul R. Fisher
Pastor, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Harrisburg
Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer

2. SACRAMENTAL PRINCIPLE #1
The Word was made flesh
and made his dwelling among us
and we have seen his glory

3. The Sacraments are a privileged way in which
nature is taken up by God to become a means of
mediating supernatural life. …Water, oil, fire and
colors are taken up in all their symbolic power and
incorporated in our act of praise.
The Lord, in the culmination of the mystery of the
Incarnation, chose to reach our intimate depths
through a fragment of matter.
Pope Francis – Laudato Si

4. WHAT YOU SEE
IS
WHAT YOU GET
SACRAMENTAL PRINCIPLE #2

5. What the Sacraments
ARE NOT!
•Magic
•Re-enactments
•Representations
•Rites of Passage
•Empty Ritual

6. What the Sacraments
ARE!
•Epiclesis
•Anamnesis
•Re-presentations
•Rites of Passover
•Efficacious signs

7. PERSONAL
ENCOUNTERS WITH
THE RISEN CHRIST

8. You will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of heaven
in great power and majesty

9. EXPERIENCE IN THIS WORLD THE
REALITIES OF THE NEXT
Eschatological
Apocalyptic
After all you have died
and your life
is hidden now with Christ
in God

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

11. WHAT YOU SEE
IS
WHAT YOU GET

12. SACRAMENT:
• SACRED SIGN
• INSTITUTED BY CHRIST
• ENTRUSTED TO THE CHURCH
• WHICH ALWAYS GIVES GRACE

13. SACRED SIGN
Perceptible to the senses
Sacramentum
Mysterion

14. INSTITUTED BY CHRIST
Participation in his Person
In his Public Ministry
Anamnesis
Actions of the Risen Lord

15. ENTRUSTED TO THE CHURCH
For their celebration
For their regulation
For their tradition

16. WHICH ALWAYS
GIVE GRACE
Ex Opere Operato
(by the work worked)
GRACE NOT ALWAYS RECEIVED
Ex Opere Operantis
(by the work of the worker)

17. THE
SEVEN
SACRAMENTS

18. SEVEN IN SCRIPTURE
• ‫שבע‬
Hebrew = seven or oath = “sacramentum”
• Creation extended over seven days
• For seven days he shall consecrate you (Lev 8:33)
• In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall
observe the Passover, a feast of seven days (Ez:45:21)
• And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks,
broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave
to the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and they took
up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. (Mt 13:
36-37)
• one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the
tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll
and to loosen its seven seals.” (Rev. 5:5) = mysterion

19. •Seven days of the New Creation
•Seven days of priestly consecration
•Seven days of the Paschal feast
•Seven baskets containing fragments
from Christ’s public ministry
•Seven seals opened one by one which
reveal heavenly mysteries

20. The “Seven” Sacraments
Now there were set
there six stone water jars,
according to the manner
of purification of the Jews.

21. Sacraments of Initiation
Baptism
Confirmation
Communion

22. Sacraments of Mission
Matrimony
Holy Orders

23. Sacraments of Healing
Penance
Anointing

24. SACRAMENT:
• SACRED SIGN
• INSTITUTED BY CHRIST
• ENTRUSTED TO THE CHURCH
• WHICH ALWAYS GIVES GRACE

25. A SIGN
is that which conveys something else to the mind,
besides the species which it impresses on the senses
(St. Augustine)

26. SACRAMENTAL SIGNS
ARE ACTIVE
(ACTIONS)

27. •Baptism -Immersing
•Confirmation - Laying on of Hands
•Communion - Taking, Blessing, Dividing,
Consuming
•Penance - Confessing and Absolving
•Anointing - Anointing
•Matrimony - Giving and Receiving
•Holy Orders - Preaching, Ruling, Sanctifying

28. THE SACRAMENTAL SIGN
•MATTER
•FORM
•MINISTER
•RECEPIENT
•INTENTION
Note: if any one of these is lacking the sacrament is invalid

29. SACRAMENTAL MATTER

30. Baptism - Natural Water
Confirmation – Sacred Chrism
Eucharist - Wheat Bread
and Grape Wine (mixed with water)
Orders - Handing on sacred ministry
Marriage - Relationship of Baptized Man & Woman
Penance - Confession of Sin
Anointing - Olive/Vegetable Oil