The Catholic Church since its inception has set itself aside from all other organized religion by being a sacramental church. As a Catholic you will often hear of the sacramental church and if raised Catholic as a child had these sacraments bestowed on you as grew up as both a person and a Catholic. The seven sacraments can be traced to Jesus himself. He gave each of these sacraments us and the Apostles upheld them during the formation of the early church.

Each of these sacraments has special rites and rituals associated with them and we will be giving a brief overview of each of the sacraments.

The first sacrament is Baptism, the sacrament of water. Jesus himself was baptized by John the Baptist and was submerged into the Jordan River. It was a Trinitarian Baptism meaning In the name of the Father, In the name of the Son and in the name of the Holy Spirit. The symbolism of the water is used to wash away original sin, sin that was committed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This sacrament is the basic tenant of all Christian religious with the exclusion of a few. The baptisms that are not recognized are not Trinitarian in form. Among unrecognized baptism are Mormon, Unitarian, and Jehovah.s Witness.

The second Sacrament is Reconciliation. It is probably the most over looked sacrament. In recent years this sacrament has made a huge come back thanks the urging of Pope John Paul II. Since Vatican II it advocated the use of the sacrament for mortal sin. The Church does ask you go once a year.

The Third Sacrament is Eucharist or Communion. This sacrament was handed to us by Jesus during the last supper. There is much that is and can be written on this particular sacrament but the root is the real present of Christ in the Eucharist. It is the one doctoral teaching of the Catholic Church that sets it apart all other churches. Jesus is present at each and every mass. It.s a profound thought

The Fourth Sacrament is that of the Holy Spirit, or Confirmation. Baptism by fire. This gives each Candidate the opportunity to reconfirm his Baptismal vows and speak for himself. Where many view this as a finalization, the reality is it is actually the start of the person.s life in the church.

The Fifth Sacrament is Matrimony or Marriage and of course his one is pretty self explanatory.

The Sixth Sacrament is Holy Orders. This is the sacraments that people entering religious life participate in.

The Seventh and final Sacrament is Anointing of the Sick. This sacrament has evolved some again with the help of Pope John Paul II. He opened this sacrament up and redefined it a bit so that sick could participate in this and not one that was dying, which is what the previous understanding of it was. If you are having surgery, or are ill, suffering with cancer and alike you are very welcome to be anointed.