Sacraments are an encounter with Christ. They are visible signs and effective channels of the grace of God to all those who receive them with proper preparation.
There are seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, which were instituted by Jesus before he ascended and entrusted to the Church. The sacraments are ways of both receiving and increasing in God’s Grace.
The seven sacraments are often organized into three categories:
The Sacraments of Initiation into the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.
The Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation (Confession) and Anointing of the Sick
The Sacraments of Service: Holy Orders and Matrimony