The mysteries of Christ’s life are the foundations of what he would dispense in the sacraments The Church has always taught that the sacraments were instituted by Christ himself. She is convinced that this truth is rooted in the Word of God and the tradition, as the Catechism affirms: “Adhering …
Understanding the sacraments: How many sacraments?
By Father Randy Stice The final number was finally set after a centuries-long discernment process involving many suggestions How many sacraments are there? Two? Five? Seven? Eight? Twelve? Each of these answers has been proposed at some point by someone. This question was only answered after a long process, as …
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The anamnesis
Making present God’s saving power in keeping with liturgical actions and ritual traditions The Catechism (1106) teaches that two elements are “at the heart of each sacramental celebration”: the invocation of the Holy Spirit, known as the epiclesis (discussed in a previous column); and the anamnesis. The anamnesis is “the …