For Catholics, the Sacrament of Baptism is the first step in a lifelong journey of commitment and discipleship. Whether we are baptized as infants or adults, Baptism is the Church's way of celebrating and enacting the embrace of God.

Catholics believe the Eucharist, or Communion, is both a sacrifice and a meal. We believe in the real presence of Jesus, who died for our sins.  As we receive Christ's Body and Blood, we also are nourished spiritually and brought closer to God.

Confirmation is a Catholic Sacrament of mature Christian commitment and a deepening of baptismal gifts. It is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation for Catholics. It is most often associated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

For Catholics, the Sacrament of Marriage, or Holy Matrimony, is a public sign that one gives oneself totally to this other person. It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values and also God's values.

In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, or Ordination, the priest being ordained vows to lead other Catholics by bringing them the Sacraments (especially the Eucharist), by proclaiming the Gospel, and by providing other means to holiness.

The Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as Penance, or Confession) has three elements: conversion, confession and celebration. In it we find God's unconditional forgiveness; as a result we are called to forgive others. Through Reconciliation, Christians are freed from sins committed after Baptism. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is considered the normal way to be absolved from mortal sins which, it is believed, would otherwise condemn a person to Hell.

The Catholic Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, formerly known as Last Rites or Extreme Unction, is a ritual of healing appropriate not only for physical but also for mental and spiritual sickness.  It is also not just for the dying, but can be requested for any serious illness, or before undergoing an operation or other medical procedure.