Chapter I. On the Nature and Division of the Sacraments

A Sacrament is a sensible sign, permanently instituted by Christ for signifying and conferring grace. Hence three things are necessarily required in every sacrament, namely the sensibility of the sign, divine institution, and the force of producing grace promised by Christ.

All sacraments are perfected by three things: 1st. by things as matter; 2nd. by words as form; 3rd. by the person of the Minister confecting the sacrament with the intention of doing what the Church does.

Besides habitual grace common to all, the sacraments also produce grace which is called sacramental, and which is nothing else than habitual grace itself with the connotation of helps for obtaining the special end for which each sacrament was instituted, if due conditions are not lacking.

The sacraments operate ex opere operato, that is, by force of the sacramental action independently of the work of the one operating, namely of the Minister and of the subject of the sacraments. Hence they are essentially distinguished from sacramentals, which are certain sacred things or actions instituted by the Church, as are holy water, blessings, etc.

Sacraments are distinguished thus according to various properties:

1st. Necessary or not necessary; the first are either necessary by necessity of means or necessary by necessity of precept. Necessary by necessity of means, in reality or in vow, at least implicit, are Baptism, which is the gate of the Church and of the kingdom of heaven, and Penance for those who have fallen into mortal sin after Baptism; necessary by necessity of precept are all the rest, excepting Order and Matrimony, which are not necessary for private individuals but only for the community.

2nd. Those imprinting or not imprinting a character in the soul. Baptism, Confirmation, and Order imprint a character; the rest do not imprint one.

3rd. Sacraments of the dead or of the living, according as by force of their institution they first confer sanctifying grace, as are Baptism and Penance, or suppose it and only increase it, as must be held concerning the other sacraments.

Question 1. Can sacraments of the dead ever confer second grace?

Resp. Affirmatively, and indeed in a twofold case: 1st. when only venial sins or mortal sins already remitted are subjected to the keys; 2nd. when a penitent, guilty of mortal sin, approaches the Sacrament of Penance with perfect contrition, or when an adult, likewise perfectly contrite, receives Baptism, because perfect contrition with only the vow of the Sacrament of Penance or of Baptism justifies a man.

Question 2. Can sacraments of the living sometimes be able to confer first grace?

Resp. Affirmatively, more probably, not indeed through themselves, as is plain from their institution, but accidentally; for it can happen that someone guilty of mortal sin, unaware of this, approaches a sacrament of the living in good faith, attrite; moreover in these circumstances a sacrament of the living pours grace into the soul and therefore destroys sin. For sacraments always confer grace on those not placing an obstacle; but an obstacle is not placed by him who approaches attrite in good faith. Cf. St. Thomas, 3, q. 71, art. 7, ad 2; and q. 79, art. 3. - St. Alphonsus, n. 268. - De Augustinis, de Sacram. in genere, Thesis 19, p. 272.

Question 3. What are the effects of sacramental grace proper to each sacrament, besides sanctifying grace common to all?

Resp. 1st. The effect of the grace of Baptism is to remit every fault and penalty of fault, to illumine the mind, to diminish concupiscence, and to make the soul fruitful unto Christian works. But this habitual grace brings to the baptized person a right of obtaining helps by which he may happily attain these effects.

2nd. The effect of the grace of Confirmation is strength for constantly professing the faith, where there shall be need, and for defending it when opportunity is given. And therefore it brings to the soul a right to helps by which it may furnish this.

3rd. The effect of the grace of the Eucharist is to nourish spiritual life, to increase the same, to generate a distaste for worldly things, to draw toward union with God, and therefore to bring a right to graces by which communicants may be able to attain all these things.

4th. The effect of the grace of Penance is to remit sins committed after Baptism, and to confer strength for avoiding sins and for persevering in the state of grace, and a right to helps suitable for furnishing these things.

5th. The effect of the grace of Extreme Unction is to take away the remains of sins, to lighten the soul of the sick person, to strengthen confidence, to render the inconveniences of illness less troublesome, indeed even at times to restore health of body where it will have been expedient for the salvation of the soul, to bestow strength for repelling extreme temptations, and to confer a right to helps proportionate to these things.

6th. The effect of the grace of Order is to render the Ministers of Christ fit for sacred ministries, so that they may perform these with due piety, and to confer a right to helps suitable for these things.

7th. The effect of the grace of Matrimony is to restrain disordered concupiscence, to bestow strength for sustaining the burdens of the conjugal state, for preserving conjugal fidelity, and for educating offspring in a Christian manner, and therefore to confer a right to helps necessary for fulfilling these things.