This session will introduce the Church's sacramental vision of the
wisdom and power of God conveyed in its use of divinely instituted signs and symbols.
Themes
Foundations of the Christian understanding of sacraments
in the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ
Focus of sacraments in the personal encounter between the
risen Christ and the believer within the Church
Sacraments as communications of the wisdom and power of
God using word, rite and symbol
Role of sacraments in marking and promoting the stages of
growth in the Christian life
Focusing the Session
The saving grace of God appeared in its fullness when the Word of
God took flesh and gave new life to the world. Likewise God uses material means and human
agency to bring the Paschal Mystery of Christ to all ages. This is the basis for the
sacramental ministry of the Church. Sacraments are external, visible indications of the
invisible Word; they both express and communicate grace through symbol, rite, and word.
Through them God both signifies and creates relationships of grace between ourselves, God
and neighbor.
Instructional Objectives
In conducting this session the facilitator will:
Emphasize how sacraments are essential to Catholic faith
and to the faithful Christian life.
Articulate the role of symbol and the meaning of ritual
actions in the sacramental celebration.
Review the Church's teaching on the meaning of Jesus'
institution of the sacraments.
Trace the history of the development of selected
sacraments as seen in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other sources.
Discuss the relationship between the human word and the
Word of God in the celebration of sacraments.
Demonstrate a variety of teaching methods for catechists
to use.
Catechist Competencies
As a result of this session, catechists will be able to:
Express an understanding of the role of symbol in the
Church's life, and the relationship between word and rite in its sacramental life.
Articulate the Church's understanding of how the
sacraments bring the presence of Christ to the whole Church, present and celebrate the
fruit of redemption, and call individuals to a greater participation in community.
Trace the broad outline of the Church's understanding of
the sacraments as it has developed through history.
Special Points from the Documents
Sacramental celebrations are woven from signs and symbols (Sharing#114;
CCC #1145–1152)
The mysteries of Christ's life, death and resurrection are
the foundations of the sacramental "economy" or "dispensation"(CCC
#1114–1116)
The Church has discerned over the centuries that seven
sacraments were instituted by Christ (CCC #1117, cf. #1447 as an example)
Sacramental celebrations are a form of dialogue through
actions and words (CCC #1153–1155)
Documentary References
See Bibliography for secondary sources.
Vatican II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #7
General Catechetical Directory #55
Sharing the Light of Faith #97, 114
Catechism of the Catholic Church #1076–1134
Scripture Contexts
Exodus 12:1-28
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 51:18-19
John 2:1-12
John 6:60-65
John 9:1-5
John 13:1-15
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Instructions and celebration of the
first Passover of the Lord
Feast of thanksgiving and
confession using the harvest crops
The sacrifice God desires is the contrite heart
Jesus uses water and wine to show his glory
The words Jesus speaks about his body and blood give life
Jesus uses dirt and spit to heal
Jesus ritually washes feet to shows the meaning of his passion
Loaf and cup signify communion in Jesus’ body and blood
This session will introduce the Sacraments of Initiation, Healing,
and Commitment.
Themes
Christ and community as source and context for each
person's experience of the grace of salvation
Sacraments in the context of ordinary life experience as
lavish resources for the journey to God
Necessity of continual renewal of relationship with God
and neighbor by the grace of Christ and the commitment of the heart
Service as an essential expression of the graced life
Focusing the Session
The sacraments are symbolic actions which represent, effect and
celebrate the salvation of Christ and the coming of the Spirit in the life of the Church
and its members. Christian Initiation into the grace of Christ and the life of the Church
is signified and effected through Baptism and Confirmation; this grace and life are
continuously nourished through the Eucharist. The sacraments of Penance and Anointing of
the Sick bring wholeness and healing to the brokenness of spirit caused by sin and the
brokenness of body caused by sickness. God's calling to a life of committed service to
others is heard and responded to in the sacraments of Matrimony and Holy Orders.
Instructional Objectives
In conducting this session the facilitator will:
Explore the development of the theology of each sacrament.
Provide examples that relate the Church's teaching on the
meaning of the sacraments to moments of transition in life.
Help catechists recall their experiences of grace through
the exercise of "sacramental memory," and reflect on their meaning as it has
developed over time.
Explore the experience of sacraments celebrated at the age
level of participants whom the catechist teaches, and ways their impact and meaning can be
continually deepened, especially in a family context.
Demonstrate age-appropriate activities that teach and
celebrate the sacraments.
Catechist Competencies
As a result of this session, catechists will be able to:
Articulate briefly the meaning of each sacrament.
Provide examples that show how sacraments relate to
moments of transition in life.
Recall memories (using others’ testimony, pictures,
certificates, artifacts, etc., as well as one’s own memory) of Baptism and First
Communion, and express how the meaning of these moments has changed through the years.
Demonstrate an ability to lead students to experience and
appreciate the sacraments more deeply through catechesis.
Identify meaningful ways to teach and celebrate the
sacraments, including those emphasizing family participation.
Special Points from the Documents
The Sacraments of Initiation make new Christians by
communicating the benefits of the Paschal Mystery, incorporating people into the Church
and including them as participants of its mission in the world (Sharing #115-116,
118, 120; CCC #1212–1322)
These three sacraments form "a unity which must be
safeguarded." At the same time, the Eucharist has a unique place as "the
Sacrament of sacraments," and all other sacraments are ordered to it (CCC
#1211)
The sacraments of Reconciliation and Healing bring
wholeness to Christians broken by sin or sickness (Sharing #123–124, 127; CCC
#1422–1449, 1499–1516)
The Sacraments of Commitment sanctify and fortify
Christians to live out their calling to serve God and neighbor in the vocations of family
life or priestly ministry (Sharing #129–130, 132; CCC #1533–1571,
1601–1620)
There is a resemblance between the stages of natural life
and spiritual life (CCC #1210)
This session considers the role of catechesis in appreciating the
dynamics of word, rite and symbol which make up the valid and fruitful celebration of the
sacraments.
Themes
Church's requirements of the inner disposition and
external means necessary for proper and fruitful sacramental celebration
Place of the sacrament and the meaning of its imagery in
light of the whole story of salvation
Meaning of the various elements involved in the
celebration of the sacrament: word, rite, symbol
Effects proper to each sacrament
Focusing the Session
Catechesis prepares people for "full, conscious and active
participation" in the liturgy, guides them into celebrating the sacraments
fruitfully, and helps deepen their experience and understanding of the sacramental
encounter with Christ. Catechesis for sacraments includes reflection on the elements of
the rite, its connection with the other sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and the
Church's requirements for their proper celebration.
Instructional Objectives
In conducting this session the facilitator will:
Examine the requirements for sacramental celebrations,
relating them specifically to the Church's overall sacramental vision.
Explore the differing requirements of celebrating certain
sacraments (e.g. Confirmation) within the disciplines of various Catholic rites.
Provide examples that help the catechist understand the
sacramental requirements at the age level of the catechist's students and how these
sacraments can be taught and be made more meaningful, including family involvement.
Catechist Competencies
As a result of this session, catechists will be able to:
Articulate the Church's vision of and requirements for
fruitful sacramental celebrations.
Distinguish some of the ways certain sacraments (e.g.
Confirmation) are celebrated within the Church.
Provide examples of meaningful ways to teach about the
Church's requirements for sacramental celebration, especially in a family context.
Special Points from the Documents
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) provides
a guideline for catechesis on the sacraments of initiation (Sharing #117, 119 122; CCC
#1230–33; Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Where infants are being baptized and children are being
prepared to receive Confirmation, first reception of Eucharist and Reconciliation, it is
important that parents and other adults be intimately involved in each stage of catechesis
(Sharing #117, 122, 126; CCC #1231, 1253–55, 1311)
Catechesis recognizes the Eucharist as the heart of the
Christian life (Sharing #121–122; CCC #1324–1327) which is both a
sacrificial offering of Christ and a meal of communion with Christ (CCC #1357,
1382)
Because sin has both spiritual and social effects, the
sacrament of Reconciliation restores communion both with God and with the community (CCC
#1468–1469)
Reconciliation requires three elements from the penitent:
contrition, confession, and reparation (CCC #1450–1460)
Parents, as primary educators of their children, are to be
intimately involved in their children's catechesis for sacraments (Sharing #119,
121, 126; Code of Canon Law #851, 890, 914)
In the sacrament of Matrimony a bride and groom confer the
sacrament upon each other by the exchange of their consent to be bound to each other (CCC
#1621, 1623, 1625–1627)
Documentary References
See Bibliography for secondary sources.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Baptism #1229–1284
Confirmation #1297–1314
Eucharist #1345–1405
Reconciliation #1434–1484
Anointing of the Sick #1514–1525
Holy Orders #1572–1589
Matrimony #1621–1658
Sharing the Light of Faith
Baptism #117
Confirmation #119
Eucharist #121–122
Reconciliation #125–126
Anointing of the Sick #128
Matrimony #131
Holy Orders #133
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
Policies and Procedures of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Book
IV: The Sanctifying Office of the Church
Note: Use the Scripture Contexts from the previous two sessions.
