The document provides information about the sacred liturgy and sacraments of the Catholic Church. It defines the sacred liturgy as the true worship of God enacted by Jesus Christ and his body, the Church, through ceremonies, rites and formulas established by Scripture and Tradition. It explains that the Church celebrates liturgy in obedience to God's will and that liturgy is fitting for humans as social beings. Major liturgies include the sacraments and the Divine Office, and they are celebrated at fixed times and seasons, most importantly relating to the life of Christ.

1. Liturgy and
Sacraments

2. What is the Sacred Liturgy?
The Baptism of Christ by Piero della Francesca

3. What is the Sacred Liturgy?
The sacred liturgy is the true
worship of God, enacted by
Jesus Christ and his body, the
Church, through the power of
the Holy Spirit.
It is a shared ‘public work’
(leitourgia) with ceremonies, rites
and formulas established by
Scripture and Tradition.
KEY DEFINITION

5. This picture
reminds us that a
perfect act of
worship involves
Jesus Christ as
our high priest.
John the Baptist
acts as the sacred
minister of this liturgy.Horizontal
dimension
represents the
participation of the
Church on earth in
the liturgy.
Vertical dimension
represents the true worship of God in the liturgy,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

6. Why does the Church have liturgy?
The Last Supper by Sassetta
This reminds us how Jesus instructed his Church to perform liturgy in memory of him.

7. Why does the Church have liturgy?
The Church has liturgy in obedience
to God. The sacramental rites of the
New Testament fulfil and replace the
Old Testament rituals. This change is
most clearly expressed by Christ’s
command at Passover,
“Do this in remembrance of me.”
(Lk 22:19)

8. Why does the Church have liturgy?
As the true worship of God, it
is also clear that the liturgy of
the Church should follow the
ceremonies, rites and formulas
established by Scripture and
Tradition where the will of God
is revealed.

9. Why does the Church have liturgy?
As we are physical and social beings, it is
fitting that the liturgy that God has given
to us be public and engage all our senses.
Liturgy therefore involves:
• common prayers
• visual signs
• symbolic actions
• sacred music
• the proclamation of Scripture

10. The liturgies of the Church
Christ Washing the Feet of his Disciples by Duccio di Buoninsegna
Christ’s action at the last supper is practised liturgically by the Church on Holy Thursday.

11. The liturgies of the Church
The Eucharist and the
other sacraments
All these are led by sacred ministers,
usually priests, and consist of
official prayers, Scripture and
sacramental actions.
Detail of The Seven Sacraments by Weyden

12. The liturgies of the Church
The Divine Office
These are the prayers that priests,
religious and many lay people pray
several times each day. They consist
mainly of the psalms.
The Magdalene Reading by Weyden

13. The liturgies of the Church
Other Rites
Other rites cover a variety of
purposes, including the Rite of
Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)
for reception into the Church ,
Benediction and Funeral rites.

14. When is liturgy celebrated?

15. When is liturgy celebrated?
Liturgy follows set
times and seasons,
the most important
being when the
Church celebrates
the Resurrection of
Jesus on Sunday
and at Easter.
The Resurrection by Piero della Francesca

16. When is liturgy celebrated?
Advent and Christmas
Advent is the four-week
period when we prepare for
the coming of Jesus Christ at
Christmas and for his final
coming at the end of time.
The Nativity by Fra Angelico

17. When is liturgy celebrated?
Lent and Easter
Lent is the forty-day period of
prayer, fasting and almsgiving
that follows the pattern of
Jesus’ own preparation in the
wilderness for his mission.
Holy week and Easter are
when we celebrate his
redemptive death and
Resurrection.
The Temptation of Christ by Duccio di Buoninsegna

18. When is liturgy celebrated?
Ordinary Time
‘Ordinary time’ covers the
rest of the Liturgical Year.
Although this period is
called ‘ordinary’, it still
includes some special
solemnities and feasts.
The Mystic Lamb by Jan van Eyck

19. Summary
Questions
to reinforce
key points
Discussion
questions
Practical
activities
Presentation Part II
Summary Activities I
Please select an activity or go immediately
to part II of the presentation

20. Summary
Activities Menu Presentation Part II
• The sacred liturgy is the true worship of God,
enacted by Jesus Christ and his body, the
Church, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
• It is a shared ‘public work’ (leitourgia) with
ceremonies, rites and formulas established by
Scripture and Tradition.
• The Church has liturgy in obedience to the
will of God; it is also clear that liturgy is fitting
for us as social and physical beings. The most
important liturgies are those of the sacraments
and the Divine Office. Liturgy follows fixed
times and seasons.

21. Questions to reinforce key points
The true worship of God
Enacted by Jesus Christ and his body, the Church
Through the power of the Holy Spirit
It is a shared ‘public work’ (leitourgia)
With ceremonies, rites and formulas
Established by Scripture and Tradition
What are the key points of the
definition of liturgy?
Activities Menu Presentation Part II
1
Click on a box to reveal one
of the answers
2
3
4
5
6

22. Discussion questions
Activities Menu Presentation Part II
• Discuss why liturgy is a necessary
part of the Christian life.
• Discuss some of your personal
experiences of the Church’s liturgy.
Select one or more of the following

23. Practical activities
Activities Menu Presentation Part II
• Pray a short office, such as
evening or night prayer, from
the Divine Office.
• Visit a church and make a note
of any objects, symbols or
colours that have a role in the
liturgy.
Select one or more of the following

24. What are the Sacraments?
The Communion of the Apostles by Fra Angelico

25. What are the Sacraments?
Sacraments are signs
established by Christ that
cause what they signify.
They heal us from sin and
plant, nourish or restore
the life of grace in us.
KEY DEFINITION

26. What are the Sacraments?

27. What are the Sacraments?
The table
resembles an altar and the room
reminds us of the sanctuary of a
church, where many of the
sacraments take place.
This picture reminds us that Jesus Christ is central
to all the sacraments. He is the principal agent
acting through his minister in the liturgy today.
Christ as minister
Jesus Christ feeds the apostles one
by one with the sacrament of the
Eucharist, his own body and
blood.

28. Why are sacraments important?

29. Why are sacraments important?
The sacraments are important
because they make the power
of the Paschal mystery of
Jesus Christ present to us for
the sake of our salvation.
By these seven channels of
grace, God makes us his
adopted children and increases
his life of grace within us.

30. Why are sacraments important?
The Seven Sacraments touch all
the stages and all the important
moments of Christian life: they
give birth and increase, healing
and mission to the Christian’s
life of Faith. There is thus a
certain resemblance between the
stages of natural life and the
stages of the spiritual life.
ccc. 1210

31. What is essential to the sacraments?
The Baptism of the Neophytes by Masaccio
St Peter baptises with water and in the name of the Trinity, as is essential to Baptism.

32. What is essential to the sacraments?
Every sacrament has a minister who
performs certain actions prescribed
by Christ and his Church.
Sacraments are not, however, magic
formulas; they require faith and
consent (the parents give this in the
special case of infant Baptism).
It is only when all their conditions
are fulfilled that the sacraments bring
about their intended spiritual effects.

33. What are the effects of the sacraments?

34. What are the effects of the sacraments?
By God’s will, the sacraments
bring about his divine action.
They cause what they signify;
they are not merely signs or
symbols of his work.
There are seven sacraments with
diverse actions and effects.

36. BAPTISM
The minister pours water over
the head of the candidate (or
immerses him or her) and
says, “[Name] I baptise you in
the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
THE CELEBRATION
OF BAPTISM
The forgiveness of sins, the
new life of grace and
membership of the Church.
THE EFFECTS OF
BAPTISM

37. BAPTISM
CONFIRMATION
The bishop (or priest) anoints
a person’s forehead with
chrism and says,
“Be sealed with the gift
of the Holy Spirit.”
THE CELEBRATION
OF CONFIRMATION
The sealing with the Holy
Spirit for the mature Christian
life.
THE EFFECTS OF
CONFIRMATION

38. BAPTISM
CONFIRMATION
CONFESSION
The penitent confesses sins
with sorrow and repentance.
The priest gives absolution,
“I absolve you from your sins in the
name of the Father
and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit.”
THE CELEBRATION
OF CONFESSION
The forgiveness of sins and
the restoration of grace.
THE EFFECTS OF
CONFESSION

39. BAPTISM
HOLY ORDERS
CONFIRMATION
CONFESSION
The bishop lays his hands on
the head of the candidate and
then says the prayer of
consecration for ordination.
THE CELEBRATION
OF HOLY ORDERS
The ordination of a minister
to act in the person of Christ.
THE EFFECTS OF
HOLY ORDERS

40. BAPTISM
MATRIMONY
HOLY ORDERS
CONFIRMATION
CONFESSION
The spouses express their
consent to one another
following the prescribed
canonical form, usually before
a priest.
THE CELEBRATION
OF MATRIMONY
The union of the spouses
as Christ is united to
the Church.
THE EFFECTS OF
MATRIMONY

41. BAPTISM ANOINTING
MARRIAGE
HOLY ORDERS
CONFIRMATION
CONFESSION
The priest anoints the sick
person’s forehead and hands
with oil, praying the
prescribed words.
THE CELEBRATION
OF ANOINTING
The forgiveness of sins,
spiritual strength and healing.
THE EFFECTS OF
ANOINTING

42. BAPTISM ANOINTING
MARRIAGE
HOLY ORDERS
CONFIRMATION
CONFESSION
THE EUCHARIST
The priest consecrates bread
and wine, saying, “This is my
body which will be given up for
you ....; this is the cup of my
blood ...”
THE CELEBRATION
OF THE EUCHARIST
Calvary re-presented; the Real
Presence; spiritual food.
THE EFFECTS OF
THE EUCHARIST

43. Summary
Questions
to reinforce
key points
Discussion
questions
Practical
activities
Summary Activities II
Please select an activity or go immediately
to the concluding prayer
Concluding Prayer

44. Summary
Activities Menu
• Sacraments are signs established by Christ
that cause what they signify. They heal us
from sin and plant, nourish or restore the
life of grace in us.
• The power of the sacraments derives from
the passion, death and Resurrection of
Jesus Christ. The Seven Sacraments touch
all the stages of Christian life: they give
birth and increase, healing and mission to
the Christian’s life of Faith.
• Every sacrament has a minister who
performs certain actions prescribed by
Christ and his Church.
Concluding Prayer

45. Questions to reinforce key points
Signs established by Christ
They cause what they signify
They heal us from sin
They plant, nourish or restore God’s divine life of grace in us
What are the key points of the
definition of the sacraments?
Activities Menu Concluding Prayer
Click on a box to reveal one
of the answers
1
2
3
4

46. Discussion questions
Activities Menu
• “There is … a certain resemblance
between the stages of natural life and
the stages of the spiritual life.” ccc. 1210.
Discuss any parallels that exist
between the stages of a person’s
natural life and the reception of
the sacraments.
• Discuss whether someone could
receive all seven sacraments in a
lifetime.
Select one or more of the following
Concluding Prayer

47. Practical activities
Activities Menu Concluding Prayer
• Read the Compendium of the
Catechism questions 224 – 232 on
‘The Paschal Mystery in the
Sacraments of the Church’.
• Visit a church and try to find any
objects or symbols related to
each of the seven sacraments.
Select one or more of the following

48. Final Prayer
The ‘Gloria’
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father: We
worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb
of God: You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on
us. You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our
prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the
Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the
Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.