ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Sacraments of the Catholic Church

The sacraments of the Catholic Church are special things that people do to show their love for God and to be closer to God. There are seven sacraments, and each one is like a special gift that God gives to people who follow the Catholic Church.

The first sacrament is called baptism. When a baby or a grown-up gets baptized, water is poured over their head to show that they are part of God's family now. Just like how we take a bath to get clean, baptism helps us become clean inside and become closer to God.

The second sacrament is called confirmation. When kids are growing up, they learn more about God and how to love him. When they are old enough, they can choose to take the sacrament of confirmation, which means they are making a promise to always follow Jesus and be a good person.

The third sacrament is called the Eucharist. This one is sometimes called Communion. When people go to Mass, they listen to stories from the Bible and then they get to eat bread and drink wine that has been blessed by a special person called a priest. Eating the bread and drinking the wine is like a way to share in the love of Jesus.

The fourth sacrament is called confession. Sometimes people make mistakes and do things that they know are wrong. When this happens, they can talk to a priest and say sorry for what they did. The priest will help them feel better and know that God still loves them.

The fifth sacrament is called anointing of the sick. This is for people who are really sick or maybe even dying. A priest comes to visit them and says a special prayer. This helps the sick person feel better and know that God is with them.

The sixth sacrament is called Holy Orders. This is for men who want to become priests, deacons, or other special helpers in the Church. They go through special training and then are chosen by the Church to help other people learn about God.

The seventh and final sacrament is called marriage. When a man and a woman love each other very much and want to spend their whole life together, they can get married in a special ceremony. The priest blesses their love and they promise to always love and support each other.

So, these seven sacraments are like special ways for people to show their love for God and to feel closer to him. They help us remember that God is always with us and that he loves us very much.