Catholic Church

===Sacraments of initiation===
{{Main|Sacraments of initiation}}

====Baptism====
[[File:Baptême Cathédrale de Troyes 290308.jpg|left|thumb|Baptism of [[Augustine of Hippo]] as represented in a sculptural group in [[Troyes Cathedral]] (1549), France]]
As viewed by the Catholic Church, Baptism is the first of three sacraments of initiation as a Christian.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1275}}</ref> It washes away all sins, both [[original sin]] and personal actual sins.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1263}}</ref> It makes a person a member of the church.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1267}}</ref> As a gratuitous gift of God that requires no merit on the part of the person who is baptized, it is [[infant baptism|conferred even on children]],<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1282}}</ref> who, though they have no personal sins, need it on account of original sin.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1250}}</ref> If a new-born child is in a danger of death, anyone—be it a doctor, a nurse, or a parent—may baptize the child.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lazowski|first=Philip|year=2004|title=Understanding Your Neighbor's Faith: What Christians and Jews Should Know About Each Other|publisher=KTAV Publishing House|url={{googlebooks|HIhIPIYLQ6QC|page=157|plainurl=y}}|isbn=978-0-88125-811-0|page=157}}</ref> Baptism marks a person permanently and cannot be repeated.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1272}}</ref> The Catholic Church recognizes as valid baptisms conferred even by people who are not Catholics or Christians, provided that they intend to baptize ("to do what the Church does when she baptizes") and that they use the [[Trinitarian formula#Use in baptism|Trinitarian baptismal formula]].<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1256}}</ref>

====Confirmation====
{{Main|Confirmation in the Catholic Church}}
The Catholic Church sees the sacrament of confirmation as required to complete the grace given in baptism.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1285}}</ref> When adults are baptized, confirmation is normally given immediately afterwards,<ref name="cann883">{{cite web|url=http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P31.HTM|title=Canon 883|website=1983 Code of Canon Law|publisher=Intratext.com|date=4 May 2007|access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> a practice followed even with newly baptized infants in the Eastern Catholic Churches.<ref name="cceo695">{{cite web|url=http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG1199/_PJB.HTM|title=''CCEO'', Canon 695|publisher=Intratext.com (English translation)|date=1990|access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> In the West confirmation of children is delayed until they are old enough to understand or at the bishop's discretion.<ref name="cann891">{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P33.HTM|title=Canon 891|website=1983 Code of Canon Law|publisher=Vatican.va|access-date=30 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628184246/https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P33.HTM|archive-date=28 June 2011}}</ref> In Western Christianity, particularly Catholicism, the sacrament is called ''confirmation'', because it confirms and strengthens the grace of baptism; in the Eastern Churches, it is called ''chrismation'', because the essential rite is the anointing of the person with [[chrism]],<ref name="Chrism">{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html#The%20Seven%20Sacraments%20of%20the%20Church|title=Compendium of the CCC, 267|publisher=Vatican.va|access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> a mixture of [[olive oil]] and some perfumed substance, usually [[Oleoresin|balsam]], blessed by a bishop.<ref name="Chrism"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ewtn.com/library/councils/florence.htm#3|title=Council of Florence: Bull of union with the Armenians|publisher=Ewtn.com|access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> Those who receive confirmation must be in a state of grace, which for those who have reached the [[age of reason (canon law)|age of reason]] means that they should first be cleansed spiritually by the sacrament of Penance; they should also have the intention of receiving the sacrament, and be prepared to show in their lives that they are Christians.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1310}}</ref>

====Eucharist====
{{Main|Eucharist in the Catholic Church}}
[[File:BentoXVI-51-11052007 (frag).jpg|thumb|[[Pope Benedict XVI]] celebrates the Eucharist at the [[canonization]] of [[Frei Galvão]] in São Paulo, Brazil on 11 May 2007.]]
For Catholics, the Eucharist is the sacrament which completes Christian initiation. It is described as "the source and summit of the Christian life".<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1322–1324}}</ref> The ceremony in which a Catholic first receives the Eucharist is known as [[First Communion]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=601|title=Catholic Activity: Preparing for First Holy Communion|publisher=Catholicculture.org|access-date=25 March 2015}}</ref>

The Eucharistic celebration, also called the [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] or [[Divine liturgy]], includes prayers and scriptural readings, as well as an offering of bread and wine, which are brought to the [[altar]] and [[consecration#Eucharist|consecrated]] by the priest to become the body and the blood of Jesus Christ, a change called [[transubstantiation]].<ref>{{Cite Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist|first=Joseph|last=Pohle}}</ref><ref group="note">For an outline of the Eucharistic liturgy in the Roman Rite, see the [[#Roman Rite of Mass|side bar]] in the "Worship and liturgy".</ref> The [[words of consecration]] reflect the words spoken by Jesus during the [[Last Supper]], where Christ offered his body and blood to his Apostles the night before his crucifixion. The sacrament re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross,<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1365–1372|quote=Because it is the memorial of Christ's Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice, thus, in the ritual text of the Mass, the priest asks of the congregation present, 'Pray, brothers and sisters, that this my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.' The sacrificial character of the Eucharist is manifested in the very words of institution: 'This is my body which is given for you' and 'This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood.' [Lk 22:19–20] In the Eucharist, Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he 'poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.' [Mt 26:28]}}</ref> and perpetuates it. Christ's death and resurrection give grace through the sacrament that unites the faithful with Christ and one another, remits venial sin, and aids against committing moral sin (though mortal sin itself is forgiven through the sacrament of penance).<ref name="ccc1392">{{Cite CCC|2.1|1392–1395}}</ref>

[[File:Convento de San Francisco - Ciudad de México - Creyente.jpg|left|thumb|upright|A Catholic believer prays in a church in Mexico.]]