As understood by the Roman Catholic Church, "the sacraments, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, are efficacious signs of grace perceptible to the senses. Through them divine life is bestowed upon us." They assist individuals in their spiritual progress and growth in holiness. The sacraments contribute to the Church's growth in charity and in giving witness. Though not every individual receives every sacrament, the sacraments as a whole are seen as necessary means of salvation for the faithful, conferring each sacrament's particular grace, such as incorporation into Christ and the Church, forgiveness of sins, or consecration for a particular service.

The Church teaches that the effect of a sacrament comes ex opere operato (by the very fact of being administered), regardless of the personal holiness of the minister administering it; a recipient's own lack of proper disposition to receive the grace conveyed can block the effectiveness of the sacrament in that person; the sacraments presuppose faith and, in addition, through their words and ritual elements, nourish, strengthen and give expression to faith (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 224).

The blank">Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1113 lists the sacraments as follows: "The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or _Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony."