Home Forums All Things Catholic Is Excommunication and Exorcisms considered sacraments? Reply To: Is Excommunication and Exorcisms considered sacraments?

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There are any number of rites or devotions that are approved by the Church. The difference is, a Sacrament is an outward sign of an inward grace, instituted by Christ. They actually provide graces needed for our Salvation. The other rites are promulgated by the Church, and while one can obtain graces from them, they where not instituted by Christ, so the Church can add, delete, or change them.

An example of something that may look like a Sacrament would be Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. It was promoted to counter the new Ideas of the Protestants that denied that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist and not just symbolically. The rosary, and processions, the blessing of the candles at Candlemas, the blessing of the throats on the Feast of St. Blaze. The blessing of Holy Water, are all what are called Sacramentals, not sacraments, but rites, prayers, and items like medals and scapulars that the Church authorizes us to use in order to obtain graces, and give honor to God and His Saints. BTW, giving honor to Saints, reflects on God, and honors God Himself.