The liturgical life of the Catholic Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders.

The purpose of the sacraments is to make people holy, to build up the body of Christ and finally to give worship to God; but being signs, they also have a teaching function. They not only presuppose faith, but by words and object they also nourish, strengthen and express it; that is why they are called "sacraments of faith." The sacraments impart grace but, in addition, the very act of celebrating them disposes the faithful most effectively to receive this grace in a fruitful manner, to worship God rightly, and to practice charity.