Why does the Church use Sacramentals?

SACRAMENT ALS are holy things or actions which the Church uses to obtain for us from God, through her prayers, favors for our body and soul.

Sacramentals are like Sacraments, but there is a difference: A Sacrament is a sign that we can see, instituted by Christ to give grace. The sacraments receive their power to give grace from God, through the merits of Jesus Christ.

The Sacramentals were instituted by the Church and obtain graces for us by helping us to practice acts of virtue which draw down God's graces on us.

The Sacramentals obtain favors from God through the prayers of the Church offered for those who make use of them, and through the devotion they inspire.

Sacramentals do not give sanctifying grace but make us ready to receive it.

Sacramentals prepare our souls to receive whatever grace God wishes to give us.

I. Sacramentals prepare us to receive actual graces.

Actual grace is a help given to us by God to offer light to our mind and strength to our will that we may do good and avoid evil.

"Sacramental" means "something like a Sacrament."

Sacramentals do not of themselves give grace. Rather, they make us ready to receive grace by arousing in us feelings of faith and love.

2. Sacramentals help us to receive forgiveness of our venial sins, which are less serious offenses against the law of God.

3. Sacramentals obtain for us the forgiveness of the punishment we deserve for our sins.

4. Sacramentals obtain for us health of body and other blessings that we need in our daily life.

5. Sacramentals protect us from the power of the devil and temptations to do evil.

The kinds of sacramentals are:

First, blessings given by priests and bishops;

second, prayers against evil spirits, called exorcisms;

third, blessed objects of devotion.

In her blessings the Church shows how much she values the things of this world, which are God's gifts to us.

A blessing is a ritual ceremony by which a priest makes persons or things holy for divine service, or calls down the favor of God on what he blesses. The Church's ritual has over two hundred such blessings.

There are blessings for fields and gardens, cattle and schools, cars, houses, wine, water, fire and vegetables. All manner of persons and things are blessed.

Since the coming of the Son of God among us, all the world is consecrated to God's service.

The Sacramentals extend Christ's presence to every part of our daily life.

Things are blessed not only to ask God's protection on their use, but also to remind us that the life of Christians is to consecrate all that they use to the glory of God.

This Apostolate offers Sacramentals free of charge

to any who may request

a Rosary, a Brown Scapular, a Green Scapular

or a Miraculous Medal.