The seven Sacraments were instituted directly by Christ and are administered by the Church. The exact form used to apply a given sacrament can vary somewhat but the basics always stay the same. These sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist (communion), Reconciliation (confession), Marriage, Holy Orders (ordination to the priesthood or deaconate), and the Sacrament of the Sick.

In order to receive most of these sacraments it is ordinarily required that a person go through some period of preparation in order to insure the person understands the meaning of the sacrament, and to help them make a sound decision whether or not to receive the sacrament(s).