Sacrament rankings

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Ok. Knowing that Baptism is the gateway and necessary and the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, rank the sacraments.

I think Baptism can be put at 1

My thinking is as follows
  1. Baptism
  2. Holy Orders
  3. Eucharist
  4. Confession
  5. Marriage
  6. Confirmation
  7. Anointing of the Sick
 
The Catechism does give some ranking.
1213 Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua) ,4 and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word."5
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I think this is clearly the first. If the purpose of the whole of human existence is to achieve heaven and the sacraments are the way to help do that. Baptism is indeed the first and only necessary sacrament to do that.
 
Interesting about the Eucharist and I know ST JPII called it the source and summit of the faith. But one can indeed be saved without it. Many are.
 
Session VII, on the sacraments in general:

CANON III. If any one saith, that these seven sacraments are in such wise equal to each other, as that one is not in any way more worthy than another; let him be anathema.
[/quote]

Simply fascinating.
 
I am doing a course next year on the sacrament of Holy Orders and Marriage. Both sacraments are being discussed with no ranking.
 
Shouldn’t Confession and Eucharist be equal? Since we all fall into sin without Confession we can’t partake of the Eucharist.
 
The time will come when all sacraments are concluded and no longer necessary but i would place ‘Confirmation’ at the pinnacle.

We might be the generation to see the end of the daily sacrifice but if one has the Holy Spirit, one has everything.
 
Why? Well I suppose as theological discussion. They are all amazing. But without 2 others that last one wouldnt have been possible.
 
Well one does not need confession to have the eucharist unless one mortally sins.
 
Hmmm. That’s one I didnt see coming. You put confirmation at the top. Why?
 
Zach said:
Shouldn’t Confession and Eucharist be equal? Since we all fall into sin without Confession we can’t partake of the Eucharist.
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Personally, I think I would rank Confession to be in the top 3.

The only real question would be is the Eucharist #4 or part of the top 3? Of course the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith.

HOWEVER, We don’t have the Eucharist without Holy Orders. And we don’t have Holy Orders without Baptism. Additionally, we cannot receive Communion without Baptism and Confession.

So, I would place Baptism as #1.

And the rest of the top 4 would be (in no order) Eucharist, Holy Orders & Confession. Perhaps they are all tied?

For the last 3, I would rank them like this:
5) Confirmation << or could be #6
6) Appointment of the Sick << or could be #7
7) Holy Matrimony << or could be #5

The only reason I rank Marriage last is because individuals don’t need it to get to Heaven. But again, it could be argued that it should be #5 because it’s important for the COMMUNITY to get to Heaven.

This is an interesting & thought provoking exercise.

God Bless
 
Marriage may not be necessary for salvation, but St. Paul himself said that it can indeed contribute to an individual’s salvation.
 
All the sacraments and anything holy can contribute to an individuals salvation. Praying the rosary can contribute to one’s salvation.
 
I just meant that there was a salvific reason for marriage in particular to be a sacrament. It can bring about salvation in a special way, much like anointing the sick or confirmation can.
 
IdaCatholic said:
Ok. Knowing that Baptism is the gateway and necessary and the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, rank the sacraments.

I think Baptism can be put at 1

My thinking is as follows
  1. Baptism
  2. Holy Orders
  3. Eucharist
  4. Confession
  5. Marriage
  6. Confirmation
  7. Anointing of the Sick
Click to expand...
Christian Initiation is a series of three, so I would make the first three: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist.
 
I agreed with the the above statement:
  1. Baptism
  2. Chrismation (Confirmation)
  3. the Eucharist
In this order.

ZP
 
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