The sacraments are at the very centre of the Christian life, yet many today receive them without a clear understanding of the graces they signify and contain. This study from the International Theological Commission explores the relationship between the faith of the recipient and the power and grace conferred by the sacrament, looking at what is needed for the fruitful reception of the sacraments in order for them to help the receiver grow in faith.

There is “a profound unity between the act by which we believe and the contents to which we give our assent… In the Christian conception it is not possible to think of a faith without sacramental expression, nor a sacramental practice in the absence of ecclesial faith” [51]

The document looks at all the sacraments but gives its most comprehensive treatment to marriage, exploring the challenges posed by the increasing number of unions in which the spouses have an incomplete understanding of marriage as a sacrament.