Sacramental And Sacraments

[illeat]

I have a friend who asked me about the difference between sacramental and sacraments. From my understanding I told him the sacraments have sanctifying grace, and sacramentals lead you to the sacraments. So, the Rosary is a sacramental in that it leads one to the sacrament. I told my friend I was no expert and that I would talk to someone who was, so if I'm erring tell me and I'll tell him wiser. Thanks you guys, you've helped my faith so much! :

[cappie]

Sacramentals are those rites, actions, prayers, and objects, either [b]instituted or adopted by the Church[/b] as a means to obtain for the faithful spiritual and temporal favours from God. The sacramentals benefit the faithful by obtaining actual grace, forgiveness of venial sin, punishment, health of body, material blessings, and protection from evil spirits. These effects depend upon the mercy of God who regards the prayer of the Church and upon the dispositions of those who use the sacramentals.

The chief sacramentals are the many blessings given by members of the clergy - exorcism, and the blessing and use of such objects of devotion as holy water, candles, medals, rosaries, scapulars, incense.

The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, [b]instituted by Christ[/b] and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament.