THE LESSER SACRAMENTS.
These are "those five" which the Article says are "commonly called
Sacraments":[1] Confirmation, Matrimony, Orders, Penance, Unction.
They are called "Lesser" Sacraments to distinguish them from the two
pre-eminent or "Greater Sacraments," Baptism and the Supper of the
Lord.[2] These, though they have not all a "like nature" with the
Greater Sacraments, are selected by the Church as meeting the main
needs of her children between Baptism and Burial.
They may, for our purpose, be classified in three groups:--
(I) _The Sacrament of Completion_ (Confirmation, which completes the
Sacrament of Baptism).
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(II) The Sacraments of Perpetuation (Holy Matrimony, which perpetuates
the human race; and Holy Order, which perpetuates the Christian
Ministry).
(III) The Sacraments of Recovery (Penance, which recovers the sick soul
together with the body; and Unction, which recovers the sick body
together with the soul).
And, first, The Sacrament of Completion: Confirmation.
[1] Article XXV.
[2] The Homily on the Sacraments calls them the "other
Sacraments"--i.e. in addition to Baptism and the Eucharist.
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