Which sacraments impart an indelible sacramental mark and cannot be repeated?
Three sacraments confer an indelible spiritual mark (or 'character') on the soul: Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders. This character is an indelible seal imprinted by the Holy Spirit that configures the recipient permanently to Christ and His Church. Because this divine seal lasts forever on the soul (persisting even into eternity), these three sacraments can only be validly received once in a person's lifetime. Even if a baptized person falls away or commits apostasy, the character remains intact.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1121
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1272
- Ephesians 1:13
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.