How did the sacraments change after Vatican II?

Answer 1

Baptism is a sacrament of the Church. It has been dogmatically and doctrinally defined long ago. No "changes" to baptism occurred, to my knowledge and investigation. This includes but is not limited to, questions regarding the position of the Church as pertains to Protestant baptisms, ceremonial rite, regenerative nature, form and intent. ARTICLE 1

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word." Baptism is God's most beautiful and magnificent gift. . . .We call it gift, grace, anointing, enlightenment, garment of immortality, bath of rebirth, seal, and most precious gift. It is called gift because it is conferred on those who bring nothing of their own; gracesince it is given even to the guilty; Baptism because sin is buried in the water; anointing for it is priestly and royal as are those who are anointed; enlightenment because it radiates light; clothing since it veils our shame; bath because it washes; and seal as it is our guard and the sign of God's Lordship. St. Gregory Of Nazianzus, Oratio 40, 3-4: PG 36, 361C. == The reforms that came out of Vatican II radically changed the ceremonies surrounding baptism. Firstly, they suspended the exorcism that took place before the baptism. This exorcism involved two anointings with holy oils, the imitation of Christ's ceremonial use of saliva (here replicated by the priest), the placing of salt upon the tongue, symbolizing both wisdom and preservation from sin, and the procession to the baptistry. It was often common to consecrate the child/baptized to the Virgin Mary after the ceremony, this custom has fallen into obscurity except in local cultures and among conservative parishes. As well, it is now only required that one godparent be Catholic, a very strange compromise in light of the purpose of godparents. As well, the entire orientation of the sacrament has changed. While it's effect remains intact, much of the ceremony and ritual has been stripped away in the modern rite and the emphasis put upon preaching and the symbolism of joining the Faith community. The old rite put the emphasis on the rituals and the effect of the sacrament, not only as the passage to Christian fellowship but also as a combative rite against original sin and sin in general.

Answer 2

The sacraments, by definition, were given to us by Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ, to impart grace to the faithful. They cannot change in essence, so the only way that they have changed is that some of the externals have been modified and it is now permitted to celebrate them in the vernacular with an approved translation from the Vatican.