Character (in Catholic Theology) Character indicates a special
effect produced by three of the sacraments, viz. Baptism,
Confirmation, and Holy orders. This special effect is called the
sacramental character. The term implies a relation (as will be
explained below) to a term used in the Epistle to the Hebrews
(1:3) concerning the Son of God, who is there described as the
Charaktèr tês hypostáseos autoû, or "figure [ figura ] of the
Father's substance ". In Protestant theology, the term character
is used in another sense in treatises concerning the Blessed
Trinity ; the phrase "hypostatic character " being employed to
signify the distinctive characteristic (or what Catholic
theologians call the proprietas personalis) of each of the Three
Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Here we are
concerned only with the sense of the word in Catholic theology,
that is, with sacramental character. Sacramental character means
a special supernatural and ineffaceable mark, or seal, or
distinction, impressed upon the s