Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 132 - Part I.

YOUCAT Question n. 132 - Part I. Why is the Church holy?

(Youcat answer) The Church is holy, not because all her members are supposedly holy, but rather because God is holy and is at work in her. All the members of the Church are sanctified by Baptism.       

 A deepening through CCC

(CCC 823) "The Church… is held, as a matter of faith, to be unfailingly holy. This is because Christ, the Son of God, who with the Father and the Spirit is hailed as 'alone holy,' loved the Church as his Bride, giving himself up for her so as to sanctify her; he joined her to himself as his body and endowed her with the gift of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God" (LG 39; Cf. Eph 5:25-26). The Church, then, is "the holy People of God" (LG 12) and her members are called "saints" (Acts 913; 1 Cor 61; 16 1).      

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) Whenever we allow ourselves to be touched by the Triune God, we grow in love and become holy and whole. The saints are lovers—not because they are able to love so well, but because God has touched them. They pass on the love they have received from God to other people in their own, often original way. Once God takes them home, they also sanctify the Church, because they “spend their heaven” supporting us on our path to holiness.    

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 824) United with Christ, the Church is sanctified by him; through him and with him she becomes sanctifying. "All the activities of the Church are directed, as toward their end, to the sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God"  (SC 10). It is in the Church that "the fullness of the means of salvation" (UR 3 § 5) has been deposited. It is in her that "by the grace of God we acquire holiness" (LG 48).      

(This question: Why is the Church holy? is continued)