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

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

(Youcat answer - repeated) 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 827 a) "Christ, 'holy, innocent, and undefiled,' knew nothing of sin, but came only to expiate the sins of the people. The Church, however, clasping sinners to her bosom, at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal" (LG 8 § 3; Cf. UR 3; 6; Heb 2:17; 7:26; 2 Cor 5:21). All members of the Church, including her ministers, must acknowledge that they are sinners (Cf. 1 Jn 1:8-10). In everyone, the weeds of sin will still be mixed with the good wheat of the Gospel until the end of time  (Cf. Mt 13:24-30).   

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 827 b)  Hence the Church gathers sinners already caught up in Christ's salvation but still on the way to holiness: The Church is therefore holy, though having sinners in her midst, because she herself has no other life but the life of grace. If they live her life, her members are sanctified; if they move away from her life, they fall into sins and disorders that prevent the radiation of her sanctity. This is why she suffers and does penance for those offenses, of which she has the power to free her children through the blood of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit  (Paul VI, CPG § 19).     

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

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

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

(Youcat answer - repeated) 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 825) "The Church on earth is endowed already with a sanctity that is real though imperfect" (LG 48 § 3). In her members perfect holiness is something yet to be acquired: "Strengthened by so many and such great means of salvation, all the faithful, whatever their condition or state - though each in his own way - are called by the Lord to that perfection of sanctity by which the Father himself is perfect" (LG 11 § 3).    

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 826) Charity is the soul of the holiness to which all are called: it "governs, shapes, and perfects all the means of sanctification" (LG 42). If the Church was a body composed of different members, it couldn't lack the noblest of all; it must have a Heart, and a Heart burning with love. And I realized that this love alone was the true motive force which enabled the other members of the Church to act; if it ceased to function, the Apostles would forget to preach the gospel, the Martyrs would refuse to shed their blood: love, in fact, is the vocation which includes all others; it's a universe of its own, comprising all time and space - it's eternal! (St. Therese of Lisieux, Autobiography of a Saint, tr. Ronald Knox (London: Harvill, 1958) 235).     

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

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)

Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 131 - Part II.

YOUCAT Question n. 131 - Part II. What must we do for the unity of Christians?

(Youcat answer - repeated) In word and deed we must obey Christ, who expressly wills “that they may all be one” (Jn 17:21).            

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 821) Certain things are required in order to respond adequately to this call: - a permanent renewal of the Church in greater fidelity to her vocation; such renewal is the driving-force of the movement toward unity (Cf. UR 6); - conversion of heart as the faithful "try to live holier lives according to the Gospel" (UR 7 § 3); for it is the unfaithfulness of the members to Christ's gift which causes divisions; - prayer in common, because "change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and merits the name 'spiritual ecumenism"'  (UR 8 § 1); -fraternal knowledge of each other (Cf. UR 9); - ecumenical formation of the faithful and especially of priests (Cf. UR 10); - dialogue among theologians and meetings among Christians of the different churches and communities (Cf. UR 4; 9; 11); - collaboration among Christians in various areas of service to mankind (Cf. UR 12). "Human service" is the idiomatic phrase.    

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) Christian unity is the business of all Christians, regardless of how young or old they are. Unity was one of Jesus’ most important concerns. He prayed to the Father, that they may all be one … so that the world may believe that you have sent me”(Jn 17:21). Divisions are like wounds on the Body of Christ; they hurt and fester. Divisions lead to enmities and weaken the faith and credibility of Christians. Overcoming the scandal of separation requires the conversion of all concerned but also knowledge of one’s own faith convictions, dialogues with others, and especially prayer in common, and collaboration among Christians in serving mankind. Those in authority in the Church must not let the theological dialogue be interrupted.

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 822) Concern for achieving unity "involves the whole Church, faithful and clergy alike" (UR 5). But we must realize "that this holy objective - the reconciliation of all Christians in the unity of the one and only Church of Christ - transcends human powers and gifts." That is why we place all our hope "in the prayer of Christ for the Church, in the love of the Father for us, and in the power of the Holy Spirit" (UR 24 § 2).      

(The next question is:  Why is the Church holy?)

Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 131 - Part I.

YOUCAT Question n. 131 - Part I. What must we do for the unity of Christians?

(Youcat answer) In word and deed we must obey Christ, who expressly wills “that they may all be one” (Jn 17:21).         

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 820) "Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning. This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time" (UR 4 § 3). Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her. This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: "That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us,… so that the world may know that you have sent me" (Jn 17:21; cf. Heb 7:25). The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit (Cf. UR 1).     

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) Christian unity is the business of all Christians, regardless of how young or old they are. Unity was one of Jesus’ most important concerns. He prayed to the Father, that they may all be one … so that the world may believe that you have sent me”(Jn 17:21). Divisions are like wounds on the Body of Christ; they hurt and fester. Divisions lead to enmities and weaken the faith and credibility of Christians. Overcoming the scandal of separation requires the conversion of all concerned but also knowledge of one’s own faith convictions, dialogues with others, and especially prayer in common, and collaboration among Christians in serving mankind. Those in authority in the Church must not let the theological dialogue be interrupted.

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 822) Concern for achieving unity "involves the whole Church, faithful and clergy alike" (UR 5). But we must realize "that this holy objective - the reconciliation of all Christians in the unity of the one and only Church of Christ - transcends human powers and gifts." That is why we place all our hope "in the prayer of Christ for the Church, in the love of the Father for us, and in the power of the Holy Spirit" (UR 24 § 2).      

(This question: What must we do for the unity of Christians? is continued)