THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS AND THE MYSTICAL BODY
In the ninth article of the Apostles’ Creed we aim our belief in if.e
Communion of Saints. This formula, which did not enter the Cried
until about the fifth century, has never been explained in any solemn
declaration of the Catholic Church. As a result, we must reiy upon
the organs of the Church's ordinary magisterium for a satisfactory
statement of its meaning.
There are extant four distinct ways r.f interpreting the term Cr"tmvuic Sanctarum. The first met hod would make the ·λ ord Sanctorum
neuter, the genitive of Sancla. Thus the Communio Scnc:'r:t"t
would be the common possesion of holy things, the corpj.’xte er; yment within Lhe Catholic Church of : hose agencies which our Lord
instituted to help men live .he life of grace.
The other interpretations accept Sa/rtorum as masculine, the g-.-r.:tive of Saucer. F!;e English iurtrula "Communion of Sautts
to express only these interpretat■<ms. In this -way the Corr.rw-c
could be understood cither as the fellowship or association within»
definite society or as the society itself. When the word Cc'tw.-^k
is understood as designat ing a society, then this organization «s eitxer
identical with crcistb.ct from the Carbo;·? Church.
The explanation ai-’orning to wivluli the Communio Sin't^wr.
means the ceir.n-.nn possc<s;--n i.f means for salvation was reo.gn.;·
and approved by the Cctecnism of :ùe Council of Tr^nt. The C<&·
chism taught tr.at the tonr.ula Communio Sanctorum was added as a
kind of explanation to the preceding expression about the IT»ly C» ho
lie Church, and it goes on to expkin th r. ‘ the unity of the r?-’·
rvi-ich it [Lhe Church J is ruled makes wi tuever is granted if- *■ •t—'
mon, for the fruits of ad the Sicramems belong tol·
According to -.ht Catechism f .k- Conn il- >·' Tren'. r.K
,
*
tt.fr
oî-.hes.œ,^,,
,-œirfc|J „
rf tte Ctarch
tat a|„. ;fr rfcrians ,,, :·
i”·
aatae are truly common riosseasions.1
'’«View theologies,however, attemr-ted tocxnld.HheC ^:'·
..·
ion.

II
.
'-otr-mon yx.sscssx.n of ir.s-.rur.er.t~--■·
Isualiy the proponents of Ca:h >i <· tea 'ii'J

■“““ “

>» «■"Λίρ « .«Kiur
*

<-f· l«c. c.-i. Cap. 24-Ja

tar.:

- ■

379

C0M3ÎVNI0N OF SAINTS

blessed in heaven and the souls in purgatory enjoyed within the
— ■ i;c Church. Those in the state of grace in this world receive
■"? tu-i Leneiiis accruing irom this association. However, Catholics
·■■ T.e state of mortal sin are not wholly cut oil from this communica■ a, r.-.ey receive some share from their fellowship with the Saints
■
inasmuch, as the blessings consequent upon the Communion of
tend to bring them to repentance and thus to eternal life.
-N'c man can enjoy this fellowship apart from the Catholic Church.
- - -tc v. no enjoy the Communion of Saints either are actually mem’■r1 ut t ;e Catholic Church nr really intend to become members. Thus
:a the state of grace, the persons who derive tnc fud benefit from
association with the Church triumphant and the ( march suner-’· possess that charity which demands the love of the brotherhood.
person in the state of grace intends to live and to die within the
■·■’?’ u: the Catholic Church, even though, for want of proper in”-tt:.in, his intention should be merely implicit.
'“-■-me ‘d:e<.!o<£iai;s have used the term Communio Sanctorum as a
of the Catholic Church itself. In so tar as the Cate.ohc
"-■-r.T. extends into heaven and purgatory, it may weil be detined in
■- t.rmtûi "the society nf the saints who serve God under Christ,
'-’-tally, those who use such a definition are at pains to insist that
« -etm cancorum in the definition is not equivalent to iusiorum. It
■·' æ::c.-.l t« teach that the membership in the Church of Jesus ( hast
•'■s:.-:··.’Cti to those in the state of grace. It is theologically correct
' i’-tte tli .t the Church is the congregation of the samJ

• ■*

r.t ihose who are gathered witmn i> vi-n·.
rch triumphant and m tnc C1
the sense that tney an po■- ■
r.-.jsfss hid::
i".’ Ch-jr·· ’. m
■
-ace. Th..........
's ’ r'.r.ty. but they at least profess :h>’ .'."-’ly Alim ■ ί Je

«

j j:,

ai!

r.dc He

s2Crin:ents an-i live !

Pjivc-i ·Λ;ίΗη His Church.
—’ortunately. in our own Jr.y, certam r-ri’e
■' -‘-st interpretation of the Commun:# S'in

u

■ι<

'PT.sor another explanation, not in cor.;·.·
---’■t tr.s. Ln this group arc certain >'f the

VU1
from the G?rp«s Mvr.wn. ;
*?
Sal.-.
has -·. ffreater e.vcr.'.'.n ’.'wr

ti
c ί''-.-ir
Π ?

No. ^35, cp. 235~3-6>

380

THE AMERICAN ECCLESIASTICAL REVIEW

Graden, accepting the teaching of Dieckmann, carries his conclusions
still further, and holds that the Communion of Saints is really “so
invisible society, a ‘church’ or ‘ecclesia’ in the broad sense.”4 Acconling to this theory, t here are members of the Communion of Saints who
are not members of the Church, and conversely there are members of
the Church who do not belong to the Communion of Saints.
Radically, this view· is based upon a misinterpretation of the three­
fold definition of the Catholic Church. The strictest definition of the
Church designates it as a society visibly distinct from the other re­
ligious organizations operating in the world. According to this
definition, the Church is the society of those who are united in the
profession of the same Christian faith and in the ccmmt."i'-’-t!i"
of the same Sacraments under legitimate pastors, and in par:::-h
'
*
under the one Vicar of Christ on earth, the Roman Pontiffbroader definition of the Church identifies it as the society whi-b
true Israel, the continuation in the world of the bxty <■: l.eiie’-.ri n
Christ existent since the day's of our first parents. Acco'ding ··> ' ‘
broader definirim, the Church is the congregation of those wl·..·
in Christ.
The broadest definition of the Church represents *l:is ergan·®
*
1'·1
as the assembly v.liich extends into eternity. After ail, the ~x"
of the Catholic Church on earth are really “ic-llaw citizens
■
saints and the domestics of Gori.’’’* Sr. John the Aposce F”r:': that the taithiul might hr,re fellow -hip -,i i: ii him, “an··!
'•r.r
shin may be with ■ he Father, and w :'h If:J-rsu·1 Citri.-:
(..Lurch, considered in this light, i- properly .-'e.lnet.' ;.-s "lite· sc·'-'·· the saints, serving God trr-jugl: Christ."
Ihe trachmnai thec.!ogi.>r.s of the Catholic Churrh rrver’'"' ■' ;
tn designate three °epar.'.te GTiraiiizurii ns with these «.tfue
definiiiors. The three kmds of tonr.t;!.;e described or.e a.-d
society, but ic-cT.ed upon that society as it '..ere frire, titr-ce
angle». Tney labored t>; prove that ail ii·. twe <-f these deantd·-·’' ·
pii&l to the Catho’.x Cuur·.h alone urr.-'-rg -.-.-i the ’-ari·.··-’
su.ie-.it-s existent m the world. Curtail, v tl.c-v r’id r.r.t ihc·^ 1 ■
Chur>.h tn tre Lroa.lest sense as in ar.\ '.’.ay uri i-iaviribic s·· ·^ ■
distinct from the C\-.tLc>!ic Church.
It we
t.-.e terr.·. Ct-rr.tr.un’.r-n t.s rtettrtr.g a society.
CcmE.uniMC <.f >t.;nts :s nothing more or less than the reality de;cr» -!·
.
*
*£.?
J-.w.

Ciri-'1· Si

and loader.. B. Herder Ecok Co., 1936. f-&

i

■
381

COMMUNION OF SAINTS

V A* S1’1

broadest definition of the Catholic Church. It is the covocauæ saints, serving God under Christ. There is certainly no
:-"«:?gical warrant for supftosing that this body constitutes a social
■'·■’ liisdnct from that of the visible Catholic Church here on earth.
A ûnef survey of the history of the formula Communion of Saints
λ ’-be

■' -J servc to make this point clear.
One of the earliest mentions of the formula
^^nciorttm
reterer.ce to a Creed is found in the ExpianaiioSy^·’0'^’ attributed
’ ^'.ititas of Remesiana, and written around the beginning of the
bf’-ii ccniury.
A-cr the profession of the Blessed Trinity, you profs
*
that you believe
iiJy Catholic Church. But what else is the Church but the *
conpe
3 uf all the ,<iin U? For from the beginning of the »«dJ
I»1"”™
*

·’· ■nr.am, Isaac and Jacob, the prophets, the apostles, the
■^t u; i?.» j.jSt w-no j,ave i)Cen, who are, and who m<
>
■'-■-'ch because, sanctified in one faith and manner ot H ®
Spirit, they are made into one body: of which body

I

‘ i^th
fruy!

« »e have teen taught and as it is written
..
tîîe heavenîy
««un. I say more. Even the angels, e^cn J
,K.
f
. c. ...
■■nues gathered together in this one CnJt“’ '. . . ais0 those which are
« all things, not only those which am vu <^b bUl
·*
a Graven are reconciled in Christ.
,
f
</ .wfxtj in
T^forc beiiere that you are going 1° ae*-' ”e ’Λ . rw:.";uni:jn of which
Know that this Catho^hmch,

lught firmly to retain, is established

»

av.j: i thusc?

other Churches, which art mise,

-nl the Corrwr.imion ο;
. far as the author c.f t.ns
. . trey->:-r· <S i f.,ur.tj ■*-.virhin the f athofcr
...
As
was certainly a fdlwAship
of the O-.u.-.i which
-•"•Web alone. He stresses d:e
_ inJ .vhJ,h .;.,y hav?
"<!-ers Dieckm3T.n ai1J
^jety,” * ^nux': rjeni.- in the
:■-· ;>:«d as that of
‘
*
idociM
e Ci.urcl-. vhichis
*
■· --< ser.se of the term. B-·· - ■’
from the coi; .entrcles

guisi.ee here on
8
°f ’? e SFsrcioritra &rd f,’eùge’i, and île **iet-v wir ;1 whld*

inc\ ies the saint
*
n3e·' ma·- attain
commenting cn
which he defend

e- cr
χ heaven.
' ,.?ς. \>;gc»tine tt» recognized ".eChurch

c.-rth and in heaven.
'A' ............ *
rf Λ;χ

If
I

3
382
. z^c-ints. In part «P^·35·;
It has begotten us. ItistheChurc o ri jicj u«. In so far 35 lf ^"'u’
in great part dwelling in heaven, it
in heaven, ît is the blessedness ol the a.8

in this world, it is the hope of t e J

·

In his Enchiridion the greatJ^th^

manner as the E«

angels are not members of t^e
who have been redeemed by ***
^ur '
again that the Church on earth i» a pa
the angels in heaven are include .

tj1C same time
s»"·"
,jie ^r^nization in w _ ti.reSiiug to compar»· - ctnfcn d’æ f
’ i

two passages. Speaking ofthe
angels and the Church militant, b ·* αΒ
this latter as contrasted
'■

‘S
■ S
*

church

presses
Ίί;νδ invisibility ?i

angelic choirs.

The Church among the holy ange··- 3I1<_’
parent to us when we shall be joined to *t -l -.
eternal happiness. But that wliicn is »n P*
better known to us because we are in it and
like ourselves. This latter has beer
*
rofcctn· “
of a Mediator wirheut sin.. ■ · For Christ ωα

oi Cod wi'-i
:n posSSS'Bg th?j®;·
;w.-n it cn e»·»- ”
it is made up o. ce"
b>- the »r
*
tjîe
.

ri"'t
'■■ ^e
14
At the same time St. Augustine adverts to . ■. <■? Ά-"?F
hcn he teaC
rcur.inr. ».f Sainis, fwithuut however us in S uns »e» »
σ+o thesao
*
that the angtî4 in heaven ar.d the fait^
*
rt« wrtH Pt‘ " '

organization.
Here [this Church] is considered as a w.iole, jmd
the
to the part which is in pilgrimage on earth, r-ra:-.ng t-w
«^-.ticte »·’:σ
from the rising to the setting of the sun. and s'-r'g-·Κ ”*' s’,vi1i.-hha!!8-e11'”
the ancient captivity, [it i-· cc-nsirirrcd abe] »n that tj ·*ηι
since it was cstabii/hul. been iciix-d to God in beaver. a* a * '
experienced a.v.· evii .,f toss This latter stands blessed in
anti it helps, as it should, that portion of itsel: which '» » «■ ‘b‘ .b.
Both perti-m
*
wIU be one in their lot for all eternity. N
*>··
by the bond of charity, Uca-jse ths whole was established fo? 01
ol the one Gixl.1· 1

The part of the Chllr{.h Λ.Η h ., ..„ ο;;<.Γ^^ε here on ^rtb * at

*MPi. 37, <xl 1S52
•Cap.
lift
**C«p. 15 ,Sid.c^ ■>«

383

COMMUNION OF SAINTS

•e Church was the Catholic Church, the organization which will
mil the day of the general judgment,
•.tain good and bad mcr
members of this one Church were in fellowship with the blessed
tire angeis in heaven. The Church, with its perfect and imCl" -Teinbers was the recipio•nt of aid iron· the angelic hosts. There
............
n_.......... r a.. real and dynamic association with
g to St.
.Augustine,
a.csscd in heaven in and through this visible Catholic Cnunh,
re
ccrtainiv........
no v.warrant tor teaching that the Communion of
-t .s a sort of invisible society, distinct tr<>m the Catholic Cntirch,
I union with the blessed in heaven is to be round through the

e Body r,f Christ.

■ ■ un<! that the;,· will be
s!u[> <>f the Triune G->d..
-:‘te·,' as m /h'i^rini'i^c,
courts <>i heaven.
I.-... f
,-i,

invisible is simply the union of the
lie preached that they are joined
united to us for ail eternity in a comIn his writings the Church militant
as temporarily absent from its true
Vet, during the course οι this pil■> communication with its

Cert.iinh
nts in heaven Wong to ■•tr.y sWety dislimΊ from the

.e

S

s

H
fl

R

dudir.g in its rnemlwrship all of those persons in me

Q

f

grace here nr
î nom.
ai

énts,
rnmnruniiattf·!

a natural k>ly the

hich h the Church.

An·! because a==

ran.-i

■

-m·
I he

a

the
·* tta.c R-nia

Hvr.ce

t

natter- *
h

'Trr:··.

'1

he thing
c·
iif »:a;A
ail ί

tre Church.11

M

#ώ::ο= -V-.4 6 1=

tr..l.ûi<·

b·. ·ζ -v.r -·ί

Hi

■
384
REVIEW
Muny of the great counter-Reformation theologians wrote about the
Commun Ln of
None of them considered it as an invisible
society :n any v.ay d-<i ict from the Catholic Church. Thus Frederick
NuU-ea, the ûimo s Bishop of Vienna (f1552), interpreted the Com­

munion of Saint'
the common possession of spiritual goods by the
members of the C:".....
same time, h.r.-.e
' as the Coeie
ion of Saints,
So Cnn·^·
Klïvcs that Church to he boh- which ’> the Cathoii.·
Church ar.l me GmTur.:. <ai::S. Β-..th sullying hare -r. uri:

and trmmp.nr,n hea-.i:1 it shares urn «.«ally one Cod. one Pa?t .r.
a>tn ant, c;..e

the same merit·, and prayers, the same sacrarr.e ’Λ

anu especidi.j -.ne Eucharist „hich is the sacrament of all unity ar.'ïcc.ic

In hi·' paraphrase of
r.iinh article of the Apostles’ Creed
oilers a stiii more complete statement of his belief.

I have ba·;:
a:J ‘ho
whau-Λ'Γ "
f.-„T r^,,

· ’Λ"' 3Γ“·
‘ι·1·:·

ci

;3'L S”*
' "

u:,,.>n ·,. ;t;i Christ ourH.aJa."- »■<·■

U J
îr
' ",c ÂÎt·'1 tiîvrn· ·π
a ' :i'
3··,! -!·' M,nt« cither alreaJv dead or -tih bvh'.-· *■■''·■

remain aithn : ·,. r·-·' ■ '■"‘.“l1-’i,: ~5,a' ip;'e' a'1 ;iiwve -‘r·^···
npp,i
‘
•Ι'·η·* ι:· ’■ tisat ;t ν-·ι.ι ava-l unto my sal·, aôn so d11- •<ecd new er
air υ·
c,.
ri{cj,

i..e Cu.·
·2 ,y
}-ιΓΐ “‘·ΙΤ !;H1 (. ;·,..
.me. I e..e,..-tip . si;:
r

,f Τ',■·(,·;/,
1; appt-ftd twenP-·
·'
*
. (_a> ■> ;s„;tls . [ X.;„SC.··, fr,-îiov C'L tilC
pal.... .lr p Clt;. ijhrist is to befeundio ’-ζ

of
.,s -fj,er-. ij. a common p.issession of spiritu·
**
lL': ■'■'"'•: ers · :’ t-æ Church. The Calrcki^· of

* re,U i: s-■'·'■' ΐ that i c faithful in the staf" of nier'-riaf;
■ *■„ ' ·" '*
* s fellowship, even though the f·:-’ :'-3e' .
lh
,.1, jæ \.......... •ni .·.·’. '.·: mints · unes only to the.-e who ίΐ'·£ ’;'e -* ‘e ' ·
*.
,/«<
r't’ri-C’M, ^, e Ca/ec/iilrni mike- no reference i'· th"X .· ?Γ '' lr*:::r?ha.nt or :he Church
i.“ its expo-''·1· r'
r

:ïLib. II. p. 70’ (tri-alation our<). Th
1552 in Vienna. The ti-ne and pU.,e nf .ru
-1 Loc. cii. {traDSbtiol· ours),
urr
-■· -

ι ι>-'·ΜΙ.\-ΓΟΧ of S\rxra

385

John L ess
identified i!æ Clvr-h

^win luiiryc-irs before his death,
‘•Ls^utelv with the C-.:nimuni.jn of Saints.
TH Church κ ^ai-j t·^ i
1

all the saiy.fs ar...

æ Îne Communion or the s.iciety of saints because

ttrit. throu-h ρ-,ΓΓ,. "
! t'w’t!,cr Jn it, as one body united throughonc
Uc bo,.u 0I ,Kacc and char.rv ls

Hie great Cardinal Stanislaus Hcsius (τ157Γ^· '·ν-1’ pcr
e^k
*
’
iidcpt the tern; Communion oi Saints as a dctm.itKm c-l t··'·
.
as ûe word saints .as not con-idcred
:a p',«e.«ron oi the state oi grace. He,1P Ρι.;:ιζί,
i-ui hid
ihe members of tb,e prin i·-1· *f[oiius
arsiicss cf the pcriecüon oi their spiritual ;!'c-·
J11' . .
·,,,„.·!;
_<i: tirai the expression signified the ί '·,ΛΠΐ“^ν>ν0' ~l’,\w common
’.in the Church and insisted that uic>e f,oi
Church

the Church huhuul euu .U

;«-.v « ft»

iho Communior. Qf Saints must be understood m tms manner· A-l «·■■■“■-■··» of the saints. both those who still tight at our side here -m tartn and
• Ί-e wnu now triumph ip heaven after they have f--'-ght the .-o··’·
an
:i;e received the crown oi gbry, are conununioted to us.
:or us.
Sî-1 îià.‘e

Ί-t

/i1'’1' f-anisius (fl597) explained the C-.-rnniLn; m of S.<iii'.s so
“i:'-t most catechisms since His time fine fcfo-'.ed his

in the fourth place [we believe! that the Γ«γ..-ο·ίι ■; Siir:-· is in th,·
«ae Church, ia such a ■•■•av that mise «<"’·
the i.iurrh as
the r.aaee rr tfle fanlf-y vf
retasn a <wu:a
? and
-n
anunc tiiem-tb« and, as mcmiicr.- <>i
· \J ■':·" ·! 'V: ·' ;
r*--'-a: duties. xifL- ami rrayere. Air—— ·■·■—''· ti’···'· ·
is ,j,.·,.,.>,. a.;.; t?xl· same use Λ m.' -cm ·.· ·«
: ■ retain the ur.;ty ,·.; -he spirit in the >

in-y arc <wr<..J

o: F^cr.·

‘H ms smaller ...-.lie hism i.e exf iixt-X æ·- r
! ’ ’ '" :
' ''
X-munion cf &iuts exists 1;. sum a ’«y as i, mciucie not mly th■Λχί· d

3.^..·

■ 30' t-nisilt. >-;■
"cLc'.-r-.-.-i, e·..:· i: :< .'û’-ô-s
ζ ■
•,5,’M.p r: «v-s.it.
- ■--!:.'WTW Cii’·.:, ,'i I'·»'*· ’**'
■ ■■‘tica .Romeand5îw--t»
"

W-·-· ■' '■ .'■.oc'-^ia, 1562,

■,-■ 70,

r. _
'■-

:
■' f.
κ*'

Γ· :"Ather st,-·
- . rit λ,
;ι. '9 (transia: ·- . »).

rj
& il

I HE AMERICAN ECCLESIASTICAL REVIEW

3S6

g:, virth, (St. Peter Canisius does not limit tins commcnin
to ι,:·.·.=ί.· ·.■, -,< enjoy the state of grace), but also the blessed in ber.ea
.in 1 i'.i- s/j’.s in purgatory.18
Ί he oid Baltimore Catechism taught that “the Saints ani r-c rï
members of the same Church, because the Church in heaven ar.i C( i’.jrch on earth are one and the same Church, and all its members
are
communion with one another.”19 It defined the Comirxaiia .:
Sai- ·= as “the union ·. hich exists between the members of the C.’mr '■
■■n earth wit.: one .’..’Other, .md Wi’-.’i t;:e Liessi d in heaven m l ■• i‘:
t’-.e -uffering ouls in pur;.-.·.’ T'a r. iis-.r; '-e:·?·,.η '.-.■.’.ii.,> ■.·'■-■
the (Jommur.hn of Saints mea;;> ”ll ·..· un.i ir. of th.·.· â./Jii':! ir e..“the blessed in he;·, ven. rmd th·;·
i' purga'.on . will· Christ ■".? ' :-

jgf|jg|g i ;||||f llilllfilBMlgg
Cardinal Gasparris (';·.■·.chism r/je.ii- the· *j r:'ri·.-.^
me (-~!·
chism of the Council of Trent. ' The set-.nd part of the NT'-t;'· ·'·
*'
t’.' ie of the Creed—‘the Commxmion -.f Sains’ - is cmnec’.e 1 •■i-’:
toe first part as in s-.-me s-.rt usplatni'.g i:, for it tribes es ·’■·’—
oer.efit Lie members of th;. Church r ay gain iron lite h/.’.r.r^ timed tn and through the Church.” Car ii..;il G.tsparri s.ss':.'t- t““by this second part of the Xi-.ih ArCcie of t;:? Crt--; ;·,·!? ~”Ί
tiiat bclreen die member? :,i ri.··.· Cliircii—in Ika.-en, xn Pr.tga· r.
and on earth--there exists, by reason of their c’oac union w-’tb '■·'■■
another under ChriM their Head, a mutual co r.munii-L'— ;”· sl;r’
it.-.al riches.” a

the- Cate l.ism Catholic Faith adverts explicitly to tl’t f<1
v.:;idi cor.3titu-.es the Communion of Saints as exist’Χΐ wi-hiii dAb.sf.ial iiody {,f Jesus Christ. “By the Communion of
vn-.oun that the tr.en-.beri of the Church in Heaven, in pv.riL tG · 3 i
oc ea· th, are a.l Cnc fa.aj|y of βθ,? !ovjng antj helping one acid.-r -S
, .tr?
·<■/?<
ii

a !n

' ^fystiial Body of Ci rist.”M Unfortunately,!·· we>e ■
j -.-hers; -p” -n the Communion of Sa·3’
EimriimreÎ:

[.CTÈ-ja -H. c. S'6

> "■'

COMMVNTON' OF SAINTS
XÎ?2 diStin.Ct

^^'bcrsh-p in the Churrh «

“^anuwnd by Cardinal
η

;

i
'

ςΓ -!ie Communion of Saints ;:s a society
v
lrUe Church."
..is S'/cic·01 ^a’nt·'5” H-! .he Cjî’wüc EiicyJitfcdia,
^ich bind-"C-S 1 > l'::S corî:rxnÎO!i is ’“the sp:.-:iur.i
P-^iory, and the «ιΗ n^C\nC‘ lIlt;
on earth, the souls in
■?“trdl !>'χ’ν
i... V" Î t,;VL’·· m the organic unity of Cc sire·?
' '■■■'-■’■"i.Li-J-.i',,.ν
*.
L’S
ami i:· a. constant i.-tter- h.sn^c
“■-’ufs U r-a. ."‘■‘'•'y '6 in his bool:
--i ·. .' Sainis
~-:nion of SaHsSeem
ΐ ’"æ "îhe cxIWïi!‘,sn· G',n\·
'-iferi·;- ”27 μ·' , 5‘'V.Ues lne ( η“Γ<·':ΐ Militant. Triumpi·..nt, and
or the Communion of Saints .i= well as the
>i.L
u·
Ireland in the introduction to hi?
f*
?<■·■■·»’■ ’·'. i;h that of SclHer.:s The same deSnirion. forai!

P“rPoses·!S to be found in the brilliant arid ; <>n tin- Com!,y Father Bemar 1 in the Zh'dr.viTibe .>■ Thmlozit
* ani* *n t-t1·- tre.'.iiie mi the C'uttmur.ion oi Sj::’.;; -'■>■ the

E·,.,;.
Cfl.'’ r

;en’.in Bretim/’

Ln

the f'M-

H-.s arc .irr.pij
=e<i in design.t:r i 7 >ciety
lurch -a hkh >s th·: Mysti-

5,-c;.i:. tir it is none
,.f [r^-s rbris’.

■
:

rite term is ordinarr v u-ed to i·1^ 'l Midship ™th® *
*■.■· The s», iet·.- ■■·.ithin'v -’.i.h -he :■ itowsh.ne cwtsis -.·>· Catholic
•.=.ho enjoy th -? felloes'.;.p ir·- tho^e
’fh.
i .bur. :>.
ι-e or i itcnd to bc. Jirenumbers ol the Cad
members cf the Church receive the bewf.-. ·■
ΙΐΓ; T
“’‘<T, •.- ith the blessed in ■M-.en through the si<r.ix<

'Lirate and p'ivr.te acts

"Cf. q. JM.
a ct. <j. i;-’.
· ’; C ·.. v ■
it Of ArdsKs
McCi

•Cf. VC

·>*■ 44 "■

= η E

i: J·-; Co, t')S4, j/p. I2&-J1.

38S

ί

THE AMERICAN ECCLESIASTICAL REVIEW

channels through which men receive favors from God, through wh..n
the souls in purgatory are benefited, and by whuh the saints in
are honore-1.
IV: There is no ir.visii.'.e C'Lunh. no religious society distinti h.n.
the Cath-j.ic Church, oi vhi-.h ;ncn in the stale of grace are metr’.en
The *
.nly society whi h can rightly be denominated as the Communion
of Samis is the true Church of Jesus Christ, the .My-lical Body.
Washington, D. C.

a

•ii

>

1

V

■

Joseph Clifford Γεντομ

Answers to Questions
HOLY NAME COMMUNION SUNDAY

(lues!inn: The Mcr.tu! of the Holy Name Society asserts that the
-■“2 its are obliged. to receive Holy Communion with the Society on
/'■y Netr.e Sunday. Please state how this is to be reconciled with the

"r-r.-fe ci the Congregation oi the Sacraments, explained in the March
^■;e vf the -4 mcricaii Eedcsiasliral Rciine in the article -Hoiy ComEWiion Through Coercion.”
Anew?: 'Inc decree to winch reference is made imp-iüt y answers
.^Xitiun. for it repeats the ruling of the decree Sacra
·<”!·.·'·.ό· to this effeci : “If there are any institutes ο uoiver ’
ve ··, s, in whose rules and

‘received on

rs are attached to certain days and
..... day. these rules are to he considered mere,
r-.-p-w’· «Bouscaren, Cane» ie^Jmn,.ar/:;ng lbe members to
;t the rules of a religious or^,
dirCl-Hve. nor
Ik!y Communion on certalE(>^f .i;e n:ies of a society of lay
'c ..'■r.-.ivt, a fvlwri ihe same is tne
^1.^ wor<is. the rule
tc.c’./s. such as the Hoiy Name
c<?n-ir!unii.'n by ΐί1Ρ
Al··
concerning the
œc,nth is to ie regarded as a
a „en.hcr IwIJc :·> any

:r.b(-rs - r. Hoiy Name Sunday
pe

c mirficn of v,men ";
**
,·.ν. suer, as expulsion from

MAKRiAt.Eb
g;ven l;y

PRr.MisL'S IN OneΪ.Ό the promi»5·
thi
rati-.a >.famix<.d

“u^jerv.
~

pi- ics f-r

ihc
’ ,, jno’, t, 2

.,c.i’so u-1
A civil m.··
’ ·.!.·· ;ί·υ—li.r eVir···^je Lt .■;
J-u-x.-rFr-m
d·”*
;
u‘p. 22) it
1042 (/c j .lyi j.·. 5·.«^·
fleed tc
·'’■*

ec ...a·?·,-. ■· ■ nd tt-.e er-ilcr^n
<’L! Icon ■.·«:■..■) may Le b‘>m

required in tl e .ase
«ho may be liom

ocra to the couple-

to any *
- Λ
® "wM·
*“

«μ

x on January 16,
she ; r-n l-o
j ::.}y to cr ■'.!’*n
L previously ’-ren
u.e opink,''. quite