Ι·Ι1Ι·1ΙΙΙΙβΙΒ111ΙΐΙΙΙΙ1Ι III liiil liislJiJ

Œije American
(KaUsiasitkal iÀebùto

•*3

THE EXTENSION 01’ CHRIST’S MYSTICAL B01»Y
The term “Mystica! Body of Christ” is (>niy on„ ωnaraK
employed in sa- red theology to designate the Catholic Chun” > Jtain theologians, among them the great controversialists Win J·;1
and Cardinal Stanislaus Hosnis2 have use·! the term bodv of Chr'stas
a definition oi the Church. This practice hils been countenanced a-d
encouraged by our Hoiy lather Pope PjU5 XIJ
h;s
Corporis.' (Jbjeetively t/lcrc j, „t> on,s
names better titled to aid men in apprec ί;.
ti,e ( ..iürch
flov.ever, there have been those Η·/10 though“
.Body of Christ applied more properly to donw
0. orgaaiilt:K1
wider m extent than the ( α;ΙΙ()!χ Church. Thcse
< ,....
persons in this world w.io are in rhe state of grace, and who ax r.4
members of the Catholic (..lurch arc still member. r,f ;;,c
B«iy of CJn-ist. Some nave even feared îîia£
appIiciltion'<>f ώ,
name Mystical Body to the vlâlb;c Church militarfth- N-v
ment would in some way imply that the bk·^
dnd tfae dOuis
in pirrgatoiy an: ·.·>?. mem.a-rs Gt this Body. At
; ...,
taucht th..: ti:e Cathoik’ Church, pmwr’v
·*
narre*er ΐ,ι^π ι.τκ ,Λ· the -Mystical Body.
We can best rr.cvt. this attitude by comparing tf-.e
i« ·η;ί. tktions of »hc I '.itholic Church with the P.tm’ir,.-. ( , ,.
.
.,
.· ...
'Jei-iara::o."s ao"U’. .5
botiy »! 1 ;'γι.-γ. The ι .lurcn .vlH. n Stdesignated as the b-xl'· of
( hr:.-;: is t.-:e same o.-cjni»-> ’n atirh has bef-n
.
tn Catholic I'tcii-iiotogy.

N·’.* it bippens
tilt· ('rnf-xiir f i.jrch.

, ,. -1Γ1
t typ·.* Of dennitions o’’
Λ» ο. ι3«η nave j .
but the-.-r.,- ........ „

fcwtfc ft’·.'csir.i-.gy t
>.’w:i...'y, however. ’
papl'ji.·’ r!;e Γ.·.·:ιη f

Rcoert Beliar

■ iasskai fnrmu.a *

Cwwv

t’

..........

, ■ ■ ■ ■-_ - Λ ■“erature ·-: sc:<··
txgmning o; th·· severreec'h
:ti:v thr«· typ*.-.: ;, .-. !£R.- i ■

, ;

EXTENSION ΟΓ MYSTICAL BODY

125

f·: kln l <if definition of the Catholic Church.
.Vc-nling to the De
~i ’ ί·ι llfM't the Church is “the gathering oi those men v. ho are
i.'··;·: i- the profession of the same Christian faith and in the comτ.’ϊ-,-ζίοη of the same Sacraments under the rule of ’-’gitimnte
.··.(?=, and particularly of the Roman Pontiff, the one Vic.-.rof Christ

r.?b ·. ΛΙ not suffice to keep a man within the Church offen d d.efmiI
riir.iiar to that of Francis Sylvius. He wrote that the Church is
' ’-.e <ciety of the faithful. ordered and united under one bead.. Christ,
t-d .'Her Mis Vicar on earth, the Roman Pontiff.”3 These formulae
-'"iy «dusively to the Church militant of the Xew Testament. They
1-" t become common in scholastic ea Icsadegy until well into the
1 Jit-nth century. In most modern manuals of theology they are
• Jkc something like '’definitions of the Church in the strictest or the
■“oft prrper sense.*'
I’.esecond type of definition applies to the Church militant since

■«ili

'it i.egir.ning <X the human race, or at least «ir.ee the time oi our ."rst
at-iits. A gc/d example of this type is found in the D·· E ■·λ·.ι<::ο,!
■° ?tttri:ei
of rhe great Louvain tht-ologiat. John 1 >riedo.
'1-6 hoy Church is the multitude which rejoi-cs in holy unity, a

Λ y understood no; according to a gathering in one land or tn one
<vince. or in a",y bodily pare, but rather in the union oi one sign of
■i'll. c. .--re Spirit giving life in everyplace and nation, whether they
tr•-.-.I.<~s of this multitude’ know each other or not.”’ lite

■i

f

ft

’r

■nployccl by the Cardinal J-Jin de Turn-crema ra? anil
was likewise intended to describe the Church militant
•<.d on earth sin'·· the days of our first parents. Suarez:’
ii; r.mtemirf,rary. Gregory' of Valenti.!., was one of die first
·. rr.t format t
a ‘‘narrower” definition of the ( hurch.
i.-.t ’;■·<■ < ‘hu.-ch on earth since the first days of the human
ril t- ! us “t eg multitude of men whom the true worship
■ 1 tiie !
I .it -·:>« ure knowledge '>1 faith join together in this
‘. y by
i-.t.-ri-.a1. communication through fait'-, itse'f, and
if

1.1:·. 2.

Cl·.·
... 1, .1. 2:

*»’I5s/; *■ Ί· E col.
th*· l>

V n. 257.
• *\
., ’ k£' . icvain t.r.it: in of 1523, p. 'Λ*.
,
i de r.cde<i<2, Venice, 15o0, Lib. L cap.

‘O.

H

126
1 ΗΓ: ΛλΙK,'K'\Χ rcCLLSTASTICW. R/.VIIW

pilrfb· bv .
•Ut f.-ijfjj
Ç**^ri1£d communication in the omwani protesta1 ?.· ’ *
^o,mi;fac
^i‘11'· ’-' ί**· 'rf'lft'uutinn is the o.’desf among the =■ ’ 1 .· ' ’
ie7ed io t . ir!- !ΐΗ'ι,1"”'::η<· like Turrecremata and Driedo, pre- :
ex*str-nCe ,Jta*
true Church as an institution whiih Ind L·.:
Perte(;
the time <>| Adam and Eve, arid which had λ.·.ι■
7j,r‘ thirr/? *1,113 w"r“l UItf’ the advent of it.- divine founder.
1,1 '11·«■
definition, that. which is most
:’s
.
!°r-’ aricj ■ R,f !!Urcb;l;f !! 1 xnis. not ()n;v jn j his world, but i'pc-g.·
?fi'’’’tion of /Γ™’ Gregor>·
Valentin otters as hi? VIV S
,l’fougi;
_ -,l Chuixn the formula “the multitude of ’>!;■>.-< ·· ■■
i-Ut wf,r ,
‘.‘■‘■J ,,r '“V! ‘‘ailing are in ,->>mc uaj'.i.»s.->-iate<iin w
*l‘dgf‘nf p ' ,
‘ir^ ‘n :,ie true and ,-upimariim·’..' a,'.- ■■
“l ,Î!e clan.-,"
7 r'her ihat knowledge is in the obsmrity v b1·"
-°n forjY,
' ’ι,·“ f ,n‘ir,t‘-s of the
Vi\.i,in'->o
more'•t®·
r'-urneIy
ne most generat definition was u-e-t by If.:-..·'. ,· .

Go,]
,‘'t( u‘c,i’s ”:1heassemb y or society of the sai.f;
Orf-Mn,t
!·,;ιτ'|,!'Ή«< Chrt.1·. -r
- ' >
λ.........
Λ*-··>.·,
’heol’
,
,!r
·-'1·/ormuia
lo trne.v
nnif
thÎi
«ere carefuitne
to b"’
T?S1,'îi of
"! ü7ikî'nitiou involved, as a minim a.orjvme
^r
r
ei^‘V <
·? Th“
“ “ e < 'hun h mi.it.u.:
;<■
dtTons 'vehaw >« ™^··
-nh EX ntwbX-“ '

«

bt

;.;î ■ ’'the- ,<lal units now e.-sthC · h " ?'’ " 1 ' ‘5 ”
.
t'·' ard ·: »
m :his no,-, ar.■
rG^IVeS ,lf ib‘· ^e caur-h . f
Th
j’·^rfeciion^” XÎf':·'"
h :s 11 on -t}- ■
of Π:ηη beft-X

s

-eh· * "‘.’^tion rralending t- e I Ϊ',
'
.-f>ir ■ ■' Uh extends k. .
‘ Ol! GJr'fS - -‘i
ω !ive f<wv<r
i? .................. ■
■u-gf..
ζ !,.vL7;v
;ϊ: ’ ■
7U,ir‘
t'vr, r
-a

the peno.'e of C:xt aT._
: . ’
7*e- n ■
’ ‘ "'æ® :f,,s
■'·· lw.

‘‘Wor-sm Liber

Terr..

■

r

br-'f

'-nsu. tea;, rm

irai»n : tfie
{_

.
i
1,
'

EXTENSION-

of

MI STICAI. UODY

12.

■ s i hutch of the New Testament. He writes to the R, X
tha*
‘ht,being many, are one body in Christ, and every’ one members one of
mother. And having different gifts, according to the grace that is
έπη ti ’.· either prophccv to be used according to the rule of faith, or
ministry in ministering,'01 ’
' ‘
dart™,.
c, Pa„i

raxes it dear that the gro·
■vere those organized with

.«unite teaching

r.a -r. the C'!y !>i K[>nie.

κ-.ty oi brotherhood.’”''
, .
In the First FPMe to the Conr.ur.ar- also, the Apostk oi the
dr.u.es 'ea-.es ro mom for doubt about the tact that he applies
‘ r te. :‘b«lv" immediately to the vistbu- Church of the New
J
“For we. bein'-' many, are one bread, one body, alt that
r .i.t ■·,! r,r{. br(.:.d.":·' The one bread is <>i course the Eucharistic
'-i Tuse who r-..t!-’.ake <u t’ie ,,nc brea,î’ wnfuil lbe visible
·■-■■■'■■ Chun-h to whom this Sacrament is entrusted, arc the mem·> tbs (■■'•rr· h Thus here the designation -'one body” is applied
—: :i-e,· u, ,}..e .rroup liescribcd in the (ictmitiun of St. Robert.
=am·· document St. Paul shows iliat the body nf Christ which
•.•xrh·:# is an organized society, into which men are initiated
l' ’’-ή the rite* ·ί bapti^. a society in whirl’, there are diversities of
-- '. rich tries and operations.
.tnbers, and all ti-.n members rrt
c body: so also i, Chr:sl.
Spirit λ -c ■.·.<■ all baptized i’*'
v'!-< ther Jews w
h·
.>■ : d or
and :.a . ■·.·.· Spint we have all t,vcn made to

■ ' ί·ύ *r■ bod'· e-..;w. and ba’

:iot one

Church

.·, i.ur many.”
d*.· of Christ m order to emphasize,
it: v upon the life of our Lord, but
kn-. e of the memt eri tuning them·.. -. -.4.-ir>..d...-.” e .η members within

"■aj; C....V r.j
pr.rteeos υ» ..............
'K !:X .“ty a ijich he rails the ·η·>ό;- ot I hris. .
-----

**”■<. 12; 5-7.

·J

"Λίοι. ii. i0

... .

14.

THE AMERICAN KCCLEblAbTICAL REVIEW

128

serve one another.

The life of charity is incumbent upon all of th«e

who perta*° to
body of Christ, but among »!use mai, so”- '■
called upon to exercise the functions of hierarch’· al ministry- ~
body is manifestly the society in which this ministry exists by rig*:.

Now you are
^^st’ anf1’ members
member.
And God indeed hath set some in the Church, first Aposere1"·*
pr„nbe*s, thirdly l'nct-,Γ!.·, after that miracles. then the graces of hei.'·:
governments, kinds <>i tongues, mt.rpre-tatior.s of speeches-'6

Γη the Epistl'*t0 ’me Ephesians, Si. Paul speaks of the Church as tr.:
body of Chri’traisinf» him [ChnstJ up from the dead, and -setlinij him on few rig®
hand in the
places:
\ho\t*
ano- jivwer and virtue ar/1 do^?iniorr and --'Φ
„.1. ■- d’at i-' named nut onjy ;-ti this world, but also is that which i< t ■■ o '

,^îu; he hath •jWj'vtri ali things under his feet: and hath made hi."
nvt-r a» ibv '■’ηΐ'η’::·
AVi::i-h is his wy, and the fullness of him -.vh„ '.’died nl! :·· ■>'■' :r

;

St i'.itil taught thru the <
org inüation which he terme J tin' » ' '
Christ
eÎÎ!
--s 'o this world, strong in the hoi*- f'■ ·
•vi«!£
; '
divine -.wll1 ■i'· ft is .<s, tnft.Lir.g ui’ite-l and organised lure in
attain- thro-S^ .’cf r.ite corporates·>cijJ activity, ton fullness '■* ·· "

I

-re.

t-.c

Γ.
·:;;;·
!..... -■■·■■
VGfilV Ii

\Vi- r. a’i
in char.'-.
(•...-.■ml ■ ■

.

7 and miofae-s, with pavci.-.e.
r. ?. unity of the Spinr >■-

· : .iJ·? ' al-Urcf

-1

all. w'-

; Of <

2·.'

°ε· Μ,

ϋί

il and U·

t

EXTENSION OF MYSTICAL BODY

*29

grace is given in ihc viable Church, through the Apostles and
■ i fpiiets and th·.· Evangelists:

.: ■’:h‘· -:hi ■ wr the work of the ministry, for the rdifvλ’ ·.··.·.· ail meet int > the unity , f faith and of the knowledge of the Son of

man. ,;··,(■> t he measure of the age of the fulness of Christ·.
he
S1,
children tossed to and fro, and carried
..th •.-.-iry ·Λ··'ίϊ i>f d.w.trir.·.· by the wickedness oi men, by cunning
by which they lie in wait to deceive.
•‘i·:: uuj'.j U’.:.· ‘ruth in charity, we may in all things grow5 up in hir: wl'<·
s die head, even Christ :
i~tn whom the uhoie body,
!>eing compacte·: sittd f'.tiv _ΐ«»ϊ.·:.·<1 t.’gctner.

:■

■.

ihai ■.■very joint suppl :·.·;h,

Qunh

:>c<Or:ltrp ».· the .iperatii·:: i:- th' m<-;tsun· »f
he body unto the edifying of itself in charity.’^

cJlcd the body of christ shee it is

·;. re.;.' ·η ί·ϊ tin· f.» ! that He loves it ami has saved itu·;
i·» Ih -.he head of the wife: as Christ is the bead ot the Churc - he ■=
'.hesaviour nf his iVKly.”2"
,
- s. .
i tit --reit here th·· ilvsii'tiiitio'·» is applied 'tnmediutciy t·’ <·
•h a;- ;.·■ tre w.wr.ber?’ ..f
Lody/of his <W and '*
^nes. il
Epiai’r V·, the Colossians. St. Paul likewise insets t ta
’■.ιι.ηΐζώ,:οη v. jjich is designated as the body of Chnst «· p.eciSt Ύ ,
π ’.ch };t· is a minister. U C the H-ciety
wna a J’1'*
‘. 4,,

■■·.-.·■ '· ;.
; ,■,·

... v in ·.·.-I.’,. !: St. i’.:hl Cb-TS. and t.,r «im a ,te suJers,
C.·.‘ Bv;„r vû·.·.. âl«l 2«»>> ■!'<>»

.--.I..·

M. » “»wtah

.I»».' h

> ·. : Gixi, V r.ir h is gi ven me towards you.
1 tel·· dy grows in this world through its

•:-n. ’-fri.r.. which the whole body by j<‘ints an·, ba '· ή i urishr-wnt and compacted, growetn unto t e in». '

.
supplied

{Gofl ·■«

■■’atbviy. ,vhi:.h is the Church, liv« :r. chanty and m pace.

t'xli'.s of rhr mew be.of the Church are said
■ nt. we.·· ί
f Christ. ■■Kj. >w you r. it that jour bodies are the members

...

1.30

B

™E A”Eitæ V\- rcCLEsiASTICAf. kfA’lï’.V

above a-’i these things have (harily> whifh .·. {hc },„.]d of
■•-nd kt ihejK-ace ot < ™st rej.ji(T in
}ira_tSj whcreî.; .,.n.... ,
' dal in one body: and be ye thiinkf·-}
in rhe light of these te^s ;inf]
.
f(
;hl,
.on of the Mysbcal Body
Church. The Cathie or UniVers;ll Cn!Jrc/; .
proper
ot tha: holy society d^nlJOfJ ifl
of the ( nun h ln sc. oîastk
sr paui Hs .
th,. <.vrety. and n. ofh
;u ,,θ β
fnus, -...nen « say -uf he ν!^ f.. Icstarre-nt, the Roman t-ithojj,.
. λ,
.
,
..
,r
~ Cnurch. is me Mvstrcai ]}■>.·.-«
t-nrjîf. we do not in a··? >er,se whu >
i
-i ■■
'.i
. .
c
i.· ,
ftltndni·.·,· that appeü.ition in η; .■!
glorious assfmb.y of the
,
1
.
•r.
,
.
.«.iptv,
w heaven or the
tn purii·.:?.
Inese do not form a socitiy °r a
> ·
,..·.'
...
.
...
n,»iw>mi
'-uurch m any -.vav d.-st'ncr trotr ·'«
' n-jrrh militant, ihe
.
...
■*. -πΗ-ι.
r,,c f liiirch on eartfi arc "letio*
- itizens with
the samts.
,nd the d,
.,··.
.
...
n. , Rb‘a.snri>..d.
Liesdmes .ietv
»nxr. wimjeneano, u··'-'* tnc),..,|,...
,
t-i perfert i.e.ithude in heuven -p */1;> 1,1 ‘ y· · s'-...a.-sn,. ..
-'.h-sticai Body of Christ.
“Al
'
W h-n Aesay diat rhe R'lnaan
;.
.....................................
we du no.-, implv that the Cnurch exkt -,·-·π·1 ·’
B ’··.■
( ■■; : n.t «e mean llui every me.^ I)t°Di>' “-Unis Wl.riii any
.-i Italy .ihrn iresav that the An^jJ
Ar!’v <>t th·.· Γχci Star. > .>

«■.· !■ ^-nate the Chur- h
‘
Ç-tprundτ:..> Ur<.
■ e nweir sraie. the fact that th;/ ” Jle -·Γ5γ.···α! B >dy v r··.?,.·

sf iJ »rginizatior.‘ in îhis
wlvliii: r,.,.
~ from •' ’hrand in -.i,? .“

W'al' Ui
t'eral . --.rr·.-“aie ’.f
en ami dit

îr. ;hi' wnriii on'y 'hcs·.· wte ;.rc ;rj .
.ari proptriv
.lesigi:j!et2 13 actUai π·οιΛ ' '‘Λ" ' ;Κ':-,:ι·· · ’

.-he ^v^ciwi-·. «-·.
■·: ■. \

'-■.

t:“' Λ^:·«'<·■

h

. Ci.-hom ,-ir. -ve

; :n

ira.-f.

*.hP
UlK

*1:7 *,W ■! •'..’■‘Π*!/ Γ;

i

Xk.

u::
â
My-tû-i.. B-. iy. aid Πο> ,Μ’"η'

a · -·· gift Γπ·ί
-e .^conjer.

' l-est .Ti'?i; ·,κ1 *;Γ*ίκ·® r« j-

’* '■' ■■'■-^er λ ;:;ό

- r*-.>ao î'X’-.tu.v

f

kKCF.Xf IXk.MAiTC
Continuing his series of dogmatic text-b<.»ks under uie ci-.x-.y
-.· CjF.iKiHtzrius ir. SiimKam Π.
the Rev. ■ ■ <
_ .-as pnhi'.srca me jlimn., λοίυη-ι. .·<,
nt ii
r.;n« the treatises *■’
i'··»1*·'■■ ■ ' η·.·’ ;md “Dt- Deo Trino" tînm·! Seminain·. λI· .nîreai. J.‘,
- ■■•rmtiitarv embraces the matter ■>> tn<· γ.τΆ, Τ·> o.^-^tn - » ■
■■■■■"c. ί’,σι Y. The w.-i andin·; uures <>t father leruind = ά·'·^
' ■. amcH
brevity. Whi'-c Mlow-n;: in substance me ■■rue
‘"i. Tb-mas, he dties no: hesiuîv
uur'tfh’.œ certa.u
".-. ;r.nu-diauly niter the proofs <·ί t»’d s ex.stcr.e >■'- 1 ■’■·■
I·:.bær ■ f the inu.hivv virion <>· tin- dr.inc esser.ee
a-·
■■·■■. -*hi.h the Anodic i^tor .’^u<se> in Q- î-h ™
;·«“
■··-■· f t-c divine jK‘"ii;<:t:<>ns the subject of QQ. n .l-t.UA - - '·■
,
--".■■ns of prcser-t-d.’.}· imjx.r'.an· r. Ί’-ih as tne cxt>o.· ■■■ · ·.,
■· '!·.· :■ rm.-’î ί·.i;;sti: :vi; <>; the divine essence, are ui-AUssv·. m
■ ·
>■’.:■.<■? matters to which >'.■ lh<>mas _a\e k.-a.'-c.■ ··: - ■•t.t
are !es> imp-ria.H nov-fi^ys. smh as the boos. - t
·- -‘.i ti.i· hapn-nc-s ->t (i"'!· are passed "'tr.
.
• <.e: I e<.nïi. emtristemiv Thomtsm in itis choke ot optons.

crin· ·■: the ’.-■■.n.tm <.'u.
.-i i-i™ V'^v. uea·.'■ ··■.
-.t tv of a-t cc-i-ec :.amnt! d-. s:re. tri-.tch
- -riy memcarious and conditional. Vr‘»«t
1;e c<'’tviuu-.s .·-■

■ ‘ ·■ i -'.a·/, tea·

th. tt the future tree acts ·.·: r. ;-.r. .tr·.- s.· ·'· n

,
..pkri-n that, td’-b-wh the major:·.:.
r„ -t „. ·."
ur'.-.lter par: of the i'.::
<···■ th,·.· renr·.: :it:or he regards r.ot ’.s .» p:>t-

l.H