Church: SACRAMENT OF SALVATION.

1 The Church is the SACRAMENT of the Communion

of the Blessed Trinity with men.

SACRAMENTUM: the Church as a visible sign:

TEACHINGS; SACRAMENTS; HIERARCHY.
MYSTERIUM: the divine element in the Church reveals that
it will be always a mystery, the power of salvation is “hidden”.

2 Other possible definitions:

- INSTITUTION founded by Jesus Christ in order to
bring salvation to souls. INVISIBLE.
- The People of God (Mystical Body of Christ):VISIBLE
- Same faith; same sacraments, and united to the Pope.
 NECESSITY OF THE CHURCH FOR SALVATION.
St PAUL: “For when the Gentiles who do not have the law by
nature observe the prescriptions of the law, they are a law for
themselves even though they do not have the law. They show that
the demands of the law are written in their hearts, while their
conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse
or even defend them on the day when, according to my gospel, God
will judge people's hidden Definition of the Church:
works through as SACRAMENT
Christ Jesus” (Romans
2:14-16). Thus, according to the thought of St. Paul, if a person
obeys the law of God written on his heart, he is obeying Christ the
Logos and is essentially accepting the Spirit of Christ, even if he is
not fully aware of this. Following Romans 8:9 ("you are in the
spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Who ever does not
have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."), it seems
reasonable to conclude that a "just pagan" belongs to Christ and in
some way shares in the membership of His Body, the Church, even
without a formal awareness or an outward, visible manifestation of
this fact.
 NECESSITY OF THE CHURCH FOR
SALVATION.

• St. Cyprian of Carthage. In his mid-third century letter to

Jubaianus, bishop in Maurentania, the saint writes:
• If the Baptism of public witness and of blood cannot profit a
heretic unto salvation, because there is no salvation outside
the Church, (<extra ecclesiam nulla salus>) how much the
more worthless is it for him, in secret places in the caves of
robbers, dipped in the contagion of adulterous water, not
merely not to have put off his former sins, but even to have
added new and greater ones!
 NECESSITY OF THE CHURCH FOR
SALVATION.

• Origen, in his Homilies on Joshua, c. A.D. 249-251:

• If someone of that people wishes to be saved, let him
come into this house, so that he may be able to
obtain his salvation.... Let no one, then, be
persuaded otherwise, nor let anyone deceive
himself: outside this house, that is, outside the
Church, no one is saved. For if anyone go outside,
he shall be guilty of his own death
• Commenting on St. Cyprian's phrase, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, placed the
famous words in their important historical context:

• We must remember that this expression was

formulated by St. Cyprian in the third century in a
quite concrete situation. There were those who
thought they were better Christians who were
unhappy with the Church of bishops and separated
themselves from her. In answer to that, Cyprian
says: separation from the Church community
separates one from salvation. But he did not
mean to lay down a theory on the eternal fate of
all baptized and non-baptized persons ("Ratzinger
Speaks," The Catholic World Report, January 1994, p. 23).
• THE CHURCH’S UNIVERSAL MEDIATION

• The mediation is carried out through:

• 1. The power of the sacraments.
• 2. The power of other prayers and sacrifices.
 Church VISIBLE, 1

Can. 204 §1
Christ's faithful are those who, since they are
incorporated into Christ through baptism, are constituted
the people of God. For this reason they participate in their
own way in the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ.
They are called, each according to his or her particular
condition, to exercise the mission which God
entrusted to the Church to fulfil in the world.
DEGREES OF MEMBERSHIP:
1 Faithful (those with or without sanctifying grace); 2 Non-
Catholic Christians; 3 Non Christians (catechumens).
 One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church
Properties conferred on the Church by Christ.
Visible & invisible; charismatic & hierarchical; fraternal.

1. One (CCC 866)

1.1 Only one from the beginning (CCC 813)
1.2 Diversity (CCC 814)
1.3 One in Faith, Sacraments and Apostolic Succession (CCC 815)
1.4 Wounds to unity (CCC 817)
 One, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic Church

2 Holy (CCC 867)

2.1 Christ's Mystical Body and Spouse are filled with grace (CCC 823)
2.2 Holiness of end and means (CCC 824)
2.3 Holiness in its members (CCC 825, 828)
2.4 All members are sinners (CCC 827)
 Church VISIBLE, 2
One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church
3 Catholic and Universal (CCC 868)
3.1 Faith, sacraments and apostolic succession (CCC 830)
3.2 For all men and women of all times (CCC 831)
3.3 Each particular Church is part of the universal Church (CCC 832-833)
3.4 Outside the Church no salvation (CCC 846-847)

4 Apostolic (CCC 869)

4.1 Three meanings (CCC 857):
built on the foundation of the Apostles
keeps and hands on the teaching from the Apostles
continues to be taught, sanctified and guided until
Christ's return through the successors of the Apostles
4.2 Apostolate (CCC 863)
STRUCTURE OF THE CHURCH ON EARTH Church VISIBLE, 1

CHURCH: Congregation of the faithful

The Equality & Diversity of the Faithful

Christ's Faithful (Christifideles) (CCC 871)

all incorporated in Christ through Baptism.
constituted People of God:
all sharers in Christ's priestly,
prophetic and royal office.
 Church VISIBLE, 2

The particular Churches & the Universal Church:

Communion of the same faith, sacraments, with the Bishop
A portion or a small family within the Church.
No opposition.
Mission entrusted by Christ is UNIVERSAL.
Unity among members and with the head.

Catholicity
 Church VISIBLE, 3

Unity & Variety; Equality and Diversity (CCC 872-873)

true equality with regard to dignity and activity
All are baptised. Holy orders creates the structure.
all cooperate in building up the Body of Christ
according to each one's own condition and function

diversity of ministry but unity of mission

the differences are useful for the mission of the
Church: hierarchy, laity, consecrated life
 Church VISIBLE, 4

Why the Ecclesial ministry? (CCC 874-875); HIERARCHY.

Christ: source of ministry and giver of its authority and
mission, orientation and goal; no one can bestow grace on
himself;
No one can proclaim the Gospel by his own mandate

"How are they to believe in him of whom they have never

heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And
how can men preach unless they are sent?" (Rom 10:14-15)

NOT as a member of the community, but speaking in the

name of Christ: to teach, rule & sanctify, in the Person of
Christ, head of the Church.