Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist continued.......

This second community is realized only in the sacrifice of the Cross, by his giving His life for His Church which he had to ransom from Himself. Only in death did Christ seal the deep covenant with the Church whereby she is purified and sanctified and which according to the teaching of St. Paul is the image of the most intimate union of human being in marriage:

'Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church and delivered himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life' (Eph. 5:25).

From the opened side of our crucified Saviour the Church was first born, as Eve was taken from Adam's side. That is the most ancient way of expressing this truth.

This twofold relationship, then, in which Christ stands to us men, as our Mediator before God and the bringer of all graces from God, lives on in the mystery of the Eucharist.

 The Holy Mass is the renewing of the Sacrifice which Christ offered for us, of the sacrifice of atonement for our sins; but the sacrifice is also at the same time the preparation of the Eucharistic meal, the sacrament of our union with Christ in grace.

We should not be surprised if the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament occurs more than most doctrines in the documents of the Church. There are few mysteries of the faith where the mystery is so evident and therefore so exposed to the attacks of heresy and unbelief. However, the militant position of the Church should not prevent us from seeing the Real Presence in the context of the whole Eucharistic mystery.

THE CHURCH THUS TEACHES:

The doctrine of the Holy Eucharist is thus made up of:

1. Doctrine about the Eucharistic sacrifice. Holy Mass is a real sacrifice, instituted by Christ at the Last Supper.

It represents Christ's sacrifice of the Cross, but in an unbloody manner. Priest and victim are both Christ, who offers himself through the priest.

The laity also offers the sacrifice, but does not have the power to transubstantiate.

The Eucharistic sacrifice is offered to God in praise, thanksgiving, petition and atonement, for the living and the dead.

Saints may also be commemorated in honour and petition.

The Church has the responsibility of determining the rites and prayers to be observed. The liturgy as a whole is the public worship by the mystical Body of Christ. In every liturgical activity Christ is present, in a manner that must be properly interpreted.

2. Doctrine about the Eucharistic Sacrament, sacrificial meal and sacrificial food:

The Holy Eucharist is a true sacrament, instituted by Christ.

 Christ is really present in the Holy Eucharist, even when not being received. It is therefore to be honoured and adored.

The whole Christ is present in either species, bread and wine, and is received by the communicant.

For the wheat bread and grape wine are transubstantiated by the ordained priest into the flesh and blood of Christ so that only the appearance of bread and wine remains.

The sacrament effects union with Christ; it is nourishment for the soul, gives increase in grace and remits venial sin and punishment.

~ ~ ~

The Sacrament of

Confirmation         

The Sacrament of Confirmation completes the Sacrament of Baptism. If baptism is the sacrament of re-birth to a new and supernatural life, Confirmation is the sacrament of maturity and coming of age. The real confession of Christ consist in this 'that the whole man submits himself to Truth, in the judgment of his understanding, in the submission of his will and in the consecration of his whole power of love . . . To do this, poor-spirited man is only able when he has been confirmed by God's grace'

This confirmation in the power of the Holy Spirit leading to a firm profession of faith has always been the particular effect which Catholic tradition has ascribed to the sacrament. It is effect which complements and completes that of baptism.

THE CHURCH THUS TEACHES:

Confirmation is a true sacrament instituted by Christ and different from baptism.

It is administered by laying-on of hands and anointing with chrism accompanied by prayer.

 The chrism is blessed by the bishop and the bishop administers the sacrament.

 All baptized persons can and should be confirmed.

The effect of the Sacrament of Confirmation is to give strength in faith and for the confession of faith and to impress an indelible character.

~ ~ ~

The Sacrament of

Holy Matrimony

Matrimony is the marriage contract between Christians raised by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament. 

 As a Sacrament, Matrimony is entirely oriented on man's supernatural goal. Matrimony and Holy Orders are the two sacraments which not only serve the individual in reaching this goal but are there for the benefit of the community.

 Matrimony is there for the mutual help of the spouses and the increase of the people of God. Devotion to this twofold end is the way of salvation for married couples, a way sanctified by the sacrament.

 'Yet she shall be saved through childbearing; if she continue in faith, and love, and sanctification, with sobriety' (1 Tim:2:15).

The mutual sacrifice and devotion of husband and wife is a true picture of Christ's sanctifying sacrifice and devotion to His Church. 'Matrimony has its significance in the first place from Christ who took the Church as His bride at the price of His own blood. And also because when He offered His life as the price of Her ransom, He stretched our His arms in an embrace of supreme love.

And thirdly: as Eve was formed from the side of Adam while he slept, so the Church was formed from the side of the dying and dead Christ, as the two chief sacraments poured from his side - the blood of redemption and the water of absolution

Since marriage is also of the greatest civic significance, jurisdiction in matrimonial matters was one of the commonest causes of differences between Church and state. Since this is solely a question of dogmatic view- points, the relevant documents are omitted. For the same reason Church documents dealing mainly with matrimonial morality are omitted.

THE CHURCH THUS TEACHES:

Marriage is willed by God and was raised to a sacrament by Christ. It is therefore good but may not be put before the state of virginity.

The Sacrament of Matrimony consist of the marriage contract, so that for Christians the contract and the sacrament are inseparable. Therefore marriage comes into the legal competence of the Church.

The Church may establish impediments, including diriment impediments which invalidate a marriage and forbidding impediments which make marriage illegal. She may determine the form and rite to be observed. Matrimonial Causes fall to ecclesiastical courts.

The purpose of marriage is the increase of the people of God and mutual help for the partners in loyalty and love.

The sacrament gives married people a claim on the graces necessary to their state.

Only monogamy is valid.

A new marriage is allowed after the death of one party.

Marriage is indissoluble, even in cases of adultery.

 An unconsummated marriage can in certain circumstances be dissolved by the Church. Once it is consummated, a separation only is possible; the marriage bond cannot be dissolved.

~ ~ ~

The Sacrament of

Holy Orders

The supreme task which Christ had to fulfil was His priestly work of atonement which He completed as Mediator between God and man.

 By the union in Himself of humanity and divinity Christ is by nature The Mediator.

 As a man from among men, Christ is our mediator with the Father; yet He is also capable of offering a worthy sacrifice to God because, by virtue of the union of His human nature with the Second Person of the Godhead, His human actions have an infinite value.

 In this fullest sense, the priesthood belongs to Christ alone.

But if Christ wished to live on and continue His work in the Church, the first thing He had to do was to provide for the continuance of His sacerdotal and mediatory function.

Above all, if Christ wished to renew the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the ages and all over the world as the sacrifice of the New Law in the Holy Mass, He had to allow other men to share in his priesthood.

For if there is to be a true sacrifice, there must be a priesthood ordained and authorized by God from whose hands God will accept the sacrifice.