The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-07-19

then, are called to be sanctifed, to be-
come saints In the New Law the
means of withdrawing from the COM
mon and dedicating to the service Of
God is the sacrament of Baptism. The
baptized are the sanctitied. Baptism
is the ordinary way of sanctifying the
soul. But souls may be sanctified in
an extraordinary way-for instance,
by perfect love of God, by perfect con-
triton. We may, therefore, call saints
those who have been sanctified at one
time or another, no matter whether
they now live in the state of grace,
in union with God, or not Following
out the latter idea we distinguish three
classes of saints. 1. Such as are
now living on earth in the state OF
grace. This class may have smaller,
venial sins on their souls and hence
also punishment due to such sins or
others the guilt of which was forgiven
2. Such as have departed this life
either in venial sin or with punish
ment to be atoned for. This class So
journs in what we call Purgatory, the
place of temporary punishment. g..
Such as have passed to the Beatif1c
Vision of God, to Heaven. This class
! is free from all sin and all punishment
of sin. The souls in Heaven are per-
! feet saints.
From what has been said it follows
that all who have once been sancti-
fed, although now living in mortal
| oec hA hn1xr nf
the Church by a sentence of excom-
munication, may be in the widest
sense called saints, because called unto
sanctifcation This class is the Church
on earth, Militant, still laboring to at
tain salvation. The souls detained in
Purgatory are undoubtedly in union
with God, but have still to atone for
sin. These souls we call the Church
Suffering. The souls in Heaven and
the good angels constitute the Church
Triumphant Jesus Christ is the Head
of the whole Church. 1t matters moth
ing in which state the soul may be:
the three states make up but one
Church. Those on earth are like the
Israelites yet in the desert, while
some were actually crossing the Jor-
dan, and while some had already set
foot in the Land of Promise. Those
in Heaven have attained the land of
promise; those detained in Purgatory
are sure of getting there; those on
earth are still in the midst of the
struggle.
The Communion.
The word communion" here signi-
fies an inter-relation in consequence
of which there is an exchange of good
offices-a community of spiritual
goods (Cf. Wb.; Menge, Laeinisches,
Worterbuch). There is fellowship, in
tercourse, between the members of the
Church on earth, and the members of
the Church in Purgatory and of the
Church in Heaven. There are spirit
ual goods which belong to the mem
bers of the Church. This communion
is upheld by the bond of love on the
part of the members.
In What the Intercourse Consists.
What benefits do the saints on earth
derive from the Communion of Saints
The members on earth can and do
assist one another by their prayers
and good works, and share in the com
mon goods of the Church Militant.
They can and do assist the souls in
Purgatory by prayer, good works, and
especially by the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass. Every good work of ours per-
formed in the state of grace, in union
with Christ our Head, has satisfac-
tory value and merits a supernatural
reward. The reward cannot be given
4 another; but the satisfactory value OF
our work can be relinquished in favor
of the Suffering Souls. We can ask
the prayers of those in Heaven, and
also of those in Purgatory. We can
and do in many ways show our ven
Grafton of the saints in Heaven. Fur
thermore, we on earth and the souls
in Purgatory may share in the super
abundant satisfactions of the saints in
Heaven; we on earth by gaining in
dulgences for ourselves, the Poor
Souls, when we gain indulgence fol
them.
In such manner has the Catholic
Church ever understood the Com
munion of Saints Her Liturgy gives
ample proof of her belief. She has
always prayed for her members and
would have the members to pray fol
one another She has always prayed
for the dead-"for all who rest in
Christ" She has always shown ven
Grafton for the saints-for instance, by
asking the help of their prayers, by
honoring their relics, by giving place
of honor to their images. There is
ample warranty in Holy Scripture anC
Tradition for the Communion of Saints
as understood and explained by Holy
Church. The Communion of Saints i:
a source of great consolation in many
ways to all the members constituting
the union. Our prayers, our charity
our love can follow our dear ones WHIT
have passed to the other world. 1t i!
consolation, to be sure, to know tina
our brethren in Heaven join theil
prayers with those of Jesus in our be
half The Catholic view of the Com
munion of Saints is a live spiritual in
tercourse.
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