Chapter — Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884)
Chapter I. On the Definition, Number, and Division of the Sacraments
- I. DEFINITION. A Sacrament is a sensible sign instituted by Christ to signify and confer grace.
Hence three things are necessarily required in every Sacrament, namely: 1º a sensible sign; 2º divine institution; 3º the force of producing the grace promised by Christ.
All Sacraments are perfected by three things: 1º by things as matter; 2º by words as form; 3º by the person of the Minister confecting the Sacrament with the intention of doing what the Church does. This is clear from the Council of Florence in the Decree of Union.
The Sacraments, besides sanctifying grace, produce grace which is called sacramental, that is, they confer helps for obtaining the special end for which each Sacrament was instituted, if the due conditions are not lacking. The Sacraments operate ex opere operato, that is by force of the divine institution, independently from the work of the one operating, namely of the Minister and of the subject of the Sacraments.
Hence the Sacraments are distinguished from sacramentals, which are certain sacred things or actions instituted by the Church, such as lustral water, blessings and consecrations, the Agnus Dei, etc.
- II. NUMBER. The Sacraments are seven, as is clear from Trent, sess. 7, Can. 1: If anyone shall say that the Sacraments of the new law were not all instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, or that they are more or fewer than seven, namely Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Order, and Matrimony, or even that any one of these seven is not truly and properly a Sacrament, let him be anathema.
III. Division. The Sacraments, according to various properties, are distinguished thus:
1º Necessary, or not necessary. Again the necessary are so either by necessity of means, or by necessity of precept. Necessary by necessity of means 1 are Baptism, which is the gate of the Church and of the kingdom of heaven, and Penance for those who have fallen into mortal sin after baptism; necessary by necessity of precept are all the others, with the last two excepted, which are not necessary for private persons, but only for the community.
1 ** In the strict sense that alone is necessary by necessity of means which not only has in itself the character of a means to the end which is intended, but furthermore is necessary in the very character of a means, because it cannot otherwise be supplied. You have this in those words of Paul (Heb. XI, 6): For he that comes to God must believe that He is, and is a rewarder to those who seek Him. For approach to God without the movement of a man (an adult) is impossible; and again such movement is impossible without knowledge of this kind. But in this sense baptism will be called necessary by necessity of means if you understand baptism either of water or of desire; otherwise, both about baptism and about Penance, this mode of speaking is used here in a broader sense.
2º Impressing, or not impressing, a character upon the soul. Baptism, Confirmation, and Order impress a character; the others do not impress one. Trent, sess. 7, Can. 9. 3º Formed, or unformed, according as they produce grace when they are received, or, an obstacle intervening, suspend their effect until the obstacle is removed 2.
2 ** That sacraments can be valid but unformed is certain doctrine. But whether it is to be attributed to all sacraments that, when the obstacle has been removed, they produce their effect, see St. Alphonsus, Lib. 6, n. 87.
4º Sacraments of the living or of the dead, according as they already suppose sanctifying grace, or first grace, and only increase it; or from their primary institution confer the same.
- Questions. - QUESTION 1º. Can the Sacraments of the dead confer second grace?
Resp. Affirmatively. This can be done in a twofold case: 1º when venial sins alone are subjected to the keys, which frequently happens; 2º when a penitent, guilty of mortal sin, approaches the Sacrament of Penance with perfect contrition; because perfect contrition with the vow of the Sacrament justifies a man even before reception of the same: then therefore the Sacrament confers not first but only second grace 3...
3 ** The same thing can also happen with the sacrament of baptism, to which an adult can approach after already having obtained justification by an act of charity. And indeed it can reasonably be held, according to the doctrine of St. Thomas (1. 2, q. 89, art. 6), that this mode of justification happens not rarely among children among unbelievers: When the use of reason, he says, shall have begun in a child,... the first thing which then occurs to a man to be thought about is to deliberate concerning himself: and if indeed he has ordered himself to the due end, by grace he will obtain remission of original sin. Cajetan exhibits this ordering of oneself to the end thus (in the cited place): If he shall have judged an honorable good, confusedly, as that age is accustomed to do, to be something to be sought by himself, he has deliberated well concerning himself, placing his end in true beatitude, although imperfectly and inchoatively.
QUESTION 2º. Can the Sacraments of the living sometimes confer first grace?
Resp. Affirmatively, more probably, not indeed per se, as is clear from their institution, but per accidens, or by means of Charity infused by force of the Sacrament in a subject not placing an obstacle. For it can happen that someone guilty of mortal sin, ignorant of this in good faith, approaches a Sacrament of the living attrite; but in these circumstances the Sacrament of the living infuses grace into the soul, and therefore destroys sin. For the Sacraments always confer grace upon those not placing an obstacle, as is clear from Trent, sess. 7, Can. 6; but an obstacle is not placed by him who approaches attrite in good faith. Therefore, etc. - Thus commonly. - St. Thomas, part 3, qu. 72, art. 7. - Suarez. - St. Ligorius, n. 6 and 268, discoursing on the Eucharist: Sometimes, he says, per accidens it can confer even first grace, namely if someone, ignorant that he is in mortal sin, or believing that he has contrition, approaches Communion with attrition alone; then from attrite he is made contrite.
- QUESTION 3º. Is attrition required or sufficient, so that the Sacraments of the living may confer first grace?
Resp. Affirmatively to both: 1º it is indeed required, because first grace cannot be infused except through the destruction of mortal sin; but the destruction of mortal sin cannot be done without detestation of the same, namely without contrition or at least attrition; 2º it suffices, because from what has been said the Sacraments of the living can sometimes confer first grace: but this could not be done if attrition did not suffice, since the sinner would always approach the sacrament already justified by perfect contrition. - St. Ligorius, n. 6, etc.
QUESTION 4º. In what does the character of a Sacrament consist?
Resp. Although it is of faith that a character is impressed in Baptism, Confirmation, and Order, nevertheless Theologians do not agree in what precisely it consists. For us it will be enough to know, as the Council of Trent teaches, that the Character is a certain spiritual and indelible signet, preventing the Sacrament from being able to be repeated (Sess. 7, can. 9).
- QUESTION 5º. Is original sin destroyed in Baptism which is indeed valid, but unformed because of a defect of disposition in the baptized adult?
Resp. Negatively. The reason is that no sin dissolving one from the friendship of God is condoned except through reconciliation with God, that is, through justification. But this cannot be done unless first grace is infused; but this first grace is not infused if the dispositions are lacking. Therefore. But when the obstacle has been removed, either by perfect contrition with the vow of the Sacrament (namely of Penance), or by this Sacrament with attrition, the sacramental grace of Baptism revives, or the suspension ceases, and it destroys original sin and at the same time all actual sins committed before Baptism. But the Sacrament of Penance destroys sins committed after Baptism and the sin of fiction, or of the evil disposition with which the Sacrament of Baptism was received, at least insofar as this evil disposition persevered after Baptism. - See what is to be said, n. 232, Q. 2º.
- QUESTION 6º. What are the effects of sacramental grace proper to the individual Sacraments, besides sanctifying grace common to all?
Resp. 1º The effect of Baptismal grace is to remit every fault and punishment of fault, to illuminate the mind, to diminish concupiscence, and to make the soul fruitful for Christian works. But this habitual grace brings to the baptized person the right of obtaining helps by which he may attain these effects.
2º The effect of the grace of Confirmation is strength for constantly professing the Faith where there shall be need, and for defending it when opportunity has been given. And therefore it brings to the soul a right to helps by which it may accomplish this.
3º The effect of the grace of the Eucharist is to nourish the spiritual life, to increase grace, to generate disgust for worldly things, to draw one toward union with God, and therefore to bring a right to graces by which those communicating may be able to attain all these things.
4º The effect of the grace of Penance is to remit sins committed after baptism, and to confer strength for avoiding sins and for persevering in the state of grace, and a right to helps suitable for accomplishing these things. 5º The effect of the grace of Extreme Unction is to remove the remnants of sins, to alleviate the soul of the sick person, to strengthen confidence, to render the inconveniences of illness less troublesome 4, to bestow strength for repelling final temptations, and to confer a right to helps proportioned to these things.
4 ** Another effect proper to this sacrament can, indeed should, be added, namely restoration to former health.
6º The effect of the grace of Order is to render the Ministers of Christ fit for the sacred ministries, so that they may perform these with due piety, and to confer a right to helps suitable for these things.
7º The effect of the grace of Matrimony is to restrain disordered concupiscence, to bestow strength for sustaining the burdens of the conjugal state, for preserving conjugal fidelity, and for educating offspring in a Christian manner, and therefore to confer a right to helps necessary for fulfilling these things. - Common.