Question Two: On the Order of the Sacraments

St. Thomas, III, q. 65, a. 2, 3, 4.

100. A fourfold order or comparison can be distinguished among the sacraments: the order of nature, of dignity, of necessity, and of priority in use.

The order of nature, which is observed in the ordinary enumeration of the sacraments, is the order of relation to the perfection of the spiritual life, which has already been indicated above, n. 98.

101. Order of dignity. - The Eucharist is simply more worthy and more perfect than all the others:

1. Insofar as it is a sign of sanctification, both a) rememorative of the Passion of Christ, because it most perfectly represents the death of Christ, i.e., the very separation of body and blood (I Cor. XI, 24-25); and b) demonstrative of grace, because it signifies grace by way of nourishment or of the union of the soul to Christ, and thus the union of the soul to the other members united to Christ the Head, and the union between the Church, the mystical body of Christ, and Christ the Head; and c) prognostic of glory, because it contains the very object of beatitude.

2. Insofar as it is a cause of sanctification, because in it Christ is contained substantially; in the other sacraments there is contained only the instrumental power participated from Christ.

3. Insofar as it is an act of religion: for as sacrifice it is the principal act of external worship, in which Christ Himself most perfectly proclaims the excellence of God and our subjection.

Hence the other sacraments are ordered to the Eucharist as to an end: Order to its confection, Matrimony to its representation, the others to its reception, at least to its better reception. Cf. Council of Trent, sess. 13, c. 3.

After the Eucharist the rest come in the following order: Order, Confirmation, Baptism, Extreme Unction, Penance, Matrimony; for the Council of Trent, sess. 7, can. 3, bears witness that they are not equal among themselves. Yet these can be more worthy in a certain respect: Baptism by reason of necessity, Order and Confirmation by reason of ministry, because they are not conferred except by a bishop; Matrimony by reason of signification.

102. Order of necessity. - Three sacraments are simply necessary by necessity of means for spiritual life: Baptism absolutely for all, Penance under condition for those fallen after Baptism, Order for the Church (Prov. XI, 14). The others are necessary only by necessity of fittingness, insofar as without them spiritual life is not had so fittingly.

By necessity of precept Baptism and the Eucharist are necessary; Penance, however, under condition of sin committed after Baptism. There is no precept concerning Order and Matrimony, because they do not pertain to all. Likewise, concerning Confirmation and Extreme Unction there is probably no rigorous precept per se; yet in practice, one who, given the opportunity, refused them, would easily sin per accidens, from contempt, or negligence of so great a means of salvation, or scandal. And in this sense we think the Code, can. 787 and 944, is to be understood.

103. Order of priority in use. - It is twofold: one with regard to validity, and thus Baptism must precede the other sacraments. The other with regard to liceity, and thus Confirmation must precede Order, the lower order the higher; likewise, supposing sin, Penance must be placed before the reception of the Eucharist in reality, and at least in desire before the reception of the other sacraments of the living.