Sacramental grace

The sacramental grace which is conferred by the sacraments is habitual or sanctifying grace as directed toward the particular end for which the sacrament from which it flows has been instituted. Together, then, with the grace which justifies the sinner, or which increases the sanctifying grace of the soul in friendship with God, a sacrament gives a title to receive from God special help or actual graces when they are required by the recipient of the sacrament. Thus, the sacrament of Penance, if worthily received, infuses sanctifying grace into the soul by which the sins confessed are blotted out, and, moreover, it gives the sinner a title to receive actual graces in time of temptation, so as to enable him not to yield. In the same way the holy Eucharist increases sanctifying grace within the soul, making it more holy and more pleasing in the sight of God, and fresh help is given to enable it to remain steadfast in the friendship of God. The sacraments of Baptism and Penance, which remit sin and give sanctifying grace to souls that were deprived of it, are called sacraments which give the first grace, or sacraments of the dead, inasmuch as they give spiritual life to those who were spiritually dead; while the sacraments which should only be received by such as are already in the state of grace are said to confer the second grace, and are called sacraments of the living. If the soul is already justified and in the state of grace, sacraments of the dead confer second grace; while Extreme Unction may, as we shall see, confer the first grace, although it is primarily a sacrament of the living; and it is a probable opinion that the other sacraments may per accidens confer the first grace when received in good faith by the sinner. Inasmuch as a sacrament confers grace in virtue of the worth and dignity of the sacred rite itself, the quantity of grace given will per se be the same for all who receive it. However, per accidens, since a cause acts with greater or less efficacy in proportion to the dispositions of the subject on which it works, so a sacrament will give more grace to such as receive it in better dispositions. It may, then, very well be that more grace will be obtained from Holy Communion received two or three times a week with better dispositions than from daily Communion made without fervour.

I. Grace conferred. The grace which the sacraments confer is sanctifying grace and sacramental grace.

1. Sanctifying grace. a) All the sacraments confer sanctifying grace on those rightly disposed. This follows from what has been said concerning the efficacy of the sacraments. Moreover, to sanctifying grace there is attached either the infusion of the supernatural virtues and of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, namely if first grace is conferred; or the increase of the aforesaid, namely if second grace is conferred.

b) Baptism and Penance of themselves confer first grace; accidentally, namely if someone in the state of grace receives them in the due manner, they confer second grace, that is, an increase of grace.

c) Extreme Unction of itself and primarily confers second grace; of itself, but secondarily, it confers first grace. The other sacraments of themselves confer second grace, and accidentally, at least much more probably, first grace. The case obtains if someone in the state of mortal sin receives a sacrament in good faith and with attrition, which extends itself to all the sins committed. The reason for this opinion is that, according to Trent, the sacraments confer grace on those who place no obstacle. Now one who is in good faith and attrite places no obstacle to grace, as is clear from the sacraments of the dead (St. Thomas, III, q. 72, a. 7; q. 79, a. 3; Supplement, q. 30, a. 1; St. Alphonsus, VI, 6, 269 and 731).

2. Sacramental grace, that is, a certain divine help for attaining the end proper to such a sacrament (St. Thomas, III, q. 62, a. 2). What end is proper to each sacrament will be stated where there is discussion of the individual sacraments. Further:

a) That sacramental grace is conferred through the sacraments is deduced first from the Council of Florence, which declares: "Each sacrament is ordered to a proper and distinct end." But a sacrament cannot attain its proper end unless it produces an effect or grace proper to itself, in other words, sacramental grace. Then, if all the sacraments conferred the same grace, they would differ only in the external rite; nor would there have been a reason for instituting diverse sacraments; nor would it be clear why one is more necessary than another.

b) There is not one opinion of theologians about that in which sacramental grace precisely consists. According to the defenders of intentional causality, sacramental grace consists in actual graces proper to some sacrament, which are demanded by the same title as sanctifying grace. According to others, sacramental grace is sanctifying grace itself, insofar as it is given through such a sacrament; but sanctifying grace, given through such a sacrament, is ordered to the ends of such a sacrament, and consequently gives a right to receive, namely in due time, the actual graces by which the end of such a sacrament may be obtained. Thus, for example, sanctifying grace conferred in Baptism is regenerative and preservative of spiritual life; in Confirmation, strengthening and perfective, etc. According to the Thomists, sacramental grace is sanctifying grace with an intrinsic modification, by force of which sanctifying grace is ordered to the effects proper to the sacrament, together with a right to receive actual graces in order to those effects. Hence, according to them, for example, sanctifying grace conferred in Baptism, by force of the aforesaid modification, is regenerative and preservative of spiritual life, etc.

II. The measure according to which the sacraments confer grace. 1. Sacraments distinct in species more probably confer unequal grace on those equally disposed. For sacraments differ in dignity; and to a more worthy cause there corresponds a more worthy effect.

2. Sacraments distinct only in number confer equal grace on those equally disposed, and unequal grace on those unequally disposed. The Council of Trent¹ expressly teaches this concerning Baptism. Hence it must also be presumed concerning the others.

¹ Session 6, chapter 7.

Since this article is sufficiently long, for the sake of clarity it is subdivided into three paragraphs: 1. on the production of grace ex opere operato; 2. on the quantity and quality of the grace produced; 3. on the reviviscence of grace when the obstacle has been removed.

35. Principle. It is of Catholic faith that the sacraments of the New Law confer grace ex opere operato upon all who place no obstacle.

1. For the Council of Trent¹¹² defined: "If anyone says that the sacraments of the New Law do not contain the grace which they signify, or do not confer that grace itself upon those who place no obstacle, as though they were only external signs of grace or justice received through faith, and certain marks of Christian profession by which among men the faithful are distinguished from unbelievers, let him be anathema." "If anyone says that grace is not conferred through the sacraments themselves of the New Law ex opere operato, but that faith alone in the divine promise suffices for obtaining grace, let him be anathema." As appears to one considering them, these definitions are opposed to the false acceptations of the sacraments handed down by the heretical Reformers.¹¹³

The Catholic doctrine, therefore, is this: The sacraments of the New Law confer grace ex opere operato. Certainly, since the sacraments are sensible signs, they cannot confer supernatural grace as principal causes, but only as instrumental causes. For Christ is the principal cause, both efficient and meritorious, of all grace.

Therefore, Christ uses the sacraments to produce grace in men almost as a writer uses a pen to write. It is said: the sacraments confer grace ex opere operato, that is, not ex opere operantis; in other words, not from the holiness of the minister or the merit of the recipient, but through the very application of matter and form rightly made, provided, however, that there is no obstacle on the part of the recipient.¹¹⁴

Since the supernatural virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit always accompany sanctifying grace,¹¹⁵ these also are produced or increased through the sacraments.

The Catholic doctrine concerning the efficacy of the sacraments is proved from Sacred Scripture, from the Holy Fathers, and from theological reason.

a) From Sacred Scripture, in which men, although already believing and penitent, nevertheless are commanded to receive a sacrament in order to obtain the remission of sins. "Let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins."¹¹⁶ Therefore, baptism truly causes the remission of sins, which cannot occur without the conferral of grace. St. Paul explicitly asserts this, saying: "According to His mercy He saved us, by the laver of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Spirit."¹¹⁷

b) From the Holy Fathers, many texts can be adduced for the Catholic doctrine.¹¹⁸ It suffices to adduce only three texts. St. Chrysostom¹¹⁹ says concisely: "What the womb is to the embryo, water is to the believer; for in water he is fashioned and formed." St. Augustine, however, who had first said: "Baptism is established not by the merits of those by whom it is administered, nor of those to whom it is administered, but by its own holiness and truth on account of Him by whom it was instituted,"¹²⁰ exclaims in another place:¹²¹ "Whence is there so great a power of water, that it touches the body and washes the heart!" Tertullian¹²² says: "The flesh is washed, that the soul may be cleansed; the flesh is anointed, that the soul may be consecrated; the flesh is signed, that the soul also may be fortified; the flesh is overshadowed by the imposition of the hand, that the soul also may be illuminated by the Spirit; the flesh feeds upon the Body and Blood of Christ, that the soul also may be fattened upon God."

c) From theological reason. For baptism validly conferred upon an infant by an unbeliever confers grace. But that grace cannot be given from the faith or merit of the minister, as is evident, especially if that minister is an unbelieving and sinful man; nor from the faith or merit of the infant, since he is incapable of eliciting any deliberate act. Therefore, it is given by the power of the sacrament alone, or ex opere operato.

¹¹² Sess. 7, cann. 6 and 8 on the sacraments in general (Denz., nn. 849 and 851).

¹¹³ Cf. above, n. 5.

¹¹⁴ Cf. below, n. 36.

¹¹⁵ Cf. above, I, nn. 445 and 472.

¹¹⁶ Acts 2:38. Cf. also Acts 22:16; 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 5:26; 2 Tim. 1:6; 1 Pet. 3:21.

¹¹⁷ Titus 3:5.

¹¹⁸ See Drouven, De re sacr. l. 1, q. 5.

¹¹⁹ Hom. 25 or 26 on John, n. 1 (Migne, Patr. graec. 59, 153).

¹²⁰ Contra Crescon. l. 4, c. 16, n. 19 (Migne, Patr. lat. 43, 559).

¹²¹ On John, tract. 80 (Migne, l.c. 35, 1840).

¹²² De resur. carn., c. 8 (Migne, l.c. 2, 852).

36. 2. On the manner in which the sacraments cause grace. All Catholics indeed agree in this, that they hold that the sacraments cause grace ex opere operato, and not ex opere operantis, as Protestants teach; but they do not at all agree whether the causality of the sacraments is physical or moral.

The expression ex opere operato is explained in two ways, namely:

a) From the very valid administration of the sacrament,¹²³ provided no obstacle is present. An obstacle is found only in adults, and is the defect of some essentially required disposition, for example, faith, contrition, etc.

b) From the very work of redemption effected by Christ. This second explanation, proposed by a few theologians,¹²⁴ is less correct. For Christ the Redeemer through His Passion is indeed the meritorious cause of sacramental grace, and even of all other graces, but in the sacraments of the New Law grace is caused effectively (although instrumentally) through the sensible sign itself, that is, through the due application of form to matter.

The expression opus operantis signifies the merits and dispositions either of the minister or of the recipient of the sacrament.

Protestants not rarely ridicule the expression ex opere operato, since it was recently introduced and even sins against the rules of grammar.¹²⁵ It must indeed be admitted that Peter of Poitiers (d. 1205) was the first in whom this expression is found.¹²⁶ St. Thomas indeed knew this expression, but he himself did not employ it in the Summa theologica.¹²⁷ But does the phrase "matter and form" occur before the same time? Is it not lawful to employ new and more suitable words to express an ancient thing? The things said concerning violated rules of grammar are sufficiently paltry. For each discipline has terms called technical which do not always correspond to the obvious sense of the words.

Moreover, nothing prevents the word operari from being taken in a passive sense. Thus, for example, in Tertullian¹²⁸ there is: "charisms wrongly wrought." Lactantius, whose elegant Latinity is much praised, speaks "of virtues received and wrought."¹²⁹ St. Augustine has this phrase: "corruption wrought by a noble woman, Lucilla."¹³⁰ Even Cicero himself sometimes employs deponent verbs in a passive sense, for example, he writes to Nepos: "He who is poor is scorned." Therefore, the ridicules of Protestants concerning the expression opus operatum are themselves to be ridiculed.

¹²³ By the validly performed administration of the sacrament alone.

¹²⁴ Möhler, Symbolik, § 28; Hilgers, Symbolische Theologie, 157.

¹²⁵ Cf. Harnack, Dogmengeschichte III, 463, 482 sqq.

¹²⁶ Sent. l. 5, c. 6 (Migne, Patr. lat. 211, 1235).

¹²⁷ IV Sent., dist. 1, q. 1, a. 5, quaestiunc. 1: "The sacrament itself is called by some the work worked, but the use of the sacrament is the operation itself, which is called by some the work working. When it is said that a sacrament, speaking per se, confers or does not confer grace, it must be referred to the work worked." Cf. IV Sent., dist. 2, q. 1 at the end.

¹²⁸ De praescript., c. 27 (Migne, l.c. 2, 48).

¹²⁹ Instit. 7, 27 (Migne, l.c. 6, 819).

¹³⁰ De unit. Eccl., c. 28, 73 (Migne, l.c. 43, 443).

37. Opinions of Catholics concerning the causality of the sacraments. It is of Catholic faith that the sacraments of the New Law cause grace ex opere operato, that is, through a power divinely communicated to them. But how is this power exercised? Since this question pertains rather to Dogmatic Theology than to Moral Theology, here the diverse opinions of authors are adduced only very briefly.

1. The sacraments of the New Law cause grace as a physical instrumental cause. Certainly, God is the principal cause; but almost as an artisan employs a brush for painting, so God employs the sacraments for infusing grace into the soul. St. Thomas (at least in his mature work)¹³¹ and almost all Thomists¹³² teach this physical causality of the sacraments; in addition, Suarez, Bellarmine, Tanner, Schäzler, Scheeben,¹³³ Gihr, and others.

2. The sacraments of the New Law cause grace as a moral instrumental cause. The defenders of this opinion do not agree among themselves what that moral causality is. Some think it is a certain moral dignity inhering in the sacraments, to which grace is owed. Others opine that the sacraments are, as it were, petitions or prayers instituted by Christ, so that through them God is infallibly moved to confer grace on account of the merits of Jesus Christ. Melchior Cano (sixteenth century) is said to have been the first who introduced the term "moral cause" into this question.¹³⁴ Lugo, Lessius, almost all Scotists, and almost all modern Jesuits, such as Franzelin, Chr. Pesch, Hurter, Lehmkuhl, etc., defend the moral causality of the sacraments.

3. The sacraments of the New Law instrumentally and efficiently cause not grace itself, but a certain disposition for it; this disposition is the character in three sacraments, but a certain adornment in the other four sacraments. Thus St. Thomas in his earlier work¹³⁵ and many others, especially the ancients, and, among the moderns, to some degree Billot.¹³⁶

4. The sacraments of the New Law are mere conditions and occasions for grace to be conferred. To explain this opinion the following example is adduced:¹³⁷ "It is similar to one who receives a lead denarius under such an ordinance that he who possesses one of those denarii shall have one hundred pounds from the king; that denarius indeed does not give those one hundred pounds, but only the king gives them to the one receiving it." This opinion is attributed to Alexander of Hales and Scotus, and is also taught by Durandus.¹³⁸

Of these four explanations, physical causality seems to be preferred: a) on account of the authority of St. Thomas; b) on account of the authority of the Roman Catechism, which manifestly favors this opinion;¹³⁹ c) on account of the greater dignity thereby attributed to the sacraments. For just as through the humanity of Christ God performed miracles, so through sacramental signs God infuses grace into the souls of men. But it is more dignified physically to cause the most excellent quality of grace than merely to cause it morally. The almost sole serious difficulty against the physical causality of the sacraments is taken from the reviviscence of certain sacraments; this difficulty, however, is well solved by Billuart,¹⁴⁰ who also treats this entire question very well.

¹³¹ S. theol. I-II, q. 112, a. 1 ad 2; III, q. 62, aa. 1, 3, 4, 6.

¹³² Cf. E. Hugon, O.P., La causalité instrumentale en théologie, Paris, 1907.

¹³³ Die Mysterien des Christentums, § 82.

¹³⁴ After rejecting several other explanations, M. Cano says: "But we ... with the Council of Florence pronounce that our sacraments both contain grace and confer it upon those worthily receiving. They contain it, I say, not as a natural cause contains its effect, but as a moral cause. For a purse is said to contain the redemption of a captive because it contains the money; and the sacraments, which contain the Blood of Christ, are said to contain grace and the remission of sins. And just as a purse, by furnishing the money, confers redemption, so a sacrament confers grace by applying the price of the Blood" (Relect. de sacr., P. 4, concl. 6).

¹³⁵ IV Sent., dist. 1, q. 1, a. 4.

¹³⁶ De sacr., q. 62, thesis VII. Cf. Dalmatius Löcher, Die Theorie vom sakramentalen Seelenschmuck, Bonn, 1913.

¹³⁷ St. Thomas, IV Sent., dist. 1, q. 1, a. 4.

¹³⁸ In IV Sent., dist. 1, q. 4; cf. Billot, De Eccles. sacr., q. 62, § 3.

¹³⁹ Part 2, c. 1, q. 14, and especially q. 18: "By the light of faith we know that the power of almighty God is present in the sacraments, by which they effect that which natural things themselves cannot accomplish by their own power."

¹⁴⁰ De sacr., diss. 3, a. 2. Cf. the new solution given by Marín-Sola (Divus Thomas 1925, pp. 49–63).

38. Corollary. From what has been said, we can briefly embrace in this manner the entire production of grace through the sacraments: Christ is the meritorious cause of the grace produced by the sacraments; the minister is the ministerial cause by joining matter and form; the sacrament composed of matter and form is the instrumental cause; faith, penance, offices of piety, etc., of the man receiving the sacrament are required conditions either for the validity or for the liceity of the sacrament.

39. 1. The quantity of the grace produced depends upon two things: a) upon the disposition of the recipient; b) upon the sacrament itself which is received.

a) That the quantity of grace to be received depends upon the disposition of the recipient is evident from the Council of Trent,¹⁴¹ which teaches that each person in justification receives sanctifying grace according to his own disposition and cooperation. Hence, for example, he who receives the Eucharist with greater fervor and a better disposition also receives greater grace than another less disposed. On the contrary, two infants (since they are of the same disposition) receive the same grace in baptism. Thus St. Thomas also clearly teaches.¹⁴²

b) That the quantity of grace depends also upon the sacrament itself is elicited from the diverse dignity of the different sacraments. For if the sacraments are not of equal dignity,¹⁴³ as the Council of Trent defined, it is probable that neither do they produce equal grace. Therefore, since the Eucharist is the most worthy of all the sacraments, it seems also to produce the greatest graces. Nevertheless, it can happen that someone less disposed who receives the Eucharist receives less grace than another better disposed who receives the sacrament of matrimony. The reason is that the quantity of grace is measured principally from the disposition of the recipient of the sacrament.

¹⁴¹ Sess. 6, c. 7 (Denz., n. 799).

¹⁴² S. theol. 3, q. 69, a. 8.

¹⁴³ Sess. 7, can. 3 on the sacraments in general (Denz., n. 846).

40. 2. The quality of the grace produced by the sacraments is diverse:

a) The sacraments of the dead per se cause first grace, but per accidens second grace; the sacraments of the living, however, per se cause second grace and per accidens sometimes first grace.

What first and second grace are is evident from what was said above. The truth of the stated proposition is clear from this, that the sacraments per se cause that for which they were primarily instituted by Christ. But the sacraments of the dead were primarily instituted by Christ that spiritual life might be conferred upon those spiritually dead, that is, those lacking sanctifying grace; namely, that baptism might wash away original sin and penance actual sins. But if these two sacraments are received by a man already contrite and consequently justified, per accidens they cause second grace, that is, they increase sanctifying grace already existing. Thus the most common and certain opinion. The reason is that otherwise these sacraments would be frustrated, although no obstacle was present, which is contrary to the nature of the sacraments.

The sacraments of the living, however, were instituted per se for the living, that is, they presuppose the state of grace in the recipient. But per accidens, when, for example, an attrite man thinks that he has been rightly absolved, but on account of a defect of the confessor in fact has not been absolved, he receives first grace through these sacraments. Thus the more pious, more probable opinion, received by almost all.¹⁴⁴ Hence St. Thomas, speaking of the Eucharist, which is a sacrament of the living, says:¹⁴⁵ "Nevertheless, this sacrament can effect the remission of sin ... even when received by one who is in mortal sin, of which he has neither consciousness nor affection; for perhaps at first he was not sufficiently contrite, but by approaching devoutly and reverently he will obtain through this sacrament the grace of charity, which will perfect contrition and the remission of sin." The Angelic Doctor teaches the same concerning confirmation¹⁴⁶ and extreme unction.¹⁴⁷

The reason is that, according to the Council of Trent,¹⁴⁸ the sacraments confer grace upon all who place no obstacle. But he who, in good faith thinking himself to be in the state of grace, receives a sacrament of the living does not seem to place an obstacle, because his sins are retracted through true and sincere attrition. Hence theologians customarily say generally: an attrite man receiving any sacrament becomes contrite.¹⁴⁹

Since, therefore, the Eucharist causes sanctifying grace in an attrite man existing in good faith, several authors¹⁵⁰ teach that in extreme necessity even a layman can administer the Eucharist to a dying man who, when a priest is lacking, cannot confess although he is attrite. For perhaps that man was unable to elicit perfect contrition; therefore, lest he die with attrition alone and thus be damned, it is better and safer that he receive the Eucharist even from the hand of a layman, and thus from attrite become contrite. St. Alphonsus¹⁵¹ and the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith on 21 July 1841¹⁵² favor this opinion.

b) All the sacraments cause, besides sanctifying grace (or its increase), also sacramental grace.

Theologians indeed commonly teach that each sacrament confers a special sacramental grace, but they do not agree what this sacramental grace is. For some it is a certain actual grace which will be given at its proper time so that each person may more easily fulfill the obligations arising from the sacrament. For others it is a right to obtain actual graces whenever there is need. For others it is a special infused habit (Aureolus, Paludanus). Finally, for others with Billuart it is sanctifying grace itself with an ordination and right to special helps to be had at the due time.

The first opinion is displeasing because the sacraments, as effecting ex opere operato, immediately produce their whole effect and not in the future. The third opinion is still more displeasing, since this infused habit is invented altogether gratuitously and has no foundation in Scripture or Tradition. The second and fourth opinions almost coincide and seem to be preferred. Thus, for example, the sacramental grace of baptism is a right to the helps necessary for leading the spiritual life purely and innocently; that of confirmation is a right to strength in temptations and difficulties and for guarding against future sins; that of the Eucharist, for nourishing and fostering the spiritual life; that of extreme unction, for having assistance in the final agony; that of order, for rightly discharging clerical offices; that of matrimony, for leading the conjugal life holily. St. Thomas writes concerning this matter: "Therefore, just as the virtues and gifts add to grace commonly so called a certain perfection determinately ordered to the proper acts of the powers, so sacramental grace adds to grace commonly so called, and to the virtues and gifts, a certain divine assistance for attaining the end of the sacrament."¹⁵³

¹⁴⁴ St. Alphonsus, Theol. mor. l. 6, n. 6.

¹⁴⁵ S. theol. 3, q. 79, a. 3.

¹⁴⁶ S. theol. 3, q. 72, a. 7 ad 3.

¹⁴⁷ IV Sent., dist. 23, q. 1, a. 2, quaestiunc. 1 ad 1.

¹⁴⁸ Sess. 7, can. 7 on the sacraments in general (Denz., n. 850).

¹⁴⁹ See the objections against this latter part of the proposition in Billuart, De sacr., diss. 3, a. 3.

¹⁵⁰ Suarez (De sacr., disp. 72, sect. 1); Laymann (Theol. mor. l. 5, tr. 4, c. 7, n. 6), etc.

¹⁵¹ Theol. mor. l. 6, n. 237.

¹⁵² "Whether it can be permitted in this time of persecution that confessors of the faith condemned to death for the faith, and to whom the sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist is brought secretly in prison, may take it with their own hands and secretly communicate themselves, lest the priest ... be recognized and apprehended by the persecutors? Affirmatively, provided so great a sacrament is exposed to no danger of irreverence...." Collect. de Prop. Fide, n. 928.

¹⁵³ S. theol. 3, q. 62, a. 2.

29. The doctrine of the Church attributes a twofold effect to the sacraments: one principal, which is conferred by all, namely, grace; the other secondary, which is found in some: character. Concerning grace the Council of Trent teaches three things, which we are going to explain in three questions:

1. it defines that the sacraments of the New Law truly contain the grace which they signify and confer it ex opere operato (sess. 7, can. 6 and 8);

2. it teaches the mode of causality: Baptism, say the same of the other sacraments, is the instrumental cause of justification (sess. 6, c. 7);

3. it defines when the sacraments cause grace: namely, in those not placing an obstacle, that is, in all, so far as is on God's part, if they receive them rightly (sess. 7, can. 6 and 7).

St. Thomas III, q. 62, a. 1; on IV Sentences, d. 1, q. 1, a. 4; Disputed Question On Truth 27, a. 4.

30. Notions. - Opus operatum¹ is the work which is effected, and it is opposed to the opus operantis: this is the very subjective operation of man according as it is imputable to him and has dignity, value, merit from him; the former is not the meritorious operation itself but the objective work itself produced, abstracting from the personal value and merit of the one operating.

¹ This formula seems first to have been used by Peter of Poitiers (d. 1205), in Book of Sentences V, c. 6; it was employed by Innocent III, On the Mystery of the Holy Altar, book III, c. 5; by William of Auxerre, Summa aurea, on IV, d. 1, a. 2 and 3; by St. Albert the Great, on IV Sentences, d. 1, a. 5; it is also reported by St. Thomas, on IV Sentences, d. 1, q. 1, a. 5, qc. 1, and by St. Bonaventure, on IV, d. 1, a. 1, q. 5.

In the sacraments the opus operatum is the sensible sign itself; this external work objectively considered:

1. positively: according to the Council of Trent, confers grace;

2. negatively: that sign does not have power from the subjective disposition or merit, whether of the minister operating the placing of the sacrament, or of the man operating the reception, but from God;

3. whence the subjective operation, whether of the minister or of the recipient, by its own power is in no way the cause of that grace which is conferred through the objective external sign;

4. nevertheless it is its condition sine qua non; for without the work of the one ministering there would not be the external work worked, and without the disposition which is the work of the recipient, in him there would be an obstacle, on account of which the opus operatum could not confer grace.²

² "Baptism is established not by the merits of those by whom it is administered, nor of those to whom it is administered, but by its own sanctity and truth, on account of Him by whom it was instituted, to the destruction of those using it badly, to the salvation of those using it well," Augustine, Against Cresconius IV, 19.

31. Thesis. The sacraments of the New Law cause grace ex opere operato. - This is of faith from the definition of the Council of Trent, sess. 7, can. 6-8, against the Protestants.

The thesis is opposed:

1. to the Protestants, who teach that the sacraments are symbols ordained to exciting faith, and signs of divine promises, not conferring sanctification except through the faith of the recipient, as they generally say with Luther (cf. can. 5 and 8); or also that the Holy Spirit, on the occasion of the sacrament, excites faith in the predestined, not in others, as the Augsburg Confession has it (cf. can. 7); or that they are external signs of justice accepted through faith, or mere signs of Christian profession by which the faithful are distinguished from infidels, as is more pleasing to Zwingli, the Socinians, Unitarians, and Rationalists (cf. can. 6);

2. to the Modernists, whose following proposition was condemned (41): "The sacraments look only to this, that they recall into the mind of man the always beneficent presence of the Creator";

3. also to the Donatists, Waldenses, and Wycliffe, who contended that the sacraments do not operate ex opere operato but dependently on the virtue of the minister, and therefore that sacraments conferred by a depraved minister are invalid (cf. can. 8 and 12).

It is proved: 1. From the Scriptures, which teach:

a) that the effect of the sacraments is not so much faith as grace which sanctifies (Eph. V, 26; I Cor. VI, 11), spiritually cleanses (Eph. V, 26), washes away or remits sins (Acts II, 38; XXII, 16; I Cor. VI, 11; John XX, 22, 23; Jas. V, 14, 15), by which we are reborn and renewed spiritually (John III, 5; Tit. III, 5), which consists in the conferral of the Spirit of Christ and of salvation (Acts II, 38; VIII, 17; XIX, 6; Mk. XVI, 16; Gal. III, 27; I Pet. III, 21; Heb. X, 22); moreover all these things indicate habitual grace making one pleasing;

b) they teach that this effect is obtained by the power of the sensible sign itself, as through a cause: for when the sign has been placed, the effect is immediately had (Mk. XVI, 16; Acts VIII, 17; Gal. III, 27); it is obtained through an external sign: through the laver (Tit. III, 5); by the laver of water in the word of life (Eph. V, 26); by the imposition of hands (II Tim. I, 6); by eating the flesh of Christ (John VI, 55); the laver itself regenerates and renews (Tit. III, 5); indeed causality is attributed to water just as to the Holy Spirit Himself (John III, 5). Therefore the sensible sign itself is a true cause of grace.

2. From Tradition: according to the Fathers a) the Holy Spirit and the power or divine omnipotence flows into the elements, and thus a supernatural power is present in the symbols for sanctifying men;³ - b) they compare the sacraments to natural causes, and especially the water of Baptism regenerating with the maternal womb from which we are generated;⁴ - c) they explicitly state that the end and effect of the external sign is grace to be produced in the soul;⁵ and therefore they extol and wonder at the power of the symbol.⁶ Whence Symbols and Councils confess one Baptism unto the remission of sins (Council of Milevis, can. 2; Constantinople I; Orange II, can. 25; Florence, decree for the Armenians).

³ Tertullian, On Baptism 4; Cyril of Jerusalem, mystagogical catechesis 3, n. 3; Cyril of Alexandria, on John III, 5; Ephraem, Against Scrutators, sermon 40.

⁴ Cyprian, ep. to Donatus n. 4; Cyril of Jerusalem, mystagogical catechesis 2, n. 4; Chrysostom, on John, hom. 26, n. 1; Gregory of Nyssa, oration on the Baptism of Christ; Ephraem, Hymn on Virginity XXXVIII, 3; Leo, sermon 5 on the Nativity of the Lord, 5.

⁵ Epistle of Barnabas 11-12; Hermas, similitude IX, 36; Origen, on John VI, 17; Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh 8; On Baptism 5 and 7; Optatus of Milevis, On the Schism V, 1; Augustine, on John tr. 3, n. 5; on Psalm 83, 2.

⁶ Augustine, on John tr. 80, n. 3, and several alleged under a and b.

3. From the practice of the Church, which administers sacraments to children, to the insane, to those destitute of senses; uses in the sacraments the Latin, Greek, etc., tongue; commands the reception of the sacraments to all. But if the sacraments did not confer grace ex opere operato, but only excited faith, it would follow a) that Baptism conferred on infants would be of no efficacy; b) that sacraments conferred on him who did not understand the language would effect nothing; c) that the sacraments would confer grace as much on bystanders as on recipients, which nevertheless even the Protestants themselves deny. Therefore the practice of the Church is against the Protestants.

32. Corollary. - From what has been said it is easily understood that the words of the sacraments are not merely sermonic and promissory, as the Protestants say, but consecratory: for although, which we do not deny, 1) they can instruct the bystanders and excite them to faith, because they are real preachings of the divine word; likewise 2) they themselves contain divine promises or recall promises already made; nevertheless 3) and principally, they are immediately ordained to the blessing, consecration, or sanctification of the thing or person, and only secondarily and dependently on this principal end are they also sermonic and promissory (Council of Trent, sess. 7, can. 5 and 6). - Moreover they are consecratory in a threefold way: a) as to the matter, which they determine to sacramental signification (n. 12); b) as to the recipient, insofar as they are part of the sign sanctifying and consecrating him; c) as to their origin: for they were instituted by Christ and thus consecrated to producing supernatural effects.

Whence Hugh of St. Victor, On the Sacraments l. n. et scr. (P.L. CLXXVI, 35): "The sacraments of grace, through the invocation of the Trinity, receive sanctification in themselves and then confer sanctification, so that from sanctification they may be sanctifying."

33. Observation. - The Protestants object with texts of Scripture: a) affirming that we are justified through faith; and b) excluding the value of works distinct from faith.

Reply to the first: through faith we are justified, because faith is one, indeed the first, of the dispositions required for justification, since it is the root of all the others; whence we are justified through faith in an affirmative sense, not exclusively: for the Scriptures also indicate or require other dispositions (I John III, 3; Rom. VIII, 24; Lk. VII, 47; I John III, 14; Lk. XIII, 3; Acts II, 38; III, 19), indeed they affirm that faith itself does not suffice (I Cor. XIII, 2; Jas. II, 24-26; Gal. V, 6).

To the second: hence those works are excluded which do not rest on faith, such as works of the Mosaic law, or merely natural works, but not works which arise from faith itself, since these also are necessary (Jas. II, 24-26; Mt. VII, 21; Rom. II, 6-13).

These things are customarily explained more broadly in the treatise on Grace.

St. Thomas III, q. 62, a. 2; on IV Sentences, d. 1, q. 1, a. 5.

34. Thesis. The individual sacraments of the New Law cause a special grace proper to themselves. - This is certain.

The sacraments not only cause common grace making one pleasing, with the infused virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit which are connected with it as properties; but beyond this they cause special grace, which adds something diverse to it in the diverse sacraments. Hence sacramental grace is not that special grace alone, nor common grace making one pleasing alone, but grace making one pleasing according as a certain special grace accompanies and affects it.

It is proved: 1) from documents of the Church: For it follows from the doctrine of the Council of Trent asserting, sess. 7, can. 6, that the sacraments contain and confer the grace which they signify; but since their signification is diverse, the grace also must be diverse; which moreover is indicated for each by the Council of Florence, in the decree for the Armenians.

2. from reason: The sacraments are ordained to special effects in the Christian life; otherwise the sacraments would have been instituted in vain, and instituted as diverse. Whence they produce a special grace, and indeed a) diverse from that which is obtained outside the sacraments, and b) diverse in each sacrament.

35. The formal ratio of sacramental grace. - Sacramental grace is a special help for attaining the proper end of each sacrament; nevertheless this is explained in diverse ways. Many more recent authors, after Cajetan and Suarez, hold that it is habitual grace intrinsically one and the same, insofar as it induces an extrinsic order or exigency toward special actual graces corresponding to the end of each sacrament, and therefore gives a right to having those graces at the opportune time. But more probably with St. Thomas we say that habitual grace is in some way intrinsically diverse, or grace making one pleasing insofar as either there is intrinsically in it a certain special mode or vigor;¹ or, which is more pleasing to others,² from it flows a special habit: contrary to those defects for repairing which the individual sacraments were instituted. For just as original justice included a vigor or habit by which the lower faculties were perfectly subjected to reason, and by which concupiscence was totally taken away, so sacramental grace is a vigor or habit lessening concupiscence precisely insofar as it is opposed to the end of the sacrament; but because man received that mode, vigor, or habit, therefore he also has a right to receive actual graces at the opportune time.

¹ Thus John of St. Thomas, Cabrera, Contenson, the Salmanticenses, Billuart, and Tanquerey interpret St. Thomas.

² Thus Paludanus, Capreolus, and recently Billot.

It is proved: God provides no less for the supernatural order than for the natural order, and therefore for supernatural acts He gives to man not only actual graces, but habitual and permanent principles by which he can habitually effect them (I, n. 618); therefore also for the special effects of the sacraments He gives not only actual graces, but principles by which we are habitually disposed toward them. But the sacraments of the New Law were instituted against the wounds of sin. Therefore habitual helps are given by which the wounds of sin are habitually bound in some measure.

36. Sacramental grace is diverse in the individual sacraments. - For:

1. In Baptism it is habitual grace making one pleasing and regenerative, insofar as it fully renews man, who is freed from every debt of sin and regenerated into the new life which is through the faith of Christ; whence there is added special help against the darkening of the intellect and the slowness of heart for believing, which directly impede faith.

2. In Confirmation it is strengthening grace, insofar as it increases the life of faith and leads it to perfect age, with special help against fear and worldly respect.

3. In the Eucharist it is nutritive and unitive grace, insofar as it spiritually transforms man into Christ through charity, with special help against self-love impeding man from persevering in the love of God.

4. In Penance it is healing or reparative grace, insofar as it formally remits actual sins and converts to God, with special help against the wounds of actual sin.

5. In Extreme Unction it is fully healing and alleviating grace, insofar as it alleviates the soul of the sick man and wipes away the remnants of sins, with special help against oppression of soul in the last dangers of life.

XIII. QUESTION X. What is the efficacy of the sacraments in conferring grace? ANSWER. The Council of Trent, session 7, canon 8, defined these things: If anyone shall say that grace is not conferred by the sacraments of the new law themselves ex opere operato, but that faith alone in the divine promise suffices for obtaining grace, let him be anathema. The manner of producing grace is twofold, namely ex opere operantis and ex opere operato. It is produced ex opere operantis when God confers it in view of the faith, piety, or merit of him who receives or administers the sacrament. We say that grace is produced ex opere operato when it is produced by the force and efficacy of the external sacramental sign itself, instituted by Christ the Lord and applied in a congruous manner, apart from the merit of the recipient or of the administrator. It is nevertheless necessarily required that a man about to receive the sacraments should in fact prepare his soul by dispositions of faith and piety.