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To: heyheyhey
There is at least one more -- the works of Christian charity. The Biblical support for it is quite clear.

And don't forget the most important function of The Church: to bring everyone the grace that leads to salvation primarily through the Sacraments.

Sanctifying grace, the title to salvation, is peculiarly the grace of those who are united to Christ in the Church: it is the birthright of the children of God. The primary purpose of those actual graces which God bestows upon those outside the Church is to draw them within the fold. Thus, even in the case in which God Saves men apart from the Church, He does so through the Church's graces. They are joined to the Church in spiritual communion, though not in visible and external communion. In the expression of theologians, they belong to the soul of the Church, though not to its body.

123 posted on 01/06/2003 5:48:18 AM PST by Aquinasfan
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To: Aquinasfan
Absolutely right!
I didn't forget it; I thought it would be derived from the first two purposes of the Church mentioned in #51.
But right you are -- precise is better.
132 posted on 01/06/2003 10:31:45 AM PST by heyheyhey
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