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To: wideawake; RnMomof7
Has the priest withheld grace from him? If the priest had communicated him would he have received the grace of the Eucharist?

Yes, to any sane person, the priest has in fact withheld the grace of the sacrament.

The sacraments, among which are included the sacramental ministry of the priesthood, are the greatest helps we have to the grace of salvation.

You'll have to forgive me but I doubt that this is the official theology of Rome on her sacraments. They are not considered to be mere "helps". Not according to my readins of your doctrine. Much stronger claims on their necessity are routinely issued.
56 posted on 07/17/2003 11:11:27 AM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: George W. Bush
Yes, to any sane person, the priest has in fact withheld the grace of the sacrament.

Thanks for the implication that I'm insane.

The answer to the question I asked, namely: "If the priest had communicated him would he have received the grace of the Eucharist?" is clearly no.

He would have, in the words of the Apostle, been "eating and drinking damnation" to himself.

The priest has not withheld any grace from him - he is incapable of receiving that grace due to his sin.

They are not considered to be mere "helps".

There's nothing mere about the help I'm talking about.

St. Rogatien of ancient Gaul was never baptized, never received the Eucharist, was never confirmed, never went to confession. But he became a saint when the Christians of Nantes were being persecuted and he was so inspired by their bravery in the face of slaughter that he immediately declared his belief in Christ and was slain as well. He became a martyr for Christ as is considered a saint.

His act of supreme sacrifice was an extraordinary means of gaining salvation. Most of us only have access to ordinary means and those are the sacraments.

57 posted on 07/17/2003 11:30:00 AM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
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