📖Overview

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, The communion of saints is the spiritual solidarity that binds together the faithful on earth, the souls in Purgatory, and the blessed in heaven in the one Mystical Body of Christ. The term "communion of saints" has two closely linked meanings: communion in holy things (sancta) and communion among holy persons (sancti). All who are in Christ form one body, and the good of each is communicated to the others. The faithful on earth (the Church Militant) are united with the souls being purified in Purgatory (the Church Suffering) and with the saints in heaven (the Church Triumphant). This union is expressed through the intercession of the saints, who pray for those on earth, and through the prayers of the faithful on earth for the souls in Purgatory. The communion of saints also involves a communion of spiritual goods: faith, sacraments, charisms, charity, and all the good works accomplished in the Church. Everything belongs to all, and each person's holiness benefits others. This communion is rooted in charity, which "does not insist on its own" (1 Cor 13:5) but leads each member to share spiritual goods generously. The Blessed Virgin Mary, as the pre-eminent member of this communion, exercises a special maternal intercession for the faithful.

💡Key Points