Catechism references for Community & Fellowship

The Church – Mystery of men’s union with God

§771 …the Church is both visible and spiritual,…it is “one complex reality which comes together from a human and divine element.”

§772 It is in the Church that Christ fulfills and reveals His own mystery as the purpose of God’s plan: “to unite all things in Him.” St. Paul calls the nuptial union of Christ and the Church “a great mystery.” Because she is united to Christ as her bridegroom, she becomes a mystery in her turn.

§773 In the Church this communion of men with God, in the “love [that] never ends,” is the purpose which governs everything in her that is a sacramental means, tied to this passing world. “[The Church’s] structure is totally ordered to the holiness of Christ’s members.”

§775 “The Church in Christ is like a sacrament – a sign and instrument, that is, of communion with God and of unity among all men.” The Church’s first purpose is to be the sacrament of the inner union of men with God. Because men’s communion with one another is rooted in that union with God, the Church is also the sacrament of the unity of the human race.

§789 The comparison of the Church with the body casts light on the intimate bond between Christ and His Church. Not only is she gathered around Him; she is united in Him, in His body.

§791 “In the building up of Christ’s Body there is engaged a diversity of members and functions. The unity of the Mystical Body produces and stimulates charity among the faithful. Finally, the unity of the Mystical Body triumphs over all human divisions…

§798 The Holy Spirit is “the principle of every vital and truly saving action in each part of the Body.” He works in many ways to build up the whole Body in charity.

§799 Whether extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men and to the needs of the world.

§952 “They had everything in common.” “Everything the true Christian has is to be regarded as a good possessed in common with everyone else. All Christians should be ready and eager to come to the help of the needy… and of their neighbours in want.”

The Catechism’s reflections on the nature of the human community in general have a special relevance for the life of the Church community.

§1877 The vocation of humanity is to show forth the image of God and to be transformed into the image of the Father’s only Son. This vocation takes a personal form since each of us is called to enter into the divine beatitude; it also concerns the human community as a whole.

§1878 There is a certain resemblance between the union of the divine persons and the fraternity that men are to establish among themselves in truth and love.

§1905 In keeping with the social nature of man, the good of each individual is necessarily related to the common good…

§1906 First, the common good presupposes respect for the person.

§1907 …the common good requires the social well-being and development of the group itself.

§ 1913 “Participation” is the voluntary and generous engagement of a person in social interchange. It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good.

§1931 Respect for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that “everyone should look upon his neighbour (without any exception) as ‘another self’.”

§1932 The duty of making oneself a neighbour to others and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it involves the disadvantaged, in whatever area this may be.

§1942 The virtue of solidarity goes beyond material goods. In spreading the spiritual goods of the faith, the Church has promoted, and often opened new paths for the development of temporal goods as well.