Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

My dear Parishioners,

Peace! The ninth article of the Apostle’s Creed is “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church.” There are thirty-five (35) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the Creed. The following is a reflection on article 779.

Let us consider the Church under six (6) aspects: visibility, spirituality, hieraticality, Mystical Body of Christ, human and divine, a mystery.

The Church is visible, which is to say that it can be seen. This is obviously so in the institutions of the Church, a parish Church, a grade school, high school, college or university all allow for the visibility of the Church to be realized. But even in her membership, each of the baptized, from the most recently baptized infant to the Bishop of Rome, the Church is visible. In the summer of 2011 there will be a visible manifestation of the Church with a very young face with World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain.

The Church is Spiritual, which is to say that there is something invisible about the Church. The grace which she distributes on God’s behalf is invisible even if it often has visible effects (conversion). The blessed Saints in Heaven who are awaiting the resurrection of their bodies on the last day are very much a part of the Church even in their spiritual existence as separated souls. The truth of the Gospel and the saving faith is spiritual as well, although the writings about the truth of the Gospel and the saving faith are very visible.

The Church is a hierarchical society, which is to say there is order in the Church. The Pope is the Successor of Saint Peter and the Bishops are Successors to the Apostles. These form the apex of the hierarchy of the Church. Priests and Deacons help the Bishops and are coworkers with them. The laity similarly play their part in spreading the Gospel as leaven in the world. Just because there is an order is not to say that just because one is lay or one is clerical is to say one is good or better. The correspondence to the grace God gives makes one more holy.

While some may look at the Church according to a “corporate” or “institutional” model, this often imperils the recognition of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ, which is to say His ongoing presence in the world until He returns in glory.

Christ’s One Church is both human and divine as Christ Himself is both true God and true man. We who accept Christ’s divinity accept also the divine element in His Church as He redeems us His adopted brothers and sisters

The Mystery of the Church can only be accepted and welcomed in Faith. With the eyes of faith we recognize the hand of God working throughout salvation history. Let us renounce any myopic tendencies the world offers, preferring nothing to Christ and His Church.

God bless you!

Father John Arthur Orr