Much has been written on the subject of sacramentals, approaching them from a variety of different perspectives. This paper, though, will confine itself principally to a thorough consideration of the treatment of sacramentals in the most relevant parts of the Summa Theologiae of Thomas Aquinas and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In the Summa Theologiae this means the primary sources will be in the Tertia Pars, the first article of question sixty-five, and the third article of question eighty-seven. The section of direct interest here in the Catechism of the Catholic Church extends from paragraph 1667 to paragraph 1779. Since the consideration of sacramentals by Saint Thomas is largely made in the context of the remission of venial sin, at least the coverage of what he has written will heavily emphasize that aspect of the sacramentals. The article on sacramentals in the Catechism of the Catholic Church naturally gives a broader view of sacramentals. In addition to being considering separately, these two sources will also be compared and contrasted to note what is constant and what is different between them, and what can be learned concerning the sacramentals and their role in the sacramental life of the Church.

The first article of question sixty-five in the Tertia Pars is concerned with the question of whether there should be seven sacraments.[1] Sacramentals are introduced in the replies to the sixth and eight objections in this article. The sixth objection claims that there should be more than seven sacraments because sacraments are a kind of sacred sign, and there are many sanctifications by sensible signs in the Church, for example Holy Water and the Consecration of the Altars.[2] In the reply to this objection, without explicitly using the word "sacramentals," Thomas indicates that many of these sanctifications by sensible signs are sacramentals. He writes:

Holy Water and other consecrated things are not called sacraments, because they do not produce the sacramental effect, which is the receiving of grace. They are, however, a kind of disposition to the sacraments: either by removing obstacles; thus holy water is ordained against the snares of the demons, and against venial sins: or by making things suitable for the conferring of a sacrament; thus the altar and vessels are consecrated through reverence for the Eucharist.[3]

Thus, sacramentals do not produce as an effect the reception of grace, as the sacraments do, but they are ordered to the sacraments in one of the two ways mentioned by Thomas.

The eighth objection claims that since there are three kinds of sin: original, mortal and venial, and Baptism is the remedy for original sin and Penance for mortal sin, there needs to be another sacrament in addition to the seven, instituted against venial sin.[4] The reply to this introduces the subject of the remission of venial sins in relation to sacramentals. Thomas says that an "infusion of grace is not necessary for the blotting out of venial sin," unlike original sin, and mortal sin. Therefore, there does not need to be a sacrament instituted directly against venial sin. Instead, Thomas says, venial sin "is taken away by certain sacramentals, for instance, Holy Water and such like." Grace is not infused in these sacramentals, but they can be sufficient for the remission of venial sin.[5] This is precisely the topic that Thomas takes up in more detail in the third article of question 87.

The third article of question 87 asks "Whether venial sins are removed by the sprinkling of Holy Water and the like?" This basically means for current purpose whether venial sins are removed by at least some sacramentals. Thomas answers this in the affirmative, citing Augustine in support of his position and repeating the point that infusion of new grace is not necessary for the forgiveness of venial sin. Rather, "It is enough to have an act proceeding from grace, in detestation of that venial sin, either explicit or at least implicit, as when one is moved fervently to God."[6] Sacramentals, then, are sufficient for this stated requirement proceeding from grace.

Thomas gives two reasons for saying that "certain things," by which he clearly is referring to sacramentals, cause the remission of venial sins. They do this first of all "because they imply a movement of detestation for sin, and in this way the general confession, the beating of one's breast, and the Lord's Prayer conduce to the remission of venial sins, for we ask in the Lord's Prayer: Forgive us our trespasses." Secondly, they do this "because they include a movement of reverence for God and Divine things; and in this way a bishop's blessing, the sprinkling of holy water, any sacramental anointing, a prayer said in a dedicated church, and anything else of the kind, conduce to the remission of venial sins."[7] Clearly, even the sacramentals specifically mentioned here will not result in the remission of venial sin if one is not properly disposed, in much the same way as proper disposition is required for fruitful reception of the sacraments. This point is especially important because disposition is a key element in dealing with the objections connected to this article.

Thomas states three objections to his position that venial sins are removed by certain sacramentals. The first of these cites the first article of this question to say that venial sins can never be forgiven without Penance, and then adds that Penance itself suffices for the remission of venial sin, concluding that these sacramentals must be irrelevant to the remission of venial sin.[8] Thomas replies to this objection by stating that the remission of venial sins is caused by such things precisely "in so far as they incline to the movement of penance, viz., the implicit or explicit detestation of one's sins."[9] Thus, there is no contradiction between what he says about the necessity and sufficiency of Penance for the forgiveness of venial sins, and the remission of venial sins through sacramentals.

The second objection states that each of these sacramentals has the same relation to one venial sin as to all. "If therefore, by means of one of them, some venial sin is remitted, it follows that in like manner all are remitted, so that by beating his breast once, or by being sprinkled once with holy water, a man would be delivered from all his venial sins, which seems unreasonable."[10] Thomas replies to this objection by pointing out that it does not follow from what is stated in the objection that a man in such a case would indeed be delivered from all his venial sins, because "the remission may be hindered as regards certain venial sins, to which the mind is still actually attached, even as insincerity sometimes impedes the effect of Baptism."[11] The remission of venial sin here, then, again depends on the disposition of the person in question.

The third objection points out the debt of temporal punishment occasioned by venial sin, citing 1 Corinthians 3:12, 15, which says "of him that builds up wood, hay, stubble that he shall be saved, yet so as by fire. However, the things that Thomas is claiming conduce to the remission of sins have little or no punishment involved in them. "Therefore they do not suffice for the full remission of venial sins."[12] Thomas in his reply to this grants that the whole of the temporal punishment due is not always removed, pointing out that if this were so any person with no mortal sin on his soul who was sprinkled with holy water and then died would go straight to heaven. This is clearly not the case. Rather, says Thomas, the debt of punishment for venial sin is remitted by these sacramentals, "according to the movement of fervor towards God, which fervor is aroused by such things, sometimes more, sometimes less."[13] In other words, this temporal punishment is remitted by these things only to the degree that one's fervor is aroused by them.

The article on sacramentals in the Catechism of the Catholic Church begins by trying to give a definition of sacramentals. Sacramentals "are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effects of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy." This definition is a direct quote from paragraph sixty of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the constitution on the sacred liturgy of Vatican II.[14] Although Thomas does not really define sacramentals in either of the questions dealt with earlier, the definition given here does generally accord with some of what Thomas does say. In particular, the statement here that the sacramentals dispose men to receive the chief effect of the sacrament corresponds to the quote from Thomas given earlier, that they are "a kind of disposition to the sacraments."[15] It is also worthwhile to note a couple of clear distinctions in this definition that separate sacramentals from sacraments. First, it is stated that the Church instituted the sacramentals, whereas Trent defined that Christ instituted all the sacraments in some way, saying in its first canon on the sacraments in general: "If anyone says that the sacraments of the New Law were not all instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord . . . anathema sit."[16] Also, it is not the same to signify effects that are obtained through the Church's intercession, as sacramentals do, as it is to produce the effects that they signify, as sacraments do.

In its initial characterization of the sacramentals in paragraph 1668, the text in the Catechism does not add very much to the understanding of the sacramentals that one could gather from the texts of Thomas Aquinas that have been reviewed. It merely makes two points that were not explicit in Thomas, although the second of these was at least implied by him. First, it is noted that the sacramentals ideally should "respond to the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time. The second point, which is more important and essential to sacramentals, is that sacramentals must always include a prayer.[17] This second point follows naturally from the fact that the they themselves are to be used to worship God, and they are ordained to the sacraments, which are also acts of worship, so sacramentals require some kind of prayer within themselves.

Sacramentals do not confer grace in the way that the sacraments do, but they do "prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it." Hopefully, almost all the events in one's life will be sanctified with divine grace through the sacraments and sacramentals. The Catechism once again quotes Sacrosanctum Concilium to say "There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God."[18] This does not mean that all the actions that are to be so directed are themselves sacramentals, as can be seen from the fact that they really cannot meet the definition given earlier. The sanctification mentioned here does not involve turning everything in life into a sacramental strictly speaking, but rather as much as possible sacrilizing everything in life.

The Catechism lists a few specific forms of sacramentals, based on a similar division by Aquinas, namely blessings, consecrations, and exorcism. A primacy is given to blessings among sacramentals. According to the Catechism, blessings "include both praise of God for his works and gifts, and the Church's intercession for men that they may be able to use God's gifts according to the spirit of the Gospel." These generally include an invocation of the name of Jesus, and often the sign of the cross. This is so because Christians receive all the spiritual gifts that they do through Christ.[19] Laymen may preside at certain blessings, because sacramentals derive from the priesthood of the baptized, while others that are more closely related to the ecclesial and sacramental life are reserved to some level of orders.[20] One slightly mystifying point about the situation in the Church today is that, while the Catechism seems not only to allow but to encourage blessings for all kinds of things, and both here and in Saint Thomas the value of these blessings is made quite clear, nevertheless in fact blessings like this today seem to have become far less common, rather than any more so.[21]

Consecrations are specially mentioned as a separate type of blessing. These "consecrate persons to God, or reserve objects and places for liturgical use." Examples given of consecrations of the first kind include the blessing of religious superiors of monasteries, the consecration of virgins, the rite of religious profession, and the blessings of readers, acolytes, and catechists. Examples of the second kind of consecration are dedications and blessings of churches and altars, the blessing of holy oils, vessels, vestments, and bells.[22] This second type of consecration is done out of reverence for the liturgy for which these things will be used, as was pointed out by Saint Thomas.[23]

The last thing mentioned in the Catechism under the specific forms of sacramentals is exorcism. In this sacramental, "the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion." Solemn exorcism is noteworthy for its special gravity among the sacramentals. It can only be performed by a priest who has the permission of his bishop, and it is governed by rules to which the priest must strictly adhere. Although exorcism itself is a sacramental, a simple form of it is performed at the celebration of the sacrament of Baptism.[24] This is because at that time the soul is to be freed from the dominion of the devil, which the soul was under when it was in the state of sin.

As the last part of the article on sacramentals the Catechism addresses forms of popular piety and devotion. These include the veneration of relics, visits to sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, the stations of the cross, the rosary, and religious medals. These are naturally to be encouraged, but it must also be kept in mind that within the spiritual life of Catholics they must always be subordinated to the liturgy. The Catechism directly quotes Sacrosanctum Concilium for the third time in this article to say that these forms of popular devotion should be practiced in such a way that "they harmonize with the liturgical seasons, accord with the sacred liturgy, are in some way derived from it and lead the people to it, since in fact the liturgy by its very nature is far superior to any of them."[25] It is thus necessary for everyone, and especially for those in pastoral positions, to exercise care and prudence in relation to such devotions, so that they may be practiced properly and therefore fruitfully. In this, naturally, all must be subject to guidance of the Church.[26]

Looking back on the teaching on sacramentals by Saint Thomas found in the questions that were considered, and on the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, one can see that the two accord fairly well with each other in the sense of being compatible. However, there is one glaring difference between them. Saint Thomas considers the remission of venial sin as a major effect of sacramentals, and sacramentals are brought up in question eighty-seven of the Tertia Pars precisely because they relate to the remission of venial sin. In the section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church that is in question here, though, that aspect of the sacramentals is not even mentioned. In the entire article on the sacramentals the words "remission," "venial," and "sin" are nowhere to be found in any context.[27] This absence, whatever the reason for it may be, is nothing short of stunning. One of the main themes of Saint Thomas Aquinas on the sacramentals is completely ignored by the Catechism of the Catholic Church in dealing with that subject. This adds great support to the idea that the direction of theological thought on the sacramentals has indeed changed between the time of Saint Thomas Aquinas and the twentieth century, despite similarities between the statements of Thomas and those of the Catechism on this topic.[28]

In dealing with the sacramentals it is always important to remember that they are subordinate to and directed towards the sacraments themselves, as was indicated earlier. They should not be allowed to become more dominant in the religious life of people than is fitting. However, though there is always that danger, and it is a very real one for some individuals today, this danger does not appear to be very immediate for most Catholics today. Quite the opposite is the case. Sacramentals, like so many other elements of religion, seem to be disappearing from use. Taken together the teachings of Saint Thomas and of the Catechism of the Catholic Church seem to provide a fairly full explanation of sacramentals and their importance, but all such teaching is ignored in the modern world. In this modern society, most people have a horror of superstition, and apparently nothing appears more superstitious to such people than a sacramental. This is a very unfortunate situation, because it is precisely a secularized world that has the most to gain from the sacrilization that can be brought about through the sacramentals correctly incorporated into the religious life of the Church.

Bibliography

Aquinas, St. Thomas. Summa Theologica. Westminster, MD: Christian Classics, 1948.

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana,1994.

Jounel, Pierre. "Blessings," In The Church at Prayer. Vol. III. The Sacraments. Edited by A.G. Martimort. Translated by Matthew J. O'Connell. PP. 263-84. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1988.

Neuner, Jacques, and Jacques Depuis, ed. The Christian Faith in the Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church. 6th ed. New York: Alba House, 1982.

Notes

[1] Aquinas, St. Thomas, Summa Theologica (Westminster, MD: Christian Classics, 1948), Summa Theologica, Third Part, Question Sixty-Five, Article One. (References to this work will subsequently appear in the form ST III 65.1, or Part Number Question Number.Article Number obj.Objection Number ad.Reply Number).

[2] ST III 65.1 obj.6.

[3] ST III 65.1 ad.6.

[4] ST III 65.1 obj.8.

[5] ST III 65.1 ad.8.

[6] ST III 87.3.

[7] ST III 87.3.

[8] ST III 87.3 obj.1.

[9] ST III 87.3 ad.1.

[10] ST III 87.3 obj.2.

[11] ST III 87.3 ad.2.

[12] ST III 87.3 obj.3.

[13] ST III 87.3 ad.3.

[14] Catechism of the Catholic Church (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994), paragraph 1667, (References to this work will subsequently appear in the form CCC 1667, or CCC Paragraph Number); Footnote 171.

[15] ST III 65.1 ad.6.

[16] Jacques Neuner and Jacques Depuis, The Christian Faith in the Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church, 6th ed. (New York: Alba House, 1982), 522.

[17] CCC 1668.

[18] CCC 1670; Footnote 174.

[19] CCC 1671.

[20] CCC 1669.

[21] Pierre Jounel, "Blessings," in The Church at Prayer, vol. III, The Sacraments, ed. A.G. Mortimer, trans. Matthew J. O'Connell (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1988), 284.

[22] CCC 1672.

[23] ST III 65.1 ad.6.

[24] CCC 1673.

[25] CCC 1675; Footnote 179.

[26] CCC 1676.

[27] CCC 1667-1779.

[28] Jounel, 276.