Magnificent idea of ​​Father Cantalamessa on the unity of Christians

Father Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher of the Papal Household, has dedicated his second sermon of this Lent to reflecting on the need to achieve Christian unity. The Capuchin religious has warned that this unity must be achieved not only among the faithful of the Catholic Church but also with separated brothers .


Who doesn't want such a thing? If Jesus Christ asked the Father that we be one, how can we not join that prayer? Father Cantalamessa does well, then, to address that question. Since unity can only be the fruit of conversion, Lent is an ideal time to talk about it.


Furthermore, I think the reference made by the preacher of the Pontifical Household to Saint Augustine is magnificent. It asks, neither more nor less, that a reflection be made on what the holy bishop of Hippo taught about the nature of the Church. And he quotes the saint asking us all: “Are you part of the one body of Christ? Do you love the unity of the Church?"


Well, with the healthy intention of collaborating with Father Cantalamessa's idea, I offer here Email Data more quotes from that great saint and doctor of the Church who illuminated the sky of the Catholic faith since his conversion.


This is what Saint Augustine taught:


“Anyone, then, who has separated from that Catholic Church, even if he believes that he lives virtuously, is separated from the unity of Christ by that one crime: he will not obtain life, but the wrath of God remains on him ".


And that:


“The love of which the Apostle says: 'The love of God has been poured out on our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us' (Rom 5, 5), is the charity that those who are they have broken off from the communion of the Catholic Church; and, for Email Data this reason, even if they 'speak in the tongues of men and angels' (1ºCCor 13,1-3)… it does them no good. Because those who do not love the unity of the Church do not have the love of God, which is why it is rightly said that the Holy Spirit cannot be received except in the Catholic Church.


And also, this:


“He who is an enemy of unity will not participate in divine charity. And thus, those who are outside the Church do not have the Holy Spirit.”


Despite being a great apologist against the heresy of the Donatists, who Email Data denied the validity of the sacraments if the one who administered them was not “worthy,” Saint Augustine warned that these sacraments were valid but…:




"Whoever receives baptism among heretics or in any schism outside the communion of the Church, remains without perceiving any fruit as he participates in the perversity of heretics and schismatics."


AND:





“The heretic does not benefit from this baptism, even if he has lost his life outside the Church confessing Christ. And it is a great truth: by dying outside the Church he manifests very clearly that he does not have the charity of which he speaks of the Apostle."


And even:


“As for those who are baptized there out of ignorance (in a schismatic group), thinking that that is the Church of Christ, if they are compared with the previous ones (guilty of starting the schism), Their sin is less, although they are badly hurt by the sin of schism. And they do not stop sinning gravely because others sin even more gravely.