The Thomistic Institute The Sacraments in General: Character and Institution/Causation | Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.
Apr 22, 2024
Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P., delves into the significance of sacramental character in baptism, confirmation, and holy orders, discussing their indelible mark. He explores Aquinas' theory on character, the importance of confession for spiritual growth, and the causes and institution of sacraments, including Christological causality. The podcast navigates the complexities of sacraments, ministerial intention, and sacramental validity despite human imperfections.
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Character Is An Irreversible Intellectual Mark
- Sacramental character is an indelible spiritual mark given by baptism, confirmation, and holy orders that cannot be repeated or erased.
- Aquinas locates this mark as an immaterial quality in the soul's intellect, not the will, so it doesn't guarantee moral goodness.
Apostate Nun Example Shows Baptism's Permanence
- Fr. White gives the example of an apostate nun who embraced Marxism but could later be readmitted without rebaptism because baptism is irrepeatable.
- He uses a vivid story of a prioress hearing a sister confessing to show real-world application.
Character Lives In The Practical Intellect
- Aquinas identifies the character as a power of the practical intellect, enabling reception or administration of sacraments without conferring speculative knowledge or moral perfection.
- This power lets a baptized person command themselves to receive sacraments (e.g., return to confession) even after long absence.