Communion of Saints Explained
The saints play an important role in the life of the Church and every individual.
The saints are our holy friends. They are the Church at rest because they have fulfilled their God-given mission and made it safely home.
The saints provide a glimpse into what faith can do.
Also, saints help us understand our Church History. We are all called to be saints. We need to learn about saints so we know who we are meant to be. Multitudes of saints are in Heaven that aren’t in our books. Even if we are never canonized, our goal is heaven. And if we want to be saints, we need to know what makes people, just like us, into saints.
The Catechism Of the Catholic Church (946-962) divides this into two parts:
I. COMMUNION IN SPIRITUAL GOODS
Communion in the faith.
Communion of the sacraments
Communion of charisms
"They had everything in common."
Communion in charity
II. THE COMMUNION OF THE CHURCH OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
The three states of the Church
The intercession of the saints
Communion with the saints
Communion with the dead
In the one family of God
