Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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SOUL OF THE CHURCH

The Holy Spirit, who animates the Mystical Body of Christ. As Christ is the head of the Church, so the Holy Spiriti is her soul. Like the soul in the human body, the Holy Spirit who welds together the members of the Church among themselves, with Christ their head, since the same Holy Spirit is entirely in the head and entirely in the members of the Mystical Body. It is he who by his assistance ypholds the hierarchy in their exercise of the teaching, pastoral, and priestly office. It is he who by his grace arouses and fosters every solitary activity among the faithful. All the life and growth of Christianity proceed from this divine life principle indwellin in the Church.