|
An Angel Frees the Souls of Purgatory - by CARRACCI, Lodovico - from Pinacoteca, Vatican The Souls in Heaven, the Church Triumphant, intercede to God on behalf of the Souls in Purgatory, the Church Suffering. Our Blessed Mother in Heaven, Queen of the Angels, takes great delight in sending her Angels to release those Souls pardoned by her Son Jesus. Although depicted with Bodies, members of the Church Triumphant and Suffering actually have no Bodies, and will not receive their Glorified Bodies until the Final Judgment at the World's End. Currently, there are only Two (2) known Bodies in Heaven, belonging to Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother. Popular speculation attributes a Third Body to Saint Joseph, based on God's Commandment to 'Honor thy Father and Mother'. Jesus will never be outdone by Man in bestowing Honor on His parents. |
|
Definition of Soul
Ultimate Interior Principle of the Life (ability to move self) of Living Bodies. There are Three (3) kinds of
Souls, Vegetative or Plant, Animal, and Rational (Human). The Soul is the "Substantial Form" of the Living Body, determining
its Species, e.g., Geranium, Dog, Man. It is itself a Substance and not an Accident of the Body; an Incomplete Substance, since
it is by its Nature destined for Union with a Body. According to Thomist Doctrine, some disagreeing, there is in each Living Body
only One (1) Substantial Form, the Soul, the Principle of all Informing, Vivifying, and Operating. The Human or Rational Soul is the
ultimate Interior Principle Vivifying the Human Body and rendering Man capable of performing all his Vital Acts. Pope Pius IX
declared it to be Catholic Doctrine that the Rational Soul is the True, per se, and Immediate Form of the Body. The Soul is the Proper
Object of the Science of Psychology (Greek: psyche, soul). Unfortunately much of the Science that goes under the name, is more Physiology
than Psychology. The Human Soul is integrally Simple, has no part outside of part; otherwise Ideation, Judging, and Reasoning cannot be
explained; is Spiritual since its Operations are Spiritual, as knowing the Spiritual, the Abstract, and the Universal, reflecting on self,
enjoying Spiritual things, exercising Freedom; internally Immortal since Spiritual, and externally Immortal since God will not
Annihilate it. Scripture clearly teaches its Immortality. The Human Soul is in the Whole Body and in each part of the Body. It is created
by God and, according to the more common modern opinion, Infused into the Body at the First Instant of the latter's existence; created
"to God's image and likeness" since, similar to God, the Soul is a Spirit endowed with Intellect and Free Will. The Union
between Soul and Body is Substantial, resulting in One (1) complete Substance, which is a Human Person if we except the Body and Soul of
Christ. Scripture informs us that the Human Soul will be Judged after Death, will be consigned to Heaven or to Hell, and on the
Day of General Judgment reunited with its Body, the composite thenceforth to enjoy the Beatific Vision or to Suffer the Torments
of the Damned, for Eternity.
New Catholic Dictionary
|
|
||||||||||||
Man is born a Rational Creature, with Body and Soul,
into the Natural Order.
