Visible Bonds of Unity

Vatican II's Constitution on the Church (#146) mentions some of the more important visible bonds by which the faithful are united to the Church:

They are fully incorporated into the society of the Church who, possessing the Spirit of Christ, accept her entire system and all the means of salvation given to her, and through union with her visible structure are joined to Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. This joining is effected by the bonds of professed faith, of the sacraments, of ecclesiastical government, and of communion.

Note the visible bonds mentiond here:

-professed faith,

-sacraments,

-ecclesiastical govermnent,

-cummunion (sharing) of love and support (Acts 2.42).

These visible bonds permit a certain pluralism in their expression according to the particular traditions and practices of different cultures.

There must be unity in essentials, but beyond that, following the principles of Saint Augustine, freedom and love should prevail: "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity" ("In essentialibus unitas, in contingentibus libertas, in omnibus caritas").

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching