Divine Grace
From the Latin gratia, “favour,” assistance freely given by God to
man
with a view to his eternal life and sanctification. Habitual
grace is the gift of
God conveyed in the Sacraments. Grace is a supernatural act of
divine aid
and goodwill, unconditional, unearned and free, but given for our
salvation.
“The fundamental ordinances of the Gospel, instituted by
Jesus Christ as special means of conveying divine grace and influence, which
are commonly called mysteries or sacraments, are seven in number; namely baptism,
confirmation, the Eucharist, holy orders, matrimony, penance and unction. The
sacraments derive their power to impart grace from the merits of Our Lord’s
Precious Blood. Each is an outward sign of inward grace bestowed on those who
receive them worthily. Without baptism no other sacrament can be validly
received. In baptism we promise to renounce the devil and all his works. This
sacrament is absolutely necessary for salvation. Confirmation is a sacrament in
which the baptised person receives the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Holy
Eucharist is the sacrifice of the new covenant between God and man because it
is the perpetual commemoration of the expiatory Sacrifice offered once and for
all by Our Lord on the Cross. The Most Holy Eucharist is the true Body and
Blood of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine. It is the life and food
of our souls. The full presence of Christ is in the Host under the appearance
of bread and equally in the Precious Blood under the appearance of wine. Holy
Orders is the sacrament by which bishops are consecrated, priests ordained and
deacons made, in which the Holy Spirit, through the laying on of hands of the
bishops, imparts to them special grace to administer the sacraments. A bishop
in the apostolic succession is the only minister of holy orders. Holy Matrimony
is the sacrament which sanctifies the contract of Christian Marriage and gives
grace for their state to those receiving it. Penance is a sacrament in which
the Holy Spirit bestows the forgiveness of sins, by the ministry of the priest,
upon those who, having sinned after baptism, confess their sins with true
repentance and grace is given to amend their lives thereafter. Holy Unction is
the sacrament whereby the sick are anointed with oil and receive the laying on
of hands with prayer by a priest for the healing of the infirmities of their
souls and, if it should please God, those of their bodies also. It is a
corruption of the practice of the Apostolic Church to reserve this sacrament
solely for those who are in danger of death and to refer to it as Extreme
Unction. The Scriptures are writings inspired by God and given to the Church
for her instruction and edification. The Church is therefore the custodian of
Holy Scripture.”
As often as you shall do these things
~ you shall do them in memory of Me.
“our Lord Jesus
Christ founded on earth One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, His Mystical
Body, of which the Grail Church is part. The Visible Church exists wherever His
Word and sacraments are rightly administered by ministers in the apostolic
succession. The Invisible Church is the company of all the faithful who have
had, have, and shall have faith in Christ and have become His children through
baptism for the remission of sins. The Grail Church perseveres in professing
the Faith of the primitive Church as formulated in the ecumenical symbols and
specified precisely by the unanimously accepted decisions of the seven
ecumenical Councils and of the Fathers of the Church. All teachings that have
no substance in holy writ and were not accepted by the Apostolic Church are not
received nor held as Articles of Faith by the Grail Church. … Those who
proclaim God’s truth as revealed in the Bible and follow the apostolic doctrine
of Christ rather than a diluted form will discover a strong enemy in both state
and modern churchianity. Christians who dare to speak out against apostate
teachings and errors within their congregation run the risk of being forced out
and even excommunicated. Paul tells us that ‘the time will come when they will
not endure sound doctrine.’ That time has now arrived. The moment of decision
has arrived. Are you able to drink the cup that is offered and share in the
blood of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?”
The tomb of Britain’s first Old
Catholic Bishop: Arnold Harris Mathew 1852-1919
R.I.P.