Epistle of Saint Thomas the Apostle

Ephesians 2: 19-22

Brethren: You are no more strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow-citizens with the Saints, and domestics of God: built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone. In whom all the building being framed together, groweth up into a holy temple in the Lord. In Whom you also are built together into a habitation of God in the Spirit.

Haydock

Verse 19. You are no longer strangers with regard to God and his holy alliance. You are no longer travellers and vagabonds, without a God, as you were before your conversion; not knowing to whom you belonged, nor finding in paganism either solid foundation or truth, neither hopes for this nor consolation for future life. But now you are become citizens of the same city as the saints, and domestics of the house of God. Calmet.

Verse 20. The Church is in this place said to be built upon the apostles and prophets; why not then upon S. Peter?

Denzinger

308: Tradition

COUNCIL OF NICEA II 787
Ecumenical VII (against the Iconoclasts)
ACTION VIII

If anyone rejects all ecclesiastical tradition either written or not written… let him be anathema.

2229: Christian Marriage

From the Encyclical, "Casti Connubii,"
Pius XI, Dec. 31, 1930

Indeed, Christian parents should further understand that they are destined not only to propagate and to preserve the human race on earth, nay rather, not to raise any kind of worshipers of the true God, but to produce offspring of the Church of Christ; to procreate “fellow-citizens of the saints and members of God’s household” [Eph. 2:19], that the people devoted to the worship of God and our Savior may increase daily. For, even if Christian spouses, although they themselves are sanctified, have not the power to transfuse sanctification into their offspring, surely the natural generation of life has become a way of death, by which original sin passes into the offspring; yet in some manner they share something of that primeval marriage of Paradise, since it is their privilege to offer their own offspring to the Church, so that by this most fruitful mother of the sons of God they may be regenerated through the laver of baptism unto supernatural justice, and become living members of Christ, partakers of immortal life, and, finally, heirs of eternal glory which we all desire with all our heart.…

⇦ Back to Saint Thomas the Apostle