“As the man whom the priest baptizes is enlightened by the grace of the Holy Ghost, so does he who in penance confesses his sins, receive through the priest forgiveness in virtue of the grace of Christ.” St. Athanasius (3rd-4th centuries, Doctor of the Church) “It is not enough to...
“’And [Naaman] dipped himself…seven times in the Jordan.’ It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean, by means of the sacred water...
“[Christ] is in the Father by reason of His divine nature, we are in Him by reason of His human birth, and He is in us through the mystery of the sacraments.” St. Hilary of Poitiers (4th century, Doctor of the Church) “When Adam sleeps, Eve is formed from his...
“Let none of you turn deserter. Let your baptism be your armor; your faith, your helmet; your love, your spear; your patient endurance, your panoply.” St. Ignatius of Antioch (1st-2nd century) “Of the beliefs and practices whether generally accepted or publicly enjoined which are preserved in the Church some we...