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867 The Church is holy: the Most Holy God is her author; Christ, her bridegroom,gave himself up to make her holy; the Spirit of holiness gives her life. Since she still includes sinners, she is ‘the sinless one made up of sinners’. Her holiness shines in the saints; in Mary she is already all-holy.

868 The Church is catholic: she proclaims the fullness of the faith. She bears in herself and administers the totality of the means of salvation. She is sent out to all peoples. She speaks to all men. She encompasses all times. She is ‘missionary of her very nature’ (AG 2).

869 The Church is apostolic. She is built on a lasting foundation: ‘the twelve apostles of the Lamb’ (Rev 21:14). She is indestructible (cf Mt 16:18). She is upheld infallibly in the truth: Christ governs her through Peter and the other apostles, who are present in their successors, the Pope and the college of bishops.

870 ‘The sole Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic,.. . subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him. Nevertheless, many elements of sanct~Jl cation and of truth are found outside its visible confines’ (LG 8).

Paragraph 4. Christ’s Faithful — Hierarchy, Laity, Consecrated Life

871 ‘The Christian faithful are those who, inasmuch as they have

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been incorporated in Christ through Baptism, have been consti—

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tuted as the People of God; for this reason, since they have become

sharers in Christ’s priestly, prophetic and royal office in their own manner, they are called to exercise the mission which God has entrusted to the Church to fulfil in the world, in accord with the condition proper to each one.’~8~

872 ‘In virtue of their rebirth in Christ there exists among all the

Christian faithful a true equality with regard to dignity and the

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activity whereby all co-Operate in the building up of the Body of

Christ in accord with each one’s own condition and function.’~86 873 The very differences which the Lord has willed to put be tween the members of his Body serve its unity and mission. For ‘in

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the Church there is diversity of ministry but unity of mission. To

the apostles and their successors Christ has entrusted the office of teaching, sanctifying and governing in his name and by his power. But the laity are made to share in the priestly, prophetical and kingly office of Christ; they have therefore, in the Church and in