Navarre Commentary on Canon Law

A definitive step in this direction was taken by Peter Lombardo (+1160) in the twelfth century and by the author of Summa Sententiarum when he applied the scholastic concept of efficient cause to that of sensible sign, and thereby completed the definition handed down by Saint Aguustine.

- Exegetical Commentary on the Code of Canon Law: Prepared Under the Responsibility of the Martín de Azpilcueta Institute, Faculty of Canon Law, University of Navarre.Vol.III/2 Chicago : Midwest Theological Forum, 2004. p.1635 This formatting is not correct.




In this article on the canons regarding sacramentals, the author (Maria del Mar Martin) refers to a work by (A. Piolanti I Sacramenti Vatican City 1959).

This connection to Peter Lombard (by way of Piolanti a 20th C theologian) is interesting because it helps me to see another of the major concepts in scientific sacramental theology applied to sacramentals.

Summa Theologica

We must therefore say otherwise, that an efficient cause is twofold, principal and instrumental. The principal cause works by the power of its form, to which form the effect is likened; just as fire by its own heat makes something hot. In this way none but God can cause grace: since grace is nothing else than a participated likeness of the Divine Nature... But the instrumental cause works not by the power of its form, but only by the motion whereby it is moved by the principal agent: so that the effect is not likened to the instrument but to the principal agent

Thomas Aquinas. Summa theological, III, q.62, in First Complete American Edition in Three Volumes. Vol. 2. Trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province. (New York,NY: Benziger, 1947), #’s. (NEED NUMBERS paragraph or page?)

Thomas explains instrumental causality. This is significant because it helps us to understand how a sacramental may be a cause of divine grace, without threatening divine liberty or ascribing power to the priest that he does not have.

I think that when many contemporary authors wring their hands about sacramental power being seen as magic (think here Rivard, Collins/Power) that they are seeing the effects of neglecting this distinction. In the face of this "medieval accretion" many authors try to re-imagine blessing, and even the concilium members seem to have neglected this when authoring the praenotanda.

feb 11, 2011 - this may also be likened to the use of sacramentum tantum, sacramentum and res, res tantum in order to distinguish between the sign, and the thing signified properly.

Summa Theologica

We must needs say that in some way the sacraments of the New Law cause grace.

- Thomas Aquinas. Summa theological, III, q.62, in First Complete American Edition in Three Volumes. Vol. 2. Trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province. (New York,NY: Benziger, 1947), #’s. NEED PAGE NUMBERS

This article is important because it helps me to establish the scholastic tradition / church teaching on the effects of the sacraments. This is significant because it establishes the effects of the sacraments of which sacramentals / blessings are an analogy.

Its worth citing Thomas because he distinguishes between the types of causes and articulates what instrumental causality is.