At This Week's General Audience, Pope Francis Explains What We Can Learn from the Communion of Saints

October 30, 2013 - During Wednesday's General Audience, and ahead of the celebration of All Saints' Day, Pope Francis described the communion of saints as the spiritual fraternity between the saints. But he added this unity extends to Catholics today, which are all united to the Body of Christ. As a result of this communion, the Pope said, Catholics should support each other spiritually.

Dear Brothers and Sisters: 

In our catechesis on the Creed, we now reflect on “the communion of saints.” As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, this is a communion “in holy things” and “among holy persons” (No. 948). 

The communion of saints is the deepest reality of the Church, because in Christ, through Baptism, we are made sharers in the communion of life and love which is the Blessed Trinity. 

As such, we are united to one another in the Body of Christ. Through this fraternal communion we draw nearer to God and we are called to support one another spiritually.

The communion of saints does not only embrace the Church on earth; it also embraces all who have died in Christ, the souls in purgatory and the saints in heaven. 

We experience this solidarity between heaven and earth in our intercessory prayer and in the feasts of All Saints and All Souls which we shall soon celebrate. 

As we rejoice in this great mystery, let us ask the Lord to draw us ever closer to him and to all our brothers and sisters in the Church. 

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today’s Audience, including those from England, Wales, Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United States. 

Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!