(In an open leter to Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila) Catholic sacramental theology is based on the premise that the sacraments are the work of Christ, which is the meaning of the Church’s affirmation at Trent (DS 1608) that the sacraments act ex opere operato, or, as St. Thomas wrote in the Summa, III, 68,8: ‘The sacrament is not wrought by the righteousness of either the celebrant or the recipient, but by the power of God.’ Owing to the nature of God, Christ and his works can never be diminished by any act on our part. [...] I write as a brother bishop with the suggestion that you consider offering a public clarification of your point.

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "(In an open leter to Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila) Catholic sacramental theology is based on the premise that the sacraments are the work of Christ, which is the meaning of the Church’s affirmation at Trent (DS 1608) that the sacraments act ex opere operato, or, as St. Thomas wrote in the Summa, III, 68,8: ‘The sacrament is not wrought by the righteousness of either the celebrant or the recipient, but by the power of God.’ Owing to the nature of God, Christ and his works can never be diminished by any act on our part. [...] I write as a brother bishop with the suggestion that you consider offering a public clarification of your point." in the context of "As quoted in Cardinal Cupich asked Archbishop Aquila for 'public clarification' over Eucharistic doctrine, The Pillar (April 22, 2021)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.