Treasury Of Merit

[Guest reccanboy]

Treasury of Merit from the Summa:
[i]
"Now one man can satisfy for another, as we have explained above. And the saints in whom this super-abundance of satisfactions is found, did not perform their good works for this or that particular person, who needs the remission of his punishment (else he would have received this remission without any indulgence at all), but they performed them for the whole Church in general, even as the Apostle declares that he fills up "those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ . . . for His body, which is the Church" to whom he wrote. These merits, then, are the common property of the whole Church."[/i]

I have also read portions of Indulgentiarum Doctrina by Paul VI, but I am concerned regarding this doctrine , as it is not found in any Patristic source (None of the Fathers believed in it).

The idea of the supererogatory merits of the past saints being stored in a treasury to be used by the Church is nowhere to be found. In order for me to be Catholic, I would have to accept this.

If anybody can help me, that would be awesome.

[Pontifex]

I understand this to mean that the merits of the saints accomplished for the Church in general and not for a specific intention, benefit the entire Church. It is considered fortification for the whole body. As I tell people in my parish who suffer greatly, that if it is not for their own salvation that it is for a benefit in the body they cannot see. I do think the quote you have posted is consistent with the teaching of the Church in regards to merit.