ustification
from sins; but as to that effect which is both real and sacramental,
viz. the character, it does not appear possible for it to be made
good by the devotion of the recipient, since a character is never
imprinted save by a sacrament.

Consequently, others with better reason hold that the minister of a
sacrament acts in the person of the whole Church, whose minister he
is; while in the words uttered by him, the intention of the Church is
expressed; and that this suffices for the validity of the sacrament,
except the contrary be expressed on the part either of the minister
or of the recipient of the sacrament.

Reply Obj. 3: Although he who thinks of something else, has no actual
intention, yet he has habitual intention, which suffices for the
validity of the sacrament; for instance if, when a priest goes to
baptize someone, he intends to do to him what the Church does.
Wherefore if subsequently during the exercise of the act his mind be
distracted by other matters, the sacrament is valid in virtue of his
original intention. Nevertheless, the minister of a sacrament should
take great care to have actual intention. But this is not entirely in
man's power, because when a man wishes to be very intent on
something, he begins unintentionally to think of other things,
according to Ps. 39:18: "My heart hath forsaken me."
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NINTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 64, Art. 9]

Whether Faith Is Required of Necessity in the Minister of a Sacrament?

Objection 1: It seems that faith is required of necessity in the
minister of a sacrament. For, as stated above (A. 8), the intention
of the minister is necessary for the validity of a sacrament. But
"faith directs in intention" as Augustine says against Julian (In
Psalm xxxi, cf. Contra Julian iv). Therefore, if the minister is
without the true faith, the sacrament is invalid.

Obj. 2: Further, if a minister of the Church has not the true faith,
it seems that he is a heretic. But heretics, seemingly, cannot confer
sacraments. For Cyprian says in an epistle against heretics (lxxiii):
"Everything whatsoever heretics do, is carnal, void and counterfeit,
so that nothing that they do should receive our approval." And Pope
Leo says in his epistle to Leo Augustus (clvi): "It is a matter of
notoriety that the light of all the heavenly sacraments is
extinguished in the see of Alexandria, by an act of dire and
senseless cruelty. The sacrifice is no longer offered, the chri