The Word also serves to enlighten those who are outside the church and do not possess the Word.

There can be no link with heaven unless somewhere on earth there is a church, which possesses the Word, and so the Lord is known because the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and without Him salvation is impossible. A link with the Lord is established by means of the Word, and so is association with angels: see 234-239*. It is enough if there is a church which possesses the Word, even though it is composed of relatively few people, The Lord is still present by its means throughout the world, for the Word effects a link between heaven and the human race.

* The Latin text has 240.