Hi, Meljulpaul —

You said:

• What are the five effects of Baptism?

The Catechism of the Council of Trent (1545-1563) lists six:

1. Remission Of Sin
2. Remission Of All Punishment Due To Sin
3. Grace Of Regeneration
4. Infused Virtues And Incorporation With Christ
5. Character Of Christian, and
6. Opening The Gates Of Heaven

The 1917 version of the Catholic Encyclopedia lists five:

1. The remission of all sin, original and actual
2. Remission of temporal punishment
3. Infusion of supernatural grace, gifts, and virtues
4. Conferral of the right to special graces, and
5. Impression of a character on the soul

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

CCC 1262 The different effects of Baptism are signified by the perceptible elements of the sacramental rite. Immersion in water symbolizes not only death and purification, but also regeneration and renewal. Thus the two principal effects are:

1. purification from sins and
2. new birth in the Holy Spirit.

Based on the Church's Tradition then, there are principally two effects of Baptism, but totally either five or six.

You said:

• Can you also name and explain the four aspects of a faith community filled with the Holy Spirit?

Sure. The faith community is:

1. One           [ explanation ]
2. Holy          [ explanation ]
3. Catholic   [ explanation ]
4. Apostolic [ explanation ]

These are the four characteristics of any faith community filled with the Holy Spirit.

We also have the following from the Saints on the issue of Baptism:

St. Ambrose (De Myst., iii) says of Baptism:

"This is the water in which the flesh is submerged that all carnal sin may be washed away. Every transgression is there buried."

In the profession of faith prescribed by Pope Innocent III, we read:

"We believe that all sins are remitted in baptism, both original sin and those sins which have been voluntarily committed."

St. Augustine (De Pecc. et Mer., II, xxviii) says plainly:

"If immediately [after Baptism] there follows the departure from this life, there will be absolutely nothing that a man must answer for [quod obnoxium hominem teneat], for he will have been freed from everything that bound him."

St. Cyril (Præp. in Cat.) calls Baptism a

"holy and indelible seal"

and St. Clement of Alexandria (De Div. Serv., xlii)

"the seal of the Lord"

Hope this answers your question.

Mike