The kingdom of Christ, partly visible here on earth, partly invisible behind the veil. The Church Catholic embraces three great divisions:
I. THE CHURCH MILITANT, here on earth, struggling, fighting (which militant means) against sin to overcome it.
II. THE CHURCH EXPECTANT where the soul abides after death in a state of expectancy of the final Resurrection; called, also, the INTERMEDIATE STATE (which see).
III. THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT in Heaven where the soul reunited to the body has its perfect consummation and bliss in God's eternal and everlasting glory.