So, actual graces are created, transient graces that operates/cooperates prior and post to the created, stable sanctifying grace. When it is prior it is called prevenient, and moves us towards greater operations of faith. Post sanctification it is subsequent grace it moves us towards greater operations of knowledge (intellect) and conformity (will). It is useful to know that all our good actions are the result of grace and our cooperation with grace. It is also useful to know
–that we can pray for grace. –we can lose grace

There are two ways in which it is said God is immanent:

1. As the cause of all that exists, He is immanently present to all that exists or is ‘omnipresent’. This form of omnipresence, stemming from God’s role as Creator and sustainer, is a universal attribute, extending to all beings, irrespective of their potential for a relationship with God.
2. God’s own gift of Himself as uncreated grace. The universal salvific will of God is to present Himself to the rational creature as the object known, beloved, and lover, making the rational creatures His temple. But before indwelling (uncreated grace) can happen, fallen humans need to be justified. This proportionating of Human intellect and will for the indwelling of the Trinity is done by sanctifying grace , which is an elevation of human intellect and will to be sensitive to theological virtues (thus also called habitual grace ); this is ‘ created Grace ’. This effect of sanctifying grace is ordinarily achieved by Baptism.

So, God gives Himself (uncreated grace) to be known and loved by rendering His creature capable of knowing and loving Him in the mystery of the Trinitarian Life (created grace).

But even before any human act of faith or the reception of sacraments, there is the action of the Holy Spirit through actual grace, which is a created transient help from God, inducing us towards Him and preparing the way for His formal indwelling in us as His temple. This initial grace is prevenient grace.

Actual grace works either as operative grace that moves the will without our prior cooperation (like the initial movement of faith), or as cooperative grace that works with our already moved will to accomplish good actions.

According to Vatican II, grace is ultimately uncreated, though it can also be spoken of in a created sense depending on the theological context.

Here’s the distinction:

Uncreated grace refers to the Holy Spirit Himself dwelling in the soul. This is God’s own presence and is uncreated because God is uncreated.

Created grace, on the other hand, refers to the effects of God’s presence in the soul—like sanctifying grace, virtues, and gifts—which are created realities within us.

Vatican II doesn’t define this distinction in technical terms like earlier scholastic theology (e.g., Thomas Aquinas), but it affirms the traditional Catholic understanding that God gives Himself (uncreated grace) and also works in us (created grace).

For example, Lumen Gentium (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) speaks of the Holy Spirit as “the principle of every vital and truly saving action in each part of the body” (LG 7), implying that God’s own uncreated presence animates the Church and believers, while also producing effects (created grace).

So:
Grace is both uncreated and created—uncreated as the divine indwelling, created as the effects in our soul.

Definition of grace as “nothing but God operating in the soul”, does it not cover and describe all this: being good, doing good, wanting to be and do good?

Except prevenient grace that definitely needs a different class, also with a challenging explanation

I need to go back and study what V2 says. You know me, I don’t like complication where simplicity is possible. If the HS comes at Baptism then God is already operating in the soul from that point. So there’s grace, and well, there’s more grace along the spiritual life as one progresses. So there’s God, there’s the soul.

The question is- is there a third entity? I think the best explanation is that the third entity, this “created grace” is the change wrought in the soul. That is what is meant by “created grace”- some quality added to the soul.

This is more than simply “cleaning”, making the sheet white again, that happens at baptism. Rather this is transformation in Christ. What occurs at Baptism is sufficient to dispose you to entering into the transformative relationship in the life of Christ. That initial transformation is “sanctifying grace”.

if you think about it, its also the reason why Baptism requires to be a sacrament. Unregenerate man is unsuitable as a dwelling place for God. Just a person saying “come God, enter my soul” is like a human being achieving unity with the divine through his own work. But in truth it requires the Church to do this work him, as a “free gift” of grace (Rom.5:15 to charisma, he charis), unmerited. So this answers the question of “how can God unite with the unregenerate?” the answer is “by a miraculous effect (the sacrament)”.

Pre-venient grace is more difficult to describe. A baby does not require to consent, so you could argue IMO that this is only relevant for adults. As I understand it, prevenient grace is required to navigate the Pelagian/ semi-Pelagian problem.

This is the nature/grace debate. So if it were true that human nature were, in and of itself ordered to its ultimate end which is God in the absence of grace, whereby it can realise the need for God in the absence of grace, this could seem Pelagian. It also runs the risk of making the transformative life and entirely human endeavour, because once you understand that, it opens the door to the possibility that you can probably also similarly work out your entire spiritual development by your own faculties.

But on the other hand, were this not the case, then how can a human being ever consent to God? So prevenient grace is the middle, God gives you the (created?) grace to consent to God, which was not an innate ability, before you even consent to (uncreated) God.It’s in line with Augustine. Semi-Pelagianism on the other hand is a middle ground, where the prevenient grace is unnecessary. True, man is incapable of salvation, but he is still capable of that initial tiny step of consent, like the “pre-wash” in the washing machine, or pre-heating the oven. I remember I used to be uncomfortable about this “created grace” thing. But if there are both types, then it probably makes more sense. Of course “uncreated grace” then just becomes a euphemism for God, does it not. So to an extent its semantics. Paul says “God’s love is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which is given us”, here we see both God and grace (love), which is the same things, synonyms. (Rom.5:5) “we have received grace upon grace (charin anti charitos)” (Jn.1:16

We require grace in order to receive God. That sanctifying Grace is made possible through the uncreated grace which is God himself entering our soul. So we’re saying we require to receive God to receive God. It’s circular, but that’s why it requires a miracle which is a sacrament. Sacraments are all miracles aren’t they. So that’s Baptism nd Baptismal regeneration. God regenerates us so that we can receive God