BISHOP EMERITUS RAYMOND J.BOLAND OF KANSAS CITY CORRESPONDS WITH FR.PETER SCOTT OF THE SSPX ON THE DOGMA EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA SALUS

Bishop Raymond J. Boland, Bishop Emeritus of Kansas City has responded to Rev.Fr. Peter Scott District Superior of the Society of St. Pius X in 2001on the subject of the Church's teaching on  extra ecclesiam nulla.

Bp Boland Letter.qxd www.sspx.org/.../Kansas_City_diocese.pdf 

Bishop Robert Finn is presently the bishop of Kansas City.Bishop Raymond J.Boland wrote: 

In reference to this topic I believe the position of the Church is clearly outlined in a number of places. Those of most recent vintage are:

I) The documentation produced by the Holy See during the famous Father Feeney case in Boston in the 1950s.

2) Vatican II’s Lumen Gentium.

3) Father Maurice Eminyan’s articles on this topic in the New Catholic Encyclopedia.

4) Various references to Salvation in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (The Second Edition, from the Latin text, is the better translation.)

5) The Declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Dominus Jesus (August 6, 2000). 

A reading of the references provided above for me would confirm that Bishops Boland is affirming the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus as did Fr. Leonard Feeney of Boston.

1) 'The documentation produced by the Holy See during the famous Father Feeney case in Boston in the 1950s.'This document, the Letter of the Holy Office 1949 mentions the dogma, the infallible teaching. The dogma indicates all non Catholics in Boston need to convert into the Catholic Church to avoid Hell. So this documentation supported Fr. Leonard Feeney .It no where mentions that he was excommunicated for heresy.The excommunication was lifted without him having to recant his teaching on extra ecclesiam nulla salus. http://www.catholicism.org/downloads/Peter_Vere_SBC.pdf

( 2) Vatican II’s Lumen Gentium.

Vatican’s Lumen Gentium also supports Fr. Leonard Feeney in LG 14 which says all need Catholic Faith and the baptism of water for salvation.

Lumen Gentium 16 refers to those who can be saved in invincible ignorance. This is not an exception to the dogma since we do not know any explicit case of someone saved in invincible ignorance. We accept the possibility of such salvation but know that the ordinary means of salvation is Catholic Faith and the baptism of water (LG 14).

3) Various references to Salvation in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (The Second Edition, from the Latin text, is the better translation.)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church 845,846 says all need to enter the Church ‘as through a door’; the Church is the only Ark of Noah that saves in the flood.

CCC 846 says all who are saved are saved through Jesus and the Church. This includes those who have received the baptism of water with Catholic Faith and those who are saved through the baptism of desire, invincible ignorance etc and are known only to God. Those who are saved through the baptism of desire are not exceptions to the dogma, they do not contradict the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.

4. The Declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Dominus Jesus (August 6, 2000).

Dominus Iesus 20 tells us that Jesus died for all however for all people to receive this salvation they need to enter the Catholic Church. The Church is necessary for salvation. This also is an affirmation of the thrice defined dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus which Pope Pius XII called an ‘infallible statement’.

Daphne McLeod, Chairman, Pro Ecclesia et Pontefice, England has said that those saved in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire are not exceptions to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.She is saying that the Catholic Church teaches before and after Vatican Council II that all non Catholics with no exception need to convert into the Catholic Church to avoid Hell. This was also what she was taught as a young girl.
 http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2011/10/non-catholics-can-be-saved-in.html

The Church's position on this issue is clear.It is the same as that of Fr.Leonard Feeney, the Church Fathers, popes, Councils and saints. It is supported by Vatican Council II and magisterial documents before and after Vatican Council II.-Lionel Andrades