Thursday, November 17, 2011

VOCATION DIRECTOR IN SOUTHWARK,ENGLAND SAYS CANDIDATES WITH A RELIGIOUS VOCATION WOULD HAVE TO HOLD TO THE TEACHING ‘SUMMARISED BY THE LATIN EXPRESSION EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA SALUS’


He does not agree with Daphne McLeod, Chairman, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, England that the Catholic Church teaches that there can be non Catholics saved in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire and they are are not exceptions to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus. His Vocation Office would not expect candidates with a religious vocation to affirm the dogma as interpreted by the Church for centuries.

I had asked (Nov.2,2011) Catholic priests in England who are Vocation directors and promoters to let me know if they agree with with Daphne McLeod, Chairman, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, England that the Catholic Church teaches that those saved in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire are not exceptions to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus ? Was this the teaching of their office and will candidates with a religious vocation have to hold to this teaching?

I have received an e-mail reply today from Fr. Stephen Langridge, Director of Vocations, Southwark, England.

He said candidates with a religious vocation in England would have to adhere to the doctrine outside the church there is no salvation but would not proclaim it as did Fr. Leonard Feeney.

This is a rejection of the dogma as affirmed by Daphne McLeod.Fr. Stephen Langridge is also not willing to acknowledge that the baptism of desire is not an exception to the dogma.

Daphne McLeod agrees that those who die in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire can be saved. Since these cases are not explicitly known to us they do not contradict the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.

He writes ‘That there is no salvation outside the Church means that there is no other source for salvation except for Jesus Christ who is inseparably united to his body the Church. In the words of St Paul there is no other name by which we can be saved.’

He is ignoring the dogma defined by three Church Councils. The dogma Cantate Domino, Council of Florence 1441 states all non Catholics need to enter the Church to avoid the fires of Hell.

If there is any one saved with the baptism of desire etc they would be saved by Jesus and the Church and this does not contradict the dogma. The dogma mentions the necessity of the Church. Fr. Stephen is implying that other Christian denominations are equal paths to salvation.
The dogma says Protestants and Orthodox Christians need to enter the Catholic Church for salvation.It does not mention any exceptions.

Similarly those who die with a good conscience and are saved are known only to God so it does not contradict the dogma which says every one needs to be an explicit member of the Church for salvation. Fr. Stephen implies that we know cases of those saved with a good conscience and so this is an exception to the dogmatic teaching.

The Letter of the Holy Office 1949 did not condemn Fr. Leonard Feeney but supported him when it referred to ‘the dogma’, the ‘infallible statement’. There is no reference to the dogma by Fr. Stephen but he calls it a ‘doctrine’ and ‘teaching’.

Pope Pius XII was saying, as the dogma and Fr. Leonard Feeney taught, that all  non Catholics in Boston and the rest of the world need to enter the Church to avoid the fires of Hell. This would apply also to England.
-Lionel Andrades

Here is Fr.Stephen Langridge, Director of Vocations, Southwark, England's e-mail message.


Dear Mr Andrades
I apologise for the delay to your recent email asking whether candidates with a religious vocation have to hold to the teaching summarised by the Latin expression 'extra ecclesiam nulla salus'.

Since this is the teaching of the Church we would expect those called to proclaim the Church's teaching to adhere to it. However, the doctrine should not be interpreted in the narrow Feenyite sense which has itself been condemned.

That there is no salvation outside the Church means that there is no other source for salvation except for Jesus Christ who is inseparably united to his body the Church. In the words of St Paul there is no other name by which we can be saved.

It is not true to say that those who die in invincible ignorance or with the baptism of desire are not saved. The Second Vatican Council reached that those who live in accordance with their conscience can get to heaven. However, they do so not by their own merits, or by the merits of some other faith, but by the saving action of Jesus Christ. Therefore salvation comes to them through the Church.

I hope that explains things. I am sure you will understand if I say I do not have time to enter into a theological discussion with you. Noting that you live in Rome, perhaps you could approach one of the many theologians teaching in that place for further clarifications.

Yours sincerely

Fr Stephen Langridge

SSPX IMPLY BAPTISM OF DESIRE IS VISIBLE, THEN THEY ASSUME IT’S AN EXCEPTION TO THE DOGMA OUTSIDE THE CHURCH THERE IS NO SALVATION: OFFER LATIN MASS WITH NOVUS ORDO ECCLESIOLOGY

The Society of St. Pius X needs to announce that the baptism of desire is not an exception to the dogma and that everyone with no exception needs to convert into the Church for salvation.Otherwise it is an impediment for saying the Latin Mass. It is the actual rejection of a dogma which Pope Pius XII called an ‘infallible statement’. SSPX must recognize that it is an impediment for offering Holy Mass according to Canon Law.

Similar to the SSPX, the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), former SSPX members, are rejecting the dogma and Vatican Council II (LG 14, AG 7) which says all need to enter the Church with Catholic Faith and the baptism of water. For the FSSP all in the present time need to enter the Church except for those in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire.

I do not know if the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Vatican will consider the SSPX and FSSP error an impediment to offering Mass since the Paulist Fathers at the Church of Santa Susanna in Rome reject the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus. They claim Vatican Council II has changed this teaching and they provide a theology of religions on their website. They offer Mass in English, ordain their priests and the Vatican gives them canonical status.There are no demands made on them by the Vatican as is the case for the SSPX. 

Fr. Peter Scott writes on the SSPX website that unlike the modernists they believe in the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus. Yes- as compared to the Paulist Fathers in Rome. However there are priests who offer the Novus Ordo Mass who say they respect the dogma however those in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire are exceptions to the dogma. Sounds familiar?

Fr. Peter Scott criticizes the modernist ecclesiology in a letter to Bishop Raymond Boland, of the diocese of Kansas City, USA. Yet the SSPX is using the same ecclesiology as the priests who offer the Novus Ordo Mass. If the SSPX priests assume that the baptism of desire contradicts the dogma then they also imply that the baptism of desire is visible for us and is as explicit as the baptism of water.I do not like to write all this since in many ways I admire the SSPX but it is unfortunate that they are using the same ecclesiology as in the Novus Ordo Mass.
 
Fr. Peter Scott and Fr. Francois Laisney of the SSPX assume in written reports on their website, and in a book by Fr. Laisney, that the baptism of desire is visible and explicit and so is an exception to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.The SSPX needs to issue a clarification on this subject-Lionel Andrades

Photo from the website of the Society of St.Pius X, District of Australia.