Friday, March 2, 2012

No pope has said that those saved in invincible ignorance are known to us and so are exceptions to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus


Objection 2

The Popes have taught that those who suffer from invincible ignorance can obtain eternal salvation. This includes at least two Popes, Pius IX and Pius XII, who reigned before the Second Vatican Council. A brief sample of some papal writings denying the Rigorist position is provided in Appendix 2.-John Pacecho

Lionel: Those who obtain salvation in invincible ignorance are known only to God and are unknown to us. So they do not contradict the centuries old rigorist interpretation of the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.

In the following quotes from the popes it is important to observe that none of them have said that those saved in invincible ignorance are known to us or that they contradict the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus or that they are exceptions to the rigorist interpretation of outside the church no salvation. One has to assume this error irrationally. Then assume wrongly that it is the teaching of the Catholic Church’s magisterium.

                                                          APPENDIX 2

Papal Decrees

Pope Innocent II (1130-1143)

"We affirm without hesitation that the old man who according to the information received from you, died without having received the baptism of water, has been relieved of original sin and granted the joy of the heavenly home, because he has persevered in the faith of holy Mother the Church and in the confession of Christ's name. Read on this the eighth book of Augustine's "The City of God" where among other things we read the following: "Baptism is invisibly administered which has been impeded, not by contempt for religion, but by unavoidable death. And read over again the book of St. Ambrose "On the Death of Valentianus" which affirms the same doctrine". (D741)

Pope Pius IX

"And here, beloved Sons and Venerable Brethren, it is necessary once more to mention and censure the serious error into which some Catholics have unfortunately fallen. For they are of the opinion that men who live in errors, estranged from the true faith and from Catholic unity, can attain eternal life. This is in direct opposition to Catholic teaching. We all know that those who are afflicted with invincible ignorance with regard to our holy religion, if they carefully keep the precepts of the natural law that have been written by God in the hearts of all men, if they are prepared to obey God, and if they lead a virtuous and dutiful life, can attain eternal life by the power of divine light and grace. For God, Who reads comprehensively in every detail the minds and souls, the thoughts and habits of all men, will not permit, in accordance with his infinite goodness and mercy, anyone who is not guilty of a voluntary fault to suffer eternal torments (suppliciis). However, also well-known is the Catholic dogma that no one can be saved outside the Catholic Church, and that those who obstinately oppose the authority and definitions of the Church, and who stubbornly remain separated from the unity of the Church and from the successor of Peter, the Roman Pontiff (to whom the Saviour has entrusted the care of His vineyard), cannot attain salvation." (Quanto conficiamur ,1863 (Denz 1677)) (Emphasis added)

Lionel: Here the pope is saying that defacto every one needs to enter the Church for salvation. This is the traditional rigorist interpretation. The pope at the same time accepts that it is possible for someone to be saved in invincible ignorance. These cases obviously would be known only to God. They are defacto only for God. They can never be explicit for us.

"By Faith it is to be firmly held that outside the Apostolic Roman Church none can achieve salvation. This is the only ark of salvation. He who does not enter into, will perish in the flood. NEVERTHELESS equally certainly it is to be held that those who suffer from invincible ignorance of the true religion, are not for this reason guilty in the eyes of the Lord." (D1647)

"The Church clearly declares that the only hope of salvation for mankind is placed in the Christian faith, which teaches the truth, scatters the darkness of ignorance by the splendor of its light, and works through love. This hope of salvation is placed in the Catholic Church which, in preserving the true worship, is the solid home of this faith and the temple of God. OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH, NOBODY CAN HOPE FOR LIFE OR SALVATION UNLESS HE IS EXCUSED THROUGH IGNORANCE BEYOND HIS CONTROL. The Church teaches and proclaims that if sometimes we can use human wisdom to study the divine word, our wisdom should not for that reason proudly usurp to itself the right of master. Rather, it should act as an obedient and submissive servant, afraid of erring if it goes first and afraid of losing the light of interior virtue and the straight path of truth by following the consequences of exterior words." (Singulari, Quidem, 1856 A.D.)

Pope Pius XII

"They who do not belong to the visible bond of the Catholic Church... [we ask them to] strive to take themselves from that state in which they cannot be sure of their own eternal salvation; for even though THEY ARE ORDERED TO THE MYSTICAL BODY OF THE REDEEMER BY A CERTAIN DESIRE AND WISH of which they are not aware [implicit in the general wish to do what God wills], yet they lack so many and so great heavenly gifts and helps which can be enjoyed only in the Catholic Church." (D3821)

"It is not always required that one be actually incorporated as a member of the Church, but this at least is required: that one adhere to it in wish and desire. It is not always necessary that this be explicit... but when a man labors under invincible ignorance, God accepts even an implicit will, called by that name because it is contained in the good disposition of soul in which a man wills to conform his will to the will of God." (D3870) [Holy Office, Aug 9, 1949, condemning doctrine of L. Feeney]

Lionel: The ‘doctrine of L.Feeney’ is not specified by John Pacecho. Different people claim different things. The Letter of the Holy Office 1940 nowhere says that he was ‘condemned’ for heresy.

Fr. Leonard Feeney held the rigorist interpretation of the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus as did the popes cited here. Fr. Leonard Feeney knew that there was no baptism of desire or being saved in invincible ignorance which was an exception to the rigorist interpretation of outside the church no salvation.

Pope Paul VI:

"In view of the pastoral nature of the Council, it avoided any extraordinary statements of dogmas endowed with the note of infallibility, but it still provided us teaching with THE AUTHORITY OF THE ORDINARY MAGISTERIUM, which must be accepted with docility...." (2)Paul VI, Allocution to Consistory of Cardinals, May 24,1976 (Osservatore Romano, English, June 3, l976), complained: "It is even affirmed that the Second Vatican Council is not binding." (General audience of Jan 12,1966)

"We believe that the Church is necessary for salvation, because Christ, who is the sole mediator and way of salvation, renders Himself present for us in His body which is the Church.[33] But the divine design of salvation embraces all men, and those who without fault on their part do not know the Gospel of Christ and His Church, but seek God sincerely, and under the influence of grace endeavor to do His will as recognized through the promptings of their conscience, they, in a number known only to God, can obtain salvation." (The Credo of the People of God, 1968, 23)

Pope John Paul II

"The Catechism of the Catholic Church, is a statement of the Church's faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition, and the Church's Magisterium. I declare it to BE A SURE NORM FOR TEACHING THE FAITH and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. May it serve the renewal to which the Holy Spirit ceaselessly calls the Church of God, the Body of Christ, on her pilgrimage to the undiminished light of the Kingdom!"

"The universality of salvation means that it is granted not only to those who explicitly believe in Christ and have entered the church. Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all. But it is clear that today, as in the past, many people do not have an opportunity to come to know or accept the Gospel revelation or to enter the church... . For such people, salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which, while having a mysterious relationship to the church, does not make them formally a part of the church, but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit. It enables each person to attain salvation through his or her free cooperation." (Dec. 7, 1990)

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