Dr. Jeff Mirus calls Pope Pius XI’s wording in an officially indulgenced prayer “a bit careless,” and “theologically unfortunate.”

A Slow Reading of Romans XI
by Brother André Marie July 20, 2012

In his polemic, A Faulty Traditionalist Condemnation, Dr. Jeff Mirus recommends that his readers undertake a slow reading of Romans Chapter 11. This will apparently help us to understand the points of Saint Paul’s inspired text that traditionalists have so far failed to understand.CONTINUEDhttp://catholicism.org/a-slow-reading-of-romans-xi.html

Dr. Mirus’ piece was written in response to an article by John Vennari, which, in turn, was critical of statements made by Archbishop Augustine Di Noia, O.P., in an interview he gave Vatican Insider. My interest here is neither Mr. Vennari’s claims, nor the Archbishop’s words, but, rather, in what Dr. Mirus wrote, for it pertains to “our issue.”

Dr. Mirus rejects the idea that the defined dogma, extra ecclesiam nulla salus means that non-Catholics have to convert to Catholicism in order to be saved. He writes:

No, the ancient phrase “extra ecclesiam nulla salus” means something far less formal—and happily far more substantial—than that. To understand it, we must recall that, for Saint Paul, being joined to Christ is the same thing as being joined to the Church (Christ’s body), and this joining comes through belief in, trust in and obedience to God according to whatever degree of truth the Holy Spirit writes in each person’s heart (see What Does it Mean to Be Saved?).

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http://catholicism.org/a-slow-reading-of-romans-xi.html