Tuesday, February 21, 2012

VATICAN RECOGNIZES DOGMA EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA SALUS WITH RIGORIST INTERPRETATION : INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE (LG 16) AND BAPTISM OF DESIRE ARE NOT DEFACTO EXCEPTIONS


The International Theological Commission of the Vatican in two of its position papers has referred to the Letter of the Holy Office 1949 of Pope Pius XII. The Letter mentions, the dogma and says it is infallible. Here is the text of the dogma.(1)

In this text of the dogma the Vatican is affirming the rigorist interpretation of extra ecclesiam nulla salus. This was the literal interpretation of the popes, the Church Councils, Vatican Council II (AG 7,LG 14), Dominus Iesus 20, the Catechism of the Catholic Church 845, 846 etc. Pope Pius XII referred to the dogma as an infallible teaching.

However the ITC (2) assumes that those saved in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire are explicit and known to us and so they believe it contradicts the thrice defined dogma. 
As mentioned in an earlier post on this blog invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire are not exceptions to the dogma.

There can be no explicit, defacto, known cases of persons saved in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire. So it is not an issue with respect to the dogma, unless, it is made an issue and made to appear as explicit and known.

Here are the popes affirming the literal interpretation of extra ecclesiam nulla salus.

POPE PIUS IX (Allocution December 9th, 1854)

Pope Pius IX held the rigorist interpretation of the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus and also affirmed the possibility of non Catholics being saved in invincible ignorance, cases of which are unknown to us and so are not explicit exceptions to the dogma.

Pope Pius IX was saying: (Defacto):'We must hold as of the faith, that out of the Apostolic Roman Church there is no salvation; that she is the only ark of safety, and whosoever is not in her perishes in the deluge…’ and (Dejure): ‘we must also, on the other hand, recognize with certainty that those who are invincible in ignorance of the true religion are not guilty for this in the eyes of the Lord...'

Defacto (explicitly) everyone needs to enter the Church for salvation (to avoid Hell) and de jure (in principle) and known only to God, there could be non Catholics saved in invincible ignorance etc, ‘in certain circumstances’ (Letter of the Holy Office 1949).

QUANTO CONFICIAMUR

(Defacto) 8. ‘… no one can be saved outside the Catholic Church – Quanto Conficamur, Pope Pius IX 1863

(Dejure) 7. ‘… those who are struggling with invincible ignorance about our most holy religion. Sincerely observing the natural law and its precepts inscribed by God on all hearts and ready to obey God, they live honest lives and are able to attain eternal life by the efficacious virtue of divine light and grace. Because God knows, searches and clearly understands the minds, hearts, thoughts, and nature of all, his supreme kindness and clemency do not permit anyone at all who is not guilty of deliberate sin to suffer eternal punishments...-Quanto Conficamur

LETTER OF THE HOLY OFFICE 1949

The Letter of the Holy Office 1949 issued during the pontificate of Pope Pius XII mentions ‘the dogma', the 'infallible statement'.

Here is the ‘dogma’:

(Defacto) '... it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” (Pope Boniface VIII, the Bull Unam Sanctam, 1302.)

‘… none of those existing outside the Catholic Church... can have a share in life eternal... unless before death they are joined with Her... No one... can be saved, unless he (Defacto) remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.” (Pope Eugene IV, the Bull Cantate Domino, 1441.) http://catholicism.org/category/outside-the-church-there-is-no-salvation

(Dejure) ‘… when a person is involved in invincible ignorance God accepts also an implicit desire…’

These things are clearly taught in that dogmatic letter which was issued by the Sovereign Pontiff, Pope Pius XII, on June 29, 1943, (AAS, Vol. 35, an. 1943, p. 193 ff.). For in this letter the Sovereign Pontiff clearly distinguishes between those who are actually incorporated into the Church as members,(Defacto) and those who are united to the Church only by desire (Dejure).- Letter of the Holy Office 1949 (Emphasis added).

VATICAN COUNCIL II

(Defacto) ‘The Church…is necessary for salvation… faith and baptism…for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church.’- Lumen Gentium 14, Vatican Council II.

(Dejure) ‘…those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God…’ -Lumen Gentium 16

‘Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church…’- Lumen Gentium 16

If one uses the irrational defacto-defacto analysis of the above magisterial texts instead of the traditional dejure-defacto interpretation it would mean the popes contradicted themselves and that Vatican Council II contradicted an ex cathedra dogma. It would be a criticism of the infallibility of the popes ex cathedra. It would also be contrary to the Principle of Non Contradiction. It is heresy to claim that there are defacto exceptions to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.

With the defacto-dejure analysis we see that the Magisterial texts affirm the centuries-old interpretation of the Church Fathers, the saints, the popes and Councils, including Vatican Council II. This was the traditional interpretation of Fr. Leonard Feeney of Boston. This is the teaching of Pope John Paul II's Dominus Iesus (20) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church 845,846 and also during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI in Responses to Some questions regarding certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church (2007).

With invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire ‘out of the way’ we can realize that the Catholic Church has not retracted the thrice defined dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.

It is “practically” impossible to know any case saved with the baptism of desire or in ivincible ignorance said a priest of the religious community in Rome, Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.

Last week two Dominican priests at the Basilica Santa Maria Sopra Minevra, Rome said that these extra ordinary cases are known only to God.

So if it means if I meet a non Catholic on the street I know that he is oriented to Hell unless he converts into the Catholic Church before death. This is the official teaching of the Catholic Church before and after Vatican Council II.

It means all non Catholics on earth need to convert into the Catholic Church for salvation and it is only God who can judge who is in invincible ignorance and who knew about Jesus and the Church but refused to enter.

It also means that we cannot say ‘only those who know and do not enter are oriented to Hell’ and then assume that most non Catholics 'do not know’.The dogma and other magisterial texts mention no defacto exceptions.

If the exceptions were known on earth then we could say ‘only those who know’. The Rome Vicariate on its website says only those who ‘know’ need to enter the Church to avoid Hell. Since, the Vicariate wrongly assumes that cases of invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire are known to us on earth.So these 'known' people do not have to enter the Church according to them.

Fr.Leonard Feeney was correct in saying that the baptism of desire is not an exception to the dogma outside the church no salvation.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1257 (The Necessity of Baptism), Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger expected us to use the defacto-dejure analysis to avoid clashing with the Principle of Non Contradiction.Liberals wrongly use the defacto-defacto interpretation.

In Responses to Some questions regarding certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church (2007) Pope Benedict XVI was saying that the Church of Christ is the Catholic Church (subsistist it). Subsistist it is ‘indirectly related’ to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus says a Jesuit priest, on his website.
Lionel Andrades

1.
“There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved.” (Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council, 1215.)


“We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” (Pope Boniface VIII, the Bull Unam Sanctam, 1302.)

“The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.” (Pope Eugene IV, the Bull Cantate Domino, 1441.) from Catholicism.org

2.
INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION

CHRISTIANITY AND THE WORLD RELIGIONS (1997)
PRELIMINARY NOTE
Rev. Luis F. Ladaria, S.J. (president);


A. "Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus"

64. Jesus linked the proclamation of the kingdom of God with his Church. After Jesus' death and resurrection, the reunion of the people of God, now in the name of Jesus Christ, took place. The Church of Jews and gentiles was understood as a work of God and as the community in which one experienced the action of the Lord exalted in the heavens and his Spirit. With faith in Jesus Christ, the universal mediator of salvation, was joined baptism in his name; this mediated participation in his redemptive death, pardon of sins and entrance into the community of salvation (cf. Mk 16:16; Jn 3:5). For this reason baptism is compared with the ark of salvation (1 Pet 3:20ff.). According to the New Testament, the necessity of the Church for salvation is based on the unique salvific mediation of Jesus.

65. One speaks of the necessity of the Church for salvation in two senses: the necessity of belonging to the Church for those who believe in Jesus and the necessity for salvation of the ministry of the Church which, on mission from God, must be at the service of the coming of the kingdom of God.

66. In his encyclical Mystici Corporis, Pius XII addresses the question, How are those who attain salvation outside visible communion with the Church related to her? He says that they are oriented to the mystical body of Christ by a yearning and desire of which they are not aware (DS 3821). The opposition of the American Jesuit Leonard Feeney, who insisted on the exclusivist interpretation of the expression extra ecclesiam nulla solus, afforded the occasion for the letter of the Holy Office, dated 8 August ,1949, to the archbishop of Boston, which rejected Feeney s interpretation and clarified the teaching of Pius XII. The letter distinguishes between the necessity of belonging to the Church for salvation (necessitas praecepti) and the necessity of the indispensable means of salvation (intrinseca necessitas); in relationship to the latter, the Church is a general help for salvation (DS 3867—69). In the case of invincible ignorance the implicit desire of belonging to the Church suffices; this desire will always be present when a man aspires to conform his will to that of God (DS 3870). But faith, in the sense of Hebrews 11:6, and love are always necessary with intrinsic necessity (DS 3872).

67. Vatican Council II makes its own the expression extra ecclesiam nulla salus. But in using it the council explicitly directs itself to Catholics and limits its validity to those who know the necessity of the Church for salvation. The council holds that the affirmation is based on the necessity of faith and of baptism affirmed by Christ (LG 14). In this way the council aligned itself in continuity with the teaching of Pius XII, but emphasized more clearly the original parenthentical character of this expression.

68. In contrast to Pius XII, the council refused to speak of a votum implicitum (implicit desire) and applied the concept of the votum only to the explicit desire of catechumens to belong to the Church (LG 14). With regard to non-Christians, it said that they are ordered in diverse ways to the people of God. In accord with the different ways with which the salvific will of God embraces non-Christians, the council distinguished four groups: first, Jews; second, Muslims; third, those who without fault are ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and do not know the Church but who search for God with a sincere heart and try to fulfill his will as known through conscience; fourth, those who without fault have not yet reached an express knowledge of God but who nonetheless try to lead a good life (LG 16).

69. The gifts which God offers all men for directing themselves to salvation are rooted, according to the council, in his universal salvific will (LG 2, 3, 26; AG 7). The fact that even non-Christians are ordered to the people of God is rooted in the fact that the universal call to salvation includes the vocation of all men to the catholic unity of the people of God (LG 13). The council holds that the close relationship of both vocations is rooted in the unique mediation of Christ, who in his body that is the Church makes himself present in our midst (LG 14).

70. Thus the original meaning is restored to the expression extra ecclesiam nulla salus, namely, that of exhorting the members of the Church to be faithful.31 Once this expression is integrated into the more universal extra Christum nulla salus, it is no longer in contradiction to the universal call of all men to salvation.


INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION
THE HOPE OF SALVATION FOR INFANTS WHO DIE WITHOUT BEING BAPTISED*

2.3. The Need for the Church

57. Catholic tradition has constantly affirmed that the Church is necessary for salvation as the historical mediation of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. This conviction found its classical expression in the adage of St. Cyprian: “Salus extra Ecclesiam non est”.[87] The Second Vatican Council has reiterated this faith conviction: “Basing itself on Scripture and tradition, it [the Council] teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism (cf. Mk 16:16; Jn 3:5), and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it, or to remain in it” (LG 14). The Council expounded the mystery of the Church at length: “The Church, in Christ, is in the nature of [a] sacrament - a sign and instrument, that is, of communion with God and of the unity among all men” (LG 1); “Just as Christ carried out the work of redemption in poverty and oppression, so the Church is called to follow the same path if she is to communicate the fruits of salvation to men” (LG 8). “Rising from the dead (cf. Rom 6:9) he [Christ] sent his life-giving Spirit upon his disciples and through him set up his Body which is the Church as the universal sacrament of salvation” (LG 48). What is striking in these quotations is the universal extent of the Church’s mediating role in ministering God’s salvation: “the unity among all men”, “salvation of [all] men”, “universal sacrament of salvation”.

58. In the face of new problems and situations and of an exclusive interpretation of the adage: “salus extra ecclesiam non est”,[88] the magisterium, in recent times, has articulated a more nuanced understanding as to the manner in which a saving relationship with the Church can be realized. The Allocution of Pope Pius IX, Singulari Quadam (1854) clearly states the issues involved: “It must, of course, be held as a matter of faith that outside the apostolic Roman Church no one can be saved, that the Church is the only ark of salvation, and that whoever does not enter it, will perish in the flood. On the other hand, it must likewise be held as certain that those who live in ignorance of the true religion, if such ignorance be invincible, are not subject to any guilt in this matter before the eyes of the Lord”.[89]

59. The Letter of the Holy Office to the Archbishop of Boston (1949) offers further specifications. “To gain eternal salvation, it is not always required that a person be incorporated in reality (reapse) as a member of the Church, but it is necessary that one belong to it at least in desire and longing (voto et desiderio). It is not always necessary that this desire be explicit as it is with catechumens. When one is invincibly ignorant, God also accepts an implicit desire, so called because it is contained in the good disposition of soul by which a person wants his or her will to be conformed to God’s will”.[90]

60. The universal salvific will of God, realized through Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit, which includes the Church as the universal sacrament of salvation, finds expression in Vatican II: “All men are called to this Catholic unity which prefigures and promotes universal peace. And in different ways to it belong, or are related: all the Catholic faithful, others who believe in Christ and finally all mankind called by God’s grace to salvation” (LG 13). That the unique and universal mediation of Jesus Christ is realized in the context of a relationship with the Church is further reiterated by the post-Conciliar papal magisterium. Speaking of those who have not had the opportunity to come to know or accept Gospel revelation – even in their case, the encyclical Redemptoris Missio has this to say: “Salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace ... which has a mysterious relationship to the Church”.

Fr. Leonard Feeney Essay Contest 2011

Fr. Leonard Feeney Essay Contest 2011


The Father Leonard Feeney Essay Contest is an annual event for IHM high school students. The 1,000 – 1,500 word essay must be creative yet profound, and is submitted anonymously. The 2011 topic was: "If it were illegal to be Catholic, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" Out of the thirty submissions, the winning essay was "Unprecedented". The author, IHM Junior - Emma B. was presented with a trophy at the Award Ceremony on the last day of the school year. The winning essay is found below.

Unprecedented

"How does it feel knowing that the entire country is glad that you're receiving the death penalty?", one journalist shouted.

"Is it true that you hate America?"

In my mind, I responded that the only nation I had ever pledged allegiance to was a nation under God, and that nation no longer existed, but I knew better than to acknowledge them. By now I had grown used to the antagonism of the crowd of reporters that were constantly following me, or rather, my trial. Ever since the Religious Counteraction Decree went into effect in 2025 and any religious involvement was severely punishable by law, the government had been looking for a whipping post and the media had been looking for a victim. Both found what they were looking for in me. The government got their precedent, someone they could point to and say, "See, you'd better stop all this Catholic nonsense or you'll end up like her." And the media got their story, which certainly was a compelling one.

This news story had all the elements of a good movie: suspense, high stakes, plenty of plot twists and all directed by the artful hand of the United States government. The audience took all of it in with a barbaric eagerness and hunger that had not been seen since the days when people went to the Colosseum for their entertainment.

The Supreme Court had issued a statement saying that the Religious Counteraction Decree would be enforced equally for all religions, but everyone knew that it was aimed primarily at Catholics. Either way, this law did not significantly alter the way people behaved towards Catholicism. Religion had become taboo several years prior to the passing of this law, due in most part to the masterful action of the press.

The relationship between the government and the media had grown tighter and tighter until they became like a single symbiotic organism, both feeding off this struggle between the Church and State and pumping out a relentless stream of propaganda. The nation as a whole was responding exactly as they had hoped. Religion was no longer seen as irrational only by the intellectually elite, but that sentiment had trickled down into the school systems and infiltrated the home life. Instead of attending Mass together on Sundays, families went to "Government Sponsored Recreation". Instead of teaching them about God, parents answered their inquisitive children with lectures about Darwin's theories. This all fell perfectly in line with the government's plan. As far as they were concerned, Uncle Sam was their only god now.

~~~

The police officers had to clear a path for me through the crowds to get from the Supreme Court building to the armored vehicle that was now awaiting me. After this afternoon's arraignment and subsequent sentencing, the media had worked itself up into a frenzy like sharks at the first sign of blood. Reporters from around the world had gathered because they knew that the outcome of this trial would set the pace for all future legislation that applied to religion. But it wasn't only journalists that had shown up. Thousands of people had flocked to this nation's capital to attend today's hearing. They had been brainwashed into thinking that adherence to Catholicism was actually toxic to this country and they came to see to it that I received sufficient punishment for my crime.

Even after I had gotten inside the vehicle, I maintained my silence while my court appointed lawyer hurled his profanities at me. Here was my “representative”, albeit a man I had hardly spoken to throughout the duration of this trial, now seething because I had done something that completely dismantled his schemes and hopes of acclaim: I pled guilty.

My lawyer, very impressed with himself, had devised what he believed was an ingenious plan, one that would put him in the history books for sure. Of course, he had not chosen to represent me in this trial because he wanted to bring actual justice to the judicial system. He couldn't care less about justice. He was in this for the notoriety that came with being involved in such a historic trial. He figured that he was sure to be a household name if he could use his legal acumen to get my charges dropped. For this reason, his strategy was as follows: when the judge asked me how I pled to the charges of violation of the Religious Counteraction Decree and the multiple counts of subterfuge and contumacy, I was supposed to use to insanity plea—meaning that I was not responsible for my crimes because I was not of sound mind (because in my lawyer's opinion, no one who still practiced religion, especially Catholicism, could possibly be sane.) But I was not going down that way, and I was not bringing Catholicism down that way. So when I pled guilty to the charges—loud and clear—my lawyer threw a colossal fit.

“Your Honor, this woman is clearly not mentally stable! Her guilty plea should only be further evidence of her insanity, or at least struck from the records! You know the case well, Your Honor. She was found kneeling at the site of a closed down church with a rosary in her hand and a scapular around her neck! A scapular! To think that anyone in their right mind would still hold on to such delirious and antiquated ideals is ludicrous!”

This outburst was followed by a wave of vocal agreement from all those present in the courtroom. The judge responded to this upheaval,

“Order in the court! Now, I know that you are well versed in the letter of this law and its zero tolerance policy. The Religious Counteraction Decree was put in place to purge the United States of those dangerous individuals who still cleave to such nonsense. There are no exceptions. You know as well as I do that Catholicism is an expressly supranational religion—its followers openly professing to hold the Church law ahead of all other legislation and we simply cannot allow such behavior in this country any longer. Citizens of the United States must put their country before anything else especially religion—no exceptions! That’s why capital punishment is only fitting. I find no reason to continue this trial. I accept her guilty plea, and thereby declare that her sentence is effective immediately.”

The sound of his gavel slamming down echoed through the silent courtroom, followed by the press section erupting in applause. This had been exactly what they wanted.

~~~

Now that the final verdict had been given, and there was nothing that my fuming lawyer could do about it, I was left alone with my thoughts while the vehicle and parade of police escorts took me to my final destination.

I thought about the night that had gotten me here in the first place. I had met with a priest in secret in so that he could hear my confession. I had just finished saying my penance when a group of federal agents raided the vacant church and immediately took me into custody. Thanks to Divine Providence, the priest had left before the incursion and was safe to continue his work.

At the time of my arrest, I felt intensely afraid. Now, however, I felt an overwhelming sense gratitude for the sacraments, for the priest, and for the life-sustaining graces I had been given. I also felt vehemently thankful to have the presence of the Holy Ghost so tangible right now, as He inspired such moments of clarity and strength as I had never before experienced, and that were certainly not of my own fruition.

I thought about what this all really meant in the long run. I realized that this trial would set a precedent for other Catholics, but not in the way that the government had been expecting. The same Catholics that they were trying so hard to suffocate with the inescapable coverage of this trial would only have to turn on their TV or pick up a newspaper to see that capitulation is not the only option. They would no doubt see beyond the politicized language and understand that this verdict is not the end of a fight but the declaration of a war. I thought about how the Holy Ghost would inspire them too, to see that a world where God has been banished by a Supreme Court Justice is not one worth compromising to live in.
~~~
The vehicle now slowed to a halt in front of the entryway to the prison. As I stepped out into the glare of the sun and the blinding flash of the cameras, I saw a small crowd of people by the gates, but these were not the hostile figures of the press or the formations of prison guards. This assembly of people was completely at peace therefore looked entirely out of place before the towering walls and barbed wire. They were gathered here in a vigil, praying not only for me but for the entire Church Militant. When I looked at them, I felt the weight of my own cross being lifted from my shoulders as they added it to their own. As the guards steered me closer to the entrance, I recognized the faces of this crowd, some I had not seen in years. There I saw the faces of the Sisters and Brothers, the faces of my family members, and the faces of my old friends and teachers. But I recognized something else in these faces. I recognized radiant hope for the future of the Church, because even though this was my end, this little group of faithful demonstrated that it was not the end, that it was only the beginning.
______________________________________________