Are non-Catholics members of the Church?26. In consequence of what has been said, the following proposition bears careful analysis: “Those [born outside the Catholic Church and therefore not able to ’be accused of the sin of division’] who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are in a certain communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect” to the extent that “justified by faith in Baptism, they are members of Christ’s body and have a right to be called Christian, and be duly accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church” even though “the differences that exist in varying degrees between them and the Catholic Church – whether in doctrine, sometimes in discipline, or concerning the structure of the Church – do indeed create many obstacles, sometimes serious ones88”. (1) (emphasis added)
1.
Here the SSPX should have simply have said that we do not know any of these cases in the present times. We cannot name any such case. They are physically not visible to us. So they cannot be known exceptions to the dogma outside the Church there is no salvation.
This was the important point that the SSPX left out in their report From Ecumenism to Silent Apostasy. We cannot see the dead.
2.
Similarly the SSPX must not consider being saved in invincible ignorance, seeds of the Word etc as being visible to us. So this is not an issue which needs to be discussed theologically.When these are invisible cases why are they being considered visible theologically.
3.
The Council for Christian Unity, Vatican does not know of any exceptions. Cardinal Kurt Koch, the President of the Council cannot name any such exception He does not know if there were five or seven persons saved in 2012 with 'seeds of the Word'.
4.
Vatican Council II (AG 7) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (846) say all need Catholic Faith for salvation.Christian communities do not have Catholic Faith.
5.
To assume that we can know in 2013 Lutherans saved in imperfect communion with the Church(UR 3) , elements of sanctification and grace(LG 8), seeds of the Word(AG 11) etc would be making the Richard Cushing Error.
6.
If the Council Fathers at Vatican Council II assumed invincible ignorance (LG 16) ,seeds of the Word(AG 11), imperfect communion with the Church(UR 3), 'good and holy ' non Catholics saved in their religion (NA) are exceptions to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus and Tradition in general, they made an objective, factual mistake .The Council for Christian Unity, Vatican suggests this.
Vatican Council II says all need 'faith and baptism' for salvation, the Catechism states, under title Outside the Church No Salvation, that all need to enter the Church 'as through a door'(CCC 846) -and neither does Vatican Council II or the Catechism of the Catholic Church mention any exceptions (invincible ignroance and the baptism of desire, seeds of the Word,elements of sanctification and grace(LG 8), imperfect communion with the Church (UR 3) etc not being exceptions).
-Lionel Andrades
(1)
From Ecumenism to Silent Apostasy
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