Theological Teaching of the St.Benedict Center unacceptable to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JANUARY 8, 2019

Change in status of the Saint Benedict Center

and the “Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”

and the Immaculate Heart of Mary School

(MANCHESTER) – The theological teachings of the Saint Benedict Center, and the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Richmond, NH, have been declared “unacceptable” by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

https://www.catholicnh.org/about/stay-informed/media-releases/st-benedict-center-status/

Lionel: What is the theological teaching which is unacceptable ?

1.It is that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF)interprets invisible cases of the baptism of desire, baptism of blood and being saved in invincible ignorance as known exceptions to the traditional interpretation of the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus(EENS).The  St. Benedict Center does not use this irrational interpretation.

2.The CDF interprets hypothetical cases of LG 8, LG 14, LG 16, UR 3, NA 2, GS 22 etc in Vatican Council II as being objective exceptions to the dogma EENS in the present times(2019). The St.Benedict Center website indicates that they are only hypothetical possibilities and so cannot be objective exceptions to the teaching on all needing faith and baptism for salvation(Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council II). So there are no exceptions in Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to Feeneyite EENS.

So this is the theological teaching which is not acceptable to the CDF.

At the Placuet Deo Conference (March 1,2018) Cardinal Luiz Ladaria sj, Prefect of the CDF interpreted hypothetical and personally unknown cases referenced in Lumen Gentium 8 as being objective exceptions to the Catholic Church's traditional teaching on it having an exclusiveness in salvation.-Lionel Andrades