St. Ambrose could not state it 'as a fact' that it happened since if it would happen it could only be known to God as a fact. This is the nature of the baptism of desire.It simply does not exist in our reality.

 

Comment on blog Unam Sanctam Catholicam( awaiting moderation), St.Ambrose on The Baptism of Desire

Boniface
He does not say it was hypothetically possible in the case of Valentinian; he simply states it as a fact that it did happen.

Lionel:
Boniface, Ambrose could not state it 'as a fact' that it happened since if it would happen it could only be known to God as a fact. This is the nature of the baptism of desire.It simply does not exist in our reality.
-Lionel Andrades 

Yes as a hypothetical case.Something hoped-for.
The popes and saints over the years mentioned the case of the unknown cathechumen who desired the baptism of water but died before he received it. It is hoped that he will be in Heaven.
Even Fr. Leonard Feeney accepted the case of the catechumen, his book the Bread of Life shows.
However for the popes and saints there were no visible and personally known cases of the baptism of desire. This is something obvious. Only God can know of such a case if it happened.
Fr. Leonard Feeney too said there were no literal cases of the baptism of desire. This is a given.
However the liberal theologians wrongly projected the baptism of desire etc as an exception to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
So they imply that there are known cases of the baptism of desire for them to be exceptions. Invisible cases of course cannot be exceptions to EENS. So this is irrational.