Reports indicate that Archbishop Raymond Burke, Prefect, Apostolic Signatura, Vatican is to be among the new cardinals. As the official announcement is awaited it is good to known that the Archbishop who has worked closely with the Franciscans of the Immaculate in La Crosse, USA his former diocese where he was bishop- affirms Kolbean theology. In an interview with a pro life Australian journalist the Archbishop said that he always had affirmed the theology of St. Maximillian Kolbe. Kolbean theology is also part of the spirituality of the Franciscans of the Immaculate.
St. Maximillian Kolbe taught the dogma extra eccleisam nulla salus .He taught it with no apologies. As editor it was part of his publications and accepted in the Cities of Mary which he founded.
“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, 302.).“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 the website Catholicism.org and “No Salvation outside the Church”: Link List, the Three Dogmatic Statements Regarding EENS) http://nosalvationoutsideofthecatholiicchurch.blogspot.com/
The last entry on this blog stated that :THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS NOT RETRACTED OUTSIDE THE CHURCH NO SALVATION - Fr. Angelo M. Gaetta, Responsible, Basilica of St. Mary Majors, Rome.
Father Angelo M. Gaetta, F.I, the priest responsible at the Sacristy over the last few years at the Basilica of St. Mary Majors, Rome has been the editor of the magazine Christ to the World CTW (Christo al Mondo).The magazine removed many misconceptions about Catholic teaching, being spread by the secular media.CTW published an article Church Has Not Retracted outside the Church No Salvation.
The Franciscans of the Immaculate are divided on the issue of LG 16 and implicit faith though they all agree on the essentials that de facto everyone with no exceptions needs to enter the Church for salvation and de facto there is no baptism of desire that we can judge.This is common sense and we do not have to explain it with theology.
Lumen Gentium 16 refers to invincible ignorance and implicit faith (without the baptism of water) as to a concept only.Yet it is interpreted as de facto salvation, as if we can judge specific cases.
St. Pius XII said in ‘certain circumstances’ persons with implicit faith (without the baptism of water) can be saved (Letter of the Holy Office 1949).So cases of implicit faith (LG 16) do not contradict the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus. If implicit faith is there in certain circumstances’ and known only to God then it is a concept for us. Only a concept.
St. Thomas Aquinas held the ‘rigorist interpretation’ and yet also mentioned, conceptually, that a person can be saved with implicit faith. He did not place implicit faith in opposition to the need for everyone with no exception to enter the Church.
We cannot place those who are saved with implicit faith, known to God only and unknown to us and in ‘certain circumstances’ (Letter, Holy Office 1949), against the ex cathedra infallible teaching that everyone needs to convert into the Catholic Church to avoid Hell.St. Thomas Aquinas did not make this mistake.Neither did Fr. Leonard Feeney who was not excommunicated for heresy. Anyway there is no Church document which says so.Fr.Francis Sullivan S.J, in Salvation Outside the Church? (Paulist Press) writes that Fr.Leonard Feeney was not excommunicated for heresy.
Like Fr.Leonard Feeney LG 14 is saying that there are billions of people in modern cities in the developed world who know about the Church and yet do not enter.They are all oriented to Hell.
I accept the ex cathedra dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus. I am also in agreement with Fr.Leonard Feeney that de facto everyone needs to enter the Catholic Church for salvation and there are no known exceptions. I affirm Ad Gentes 7 and Lumen Gentium 14 which is in agreement with the dogma.I interpret Lumen Gentium 16 as referring to de jure salvation and so not opposed to the dogma. I also attend Mass in Italian and English.I appreciate the Tridentine Rite Mass.
If Vatican Council II Lumen Gentium 16 is saying those non Catholics in invincible ignorance, with the Baptism of desire or a good conscience do not have to convert into the Catholic Church to go to Heaven it would be irrational! Since it would be claiming that we are able to judge who has a baptism of desire etc. If we cannot judge then how can we know anyone specifically, who has the baptism of desire. If we do not know any specific, particular case, then why mention that those with the baptism of desire etc, do not have to convert. It is irrelevant
It is not only irrational it contradicts Ad Gentes 7 of Vatican Council II which states ‘all people’, all, need Catholic Faith and the Baptism of water to go to Heaven.
A.The traditional teaching of the Church according to Pope Pius XII is that with implicit faith/desire a person can be saved in ‘certain circumstances’(Letter of the Holy Office 1949).So in ‘certain circumstances’, and not in general, according to the Traditional teaching of the Catholic Church there can be persons, saved.
In His infinite mercy God has willed that the effects, necessary for one to be saved, of those helps to salvation which are directed toward man's final end, not by intrinsic necessity, but only by divine institution, can also be obtained in certain circumstances when those helps are used only in desire and longing.-Letter of the Holy Office 1949
Since only God can judge who these persons are,we do not know them, personally or specifically. So their salvation and God’s Judgement can only remain a concept for us.
It is something known only in principle, as a thought, intellectually. I call it collectively De jure Salvation. The word may be new but in essence it is a traditional teaching.This form of reasoning already exists in magisterial texts.
B.In contrast those non Catholics whom I meet face to face and know personally and who do not enter the Catholic Church, I know first hand, they are oriented to Hell. I know this because the Church says they need to convert to be saved. So this knowledge is concrete. It is not a concept. It is also based on a Traditional Catholic teaching. I call this De facto Salvation. The word may be new but in essence it refers to a traditional teaching.
A and B are not opposed to each other.
B refers to the dogma in actual fact at the Absolute Level and its expression in word and thought at the human level.
A refers to a concept at the human level of a possible fact that I cannot concretely know but of a possibility all the same.You could reject A and agree it can be a concept a thought but an erroneous one. Fine. We still agree on the dogma, B.
“Everyone needs to believe in an ex cathedra dogma,” said Bro. Peter John F.I, he is a Friar of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, working at the St. Mary Major Basilica Sacristy.The Filipino Friar laughs and says it is unthinkable for a Catholic not to believe in an ex cathedra dogma. He has in mind the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady.Yet outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation is also an ex cathedra dogma.So how could the Church retract it as Fr. Angelo and the Franciscans have said in CTW?
The dogma above does not say that those in invincible ignorance or implicit faith do not have to enter the Catholic Church.De facto we do not know of any specific case of implicit faith. De jure we accept the possibility. (LG 16).
Lumen Gentium 14 refers to the ordinary means of salvation and Lumen Gentium 16 the extra ordinary means of salvation said Fr. Massimilliano dei Gaspari F.I, an Italian priest and a Superior of the Franciscans of the Immaculate in Rome. His views are shared by Fr. Tullio Rotondo, a diocesan Italian priest in Rome. Fr. Tullio calls attention to St. Leonardo of Port Maurice’s statement that the majority of people are damned to Hell and only a comparatively a few are saved. Vatican Council II (Ad Gentes 7) indicates billions of non Catholics in modern cities of the world today who know about the Jesus and the Catholic Church and yet do not enter are on the way to Hell.
During the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI the CDF issued Responses to Some questions regarding certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church which affirmed the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus. It was a repetition of Pope John Paul II’s teaching in Dominus Iesus and the CDF Notification on the book by Fr. Jacques Dupuis S.J. It was in accord with Pope Paul VI's Evangelii Nuntiandi and Vatican Council II‘s Ad Gentes 7 and Lumen Gentium 14.Pope Pius XII called it an ‘infallible’ teaching. (Letter of the Holy Office 1949).
In Responses the CDF states:
Christ “established here on earth” only one Church and instituted it as a “visible and spiritual community”, that from its beginning and throughout the centuries has always existed and will always exist, and in which alone are found all the elements that Christ himself instituted. “This one Church of Christ, which we confess in the Creed as one, holy, catholic and apostolic […].
This Church, constituted and organised in this world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and the Bishops in communion with him”.the word “subsists” can only be attributed to the Catholic Church alone precisely because it refers to the mark of unity that we profess in the symbols of the faith (I believe... in the “one” Church); and this “one” Church subsists in the Catholic Church.-Responses to Some Questions Regarding certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church.(June 29, 2007 )
So Responses repeats the message of Vatican Council II that the Church is a necessity for salvation (Ad Gentes 7, Lumen Gentium 14). De facto everyone needs to enter the Catholic Church; it is a necessity for salvation.
De jure (conceptually, in theory, intellectually, in theology) we could debate or discuss exceptions to the need of salvation, those without the baptism of water. However these are exceptions known only to God. They are unknown to us. They are unknown to us since only Jesus can judge. He will decide.
Responses states
“It follows that these separated churches and Communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation... ”
In ‘certain circumstances’ as Pope Pius XII states (Letter of the Holy Office 1949) those with implicit faith, those who are not Catholics ,can be saved (without Catholic Faith and the Baptism of water).So we cannot interpret ‘It follows that these separated churches and Communities….’ as referring to the ordinary way of salvation. Since only in 'certain circumstances’; exceptionally and known to God only - can members of separated Churches and communities be saved without Catholic Faith in the Catholic Church. The ordinary way of salvation is the baptism of water and Catholic Faith. For example the Catechism states that the Catholic Church knows of no way to eternal beatitude other than the baptism of water (given to adults with Catholic Faith). So this is the ordinary way. Yet CCC 1257 also says salvation is not limited to the Sacraments. So here we have the dejure, extraordinary,exceptional means of salvation. In a way it is irrelevant to us since it will be judged only by Jesus.
If ‘“It follows that these separated churches and Communities…’ was a reference to the ordinary way of salvation then it would contradict Vatican Council II. Since Ad Gentes 7, states “all people” need Catholic Faith and the Baptism of water for salvation. All.
If de facto we know specifically, personally, that someone in ‘these separated churches and Communities’ can be saved, then it would contradict the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
So dejure,conceptually we know “It follows that these separated churches and Communities,...''- is possible. De jure we could debate or discuss this possibility.
De facto it is clear that there are no exceptions to ' Christ “established here on earth” only one Church...'
De facto (in evangelising, in personal contact with non-Catholics) there is no one (Muslim) who specifically has the baptism of desire, who I know is in invincible ignorance, or whom I can judge as having a good conscience.
VATICAN COUNCIL II SAYS OUTSIDE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THERE IS NO SALVATION
Vatican Council II says outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation. Extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
The Catholic Church teaches after Vatican Council II (1965) that all people need to enter the Catholic Church to go to Heaven (Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council II). Catholic Faith with the Baptism of water is the normal, ordinary way of salvation for all people (Lumen Gentium 14, Vatican Council II).The Catholic Church is the ordinary way of salvation for all people (Lumen Gentium 14).Non Catholics however can be saved through the extraordinary means of salvation (Lumen Gentium16).Only God knows who are the non-Catholics saved through the extraordinary means of salvation; the exceptions. We do not know who the exceptions are. We cannot judge. Jesus, the Church, Scripture and Vatican Council II indicate that the priority is Catholic Faith and the Baptism of water for all people.
So everyone needs to enter the Catholic Church which is the like the only Ark of Noah that saves in the Flood (CCC 845).Non Catholic religions have good things in them. However they are not paths to salvation. All salvation comes through Jesus and His Mystical Body the Church. Those non-Catholics who know the above information and yet do not enter the Church are oriented to Hell (Ad Gentes 7, Lumen Gentium 14).Those non-Catholics participating in inter religious dialogue, are educated. They know. They are oriented to Hell.
Outside the Church there is no salvation. Catholic Faith and the Baptism of water are needed for all people. This is Vatican Council II.
No where in Nostra Aetate, Vatican Council II is it said that non Catholic religions are paths to salvation.
Vatican Council II is in harmony with John 3:5, the Church Fathers, the ex cathedra councils on extra ecclesia nulla salus, Evangelii Nuntiandi, Redemptoris Missio, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Dominus Iesus, Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith Notification on Fr. Jacques Dupuis etc.
-Lionel Andrades
-Lionel Andrades
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