Monday, February 15, 2010

CDF RESPONSES IS A WONDERFUL AFFIRMATION OF THE DOGMA EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA SALUS

Last Saturday( Feb.13, 2010)  Metropolitan Galaktion, of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, in Rome said it was obligatory for all members of the Church to believe in the ex cathedra dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus (outside the Church there is no salvation).

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Vatican has positively endorsed the ex cathedra dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus in Responses to Some questions regarding certain Aspects of the Doctrine of the Church in which it refers to ‘the traditional doctrine’, ‘according to Catholic doctrine’

Here is the ex cathedra dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus taught by the Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church.

• “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://nosalvationoutsideofthecatholicchurch.blogspot.com/
The dogma does not say that those who are in invincible ignorance do not have to de facto enter the Catholic Church. Neither does the dogma say that only those who know about the Catholic Church need to enter for salvation. The dogma says de facto everyone with no exception has to enter the Church to avoid Hell. Everyone.So if anyone mistakenly says de facto those who are in invincible ignorance, have a good conscience or have implicit faith do not have to de facto enter the Church-it is contrary to the dogma. It is also contrary to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s Responses to Some questions regarding certain Aspects of the Doctrine of the Church and also to Vatican Council II.

Cardinal William Levada, Prefect,Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith(CDF) and Archbishop Angelo Amato, former Secretary, CDF emphasize in Responses to Some questions regarding certain Aspects of
the Doctrine of the Church:
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 to Some Questions Regarding certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church does not explain are understanding of Church (ecclesiology) as a break from Tradition and extra ecclesiam nulla salus.It repeats the message of Vatican Council II that the Church is a necessity for salvation (Ad Gentes 7, Lumen Gentium 14). We do not separate Jesus from the Church, even though elements of salvation can be present outside the visible boundaries of the church.De facto everyone needs to enter the Catholic Church; it is a necessity for salvation .All non-Catholics need to enter through the ordinary way of salvation which is the baptism of water and Catholic Faith. De facto everyone needs to enter the Church.

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 fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic Church”
In ‘certain circumstatnces’ 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 reference to the 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, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that fullness...'-is possible.De jure (conceptually, in theory, intellectually, in theology)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 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 […]. ‘

De facto (in evangelising,in personal contact with non-Catholics) there is no one who specifically has the baptism of desire, who I know is in invincible ignorance or who I can judge has good conscience.