3) In 1988, Mr. John Loughnan, a layman from Australia who happens to be a friend of mine, wrote the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei (PCED) requesting clarification on several controversies surrounding the SSPX. Mr. Loughnan also inquired as to the status within the Church of Fr. Feeney’s followers.
Concerning this last question, Msgr. Camille Perl, secretary of the PCED, replied to Mr. Loughnan as follows in N. 343/98 dated 27 October 1998: “The question of the doctrine held by the late Father Leonard Feeney is a complex one. He died in full communion with the Church and many of his former disciples are also now in full communion while some are not. We do not judge it opportune to enter into this question.”
While not wishing to engage in this controversy, Msgr. Perl clearly confirms that Fr. Feeney died in full communion with the Church, and that several of his spiritual descendants who hold his same doctrinal interpretations are in full communion with the Church. Such a statement is clearly within the mission of the PCED as this commission was established by Pope John Paul II to oversee the reconciliation and well-being of traditionalists within the Church.
On that note, the evidence is clear: while the position held by Fr. Feeney and his spiritual descendants may be controversial, holding these positions does not, in itself, place one outside of the Catholic Church. In short, it is clear from the Church’s current pastoral and canonical practice that the Church considers this an internal controversy, and that she acknowledges the good standing of most of those who uphold a restrictive interpretation of EENS, BOB and BOD- See Peter Vere, Canon Lawyer on "Feeneyites" on the blog "No Salvation Outside the Church" Link List [The "Mega-List" of Online References Concerning Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus]
Their community was founded by the late Fr. Leonard Feeney. They interpret the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus as everyone needing to enter the Catholic Church to go to Heaven and there are no exceptions. We also cannot know personally who has the Baptism of desire or is in invincible ignorance. This can only be judged by Jesus. This is also the interpretation of the dogma by the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). It is also the interpretation of us Catholics, who daily attend the Novus Ordo Mass and see Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church as being in accord with the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
There is presently communication between the SSPX and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), of which Ecclesia Dei is a component. The SSPX needs to affirm Vatican Council II it is reported often.
The SSPX affirms the infallible dogma with no compromise or change or dilution. The ex cathedra dogma extra eccleism nulla salus is an infallible teaching, Vatican Council II is the teaching of the ordinary Magisterium. The dogma has been thrice defined in an extraordinary mode.
So why does the SSPX have to affirm Vatican Council II when Mons. Camille Perl and Ecclesia Dei have not affirmed the ex cathedra dogma clearly and in writing.
So which interpretation of Vatican Council is being used by Ecclesia Dei. An interpretation that affirms or rejects the infallible teaching?
In Dominus Iesus the words de jure and de facto are used. Ecclesia Dei could clarify if Lumen Gentium 16 is a de jure passage. It is being interpreted as contradicting Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council II, the ex cathedra dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1257 The Necessity of Baptism). Lumen Gentium16 does not refer to de jure or de facto salvation and so we have to choose.
Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19*) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.-Lumen Gentium 16,Vatican Council II.If it is a reference to de jure salvation (in principle, as a concept) then it does not contradict Ad Gentes 7.
… all must be converted to Him, made known by the Church's preaching, and all must be incorporated into Him by baptism and into the Church which is His body. For Christ Himself "by stressing in express language the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mark 16:16; John 3:5), at the same time confirmed the necessity of the Church, into which men enter by baptism, as by a door…’-Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council II (Emphasis added).
Then it would not contradict the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
1257 The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation.59 He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them.60 Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament.61 The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are "reborn of water and the Spirit." God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.The Baptism of water is necessary for the salvation of all people with no exception. This is de facto salvation. However de jure, known only to a God, there are exceptions to the baptism of water.
Then, it would not contradict the ex cathedra dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
1. “There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved.” (Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council, 1215.).
2. “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.).
3.“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 ex cathedra dogma does not say that ‘those who through no fault of their own do not know either the Gospel or Christ or his Church, or who have a sincere heart’ do not have to enter the Catholic Church to go to Heaven. Everyone has to enter the Church and there are no exceptions. This was the infallible teaching for centuries (Letter of the Holy Office 1949)
CCC 1257 affirms the dogma when it says that the Church knows of no means to eternal beatitude other than the baptism of water. This is a reference to explicit salvation for all with no known exceptions.
CCC 1257 also says that for salvation God is not restricted to the Sacraments.This must not be interpreted as opposing the dogma or the earlier part of CCC 1257. This is is a possibility, 'in certain circumstances' (Letter of the Holy Office 1949) and we cannot judge any specific cases.
However, those, who through no fault of their own do not know either the Gospel of Christ or his Church, can achieve salvation by seeking God with a sincere heart and by trying to do God's will (Second Vatican Council). Although God can lead all people to salvation, the Church still has the duty to evangelize all men.-CCC 848Those who are in invincible ignorance can be saved -and this does not conflict with the ex cathedra dogma that everyone with no exception needs to enter the Church to avoid Hell. It is a conceptual, de jure understanding.
How do we understand this saying from the Church Fathers? All salvation comes from Christ through his Body, the Church which is necessary for salvation because Christ is present in his Church...-CCC 846
Here the Catechism places de jure and defacto salvation together. It does not conflict with the ex cathedra teaching that everyone with no exception needs to enter the Catholic Church .We cannot personally know any cases of a genuine invincible ignorance, baptism of desire or a good conscience.
The Father wants to reunite all humanity into his Son's Church. According to St. Augustine and St. Ambrose, the Church was prefigured by Noah's ark, which alone saved the world from the flood.-CCC 845Here again we have an affirmation of the ex cathedra dogma, the infallible teaching that de facto everyone needs to enter the only Ark of Salvation.
The dogma, the infallible teaching is that de facto every person needs to enter the Catholic Church, Jesus' Mystical Body (Colossians) for salvation, with no exceptions, known to us. Pope Pius XII called it the infallible teaching (Letter of the Holy Office 1949).The infallible teaching cannot be changed or altered.If it is changed or altered than it is a new doctrine.Then it could wrongly mean that we can also change the Church teaching on abortion, homosexuality etc.
If there are exceptions to the ordinary means of salvation which is the baptism of water and Catholic Faith it will be known to God only and Jesus only will judge. So in a sense mentioning it is irrelevant at the level of personal evangelisation, personal contact with non-Catholics.
All men are certainly called to this Catholic unity. The Catholic faithful, others who believe in Christ, and all mankind belong to or are ordered to Catholic unity.-CCC 836Here again we have an affirmation of the ex cathedra dogma and the word all is used as in Ad Gentes 7.
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ACCORD WITH THE DOGMA http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2010/03/catechism-of-catholic-church-in-accord.html
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