Extra ecclesiam nulla salus and Fr Feeney

[saint_rafael]

Exra ecclesiam nulla salus or no salvation outside the Church is de fide Church doctrine.

Fr. Feeney did not get in trouble for holding that doctrine, but for holding an extreme position without exceptions. Fr. Feeney believed unless one was baptized with literal water, there was no salvation.

His postion was that anyone who did not get a physical baptism with water went to hell.

Fr. Feeney erred by not believing in the Church doctrine that there are exceptions with the baptism of desire, blood and the doctrine of invincible ignorance for those who never heard of Christ.

The SSPX has been one of the biggest defenders of the doctrines of the Church with regards to baptism of desire. They have alot of material against Feeneyism.

 

[louey]

saint rafael, You are mistaken. The Church has only taught that water baptism remits original and actual sin. It is true that some theologians and saints taught baptism of desire and blood, but these were only opinions. The Church has not condemed those opinions, but She has not taught them either. Father Feeney believed one could be justified without the water of baptism, but could not be saved. He did not say the soul was condemned, but he also said the soul would not go to heaven. He did not know the answer, he simply believed that the words of our Lord, “unless a man is born again of water…” is as the Church has always taught, is to be taken literally. It also must be understood that even when the saints or theologians spoke of BOD or BOB, they were speaking only of CATECHUMENS; those who believed in the Catholic faith, but were not yet baptised by water. May I suggest you study the writings of those who held this opinion, the most notable, Aquinas. Also you should recite the Athanasian Creed; only those who believe in the Catholic faith, whole and inviolate will be saved. No salvation outside the Catholic Church is Dogma; without exception.
Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council, 1215: “With our hearts we believe and with our lips we confess but one Church, not that of the heretics, but the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church, outside which we believe that no one is saved.”

Pope Boniface VIII, Bull Unam Sanctum, 1302: “With Faith urging us we are forced to believe and to hold the one, holy, Catholic Church and that, apostolic, and we firmly believe and simply confess this (Church) outside which there is no salvation nor remission of sin…”

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, Bull Cantate Domino, 1441: “The most Holy Roman Catholic Church firmly believes, professes, and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews, 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 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.”

All three are dogmatic prouncements.