Unam Sanctam and Cantate Domino

  • Thread starter Thread starter crumblymunky
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

crumblymunky

Guest
How do we reconcile the statements from these two documents with Vatican II and what not? I was told that my understanding of them was not the same as the Church’s, but they seem extremely simple.

Unam Sanctam: Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff.

Cantate Domino: It firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart “into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” [Matt. 25:41], unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock; and that the unity of the ecclesiastical body is so strong that only to those remaining in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fastings, almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of Christian service produce eternal reward, and that no one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has remained in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.

How do we reconcile this, not just with Vatican II, but with even the affirmation that those outside the Church can be saved through invincible ignorance, and what not.
 
I’m no expert on these documents, but my initial reaction is that these documents speak about people who explicitly abandon The Church for those other religions. This would then exclude those who would fall under the category of invincible ignorance.
 
crumblymunky said:
How do we reconcile the statements from these two documents with Vatican II and what not? I was told that my understanding of them was not the same as the Church’s, but they seem extremely simple.

Unam Sanctam: Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff.

Cantate Domino: It firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart “into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” [Matt. 25:41], unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock; and that the unity of the ecclesiastical body is so strong that only to those remaining in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fastings, almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of Christian service produce eternal reward, and that no one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has remained in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.

How do we reconcile this, not just with Vatican II, but with even the affirmation that those outside the Church can be saved through invincible ignorance, and what not.
Click to expand...
No one is saved through ignorance - all who are saved are saved through the merits of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ. All salvation comes through Christ. Those who are in a state of “invincible ignorance”, if they are saved, are not saved because of their ignorance. They are saved through some action of God’s grace in their immortal souls.

It is a fundamental truth of the Catholic Faith that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. The Church is the Body of Christ, and Jesus established the office of the papacy to be the earthly shepherd and head of His Body. We believe that the fullness of Truth subsists in the Catholic Church. Does this mean that some elements of truth do no exist in other Christian denominations, or even in non-Christian religions? No. Vatican II details this is Nostra Aetate. So if there are elements of truth in other religions, and if adherents to these religions orient themselves towards those truths, then in some way (even if only through the proper use of our human reason, which is itself a gift from God) the grace of God is working in them. Is this enough for salvation? No one but God knows. But what we can say is that this search for truth, in a way unites these people to the Body of Christ (and subsequently to Christ the Head, and his earthly vicar the pope). This unification isn’t the sacramental union that a Catholic experiences through baptism and the sacraments, but it is a union none-the-less which could satisfy the demands of Unam Sanctam and Cantate Domino. We refer to this as the “baptism of desire”. That is, if these people were exposed to the fullness of Truth they would recognize it and would become fully united with it. But, because of their situation (i.e. living in a remote location with no possible exposure to the Church) have no way of attaining the sacraments, their baptism of desire would suffice. These people are still saved by Christ and thus (albeit in a lesser way) are united to His Church.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top