A new blog called Brother André Marie’s Theology Blog, Brother Andre explores the idea's of Fr. Leonard Feeney, S.J. the former editor of America Magazine.Father Leonard was a great proponent of the dictum, lex orandi est lex credendi (the law of praying is the law of believing); however, he always insisted on doctrine first. Without a solid doctrinal foundation, liturgy soon deteriorates into sheer aesthetics. Back in 1949, when the Archbishop of Boston obscured the single, clear path to salvation, a fracturing of the Church’s prayer life was sure to follow. And it did! Everything still looked perfect. 20,000 members of the Holy Name Society marched through Boston’s main thoroughfare; the Mass of Trent was the only Mass being offered; the parish churches were full and new ones being built all the time, but the Faith which held all this together was already slipping away. If the Faith were restored, we would have the right liturgy. Read more (here)
Brother Andre Marie's bio (here)
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Brother Andre Marie graduated from that city’s Holy Cross School in 1988. He went on to study at Louisiana State University’s (LSU) main campus in Baton Rouge, on full scholarship as a music major. After three years at LSU, he transferred to Holy Apostles College and Seminary, in Cromwell, Connecticut, where he took a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spring of 1993 (major in Humanities with a minor in Philosophy). He entered as a postulant for the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in May of 1993, and went on to the novitiate on Christmas of that year. He made profession of vows on Epiphany of 1996. Since 1993, he was mentored in philosophy and theology by Brother Francis Maluf, M.I.C.M., Ph.D., a published philosopher of note. His apostolic work has included various facets of the publishing apostolate of the congregation. For ten years, he was also part of the community’s small “mission band” of brothers who traveled to different cities distributing literature to interested persons in an effort to spread the Catholic Faith and bring wayward Catholics back to a sacramental life. He oversaw that apostolate for four years. He has edited three of the Order’s books, published dozens of articles and presented numerous lectures in apologetics, the history of doctrine, the Church’s ecumenical councils, ecclesiology, and devotional topics.
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Friday, December 2, 2011
THE LETTER OF THE HOLY OFFICE 1949 SAYS NON CATHOLIC RELIGIONS ARE NOT PATHS TO SALVATION:OFFICIAL TEACHING OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
With these wise words he reproves those who falsely assert that men can be saved equally well in every religion (cf. Pope Pius IX, Allocution, , in , n. 1641 ff.; also Pope Pius IX in the encyclical letter, , in , n. 1677).-Letter of the Holy Office 1949
According to the Catholic Church non Catholics religions are not the ordinary means of salvation. Also there is no known case in the present time of a non Catholic being saved in other religions with the baptism of desire. There is the possibility of a non Catholic being saved with the baptism of desire but we cannot meet or phone such a case on earth.
The Letter indicates that it is false to assert that men can be saved equally well in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islamism, the Christian Schismatic religion and Protestant heretical communities. All their members with no exception on earth need to convert into the Catholic Church for salvation (to avoid Hell).
‘With these wise words he reproves both those who exclude from eternal salvation all united to the Church only by implicit desire’ states the Letter. It means a person can be saved with the baptism of desire in principle. The Letter is not implying that we know any defacto cases on earth. The Letter does not say that this possibility known only to God, is an exception to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus (Cantate Domino, Council of Florence 1441).
So the Letter does not support the Archbishop of Boston Cardinal Richard Cushing who along with the Jesuits of Boston College suggested that the baptism of desire was an exception to the dogma and to Fr.Leonard Feeney's interpretation.They wanted another interpretation of the dogma which would say that every one needs to enter the Church for salvation except for those with the baptism of desire etc. The centuries-old interpretation was criticized by the secular media as the ‘rigorist interpretation’.They assumed that a defined dogma could change its meaning over time.
Fr.Leonard Feeney said that every non Catholic needs to enter the Church for salvation and there were no defacto exceptions like the baptism of desire. Common sense tells us that we do not know any case of a person saved with the baptism of desire or in invincible ignorance and so they do not contradict the dogma.
Years later Vatican Council II would follow and assert the same message in Ad Gentes 7 and Lumen Gentium 14 knowing that those saved in invincible ignorance (Lumen Gentium 16) are known only to God and unknown to us.
The Letter of the Holy Office 1949 also refers to 'the dogma', 'the infallible statement'. The dogma indicates that non Catholic religions are not paths to salvation and their members need to convert into the Catholic Church.
For salvation members of non Catholic religions 'are commanded to be incorporated by baptism into the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church, and to remain united to Christ and to His Vicar, through whom He Himself in a visible manner governs the Church on earth.'
The Letter is referring to all non Catholics and not just those who know about the Church as opposed to those in invincible ignorance. In principle, we know that only those who know about the Church and do not enter are on the way to Hell (Also see Ad Gentes 7).However these cases are judged only by God. So it is not an exception, in the present time, to the teaching of the Letter of the Holy Office or the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus that all the members of non Catholic religions need to enter the Church for salvation.
-Lionel Andrades
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2011/12/letter-of-holy-office-1949-says-non.html
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