Fr. Laisney in his book “Is Feeneyism Catholic?” states the following regarding Cantate Domino’s oft repeated ex cathedra pronouncement typically used in favor of Fr. Feeney’s interpretation of EENS:
“Perhaps the clearest definition of the dogma Outside the Church there is no salvation is given on February 4, 1442, by the Council of Florence, which intended the union with the Greeks, Armenians and Jacobites. [The holy Roman Church] firmly believes, professes, and preaches that “no one remaining outside the Catholic Church, not just pagans, but also Jews or heretics or schismatics, can become partakers of eternal life; but they will go to the ‘everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels’ (Mt. 25:41), unless before the end of life they are joined to the Church. For union with the body of the Church is of such importance that the sacraments of the Church are helpful to salvation only for those remaining in it; and fasts, almsgiving, other works of piety, and the exercise of Christian warfare bear eternal rewards for them alone. And no one can be saved, no matter how much alms he has given, even if he sheds his blood for the name of Christ, unless he remains in the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.”60 Some followers of Fr. Feeney, reading the last sentence, pretend that it is a condemnation of Baptism of Blood.61 This only shows their ignorance of the fact that this whole paragraph is a quote by the Council of Florence of a passage of St. Fulgentius, in his book On Faith, to Peter. Now, when a Pope or a Council quote a Father of the Church, they certainly do not give another meaning to his words than this Father gave.
Moreover, the very Council of Florence, in the very same decree for the Jacobites (part of the bull Cantate Domino) mentions baptism of desire! Here is the passage: As for children, because of the danger of death, which can happen often, since no other remedy is available for them besides the sacrament of Baptism, by which they are delivered from the domination of the devil and adopted as children of God, [the Council] warns that one ought not to delay the sacred Baptism for 40 or 80 days or another time according to certain customs, but it should rather be conferred as soon as fittingly possible. Now the underlined passage is a quote from St. Thomas Aquinas. Knowing how closely the Council of Florence followed St. Thomas’s teaching, it is undoubtedly a confirmation by the very Council of Florence of St. Thomas’s teaching. Now here is the whole text of St. Thomas: Whether Baptism should be deferred? (Summa Theologica, III, Q.68, A.3) I answer that, In this matter we must make a distinction and see whether those who are to be baptized are children or adults. For if they be children, Baptism should not be deferred. First, because in them we do not look for better instruction or fuller conversion. Secondly, because of the danger of death, for no other remedy is available for them besides the sacrament of Baptism. On the other hand, adults have a remedy in the mere desire for Baptism.”
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Does Cantate Domino then really imply that adults as opposed to children have another remedy to water Baptism via Baptism of Desire? Does this mean that Baptism of Desire makes a person Catholic?
These are interesting questions that I would like some references on if anyone happens to have anything relevant.
I’ve been reading Who Shall Ascend? as well as Bread of Life and I haven’t seen this issue discussed. Moreover I haven’t found a direct discussion concerning it much elsewhere either.
Topic: Cantate Domino & The Question of Who is Catholic? (Read 2172 times)