https://www.ecatholic2000.com/haydock/ntcomment105.shtml Thank you for the link. I read through this and it supports my postition.
JoeZ, this is Fr. Haydock's exegesis of verse 47, "
Such may be the grace of God occasionally towards men, and such their great charity and contrition, that they may have remission, justification, and sanctification, before the external sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and penance be received; as we see in this example: where, at Peter's preaching, they all received the Holy Ghost before any sacrament. But here we also learn one necessary lesson, that such, notwithstanding, must needs receive the sacraments appointed by Christ, which whosoever contemneth, can never be justified. S. Aug. sup. Levit. q. 84. T. 4." Does Fr. H believe no one who has charity or contrition and the desire of the Sacraments can receive justification?Also, the booklet entitled "Perfect Contrition: The Golden Key to Paradise [including for all of us(!)]":
https://www.ecatholic2000.com/cts/untitled-110.shtml As far as we know, the perfect act of contrition affects only those on their way to the confessional. To apply it to the unbaptised does not follow.
Fr. Lehmkuhl disagrees and that book explains it fairly well. But if you still disagree, how do you explain what Pope St. Pius X said
"an act of perfect love of God, or of contrition, along with the desire, at least implicit, of Baptism, and this is called Baptism of Desire." That's fairly straightforward again, and as others have mentioned, the Baltimore Catechism taught the same; Pope Leo XIII approved it.
There's really no doubt about Baptism of Desire and to focus on it confuses the issue for many; Fr. Feeney's final position appears to be, "there is no one about to die in the state of grace to whom God cannot provide Baptism, and indeed Baptism of Water". That also appears to be St. Augustine's final position on the issue. At any rate, this is explicitly what St. Benedict's Centre believes today. The Magisterium has declared it to be permissible to believe that. SBC explains they don't deny anyone dying in grace will be saved.
It may be better to ask, Will everyone who receives Justification through Baptism of Desire, also receive the Sacrament of Baptism, as was the case with Cornelius above: St. Thomas says on Cornelius, "Reply to Objection 2. As stated above (Article 1, Reply to Objection 2; III:68:2) man receives the forgiveness of sins before Baptism in so far as he has Baptism of desire, explicitly or implicitly; and yet when he actually receives Baptism, he receives a fuller remission, as to the remission of the entire punishment. So also before Baptism Cornelius and others like him receive grace and virtues through their faith in Christ and their desire for Baptism, implicit or explicit: but afterwards when baptized, they receive a yet greater fulness of grace and virtues. Hence in Psalm 22:2, "He hath brought me up on the water of refreshment," a gloss says: "He has brought us up by an increase of virtue and good deeds in Baptism." (Tertia Pars, Q.69,A.5)
There is also St. Ambrose:
http://lonelypilgrim.com/2013/09/23/st-ambrose-on-the-baptism-of-desire/ "Has he not, then, the grace which he desired; has he not the grace which he requested? And because he asked, he received, and therefore it is said: ‘By whatsoever death the just man shall be overtaken, his soul shall be at rest’ (Wisdom 4:7) Grant, therefore, O holy Father, to Thy servant the gift which Moses received, because he saw in spirit; the gift which David merited, because he knew from revelation. Grant, I pray, to Thy servant Valentinian the gift which he longed for, the gift which he requested while in health, vigor, and security. If, stricken with sickness, he had deferred it, he would not be entirely without Thy mercy who has been cheated by the swiftness of time, not by his own wish. Grant, therefore, to Thy servant the gift of Thy grace which he never rejected … He who had Thy Spirit, how has he not received Thy grace? ... (56) Offer the holy mysteries with your hands, with devoted love let us ask for his repose. Offer the heavenly sacraments, let us accompany the soul of our son with our oblations. ‘Lift up with me, O people, your hands to the holy place’ (Psalm 133(134):2), so that at least through this service we may repay him for his deserts. Not with flowers shall I sprinkle his grave, but I shall bedew his spirit with the odor of Christ. Let others scatter lilies in basketfuls. Christ is our lily, and with this lily I shall bless his remains, with this I shall recommend for his favor."
These are the two authorities Pope Innocent III relied on, "Apostolicam: Read, brother, in the eighth book of Augustine’s City of God where among other things it is written, “Baptism is ministered invisibly to one whom not contempt of religion but death excludes.” Read again the book also of the blessed Ambrose concerning the death of Valentinian where he says the same thing. Therefore, to questions concerning the dead, you should hold the opinions of the learned Fathers, and in your church you should join in prayers and you should have sacrifices offered to God for the priest mentioned"
Fr. Feeney was reconciled merely upon professing the Athanasian Creed. Pope St. Pius X also taught the necessity of the Catholic Faith. God will bring pagans who sincerely seek the Truth to Christ in ways known to Him. Fr. Mueller taught this in an approved Catechism also. Those who see this do not need to begin by arguing almost every Catechism the Church has ever approved.
It cannot be doubted that God will Provide for all His Elect. If you want to speculate there was an invisible water Baptism for Valentian etc, that is a permissible opinion. But Baptism of Desire is not as such debatable because the Church has pronounced on it. God bless.