To all BODers:  Does “baptism of desire” grant the grace of baptism/spiritual rebirth, yes or no?

St. Alphonsus and St. Thomas both say that BOD does not grant the grace of baptism/spiritual rebirth because the grace of baptism/spiritual rebirth is:

1. The forgiveness of original and actual sin, AND
2. The remission of the temporal punishment due to sin.

#2 is the key:

Pope Eugene IV, The Council of Florence, “Exultate Deo,” Nov. 22, 1439: “Holy baptism, which is the gateway to the spiritual life… The effect of this sacrament is the remission of every fault, original and actual, and also of every punishment which is owed for the fault itself. Therefore to the baptized no satisfaction is to be enjoined for past sins; but dying, before they commit any fault, they immediately attain the kingdom of heaven and the vision of God.”

St. Alphonsus and St. Thomas both say that BOD does not grant #2, the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin:

St. Alphonsus: “Baptism of blowing supplies the place of the true river of baptism “with respect to the remission of the guilt, but not with respect to the character to be imprinted, nor with respect to the full liability of the punishment to be removed: it is called of blowing because it is made through the impulse of the Holy Spirit, who is called a blowing.”  (Moral Theology, Volume V, Book 6, n. 96)

St. Thomas: “If therefore a catechumen has the desire for baptism... then such a one departing [or dying] does not immediately attain eternal life but will suffer punishment for past sins.  Nevertheless he himself will be saved in this way as though through fire, as stated in 1 Cor. III.” (Summa Theologiae, Pt. III, Q. 68, A.2, Reply to Obj. 2)

Therefore:

1. BOD is not baptism.
2. BOD is not a teaching of the Catholic Church.
3. BOD cannot save anyone.  
4. BOD is a heresy.
5. Anyone who obstinately holds to “baptism of desire” after seeing the positive dogmatic evidence proving that it is a heresy, is a heretic.

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, “Letentur coeli,” Sess. 6, July 6, 1439, ex cathedra: “We define also that... the souls of those who depart this life in actual mortal sin, or in original sin alone, go straightaway to hell, but to undergo punishments of different kinds.”
 
Pope Pius VI, Auctorem fidei, Aug. 28, 1794: “26. The doctrine which rejects as a Pelagian fable, that place of the lower regions (which the faithful generally designate by the name of the limbo of the children) in which the souls of those departing with the sole guilt of original sin are punished with the punishment of the condemned, exclusive of the punishment of fire, just as if, by this very fact, that these who remove the punishment of fire introduced that middle place and state free of guilt and of
punishment between the kingdom of God and eternal damnation, such as that about which the Pelagians idly talk” – Condemned as false, rash, injurious to Catholic schools.

Pope Pius XI, Mit brennender Sorge (# 25), March 14, 1937: “‘Original sin’ is the hereditary but impersonal fault of Adam’s descendants, who have sinned in him (Rom. v. 12). It is the loss of grace, and therefore eternal life, together with a propensity to evil, which everybody must, with the assistance of grace, penance, resistance and moral effort, repress and conquer.”

Pope St. Pius X, Acerbo Nimis (# 2), April 15, 1905: “And so Our Predecessor, Benedict XIV, had just cause to write: ‘We declare that a great number of those who are condemned to eternal punishment suffer that everlasting calamity because of ignorance of those mysteries of faith which must be known and believed in order to be numbered among the elect.’”

Pope Pelagius I, Fide Pelagii to Childebert, April, 557: “For I confess that all men from Adam... will then rise again and stand before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according as he has done, whether it be good or bad [Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10]... the wicked, however, remaining by choice of their own with vessels of wrath fit for destruction [Rom. 9:22], who either did not know the way of the Lord, or knowing it left it when seized by various transgressions, He will give over by a very just judgment to the punishment of eternal and inextinguishable fire, that they may burn without end.”

St. John Chrysostom, The Consolation of Death: “And well should the pagan lament, who not knowing God, dying goes straight to punishment. Well should the Jew mourn, who not believing in Christ, has assigned his soul to perdition.”

St. Augustine, 391: “When we shall have come into His [God’s] sight, we shall behold the equity of God’s justice. Then no one will say:... ‘Why was this man led by God’s direction to be baptized, while that man, though he lived properly as a catechumen, was killed in a sudden disaster, and was not baptized?’ Look for rewards, and you will find nothing except punishments.”

Pope St. Leo the Great, dogmatic letter to Flavian, Council of Chalcedon, 451:
"Let him heed what the blessed apostle Peter preaches, that sanctification by the Spirit is effected by the sprinkling of Christ’s blood (1 Pet. 1:2); and let him not skip over the same apostle’s words, knowing that you have been redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your fathers, not with corruptible gold and silver but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as of a lamb without stain or spot (1 Pet. 1:18). Nor should he withstand the testimony of blessed John the apostle: and the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, purifies us from every sin (1 Jn. 1:7); and again, This is the victory which conquers the world, our faith. Who is there who conquers the world save one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? It is He, Jesus Christ, who has come through water and blood, not in water only, but in water and blood. And because the Spirit is truth, it is the Spirit who testifies. For there are three who give testimony – Spirit and water and blood. And the three are one. (1 Jn. 5:4-8) IN OTHER WORDS, THE SPIRIT OF SANCTIFICATION AND THE BLOOD OF REDEMPTION AND THE WATER OF BAPTISM. THESE THREE ARE ONE AND REMAIN INDIVISIBLE. NONE OF THEM IS SEPARABLE FROM ITS LINK WITH THE OTHERS."

All quotes from the book, Outside the Catholic Church There Is Absolutely No Salvation, and the video, The Best Argument Against "Baptism of Desire", both by Bro. Peter Dimond OSB.

I agree that BOD in itself is not a heresy but a theological speculation only, which unfortunately has lead to heresy because of the Modernist abuse. BOD/BOB have never been de fide Catholic dogma. The original speculation only applies to actual catechumens and martyrs only. Unfortunately, because of what the BOD/ BOB has morphed into, becoming the theological Modernist loophole into religious indifferentism and Vatican II ecclesiology, I do think the teaching really needs to be re-evaluated.

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Name one other topic where this twisted thinking applies:  


A crow is not a bird, but it is a kind of bird.

Granite is not a rock but it is a kind of rock.

Sunshine is not radiation but it is a kind of radiation.

Oxygen is not a gas but it is a kind of gas.

Cotton is not a fiber but it is a kind of fiber.

Iron is not an element but it is a kind of element.

Aspirin is not a chemical but it is a kind of chemical.

Physics is not a science but it is a kind of science.

Walking is not exercise but it is a kind of exercise.

Cooking is not art but it is a kind of art.  

Skiing is not a sport but it is a kind of sport.

Stamp-collecting is not a hobby but it is a kind of hobby.

Shoes, belts and purses are not accessories but they are kinds of accessories.

An ocean cruise is not a vacation but it is a kind of vacation.

Nylon rope is not a rope but it is a kind of rope.

Marijuana is not a plant but it is a kind of plant.







I should probably point out, lest I'm misunderstood:  these are given as examples of ridiculous propositions, similar to saying that BoD is not a sacrament but it is a kind of baptism (and baptism is a sacrament).  


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To deny Baptism of Desire is heresy.  For those that reject this de fide teaching of the Church, you place your soul in grave peril.

Is the de fide teaching limited to actual catechumens and martyrs?

Quote from: Ambrose

To deny Baptism of Desire is heresy.  For those that reject this de fide teaching of the Church, you place your soul in grave peril.

Is the de fide teaching limited to actual catechumens and martyrs?

There is not such either

Quote from: Ambrose

To deny Baptism of Desire is heresy.  For those that reject this de fide teaching of the Church, you place your soul in grave peril.

Is the de fide teaching limited to actual catechumens and martyrs?

Ambrose knows nothing but that "defide" line, which he repeats like a parrot.

Curiously, here's a BODer theologian quoted all the time by them, saying the opposite of what Ambrose is saying:

Dr. Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, The Necessity
of Baptism, p. 354: “1. Necessity of Baptism for Salvation;
Baptism by water (Baptismus Fluminis) is, since the
promulgation of the Gospel, necessary for all men without
exception, for salvation. (de fide.)”

Neil,

Can you add/make a syllogism with this:

Dr. Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Membership in the Church, p.309:
“3. Among the members of the Church are not to be counted: a) The unbaptized… The so‐called blood Baptism and the Baptism of desire, it is true, replace Baptism by water in so far as the communication of grace is concerned, but do not effect incorporation into the Church… Catechumens are not to be counted among the members of the Church… The Church claims no jurisdiction over them (D 895). The Fathers draw a sharp line of separation between Catechumens and ‘the faithful.’”

But yet Ott and BODers believes that they are "kind of incorporated somehow" into the Church. By this statement, Dr. Ott is admitting that “baptism of desire” and “baptism of blood” are not compatible with Pope Eugene IV’s infallible definition on the absolute necessity of incorporation into the ecclesiastical Body (ecclesiastici corporis) for salvation.  

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, “Cantate Domino,” 1441, ex cathedra: “The Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews, heretics and schismatics can become participants in eternal life, but they will depart ‘into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels’ [Matt. 25:41], unless before the end of life they have been added to the flock; and that the unity of this ecclesiastical body (ecclesiastici
corporis) is so strong that only for those who abide in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fasts, almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of a Christian soldier produce eternal rewards. No one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has persevered within the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church                        

Fanciful in the extreme.

Does “baptism of desire” grant the grace of baptism/spiritual rebirth, yes or no

Yes, indeed it does. For spiritual regeneration or being born again is nothing other than that translation from the state of death to the state of grace that the Council of Trent speaks of, and this translation is effected by baptism or its desire.

First proof: Trent says, "And this translation, since the promulgation of the Gospel, cannot be effected, without the laver of regeneration, or the desire thereof, as it is written; unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God."

Trent clearly teaches the sacramental effect of three sacraments - baptism, penance and the Holy Eucharist - can be received in fact or in desire, using the same word for each. To claim voto refers in two cases to the reception of the sacramental effect in desire and in the other case to a mere disposition is an illogical novelty that only the Dimond's and the unfortunate souls seduced by them can come up with. Trent further teaches that the sacrament of baptism is necessary just as the sacrament of penance is necessary - i.e. in fact or in desire.'

Some more proofs before the claim is answered.

Second Proof:

"...should any unforeseen accident make it impossible for adults to be washed in the salutary waters, their intention and determination to receive Baptism and their repentance for past sins, will avail them to grace and righteousness."

Third Proof:

Baptism, Necessity of Baptism and Obligations of the Baptized: 17 Q. Can the absence of Baptism be supplied in any other way? A. The absence of Baptism can be supplied by martyrdom, which is called Baptism of Blood, or by 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.

Fourth Proof:

Canon Law (1917): Canon 737: “Baptism, the door and foundation of the Sacraments, in fact or at least in desire necessary unto salvation for all, is not validly conferred except through the ablution of true and natural water with the prescribed form of words.”

All of which unanimously show that the traditional understanding of the Trent - the Church's own understanding - is that baptism is necessary in fact or in desire. No surprise, Doctors like St. Robert and St. Alphonsus, and every single authority and theologian besides explain the Tridentine teaching in this way.

Refutation of certain objections/misunderstandings in the OP:

1. Being born again requires the remission of all temporal punishment

False. Being born again, as seen above in Trent, is only the translation from the state of original or mortal sin to the state of grace. In this translation, it is not intrinsically necessary that temporal punishment be entirely remitted. The reason temporal punishment is entirely remitted in water baptism is owing to the work of Christ in the sacrament wherein it derives its especial efficacy. In the same way, attrition suffices in the confessional because of the special work of Christ in the actual sacrament, but contrition is necessary when the sacramental effect of penance is received outside the confessional.

As seen above in St. Pius X's Catechism, as explained by all Doctors, baptism of desire is nothing other than an act of perfect love of God or of contrition, in which desire for baptism is explicit or implicit, and therefore has a similar effect.

St. Thomas explains that contrition as an act of virtue works as a quasi material cause while as a part of a sacrament on the other hand it operates primarily in the manner of an instrumental cause, which explains the different effects associated with the same.

"Because, as part of a sacrament, it operates primarily as an instrument for the forgiveness of sin, as is evident with regard to the other sacraments (cf. Sent. iv, D, 1, 1, 4: III, 62, 1); while, as an act of virtue, it is the quasi-material cause of sin's forgiveness." (Supplementum Tertiæ Partis, Question 5 Article 1. Whether the forgiveness of sin is the effect of contrition?)

2. Why is only the temporal punishment removed?

Because of the nature of contrition as an act of virtue - it remits the eternal punishment entirely, but the temporal punishment only in part and in proportion to the intensity with which God is loved, as Trent itself explains when it is speaking of the nature of contrition, and also in its Catechism later - "not indeed for the eternal punishment which is remitted together with the guilt either by the sacrament or by the desire of receiving the sacrament, but for the temporal punishment which, as the Scriptures teach, is not always forgiven entirely." Thus, they will be saved, but only through purgatory. Therefore also, the Catechism of Trent points out that there is no danger for adult catechumens, because their determination to be baptized, and their repentance for past sins, will avail them to grace and righteousness. This being availed to grace and righteousness is what justification or being born again is, and Trent is very clear the same danger of death is not present for adults as it is for infants, therefore adult catechumens can be saved by baptism of desire.