Why is it that EVERY SINGLE TIME trad clergy even remotely touch on EENS (which is rare enough) they just seem compelled to dilute the dogma by bringing up "invincible ignorance". Am I crazy or has anyone else experienced this happening EVERY SINGLE TIME. Is this taught in seminary, that you MUST make mention of the poor ignorant who will certainly be saved by their ignorance whenever you teach about "No Salvation Outside the Church"? Who does this help? You're speaking to Catholics, who are not ignorant, who have supernatural Faith, who are members of the Church, who know what is necessary for salvation. Is it to make us feel better about those we know who have not the Faith? What Catholic would ever more fervently seek the conversion of non-Catholics after hearing about salvation through invincible ignorance? The only result of this being taught is the damnation of more souls
How much clearer can you get?? Those at the Council of Florence made ZERO distinction between your "regular" Jews, pagans, heretics, schismatics who will be damned to the eternal fire and these supposed "invincibly ignorant" Jews, pagans, heretics, and schismatics who will be saved. They simply said "pagans, Jews, heretics, and schismatics". And what happens to them if they do not BEFORE DEATH become joined to the Holy Roman Catholic Church? They go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the Devil and his angels. What is wrong with these people?!
Are you unaware of Pius IX's discussion of "invincible ignorance?"
https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius09/p9quanto.htm"7. Here, too, our beloved sons and venerable brothers, it is again necessary to mention and censure a very grave error entrapping some Catholics who believe that it is possible to arrive at eternal salvation although living in error and alienated from the true faith and Catholic unity. Such belief is certainly opposed to Catholic teaching. There are, of course, those who are struggling with invincible ignorance about our most holy religion. Sincerely observing the natural law and its precepts inscribed by God on all hearts and ready to obey God, they live honest lives and are able to attain eternal life by the efficacious virtue of divine light and grace. Because God knows, searches and clearly understands the minds, hearts, thoughts, and nature of all, his supreme kindness and clemency do not permit anyone at all who is not guilty of deliberate sin to suffer eternal punishments."
If Pius IX thought it important enough to mention, why wouldn't it be important for the trad clergy to make that distinction as well?
The distinction Pius IX is making is between those who never held the Catholic Faith (because they were ignorant of it) and those who did, at one time, hold the Catholic Faith but fell away from the Faith and "are living in error."
Pope Eugene's comment also references those who do not "
remain" in the Catholic Church, meaning that they were once Catholic and fell away from the Faith. See the word "remain" in your quote from Florence:
"The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the 'eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels' (Matthew 25:41), unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church."-Council of FlorenceNow, the inevitable response will be "but that means
everyone eventually goes to Heaven." Absolutely false. The "invincibly ignorant" are defined by Pius IX as those,
"Sincerely observing the natural law and its precepts inscribed by God on all hearts and ready to obey God, they live honest lives and are able to attain eternal life by the efficacious virtue of divine light and grace. Because God knows, searches and clearly understands the minds, hearts, thoughts, and nature of all, his supreme kindness and clemency do not permit anyone at all who is not guilty of deliberate sin to suffer eternal punishments."These "invincibly ignorant" people are not common. How many non-Catholics do you think there are who "observe the natural law?"
Topic: Every. Single. Time. (Read 9377 times)