The Doctrinal Conflict
The core of the controversy lies in how the Church understands the necessity of Baptism for salvation.
- The Traditional Teaching: The Church has always taught that Baptism is necessary for salvation. However, the Church has also consistently taught that this necessity is not limited strictly to the Sacrament of Baptism (Baptism of Water) in cases where the Sacrament cannot be received.
- Baptism of Blood: When a catechumen or an unbaptized person suffers martyrdom for the Faith, they are washed clean of their sins by their own blood.
- Baptism of Desire: When a person, having perfect contrition for their sins and a sincere desire to do God's will, is prevented by death or impossibility from receiving the Sacrament of Baptism, they are considered to have received the grace of the Sacrament.
St. Thomas Aquinas explains this clearly: "The sacrament of Baptism may be wanting to anyone in reality, but not in desire: for instance, when a man wishes to be baptized, but by some misfortune he is forestalled by death before receiving baptism. And such a man can obtain salvation without being actually baptized, on account of his desire for Baptism" 1. - The Position of Father Feeney: Father Feeney argued that the dogma Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus must be interpreted to mean that only those who are physically baptized with water in the Catholic Church can be saved. He rejected the concepts of Baptism of Blood and Baptism of Desire, labeling them as modern innovations that contradicted the absolute necessity of the Sacrament.
The Church's Response
The Holy Office, under the authority of Pope Pius XII, addressed this error directly in the letter Suprema haec sacra (1949), addressed to the Archbishop of Boston.
- Rejection of Rigid Literalism: The Holy Office clarified that while the dogma Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus is infallible, it must be understood correctly. It does not require that a person be actually incorporated into the Church as a member in order to be saved, provided they have an "implicit" desire for such incorporation.
- The Letter's Teaching: The letter states: "For it is not always required that a person be incorporated into the Church actually by baptism, but it is required that he at least desire and wish for it by a desire and a wish which is informed by perfect charity, so that he may be made like to the Church" 2.
- Condemnation: Because Father Feeney persisted in his error and refused to submit to the authority of the Holy Office, he was excommunicated in 1953.
Theological Assessment
From the perspective of Catholic Tradition, "Feeneyism" is considered a theological error because it attempts to restrict the infinite mercy of God and the efficacy of His grace to the physical administration of the Sacrament, ignoring the Church's long-standing teaching on the votum (desire) for the Sacrament.
The Church teaches that God is not bound by His Sacraments, even though we are bound to them. As the Council of Trent defined: "Justification... cannot be effected without the laver of regeneration or the desire for it" 3. By rejecting the "desire for it," the Feeneyite position contradicts the teaching of the Council of Trent and the constant tradition of the Church Fathers and Doctors.
BTW if you're into Feeneyism does it mean you believe the Church erred this matter with Pope Pius XII, or do you believe the seat was vacant with Pope Pius XII?
Where did the quoted text come from (is it your writing, or quoted from someone else)?
As for you last question on "Feenyism", Pope Pius XII was a true pope. As to contradictions between what the Church teaches and Pope Pius XII's allocution to midwives, etc., either it is only an apparent contradiction, and only requires proper explanation to resolve (e.g. everyone using Pope Pius IX's Quanto Conficiamur Moerore to push invincible ignorance as salvific, when it is simply that God will lead all men of good will to the Church). Or if there is a true contradiction, then the later "teaching" would not fall under the circuмstances of infallibility (the allocution to midwives was not taught to the whole Church). A Pope is only infallible under the below circuмstances (Vatican I, Session 4, Chapter 4):
- in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians,
- in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority,
- he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole church,
The laity have a right to judge a teaching when it contradicts what has already been given to them (Galations 1:8)
As for this quote:
The Traditional Teaching: The Church has always taught that Baptism is necessary for salvation. However, the Church has also consistently taught that this necessity is not limited strictly to the Sacrament of Baptism (Baptism of Water) in cases where the Sacrament cannot be received.
That is not the teaching of the Church.
Council Trent, Seventh Session, On Baptism
CANON II.-If any one saith, that true and natural water is not of necessity for baptism, and, on that account, wrests, to some sort of metaphor, those words of our Lord Jesus Christ; Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost; let him be anathema.
CANON V.-If any one saith, that baptism is free, that is, not necessary unto salvation; let him be anathema.
The syllogism of this is:
Major premise: Baptism is necessary for salvation. (Council of Trent, Seventh Session, On Baptism Canon V)
Minor premise: The matter of the sacrament of baptism is true and natural water. (Council of Trent, Seventh Session, On Baptism Canon II)
Conclusion: Baptism of true and natural water is necessary for salvation.
A Sacrament is not effected without valid matter. The Church has not taught that blood or desire are valid matter for Baptism. Therefore baptisms of blood or desire are not valid Baptisms, therefore the recipients are not saved when that is the only baptism they are alleged to have received.
Topic: God provides: Stories of God providing deathbed Baptism of water (Read 1258 times)