I do not subscribe to any "visible" or "invisible" Church membership theory. That has never been taught by the Church. You are either a member of the Body of Christ or you are not. If you are, your sins can be remitted. If you are not, they cannot be

Yes, you are saying that a "member of the Body of Christ" is a person who is a formal, visible member. You do not subscribe to an "invisible membership," right? If so, then the heretic/schismatic in the scenario I presented is OUTSIDE OF the formal boundaries of "the Church," as you define it.

What is Gemini?  Is this AI? 

You're reading things from AI, but you do not comprehend.  That's your problem.

In your hypothetical situation (i.e. perfect act of contrition) NO ONE KNOWS (exteriorly) that the person repented, because it's between that person and God.

But, in the spiritual realm (i.e. interiorly), yes, that person was reconciled to the Church and became a formal member.  You can't be justified OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH.  Any justification happens ONLY IN THE CHURCH.  So if this person repented, HE WAS FORGIVEN BY THE CHURCH and Christ's merits.  Thus, he was saved INSIDE THE CHURCH.

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Now, the distinction comes into play of exterior knowledge vs interior (i.e. God can read hearts).  In the case of the above repentant heretic, since the Church CANNOT READ the interior heart, this person would NOT be given a catholic funeral, or be counted among the saints, or be prayed to. 

And you are saying that you do believe in an "invisible Membership" in the Church. Your understanding differs from WorldsAway.

Your last paragraph is correct. He would be treated as OUTSIDE by the Church even though, as you say, he would have been privately/invisibly "reconciled to the Church" before his death. So he would not have a Catholic funeral, making my point that he is not "formally" INSIDE the Church but he would be in a state of "justification" at his death.

You keep saying "formal" and "visible", I have never said that. The Church has never taught that one can be "inside" the Church in any way other than being a member of the Body. Again, in the hypothetical you proposed, those people are no longer heretics or schismatics.

They cannot be, because heretics and schismatics are outside the Church. They must cease to be heretics or Schismatics in order to be members of the Church and be remitted of their sins

Yes, I fully understand what you mean by membership in the Catholic Church. You think "invisible" membership is bogus, right? A person is either a visible member, one recognized by the hierarchy, or he is OUTSIDE of the Church.

In the hypothetical situation, the person is OUTSIDE of the Church (using your definition of membership), but he has been "justified" and is "reconciled to God" when he dies. What happens to him?

Yes, I fully understand what you mean by membership in the Catholic Church. You think "invisible" membership is bogus, right? A person is either a visible member, one recognized by the hierarchy, or he is OUTSIDE of the Church.

In the hypothetical situation, the person is OUTSIDE of the Church (using your definition of membership), but he has been "justified" and is "reconciled to God" when he dies. What happens to him?

No, that's not what I'm saying. Someone who is baptised, professes the true faith, and is not a schismatic can make an act of perfect contrition and be forgiven his sins because he is not a heretic or schismatic. That is all I am saying 

Here's a hypothetical:

A pagan on his death bead, in a pagan land with zero Catholics, desires to be baptized into the Catholic Church. His pagan friend baptises him. Does the "hierarchy" recognize him? The hierarchy doesn't even know he exists. Yet he is baptized, a Catholic, a member of the Body. He's not an "invisible" member, he is a member

No, you're using the terminology of Modernists (whether you know it or not) and it's confusing.  The idea of "invisible membership" was invented to save non-catholics, pagans, etc.  It's related to BOD and universal salvation.  It's NOT catholic terminology.

The hypothetical person died a catholic.  They were FORMALLY united to the Church by SPECIFIC repentance for their heresy/schism.  They died INSIDE the church.  They died as VISIBLE members.  Because baptism makes them a formal, visible, inside member. Their repentance rejoins them to the Church, fully and completely.

The modernists use the word "invisible" to say that UNbapized persons can be part of the church, through desire.  No, they cannot be.

Then don't use the word "invisible" if it bothers you. We have been talking about baptized people. Heretics and schismatic are baptized by definition. And, by definition, they are outside of the Church because of their heresy and schism.

The person who was at heretic/schismatic at the moment before his direct repentance to God and he was known to be such by the Catholics in his town. Maybe he was a well-known Protestant pastor or something. And he died on the way to talk to the Catholic priest. The man would not be given a Catholic funeral because the Catholic priest would not think that he was a member of the Catholic Church.

This has nothing to do with modernism. It has to do with Church membership as that word is used in Canon Law of 1917.

1) if you want to define visible membership as being recognized by the hierarchy, then ok.
2) that would mean that an excommunicated heretic/schismatic is NOT a visible member.

3) we all PRESUME (which is not dogma) that God would remove an excommunication from a repentant sinner, apart from a catholic priest (i.e. hierarchy).  We really don't know.

But assuming God would remove such, then that repentant heretic becomes a visible member again, without the hierarchy knowing.  Ultimately the term visible/invisible is based on the EXTERIOR knowledge of the Church.

The church does not judge the interior forum, which is why She does not declare that person A died as a heretic and is in hell.  She only GENERALLY says that heretics who died unrepentant go to hell.

Also, you shouldn't use the word "justified" apart from the sacrament of baptism.  The correct term is, the repentant person died in a state of grace (assuming God forgave them). 

The person is not recognized at a member of the Church for he purposes of a funeral (for example). That is what I mean by formal membership. Again, this use of the term is consistent with the way it is used in 1917 Canon Law.

Your second point that I should not use the word "justified" is absolutely false. Here is the chapter from Trent's Decree on Justification:

https://www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/trent/sixth-session.htm

CHAPTER XIV.
On the fallen, and their restoration.
 
As regards those who, by sin, have fallen from the received grace of Justification, they may be again justified, when, God exciting them, through the sacrament of Penance they shall have attained to the recovery, by the merit of Christ, of the grace lost: for this manner of Justification is of the fallen the reparation: which the holy Fathers have aptly called a second plank after the shipwreck of grace lost. For, on behalf of those who fall into sins after baptism, Christ Jesus instituted the sacrament of Penance, when He said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. Whence it is to be taught, that the penitence of a Christian, after his fall, is very different from that at (his) baptism; and that therein are included not only a cessation from sins, and a detestation thereof, or, a contrite and humble heart, but also the sacramental confession of the said sins,-at least in desire, and to be made in its season,-and sacerdotal absolution; and likewise satisfaction by fasts, alms, prayers, and the other pious exercises of a spiritual life; not indeed for the eternal punishment,-which is, together with the guilt, remitted, either by the sacrament, or by the desire of the sacrament,-but for the temporal punishment, which, as the sacred writings teach, is not always wholly remitted, as is done in baptism, to those who, ungrateful to the grace of God which they have received, have grieved the Holy Spirit, and have not feared to violate the temple of God. Concerning which penitence it is written; Be mindful whence thou art fallen; do penance, and do the first works. And again; The sorrow that is according to God worketh penance steadfast unto salvation. And again; Do penance, and bring forth fruits worthy of penance.


So, as you and everyone can see, the term "justification" is used by the Council Fathers precisely in the sense we have been talking about. 

The person is not recognized at a member of the Church for he purposes of a funeral (for example). That is what I mean by formal membership. Again, this use of the term is consistent with the way it is used in 1917 Canon Law.

The repentant heretic is a formal member.  This is just not known exteriorly.  The Church only makes decisions based on the external forum.

Your second point that I should not use the word "justified" is absolutely false. Here is the chapter from Trent's Decree on Justification:

If you want to be autistic about it, then go ahead.