The notion of predestination comprises two essential elements: God's infallible foreknowledge (præscientia), and His immutable decree (decretum) of eternal happiness. The theologian who, following in the footsteps of the Pelagians, would limit the Divine activity to the eternal foreknowledge and exclude the Divine will, would at once fall into Deism, which asserts that God, having created all things, leaves man and the universe to their fate and refrains from all active interference. Though the purely natural gifts of God, as descent from pious parents, good education, and the providential guidance of man's external career, may also be called effects of predestination, still, strictly speaking, the term implies only those blessings which lie in the supernatural sphere, as sanctifying grace, all actual graces, and among them in particular those which carry with them final perseverance and a happy death. Since in reality only those reach heaven who die in the state of justification or sanctifying grace, all these and only these are numbered among the predestined, strictly so called. From this it follows that we must reckon among them also all children who die in baptismal grace, as well as those adults who, after a life stained with sin, are converted on their death-beds. The same is true of the numerous predestined who, though outside the pale of the true Church of Christ, yet depart from this life in the state of grace as catechumens, Protestants in good faith, schismatics, Jєωs, Mahommedans, and pagans. Those fortunate Catholics who at the close of a long life are still clothed in their baptismal innocence, or who after many relapses into mortal sin persevere till the end, are not indeed predestined more firmly, but are more signally favoured than the last-named categories of persons.

When one hears the rigorists, one is tempted to repeat Dieringer's bitter remark: "Can it be that the Church actually exists in order to people hell?" The truth is that neither the one nor the other can be proved from Scripture or Tradition (cf. Heinrich-Gutberlet, "Dogmat. Theologie", Mainz, 1897, VIII, 363 sq.). But supplementing these two sources by arguments drawn from reason we may safely defend as probable the opinion that the majority of Christians, especially of Catholics, will be saved. If we add to this relative number the overwhelming majority of non-Christians (Jєωs, Mahommedans, heathens), then Gener* ("Theol. dogmat. scholast.", Rome, 1767, II, 242 sq.) is probably right when he assumes the salvation of half of the human race, lest "it should be said to the shame and offence of the Divine majesty and clemency that the [future] Kingdom of Satan is larger than the Kingdom of Christ" (cf. W. Schneider, "Das andere Leben", 9th ed., Paderborn, 1908, 476 sq.).

FWIW, Vladimir --

When I first chanced on that site, I was quite impressed by it.  However, I was warned by two very intelligent and, I believe, well intentioned, traditionalists, to steer clear of it.  It is the work, they advised, of someone hostile to Catholicism who wants to lead unsuspecting faithful by increments to abandon the true religion.

and have come to question of if God's salvific will is universal, why are the majority of people damned? If God wills that man be saved what is preventing this will to be carried out? (Free will?)

1914 Catholic Encylopedia said:
"The same is true of the numerous predestined who, though outside the pale of the true Church of Christ, yet depart from this life in the state of grace as catechumens, Protestants in good faith, schismatics, Jєωs, Mahommedans, and pagans."

Can someone explain how this quotation is not heretical? This seems to be talking not about baptism of desire or deathbed conversion, but about actual salvation outside the Church.

Quote from: Matto

1914 Catholic Encylopedia said:
"The same is true of the numerous predestined who, though outside the pale of the true Church of Christ, yet depart from this life in the state of grace as catechumens, Protestants in good faith, schismatics, Jєωs, Mahommedans, and pagans."

Can someone explain how this quotation is not heretical? This seems to be talking not about baptism of desire or deathbed conversion, but about actual salvation outside the Church.

I think it is nonsense, I'll take the words of St. Augustine on this (that none of the predestined will die without baptism) over the claims of the CE.

since I was baptized, then, I am one of the predestined few......whew, been struggling a long time with that stateo f grace thing, good to know, dont have to worry about that now....since Augustine is the lone authority and all on that...

In light of the above and The Church's teaching on predestination, it seems to me rather straighforward to conclude that all the predestinate will not only be baptized but die in a state of grace and in communion with The Church.