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St. Bellarmine: On the Church Militant (De Controversiis) (pp. 13-16) Translated by Ryan Grant.

CHAPTER III: On the Unbaptized

PAUL certainly speaks about the unbaptized infidels when he says, 42 “Why do you ask me to judge concerning those who are outside?” He says generally in that passage that they are outside who did not give their names for Christ through Baptism, but followed some other religions.  On Catechumens, there is a somewhat greater difficulty because they are faithful, and can be saved if they die in that state but still no man can be saved outside the Church, just as no one could outside of the ark of Noah, according to that which is held in the first chapter of the Lateran Council (III): “The universal Church of the faithful is one, outside of which altogether no one is saved.” But just the same it is certain that Catechumens are not in the Church properly and by act, but only in potency, just as in the way a man being conceived but not yet formed and born is not called a man, except in potency. For we read in Acts II: “Therefore those who received the word were baptized and on that day around three thousand were added.” Likewise, the Council of Florence in the instruction of the Armenians teaches that men become members of Christ and concern the body of the Church when they are baptized, and the Fathers teach likewise.

St. Gregory nαzιanzen, in his oration on holy Baptism, says that Catechumens are in the vestibule of piety, but still they cannot be called faithful unless they enter in through Baptism. John Chrysostom says that Catechumens are foreign to the faithful and have nothing in common with them, not citizenship, nor table, etc. 43 Tertullian in the Praescriptiones, condemns among the heretics those that refused to distinguish the Catechumens from the faithful. Cyril teaches that Catechumens are with Christians just as the uncircuмcised were among the Jews, who on that account could not feed on the Paschal lamb. 44 Augustine distinguished Catechumens from the faithful, which other Fathers also do. 45 Moreover, it is certain that the Church is the body of the faithful. Therefore, Catechumens do not have the right to any sacraments, nor to other things which are common to the universal Church. Therefore Catechumens do not pertain to the Church properly or in act. Therefore, how, you will ask, are they saved, if they are outside the Church?

The author of the book on Ecclesiastical dogmas (cap. 74) clearly responds, that Catechumens are not saved. But this seems too harsh. Certainly St. Ambrose in his oration on the death of Valentinian affirms with eloquent words that Catechumens (in which Valentinian was numbered) can be saved when they have departed from this life. Therefore, there is another solution. Melchior Cano says that Catechumens can be saved because even if they are not of the Church, which properly is called Christian, still they are part of the Church which embraces all the faithful from Abel even to the consummation of the world. But this does not seem to satisfy. For after the coming of Christ there is no true Church but that which is properly called Christian; consequently, if Catechumens are not in it, they are in nothing.

Consequently, I respond that it is said outside the Church no man is saved, and this ought to be understood on those who are neither in fact nor in desire within the Church, just as all the Theologians commonly teach on Baptism. Moreover, if the Catechumens are not in the Church de facto, at least they are in the Church in desire, therefore they can be saved. This is not opposed to the similitude of the Ark of Noah (outside of which no man was saved), even if he were in it by desire since similitudes do not agree in all things. For that reason, 1 Peter III compares Baptism to the ark of Noah and still it is certain that some are saved without Baptism in fact. But, one might say, Augustine says that Catechumens are in the Church; 46 it is true, but in the same place he separates them from the faithful. Therefore, he meant that they are in the Church not by act, but by potency, which he explains in the beginning of the 2nd book on the Creed, where he compares Catechumens to men who are conceived but not yet born.

42 1 Cor. V:12.
43 hom. 24 in Ioannem.
44 Lib. 12 in Ioan., cap. 50.
45 Tract 4 in Ioannem and elsewhere,
46 Tract. 4 in Ioannem.

Saint Augustine Against Julian

https://archive.org/details/fathersofthechur013910mbp/page/n281

The Fathers of The Church, A New Translation, Volume 35

Introduction, page XI:

St. Augustine wrote this work in the closing years of a life busied with three great controversies--Manichaeism, Donatism, Pelagianism, the last ending with the Contra Julianum and the Opus imperfectum contra Julianum.

Page 258:

Chapter 4
 
(. . .)
 
Of the number of the elect and predestined, even those who have led the very worst kind of life are led to repentance through the goodness of God, through whose patience they were not taken from this life in the commission of crimes; in order to show them and their co-heirs the depth of evil from which the grace of God delivers man. Not one of. them perishes, regardless of his age at death; never be it said that a man predestined to life would be permitted to end his life without the sacrament of the Mediator. Because of these men, our Lord says: 'This is the will of him who sent me, the Father, that I should lose nothing of what he has given me.'11 The other mortals, not of this number, who are of the same mass as these, but have been made vessels of wrath, arc born for their advantage. God creates none of them rashly or fortuitously, and He also knows what good may be made from them, since He works good in the very gift of human nature in them, and through them He adorns the order of the present world. He leads none of them to the wholesome and spiritual repentance by which a man in Christ is reconciled to God, whether His patience in their regard be more generous or not unequal. Therefore, though all men, of the same mass of perdition and condemnation, unrepentant according to the hardness of their heart, treasure up wrath to themselves on the day of wrath when each will be repaid according to his works, God through His merciful goodness leads some of them to repentance, and according to his judgment does not lead others. Our Lord says He has the power to lead and draw men: 'No men can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him.'12
 
(. . .)
 
11 John 6.59.
12 John 6.44.

St. Augustine's teaching appears to be: The Grace of Justification (and so supernatural faith and charity) can be obtained by Catechumens before Baptism. Yet, it is only in Baptism that they attain complete regeneration, and this is comparable to being born. And it is only after being born that they attain eternal life. Could it be that those in limbo were awaiting the seal of Christ's Baptism?

Second, the Doctor elsewhere speaks of the Grace of Perseverance. All Catholics know the grace of justification is necessary but not sufficient for salvation. An additional gratuitous grace called final perseverance is needed. God may give this or choose not to. Though He will always give it, to someone who seeks it sincerely, and makes use of the means He has given for it to be attained.

Thanks, Trad 123. From On the Predestination of the Saints, Book II, Chapter 46. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/15122.htm

"Chapter 46.— A Man Who Does Not Persevere Fails by His Own Fault.

But it is said, It is by his own fault that any one deserts the faith, when he yields and consents to the temptation which is the cause of his desertion of the faith. Who denies it? But because of this, perseverance in the faith is not to be said not to be a gift of God. For it is this that a man daily asks for when he says, Lead us not into temptation; Matthew 6:13 and if he is heard, it is this that he receives. And thus as he daily asks for perseverance, he assuredly places the hope of his perseverance not in himself, but in God."

St. Augustine's authority is the main reason I rethought my former position: I believe St. Augustine's teaching is most likely true. Justification often before Baptism, but salvation after receiving the Sacrament, which God will Provide, seems a quite solid teaching.

My earlier position was similar to that of St. Thomas, St. Robert and St. Alphonsus. It seems St. Alphonsus and St. Robert may not have disagreed with St. Augustine, if the precise manner in which the Doctor of Hippo laid out his position had been raised to them.

St. Robert admits it is a difficulty to explain how catechumens are saved. It seems best to say catechumens will be saved after Baptism. Because they desired it, God provided it, and thus they were saved, not only upon being conceived, per the example, but actually born. That seems to be the position of the Monks and Nuns at St. Benedict's Centre as well.

One of St. Augustine's other statements, "Baptism is administered invisibly to one whom not contempt of religion but death precludes" doesn't preclude that Baptism could be administered to that person invisibly in some extraordinary way, it is quite consistent with it.