Will the Real Catechism of Pius X Please Stand Up?
Unfortunately, what’s being passed-off as the “Catechism of Pope Pius X” is a compendium of other sources along with the Q&A, ostensibly from the Catechism of Pope Pius X. There are two such Compendiums, one of which was edited by Fr. Kevane who updated it to reflect the teachings of VCII - how much credibility then can we place in the more outrageous and perfectly contradictory Q&A which states that there is salvation outside the Church?
The original Catechism was never published in English and was for local use within certain provinces of Italy. The Compendiums we have today went through private translations from Italian to French to English and of course were edited. I refuse to believe that Pope St. Pius X approved the more egregious errors within these “Catechisms” so let’s not be so quick to assume that that these Compendiums are faithful to the original or that Pius X “approved” them.
Just in the interests of accuracy - I'm not trying to stir the pot! - I checked an on-line Italian version of this catechism. What English speaking believers in BOD quote is from the Catechismus Minor, which has no covering letter from Pope St Pius X in the on-line version.
"132. Chi è fuori della Chiesa si salva?
Chi è fuori della Chiesa per propria colpa e muore senza dolore perfetto, non si salva; ma chi ci si trovi senza propria colpa e viva bene, può salvarsi con l'amor di carità, che unisce a Dio, e, in spirito, anche alla Chiesa, cioè all'anima di lei."
The English translation seems pretty close to this.
The Catechismus Maior does have the following letter from Pope St Pius X:
"COMPENDIO DELLA DOTTRINA CRISTIANA PRESCRITTO DA SUA SANTITÀ PAPA PIO X ALLE DIOCESI DELLA PROVINCIA DI ROMA, ROMA, TIPOGRAFIA VATICANA, 1905
AL SIGNOR CARDINALE PIETRO RESPIGHI NOSTRO VICARIO GENERALE
Signor Cardinale,
La necessità di provvedere per quanto è possibile alla religiosa istituzione della tenera gioventù Ci ha consigliato la stampa di un Catechismo, che esponga in modo chiaro i rudimenti della santa fede, e quelle divine verità, alle quali deve informarsi la vita d'ogni cristiano. Pertanto fatti esaminare i molti libri di testo già in uso nelle Diocesi d' Italia, Ci parve opportuno di adottare con lievi ritocchi il testo da vari anni approvato dai Vescovi del Piemonte, della Liguria, della Lombardia, della Emilia e della Toscana. L'uso di questo testo sarà obbligatorio per l'insegnamento pubblico e privato nella Diocesi di Roma e in tutte le altre della Provincia Romana; e confidiamo che anche le altre Diocesi vorranno adottarlo per arrivare cosi a quel testo unico, almeno per tutta l'Italia, che è nell'universale desiderio.
Con questa dolce speranza impartiamo di tutto cuore a Lei, Signor Cardinale, l'Apostolica Benedizione.
Dal Vaticano, li 14 Giugno 1905.
PIUS PP. X"
The answer it gives is slightly different, though not, I think, materially so:
"169 D. Può alcuno salvarsi fuori della Chiesa Cattolica, Apostolica, Romana?
R. No, fuori della Chiesa Cattolica, Apostolica, Romana nessuno può salvarsi, come niuno poté salvarsi dal diluvio fuori dell'Arca di Noè, che era figura di questa Chiesa.
170 D. Come dunque si sono salvati gli antichi Patriarchi, i Profeti e tutti gli altri giusti dell'antico Testamento?
R. Tutti i giusti dell'antico Testamento si sono salvati in virtù della fede che avevano in Cristo venturo, per mezzo della quale essi già appartenevano spiritualmente a questa Chiesa.
171 D. Ma chi si trovasse, senza sua colpa, fuori della Chiesa, potrebbe salvarsi?
R. Chi, trovandosi senza sua colpa, ossia in buona fede, fuori della Chiesa, avesse ricevuto il Battesimo, o ne avesse il desiderio almeno implicito; cercasse inoltre sinceramente la verità e compisse la volontà di Dio come meglio può; benché separato dal corpo della Chiesa, sarebbe unito all'anima di lei e quindi in via di salute."
I am by no means expert at Italian, but a rough translation would be:
"Those who, finding themselves without their own fault, that is in good faith, outside the Church, have recieved Baptism, or have at least the implicit desire for it; and moreover have sought the truth sincerely and have fulfilled the will of God as best they can; although separated from the body of the Church, would be united her soul and so in the path of salvation"
There is no Latin version, for it was composed in Italian.
That’s quite interesting. There is no Latin version because this was a local catechism. Now, if they have received baptism then they have at least a belief in Christ and the essential Mysteries. According to this version, if they are not baptized, their Faith in Christ and the essential Mysteries may imply an “implicit desire” for baptism. But notice too that this passage does not state they will be saved “where they are”; but only that they are “in the path of salvation”. Will God leave them on the path of salvation without providing the means to arrive there? Of course, here we go again with what is “implied” but if God granted them the grace of Faith and they co-operate with such grace, would He leave them in this state without also granting them the grace of charity and conversion? If it is God’s will are they not also given the grace to act on His will?
To answer in the negative is to suggest that it is not God who moves the will or that His will can be frustrated by events out of His “control”. Man must assent and co-operate with grace through free will; but it is a will which is assisted by God to assent in the first place.
Item last, the belonging to the “soul of the Church but not the Body” theory has been refuted (or “placed into context”) by magisterial teaching which solemnly declares that the unity of the Soul and the Mystical/ecclesiastical Body is such that the Soul cannot be separated from the Body (there is neither sanctification nor the remission of sins outside the Body). The Holy Ghost moves where He wills and operates on the souls of the elect through actual and pre-disposing graces, but the idea that His uncreated nature substantially abides within a soul resulting in a state of created sanctifying grace without incorporation into the Mystical/ecclesiastical Body is foreign to Trent and magisterial teaching. I am fully aware of the “mental incorporation” theory but once again, it is a theory. What does the infallible Church teach?
Topic: Will the Real Catechism of Pius X Please Stand Up? (Read 14597 times)