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Author Topic: Three conditions required for a Catholic Martyrdom  (Read 3933 times)

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Offline Incredulous

Three conditions required for a Catholic Martyrdom
« on: February 11, 2019, 12:40:38 AM »


Definition of martyrdom
The great moral theologian, Dominic Prummer O.P., says:

Quote
Acts of Fortitude. . . . these acts reach their peak in martyrdom. Martyrdom is the endurance of bodily death in witness to the Christian religion. Therefore three conditions must be verified for martyrdom:

a) actual death;
b) the infliction of death by an enemy out of hatred for Christianity.
c) the voluntary acceptance of death.

Therefore the following are not genuinely martyrs: those who die by contracting disease in their care of lepers, those who suffer death for natural truths or for heresy, or who [indirectly] bring about their own death to safeguard their person. — The effect of martyrdom is the remission of all sin and punishment, since it is an act of perfect charity.
According to Christian doctrine, martyrdom renders the soul of the martyr worthy of immediate entrance into heaven. The Church prays to the martyrs but has never prayed for the martyrs.
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Offline forlorn

Re: Three conditions required for a Catholic Martyrdom
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2019, 11:30:25 AM »
At what point does martyrdom become ѕυιcιdє? E.g: Joe is suicidal but doesn't want to be damned so he heads into ISIS territory knowing they'll martyr him. Is that still martyrdom, or would it be treated as a ѕυιcιdє since he knowingly chose to go die? 
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Offline Cantarella

Re: Three conditions required for a Catholic Martyrdom
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2019, 01:13:01 PM »
There exists a law of the Church which forbids anyone to actively seek martyrdom. The Church does not encourage ѕυιcιdє in any way, even what you may consider a "pious ѕυιcιdє". One who engages in such behavior would be comitting a mortal sin against the 5th commandment.

Quote
"In truth every act that exceeds human strength (referring here to martyrdom) is an act of presumption unless it be the result of a special inspiration, and the Church approves it only if she recognizes this divine impulse which alone can authorize a deviation from the general rule"  

( From the book Light & Peace by R.P Quadrupani, Barnanite, 1795. Imprimatur 1904)
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Offline Cantarella

Re: Three conditions required for a Catholic Martyrdom
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2019, 01:20:12 PM »
Quote
Therefore three conditions must be verified for martyrdom: 

a) actual death; 
b) the infliction of death by an enemy out of hatred for Christianity. 
c) the voluntary acceptance of death.

Notice that b) and c) are missing in the case of aborted babies.
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Offline Judith 15 Ten

Re: Three conditions required for a Catholic Martyrdom
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2019, 03:26:16 PM »
If a Catholic physically resists a violent assault motivated by hatred for Catholics and the Faith and with the intent to kill the victim, and that Catholic dies in the process, is he a martyr? Or is martyrdom only for the passive Catholic (but not actively seeking it as that would be a form of ѕυιcιdє like Cantarella pointed out)?
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