March 17, 2009
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Question 124 - Salvation Outside of the Church and the Dimond Brothers (Sedevacantists)
Question 124 - Salvation Outside of the Church and the Dimond Brothers (Sedevacantists)
Dear Dr. Sungenis,
I'm a recent convert - when I came into the Church in 2007, your material was very helpful to me. (Thanks!) My wife and 3 teenage children are still Baptist, and are not interested in Catholicism. My best friend (who is also Baptist) is very near death (leukemia) and I'm in anguish about this matter.
Recently I stumbled upon the Dimond Brother's website, and their materials made a lot of sense to me (and also alarmed me quite a bit - I'm very concerned for my family and friends).
Most of my concerns with the Dimond Brothers' have been resolved after reading your material, but one major issue still lingers, and I was hoping you could help me.
There have been dozens of statements (quite a few ex cathedra) that emphatically state that those who are non-Catholics cannot be saved. I'm thinking of two statements in particular:
Pope Pius IX, First Vatican Council, Sess. 3, Chap. 2 on Revelation, 1870, ex cathedra: "Hence, also, that understanding of its sacred dogmas must be perpetually retained, which Holy Mother Church has once declared; and there must never be a recession from that meaning under the specious name of a deeper understanding. The only meaning of the dogma Outside the Church there is no salvation is that which holy Mother Church has once declared in Her definitions. That meaning is that all who die without the Catholic Faith or outside the Church or in a non-Catholic religion cannot be saved."Pope Eugene IV, Cantate Domino (1441) ex cathedra: "The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the "eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41), unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church."
If these statements are considered dogma, how can there be any hope for my Baptist family and friends? I need to know the truth about this issue even if it is painful.
Due to the "overly ecumenical" atmosphere in the Catholic Church right now, my family doesn't believe that there's any real reason to even investigate Catholicism, since they sense that the Catholic Church no longer feels that "outsiders" are in danger. They think that I'm preaching a different message than the Catholic Church when I urge them to consider the danger of not belonging to the Catholic Church.
Hope that made sense. Thanks very much for your help!
Tom Chambers
R. Sungenis: Tom, there is a danger of losing salvation if one does not become a member of the Catholic Church, for although there is an exception in the Catholic Church for salvation for those who do not become members, no one really knows whether it applies to himself, because only God is the judge of whether someone has a legitimate excuse. This is why it is vitally important to preach the Gospel and the necessity of joining the Catholic Church for salvation. Hence, although Pius IX gave us the exception in his encyclical of 1863, Quanto conficiamur moerore, this is no guarantee that those who don't join the Catholic Church can be saved. How true it is that we would want your friend to stand on the graces of God through the Catholic Church than to have to stand on his own and hope that he did enough to be saved. As for the Dimond brothers, the farther away you stay from them, the more you assure your own salvation. God be with you!
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Thanks very much! Your explanation, combined with Quanto conficiamur moerore makes a lot of sense.
I sure wish that this message was more clearly presented in todays Catholic Church. It seems as if we've become so ecumenical that we've confused ourselves! No wonder the sedevacantists are concerned.
Anyway, thanks again!
Tom
