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BOOK
IV, CHAPTER FIVE SACRAMENTS
IMPART NO LIFE OUTSIDE
THE TRUE CHURCH
The Sacraments, which some people keep
and use outside the unity of Christ, are able to preserve the appearance of
piety; but the invisible and spiritual virtue of true piety cannot abide
there any more than feeling can remain in an amputated part of your body.
(Pope Leo XIII) 1 The Church alone possesses the
beneficial use of the Sacraments, the efficacious instruments of grace.
(Catechism of Trent) 2 Cut off from the Body into which
alone the graces of Christ flow, you are deprived of the benefit of all
Sacraments. (St. Edmund Campion) 3 The Gentiles have churches, and
scriptures, and sacrifices, and teachers, and books, and a partial knowledge
of God; nevertheless, no one on earth possesses the grace and operation of
the Holy Spirit except those who have been rightly baptized by faith in the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (Bl. Jerome of Jerusalem) 4 Hold most firmly, and never doubt
in the least, that outside the Catholic Church the Sacrament of Baptism
cannot be of any profit; nay, just as within the Church salvation is
conferred through the Sacrament of Baptism upon those who believe rightly, so
too, outside the Catholic Church, ruin is heaped up for those who were
baptized by that same Baptism, if they do not return to the Church. (St. Fulgentius) 5 There is no salvation outside the
Church, and therefore whatever things of the Church are had outside the
Church do not avail unto salvation. (St. Augustine) 6 Anyone who receives the Sacrament
of Baptism, whether in the Catholic Church or in a heretical or schismatic
church, receives the whole Sacrament; however, he will not have salvation if
he has that Sacrament outside the Catholic Church. Eternal life can never in
any way be obtained by anyone who, with the Sacrament of Baptism, remains a
stranger to the Catholic Church. Hold most firmly and never doubt in the
least that no person baptized outside the Catholic Church can become a
partaker of eternal life if, before the end of this earthly life, he has not
returned, and been incorporated into the Catholic Church. (St. Fulgentius) 7 Some men can receive Baptism
outside the Church, but no one can either receive or possess salvation
outside the Church. For the water of the Church is salutary and holy for
those who use it well, but outside the Church no one can use it well. (St.
Augustine) 8 There are many heresies which utilize
the words of Baptism, but not in a proper sense, nor with sound faith; and,
in consequence, the water which they pour is unprofitable, so that he who is
sprinkled by them is polluted rather than redeemed. (St. Athanasius) 9 Although among heretics and schismatics there is the same Baptism, nevertheless,
remission of sins is not operative among them because of the rottenness of
discord and wickedness of dissension. (St. Augustine) 10 Without a doubt, the forgiveness of
sins is the work of the Holy Spirit and is granted by God, but not
independently of the Church founded by Jesus Christ for the salvation of all
men. (Antipope John Paul II) 11 Besides a desire to be baptized,
faith is also necessary to obtain the grace of the Sacrament. Our Lord said:
"He who believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk. 16:16).
(Catechism of Trent) 12 Therefore, Baptism without faith
avails nothing. If anyone without the right faith receives Baptism outside
the Church, he does not receive it untosalvation.
Men can receive the Baptism of the Church outside her fold, but no one can
receive or keep the salvation of the blessed outside the Church. (St. Thomas
Aquinas) 13 Baptism does not profit a man
outside unity with the Church, for many heretics also possess this Sacrament,
but not the fruits of salvation. Children baptized in other communions cease
to be members of the Church when, after reaching the age of reason, they make
formal profession of heresy, as, for example, by receiving communion in a
non-Catholic church. (St. Augustine) 14 They no longer have the
Sacraments, with the exception of Baptism; a fruitful baptism for children, provided that, once the age of reason is
reached, they do not embrace the schism. (Pope Leo XIII) 15 Heretics and schismatics
place an obstacle to God's grace by their sins of infidelity and schism in
which they actually persevere. (St. Robert Bellarmine)
16 The Church is built on the Rock of
Peter, and he who eats the Lamb outside this holy dwelling has no part with
God. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 17 Outside the unity of faith and
love which makes us members of the Church, no one can be saved; hence, if the
Sacraments are received outside the Church, they are not effective for
salvation even though they be true Sacraments. However, they can become
useful if a person returns to Holy Mother the Church, the solitary Spouse of
Christ, whose sons alone Christ considers worthy of eternal inheritance. (St.
Bonaventure) 18 REFERENCES BOOK
IV, CHAPTER FIVE
4. Jerome: LAF vol.VII, p.528-529;
FOC cf. p.286 5. Fulgentius: "On Faith, To Peter,"
LXXIX, JUR vol.III:2273 6. Augustine: "On Baptism,
Against the Donatists," Bk.IV, no. 24; PL
43:107; CSL vol.LI; FOC p.309, no.1 7. Fulgentius: Op. cit., JUR vol.III:2269,
2274; PL 65: 671 8. Augustine: Op. cit., Bk.IV, ch.1, no.1; ch.2, no.2, CSL vol.
LI (1908); "Commentary on John," tract VI, no.13, 14; PL 35 9. Athanasius: "Discourse
Against the Arians," Bk.II, ch.18, no. 42-43; PG 26 10.
Augustine: "On Baptism," Bk.III:13, 18 and VI:9, 14, JUR vol.
III:1625 and 1637 11. John Paul
II: The Wanderer, May 14, 1992, p.10, col.4 13. Thomas:
STL III, Q.68, art.8 14.
Augustine: Sermon VIII, PL 46:838; SS vol.IV, p.254 ff. 15. Leo XIII:
"Exima Nos Laetitia,"
PTC:526 16. Robert:
"On the Sacrament of Baptism," Bk.I, ch.6 17. Pius IX:
"Multis Gravibus.," PTC:229;
"Amantiss.," PTC:236 |