Catholic and baptism 2

Ambroise and his disciple Augustine repeat the idea that the person is considered saved but How? He was shown to undergo santification by the spirit prior to baptism. So he had the grace. Furthermore, there was a rank of Catchumen, unbaptised converts that were considered saved since a desire to be baptised by undergoing this process. It is called baptism of desire.

Let's us further consider this: These quotes are taken from second hand from "Baptism and the Baptism of Desire. By Raymond Taouk"
I will analyze these quotes in itallics.
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Pope St. Pius X states that "The absence of Baptism can be supplied by martyrdom, which is called Baptism of Blood, or by an act of perfect love of God, or of contrition, along with the desire, at least IMPLICIT OF BAPTISM, and this is called Baptism of Desire"... So what is required is a perfect act of love and contrition with a desire for obedience, namely that of baptism

Catholics at trent State: "the state of grace cannot be had except through the laver of regeneration or a desire for it"....Let us note the requirement for regeneration. It is important later for it shall show us something.

The word “Votum” (as used by the Council of Trent) is not some superficial wish. That is not the meaning of the word at all. In fact, we must keep in mind that the very nature of faith means that it cannot be totally implicit as it is necessary to know and believe something divinely revealed with a supernatural faith. Laboring under invincible ignorance does not prevent a person from being converted to God by contrition or by an act of perfect Charity. In this act of contrition or perfect act of charity must be contained either an explicit or implicit desire to receive baptism by water according as the notion of baptism is or is not present to the mind of the Person who has turned his heart and mind to God. Ignorance does not prevent one from being converted. The Catholics hold out the idea of the desire for baptism by water.

St. Alphonsus Liguori says "In order to be justified without baptism, an infidel must love God above all things, and must have an universal will to observe all the divine precepts, among which the first is to receive baptism: and therefore in order to be justified it is necessary for him to have at least an implicit desire of that sacrament." Does the holy spirit provide this upon regeneration. Notice the hold out specific to the desire for water baptism.

St. Augustine also distinguishes between the sacrament of Baptism and the turning of the heart to God. He teaches that if either of these conditions cannot be secured, the other will be sufficient. A baptized Child is saved, without turning its heart to God, should it die before coming to the age of reason, and a man who turns his heart to God is saved without water baptism, provided he in no way despise the sacrament. This is perhaps the most clear. Augustine offers a weaker hold out. As long as they don't reject baptism.

In any case, there is no Baptism of desire without the supernatural virtue of faith and a certain explicit knowledge of the essential points of faith. Since the nature of faith means that is impossible, that it be completely implicit since faith is a supernatural light to the intelligence. Supernatural faith and explicit knowledge of essential points. Lets reword this to the Gospel and true faith. Let us also make it necessary to believe in cornerstone doctrines like the trinity that tell us which Christ and which God.

This teaching of the Church far from taking away the obligation to be baptized or to enter the Church rather affirms to us not only the necessity for entering the Church but also the necessity for baptism. It shows us the real implications for willfully neglecting to receive baptism and enter the Church, which is the sole ark of Salvation. Even if the Church teaches that it is possible to attain salvation by of the "baptism of desire" or "Baptism of Blood", she is not teaching that it is the ordinary means of salvation for anyone. It would only be by a moral miracle that a person could be saved in such a manner, since what is by definition beyond the ordinary is extraordinary. There is no question of individuals being saved by their own efforts, without God's grace, and therefore outside the Church. On the contrary, it is stated that because these individuals are holding to the true teaching of Christ that they are joined invisibly to the Church. Thus, strictly speaking, one does not say "non-Catholics may be saved" or "Protestants can go to heaven." There are no non-Catholics in the Church and there are no non-Catholics in heaven. The only souls in heaven are those who have joined themselves to the Church in fact or desire....I thought calvinists believe in an extraordinary ordinary miracle called regeneration before faith upon Gospel preaching, this calling is done by God. Finally saying something doesn't over and over about protestants does not make it so. Especially, if it is about conflicting definitions of the true church.]]

See my next article for a Coup Coup de grâce. Forgive the pun. It ties the analysis together.