Catholic Candle preface to the article (below) on feeneyism

Catholic Truth is often attacked by opposite heresies.

Heresy is an error about the Catholic Faith. Here is how St. Thomas Aquinas explains this truth:

We are speaking of heresy now as denoting a corruption of the Christian Faith. Now it does not imply a corruption of the Christian faith, if a man has a false opinion in matters that are not of faith, for instance, in questions of geometry and so forth, which cannot belong to the faith by any means; but only when a person has a false opinion about things belonging to the faith.

Now a thing may be of the faith in two ways, as stated above, in one way, directly and principally, e.g. the articles of faith; in another way, indirectly and secondarily, e.g. those matters, the denial of which leads to the corruption of some article of faith; and there may be heresy in either way, even as there can be faith.

Summa, IIa IIae, Q.11, a.2, respondeo (emphasis added).

For example, Our Lord Jesus Christ is both God and Man. One heresy claimed that He is God only (not Man) and an opposite heresy claimed that He is Man only (not God).

Among the liberals in the Church there has been a tendency to minimize the need for baptism, as a step toward promoting the heresy of universal salvation. Here is Pope John Paul II promoting false pan-religious “holiness” without the need for baptism:

O God of infinite majesty! The Trappist or the Carthusian confesses this God by a whole life of silence. The Bedouin wandering in the desert turns toward him when the hour of prayer approaches. And this Buddhist monk absorbed in contemplation, who purifies his spirit in turning it towards Nirvana: but is it only towards Nirvana? ... The Church of the Living God unites in her precisely these peoples who in some manner participate to this admirable and fundamental transcendence of the human spirit, because she knows that no one can appease the most profound aspirations of this spirit but He alone, the God of infinite majesty.

Karol Wojtyla (i.e., Pope John Paul II), The Sign of Contradiction, Ed. Fayard, 1979, pp. 31-32.

Opposing this noxious heresy, Fr. Leonard Feeney countered it with an opposite heresy. He falsified Catholic doctrine by claiming that no one could ever go to heaven without sacramental baptism (i.e., with water). In this way, Fr. Feeney fell into the opposite heresy of denying the Catholic doctrine of Baptism of Blood and Baptism of Desire. Feeneyism masquerades as part of the traditional Catholic Faith because—although erroneous itself—it opposes conciliar minimizing of the need for baptism.

Part of our duty to continually study our Catholic Faith involves our duty to prepare to fight for our Faith by studying the errors opposed to the Faith. Below, we examine the Catholic doctrine of Baptism of Blood and Baptism of Desire and the opposing error, feeneyism.

The Sacraments are a very great help to salvation. For example, Our Lord taught the necessity of Baptism, in these words:

St. John’s Gospel, 3:5.

Our Lord was equally emphatic that the Blessed Eucharist is necessary for salvation. Here are His words:

St. John’s Gospel, 6:54

Plainly, Our Lord’s words show us that Baptism and Holy Communion are not optional. They are not something we can choose to “take or leave”.

St. Thomas Aquinas, the greatest Doctor of the Catholic Church, follows St. Augustine, the Doctor of Grace, explaining this truth as follows:

The sacrament of Baptism is said to be necessary for salvation in so far as man cannot be saved without, at least, Baptism of desire; “which, with God, counts for the deed” (St. Augustine, Enarr. in Ps. 57).

Summa, III, Q.68, a.2, ad 3.

To save our souls, we are obliged to receive these Sacraments at their due time, i.e., at the time the Catholic Church wants us to receive them.

In usual cases (where there is no imminent danger of death), the Catholic Church does not allow an adult convert to be baptized as soon as he converts and asks for Baptism. There are three good reasons to wait, as St. Thomas Aquinas explains:

Baptism should not be conferred on adults as soon as they are converted, but it should be deferred until some fixed time.

First, as a safeguard to the Church, lest she be deceived through baptizing those who come to her under false pretenses, according to 1 John 4:1: “Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, if they be of God." And those who approach Baptism are put to this test, when their faith and morals are subjected to proof for a space of time.

Second, this is needful as being useful for those who are baptized; for they require a certain space of time in order to be fully instructed in the faith, and to be drilled in those things that pertain to the Christian mode of life.

Third, a certain reverence for the sacrament demands a delay whereby men are admitted to Baptism at the principal festivities, viz. of Easter and Pentecost, the result being that they receive the sacrament with greater devotion.

Summa, III, Q.68, a.3, respondeo.

Although it is true that we must accept Baptism, just like Holy Communion, the feeneyites (i.e., the followers of Fr. Leonard Feeney) falsely claim that it is impossible to go to heaven without sacramental Baptism (i.e., with water). They break with Catholic Tradition and promote the error that God does not bring anyone to heaven who has not received sacramental Baptism (i.e., with water). In other words, the feeneyites deny that a person can go to heaven with Baptism of Blood or Baptism of Desire.

The feeneyites insist on their position, wrongly quoting these words of Our Lord, also quoted above:

St. John’s Gospel, 3:5.

The feeneyite’s rejection of Baptism of Desire and Baptism of Blood falsifies the meaning of Our Lord’s words, as would a claim that it is impossible to go to heaven without receiving sacramental Holy Communion, based on a false understanding of these words of Our Lord, also quoted above:

St. John’s Gospel, 6:54

The Catholic Church teaches that Our Lord commands us to receive those Sacraments. However, Our Lord Himself is not limited by His command to us that we must receive the Sacraments. For example, despite the truth of Our Lord’s words that we must eat His Flesh, it is possible to go to heaven without sacramental Holy Communion, e.g., when an infant is baptized and dies before receiving Holy Communion.

God can give sanctifying grace to someone who has not been baptized.

Although Our Lord has commanded everyone to be baptized, He can choose to give sanctifying grace to someone without Baptism. If God gives sanctifying grace to someone who has not been baptized, then that person has this effect of Baptism, even without the sacrament of Baptism itself.

Here is how St. Thomas explains this truth:

The sacrament of Baptism may be wanting to someone in two ways. First, both in reality and in desire; as is the case with those who neither are baptized, nor wished to be baptized: which clearly indicates contempt of the sacrament, in regard to those who have the use of the freewill. Consequently, those to whom Baptism is wanting thus, cannot obtain salvation: since neither sacramentally nor mentally are they incorporated in Christ, through Whom alone can salvation be obtained.

Secondly, the sacrament of Baptism may be wanting to anyone in reality but not in desire: for instance, when a man wishes to be baptized, but by some ill-chance he is forestalled by death before receiving Baptism. And such a man can obtain salvation without being actually baptized, on account of his desire for Baptism, which desire is the outcome of "faith that worketh by charity," whereby God, Whose power is not tied to visible sacraments, sanctifies man inwardly.

Summa, III, Q.68, a.2, respondeo (emphasis added).

Baptism of Desire and Baptism of Blood are terms which mean that God gave this effect (viz., sanctifying grace) of the sacrament of Baptism, to a person who has not received the sacrament itself. If someone dies with sanctifying grace, he goes to heaven even if he never received the sacrament of baptism (i.e., with water) and so dies without the character of Baptism on his soul.

St. Peter teaches: “he that feareth [God], and worketh justice, is acceptable to Him.” Acts of the Apostles, 10:35.

Here is how St. Thomas Aquinas teaches this important truth, quoting St. Augustine:

Sanctifying Grace is given chiefly in order that man's soul may be united to God by charity. Wherefore Augustine says (De Trin. xv, 18): “A man is not transferred from the left side to the right, unless he receives the Holy Ghost, by Whom he is made a lover of God and of his neighbor.”

Summa, IIa IIae, Q.172, a.4, respondeo.

St. Thomas adds: “Man is not justified from sin save by grace” and “the very least grace is sufficient to ... merit eternal life.” Summa, III, Q.62, a.6, ad3.

Thus, it is clear that everyone who dies with Sanctifying Grace goes to heaven even if he has not received sacramental Baptism. By contrast, no one without Sanctifying Grace ever goes to heaven.

Again, God can do this when He chooses to do so and our Catholic Faith tells us so.

In Baptism of Blood, being a martyr for Christ takes the place of sacramental Baptism to the extent of receiving the sanctifying grace necessary to go to heaven.

Here is how St. Thomas explains this truth:

For the shedding of one's blood for Christ’s sake takes the place of Baptism. Wherefore just as in the case of baptized children the merit of Christ is conducive to the acquisition of glory through the baptismal grace, so in those who were slain for Christ's sake the merit of Christ's martyrdom is conducive to the acquisition of the martyr’s palm.

Summa, IIa IIae, Q.124, a.1, ad 1.

In fact, even without receiving Baptism, being a martyr for Christ remits all punishment due to past sins and results in going straight to heaven (i.e., without going to Purgatory).

Here is how St. Thomas explains this important truth:

No man obtains eternal life unless he be free from all guilt and debt of punishment. Now this plenary absolution is given when a man receives Baptism, or suffers martyrdom: for which reason it is stated that martyrdom “contains all the sacramental virtue of Baptism”, i.e., as to the full deliverance from guilt and punishment.

Summa, III, Q.68, a.2, ad 2 (quoting a treatise called The Dogma of the Church).

Baptism of Desire requires us to earnestly desire what is necessary for salvation. Supereminently, this involves an explicit desire for the sacrament of Baptism itself,

Regarding Baptism of Desire, St. Thomas explains that:

A man who desires to be “born again of water and the Holy Ghost” by Baptism, is regenerated in heart though not in body.

Summa, III, Q.68, a.2, ad 1 (emphasis added).

St. Thomas, following St. Augustine, explains that a person can have the effect of baptism (viz., sanctifying grace) without the outward physical actions of the sacrament. Here is St. Thomas’s explanation:

[Saint] Augustine says (Super Levit. lxxxiv) that “some have received the invisible sanctification without visible sacraments, and to their profit; but though it is possible to have the visible sanctification, consisting in a visible sacrament, without the invisible sanctification, it will be to no profit.” Since, therefore, the sacrament of Baptism pertains to the visible sanctification, it is seen that a man can obtain salvation without the sacrament of Baptism, by means of the invisible sanctification.

Summa, III, Q.68, a.2, sed contra.

As an example of Baptism of Desire, St. Thomas explains that a man is obliged not to receive baptism from a priest who demands to be paid for performing the Baptism. This is the mortal sin of simony. A man would have to refuse to participate in such simony. If this were the only way to obtain the sacrament, the man would be obliged to refuse the sacrament and would have Baptism of Desire. Here are St. Thomas’s words:

In a case of necessity anyone may baptize. And since nowise ought one to sin, if the priest be unwilling to baptize without being paid, one must act as though there were no priest available for the Baptism. Hence the person who is in charge of the child can, in such a case, lawfully baptize him, or cause him to be baptized by anyone else. ... But if it were an adult in danger of death that wished to be baptized, and the priest were unwilling to baptize him without being paid, he ought, if possible, to be baptized by someone else. And if he is unable to have recourse to another, he must by no means pay a price for Baptism, and should rather die without being baptized, because for him the Baptism of Desire would supply the lack of the sacrament.

Summa, IIa IIae, Q.100, a.2, ad 1 (emphasis added).

although the desire of Baptism could possibly be implicit rather than explicit.

Here is how St. Thomas Aquinas explains this important truth:

A man receives the forgiveness of sins before Baptism in so far as he has Baptism of Desire, explicitly or implicitly ....

Summa, III, Q.69, a.4, ad 2.

God can give Baptism of Desire (i.e., sanctifying grace) to someone but this person still must obtain sacramental Baptism when (and if) possible, both because Our Lord commands this (St. John’s Gospel, 3:5) and also because sacramental Baptism increases his grace and virtue.

Here is how St. Thomas Aquinas explains this important truth:

A man receives the forgiveness of sins before Baptism in so far as he has Baptism of Desire, explicitly or implicitly; and yet when he actually receives Baptism, he receives a fuller remission, as to the remission of the entire punishment.

Summa, III, Q.69, a.4, ad 2 (emphasis added).

St. Thomas adds regarding those who received Baptism of Desire:

[They] receive grace and virtues through their faith in Christ and their desire for Baptism, implicit or explicit: but afterwards when baptized, they receive a yet greater fullness of grace and virtues. Hence in Ps. 22:2, "He hath brought me up on the water of refreshment," a gloss [an important commentary] says: "He has brought us up by an increase of virtue and good deeds in Baptism."

Summa, III, Q.69, a.4, ad 2 (bracketed explanation added).

Baptism of Desire requires the use of reason to understand and desire Baptism and salvation. Thus, babies are incapable of Baptism of Desire. If they die without sacramental Baptism, they die without grace and cannot go to heaven.

Whether baptism should be deferred, St. Thomas Aquinas explains:

In this matter we must make a distinction and see whether those who are to be baptized are children or adults. For if they be children, Baptism should not be deferred. First, because in them we do not look for better instruction or fuller conversion. Secondly, because of the danger of death, for no other remedy is available for them besides the sacrament of Baptism. On the other hand, adults have a remedy in the mere desire for Baptism ....

Summa, III, Q.69, a.3, respondeo.

Catechumen-Martyrs who had Baptism of Blood

Baptism of Blood and Baptism of Desire have actually occurred. They are not mere abstract theories.

We know that various martyrs went to heaven through Baptism of Blood, dying for Christ, although they did not have sacramental Baptism (i.e., with water). One of these martyrs is St. Victor of Braga. Here is what the Roman Martyrology teaches us about him:

Another catechumen-martyr is St. Emerentiana, whose traditional feast day is January 23rd.

Saints Rhais and Hericlides are two additional catechumen-martyrs:

These martyrs were catechumens. That is, they never received sacramental baptism (i.e., with water). But they went to heaven through having received Baptism of Blood. This is not contrary to Our Lord’s words about the necessity of sacramental Baptism. These martyrs did not show contempt for that sacrament. Rather, God called them to testify with their blood before they finished the preparation which the Catholic Church required of them prior to the sacrament of Baptism. Each one of those martyrs was “baptized in his own blood” (as the Roman Martyrology remarked about St. Victor of Braga).

Of course, as Our Lord teaches (St. John’s Gospel, 3:5), these martyrs would have been required to receive sacramental Baptism, had they lived longer.

Faithful and informed Catholics accept the doctrine of Baptism of Blood.

Valentinian II, an example of Baptism of Desire

Faithful and informed Catholics not only accept the doctrine of Baptism of Blood, but also of Baptism of Desire.

St. Ambrose, Doctor of the Church, gives us an example of someone who received Baptism of Desire, viz., the Roman Emperor Valentinian II. This young emperor was a catechumen and a disciple of St. Ambrose who would have been baptized soon, had he lived.

Butler’s Lives of the Saints, under the feast of St. Ambrose, December 7.

St. Ambrose was on his way to baptize Valentinian II. While the emperor waited for him, Valentinian II showed his eager anticipation by frequently saying: “Shall I be so happy as to see my father?” [i.e., his father in the faith, St. Ambrose]. Id.

Before St. Ambrose arrived, Valentinian II was killed by one of his generals. Id. Valentinian II was not martyred for the Catholic Faith. But he did have Baptism of Desire. Although St. Ambrose was unable to baptize him, Valentinian II received the spiritual regeneration which he so earnestly sought. Here are St. Ambrose’s words at Valentinian II’s funeral:

Of course, as Our Lord teaches, Valentinian II would have been required to receive sacramental Baptism, had he lived longer. Also, although St. Ambrose assures us that Valentinian II had Baptism of Desire, this does not mean that he went straight to heaven. He might have had temporal punishment to remit in Purgatory.

Here is how St. Thomas explains this important point:

No man obtains eternal life unless he be free from all guilt and debt of punishment. Now this plenary absolution is given when a man receives Baptism, or suffers martyrdom: for which reason is it stated that martyrdom “contains all the sacramental virtue of Baptism”, i.e., as to the full deliverance from guilt and punishment.

[St. Thomas then adds regarding a catechumen with the desire for Baptism and who has charity] such a one, were he to die, would not forthwith come to eternal life, but would suffer punishment for his past sins, “but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire” as is stated 1 Cor. 3:15.

Summa, III, Q.68, a.2, ad 2.

Catholic Candle preface to the article (below) on feeneyism

God can give sanctifying grace to someone who has not been baptized.

Catechumen-Martyrs who had Baptism of Blood

Valentinian II, an example of Baptism of Desire

God can choose to give someone Baptism of Desire even if that person was not about to die.

Conclusion