Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus: There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church.
Baptism of Blood and Baptism of Desire, however, most certainly exist and must be held "De Fide", as articles of Faith. The Fathers, Doctors, popes, and theologians, have attested to this including St. Cyprian, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Fulgentius, St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologiae, IIIa, Q. 68, A.2), St. Peter Canisius, St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Pope Innocent II, Pope Innocent III, the Council of Trent, Pope Pius IX, Pope St. Pius X and Pope Pius XII. The following authoritative citations provide the proper Catholic understanding of this doctrine.
The Church also honors many Saints who gave their lives
for Christ but who never received the Sacrament of Baptism, i.e. Baptism
of Water, such as St. Emerentiana, Feast day January 23rd, who while still
a catechumen was stoned to death praying at the tomb of her foster-sister
St. Agnes.
The Council of Trent, The Sixth Session, Decree on
Justification.
Celebrated on the thirteenth day of the month of January, 1547.
Chapter IV.
A description is introduced of the Justification of the impious,
and of the Manner thereof under the law of grace.
By which words, a description of the Justification of the impious is
indicated,-as being a translation, from that state wherein man is born
a child of the first Adam, to the state of grace, and of the adoption of
the sons of God,
through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, our Saviour. And this translation,
since the promulgation of the Gospel,
cannot be effected, without the laver of regeneration, or the desire
thereof, as it is written; unless a man be born
again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the Kingdom
of God.
Extract from St Alphonsus deLiguori: Moral Theology, Bk. 6, nn. 95-7.
Concerning Baptism
Translation of St. Alphonsus graciously provided by Mr. John S. Daly E-mail: john.daly@easynet.fr
Baptism, therefore, coming from a Greek word that means ablution or immersion in water, is distinguished into Baptism of water ["fluminis"], of desire ["flaminis" = wind] and of blood.
We shall speak below of Baptism of water, which was very probably instituted before the passion of Christ the Lord, when Christ was baptised by John. But Baptism of desire is perfect conversion to God by contrition or love of God above all things accompanied by an explicit or implicit desire for true Baptism of water, the place of which it takes as to the remission of guilt, but not as to the impression of the [baptismal] character or as to the removal of all debt of punishment. It is called "of wind" ["flaminis"] because it takes place by the impulse of the Holy Ghost who is called a wind ["flamen"]. Now it is de fide that men are also saved by Baptism of desire, by virtue of the Canon Apostolicam, "de presbytero non baptizato" and of the Council of Trent, session 6, Chapter 4 where it is said that no one can be saved "without the laver of regeneration or the desire for it".
Baptism of blood is the shedding of one's blood, i.e. death, suffered for the Faith or for some other Christian virtue. Now this Baptism is comparable to true Baptism because, like true Baptism, it remits both guilt and punishment as it were ex opere operato. I say as it were because martyrdom does not act by as strict a causality ["non ita stricte"] as the sacraments, but by a certain privilege on account of its resemblance to the passion of Christ. Hence martyrdom avails also for infants seeing that the Church venerates the Holy Innocents as true martyrs. That is why Suarez rightly teaches that the opposing view [i.e. the view that infants are not able to benefit from Baptism of blood – translator] is at least temerarious. In adults, however, acceptance of martyrdom is required, at least habitually from a supernatural motive.
It is clear that martyrdom is not a sacrament, because it is not an
action instituted by Christ, and for the same reason neither was the Baptism
of John a sacrament: it did not sanctify a man, but only prepared him for
the coming of Christ.
St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, (1225-1274)
Summa Theologica, Third Part, Question 66, Article
11
[Please note that St. Thomas first lists the objections to the Church's teachings and then refutes them.]
Whether three kinds of Baptism are fittingly described--viz. Baptism of Water, of Blood, and of the Spirit?
Objection 1. It seems that the three kinds of Baptism are not fittingly described as Baptism of Water, of Blood, and of the Spirit, i.e. of the Holy Ghost. Because the Apostle says (Eph. 4:5): "One Faith, one Baptism." Now there is but one Faith. Therefore there should not be three Baptisms.
Objection 2. Further, Baptism is a sacrament, as we have made
clear above (65, 1). Now none but Baptism of
Water is a sacrament. Therefore we should not reckon two other Baptisms.
Objection 3. Further, Damascene (De Fide Orth. iv) distinguishes
several other kinds of Baptism. Therefore we
should admit more than three Baptisms.
On the contrary, on Heb. 6:2, "Of the doctrine of Baptisms,"
the gloss says: "He uses the plural, because there is
Baptism of Water, of Repentance, and of Blood."
I answer that, As stated above (62, 5), Baptism of Water has
its efficacy from Christ's Passion, to which a man is
conformed by Baptism, and also from the Holy Ghost, as first cause.
Now although the effect depends on the first cause, the cause far surpasses
the effect, nor does it depend on it. Consequently, a man may, without
Baptism of
Water, receive the sacramental effect from Christ's Passion, in so
far as he is conformed to Christ by suffering for
Him. Hence it is written (Apoc. 7:14): "These are they who are come
out of great tribulation, and have washed
their robes and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb." In
like manner a man receives the effect of
Baptism by the power of the Holy Ghost, not only without Baptism of
Water, but also without Baptism of Blood:
forasmuch as his heart is moved by the Holy Ghost to believe in and
love God and to repent of his sins:
wherefore this is also called Baptism of Repentance. Of this it is
written (Is. 4:4): "If the Lord shall wash away the
filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall wash away the blood of Jerusalem
out of the midst thereof, by the spirit
of judgment, and by the spirit of burning." Thus, therefore, each of
these other Baptisms is called Baptism,
forasmuch as it takes the place of Baptism. Wherefore Augustine says
(De Unico Baptismo Parvulorum iv): "The
Blessed Cyprian argues with considerable reason from the thief to whom,
though not baptized, it was said: 'Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise'
that suffering can take the place of Baptism. Having weighed this in my
mind
again and again, I perceive that not only can suffering for the name
of Christ supply for what was lacking in
Baptism, but even faith and conversion of heart, if perchance on account
of the stress of the times the celebration of the mystery of Baptism is
not practicable."
Reply to Objection 1. The other two Baptisms are included in
the Baptism of Water, which derives its efficacy,
both from Christ's Passion and from the Holy Ghost. Consequently for
this reason the unity of Baptism is not
destroyed.
Reply to Objection 2. As stated above (60, 1), a sacrament is
a kind of sign. The other two, however, are like the
Baptism of Water, not, indeed, in the nature of sign, but in the baptismal
effect. Consequently they are not
sacraments.
Reply to Objection 3. Damascene enumerates certain figurative
Baptisms. For instance, "the Deluge" was a figure
of our Baptism, in respect of the salvation of the faithful in the
Church; since then "a few . . . souls were saved in
the ark [Vulg.: 'by water'," according to 1 Pt. 3:20. He also mentions
"the crossing of the Red Sea": which was a
figure of our Baptism, in respect of our delivery from the bondage
of sin; hence the Apostle says (1 Cor. 10:2) that "all . . . were baptized
in the cloud and in the sea." And again he mentions "the various washings
which were
customary under the Old Law," which were figures of our Baptism, as
to the cleansing from sins: also "the
Baptism of John," which prepared the way for our Baptism.
St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, (1225-1274)
Summa Theologica, Third Part, Question 68, Article
2
[Please note that St. Thomas first lists the objections to the Church's teachings and then refutes them.]
Whether a man can be saved without Baptism?
Objection 1. It seems that no man can be saved without Baptism.
For our Lord said (John 3:5): "Unless a man be
born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter the kingdom
of God." But those alone are saved who
enter God's kingdom. Therefore none can be saved without Baptism, by
which a man is born again of water and
the Holy Ghost.
Objection 2. Further, in the book De Eccl. Dogm. xli, it is written:
"We believe that no catechumen, though he die
in his good works, will have eternal life, except he suffer martyrdom,
which contains all the sacramental virtue of
Baptism." But if it were possible for anyone to be saved without Baptism,
this would be the case specially with
catechumens who are credited with good works, for they seem to have
the "faith that worketh by charity" (Gal.
5:6). Therefore it seems that none can be saved without Baptism.
Objection 3. Further, as stated above (1; 65, 4), the sacrament
of Baptism is necessary for salvation. Now that is
necessary "without which something cannot be" (Metaph. v). Therefore
it seems that none can obtain salvation
without Baptism.
On the contrary, 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 seems
that a man can obtain salvation without the
sacrament of Baptism, by means of the invisible sanctification.
I answer that, The sacrament or 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
free-will. 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. Hence Ambrose says of Valentinian, who died
while yet a catechumen: "I lost him whom
I was to regenerate: but he did not lose the grace he prayed for."
Reply to Objection 1. As it is written (1 Kgs. 16:7), "man seeth
those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth
the heart." Now a man who desires to be "born again of water and the
Holy Ghost" by Baptism, is regenerated in
heart though not in body. thus the Apostle says (Rm. 2:29) that "the
circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose
praise is not of men but of God."
Reply to Objection 2. 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. Suppose, therefore, a catechumen to have the desire for
Baptism (else he could not be said to die in
his good works, which cannot be without "faith that worketh by 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.
Reply to Objection 3. 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" (Augustine, Enarr. in Ps. 57).
Venerable Pope Pius IX, Singulari Quadam, Allocution
against the Errors of Rationalism and Indifferentism, December 9, 1854
It must indeed be held as being of Faith that nobody can be saved outside
the Apostolic Roman Church, the only ark of salvation, into which if anybody
does not enter he will perish by the flood; but it must nevertheless be
likewise held for certain that those who suffer from ignorance of the
true religion, provided that it is invincible,
will not be held accountable for this.
Venerable Pope Pius IX, Quanto Conficiamur Moerore,
August 10, 1863
And here, beloved Sons and Venerable Brethren, it is necessary once
more to mention and censure the serious
error into which some Catholics have unfortunately fallen. For
they are of the opinion that men who live in errors, estranged from the
true faith and from Catholic unity, can attain eternal life. This
is in direct opposition to
Catholic teaching.
We all know that those who are afflicted with invincible ignorance with
regard to our holy religion, if they
carefully keep the precepts of the natural law that have been written
by God in the hearts of all men, if they are
prepared to obey God, and if they lead a virtuous and dutiful life,
can attain eternal life by the power of divine
light and grace. For God, Who reads comprehensively in every
detail the minds and souls, the thoughts and
habits of all men, will not permit, in accordance with His infinite
goodness and mercy, anyone who is not guilty of a voluntary fault to suffer
eternal torments (suppliciis).
However, also well-known is the Catholic dogma that no one can be saved
outside the Catholic Church, and that
those who obstinately oppose the authority and definitions of the church,
and who stubbornly remain separated
form the unity of the Church and from the successor of Peter, the Roman
Pontiff (to whom the Saviour has
entrusted the care of His vineyard), cannot attain salvation.
Pope St. Pius X, Catechism of Christian Doctrine, para.
132
A person outside the Church by his own fault, and who dies without
perfect contrition, will not be saved. But he
who finds himself outside without fault of his own, and who lives a
good life, can be saved by the love called
charity, which unites unto God, and in a spiritual way also to the
Church, that is, to the soul of the Church.
Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Letter Mystici Corporis,
June 29, 1943
From a heart overflowing with love, we ask each and every one of them
[non-Catholics] to correspond to the
interior movements of grace, and to seek to withdraw from that state
in which they cannot be sure of their
salvation. For even though by an unconscious desire and longing
they have a certain relationship with the
Mystical Body of the Redeemer, they still remain deprived of those
many heavenly gifts and helps which can be
enjoyed only in the Catholic Church.