Pope Pius IX (1846-1878) On Promotion of False Doctrines
Videos within...
Videos within...
"Here, too, our beloved sons
and venerable brothers, it is again necessary to mention and censure a very
grave error entrapping some Catholics who believe that it is possible to arrive
at eternal salvation although living in error and alienated from the true faith
and Catholic unity.
Such belief is certainly opposed to Catholic teaching.
There are, of course, those who are struggling with invincible ignorance about
our most holy religion. Sincerely observing the natural law and its precepts
inscribed by God on all hearts and ready to obey God, they live honest lives
and are able to attain eternal life by the efficacious virtue of divine light
and grace. Because God knows, searches and clearly understands the minds,
hearts, thoughts, and nature of all, his supreme kindness and clemency do not
permit anyone at all who is not guilty of deliberate sin to suffer eternal
punishments."
"Also well known is the
Catholic teaching that no one can be saved outside the Catholic Church. Eternal
salvation cannot be obtained by those who oppose the authority and statements
of the same Church and are stubbornly separated from the unity of the Church
and also from the successor of Peter, the Roman Pontiff, to whom 'the custody
of the vineyard has been committed by the Savior.'(Ecumenical Council of
Chalcedon in its letter to Pope Leo.) The words of Christ are clear enough: 'If
he refuses to listen even to the Church, let him be to you a Gentile and a tax
collector;'(Mt 15.17.) 'He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you,
rejects me, and he who rejects me, rejects him who sent me;'(Lk 10.16.) 'He who
does not believe will be condemned;'(Mk 16.16.) 'He who does not believe is
already condemned;'(Jn 3.18.) 'He who is not with me is against me, and he who
does not gather with me scatters.'(Lk 11.23.) The Apostle Paul says that such
persons are 'perverted and self-condemned;'(Ti 3.11.) the Prince of the
Apostles calls them 'false teachers . . . who will secretly bring in
destructive heresies, even denying the Master. . . bringing upon themselves
swift destruction. "
[Quanto Conficiamur Moerore, August
10, 1863.]