Fr. Harrison corrects The Wanderer for their misinterpretation of Cantate Domino

The following is a scan from the current issue of the Wanderer (Vol 143, No.7- Feb 17, 2011) in which Fr. Harrison corrects them for their misinterpretation of Cantate Domino.

I have not seen the previous issue with the Wanderer article where they contradict Cantate Domino. If you have it please let me know. I would like to get my hands on it.


CLICK ON IMAGE TO READ FULL ARTICLE!!!

Good for Fr. Harrison! Excellent reply.

Good article. However, I wish that Father Harrison would have pointed out the fact that original sin, in addition to personal sin, is sufficient in and of itself to send someone to at least the Hell of Separation, also known as Limbo. Only Baptism, or at least the implicit desire for it, in addition to explicit faith in Christ would cleanse one's soul from the stain of original sin.

Jehanne wrote:Only Baptism, or at least the implicit desire for it, in addition to explicit faith in Christ would cleanse one's soul from the stain of original sin.

Someone get the smelling salt ... this can't be. I must be hallucinating.

No, you're not. I consider the "implicit desire" arguments regarding Baptism to be irrelevant to Father Feeney's teachings. If someone has explicit faith in Christ and genuine, albeit, implicit desire for Baptism, then the One and Triune God is certainly capable of insuring that such an individual does not pass from this life without Baptism of Water. Likewise, if some virtuous Jew, pagan, infidel, etc., lives a virtuous life but dies without explicit faith in Christ but also without mortal sin, the One and Triune God may have seen to it that such an individual was baptized in his or infancy, without that person's knowledge. For me, this is a more pleasing theological solution than Father Harrison's "salutary repentance" at death, because it ensures, absolutely, the salvation of the "non-Catholic" (sic). However, Father Harrison's solution is perfectly orthodox.

WOW! Nice find Rasha!! Good for Fr. Harrison! I thought he was starting to chicken out. I haven't heard much from him (except through Jim).

There is one problem I have though, and it is a detail worth noting, Fr. Harrison wrote:"... if those who don't yet know the Gospel persevere in following conscience and natural law to the best of their ability, then God will somehow see to it, by either ordinary or extraordinary means, that they hear the Gospel and receive the gift of faith in Christ before the moment of death."

It is not OUR ability but our reception to the graces God gives. This is a common mistake by BoDers.
We can NOT earn salvation! Nothing we do can merit the gift of Faith. The impression from his comment is that if a person follows his conscience he will earn the gift/grace of Faith, but he should have said that the person responding to the graces God gives to follow his conscience. My protestant friends would notice his comment as semi-peleginan and I believe they would be right. Vatican II makes it clear that these people NEED to accept the graces that lead to Faith and salvation:
“…Those who through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ of
His Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and moved by grace, try
in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience –
those too may achieve eternal salvation." Lumen Gentium 2, 16

There are no good works done by ourselves to merit the grace of Faith. It is a gift given to those who respond to the Actual Graces given by God, which lead us to salvation (=Sacrament of Baptism--sorry MRyan- I am still holding on to The sacrament is necessary in the new dispensation -no exceptions ) I don't think Fr. Harrison would disagree with my critique, of the necessity of grace to lead us to follow our conscience. It is already clearly understood by him, I am sure, but clarity is necessary in this dialog.

That being said, brovo for him!! at least to Wanderer people his point is SHOCKING! and closer than most of Wanderer readers have ever seen.

Father Harrison is following Saint Thomas:

"Everyone is bound to believe something explicitly...even if someone is brought up in the forest or among wild beasts. For it pertains to Divine Providence to furnish everyone with what is necessary for salvation, provided that on his part there is no hindrance. Thus, if someone so brought up followed the direction of natural reason in seeking good and avoiding evil, we must most certainly hold that God would either reveal to him through internal inspiration what had to be believed, or he would send some preacher of the faith to him as He sent Peter to Cornelius (Acts 10:20)."

More here:

http://www.marycoredemptrix.com/CenterReview/3_2005_Native.pdf