Vol 9 Issue 40 ~ Editor: Rev. Fr. Courtney Edward KrierSeptember 3, 2016 ~ Pope St Pius X, opn!
The Christophers. One episode, The Third Devil
1. Baptism: Means of Salvation (84)
2. Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
3. St. Rose of Viterbo
4. Christ in the Home (58)
5. Articles and notices
Dear Reader:
In the early ’50’s there was a program called The Christophers. One episode, The Third Devil, presented the argument: Wait till tomorrow. That is, wait till tomorrow to put off your conversion, your repentance, receiving the sacraments—but tomorrow never comes and the unconverted, unrepentant, un-confessed ends up in Hell. Certainly such a film would not be presented today because modern sensibility could not put anyone in Hell, even among Catholics. How did this come about? The neo-Modernists, under the guidance of Karl Barth (Protestant) and Hans Ur vonBalthasar (Catholic) developed a new theological concept called Universal Salvation. In their theory, taking the words of Paul to Timothy: Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:4.) Giving this quote a Spinozian fatalistic absolute that is diametrical of Nietzsche’s God is dead, these liberal theologians claimed that if God wills the salvation of all, then all must be saved—in a sort of God is alive. Now, if all men are saved, how do you address the claim of Churches that deny salvation outside their church? Their response (Barth and VonBalthasar) was that these Churches (including the Catholic Church) were misguided by the culture of their times (because Scripture is interpreted by culture in their theological concept) and that in this more enlightened age where a theme of universal brotherhood is more acceptable and toleration civilly is more desirable that it would also bring religions together where all paths lead to God, since truth is understood (phenomenologically) according to one’s experience. Therefore, (Conciliar) Catholics cannot claim a monopoly on salvation, only on having a greater participation in the “mystery” of salvation. As truth, then, subsists in the (Conciliar) Catholic Church, so it does in a lesser degree in the other churches—keeping in mind that the Catholic Church was the largest single Religion until now where it is being surpassed by the Mohammedans; but Mohammedanism wasn’t the largest prior to 1960. Since Vatican II the Conciliar Church has been propagating this Universal Salvation concept, announcing first the Orthodox Church is not outside the Church, and continuing to add more sects to the list of possessing salvation and, especially under Joseph Ratzinger, making it clear even the Jews possess salvation. Bergoglio has been making strides to show the Protestant Churches possess salvation and gave out the statement that Atheists also possess salvation. What does this mean? Well, for our youth—which they have been indoctrinated with this concept that all religions are good—one has seen fulfilled that which Pope Leo XIII stated regarding Religious indifferentism:
To hold, therefore, that there is no difference in matters of religion between forms that are unlike each other, and even contrary to each other, most clearly leads in the end to the rejection of all religion in both theory and practice. And this is the same thing as atheism, however it may differ from it in name. (Immortale Dei, 1 November 1888, par. 31.)
Therefore, no one is seeking salvation and which means all are lost. This argument of Universal Salvation by the neo-Modernists ends salvation and all will end up in Hell. A better argument than the Third Devil.
The Will of God that wills salvation will be explained in the next issue.
As always, enjoy the readings and commentaries provided for your benefit. —The Editor
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Baptism
Means of Salvation
Sacrament of Baptism
Rituale Romanum
(Continued)
Anointing with Oil of Catechumens
- The priest dips his thumb in the Oil of Catechumens, and in the form of a cross anoints the child on the breast and between the shoulders on the back, saying only once for the two anointings:
I anoint + thee with the oil of salvation in Christ Jesus, our Lord, that thou mayest have life everlasting. R. Amen.
- Thereupon he wipes his thumb and the places anointed with cotton or similar material.
Commentary:
Living a life of renunciation is difficult but the candidate is to now live a Christlike life. To strengthen the child, the child is anointed with the Oil of the Catechumens.
. . . [T]he person to be baptized needs strength from above. Therefore immediately after this he is anointed with holy oil (oil of the Catechumens) on the breast and between the shoulders. A Christian ought to fight against Satan and the wicked world and wicked pleasure. A Christian ought to carry the yoke of Christ, that is, faithfully keep God’s Commandments. God’s grace must make him strong for that purpose. (While Augustine was still a heathen, his heart often became heavy within him, when he thought: As a Christian I ought to live chastely and temperately, overcome pride, love my enemies. He imagined that all that was simply impossible for him. Then he received Holy Baptism and behold, everything became easy for him. Now he understood the words of Christ: “My yoke is sweet and My burden light.”) (Baierl, 36)
The priest anoints the child with the holy oils as the prophets and high priests of old anointed the priests and kings to express they were the anointed of God. Saint Peter writes, you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9). Christ is the anointed King and Priest. The name Christ means anointed and so the Christian, putting on the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Rom. 13:14.), is anointed. A Catholic usually receives the anointing with oils four times in life. This first anointing is to prepare one for baptism and to express that one is the elect of God. After baptism the child will be anointed with Sacred Chrism to express that the child is a temple of the Holy Ghost. Then there are the two Sacraments, Confirmation and Extreme Unction. As Extreme Unction is referred to as the Last Anointing (Extreme Unction), so this is referred as the first anointing.
The anointing completed, the solemn moment has come for the child to be baptized. The purple stole of repentance and penance is exchanged for the white stole of life and joy to remind us of the joy the Church experiences in the birth of a new member, receiving the white garment of sanctifying grace once the waters purify the child of original sin.
Rituale:
Within the Baptistery
- Remaining in the same place outside the baptistery gates, he exchanges the purple stole for a white one. Then he enters the baptistery, followed by the sponsor with the child. At the baptismal font he interrogates the candidate by name, with the sponsor giving the answer:
N., dost thou believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?
Sponsor: I do believe.
Dost thou believe in Jesus Christ, his Sole-Begotten Son, our Lord, Who was born unto us and Who suffered for us?
Sponsor: I do believe.
Priest: Dost thou believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
Sponsor: I do believe.
- He says to the candidate, calling him by name:
N., wilt thou be baptized?
Sponsor: I will.
Commentary:
Again, the child is then asked if he believes in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. This is not because there are three gods, but because in God there are three Persons. It is a necessity to the nature of God. Since God is Love (1 John 4:8), and Love must be between two persons, it follows God’s Love, the Holy Ghost is between the Father and the Son. This allows a relationship between the child and God the Father, because there is now Love between the Father and the child. So the child will be baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
The final question, Do you wish to be baptized? is now asked. As man by yielding the assent of his will to the wicked suggestions of Satan, fell under a just sentence of condemnation so God will have none enrolled in the number of His soldiers but those whose service is voluntary, that by a willing obedience to His commands they may obtain eternal salvation—reminiscent of thesacramentum or oath of Roman soldiers (cf. Miller, 426). After an answer in the affirmative has been given by the child or by the sponsor, the priest immediately performs the salutary ablution.
Rituale:
The Baptism
- With the godfather or godmother (or both if two have been selected) holding the child, the priest takes baptismal water with the ladle, pours it thrice in the form of a cross upon the child’s head, and simultaneously pronounces only once distinctly and attentively the following words:
N., I baptize thee in the name of the Father+ (here he pours the first time), and of the Son+ (pouring a second time), and of the Holy + Spirit (pouring a third time).
- But where it is the custom to baptize by immersion, the priest takes the infant, and handling it carefully so that it will not be injured, he baptizes with a threefold immersion, pronouncing the words only once:
N., I baptize thee in the name of the Father+, and of the Son +, and of the Holy+ Spirit
- Forthwith the godfather or godmother (or both of them together if there are two) lifts the child from the holy font, receiving it from the hands of the priest.
- If there is doubt whether the child has been baptized before, the following form is used:
N., if thou art not baptized, I baptize thee in the name of the Father+, and of the Son+, and of the Holy+ Spirit.
Commentary:
At this moment the Holy Ghost comes down upon the one baptized and purifies his soul and decorates it with the wonderful garment of sanctifying grace.(Baierl, 37) The child, baptized, is a child of God the Father, a brother of Jesus Christ, and the temple of the Holy Ghost.
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