Is Feeneyism Catholic? - Society of St. Pius X

112 IS F EENEYISM C ATHOLIC?
man to die before he could fulfill his will to be baptized, he could
be saved.
St. Thomas, relying on St. Augustine, precisely refers to the
primacy of the interior union with Christ in his article on the necessity
of baptism, Summa Theologica, III, Q.68, A.2:
Sed contra: St. Augustine wrote (super Levit. Q.84) that “the
invisible sanctification has been given and has benefited to some
without the visible sacraments; on the contrary the visible sanctification,
consisting in the visible sacrament, can exist but not
benefit without the invisible sanctification.” 164
Union with God is beautifully described by St. John: “God is
charity: and he that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God
in him” (I Jn. 4:16). “Love therefore is the fulfilling of the law”
(Rom. 13:10).
CAN FR. FEENEY AND HIS FOLLOWERS
BE CALLED “HERETICS”?
The decree of excommunication of Fr. Feeney, approved and
confirmed by Pope Pius XII on February 12, 1953, does not mention
the charge of heretic, but rather that of a “grievous disobedience
to the Authority of the Church.” One cannot condemn
them more than the Church did, so one should not say that they
are formal “heretics.”
However if, after one has explained to them properly the
Catholic doctrine on baptism of desire (not the liberal doctrine),
they publicly, stubbornly, “pertinaciously” refuse to correct themselves
and “to hold fast to the doctrine of the Fathers” (Pope Innocent
III), I cannot see how they could be excused of a grievous sin
of temerity against the Faith, together with a sin of pride! Thus
they could be denied Holy Communion.
WHAT ABOUT THE LETTER OF THE HOLY OFFICE
TO CARDINAL CUSHING (JULY 27, 1949)?
The followers of Fr. Feeney make some controversy around
this letter, due to the fact that it has been abusively interpreted by
some as an opening for “salvation outside the Church.” For in-
164 Also, ST, III, Q.68, A.2, ad 1, see p.73.