Is Feeneyism Catholic? - Society of St. Pius X

66 IS F EENEYISM C ATHOLIC?
tion in mind, let us consider of which desire St. Gregory speaks
here.
Those who “are not in a position to receive it” are for instance
those who, as infants, do not have the use of reason: in this case,
St. Gregory exhorts those who are responsible for them not to delay
their baptism. Notice that St. Gregory exposes here the principle
of limbo: these will be “neither glorified nor punished by the
righteous Judge.” That only applies to those without the use of
reason. (Some followers of Fr. Feeney would like us to think that
infants in limbo suffer like in hell).
Others “are not in a position to receive it” but may have a
“wish” for it, as in the case of “tyranny,” i.e., that they are under
tyrannical authority preventing them from being baptized in spite
of their wish. But what kind of wish is it? The key sentence is
there: “If you judge the murderously disposed man by his will
alone, apart from the act of murder, then you may reckon as baptized
him who desired baptism apart from the reception of baptism.”
Now, if it were a firm will and resolution, such a sentence is
only true of the human judge, but not of God: “for man seeth
those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart” (I Kg
16:7); a human judge cannot condemn nor punish an interior sin
nor reward an interior act of virtue, because he cannot see within
the heart; hence the Church can never hold for certain that someone
has baptism of desire. 97 But it is most sure that God, who sees
the heart, does punish interior sins as the exterior: “But I say to
you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath
already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt. 5:28).
Given that murder is even worse than adultery, were St. Gregory
speaking of such a real resolution and firm will, he could not say
that “the murderously disposed man” would not be judged and
condemned by God in case he is prevented from the exterior act
of murder. Now, since God is more prompt to mercy than to punishment,
and, as we have seen, He does punish sinful firm will
and resolution even apart from the act, how much more does he
reward righteous firm will and resolution even apart from the act,
97 Baptism of blood is clearly exteriorly manifested, to give one’s life for Christ
and the true Faith is even the greatest profession of Faith! Hence the Church
can canonize such persons, but never one with merely baptism of desire.