LETTERS

A Good Read

I have been a great proponent of The Catholic Faith since it was first available. As a DRE at Holy Apostles Church in South Meriden, Connecticut, I insist all my catechists read every issue.

Stephen N. Filippo

Southbury, Connecticut

Thanks

I am a home schooling mother of five and would like to thank you (Father Hardon) for your wonderful magazine. It is a great help to understanding our faith. I am also taking your Catechist Course through Inter Mirifica.

Nancy Gerrity

Santa Maria, California

Salvation

Upon reading Peter W. Kwasniewski's article "Our Lady's Path of Contemplation" in the Nov/Dec 1996 issue of The Catholic Faith, I was surprised by a statement made by Mr. Kwasniewski that is contrary to the teaching of the Catholic Church in regards to salvation. On page 6, he writes,

"Just as there is no salvation outside of belonging to the Catholic Church, there is no communication of divine grace without the intercession of the Virgin Mary, who acts as the channel of God's gifts."

According to Vatican II's Lumen Gentium, there is no salvation outside of the Church of Jesus Christ which subsists in the Catholic Church. This teaching stands in contrast to the claim made by Mr. Kwasniewski. His statement might lead readers to think erroneously that all Protestants and non-Christians will not know salvation. Lumen Gentium, however, states, "many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside of [the Catholic Church's] visible structure."

Although this point is not the focus of his article, Mr. Kwasniewski does make use of it as a premise for his argument in favor of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mediatrix of divine grace. Consequently, he leaves himself open to being discredited.

Thank you for giving this letter your attention. I enjoy your magazine, The Catholic Faith, cover to cover. May the Lord continue to bless your apostolic work.

Rev. Patrick W. Freitag,

Parochial Vicar

St. Mary Magdalen Church

Everett, Washington

Father Hardon replies:

Using the councilor doctrine of Vatican II as a guide, we see that the Church is (in its way) as indispensable as Christ for man's salvation. The reason is that, since His ascension and the descent of the Spirit, the Church is Christ active on earth performing the salvific work for which He was sent into the world by the Father. Accordingly, the Church is necessary not only as a matter of precept but as a divinely instituted means, provided a person knows that he must use this means to be saved.

Actual incorporation into the Church takes place by baptism of water. Those who are not actually baptized may, nevertheless, be saved through the Church according to their faith in whatever historical revelation they come to know and in their adequate cooperation with the internal graces of the Spirit they receive.

On both counts, however, whoever is saved owes his salvation to the one Catholic Church founded by Christ. It is to this Church alone that Christ entrusted the truths of revelation which by now, though often dimly, penetrated all the cultures of mankind. It is this Church alone that communicates the merits won for the whole world on the Cross.

Those who are priviledged to share in the fullness of the Church's riches of revealed wisdom, sacramental power, divinely assured guidance, and blessings of community life cannot pride themselves on having deserved what they possess. Rather they should humbly recognize their chosen position and gratefully live up to the covenant to which they have been called. Otherwise what began as a sign of God's special favor on earth may end as a witness to His justice in the life to come.