The Apostolic Digest

This little endeavor to catalogue the traditional stand of Holy Mother the Church is as complete as it will ever need to be. The Catholic Faith has been delivered to us once and for all times as a glorious "deposit," St. Paul assures us (I Tim. 6:20), and thus all we have to do is hold onto it for ourselves, offer it wholesale to our neighbors, and pass it along intact to our children. The unfortunate fact that so many of our modern clergy appear to lag behind is no excuse whatever for the rest of the Catholic faithful to neglect our own responsibilities.

Someone might object that I may seem to have been overly selective in the gathering and collating of my quotations. Perhaps. But, whenever a warrior goes into battle, he chooses only the most powerful of his weapons. Therefore, permit me to make for my own the words in which the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, introduces his own Golden Chain of Scriptural Commentaries.

In quoting the testimonies of so many Saints, it was necessary many times to cut away some parts so as to avoid undue length; and, for greater clarity, I have omitted words and, according to my purpose, rearranged the actual sequence of parts quoted.

Moreover, in order to achieve the brevity required in abridgments, this version will, unlike our Complete Edition, present citations without the customary ellipses which signify the omission of unnecessary text. To further facilitate a greater fluency in reading, the authors and their sources are sequentially indexed at the conclusion of the work.

It is true that, in a compilation such as this, there will always exist the danger that the editor may misunderstand (and thus misrepresent) the intent of the author in selecting any given quotation from his writings. However, it is impossible to misunderstand the meaning of the Church in the clarity of her infallible definitions, for they constitute the solitary interpretation of dogma which is allowed us as followers of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it has not been my endeavor to present the mind of individual authorities, but the Mind of the Church which never varies from age to age, and which is articulated solely in her infallible Magisterium.

For this reason, I have declined to elaborate on the personal opinions of those apologetes which might serve to contradict the formal teaching of the Catholic Church; just as, for example, if I were composing an article on the sinlessness of our Blessed Mother, I would choose to ignore as authoritative the erroneous statements of those seven canonized Doctors of the Church - St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Bonaventure, St. Peter Damian, St. Albert the Great, St. Anselm of Canterbury, and St. John Damascene - each of whom controverted the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Instead, I have made every effort simply to provide as many references as possible which conspicuously align themselves with the Magisterium and Mind of the Church in the consistency of her Analogy of Faith.

In this, I believe that I am not only supporting the true doctrine of Christ as proclaimed throughout the ages by the voice of His Church, but likewise protecting the mutual integrity of all the sainted spokesmen of that Church who have swelled the chorus of her clarion call to men of every clime and time. Therefore, should some skeptic insist on following any theological witness in contradistinction to what has come down to us in the Deposit of Faith and is officially interpreted solely by the Church as the Word and Revelation of God Himself, let him be made aware that he is following, not what the Church infallibly teaches, but mere personal opinion based on the word of man. Not the Catholic Faith, but speculation thereon. Not the Revelation of God, but the "tradition of men" and the "leaven of Pharisees" (Mk. 7:8; 8:15) against which Our Lord Himself inveighed and admonished us. For, all the most ingenious hypotheses in the world do not one single dogma make. Moreover, when they serve to contradict or to cast doubt upon defined dogmas of Faith, such postulations are not permitted to be held even privately.

Nevertheless, to those who persist in supporting the conjecture of any individual, even the most brilliant, against the formal declaration of the Magisterium, I need only reiterate the condemnation of error decreed by Pope Alexander VIII against the Jansenists that, should anyone find a teaching clearly established by a Father or a Doctor of the Church, even one as eminent as St. Augustine, he may absolutely hold and teach it in disregard of papal pronouncement (DNZ 1320). Indeed, history proves that every Father of the Church has at one time or another published errors which later had to be condemned by the Church. The Pope of Rome, when speaking infallibly, never errs. "As a consequence, our faith rests, not on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God" (I Cor. 2:5). Hence, in quoting our sources and authorities only when they substantiate the Holy Father in the fullness of his office as our Supreme Teacher and Shepherd, we are not being arbitrary, nor unethical. We are being Catholic.

As for the lesser lights in this collection, their testimony is all the more conclusive, not because it likely caught them in some unguarded moment of orthodoxy, but because it demonstrates convincingly that these witnesses have all said the same identical thing, and said it over, and over, and over again. The sense of dogma remains always the same, since the Mind of the Church never changes in its regard. The truth speaks for itself, and forcefully so. "I am the truth," Jesus declares to us; and thus, "Whosoever is of the truth hears My voice" (Jn. 14:6; 18:37).

Michael Malone
Feast Of The Chair Of St. Peter
February 22, 1993

All the saints have a great devotion to Our Lady: no grace comes from Heaven without passing through her hands. We cannot go into a house without speaking to the door-keeper. Well, the Holy Virgin is the doorkeeper of Heaven. (John Mary Vianney) 1

All gifts, virtues, and graces of the Holy Ghost are administered by the hands of Mary to whomsoever she desires, when she desires, in the manner she desires, and to whatever degree she desires. Mary is the dispensatrix of all the graces God bestows. Every grace granted to man in this life has three successive steps: from God it comes to Christ, and from Christ to the Virgin, and from the Virgin it descends to us. (St. Bernardine of Siena) 2

Every grace which is communicated has a three-fold origin: it flows from God to Christ, from Christ to the Virgin, and from the Virgin to us. (Pope Leo XIII) 3

The Lord has placed in Mary the plenitude of all good so that, if any hope of grace or salvation is in us, we know that we derive it all from Mary. (St. Bernard) 4

For this reason, all creatures are obligated to render her respect and homage, as to their Queen and Sovereign to whom they belong, and upon whom they depend, and will depend, for all eternity. (St. John Eudes) 5

Even as Eve, having become disobedient, was made the cause of death both to herself and to the entire human reace, so also did Mary, by being obedient, become the cause of salvation both to herself and to the whole human race. And therefore, as the human race was made subject to death by a virgin, so is it saved by a virgin. (St. Irenaeus of Lyons) 6

Mary has the greatest and clearest claims to our homage and praise: she is the salvation of the world; our dependence upon the august Mary is complete and universal. There is neither on earth nor in Heaven any justified soul, any one of the Elect, who does not owe Mary his justice and his glory. (Ven. William Joseph Chaminade) 7

Many have proved invincibly, from the sentiments of the Fathers - among others: St. Augustine, St. Ephrem, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Germanus of Conantinople, St. John Damascene, St. Anselm, St. Bernard, St. Bernardine, St. Thomas, and St. Bonaventure - that devotion to Our Most Blessed Virgin is necessary for salvation, and that it is an infallible mark of reprobation to have no esteem or love for the Holy Virgin while, on the other hand, it is an infallible mark of predestination to be entirely and truly devoted to her. (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 8

If our life were not under the protection of Mary, we might tremble for our perseverance and salvation. In her hands Jesus has placed His almighty power in the order of salvation. All the graces of salvation, both the natural and the spiritual, will be given to us by Mary. (St. Peter Julian Eymard) 9

Mary is the whole hope of our salvation. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 10

The foundation of all our confidence is found in the Blessed Virgin Mary. Through her are obtained every hope, every grace, and all salvation. For this is God's will: that we obtain everything through Mary. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 11

A mediator, then, was needed with the Mediator Himself, nor could a more fitting one be found than Mary. (St. Bernard)12

Mary is our necessary and universal Mediatrix. No one can go to the Son but by Mary, just as no one can go to the Father but by the Son. Only through Mary do we reach Jesus, since Jesus came to us only through Mary. (Ven. William Joseph Chaminade) 13

Nothing comes to us except through the mediation of Mary, for such is the will of God. (Pope Leo XIII) 14

To reach the Eternal Father, we must go to Jesus, our Mediator of Redemption. To go to Jesus, we must go to Mary, our Mediatrix of Intercession. (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 15

What, therefore, God hath joined together, let no man put asunder ... Take the Child and His Mother. (St. Matthew 19:4; 2:20)

The Child is not found without Mary, His Mother. If, then, it is impossible to separate what God has united, it is also certain that you cannot find Jesus except with Mary and through Mary. (Pope St. Pius X) 16

We must never separate Jesus from Mary; we can go to Him only through her. Without Mary, we would never find Jesus. Whoever would say "I have no need of Mary" would be guilty of blasphemy! Our eternal salvation is at stake, and we are bound to honor her as the Mother of God and our Mother. (St. Peter Julian Eymard) 17

Mary is the Ark of God, the center of the universe, the cause of creation, the business of the ages. Towards her turn the men who have gone before us we who are now living, those who are to follow us, our children's children, and their descendants. If we have any chance of salvation, we have it all from Mary. Go, then, have recourse to Mary. (St. Bernard) 18

If you persevere till death in true devotion to Mary, your salvation is certain. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 1

With reason did the Most Holy Virgin predict that all generations would call her blessed, for all the Elect obtain eternal salvation through the means of Mary. (St. Idelphonsus) 2

Christ entrusted to His Mother's maternal care the mission of making the Church a single family. Yes, in Mary we have the bond of communion for all of us who, through Faith and Baptism, are disciples and brothers of Jesus. (Pope John Paul II) 3

In the multitude of the Elect she shall have praise, and among the blessed she shall be blessed. (Ecclesiasticus 24:4)

Her children rose up and called her blessed. (Proverbs 31:28)

For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed ... who are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of man, but of God. (St. Luke 1:48; St. John 1:13)

O Mary, thou art blessed among women, for thou hast brought forth life for both men and women! (St. Augustine) 4

Every one of the multitudes, therefore, whom the evil of calamitous circumstances has stolen away from Catholic unity, must be born again to Christ by that same Mother whom God has endowed with a never-failing fertility to bring forth a holy people. (Pope Leo XIII) 5

Bearing in her womb the Savior, Mary can also be said to have borne all those whose life the Savior's life enshrined. All of us, then, as many as are knit to Christ, have come forth from Mary's womb: one Body, as it were knit together with its Head. (Pope St. Pius X) 6

Although in the most pure womb of Mary there was but one kernel of grain, Jesus Christ, nevertheless, her womb is called a "heap of wheat" (Cant. 7:2) because all the Elect were virtually contained in it. (St. Ambrose) 7

Mary is that Happy Ark, in which those who take refuge will never suffer the shipwreck of eternal perdition. (St. Bernard) 8

However great a sinner may have been, if he shows himself devout to Mary he will never perish. (St. Hilary of Poitiers) 9

Souls protected by Mary, and on whom she casts her eyes, are necessarily justified and saved. Just as it is impossible that they be saved from whom Mary turns away her eyes of mercy, so it is certain that they who are loved by Mary, and for whom she intercedes, will obtain justification and eternal life. (St. Antoninus) 10

We believe that Mary opens the abyss of God's mercy to whomsoever she wills, when she wills, and as she wills; so that there is no sinner, however great, who is lost if Mary protects him. (St. Bonaventure) 11

He who is devout to the Virgin Mother will certainly never be lost. (St. Ignatius of Antioch) 12

Not a single soul who has really persevered in her service has ever been damned. (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 13

O Mother of God! If I place my confidence in thee, I shall be saved; if I am under thy protection, I have nothing to fear; for being thy client is a certainty of salvation which God grants only to those whom He intends to save. (St. John Damascene) 14

Being thy servant, O Mary, is a surety of salvation which God grants solely to those He will save. (St. Andrew of Crete) 15

The servants of Mary are as certain of getting to Paradise as though they were already there. Who are they who are saved, and reign in Heaven? Surely, those for whom the Queen of Mercy intercedes. The clients of Mary will necessarily be saved! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 16

O Blessed Mary, whoever loves you, honors God; whoever serves you, pleases God; whoever invokes your holy name, with a pure heart, will infallibly receive the object of his petition. (St. Bernard) 17

O admirable Mother of God! How many sins have I committed for which thou hast obtained pardon for me, and how many others would I have committed if thou hadst not preserved me? How often have I seen myself on the brink of Hell in obvious danger of falling into it but for thy most benign hand which saved me? Alas! Without thee, my dearest and all-good Mother, where should I be today? I should be in the fiery furnace of Hell! (St. John Eudes) 18

Would that everyone might know that I would already be damned already were it not for Mary! (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 19

The honor of Mary is so intimately connected with the honor and glory of Jesus that to deny the one is at the same time a denial of the other. (Ven. William Joseph Chaminade) 1

He who neglects the service of the Blessed Virgin will die in his sins. He who does not invoke thee, O Lady, will never get to Heaven. Not only will those from whom Mary turns her countenance not be saved, but there will be no hope of their salvation. No one can be saved without the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (St. Bonaventure) 2

To desire grace without recourse to the Virgin Mother is to desire to fly without wings. (Pope Pius XII) 3

If you would enter into Life, keep the commandments ... Honor thy father and thy mother. (St. Matthew 19:17,19)

Behold thy Mother! (St. John 19:27)

Jesus honored her before all ages, and will honor her for all ages. No one comes to Him, nor even near Him, no one is saved or sanctified, if he too will not honor her. This is the lot of angels and of men. (St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe) 4

There is a generation that does not bless their Mother, a generation pure in their own eyes and yet not washed from their filthiness (Proverbs 30:11-12)

All the true children of God, the predestinate, have God for their Father and Mary for their Mother. He who has not Mary for his Mother has not God for his Father. (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 5

Whoever does not wish to have Mary Immaculate as his Mother will not have Christ as his Brother either; the Father will not send His Son to him; the Son will not descend into his soul; the Holy Spirit will not make him a member of the Mystical Body of Christ; for all these mysteries of grace take place in Mary Full-of-Grace, and in her alone. And, since the First-Born Son was conceived only through the specific consent of the Most Blessed Virgin, the same holds true for all other humans. (St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe) 6

Your heart will either sing the divine canticles of Our Lady, or echo the cursed and unhappy songs of worldlings here in dishonor to God and vibrate eternally with the blasphemies and horrid dirges of the damned in Hell! (St. John Eudes) 7

The Church is One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman: unique, the Chair founded on Peter. Outside her fold is to be found neither the true faith nor eternal salvation, for it is impossible to have God for a Father if one does not have the Church for a Mother. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 1

There is only one universal Church of the faithful, outside which there is absolutely no salvation. (IV Lateran Council) 2

The House of God is but one, and no one can have salvation except in the Church. (St. Cyprian) 3

Whosoever would be saved, let him come into this House. Let no one talk himself out of it; let no one deceive himself: outside this House, that is, outside the Church, no one is saved. (Origen) 4

It is a sin to believe there is salvation outside the Catholic Church! (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 5

If any man does not enter the Church, or if any man departs from it, he is far from the hope of life and salvation. (Pope Pius XI) 6

There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Anyone who resists this truth perishes. (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 7

Where is the road which leads us to Jesus Christ? It is the Church. It is our duty to recall to everyone, great and small, the absolute necessity we are under to have recourse to this Church in order to work out our eternal salvation. (Pope St. Pius X) 8

There is but one plain known road. When you wander from this, you are lost. You must be altogether within the House of God, within the walls of salvation, to be sound and safe from injury. If you wander and walk abroad ever so little, if you carelessly thrust hand or foot out of the Ship, you shall be thrust forth: the door is shut, the ocean roars, you are undone. (St. Edmund Campion) 9

Anyone who is out of the Ship is walking a path not to Heaven, but to Hell. He is hurrying to the torment of eternal death! (St. Fulgentius) 10

There is only one Catholic Church; this we firmly believe and profess without qualification. Outside this Church there is no salvation and no remission of sins. For at the time of the Deluge there existed only one Ark, the figure of the one Church. And all things outside this Ark perished. (Pope Boniface VIII) 11

It must be held as a matter of faith that outside the Apostolic Roman Church no one can be saved, that the Church is the only Ark of Salvation, and that whoever does not enter it will perish in the Flood. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 12

There is no entering into salvation outside of the Church, just as in the time of the Deluge there was none outside the Ark which denotes the Church. (Pope John Paul II) 13

The Ship of the Church is guided by Christ and His Vicar. It alone carries the disciples, and receives Christ. Yes, it is tossed on the sea, but outside it one would perish immediately. Salvation is solely in the Church; outside it one perishes. (Pope John Paul I) 14

I profess that outside the Catholic Church no one is saved. (Pope Sylvester II) 15

O glorious St. Peter, obtain for us a sincere loyalty to our Holy Mother the Church; grant that we may ever remain most closely and sincerely united to the Roman Pontiff who is the heir of thy faith and authority: the one, true, visible head of the Catholic Church, that mystical Ark outside which there is no salvation. (Pope Benedict XV) 16

The Catholic Church alone is the Body of Christ, of which He is Head and Savior. The "People of God" and the "Mystical Body of Christ" are one and the same thing, both of them designating the Church. Membership in the Church requires conditions other than Baptism alone; it requires identical faith and unity of communion, so that by means of the Catholic Church alone, which is the unrestricted instrument of salvation, is it possible to obtain the fullness of the means to salvation. Indeed, the Church is both a sure and an exclusive means of attaining salvation. We must always remember the unity of the Mystical Body outside which there is no salvation, for there is no entering into salvation outside the Church. Outside this Body, the Holy Spirit gives life to no one: those who are enemies to unity do not participate in the charity of Divine Life; those outside the Church do not possess the Holy Spirit. The entrance to salvation is open to no one outside the Church! (Pope Paul VI) 1

The Church alone is the entrance to salvation. (Pope Pius XII) 2

By means of religious indifference, crafty men deceitfully pretend that people can attain eternal salvation in the practice of any religion. They conclude that others, however estranged from Catholic unity, are equally on the road to salvation and that they are able to achieve everlasting life. Words fail us from utter horror in detesting and abhorring this new and terrible insult! (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 3

When it is a question of life and salvation, we must say of the Church what St. Peter said of Jesus Christ Himself: "Neither is there salvation in any other" (Acts 4:12). (Pope Pius XI) 4

The mystery of salvation is continued and accomplished in the Church, and from this single source it reaches the whole world. There is no salvation outside the Church. From her alone there flows the life-giving force destined to renew the whole of humanity, directing every human being to become a part of the Mystical Body of Christ. (Pope John Paul II) 5

All who desire eternal salvation must cling to the Church and embrace her, like those who entered the Ark to escape perishing in the Flood. (Catechism of Trent) 6

Whoever is separated from this Catholic Church, no matter how much he believes he is living praiseworthily, will not have life, but the anger of God rests upon him. The reason is this offense alone: that he is sundered from the unity of Christ. (St. Augustine) 7

He who does not keep the true Catholic faith whole and without error will undoubtedly be lost. He who is separated from the Catholic Church will not have life. (Pope Gregory XVI) 8

Cut off from the Body into which alone the graces of Christ flow, you are deprived of the benefit of all prayers, sacrifices, and Sacraments. You will gain nothing except perhaps to be tortured somewhat less horribly in the everlasting fire than Judas, or Luther, or Zwingli. (St. Edmund Campion) 9

There is nothing a Christian should dread more than to be separated from the Body of Christ; for, if separated, he is not one of His members. And, since no one can ascend into Heaven but him who has become His member in His Body, the saying is fulfilled that "No one ascends into Heaven except Him Who descended" (Jn. 3:13). (St. Augustine) 10

There is salvation in no one except Christ, and the Church is His Body. (Pope John Paul II) 11

That the Mystical Body of Christ and the Catholic Church in communion with Rome are one and the same thing is a doctrine based on Revealed Truth. That we must necessarily belong to the true Church if we are to attain everlasting salvation is a statement which some people reduce to a meaningless formula. (Pope Pius XII) 12

It is impossible to be joined to God except through Jesus Christ; it is impossible to be united to Christ except in and through the Church, His Mystical Body. (Pope John XXIII) 13

The union of Christ with the members of the Mystical Body is obtained only by membership in the Church, for outside this chaste Spouse there is no union with the Bridegroom. There is no life outside the Church because all the life that is to be had can come only from her, and no one possesses this life unless he belongs to her. Outside the Church there is no salvation. (Ven. William Joseph Chaminade) 14

Those who acknowledge Christ must acknowledge Him completely and entirely.  The Head is the only-begotten Son of God; the Body is His Church. No one can in any way be counted among the children of God unless they take Jesus Christ as their Brother and, at the same time, the Church as their Mother. Christianity is, in fact, incarnate in the Catholic Church; it is identified with that perfect spiritual society which is the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ and has for its visible head the Roman Pontiff. Consequently, all who wish to reach salvation outside the Church are mistaken as to the way and are engaged in a futile effort. This is our last lesson to you; receive it, engrave it upon your minds, all of you: by God's commandment salvation is to be found nowhere but in the Church. (Pope Leo XIII) 15

The most Holy Roman Church believes, professes, and teaches that none of those who are not within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews, and heretics, and schismatics, can ever have a share in eternal life, but that they will go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels unless before death they shall have entered into the Church; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those abiding within this unity can profit from the Sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and that they alone can receive an eternal reward for their fasts, their almsgiving, their other works of Christian piety and duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may be, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the name of Christ, can be saved unless he abide within the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church. (Pope Eugene IV) 1

He who is separated from the body of the Catholic Church, however praiseworthy his conduct may otherwise seem, will not be saved. (Pope Gregory XVI) 2

Not one man of those outside the faith and obedience to the Pontiff of the Romans can finally be saved. (Pope Clement VI) 3

Whoever does not preserve this unity does not preserve the law of God, does not preserve the faith of the Father and Son, and does not have life and salvation. (Pope Pius XII) 4

We must believe that the Roman Catholic Church is the only true Church; hence, they who are out of our Church, or they who are separated from it, cannot be saved. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 5

Outside the fold of the Holy Roman Church there is no salvation. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 6

This is the Holy Church, the One Church, the True Church, the Catholic Church, fighting against all heresies! He will not have God for his Father who refuses the Church for his Mother. No one can find salvation except in the Catholic Church. Outside the Church, you can find everything except salvation. You can have dignities, you can have Sacraments, you can sing "Alleluia," answer "Amen," have the Gospels, have faith and preach it, too. But never can you find salvation except in the Catholic Church (St. Augustine) 7

No one can be saved outside the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church. (Council of Florence) 8

Outside this communion, as outside the Ark of Noah, there is absolutely no salvation for mortals; for the rule of Cyprian and Augustine is certain: that man will not have God for his Father who would not have the Church for his Mother. (St. Peter Canisius) 9

Our Lord said that whoever would not listen to the Church should be regarded as a heathen. He said that there was to be but one flock and one shepherd, and He appointed St. Peter to be head of that flock. My friend, there are not two ways of serving Our Lord; there is only one good way, and it is to serve Him as He wishes to be served. (St. John Mary Vianney) 10

Oh, how much are worldlings deceived who think to go to Heaven by the wide way that only leadeth to perdition! The path to Heaven is narrow, rough, and full of wearisome ascents, nor can it be trodden without great toil. And therefore, wrong is their way, gross their error, and assured their ruin who, after the testimony of so many thousands of saints, will not learn where to settle their footing! Wrestle no longer against the struggles of your own conscience and the forcible admonitions God doth send you. Embrace His mercy before the time of rigor, and return to His Church lest He debar you His Kingdom. He cannot have God for Father who refuseth to possess the Catholic Church for Mother. (St. Robert Southwell) 11

The exaltation of Holy Church is our exaltation, for in no other place do souls receive life than in that Church. No one can attain to joy in the beauty of God without the help of that sweet Bride, for we must all pass through the gate of Christ Crucified, and that gate is found nowhere but in the Church. (St. Catherine of Siena) 12

Hold most firmly and do not doubt at all: not only all the pagans, but also all the Jews and all the heretics and schismatics who terminate this present life outside the Catholic Church will go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (St. Fulgentius) 13

To that Church alone, and to those whom she embraces in her bosom and holds in her arms, appertains the invocation of that Divine Name, outside which there is no other name under Heaven given to men whereby we must be saved. (Catechism of Trent) 14

O Mary, Mother of Mercy and Seat of Wisdom! Enlighten the minds enfolded in the darkness of ignorance and sin, that they may clearly recognize the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, Roman Church to be the only true Church of Jesus Christ, outside which neither sanctity nor salvation can be found. (Pope Pius XII) 15

We must first turn our attention towards that faith without which it is impossible to please God. You know well with what constancy our Fathers endeavored to inculcate this Article of Faith which innovators dare to deny: the necessity of the Catholic faith and Catholic unity to obtain salvation. (Pope Gregory XVI) 1

Since without faith it is impossible to please God, no one is justified without it, nor will anyone attain eternal life unless he perseveres to the end in it. (I Vatican Council) 2

Without the faith, no one is ever justified. (Council of Trent) 3

When we say that faith is necessary for the remission of sins, we mean to speak of the Catholic faith, not heretical aith. Without the habit of this faith, no man is justified. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 4

Unless a man keeps this faith whole and entire, he shall undoubtedly be lost. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 5

Whoever wishes to be saved needs, above everything else, to hold the Catholic faith. Unless each one preserves this faith whole and inviolate, he will perish in eternity without a doubt. (Pope Eugene IV) 6

The first requirement of salvation is to keep to the standard of the true faith. (Pope Adrian II) 7

See to it that the faithful have fixed firmly in their minds this dogma of our most holy religion: the absolute necessity of the Catholic faith for attaining salvation. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 8

Remember this firm dogma of our religion: that outside the true Catholic faith no one can be saved. (Pope Pius VIII ) 9

No one can depart from the teaching of Catholic truth without loss of faith and salvation. (Pope Pius XII) 10

No one can be saved outside this true Catholic faith. (Pope Gregory XIII) 11

I will go peaceably and firmly to the Catholic Church. For if faith is so important, I will seek it where true faith first began, among those who received it from God Himself. It is a curious contradiction of principles which allows every sect that can obtain a name to be right and in the way of salvation! (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton) 12

My faith is the true faith; it is the right faith; it is the faith that leads to Heaven. I was born in that faith, and in that faith I mean to die. But you, be converted and do penance. Give up your schism and submit to our Holy Father, or you will never save your soul! (St. Andrew Bobola) 13

The knowledge of the dogmas of the faith of Christ is necessary for every one who earnestly desires the salvation of his soul. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 14

The truth of our faith is established by so many manifest proofs that he who does not embrace it can only be called a fool. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 15

Without this faith, without this confession, no one can enter the kingdom of Heaven. (St. Bede the Venerable) 16

Hold fast, then, brethren, to the true, the genuine, the Catholic faith. This is our faith: the true faith, the right faith, the Catholic faith which comes, not from private judgment, but from the testimony of the Scriptures; not based on faltering heretical rashness but on Apostolic truth. (St. Augustine) 17

Whoever wishes to be saved must, above all, keep the Catholic faith; for, unless a person keeps this faith whole and entire, he will undoubtedly be lost forever. This is the Catholic faith: everyone must believe it firmly and steadfastly, otherwise he cannot be saved. (The Athanasian Creed) 18

The words are not mine, but God's and the Apostles' and Prophets' who have never lied: "He who believes shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be damned" (Mk. 16:16). God hath spoken! (St. Patrick) 19

And all of us humbly entreat and beseech everyone, all nations and all men in all the earth who are, and who shall be, that we may all of us persevere in the true faith: for otherwise no one can be saved. (St. Francis of Assisi) 20

Constantly hold and profess this true Catholic faith, without which no one can be saved. (Council of Trent) 21

I promise, vow, and swear that, with God's help, I shall most constantly hold and profess this true Catholic faith, outside which no one can be saved. (Pope Pius IV) 22

This true Catholic faith, outside which no one can be saved, which I now freely profess and truly hold, I do promise and swear that I will most constantly keep and confess whole and inviolate with the help of God until the last breath of my life, and that I will take great care that it be held, taught, and preached by my inferiors and by those who are placed under my charge. (Papal Oath: I Vatican Council) 23

Persist in the true faith and ground your life on the rock of the Church, lest your many tears and good works avail you nothing, separated from the true faith. Works, however good they may seem, are nothing if separated from the solidarity of the faith. (Pope St. Gregory the Great) 1

Wherefore, let us be fruitful, not in paganism, not in Judaism, not in any evil heresy, but in the House of God; for ungodly men bring forth fruits in vain outside the Church. (St. Nilus) 2

Assuredly, such people possess a certain kind of goodness; but, because it is not the product of faith in God nor love of God, it is not able to help them. (St. Fulgentius) 3

To have merit, each act must not only be a natural work, but also a supernatural work; and this cannot be said of the infidel who, because he is without the faith, cannot perform supernatural good works. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 4

Well should the pagan weep and lament who, not knowing God, goes straight to punishment when he dies! (St. John Chrysostom) 5

If you die as an unbeliever, you will be damned and lost forever. (St. John Bosco) 6

Whoever does not embrace the Catholic Christian religion will be damned, as was Mohammed. (St. Peter Mavimenus) 7

Mohammed was a disciple of the devil, and his followers are in a state of perdition. (St. George of San Saba) 8

We can no more pray for a deceased infidel than we can for the devil, since they are condemned to the same eternal and irrevocable damnation. (Pope St. Gregory the Great) 9

Those who die as infidels are damned. (Pope St. Pius X) 10

Where knowledge of the eternal and unchangeable Truth is lacking, there is only false virtue even with the best of conduct. For, without worship of the true God, even what might seem to be virtue is sin. (St. Prosper of Aquitaine) 11

Unbelief is a mortal sin. (Council of Trent) 12

Is unbelief a mortal sin? Listen to Our Lord: "If you do not believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins!" (Jn. 8:24). (St. Benedict Joseph Labre) 13

O ye atheists who do not believe in God, what fools you are! But if you do believe there is a God, you must also believe there is a true religion. And if not the Roman Catholic, which is? Perhaps that of the pagans who admit many gods, and thus deny them all. Perhaps that of Mohammed, a religion invented by an imposter and framed for beasts rather than humans. Perhaps that of the Jews who had the true faith at one time but, because they rejected their Redeemer, lost their faith, their country, their everything. Perhaps that of heretics who, separating themselves our Church, have confused all revealed dogmas in such a way that the belief of one heretic is contrary to that of his neighbor. O holy faith! Enlighten all those poor blind creatures who run to eternal perdition! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 14

O eternal God, remember that the souls of infidels have been created by Thee after Thine own image and likeness. Behold, Lord, how to the dishonor of Thy name, Hell is peopled with them! Forget their idolatry and infidelity, and grant that they may at length acknowledge Our Lord Jesus Christ in Whom is our salvation. (St. Francis Xavier) 15

If anyone does not profess properly and truthfully all that has been handed down and taught publicly to the Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of God, to the last detail in word and intention: let him be anathema. (I Lateran Council) 1

If anyone does not with mind and lips reject and anathematize all abominable heretics together with their impious writings, even to the single least portion, let such a person be condemned. (Pope St. Martin I) 2

They have gone forth from us, but were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would surely have continued with us. Whosoever does not continue in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. (St. John I, 2:19; II, 1:9)

Whoever withdraws and departs from the Church will be guilty, even though he has attained grace in the Church. That he will perish will be imputed to himself. (St. Cyprian) 3

Thou art a God Who hatest all the workers of iniquity: Thou wilt destroy all who speak a lie. (Psalm 5:7)

You heretics are all guilty and wicked by the crime of schism. From this most heinous sacrilege not one of you can say he is innocent. (St. Augustine) 4

He who to support heresy distorts the Sacred Scriptures from their genuine and true meaning is guilty of the greatest injury to the Word of God; and against this crime we are warned by the Prince of the Apostles: "There are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they also do other Scriptures, to their own destruction" (II Peter 3:16). (Council of Trent) 5

The unbelief of heretics, who confess their belief in the Gospel and resist that faith by corrupting it, is a more grievous sin than that of the heathens, because the heathens have not accepted the faith in any way at all. Hence, the unbelief of heretics is the worst sin. Speaking absolutely, the unbelief of heretics is worse than that of pagans or Jews. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 6

The greatest evil existing today is heresy, an infernal rage which hurls countless souls into eternal damnation. (St. John Eudes) 7

These unfortunate people do not see that, in refusing to submit to the Church, they reduce themselves to believing in nothing. The so-called Reformers have revived ancient heresies, and have sought by false doctrines to destroy the faith of Jesus Christ, and, if possible, to bring all souls with themselves to eternal perdition. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 8

Protestantism is the Great Revolt against God. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 9

Heretics are Antichrists and adversaries of Christ. (VII Council of Carthage) 10

Heretics are to be classed with thieves and murderers. (Pope Innocent IV) 11

Hence, if you fear to leave this Catholic unity outside which there is no salvation, beware of the subtleties of heretics.(Ven Pope Pius IX) 12

Therefore, let the blind and foolish subtlety of heretical impiety be despised. Whosoever continues in heresy is unpardonable, nor can he ever attain forgiveness. They are falling into that blasphemy which shall never be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the Judgment to come. (Pope St. Leo the Great) 13

Those who have been detected even by slight proof to have deviated from the doctrine of the Catholic religion ought to fall under the classification of heretic and under the sentences operating against heretics. (Pope Innocent IV) 14

If anyone holds to a single heresy, he is not a Catholic. (St. Augustine) 15

What is the use of fighting for many articles of the faith, and to perish for the doubting of a few? He believes no one article of faith who refuses to believe any single one. (St. Edmund Campion) 16

Against the First Commandment, all those sin who do not have faith. Such sinners are very numerous, for they include all who fall into heresy, all who reject what Holy Mother the Church proposes for our belief. (Catechism of Trent) 17

Anyone who says "I love God," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar. (Pope St. Gregory the Great) 18

Those who turn aside unto deceits, the Lord shall number with the workers of iniquity. Thou art a God Who hatest all the workers of iniquity: Thou wilt destroy all who speak a lie. (Psalm 124:5; 5:7)

A man who is a heretic is subverted and sins, being condemned by his own judgment. (St. Titus 3:10-11)

Heresies are embraced only by those who, had they persevered in the faith, would be lost by the irregularity of their lives. (St. Augustine) 19

What shows me that your life is badly governed? The poison of heresy! You have deserted the light and gone into darkness! I beg that you delay no more, nor kick against the prick of conscience which I know is perpetually tormenting you. Return, return, and do not wait for the rod of justice. For our faults do not pass unpunished, especially those committed against Holy Church. (St. Catherine of Siena) 20

Many Protestants have almost the same practices as we, only they do not submit to the Holy Father and attach themselves to the true Ark of Salvation. They do not want to become Catholics and unite themselves under the banner of truth wherein alone there is true salvation. Of what avail is it, children, if Protestants lead naturally pure, honest lives, yet lack the Holy Ghost? They may well say: "We do no harm; we lead good lives"; but, if they do not enter the true fold of Christ, all their protestations are in vain. (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini) 21

People often say, "It is better to be a good Protestant than a bad Catholic." That is not true! That would mean that one could be saved without the true faith. No. A bad Catholic remains a child of the family, although a prodigal; and however great a sinner he may be, he still has a right to mercy. Through his faith, a bad Catholic is nearer to God than a Protestant, for he is a member of the household, whereas the heretic is not. And how hard it is to make him become one! (St. Peter Julian Eymard) 22

How many are the infidels, heretics, and schismatics who do not enjoy the happiness of the true faith! The earth is full of them, and they are all lost! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 23

Therefore, we are right in censuring, anathematizing, abhorring, and abominating the perversity of heart shown by heretics. (St. Augustine) 24

We excommunicate and anathematize every heresy, condemning all heretics under whatever names they may be known; for, while they have different faces, they are nevertheless bound to each other by their tails. Secular authorities shall be compelled to exterminate all heretics to the best of their ability, and if, from sufficient evidence, it is apparent that a bishop is negligent in cleansing his diocese of heretical wickedness, let him be deposed and another substituted who will confound heretical depravity. But if any of them by damnable obstinacy disapprove, from this very fact let them be regarded as heretics. (IV Lateran Council) 25

I could go forth all by myself against miserable heretics! (St. Teresa of Avila) 26

How happy I would have been to fight at the time of the Crusades or, later on, against the heretics! I want to be a warrior, a martyr! Oh! Is it possible I must die in bed? (St. Therese of Lisieux) 27

A Christian should argue with a blasphemer only by running his sword through his bowels as far as it will go. (St. Louis, King of France) 28

When a person blasphemes, his mouth should instantly be shut. Strike him in the mouth! Crush it, so that he cannot speak! (St. John Chrysostom) 29

Our Lord Jesus Christ referred to Himself as "the Stone" (Mt. 21:44). Lying on the ground, it shakes whoever falls over it; coming from on high, it crushes the proud. The Jews have already been shaken by their previous stumble. What awaits them is to be crushed by His Coming. (St. Augustine) 1

Christ is the Stone which was rejected which has become the cornerstone: nor is there salvation in any other. For, there is no other name under Heaven whereby we must be saved. ( Acts 4:10-12)

Many shall come from the East and the West, and sit down in the kingdom of Heaven, but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out, into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (St. Matthew 8:11-12)

Early and often did the Lord send His messengers to them, for He had compassion on His people. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His warnings, and scoffed at His prophets, till the anger of the Lord against His people was so inflamed that there was no remedy. (II Paralipomenon 36:15-16)

Therefore, I say to you: the kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to a nation yielding the fruits thereof. (St. Matthew 21:43)

Do not add to your sins by saying that the Covenant is both theirs and ours. Yes, it is ours, but they lost it forever. (St. Barnabas) 2

Christ annuls the First Covenant to establish the Second. For, if that First Covenant had been faultless, then there would be no place for the Second. They did not persevere in My Covenant, saith the Lord, and I disregarded them. (Hebrews 10:9; 8:7-9)

So clearly was the transition then made from the Synagogue to the Church that, when the Lord gave up His soul, the veil of the Temple was rent in two. (Pope St. Leo the Great) 3

Since His spouse, the Synagogue, refused to receive Him, Christ answered: "This is a harlot!" and gave her a bill of divorce. (St. Vincent Ferrer) 4

Dreadful are the ends of a wicked race! (Wisdom 3:19)

Ungrateful for favors and forgetful of benefits, the Jews return insult for kindness and impious contempt for goodness. They ought to know the yoke of perpetual enslavement because of their guilt. See to it that the perfidious Jews never in the future grow insolent, but that they always suffer publicly the shame of their sin in servile fear. (Pope Gregory IX) 5

Crucifiers of Christ ought to be held in continual subjection. (Pope Innocent III) 6

It would be licit, according to custom, to hold Jews in perpetual servitude because of their crime. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 7

Let the Gospel be preached to them and, if they remain obstinate, let them be expelled. (Pope Leo VII) 8

Let their eyes be dim so that they cannot see, and let them walk bent-backed forever with a heavy load. (Psalm 68:24)

The Jews wander over the entire earth, their backs bent over and their eyes cast downward, forever calling to our minds the curse they carry with them. (St. Augustine) 9

As wanderers, they must remain upon the earth until their faces are filled with shame and they seek the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Pope Innocent III) 10

Thou shalt eat bread and cover it with the dung that comes out of a man. Thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread all filthy among the nations wither I will cast them out, saith the Lord. (Ezechiel 4:12-13)

The Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and have persecuted us, do not please God, and they have become adversaries to all men, to fill up their sin always; for the wrath of God has come upon them to the end. (I Thessalonians 2:14-16)

One who dies a Jew will be damned. (St. Vincent Ferrer) 11

Those of the seed of Abraham who live according to the Law of Moses and who do not believe in Christ before death shall not be saved; especially they who curse this very Christ in the synagogues; who curse everything by which they might obtain salvation and escape the vengeance of fire. (St. Justin the Martyr) 12

Cursed shall you be in the city, cursed in the field. Cursed be your barn and your stores. Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, the herds of your oxen, and the flocks of your sheep. Cursed shall you be coming in and cursed going out. (Deuteronomy 28:16-19)

Jews are cursed and covered with malediction. The curse has penetrated them like water in their bowels and oil in their bones. They are cursed in the city and cursed in the country, cursed in their coming in and cursed in their going out. Cursed are the fruits of their loins, of their lands, of their flocks; cursed are their cellars, their granaries, their shops, their food, the very crumbs off their tables! (St. Agobard) 13

The most holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes, and teaches that the Mosaic Law cannot be observed without the loss of eternal salvation. Every one, therefore, who observes circumcision and the Sabbath and the other requirements of the Law, the Church declares not in the least fit to participate in eternal salvation (Council of Florence) 14

No man cometh to the Father but by Me. (St. John 14:6)

Whosoever denies the Son does not have the Father. (I St. John 2:23)

He who honors not the Son, honors not the Father Who sent Him. He who hates Me, hates My Father also. (St. John 5:23; 15:23)

If any man love not Our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. (I Corinthians 16:22)

O Jewish hearts, harder than rocks! (St. Ambrose) 15

For all the House of Israel is a hard forehead and an obstinate heart. (Ezechiel 3:7)

O intelligence coarse, dense, and cow-like, which did not recognize God even in His own works! Perhaps the Jew will complain that I call his intelligence bovine, but his intelligence is less than bovine: "The ox knows his Owner, and the ass knows his Master's crib, but Israel has not known Me, and My people have not understood" (Isaias 1:3). You see, O Jew, I am easier on you than your own prophet! (St. Bernard) 16

Canon Law forbids all intercourse with Jews. (St. Bernardine of Feltre) 17

Indeed, if any one of the clergy or faithful has taken a meal with Jews, he is to abstain from Communion so that he may be reformed. (Council of Elvira) 18

How dare Christians have the slightest intercourse with Jews! They are lustful, rapacious, greedy, perfidious bandits: pests of the universe! Their synagogue is a house of prostitution, the domicile of the devil, as is the soul of the Jew. As a matter of fact, Jews worship the devil; their religion is a disease, their synagogue an abyss of perdition. The rejection and dispersion of the Jews was done by the wrath of God because of His absolute abandonment of the Jews. God hates the Jews, and on Judgment Day will say to those who sympathize with them: "Depart from Me, for you have had intercourse with My murderers!" Flee, then, from their assemblies, fly from their houses, and hold their synagogue in hatred and aversion. (St. John Chrysostom) 19

Judaism, since Christ, is a corruption; indeed, Judas is the image of the Jewish people: their understanding of Scripture is carnal; they bear the guilt for the death of the Savior, for through their fathers they have killed Christ. The Jews held Him; the Jews insulted Him; the Jews bound Him; they crowned Him with thorns; they scourged Him; they hanged Him upon a tree. (St. Augustine) 20

Jews are slayers of the Lord, murderers of the prophets, enemies and haters of God, adversaries of grace, enemies of their fathers� faith, advocates of the devil, a brood of vipers, slanderers, scoffers, men of darkened minds, the leaven of Pharisees, a congregation of demons, sinners, wicked men, haters of goodness! (St. Gregory of Nyssa) 21

Woe to the sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, a wicked seed, ungracious children. They have forsaken the Lord, they have blasphemed the Holy One of Israel, they have gone away backwards. And when you stretch forth your hands, I will turn away My eyes from you, saith the Lord; and when you multiply prayer, I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood. (Isaias 1:4,15)

And such are the prayers of the Jews, for when they stretch forth their hands in prayer, they only remind God-the-Father of their sin against His Son. And at every stretching-forth of their hands, they only make it obvious that they are stained with the blood of Christ. For they who persevere in their blindness inherit the blood-guilt of their fathers; for they cried out: "His blood be on us and on our children" (Mt. 27:25). (St. Basil the Great) 22

Poor Jews! You invoked a dreadful curse upon your own heads; and that curse, miserable race, you carry upon you to this day, and to the End of Time you shall endure the chastisement of that innocent blood! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 23

The Church of Christ is one, and must be one. This unity can be realized only by the profession of one faith, by the reception of the same Sacraments, and by an organic adherence to one solitary ecclesiastical authority. (Pope Paul VI) 1

It was to the Apostolic College alone, of which Peter is the head, that Our Lord entrusted the one Body of Christ into which all those who belong in any way to the People of God must be fully incorporated. (II Vatican Council) 2

The Church is one, unified, and articulated, after the manner of a physical body. Therefore, whosoever is not joined in the Body is not a member of it and is not in union with Christ its head. (Pope Pius XI) 3

Christianity is incarnate in the Catholic Church; it is identified with that perfect and spiritual society that has the Roman Pontiff for its visible head. (Pope Leo XIII) 4

The Church is One, and it is not possible to be both inside and outside what is One. (St. Cyprian) 5

The Body of the Church is one, not a body made up of a kind of confused mixture of bodies, nor by each of them gathered into an indistinguishable heap or shapeless mass. (St. Hilary of Poitiers) 6

The Church is visible because she is a Body; therefore, they are straying from divine truth who imagine the Church to be something merely "spiritual" as they say, a Church in which many Christian communities, although separated by faith, could be joined by some kind of bond invisible to the senses. (Pope Pius XII) 7

He who thinks he can remain a Christian by his own efforts, deserting the institutional bonds of the visible hierarchical Church, is deceiving himself. The fact remains that God established His Church as a bridge over which we must pass, leading from our unhappy lot to His salvation. (Pope Paul VI) 8

Only those are really to be included as members of the Church who have been baptized, and who profess the true faith, and who have not unhappily withdrawn from the Body or, for grave faults, been excluded by legitimate authority. It follows that those who are divided in faith or in government cannot be living in one Body such as this, and cannot be living the life of its one divine Spirit. (Pope Pius XII) 9

Outside this Body, the Holy Ghost does not give life to anyone. Those outside the Church do not possess the Holy Ghost. The Catholic Church alone is the Body of Christ, and if a man be separated from the Body of Christ he is not one of His members, nor is he fed by His Spirit. (Pope Paul VI) 10

If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9)

One cannot love Christ without loving the Church Christ loves. The Spirit of the Church is Christ�s own Spirit, and to the extent to which one loves the Church does he possess the Spirit of Christ. (Pope John Paul II) 11

Jesus and the Church are indissoluble, inseparable. Christ and the Church are the same thing. It is not possible to say "I accept Jesus, but I do not accept the Church." (Pope John Paul I) 12

Those who go off to heretics, and all who leave the Church for heresy, abandon the name of Christ. Those who call these men "Christians" are in grievous error, since they neither understand Scripture at all nor the faith which it contains. (St. Athanasius) 13

In name only is Christ found among certain heretics who want to be called Christians. In reality, He is no longer among them. (St. Augustine) 14

You Protestants! In the entirety of your Reformation you haven't got a Saint whose name you can give your children. You have to borrow your Christian names from the Catholic Church. (St. John Mary Vianney) 15

"Christian" is my name, "Catholic" my surname. (St. Pacian) 16

Therefore, let us prove ourselves worthy of that name we have received. For whosoever is called by any other name besides this is not of God. (St. Ignatius of Antioch) 17

He who falls away from the doctrine and faith of the Catholic Church would not be, nor would even be called, a Christian. (St. Athanasius) 18

All true Christians are members of the Church. (St. John Eudes) 19

Whosoever and whatsoever he might be, he who is not in Christ's Church is no Christian! (St. Cyprian) 20

A manifest heretic is not a Christian, as is clearly taught by St. Cyprian, St. Athanasius, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and others. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 21

No one is entitled to accept a label without its contents. (Pope Paul VI) 22

Many will come in My name, saying: "I am Christ," and they will seduce many. Many will say to Me on that day: "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name and cast out devils in Thy name and done many miracles in Thy name?" Then will I profess unto them: Depart from Me, you who work iniquity; I never knew you! (St. Matthew 24:4-5; 7:21-23)

For they are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers disguise themselves as ministers of justice. (II Corinthians 11:13-15)

Heretics do not have the same God, the same Christ, as do Catholics. (Tertullian) 23

Heretics worship a God who is a liar, and a Christ who is a liar. (St. Augustine) 24

In no way can men be counted among the children of God unless they take the Church for their Mother. (Pope Leo XIII) 25

No one is our brother unless he has the same Father we have. (St. Jerome) 26

And, just as the Church cannot err in faith and morals; so, on the contrary, all other societies arrogating to themselves the name of "church" must necessarily be sunk in the most pernicious errors, both doctrinal and moral, because they are guided by the devil. (Catechism of Trent) 27

How can "two or three gather in Christ's name" if they have obviously cut themselves off from Christ and His Gospel? Do they think Christ is with them in their gatherings when those gatherings are outside the Church of Christ? (St. Cyprian) 28

Therefore, neither faith without the Church nor the Church without the faith can save you. (St. Francis de Sales) 29

If anyone says that a justified man, however perfect he might be, is not bound to observe the commandments of God and of the Church, but is bound only to believe, as though the Gospel apart from the observance of the commandments were an unconditional and absolute promise of everlasting life: let him be anathema. (Council of Trent) 30

The Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, Roman Church is the only true Church of Jesus Christ. It is error to believe that men can find the path of eternal salvation and attain eternal salvation in the practice of any religion whatsoever. It is error to believe that Protestantism is nothing other than a different form of the same true Christian religion, in which it is permitted to please God equally as in the Catholic Church. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 31

If anyone says that the condition of the faithful and those who have not yet come to the true faith is equal: let him be anathema. (I Vatican Council)32

Therefore, let them tremble who imagine that any religion will lead them to the haven of eternal happiness; let them reflect on the words of the Savior Himself: "He who is not with Me is against Me"; that those who gather not with Him scatter; and that consequently, beyond a doubt, they who do not keep the Catholic faith entire and unchanged will perish in eternity. (Pope Gregory XVI)33

Our Lord Jesus Christ, in testifying that those who are not with Him are His adversaries, does not designate any particular form of heresy, but declares that all heretics who do not gather with Him scatter His flock and are His enemies. (Pope Leo XIII) 1

Whosoever has cut himself off from the Church of Rome has become an alien to Christianity. (Pope St. Boniface I) 2

One cannot believe in Christ without believing in the Church, the Body of Christ. Be faithful, then, to your faith without falling into the dangerous illusion of separating Christ from His Church. The fidelity promised to Christ can never be separated from fidelity to the Church: "He who hears you, hears Me"! (Lk.10:16). (Pope John Paul II) 3

We hear people continually claiming to love Christ, but without the Church; to listen to Christ, but not to the Church; to belong to Christ, but outside the Church. The absurdity of this is clearly evident in this phrase of the Gospel: "Anyone who rejects you, rejects Me." (Pope Paul VI) 4

Even heretics appear to possess Christ, for none of them denies the name of Christ. Nevertheless, anyone who does not confess everything that pertains to Christ does in fact deny Christ. (St. Ambrose) 5

Hence, the separated heresies have been torn off like dead branches. Some are at a very great distance from Christ, others are disinherited for some slight matter and have made themselves and their children aliens from Him: they are outside the boundaries but have set themselves up outside. They have nothing left of Christ but the name. (St. Epiphanius) 6

All the leaders of heretics have gone out of Christ's Church to the synagogue of Satan, and they have passed over all together, disagreeing in their opposition to the faith, but agreeing in their leaving it. (St. Jerome) 7

Even if heretics were not enemies of the truth, even if we were not warned to avoid them, what sort of action is it to confer with men who themselves profess that they are still seeking for the truth? For, as long as they are still seeking, they have not laid hold on the truth, they have not as yet believed, they are not Christians. (Tertullian) 8

The Catholic Church alone, then, Christ calls His Spouse. The Church, therefore, is one; this cannot be said amongst any of those who are heretics or schismatics. The churches of every one of the heretics is prostituted; they are churches which Christ repudiates as unnecessary, since He is the Spouse of One Church. (St. Optatus of Milevis) 9

The Lord severed the Jewish people from His kingdom, and heretics and schismatics are also severed from the kingdom of God and from the Church. Our Lord makes it perfectly clear that every assembly of heretics and schismatics belongs not to God, but to the unclean spirit. (St. Ambrose) 10

"The multitude of believers had only one heart and soul" (Acts 4:32); but dissenters, and those who separate themselves from the Body of the Church, have no participation in this Holy H (St. Hilary of Poitiers) 11

Since they deny the Gospel and contradict the Creed, they cannot celebrate with us. And, although they dare to claim the name of Christ, every creature whose head is Christ scorns them. (Pope St. Leo the Great) 12

All these most ridiculous heretics, who wish to be called Christians, try to give a favorable appearance to their wild figments of imagination which the common sense of mankind utterly abhors. (St. Augustine) 13

Outside the Church full knowledge of Christ cannot be had, since to her and not to others has been entrusted the task of proclaiming His mystery under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to all nations to the end of the world. (Pope John Paul II) 1

The Church alone is the depository of the truth. (Pope St. Pius X) 2

The Catholic Church alone is the source of truth. If any man does not enter it, or if any man departs from it, he is far from the hope of life and salvation. (Lactantius) 3

Innovators say the Lord gives each of the faithful a clear knowledge of Scripture. Behold, the "private interpretation" of the heretics which has produced such a variety of creeds! Hence, everyone knows that among the Reformers there are as many formulas of faith as there are individuals! This alone is sufficient to show they are in error and do not have the true faith. God arranged that the true faith would be preserved in the Roman Church alone so that, there being but one Church, there would be but one faith and one doctrine for all the faithful. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 4

The Church clearly knows and maintains that there is but one truth, and consequently contrary �truths� cannot exist. (Pope John XXIII) 5

There is only one Christian faith, that is: Catholic. (St. Bridget of Sweden) 6

Neither the true faith nor eternal salvation is to be found outside the Holy Catholic Church. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 7

Those who are seeking the true religion will never find it outside the Catholic Church alone, because in every other religion, if they trace it up to the author, they will find some imposter whose imagination furnished a mass of sophisms and errors. (Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 8

Heretics think false things about God and call it their "faith." (St. Augustine) 9

The sense of Scripture can be found incorrupt nowhere outside the Catholic Church. (Pope Leo XIII) 10

Faith in Christ cannot be maintained pure and unalloyed when it is not protected and supported by faith in the Church. Faith in Christ and in the Church stand together. Whenever a person obstinately separates himself from the infallible teaching of the Church, he gradually loses the certain and true doctrine about Jesus Christ. All heretics wish to dissolve Christ and therefore "are not of God" (I Jn. 4:3). (Pope Pius XI) 11

The task of interpreting authentically the Word of God has been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church. (II Vatican Council) 12

The Gospel message does not permit either indifference, syncretism, or accommodation. It is a question of peoples' salvation! (Pope John Paul II) 13

The Church is afflicted at present by Indifferentism: that vicious manner of thinking which holds that eternal salvation can be obtained by the profession of any faith, provided a man�s morals be good and decent. Let them beware who preach that the gates of Heaven are open to every religion! Without a doubt, they will perish in eternity unless they hold to the Catholic faith and observe it whole and inviolate. (Pope Gregory XVI) 14

"Jesus, going into one of the ships that belonged to Simon, asked him to draw back a little; and, sitting down, He taught the multitudes out of the Ship� (Lk. 5:3). The Church is the Ship outside which it is impossible to understand the Divine Word. (St. Hilary of Poitiers) 15

Wherefore, all heretics, because they are blind to the truth, are forced to wander willy-nilly, first in one direction, then in another. (St. Irenaeus of Lyons) 16

Therefore, none of the heretics holds the truth; the Church alone is in possession of the truth. (St. Ambrose) 17

Hence, because truth must be one, of all the different churches only one can be the true one, and out of that Church there is no salvation. To convince all heretical sects of their error, there is no way more certain than to show that our Catholic Church has been the first one founded by Jesus Christ; for, this being established, it is proven beyond all doubt that ours is the only true Church and that all the others are certainly in error. A single contradiction is enough to show that Calvin and Luther did not have the Spirit of God. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 18

Because there is no Holy Spirit outside the Church, it is impossible for there to be any sound faith not only among heretics but even among those who are established in schism. (St. Cyprian) 19

God will have the Paraclete only in those who worship Him in perfect faith. (St. Cyril of Alexandria) 20

The true faith of the Catholic Church alone is the true source of salvation, from which all heresies, which have only the name of Christ but not the faith of Christ, have been cut off and separated. (St. Epiphanius) 21

And, just as the devil is not Christ, though he tricks people by the name, so likewise a man cannot be taken for a Christian unless he abides in the Gospel of Christ and in the true faith. (St. Cyprian) 22

Oh, God! How does it happen that they do not see that, being separated from the Catholic Church and having lost obedience to her, they have also lost the rule of faith, so that they have no sure rule to ascertain what is of the faith or what is not? Thus, they walk in the dark, changing the articles of their belief from day to day. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 23

Heretics are forever making up new creeds, and condemning old ones. They have their annual and monthly faiths, and as many faiths as they have people. They concoct creeds merely to repent of them, and they formulate new ones in order to anathematize those who adhere to their old ones. They all have "Scriptures" in hand, and "Faith" in their mouths, for no purpose but to impose on weak minds. (St. Hilary of Poitiers) 24

Thus does Satan manufacture heretics; thus does he weaken the faith. Therefore, do not let a heretic ensnare you just because he can quote a few examples from Scripture. The devil also makes use of texts from Scripture, not to teach but to deceive. (St. Ambrose) 25

Both the devil and his disciples use the testimonies of Holy Scripture, and vehemently indeed. For, they scarcely ever bring forward anything which they do not try to color with the words of Scripture. Read the tracts of such pests, and you will witness a vast heap of Scriptural examples. Hardly a page is not painted with sentences from the Old or New Testaments. But the more secretively they lurk under the shadows of the divine law, the more are they to be avoided; for they are all false apostles, false prophets, and false teachers, and all of them utterly heretics. Thus, what shall Catholic men do to discern truth from falsehood in the Holy Scriptures? Take very great care to interpret the Scriptures according to the traditions of the universal Church. Within this truly Catholic and Apostolic Church, it is necessary to follow universality, antiquity, and agreement. (St. Vincent of Lerins) 26

Therefore, heretics are not to be admitted to any discussion whatsoever concerning Sacred Scripture. Our faith owes obedience to the Apostle when he forbids us to deal with a heretic "after one warning" (Titus 3:10), not after a disputation with him. Heretics rely on what they have falsely composed from some ambiguity of their own. You will gain nothing but frustration from their blasphemy! The only question to be discussed and the first one to be proposed is: to whom does the true faith belong? For, wherever the true Christian faith can be shown, there will be the true Scriptures, the true interpretations of the Scriptures, and all the true Christian traditions. (Tertullian) 27

When a dispute has arisen concerning doctrine, and everyone uses the same Scriptures to support their contentions, what does a good life afford? If, after so many efforts, one falls into heresy and is cut off from the Church, what does an austere life avail him? Nothing! (St. John Chrysostom) 28

What good can there be in a man, what can one think of his �fear of the Lord� or his "faith," when neither warnings correct him, nor persecutions induce him to reform? (St. Cyprian) 29

What is the use of fighting for many articles of faith and to perish for the doubting of a few? He believes no one article of the faith who refuses to believe any single one. However many Catholic dogmas he retains, yet if he perniciously plucks out one, that which he holds, he holds not by orthodox faith, without which it is impossible to please God, but by his own reason, his own conviction. (St. Edmund Campion) 30

It is a denial of the faith not to confess even in the smallest matter. For we ought not, even in the slightest particular, deviate from the way of truth. (St. Epiphanius) 31

Neither living nor lifeless faith remains in a heretic who disbelieves a single article of faith. All those who deny one article of faith, regardless of their reason, are by that very fact excommunicated. Hence, he who does not adhere to everything Jesus Christ has prescribed for our salvation does not have any more of the doctrine of Jesus Christ than the pagans, Jews, or Mohammedans. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 32 32

There can be nothing more dangerous for us than those heretics who admit nearly the entire cycle of Catholic doctrine and yet, by a single word, as with a drop of poison, infect the real and simple faith taught by Our Lord and handed down by Apostolic tradition. For, such is the nature of the faith that nothing can be more absurd than to accept some things and to reject others. If, then, it be certain that anything is revealed by God, and this is not believed, then nothing whatever is believed. He who dissents even in one point from divinely-revealed truth absolutely rejects all faith. (Pope Leo XIII) 33

They even debase the concept of true religion and, little by little, lapse into Naturalism and Atheism. (Pope Pius XI) 34

There is no middle way between Catholicism and Atheism; hence, Protestants have abandoned themselves to the extreme of Atheism or Materialism, denying every maxim of the faith. If you take away obedience to the Church, there is no error which will not be embraced. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 35

You deserters rave, steeped as you are in sacrilege; yes, you rave! What madness could be greater? Why are your ears deaf to the rules of salvation we propose? Look at the punishments we see overtaking men who have denied the faith. Alas! What an evil end they come to! Not even here below can they go unpunished, though the Day of Reckoning is still to come! (St. Cyprian) 36

Although the devil desired to sift all the disciples, the Lord testifies that He Himself asked for Peter alone, and wished that the others be confirmed by him (Lk. 22:32); and to Peter as well was committed the care of "feeding the sheep" (Jn. 21:15); and also to him did the Lord hand over the "keys to the kingdom of Heaven" (Mt. 16:19). If, however, anyone believes contrary to this, let him know he is condemned and anathematized. Consider, therefore, that whoever has not been in the peace and unity of the Church cannot have the Lord. Those not willing to be at agreement in the Church of God cannot abide with God. For the Church of God is established among those known to preside over the Apostolic Sees, and whoever separates himself from these Sees is manifestly in schism. (Pope Pelagius II) 1

Remember and understand well that where Peter is, there is the Church; that those who refuse to associate in communion with the Chair of Peter belong to Antichrist, not to Christ. He who would separate himself from the Roman Pontiff has no further bond with Christ. (Pope Leo XIII) 2

It is necessary for salvation that all the faithful of Christ be subject to the Roman Pontiff. (V Lateran Council) 3

It is absolutely necessary that the Christian community be subject in all things to the Sovereign Pontiff if it wishes to be a part of the divinely-established society founded by our Redeemer. (Pope Pius XII) 4

No one is found in the one Church of Christ, and no one perseveres in it, unless he acknowledges and accepts obediently the supreme authority of St. Peter and his legitimate successors. (Pope Pius XI) 5

The Roman Pontiff is the direct and immediate pastor of every soul redeemed by Christ, for he is our Redeemer's Vicar. (I Vatican Council) 6

It is impossible to be joined to God except through Jesus Christ; it is impossible to be united to Christ except in and through the Church; finally, it is impossible to belong to the Church except through the bishops who are united to the Supreme Pastor, the successor of Peter (Pope John XXIII) 7

If, therefore, the Greeks or others say that they are not committed to Peter and to his successors, they necessarily say that they are not of the sheep of Christ, since the Lord says that there is only one fold and one shepherd (Jn.10:16). Whoever, therefore, resists this authority, resists the command of God Himself. (Pope Boniface VIII) 8

Christ expressly pointed out which Church He estalished when He turned to Peter and said: "You are Rock, and upon this Rock I will build My Church." Yes, "His" Church - the one Church of Christ - not "many" churches. (St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe) 9

It is an error to believe that a man is in the Church if he abandons the See of Peter, the foundation of the Church. (St. Cyprian) 10

Where Peter is, there is the Church. (St. Ambrose) 11

As ye are children of Christ, so be ye children of Rome! (St. Patrick) 12

To be Christian, one must be Roman, governed by Christ's Vicar on earth. The Church does not rest on Christ alone, but also on Peter. That Christ and His Vicar constitute only one single Head is solemn teaching. Therefore, those who think they can accept Christ as the Head of the Church without adhering faithfully to His Vicar on earth are in dangerous error. (Pope Pius XII) 13

The Sacraments, which some people keep and use outside the unity of Christ, are able to preserve the appearance of piety; but the invisible and spiritual virtue of true piety cannot abide there any more than feeling can remain in an amputated part of your body. (Pope Leo XIII) 1

The Church alone possesses the beneficial use of the Sacraments, the efficacious instruments of grace. (Catechism of Trent) 2

Cut off from the Body into which alone the graces of Christ flow, you are deprived of the benefit of all Sacraments. (St. Edmund Campion) 3

The Gentiles have churches, and scriptures, and sacrifices, and teachers, and books, and a partial knowledge of God; nevertheless, no one on earth possesses the grace and operation of the Holy Spirit except those who have been rightly baptized by faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (Bl. Jerome of Jerusalem) 4

Hold most firmly, and never doubt in the least, that outside the Catholic Church the Sacrament of Baptism cannot be of any profit; nay, just as within the Church salvation is conferred through the Sacrament of Baptism upon those who believe rightly, so too, outside the Catholic Church, ruin is heaped up for those who were baptized by that same Baptism, if they do not return to the Church. (St. Fulgentius) 5

There is no salvation outside the Church, and therefore whatever things of the Church are had outside the Church do not avail unto salvation. (St. Augustine) 6

Anyone who receives the Sacrament of Baptism, whether in the Catholic Church or in a heretical or schismatic church, receives the whole Sacrament; however, he will not have salvation if he has that Sacrament outside the Catholic Church. Eternal life can never in any way be obtained by anyone who, with the Sacrament of Baptism, remains a stranger to the Catholic Church. Hold most firmly and never doubt in the least that no person baptized outside the Catholic Church can become a partaker of eternal life if, before the end of this earthly life, he has not returned, and been incorporated into the Catholic Church. (St. Fulgentius) 7

Some men can receive Baptism outside the Church, but no one can either receive or possess salvation outside the Church. For the water of the Church is salutary and holy for those who use it well, but outside the Church no one can use it well. (St. Augustine) 8

There are many heresies which utilize the words of Baptism, but not in a proper sense, nor with sound faith; and, in consequence, the water which they pour is unprofitable, so that he who is sprinkled by them is polluted rather than redeemed. (St. Athanasius) 9

Although among heretics and schismatics there is the same Baptism, nevertheless, remission of sins is not operative among them because of the rottenness of discord and wickedness of dissension. (St. Augustine) 10

Without a doubt, the forgiveness of sins is the work of the Holy Spirit and is granted by God, but not independently of the Church founded by Jesus Christ for the salvation of all men. (Pope John Paul II) 11

Besides a desire to be baptized, faith is also necessary to obtain the grace of the Sacrament. Our Lord said: "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk. 16:16). (Catechism of Trent) 12

Therefore, Baptism without faith avails nothing. If anyone without the right faith receives Baptism outside the Church, he does not receive it untosalvation. Men can receive the Baptism of the Church outside her fold, but no one can receive or keep the salvation of the blessed outside the Church. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 13

Baptism does not profit a man outside unity with the Church, for many heretics also possess this Sacrament, but not the fruits of salvation. Children baptized in other communions cease to be members of the Church when, after reaching the age of reason, they make formal profession of heresy, as, for example, by receiving communion in a non-Catholic church. (St. Augustine) 14

They no longer have the Sacraments, with the exception of Baptism; a fruitful baptism for children, provided that, once the age of reason is reached, they do not embrace the schism. (Pope Leo XIII) 15

Heretics and schismatics place an obstacle to God's grace by their sins of infidelity and schism in which they actually persevere. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 16

The Church is built on the Rock of Peter, and he who eats the Lamb outside this holy dwelling has no part with God. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 17

Outside the unity of faith and love which makes us members of the Church, no one can be saved; hence, if the Sacraments are received outside the Church, they are not effective for salvation even though they be true Sacraments. However, they can become useful if a person returns to Holy Mother the Church, the solitary Spouse of Christ, whose sons alone Christ considers worthy of eternal inheritance. (St. Bonaventure) 18

Some people hope that nations, in spite of their differing religious viewpoints, may unite as brothers in the profession of certain doctrines as a common foundation. Certainly, efforts such as these cannot receive the approbation of Catholics, for they rest on the false opinion that any religion whatever is more-or-less praiseworthy and good. Those who hold this opinion are in gross error! Is it permitted for Catholics to be present at conventions, gatherings, meetings, or societies of non-Catholics which aim to associate everyone who in any way lays claim to the name of Christian? In the negative! This Apostolic See has never allowed its subjects to take part in the assemblies of non-Catholics. (Pope Pius XI) 1

Do not work together with unbelievers, for what does justice have in common with injustice? (II Corinthians 6:14)

Whoever is separated from the Church must be avoided and fled from; such a man is a sinner and is self-condemned. (St. Cyprian) 2

It is an illusion to seek the company of sinners on the pretence of reforming them, or of converting them; it is far more to be feared that they will spread their poison to us. (St. Gregory Nazianzen) 3

Therefore, it is unlawful, and an act the punishment of which is death, to love to associate with unholy heretics. (St. Cyril of Alexandria) 4

If you embrace the errors of the nations that dwell among you, and make marriages with them, and join friendships with them, know ye for a certainty that they shall be a pit and a snare in your way, and a stumbling block at your side. (Josue 23:13)

Saints Peter and Paul loathed heretics, and warned us to avoid them. (St. Cyprian) 5

If any man, who is called a brother, be a server of idols, with such a one do not keep company, not so much as to eat. For what fellowship does light have with darkness? Or what part do the faithful have with the unbeliever? Wherefore, go out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord. (Corinthians I, 5:11; II, 6:14-17)

Such was the horror which the Apostles and their disciples had against holding even verbal communication with any corrupters of the truth! (St. Irenaeus of Lyons) 6

In respect to their guilt whereby they are opposed to God, all sinners are to be hated, even one's father, or mother, or kindred. For it is our duty to hate in the sinner his being a sinner. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 7

He who hates not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters cannot be My disciple. (St. Luke 14:26)

He who loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. (St. Matthew 10:37)

If any man come to you and bring not this doctrine, do not receive him into the house nor say to him: "God speed you." For, he who says to him "God speed you" communicates with his wicked works. (II St. John 1:10-11)

Since these wretched souls will have to be separated from God and Heaven for all eternity because their place will be in Hell, already here on earth they have to be separated from the company of Christ and His servants. (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 8

It is impossible for us to hold communion after their death with those who have not been in communion with us during their life. (Pope Innocent III) 9

If any man shall be friendly to those with whom the Roman Pontiff is not in communion, he is in complicity with those who want to destroy the Church of God; and, although he may seem to be with us in body, he is against us in mind and spirit, and is a much more dangerous enemy than those outside. (Pope St. Clement I) 10

I pray to God that, as high as we seem to sit treading heretics under our feet like ants, we live not to see the day we would gladly wish to be at league and composed with them, to let them have their churches quietly to themselves so that they would be content to let us have ours quietly to ourselves. (St. Thomas More) 11

We charge you, brethren, in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition received from us. And, if any man does not obey, note that man, and do not keep company with him. (II Thessalonians 3:6,14)

If any ecclesiastic or layman shall go into the synagogue of the Jews or to the meeting-houses of the heretics to join in prayer with them, let them be deposed and deprived of communion. If any bishop or priest or deacon shall join in prayer with heretics, let him be suspended. (III Council of Constantinople) 12

One must neither pray nor sing psalms with heretics, and whosoever shall communicate with those who are cut off from the communion of the Church, whether clergy or layman: let him be excommunicated. (Council of Carthage) 13

I will not pray with you, nor shall you pray with me; neither will I say "Amen" to your prayers, nor shall you to mine. (St. Margaret Clitherow) 14

These men are Protestants; they are heretics! Have nothing to do with them! (St. Anthony Mary Claret) 15

Heretics deserve not only to be separated from the Church by excommunication, but also to be severed from the world by death. For it is a much more serious matter to corrupt the faith than to counterfeit that which supports temporal life. Wherefore, if counterfeiters and other evil-doers are immediately condemned to death by secular authorities, there is much more reason for heretics to be put to death. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 16

Heresy is a kind of treason, and if a heretic persisteth in his false belief, he may be handed over to be burned. (St. Thomas More) 17

Even if my own father were a heretic, I would gather the wood to burn him! (Pope Paul IV) 18

That it is against the will of the Spirit to burn heretics at the stake is condemned as false. (Pope Leo X) 19

Make no mistake, my brethren: they who endeavor to corrupt the Church of Christ shall suffer ever-lasting punishment. Whosoever sets at nought His doctrine shall go into Hell, and so shall everone who listens to him. What communion does light have with darkness, or Christ with Belial? Or what portion does truth have with falsehood? Or righteousness with unrighteousness? Or true doctrine with that which is false? (St. Ignatius of Antioch) 20

I beseech you, brethren, mark those who made dissensions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. (Romans 16:17)

A man who is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid; knowing that such a man is subverted and sins, being condemned by his own judgment. (St. Titus 3:10-11)

Do not treat with a man without religion. Give no heed to them in any matter of counsel. (Ecclesiasticus 37:12,14)

I cannot communicate with unclean heretics even by a single word! (St. Paphnutius) 21

Predestinate souls, you who are of God, cut yourselves adrift from those who are damning themselves! (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 22

We have become cowardly, faint-hearted, and, so often, for some reason or another, we keep silence. We let ourselves be overcome by human respect, and cease to show ourselves as true followers of Our Lord. Why? Because we are cowards! Oh, how we need to renew our faith, to rekindle our hearts in the sublime principles of our holy religion! (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini) 23

No man outside obedience to the Pope of Rome can ultimately be saved. All who have raised themselves against the faith of the Roman Church and died in final impenitence have been damned, and gone down into Hell. (Pope Clement VI) 1

It is an absolute necessity to submit to the Supreme Pastor, to whom it is absolutely necessary for salvation to remain subject. (Pope Leo XIII) 2

We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff. (Pope Boniface VIII) 3

Blessed Peter received the keys of the kingdom in such a way that all may understand that whosoever shall cut themselves off in any way cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven. Peter is the doorkeeper whom I will not contradict lest, when I come to the gates of Heaven, there should be no one to open them, since he will be my adversary who is proven to have the keys. (St. Bede the Venerable) 4

Christ Jesus left you this sweet key of obedience; for He left His Vicar, whom you are all obliged to obey until death. And whoever is outside his obedience is in a state of damnation. (St. Catherine of Siena) 5

I am moved to obedience to that See by this fact especially: that, on the one hand, every enemy of the Christian faith makes war on that See; and, on the other, no one has ever declared himself an enemy of that See who has not also, shortly afterward, shown that he was the enemy of the Christian religion. (St. Thomas More) 6

He who does not enter by the door of the fold shall not have salvation. The door of the fold is the Catholic Church and union with the Head who represents Jesus Christ. (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini) 7

How beautiful is the Church of Christ, "the fold of the sheep"! Into this fold of Jesus Christ no man may enter unless he be led by the Sovereign Pontiff, and only if they be united to him can men be saved. (Pope John XXIII) 8

To be subject to the Roman Pontiff is absolutely necessary for salvation. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 9

You may no more refuse obedience to the See of Rome than might a child refuse obedience to his natural father. That is my opinion; that is the belief in which, by the grace of God, I shall die. (St. Thomas More) 10

Those who are obstinate toward the authority of the Roman Pontiff cannot obtain eternal salvation. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 11

We teach and declare that this power of jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiff is immediate, to which everyone, both pastors and faithful, are bound to submit. (I Vatican Council) 12

It is error to believe that, if the Pope were a reprobate and an evil man and consequently a member of the devil, he has no power over the faithful. (Council of Constance) 13

It is error to believe that, if the Pope were wicked and reprobate, then he is of the devil and is not head of the Church Militant since he would not be a member of it. (Pope Martin V) 14

Even if the Pope were Satan incarnate, we ought not to raise up our heads against him, but calmly lie down to rest on his bosom. He who rebels against our Father is condemned to death, for that which we do to him we do to Christ: we honor Christ if we honor the Pope; we dishonor Christ if we dishonor the Pope. I know very well that many defend themselves by boasting: "They are so corrupt, and work all manner of evil!" But God has commanded that, even if the priests, the pastors, and Christ-on-earth were incarnate devils, we be obedient and subject to them, not for their sakes, but for the sake of God, and out of obedience to Him. (St. Catherine of Siena) 15

All Catholics agree that it is possible for the Pope, even as Pope with an Ecumenical Council, to err in controversies of fact which depend on human testimony; secondly, that it is possible for him, even in universal questions of faith or morals, to err as a private teacher from ignorance, which happens to other teachers. Next, all Catholics agree that the Pope, with an Ecumenical Council, cannot err in framing decrees of faith or morality; secondly, that the Pope, when determining anything in a doubtful matter, whether by himself or with his own particular Council, whether it be possible for him to err or not, is to be obeyed by all the faithful. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 16

If anyone condemns the dogmas or decrees promulgated for the Catholic faith and the correction of the faithful by the one presiding in the Apostolic See, let him be anathema. (Pope St. Nicholas the Great) 17

It would be possible to multiply indefinitely citations from the best witnesses, all of whom clearly declare the attachment, veneration, submission, and obedience which must be accorded the Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff by those who wish to belong to the one, true, holy Church of Christ in order to obtain eternal salvation. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 18

Just as no man can enter any place without the help of him who has the keys, so no one is admitted to Heaven unless its gates be unlocked by the priests to whose custody the Lord gave the keys. (Catechism of Trent) 1

Look at the heathens. What has it availed them that Our Lord has died? Alas! They can have no share in the blessing of redemption while they have no priests to apply His blood to their souls (St. John Mary Vianney) 2

Without priests, we cannot be saved. (St. John Chrysostom) 3

We ought to keep our minds ready to obey in all things our Holy Mother, the hierarchical Church. We ought always believe that what seems to us white to be black if the hierarchical Church so defines it. I ought to be like a corpse, which does not have either free will or understanding; or like a staff in the hands of an old man who uses it as may please him. (St. Ignatius Loyola) 4

With all thy soul, fear the Lord, and reverence His priests. Forsake not His ministers, and give honor to the priests. (Ecclesiasticus 7:31-33)

Do not let those who have refused to obey the bishops and priests imagine that the way of salvation is still open to them. Heresies and schisms all have their origin solely in the refusal to obey the priest of God (St. Cyprian) 5

Obey your prelates, and be subject to them! (Hebrews 13:17)

It is impossible to be joined to God except through Jesus Christ; it is impossible to be united to Christ except in and through the Church; finally, it is impossible to belong to the Church except through the bishops who are successors of the Apostles united to the Supreme Pastor, the successor of Peter. (Pope John XXIII) 6

The people united to the priest, and the flock cleaving to the shepherd: this is the Church. The bishop is in the Church and the Church is in the bishop; so that, if a man be not with the bishop, he is not in the Church. (St. Cyprian) 7

There is no knowledge of God in the land, for people are like those who contradict the priest. (Osee 4:1,4)

After God, the priest. That sums up everything. Leave a parish twenty years without a priest, and they will be worshipping the animals. (St. John Mary Vianney) 8

Does a man think he is with Christ when he acts in opposition to the bishops of Christ and cuts himself off from the society of His clergy and people? An enemy of the altar, he gives up faith for perfidy, religion for sacrilege; an undutiful son, despising the bishops and deserting the priests of God, he tries to set up a new altar. (St. Cyprian) 9

It is impossible for another altar to be set up, or a new priesthood to be established, apart from the one altar and the one priesthood. (Pope John XXIII) 10

Therefore, follow the bishops and priests. Apart from them, there is nothing that can be called a church. Anyone outside is impure; he is worse than an infidel. In other words, anyone who acts apart from the bishop and the priests and deacons does not have a clean conscience. For, all who belong to God and to Jesus Christ are with the bishop. Make no mistake about it: no one who follows another into schism inherits the kingdom of God. (St. Ignatius of Antioch) 11

Our most merciful Lord has bequeathed to His Church the Sacraments through which we firmly believe that the fruit of His passion is really communicated to us. For through the Sacraments, as through a channel, must flow the efficacy of the passion of Christ, that is, the grace He merited for us, without which we cannot hope for salvation. (Catechism of Trent) 1

Sinners are lost not because there was no atonement for their sins, but because they refused to make use of the Sacraments and thus share in the atonement offered by Jesus Christ. (Bl. John of Avila) 2

You must submit yourself faithfully to those who have charge of divine things, and you must look to them for the means of your salvation. (Pope St. Gelasius I) 3

All true justification either begins through the Sacraments or, once begun, increases through them, or, when lost, is regained through them. (Council of Trent) 4

Only through receiving the Sacraments of Christ can we come to share in the lot of the Elect and in eternal life. (St. Bede the Venerable) 5

If anyone says that the Sacraments of the New Law are not necessary for salvation, but that they are superfluous: let him be anathema. (Council of Trent) 6

My children, why are there no Sacraments in other religions? Because there is no salvation there. We have the Sacraments at our disposal because we belong to the religion of salvation. Give thanks to God for them, for the Sacraments are the sources of salvation. It is not so in other religions. ( St. John Mary Vianney) 7

Sins can be forgiven only through the Sacraments when duly administered; hence, it follows that both priests and Sacraments are the instruments which Christ makes use of to accomplish in us the pardon of sin and the grace of justification. (Catechism of Trent) 8

Through priests, God communicates His grace to the faithful in the Sacraments. In a word, without priests, we cannot be saved! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 9

Holy Baptism holds the first place among all the Sacraments because, by it, we are made members of Christ and of His Body, the Church. And since death has come to all men through the first man, unless we are reborn of water and the Holy Ghost, we cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven. (Council of Florence) 1

Since by the transgression of the first man the whole progeny of the human race is vitiated, no one can be freed from the condition of the old man except by the Sacrament of the Baptism of Christ. (Pope St. Leo the Great) 2

The universal and absolute necessity of Baptism our Savior has declared in these words: "Unless a person be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (Catechism of Trent) 3

Baptism is the Sacrament of absolute necessity. Consequently, it is clear that everyone is bound to be baptized, and that without Baptism there is no salvation for men. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 4

If anyone says that Baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for salvation: let him be anathema. (Council of Trent ) 5

No one ascends into the kingdom of Heaven except by the Sacrament of Baptism. No one is excused from Baptism: not infants, nor anyone hindered by any necessity. When the Lord Jesus came to John, and John said: "I ought to be baptized by Thee, and dost Thou come to me?" Jesus said: "Permit it to be so for now. For thus it becometh us to fulfill all justice" (Mt. 3:14-15). Behold how all justice rests on Baptism! (St. Ambrose) 6

On account of this rule of faith, even infants are truly baptized unto the remission of sins. Moreover, if anyone says that in the kingdom of Heaven there will be some place where infants live who departed this life without Baptism, without which they cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven which is eternal life: let him be anathema. (Pope St. Zosimus) 7

The Lord has determined that the kingdom of Heaven be conferred only on baptized persons. If eternal life can accrue only to those who have been baptized, it follows that they who die unbaptized incur everlasting death. (St. Augustine) 8

Whether a man departs this life without Baptism, or receives a baptism lacking in some requirements, his loss is the same (St. Basil the Great) 9

The punishment of being deprived of God and the loss of heavenly glory affects both adults and children who are unbaptized. The children are punished along with the others, but by the mildest punishment because they deserve the Punishment of Loss alone, not the Punishment of the Senses. (St. Bonaventure) 10

Weep for the unbelievers! Weep for those who differ not a smidgen from the infidels: those who die without Baptism! They are outside the Royal City, along with those subject to punishment, along with the damned. (St. John Chrysostom) 11

Baptism is the distinctive mark of all Christians, and serves to differentiate them from those who have not been cleansed in this purifying stream and who, consequently, are not members of Christ. (Pope Pius XII) 12

Our heretics, more audacious than Pelagians, deny that Baptism is necessary, not only for the remission of sin, but also for the attainment of Heaven. However, those who imagine that there is another remedy besides Baptism openly contradict the Gospel, the Councils, the Fathers, and the consensus of the universal Church. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 13

This Sacrament of Penance is necessary for salvation for those who have fallen after Baptism, just as Baptism itself is necessary for salvation for those not yet regenerated. (Council of Trent) 1

This Sacrament is, after Baptism, indispensably necessary for all who have committed sins who wish to be reconciled to God and enter Heaven. Penance is the only means instituted by Jesus Christ for this; He will never grant remission of sins to Christians who wish to obtain it by some other means. No power in Heaven or on earth can obtain forgiveness of sin but this holy Sacrament. (St. John Neumann) 2

Mortal sins must be confessed not only to God, but also to the priest who has the power to forgive them. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 3

Consider that, unless you confess your sin, you will go to Hell. All mortal sins are to be submitted to the keys of the Church; recourse to these keys is the only, the necessary, and the certain way to forgiveness. Unless those who are guilty of grievous sin have recourse to the power of the keys, they cannot hope for eternal salvation. (St. Augustine) 4

The sinner is not restored to the Church except by the decree of the priest. If anyone has Perfect Contrition before the absolution of the priest, he obtains remission of his sins by the fact that he intends to subject himself to the keys of the Church, without which intention there is no real contrition. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 5

Although it does sometimes happen that contrition is made perfect through charity and reconciles a man to God before this Sacrament is actually received, nevertheless, this holy Council teaches that the reconciliation must not be attributed to contrition exclusive of the desire for the Sacrament included in the contrition. If anyone says that the man who falls after Baptism can recover justice by faith alone without the Sacrament of Penance, let him be anathema. If anyone says that, to obtain remission of sins in the Sacrament, it is not necessary according to divine law to confess each and every mortal sin that is remembered, let him be anathema. (Council of Trent) 6

Confess your sins, that you may be saved. (St. James 5:16)

It is necessary for salvation to confess all mortal sins perfectly and distinctly to the priest. (Pope Clement VI) 7

The necessity of Confession has been commanded by several Councils: III Carthage, Challon, Worms, the Council of the Lateran under Innocent III, by Constance, Florence, and Trent. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 8

If anyone should depart this life without penance or confession, he is not to be prayed for. (Council of Chalcuth) 9

That, if a man be duly contrite, every exterior confession on his part is superfluous and useless is hereby condemned as error. (Pope Martin V) 10

In addition to contrition of heart, Christ obligated us out of necessity for salvation to confess to a priest. (Council of Constance) 11

It is impossible for a sinner to be saved unless he confesses his sins to a priest. (Pope St. Leo the Great) 12

That mortal sins are abolished without Confession by means of contrition of heart alone, we declare to be false and entirely at variance with the Gospels. (Pope Sixtus IV) 13

If you do not confess your sins, you will certainly be damned. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 14

The Eucharist is necessary to preserve the soul in grace, because the soul becomes gradually exhausted if care is not taken to repair its strength. "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has everlasting life" (Jn. 6:55). Therefore, he who does not eat this Bread and drink this Blood does not have this Life. Without it, a man may have temporal life, but in no way can he possess eternal life. (St. John Baptist de la Salle) 1

Our God has given Himself to be our Food because man, condemned to death as he is, can be restored to Life only by this means. (Pope Urban IV) 2

Unless a believer partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ our God, it is impossible to be saved and obtain the kingdom of Heaven. (St. Nilus) 3

What would become of us if we did not have the Most Holy Sacrament? (St. Denis the Areopagite) 4

Without Jesus, first bloodily sacrificed for us upon the cross, and daily since then unbloodily sacrificed upon our altars, it would all be over for us. Each person might say to the other: "We part to meet in Hell." Yes, in Hell! (St. Leonard of Port Maurice) 5

One cannot live without the Mass. (Pope John Paul II) 6

God instituted this mystery, without which there would be no salvation in this world. (St. Udone of Cluny) 7

Who but a raving mad lunatic, completely out of his mind, could despise this tremendous mystery? (St. John Chrysostom) 8

Without Baptism and the Lord's Supper, it is impossible for man to attain to salvation and everlasting life. So much does Scripture also testify. (St. Augustine) 9

He gives everyone the same invitation to receive Him: "Take and eat: this is My Body." And, to allure us to receive Him, He promises Heaven to us: "If any man eat of this Bread, he shall live forever." And, if we refuse to receive Him, He threatens us with death: "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you." (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 10

All the faithful must confess only one Baptism, which regenerates in Christ all the baptized, just as there is one God and one faith. We believe that this Sacrament, celebrated in water, is necessary for children and grown-ups alike for the perfect remedy of salvation. (Council of Vienne) 1

Let us hold firmly to our Catholic doctrine: one God, one faith, one Baptism. To try and inquire further is sinful. (Ven. Pope Pius IX)2

We confess one Baptism for the remission of sins. (The Nicene Creed) 3

One is the Baptism which the Church administers, of water and the Holy Ghost, with which catechumens need to be baptized. Nor does the mystery of regeneration exist at all without water. Now, even the catechumen believes; but, unless he be baptized, he can not receive remission of his sins. (St. Ambrose) 4

It is not enough merely to believe. He who believes and is not yet baptized, but is only a catechumen, has not yet fully acquired salvation. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 5

How many sincere catechumens die unbaptized, and are thus lost forever! When we come into the sight of God, no one will say: "Why was this man led by God's direction to be baptized, while that man, although he lived properly as a catechumen, was killed in a sudden disaster and not baptized?" Look for rewards, and you will find nothing but punishments! Of what use would repentance be, if Baptism did not follow? No matter what progress a catechumen may make, he still carries the burden of iniquity, and it is not taken away until he has been baptized. (St. Augustine) 6

You are outside Paradise, O catechumen! You share the exile of Adam! (St. Gregory of Nyssa) 7

It is obvious that we must grieve for our own catechumens should they depart this life without the saving grace of Baptism. (St. John Chrysostom) 8

Neither commemoration nor chanting is to be employed for catechumens who have died without Baptism. (Council of Braga) 9

Consequently, if anyone were sanctified in the womb now, they would need to be baptized in order to be conformed to the other members of Christ by receiving the Character of Baptism. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 10

But how can you put on Christ unless you receive the Mark of Christ? Unless you receive His Baptism? (St. Gregory of Nyssa) 11

For it is through Baptism we are made members of Christ and compacted into the Body of the Church. (Pope Eugene IV) 12

All the multitude of the faithful are regenerated from water and the Holy Spirit, and through this truly incorporated into the Church. (III Council of Valence) 13

God provides Baptism for all His Elect. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 14

Baptism has been made accessible to everyone, everywhere. (St. Bernard) 15

Seek first the kingdom of God and His justice, and unto this all else will be added. (St. Matthew 6:33)

"All." "All." And He who says "all" excludes nothing. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 16

Never has anyone who entrusted himself to Our Lord been disappointed or defrauded of his expectations! (St. John Eudes) 17

God never leaves unrewarded the ardent desires of holy souls. (Bl. Henry Suso) 18

For God does not forsake those who have once been justified by His grace, unless He first be forsaken by them. (St. Augustine) 19

Of those who fail to be baptized, some are utterly animal or bestial; others honor Baptism but they delay, some out of carelessness, some because of insatiable passion. Still others are not able to receive Baptism because of infancy or some involuntary circumstance which prevents their receiving the gift, even if they desire it. I think the first group will have to suffer punishment, not only for their other sins, but also for their contempt of Baptism. The second group will also be punished, but less, because it was not through wickedness so much as foolishness that brought about their failure. The third group will be neither glorified, nor punished; for, although unSealed, they are not wicked. If you were able to judge a man who intends to commit murder solely by his intention and without any act of murder, then you could likewise reckon as baptized one who desired Baptism, without having received Baptism. But, since you cannot do the former, how can you do the latter? Put it this way: if desire has equal power with actual Baptism, you would then be satisfied to desire Glory, as though that longing itself were Glory! Do you suffer by not attaining the actual Glory, so long as you have a desire for it? I cannot see it! (St. Gregory Nazianzen) 20

Shall we void the Gospel? Shall we void the words of Christ? Shall we promise you what He refuses you? (St. Augustine) 21

Furthermore, St. Augustine says that Cornelius the Centurion, although praised in the Scriptures, was not yet such that he could have been saved unless he became incorporated in the Church through the Sacrament of Baptism. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 22

Cornelius and the Good Thief were justified without having any knowledge of Baptism, but everyone knows that the obligation of Baptism did not commence until after the death of the Savior. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 23

The time when the law of Baptism was made admits of no doubt. After the Resurrection of Our Lord, when He gave to His Apostles the command to go and "teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," the law of Baptism became obligatory on all who were to be saved. (Catechism of Trent) 24

Baptism is the necessary condition for salvation.(Pope John Paul II) 25

In Baptism, two things are always necessarily required: the words and the element. You ought not doubt that they do not have true Baptism in which one of them is missing. (Pope Innocent III) 26

In the days of Noah, when the Ark was under construction, eight souls were saved by water; whereunto Baptism, being of like form, now saves you also. (I St. Peter 3:20-21)

Had Israel not crossed the Sea, they would not have escaped from Pharoah; likewise, if you do not go through the water, you will not escape from the cruel tyranny of the demon. (St. Basil the Great) 27

If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with Me. (St. John 13:8)

Some among the heretics flatter themselves with claims of martyrdom. But not all who submit their bodies to suffering, even to flames, are to be considered as having shed their blood for their sheep; rather, they may have shed it against the salvation of their sheep, for the Apostle says: "If I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing" (I Corinthians 13:3). Indeed, as long as you remain outside the Church, and severed from the fabric of unity and bond of charity, you will be punished with everlasting chastisement, even if you were burned alive for the sake of Christ. (St. Augustine) 28

Being placed outside the Church, and cut off from unity and charity, heretics or schismatics could not be crowned in death, even though one should be slain for the name of Christ. Even if a man should deliver his body to be burned, he gains nothing. Baptism of blood cannot profit a heretic unto salvation, because there is no salvation outside the Church. (St. Cyprian) 29

Outside the Church, no one can be a martyr. (St. Pacian) 30

We should not forget that the devil has his martyrs, and that he infuses into them a false constancy. It is not the punishment, but the cause, that makes the martyr, that is: the true faith. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 31

If those unwilling to be at agreement in the Church be slain outside the Church, they cannot attain to the rewards of the Church. (Pope Pelagius II) 32

No one, even if he pour out his blood for the name of Christ, can be saved unless he remain within the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church. (Pope Eugene IV) 33

Nay, though they should suffer death for the Name, the guilt of such men is not removed even by their blood, for not even blood can wash away the stain of heresy. Baptism of fire does not help such a person if he dies outside the Church, for the grievous sin of schism is not purged away even by martyrdom. No martyr can he be who is not in the Church. Such a man may be put to death; crowned he cannot be. (St. Cyprian) 34

When the Lord says: "Unless one be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he shall not enter into the kingdom of God" (Jn. 3:5), what Catholic will doubt that whoever has not deserved to be a co-heir with Christ will be a partner with the devil? (Pope St. Zosimus)35

If anyone says that the commandments of God are impossible to observe, even for a man who is justified and in the state of grace, let him be anathema. (Council of Trent) 1

All things are possible to him who believes. For, all things are possible with God. (St. Mark 9:22; 10:27)

To him who seeks only to please God and save his soul, the necessities will never be lacking. (St. John Mary Vianney) 2

We cannot believe that God would have imposed on us the observance of a law, and then made the law impossible to observe! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 3

God does not command impossibilities. When God lays a command on you, He requires you to do all you can and, in what you cannot do, to implore His help and He will enable you to do it. He Who commands us to do these things grants us aid to ask, to seek, to knock. (St. Augustine) 4

For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. (St. Matthew 7:8)

No one, however much justified, should consider himself exempt from the observance of the commandments; no one should use that rash statement, forbidden under anathema, that the observance of the commandments of God is impossible for one who is justified. For God does not command impossibilities; on the contrary, He admonishes you to do what you can, and to pray for what you cannot do, and He helps you so that you may be able. (Council of Trent) 5

God works that we may both will and do what He wishes, nor does He allow those gifts to lie idle in us which He has given us. (Council of Ephesus) 6

For, it is God Who works in you both the will and the performance. (Philippians 2:13)

Since God commands everyone actually to observe the commandments, it must certainly be supposed that He ordinarily gives to everyone at least the remote grace with which, at least by prayer, they can actually fulfill the Law. Everyone has from God sufficient grace actually to fulfill the Law. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 7

Extraordinary opinions, even of Catholic Doctors, should not be proposed; instead, the flock should listen to those opinions which have the most certain criteria of Catholic truth: universality, antiquity, and unanimity. (Pope Clement XIII) 1

The Church has never accepted as the principal source of truth even the most holy and eminent Doctor. Certainly, the Church considers Augustine and Thomas great Doctors, and she accords them the highest praise; but she recognizes infallibility only in the inspired authors of the Sacred Scriptures. The Church alone is the entrance to salvation and depository of the Sacred Tradition living within her. She alone is the source of truth. (Pope Pius XII) 2

Whence, all true Catholics know they ought to receive Doctors, but not to forsake the faith of the Church with Doctors! If at any time any ecclesiastical teacher, yea even a prophet, should attempt to introduce anything new, Divine Providence permits it for our testing. The error of a master is the test of a people; and the greater the education of him who made the error, the greater the test. Such being the case, he is a true and genuine Catholic who places nothing else ahead of the Catholic faith, neither the authority, the genius, the eloquence, nor philosophy of any man whatsoever, but is determined to hold and believe only those things whatsoever he knows the Catholic Church has held universally and from ancient times. But whatsoever he shall perceive to have been introduced later by some one certain man, that which is new and unheard-of, that which is contrary to all the saints, let him know that it does not pertain to religion but rather to temptation. (St. Vincent of Lerins) 3

Caution must be used when there is a question of theories in which the doctrine contained in Sacred Scripture or Tradition is involved. If such conjectural opinions are directly or indirectly opposed to the doctrine revealed by God, then the demand that they be recognized can in no way be admitted. (Pope Pius XII) 4

That a scholar is not to be censured if he constructs premises from which it follows that dogmas are false or doubtful, if he does not directly deny the dogmas themselves, is condemned as error. (Pope St. Pius X) 5

The faithful custody of the Deposit of Faith involves the duty to defend the Word of God against whatever would compromise its purity and integrity. (Pope John Paul II) 6

Faith is not to be argued over. Either you accept it with your eyes closed admitting the inadequacy of the human mind to understand its mysteries, or you reject it. There is no middle way. (Padre Pio) 7

Argument may be good for strengthening the intellect, but it is not the true foundation for faith. Faith must be held from obedience, because Christ has commanded it, and Holy Mother the Church ordained it. (St. Vincent Ferrer) 8

We ought not to draw distinctions or doubt what is said by the Lord, but be fully convinced that every word of God is true and possible, even though nature fights against it. (St. Basil the Great) 9

We ought always hold that what seems to us white is black if the Church so defines it. (St. Ignatius of Loyola) 10

He who adopts an opinion against a formal text of Scripture, or against the universal sentiment of the Church, cannot be excused from culpable error. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 11

Once it is established that God has revealed a truth, the answer is Yes for every one in every age; a Yes with conviction and courage, without doubts or hesitations. (Pope John Paul I) 12

He who is gifted with the faith is free from inquisitive curiosity; for, when God commands us to believe, He does not propose that we search into His divine judgments nor inquire into their reason and cause, but demands an unchangeable faith. How rash and foolish are they who demand reasons for His saving doctrines! The faith must exclude not only all doubt, but also all desire for demonstration. (Catechism of Trent) 13

For I do not seek to understand in order to believe; rather, I believe in order to understand. (St. Anselm) 14

Satan knows a lot more theology than any of us, and it does him no good! (St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe) 15

If the reason for God's Providence is incomprehensible to us, we should not therefore say that there is no Providence! (St. Gregory of Nyssa) 16

God cannot do that which is against the faith. He cannot do what is against truth. (St. Ambrose) 17

He cannot deny Himself. (II St. Timothy 2:13)

Since truth never contradicts truth, we declare every assertion contrary to the truth of faith to be altogether false; and we strictly decree that all who adhere to errors of this kind are to be shunned and punished as detestable and abominable infidels who disseminate damnable heresies and weaken the Catholic faith. (V Lateran Council) 18

Nothing ever changes in the eternal Catholic doctrine. (Pope John Paul II) 1

Nothing can ever pass away from the words of Jesus Christ, nor can anything be changed which the Catholic Church received from Christ to guard, protect, and preach. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 2

The Catholic Faith is such that nothing can be added to it, nothing taken away. Either it is held in its entirety, or rejected totally. This is the Catholic faith, which, unless a man believes faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved. (Pope Benedict XV) 3

And I hold this faith, not as that which seems better and more suited to the culture of a certain age, but in such a way that nothing else is to be believed than by the words; and I hold that this absolute and unchangeable truth, which was preached by the Apostles from the earliest times, is to be understood in no way other than by the words. (Oath Against Modernism) 4

Add nothing to His words, lest you be reproved and found a liar. (Proverbs 30:6)

God's Word is one and the same and endures forever unchanged, always the same. (St. Athanasius) 5

Wherefore, if there be revealed to us anything new or different, we must in no way give consent to it, not even though it were spoken by an angel. (St. John of the Cross) 6

But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach a Gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema! (Galatians 1:8)

All novelty in faith is a sure mark of heresy. St. Paul cried out aloud, again and again, to all men, to all times, and to all places that, if anyone announces a new dogma, let him be anathematized! (St. Vincent of Lerins) 7

The faith shall never vary in any age, for one is the faith which justifies the Just of all ages. It is unlawful to differ even by a single word from apostolic doctrine. (Pope St. Leo the Great) 8

Nothing new is to be allowed, for nothing can be added to the old. Look for the faith of the elders, and do not let our faith be disturbed by a mixture of new doctrines. (Pope St. Sixtus III) 9

Our faith is identical with that of the ancients. Deny this, and you dissolve the unity of the Church. We must hold this for certain: that the faith of the people at the present day is one with the faith of the people of past centuries. Were this not true, then we would be in a different church than they and, literally, the Church would not be One. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 10

I accept the doctrine of faith as handed down to us from the Apostles by the orthodox Fathers, always in the same sense and with the same interpretation. (Pope St. Pius X) 11

For it is not allowable for anyone to change even one word nor allow one syllable to be passed over, mindful of the saying: "Pass not beyond the ancient bounds which thy Fathers have set" (Proverbs 22: 28). (St. Cyril of Alexandria) 12

The Church has a duty to proclaim the faith without any whittling-down, just as Christ revealed it, and no consideration of time or circumstance can lessen the strictness of this obligation. (Pope Pius XII) 13

Wretches tainted with Indifferentism and Modernism hold that dogmatic truth is not absolute, but relative; that is, that it must adapt itself to the varying necessities of the times and varying dispositions of souls, since it is not contained in an unchangeable revelation but is, by its very nature, meant to accommodate itself to the life of man. (Pope Pius XI) 14

Let nothing of the truths that have been defined be lessened, nothing altered, nothing added; but let them be preserved intact in word and in meaning. (Pope Gregory XVI) 15

The faith which God has revealed has not been proposed like a theory of philosophy, to be elaborated upon by human understanding, but as a divine deposit to be faithfully guarded and infallibly declared. Therefore, that sense of sacred dogmas is to be kept forever which Holy Mother Church has once declared, and it must never be deviated from on the specious pretext of a more profound understanding. Let intelligence, and science, and wisdom increase, but only according to the same dogma, the same sense, the same meaning. If anyone shall have said that there may ever be attributed to the doctrines proposed by the Church a sense which is different from the sense which the Church has once understood and now understands: let him be anathema. (I Vatican Council) 16

Under no circumstances can we conceive of the possibility of change, of evolution, or of any modification in matters of faith. The Creed remains always the same. (Pope Paul VI) 17

The proposition, that the Apostles' Creed did not have the same meaning for the Christians of the earliest times as for our time, is hereby condemned as erroneous. (Pope St. Pius X) 18

Christ's commandment to hear the Church is binding on all men, in every period, and in every country. (Pope Pius XI) 19

What I say to you, I say to all. (St. Mark 13:37)

Therefore, it is necessary to receive these divine oracles integrally, in the same sense in which they have been kept, and are still being kept, by this Roman Chair of Blessed Peter where, if man gathers not, he scatters. Remain firm and unshakably attached to this faith which, unless a man keep whole and entire, he shall undoubtedly be lost. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 20

Every possible care must be taken to hold fast to that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, and by everyone. He is a genuine Catholic who continues steadfast in the faith, who resolves that he will believe those things - and only those things - which he is sure the Catholic Church has held universally and from ancient times. It is therefore an indispensable obligation for all Catholics to adhere to the faith of the Fathers, to preserve it, to die for it and, on the other hand, to detest the profane novelties of profane men, to dread them, to harass them, and to attack them. (St. Vincent of Lerins) 21

O keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words. (I St. Timothy 6:20)

As long as you live and have breath in you, let no man change you! (Ecclesiasticus 33:21)

Continue in that doctrine which you have learned in Holy Church, neither adding nor subtracting from it. (Bl. Isaias) 22

Whosoever does not continue in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. (II St. John 1:9)

That it is right for each individual to follow what is acceptable to his own religious creed makes the divine establishment of the Church of no consequence. Especially fatal to the salvation of souls is that erroneous opinion that liberty of conscience and liberty of worship is the proper right of every man. By our Apostolic authority, we condemn this evil opinion. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 1

It is quite unlawful to demand, to defend, or to grant unconditional freedom of thought, speech, writing, or worship, as though these were so many rights given man by nature. For if nature had really granted them, it would be lawful to refuse obedience to God, and there would be no restraint on human liberty, based on the principle that every man is free to profess any religion he may choose, or none at all. When a liberty such as we have described is offered, it is not liberty but the abject submission of the soul to sin. (Pope Leo XIII) 2

It is insanity to believe that liberty of conscience and liberty of worship are the inalienable rights of every citizen! From this foul-smelling fountain of Indifferentism flows the erroneous and absurd opinion - or rather derangement - that liberty of conscience must be asserted for everyone. This most pestilential error opens the door to complete liberty of opinions which work such widespread havoc both in Church and State. (Pope Gregory XVI) 3

By the fact that freedom of all forms of worship is proclaimed, truth is confused with error, and the holy and immaculate Spouse of Christ, outside which there can be no salvation, is placed on the same level with heretical sects and even with Jewish perfidy. (Pope Pius VII) 4

That every man is free to embrace and profess whatever religion his reason approves of, is hereby condemned as error. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 5

Thus saith the Lord God: "Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit!" (Ezechiel 13:3)

Man does not know whether he be worthy of love or hatred. (Ecclesiastes 9:1)

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

For, it frequently happens that, when someone feels and believes himself to be very good, he is not good. (St. John Eudes) 6

We must persuade ourselves that God cannot but hate sin. And if God hates sin, He must necessarily hate the sinner who makes league with sin. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 7

To God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike. (Wisdom 14:9)

In the Catholic Church there are both good and bad, but those who are separated from the Church cannot be good. For their very separation from the Church makes them bad according to Our Savior: "He who is not with Me is against Me." (St. Augustine) 8

Amongst Catholics, there are good and bad, but among heretics not one can be good. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 9

A heretic is condemned by his own judgment: to unbelievers, nothing is clean; but their mind and their conscience are both defiled. (St. Titus 3:11; 1:15)

No heresy can ever be justifiable. (Pope Leo XIII) 10

Since this is true, then it seems to me that a serious error is being made by those who say that Jews and Moslems can be saved by keeping their own law, even if they do not believe in Jesus Christ, inasmuch as they imagine that their own belief is good, secure, and sufficient for their salvation and, in that belief, do many good deeds of justice. No! This is not enough! (Ven. Walter Hilton) 11

If we were to say: "I give myself to the devil," we would not the less truly belong to the devil because we did not feel we belonged to him. (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 12

Some people suffer no remorse of conscience because they have not got a conscience. (St. Francis Xavier) 13

The sin of this century is the loss of the sense of sin. (Pope John Paul II) 14

He who opposes himself to the commands of God, even though he do so with a pious and friendly intention, such a one is nevertheless for this reason estranged from the Lord. (St. Basil the Great) 15

Every way of a man seemeth right unto himself. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. There is a way that seemeth right to a man, and the ends thereof lead to death. (Proverbs 21:2; 12:15; 16:25)

There are ways which men call "right" that, in the end, plunge them into the depths of Hell. (St. Benedict) 16

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. (St. John Mary Vianney) 17

All heretics who accept the authority of Holy Scripture are convinced they are cleaving to the truth, whereas they are pursuing their own errors. For all heretics try to justify the effrontery of their own vaporings. (St. Augustine) 18

Heretics separate from the Church believing that they still hold the right doctrine. They lost their faith by some obstinate sin. (St. Jerome) 19

However sinful I was, I always considered that I had some intention of serving God. Yet, for all that, I was shown the place in Hell the devil held in store for me! (St. Teresa of Avila) 20

Although the sinner does not believe in Hell, he shall nevertheless go there, even though he neither believes in Hell nor even thinks about it. (St. Anthony Mary Claret) 21

The devil always tries to deceive heretics by suggesting to them that they can be saved in their belief. Unhappy hope! I think the danger of eternal perdition, by dying separated from the Church, should be sufficient to convert every heretic. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 22

Would that I might open to you the hearts of those who cut themselves off! Would that you might penetrate into their consciences! Then you would clearly see how many thorns are there! For, just as soil that is not touched becomes wild and ugly, so does the soul without spiritual cultivation bring forth weeds and thistles. (St. John Chrysostom) 23

Those wretched heretics willfully blind themselves, and they claim that what they do is good, and they believe it to be so, yet without real confidence; for there is something within them that tells them they are wrong. (St. Teresa of Avila) 24

Do not believe that our "professional unbelievers" are not without periods of clear perception in which they take account of the fact that they are deceiving themselves. (St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe) 25

Behold: he who is unbelieving, his soul shall not be right in himself. (Habacuc 2:4)

He is sinning, and he knows it! (St. Titus 3:11)

That it is impossible you should know all your mortal sins is condemned as error. (Pope Leo X) 26

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me. (Psalm 50:5)

Oh, what a torment it must be to the souls in Hell that they knew their error before they were lost, and that they are lost entirely through their own fault! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 27

If a person wants to save his soul, he has to examine his conscience against the everlasting teaching of the Church. (Pope John XXIII) 28

True Christian prudence makes us judge things as Jesus Christ judged them, and to speak and act as He did. (St. Vincent de Paul) 1

Before you inquire, blame no man; and when you have inquired, reprove justly. (Ecclesiasticus 11:7)

The love of neighbor has its limits. To outstep these limits by loving our neighbor as we love God would be an enormous crime. (Catechism of Trent) 2

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. (St. Matthew 10:37)

If, therefore, the whole Church come together into one place, and there come in someone who does not believe, he is convicted by everyone; he is judged by everyone. (I Corinthians 14:23-24)

Our Lord has clearly commanded us to regard as heathens those who will not hear the Church. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 3

He who does not believe is already judged. (St. John 3:18)

It is hereby condemned as error that, although it is clearly established that a man is a heretic, you are not bound to denounce him, should you be unable to prove it. (Pope Alexander VII) 4

That we can have at least good hope for the salvation of all those who have never been in the true Church of Christ is hereby condemned as error. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 5

Judge those who forge schisms and who look to their own advantage rather than to the unity of the Church. Judge as well those who are outside the bounds of truth, namely: those who are outside the Church. (St. Irenaeus of Lyons) 6

Judge just judgment. Do you not judge that which is just even of yourselves? (St. Luke 12:57)

Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more the things of this world! (I Corinthians 6:3,2)

We know that we are the children of God, and that all the rest of the world around us is under Satan's power and control. (I St. John 5:19)

By their fruits you will know them. (St. Matthew 7:16)

"Judge not, and ye shall not be judged" (Lk. 6:37). What does this mean? Are we not to denounce those who sin? Why, then, does Paul say: "Reprove, entreat, rebuke!" (II Tim. 4:2), and "Reprove before everyone those who sin" (I Tim. 5:20)? Christ also said to Peter: "Rebuke him, and if he will not obey, tell the Church" (Mt. 18:15-17). Why, then, did He give His Apostles the power of the keys? For, if they are not to judge, they are without authority, and in vain have they received the power of binding and loosing. Besides, if this were the case, everything in the churches and cities and homes would come to an end. And, unless we correct our enemies, we shall never put an end to enmity, and everything would be turned upside down. Therefore, let us take care to study the meaning of what is said here, so that no one may think that the remedies of our salvation are laws of disorder and confusion. For, Our Lord has made as clear as possible to those who have understanding the perfection of this law, saying: "First cast the beam out of thine own eye"(Lk. 6:42). You see, He does not forbid us to judge, but commands us first to remove the beam from our own eyes, and only then correct the faults of others. (St. John Chrysostom) 7

We must realize that, to commit no sins, is really super-human, and pertains to God alone. (St. Gregory Nazianzen) 1

It cannot be denied that, except for Jesus Christ and the Divine Mother who, by a singular privilege, have been free from all stain of sin, all other men - even the saints - have not been exempt from at least venial sins. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 2

Who, except Mary, among the saints in Heaven, if asked whether he has committed sins, could say "No"? If it were within our power to bring together all the saints, and ask them whether they were without sin when they lived, would they not exclaim with one voice: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us!" (I Jn.1:8)? (St. Augustine) 3

For in many things we all offend. (St. James 3:2)

No one is free from sin, not even the infant whose life on earth is merely one day. (Pope St. Leo the Great) 4

Recall the anguished questions of Job: "Can mortal man be righteous before God? Can a man be pure before His maker? What is man, that he can be clean? Or he who is born of woman, that he can be righteous?" (Job 4:17; 14:15). And Proverbs: "Who can say: I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin?" (20:9). The Psalms ring out: "No man living is righteous before Thee! The wicked go astray from the womb; they err from their birth, speaking lies" (142:2; 57:3). All these texts pose the difficult problem of the universal situation of sin. (Pope John Paul II) 5

Evil has spread from head to foot: from Pope to prelate; we have all deviated from the right way. Everything has been vitiated. (Pope Adrian VI) 6

From the least even to the greatest, from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals deceitfully. (Jeremias 8:10)

The fort is betrayed even by them that should have defended it. (St. John Fisher) 7

It should not frighten you that, in the Church, there are many bad and few good. For the Ark, a figure of the Church, was wide below and narrow above; and, at the summit, it measured only one cubit. (Pope St. Gregory the Great) 8

Heaven is not clean in His sight. How much less are those who dwell in houses of clay? (Pope St. Clement I) 9

We have all become unclean, and all our justices are like the rag of a menstruous woman. (Isaias 64:6)

For there is no man who does (II Paralipomenon 6:36)

Of ourselves, we are a Hell full of horrors, accursedness, sin, and abomination. We are all so many incarnate demons, Lucifers, and Antichrists, since everything in us is contrary to Christ. There is not a man in the world who, after having struggled for years with the infernal powers, would not be capable of losing his salvation in the last hour of his life. (St. John Eudes) 10

Ah! How many Stars of the Firmament have we not seen fall miserably and, in the twinkling of an eye, lose all their height and brightness! (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 11

I have such a lot of sins. But who is without sins? (St. Bernadette Soubirous) 12

I am always committing sin! (Pope St. Gregory VII) 13

If anyone says a man, once justified, can avoid all sins, even venial sins, throughout his entire life without a special privilege of God, as the Church holds in regard to the Blessed Virgin, let him be anathema. (Council of Trent) 14

Behold how many there are who are called, and how few who are chosen! And, if you have no care for yourself, your perdition is more certain than your amendment, especially since the way which leads to eternal life is so narrow. (St. John of the Cross) 1

How narrow is the gate and how strait the way that leads to life, and few there are who find it. (St. Matthew 7:13-14)

Do not be deceived; there are only two roads: one that leads to life and is narrow; the other that leads to death and is wide. There is no middle way. (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 2

Oh how much are worldlings deceived who think to go to Heaven by the wide way that leadeth only to perdition! The path to Heaven is narrow, nor can it be trodden without great toil; and therefore wrong is their way and assured their ruin who, after the testimony of so many saints, will not learn where to settle their footing. (St. Robert Southwell) 3

The greater number of men still say to God: "Lord, we would rather be slaves of the devil and condemned to Hell than be Thy servants. Alas, the greatest number - we may say nearly all - offend and despise Thee, my Jesus. How many countries there are in which there are scarcely any Catholics, and all the rest either infidels or heretics! And all of them are certainly on the way to being lost. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 4

What do you think? How many of the inhabitants of this city may perhaps be saved? Out of this thickly-populated city, not one hundred people will be saved! I doubt whether there will even be as many as that! (St. John Chrysostom) 5

Brethren, the just man shall scarcely be saved. What, then, will become of the sinner? (St. Arsenius) 6

If the just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly sinner appear? (I St. Peter 4:18)

Scarcely anyone is saved. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 7

If you would be quite sure of your salvation, strive to be among the fewest of the few. Do not follow the majority of mankind, but follow those who renounce the world and never relax their efforts day or night so that they may attain everlasting blessedness. (St. Anselm) 8

So vast a number of miserable souls perish, and so comparatively few are saved! (St. Philip Neri) 9

The number of the saved is as few as the number of grapes left after the pickers have passed. (St. John Mary Vianney) 10

It shall be as when a man gathers in the harvest, and the fruit that shall be left shall be as a single cluster of grapes; two or three berries on top of a bough; or four or five on the top of a tree. (Isaias 17:5-6)

The destiny of those dying on one day is that not as many as ten went straight to Heaven; and those cast into Hell were as numerous as snowflakes in winter. (Bl. Anna Maria Taigi) 11

I tremble when I see how many souls are lost these days. They fall into Hell like leaves from the trees at the approach of winter. (St. John Mary Vianney) 12

Only a few will be saved; only few will go to Heaven. The greater part of mankind will be lost forever. (St. John Neumann) 13

There are a select few who are saved. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 14

The number of the Elect is so small - so small - that, were we to know how small it is, we would faint away with grief. One here and there, scattered up and down the world! (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 15

They shall be so few that they shall easily be counted, and a child shall write them down. (Isaias 10:19)

God shows His mercy for a certain time, and then He hardens the heart of the sinner by not having mercy on him. God is full of mercy, but He is not so stupid as to act without reason. To show mercy to those who continue to insult Him would be stupidity, not goodness. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 1

Misery upon misery to those who do not acknowledge that their misery comes from their own malice! (St. Francis de Sales) 2

God, in the eternity of His changelessness, has prepared works of mercy and works of justice. For men who are to be justified, He has prepared merits; for those to be glorified, He has prepared rewards. But for the wicked, He has not prepared evil wills nor works, but just and eternal punishments. This is the eternal predestination taught us by Apostolic doctrine. (Pope Adrian I) 3

For the term "predestination" does not express some compulsory necessity of the human will, but foretells the eternal disposition, merciful and just, of a future divine operation. The Church, however, sings of mercy and judgment unto God, Whose predestination works in man in such a way that by a hidden, though not unjust, resolution of His will, He may either award mercy to the wretched, or weigh out due justice to the unrighteous. (St. Fulgentius) 4

The Lord searches all hearts, and understands all the thoughts of minds. If you seek Him, you shall find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off for ever. (I Paralipomenon 28:9)

The hand of God is upon all who seek Him in goodness, and His power and strength and wrath upon all who forsake Him. (Esdras 8:22)

Where shall miserable sinners fly when they see an angry Judge overhead, Hell open below, their sins on one side, and devils on the other dragging them to punishment? St. Peter said that, in the Judgment of Christ, the just man shall scarcely be saved. What shall become of the vindictive, the unchaste, of blasphemers and slanderers? What shall become of those whose entire life is opposed to Jesus Christ? Hence, we should not believe that God extends His mercy beyond the limits He has revealed in Scripture. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 5

So that they may burn without end, the Lord by a very just judgment will give over to the punishment of eternal and inextinguishable fire the wicked who either did not know the way of the Lord or, knowing it, left it. (Pope Pelagius I) 6

Damnation is just. (Romans 3:8)

God saw the propriety of predestinating those who would obey and of reprobating those who would rise up against His majesty. The predestined were chosen by free grace, and the foreknown were reprobated with exact justice. If they could sin, so also could they abstain from sin. God violated the right of no one, since He forsook no one nor denied anyone that which is necessary. No one is excused for not knowing and loving Him. (Ven. Mary of Agreda) 7

It seems well at this point to reply briefly to the anxiety some feel when they see the great number of heathens and infidels in the universe. It should not be a cause of worry that so many are blinded by sins and vices and do not want to believe. Of all the people during the first epoch of the world's history, only Noah was found to be just. Nevertheless, he did not on that account cease to be holy and keep his faith. In the time of Abraham, there were still very few just men, but they did not lose their faith because they lived among so many infidels. We know that Our Lord will not deny to anyone sufficient help for conversion; we also know that God has impressed upon all human intellects a knowledge of good and evil, and given man a free will whereby he can choose the one or the other. You will say: "But His punishment is eternal!" True, but that punishment is meted out by a God Who is not only just, but Justice itself. But what shall we say of those to whom the true faith has never been preached? They shall not suffer for infidelity, for this cannot be imputed to those who have never heard of the true faith. But they can be punished for sins they have committed against the Law which God has impressed on the hearts of all men, and for evil deeds committed out of malice. (Ven. Louis of Granada) 8

Certainly, we do not hold that the wicked perish because they were unable to be good, but because they were unwilling to be good, and have remained in the mass of damnation either because of Original Sin or some actual sin. (III Council of Valence) 9

To those who receive mercy, He gives it freely; from those who do not receive mercy, it is justly withheld. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 10

To whomsoever grace is given, it is given mercifully; and from whom it is withheld, it is withheld justly, as a punishment of a previous sin or at least of Original Sin. Wherefore, they who are not liberated by grace, either because they are not yet able to hear the Word, or because they are unwilling to obey it, or because they did not receive that Bath of Regeneration which they might have received and been saved, are indeed justly condemned because they are not without sin: either that which they derived from their birth, or added from their own misconduct; "for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Surely, the lightest punishment of all will be given those who, besides the sin they brought with them originally, have added no other. Among the rest who have added sins, damnation will be so much the more tolerable as their wickedness was the less serious. (St. Augustine) 11

So, the Savior goes on with His appointed task, although many perish. For, their destruction is not His aim, but is the consequence of their own ignorance. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 12

The heathen who spurns the inspirations of God in total ignorance of Revelation sins by resisting God's grace. (Pope Alexander VIII) 13

Despite the refusal of sinners to return to God, He does not cease to call them by so many interior inspirations, remorses of conscience, and terrors of chastisements. "My son," says the Lord, "I have almost lost My voice in calling you to repentance!" (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 14

I am weary of entreating thee. (Jeremias 15:6)

My jaws have become hoarse. (Psalm 68:4)

If your servant were to say: "Sir, for two years, I have been taking a candle to your son every morning so that he can get up and study, but he does nothing of the sort; he just leaves the candle burning on the night-stand and sleeps on," you would order him not to take the candle any more. (St. Benedict Joseph Labre) 15

When God's mercies have reached their end He punishes, and pardons no more. God is merciful; but, as great as His mercy is, how many people He sends to Hell every day! God is merciful but He is also just; and He is therefore obliged to punish those who offend Him. When sins reach a certain number, God pardons no more. St. Basil, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, and other Fathers teach that, according to the words of Scripture: "Thou hast ordered all things in measure and number and weight" (Wisdom 11:21), God has fixed for each person the number of sins He will pardon; and when this number is completed, He will pardon no more. God does bear with us, but not forever. When the time comes for vengeance, He punishes. How many God has sent to Hell for the first offense! St. Gregory relates that a child five years old was seized by the devil for having uttered a blasphemy and carried into Hell. Another of eight, after his first sin, died and was lost. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 16

How many souls have been damned for a single mortal sin! (St. Ignatius of Loyola) 17

He Who has promised pardon to penitents has not promised tomorrow to sinners. (Pope St. Gregory the Great) 18

Thus, those who are saved are saved because God willed them to be saved, and those who perish do so because they deserved to perish. (St. Prosper of Aquitaine) 19

Nor will it do to say that "Faith is a Gift." At birth, man possesses the faculty of understanding, but he must bring it into action. (Pope St. Pius X) 20

Faith is a gift from God. And let no one have any doubt whatsoever that, while this gift is given to some, to others it is not given. Why it is not given to everyone ought not disturb the faithful; even if no one were delivered, there would be no just cause for finding fault with God! (St. Augustine) 21

It is suspect of heresy to say that faith and the reward of faith are a gift of the pure generosity of God. (Pope Clement XI) 22

Neither faith nor works shall free from eternal punishment any of those who die in mortal sin, even after any length of time whatever. It would seem that by the mercy of God all punishment of the damned comes to an end. Since, however, His mercy is ruled by His wisdom, it does not reach certain people who render themselves unworthy. And yet, the mercy of God is found even in them, in that they are punished less than they deserve. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 23

Some will say: "The fire, but not the punishment, is everlasting." Such is the language of the unbelieving! For what other purpose would God make this fire eternal except to chastise reprobates who are also immortal? These are not opinions controverted among theologians; they are dogmas of faith clearly revealed in the Sacred Scriptures. Moreover, the miserable wretches in Hell have no one to pity them. Not even God can compassionate them, for they are His enemies; neither can Mary, the Mother of Mercy; nor the angels or saints. On the contrary, they rejoice at their sufferings! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 24

The Just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge; he shall wash his hands in the blood of the sinner. (Psalm 57:11)

Although it might be Noah who sees his loved ones tormented in Hell, he dare not aid them. For there all compassion which arose from nature is extinguished. And, in order that those who earned Heaven might not be tormented by this pity, this very pity is extinguished, and they are enraged and on fire with wrath against their own blood kin. (St. John Chrysostom) 25

Wherefore, all sinners are to be hated: even one's father or mother or kindred. For, it is our duty to hate in the sinner his being a sinner. Such hatred is perfect; the Prophet says: "I have hated them with a perfect hatred" (Ps. 138:22.) (St. Thomas Aquinas) 26

You have despised all My counsel, and have neglected My reprehensions. I also will laugh in your destruction, and I will mock you, when that shall come upon you which you feared! (Proverbs 1:25-26)

Not even the ones who are able to say that they did not hear the Gospel of Christ will free themselves from condemnation, since faith depends on hearing. (St. Augustine) 1

No one may attain eternal life except through faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ. (Pope Paul III) 2

Without Me, you can do nothing. (St. John 15:5)

No one comes to grace except him who knows the Law. (St. Ambrose) 3

We must first know what is just before we can do what is just. (St. Caesarius of Arles) 4

It is error to believe that, in the promise made to the first man, there is enshrined the basis of natural justice whereby eternal life is promised for good works without any further qualification. (Pope St. Pius V) 5

Acts which spring from natural goodness have only the appearance of virtue; they cannot last of themselves nor can they merit salvation. (Pope St. Pius X) 6

No matter how praiseworthy his actions might seem, he who is separated from the Catholic Church will never enjoy eternal life. (Pope Gregory XVI) 7

Enemies of grace offer us examples of ungodly men who, although without the faith, abound in virtues where there is only the good of nature without the aid of grace. God forbid that there be true virtues in anyone unless he be just; and God forbid that he be truly just unless he live by the faith. All that is not of faith is sin. Where there is no knowledge of the eternal and unchangeable truth, virtue is false even in the best morality. The fact that a wicked man performs some good works does not mean that such works avail toward his eternal salvation. (St. Augustine) 8

If anyone says that, without divine grace through Jesus Christ, a man can be justified by works done by his own natural powers: let him be anathema. (Council of Trent) 9

The natural law is not enough. Man, all alone, is able to ruin himself, but not to save himself. Christ is necessary for us, and to live in His Spirit is our salvation. Keep this fundamental doctrine clearly in mind: Christ alone saves us. (Pope Paul VI) 10

The idol made by hands is accursed, as well as him who made it. It was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God but, whereas they lived in a great war of ignorance, they sacrifice their own children, so that they keep neither life nor marriage undefiled. For the worship of abominable idols is the cause, and the beginning, and the end of all evil. (Wisdom 14:8,22-27)

The gods of the Gentiles are devils. (Psalm 95:5)

Hell is the portion of all who die guilty of idolatry. (St. Wulfran) 11

These unbelievers will be punished more tolerably because in some way they did naturally the things of the Law, having the work of the Law written in their hearts. But even in this they were sinners because, being men without the faith, they did not refer their works to that End to which they ought to have referred them. (St. Augustine) 12

O God! Why art Thou not known? Why is this barbarous country not all converted to Thee? The savages once had some more-than-natural knowledge of the true God; but, being unwilling to revere God in their manners and actions, they lost the thought of Him, and they have become worse than beasts in His sight. (St. John de Brebeuf) 13

But these men, like irrational beasts, tending to destruction by nature, blaspheming those things they do not know, shall perish in their corruption. (II St. Peter 2:12)

Christ has come and enlightened absolutely everyone with His light. All parts of the world in every direction are illuminated by His teaching. (St. Athanasius) 1

The Savior prophesied that His doctrine would be preached over the whole world, wherever man has existed, as a testimony to all nations. His Gospel has filled every country on which the sun shines; it has traversed every nation. (St. Eusebius of Caesaria) 2

The grace of God accompanies man from the womb to the tomb. We receive from God at every moment all that is necessary for us in the natural and supernatural order. (St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe) 3

Consequently, should someone put forward the case of a person who is brought up, for example, even among savages in the woods, it must most certainly be held that God would reveal to him what is necessary to be believed; even to direct some preacher of the faith to him, just as He sent Peter to Cornelius. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 4

For I make doctrine to shine forth to everyone. Behold, I have labored for all who seek out the truth. (Ecclesiasticus 24:44-47)

This is the true light, that enlightens every man who comes into this world. (St. John 1:9)

This faith of ours has pervaded the entire earth by land and by sea, from the rising to the setting of the sun. This faith has illuminated with the light of divine knowledge all peoples, all races, all nations, howsoever barbarous they might be. (Ven. Pope Pius IX) 5

The Catholic Church is settled in every place and in every country and in every city, established throughout the universe: in all nations, all cities, all villages, and in all places, filling the whole world! (St. Eusebius of Caesaria) 6

No one can escape the eye of God. He sees the heart of every single person. He regards the minds of all men and the wishes conceived even in the hidden recesses of the heart. (St. Cyprian) 7

Shall a man be hidden in secret places, and I not see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jeremias 23:24)

The means of salvation and sanctification are known by all men, and are necessary to everyone who wishes to be saved. The missionary mandate of salvation was made accessible to everyone. (Pope Paul VI) 8

The Apostles went through the whole world, and courageously proclaimed everywhere the teaching of Christ. (Pope Pius XII) 9

Even at the time of the Apostles, the Gospel was preached throughout the entire world. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 10

The Gospel has come unto you as unto the whole world; the Gospel is preached in all creation under heaven. (Colossians 1:5-6,23)

No one reaches the Heavenly Jerusalem except him who is on the road, although not everyone who is on the road will reach it. To be a Catholic Christian is to be on the road and walking in the way. For it was not God's will that the Church be hidden, so that no one might plead this excuse. It was foretold that the Church would be established throughout the entire earth. And it has been made visible to the whole world. Hence, it is true that the Church is hidden from nobody. It is not allowed for anyone not to know this Church; for which reason, according to the word of Jesus Christ, it is not possible that it be hidden. (St. Augustine) 11

If any man will do the will of God, he shall know the doctrine. He who has My commandments and keeps them loves Me, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him. (St. John 7:17; 14:21)

od our Savior will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (I St. Timothy 2:4)

Lest anyone say: "What about those who do not believe in Jesus Christ?" listen to what He adds: "I know Mine, and Mine know Me" (Jn. 10:14). (St. John Chrysostom) 12

Everyone who wishes may find Thee, O Lord; but he who asks not, receives not. (St. Teresa of Avila) 13

God, therefore, has imposed on us a law which our strength is unable to observe, so that we may have recourse to Him and, by prayer, obtain the strength to fulfill it. Prayer, the asking for graces, is necessary as a means without which salvation is absolutely impossible on the part of everyone who has attained the use of reason. He who prays is certainly saved; he who does not pray is certainly lost! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 14

That whatever is done through ignorance must not be considered a sin, is hereby condemned as error. (Pope Innocent II) 1

It does not suffice to say: "If I had known that such a thing were forbidden by the law of God, I would have conformed." St. Paul, in persecuting Christians, previous to his conversion, did not think that he was committing evil; the same may be said of Jews who persecuted and crucified Christ. And yet, Saint Paul and these Jews were not innocent and excusable. If they had died in that state, they would never have been saved. Hence, St. Paul, despite the good faith he acted on, acknowledges that he was at that time a blasphemer, and unjust: a persecutor of the Church. If, therefore, a person be ignorant of what is commanded or forbidden because he has not studied the law of God, his ignorance does not excuse him from sin. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 2

If ignorance is not a sin, then Saul did not sin when he persecuted the Church, because he surely did this in ignorance. Therefore, he should not have said: "I obtained the mercy of God" (I Tim. 1:13), but rather "I received my reward." (St. Bernard) 3

It may be true that there are, in the remotest parts of the world, some people who have not yet seen the light of the Savior. Certainly, God's manifold and ineffable goodness has always provided, and still provides, for all mankind in such a way that not one of the reprobates can find an excuse as though he had been refused the light of truth. (St. Prosper of Aquitaine) 4

But if Christ "enlightens every man who comes into this world" (Jn. 1:9) why have so many remained unenlightened? How then does Christ "enlighten every man"? He does so, as far as in Him lies. For grace is poured out over everyone. It is easily attainable by all. However, if some people, willfully shutting the eyes of their mind, do not wish to receive the light, then their darkness arises from their own wickedness in cutting themselves off from grace. Whoever does not wish to enjoy these gifts may blame himself for his blindness. (St. John Chrysostom) 5

The Gentiles walk in vanity, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance in them because of the blindness of their hearts. (Ephesians 4:17-18)

For their own malice blinded them. (Wisdom 2:21)

Those who keep their eyes shut cannot see. God made you without your knowledge, but He does not justify you without your willing it. Refusal to hear the truth leads to sin, and that sin itself is punishment for the preceding sin. Every sinner is inexcusable whether he knows it or not. For ignorance itself, in those who do not want to know, is without doubt a sin; and, in those unable to know, is the penalty of sin. In neither case, then, is there a just excuse, but in both cases there is a just condemnation. (St. Augustine) 6

It follows that ignorance has the nature of mortal sin on account of either a preceding negligence, or the consequent result; and, for this reason, ignorance is reckoned one of the general causes of sin. All sin proceeds from ignorance. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 7

I will destroy men off the face of the earth, saith the Lord: those who turn away from following after the Lord, and those who have not sought after the Lord nor searched after Him. (Sophonias 1:3,6)

Those who perish do not receive the love of truth in order that they might be saved. Therefore, God will send them the operation of error, to believe lying, so that all may be judged who have not believed the truth but have consented to iniquity. (II Thessalonians 2:10-11)

No one is lost without knowing it, and no one is deceived without wanting to be. (St. Teresa of Avila) 8

But why is it that so many men are ignorant, even at this day? This is the reason: "The light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than the light" (Jn. 3:19). They have not known Him, and do not know Him, because they do not want to know Him, loving instead the darkness of sin rather than the light of grace. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 9

Unbelief has the character of guilt from resisting the faith, rather than from mere absence of the faith. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 10

If the Son of God will have all men to be saved, how is it that so many suffer the torments of Hell? I answer in one word: They wish it. He sends preachers of His Gospel to all parts of the world to proclaim: "He who believes, and is baptized, shall be saved." And if any are unwilling to enter on this way, they perish by their own fault and not by the lack of will on the part of the Redeemer. For an hour the perfidious Jews exulted over Christ in His sufferings; Judas for an hour enjoyed the price of his avarice; for an hour Pilate gloried that he had regained the friendship of Herod and not lost the friendship of Caesar. But for nearly two thousand years they have all been suffering the torments of Hell, and their cries of despair will be heard for ever and ever. (St. Robert Bellarmine) 11

Innumerable souls are miserably lost through ignorance of religion, the source of every other calamity. (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini) 12

If you are ignorant of the truths of the faith, you are obliged to learn them. Every Christian is bound to learn the Creed, the Our Father, or the Hail Mary under pain of mortal sin. Many have no idea of the Most Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, mortal sin, Judgment, Paradise, Hell, or Eternity; and this deplorable ignorance damns them. (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 13

Reflect on the ruin of souls wrought by this single cause: ignorance of truths which must be known by all men alike in order that they may attain eternal salvation. This we solemnly affirm: the majority of those condemned to eternal punishment fall into everlasting misfortune through ignorance of the Mysteries of the faith, which must necessarily be known and believed by all who belong to the Elect. (Pope St. Pius X) 14

Both educated and simple folk are bound to explicit faith in the mysteries of Christ, chiefly those publicly proclaimed and observed throughout the universal Church. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 15

This is eternal life: that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent. (St. John 17:3)

My Jesus, he who does not love Thee proves that he does not know Thee. (St. Teresa of Avila) 16

Poor creature! You do not know God; neither can you love Him! (St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori) 17

Is it possible for a man to love what he does not know? (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 18

But if any man know not, he shall not be known. (I Corinthians 14:38)

To be unknown by the Lord is to perish. (St. Augustine) 19

I never knew you; depart from Me, you who work iniquity! (St. Matthew 7:23)

My heart is penetrated with grief when I think of the almost infinite number of souls who are damned for lack of knowing the true God and the Christian religion. The greatest mistfortune, O my God, is not to know Thee, and the greatest punishment not to love Thee. (St. Louis Marie de Montfort) 20

Before their Baptism, certain Japanese were greatly troubled by a hateful scruple: that God did not appear merciful, because He had never made Himself known to the Japanese people before, especially that those who had not worshiped God were doomed to everlasting Hell. They grieve over the fate of their departed children, parents, and relatives; so they ask if there is any way to free them by prayer from the eternal misery. And I am obliged to answer: there is absolutely none. (St. Francis Xavier) 21

The excuse of ignorance is denied those who know the commandments of God, but neither will those who do not know be without punishment. "For, as many as have sinned outside the law shall also perish outside the law" (Romans 2:12). Without faith in Christ, no man can be delivered; therefore, they will be judged in such a way that they perish. "The servant who does not know his Lord's will, and who commits things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes; whereas, the servant who knows his Lord's will, shall be beaten with many stripes" (Lk. 12:47-48). Observe here that it is a more serious matter for a man to sin with knowledge than in ignorance. And yet, we must not take refuge on this account to shades of ignorance, to find our excuse therein. Even ignorance which belongs to them who are, as-it-were, simply ignorant does not excuse anyone so as to exempt him from eternal fire, even were his failure to believe the result of not having heard at all what he should believe. It was not said without reason: "Pour out Thy wrath upon the nations who have not known Thee" (Psalm 78:6), and "He shall come from Heaven in a flame of fire to take vengeance on those who do not know God" (Thess. II 1:7-8). (St. Augustine) 22

Christ says that not only those who do evil, but likewise those who omit to do the good commanded to be done, shall suffer eternal punishment. You who know, or ought to know, are inexcusable! (St. Francis de Sales) 23

Do not think that justice consists merely in not doing evil, for not to do good is also evil, and the law may be transgressed in both ways. (St. Athanasius) 24

Before a man comes to the age of reason, the lack of years excuses him from mortal sin. But when he begins the use of reason, he is not entirely excused from the guilt of venial or mortal sin. Now, the first thing which occurs to a man at that age is to deliberate concerning himself. And if he then directs himself to the Due end, he will by grace receive the remission of Original Sin; whereas, if he does not, at that time, direct himself to the Due End as far as he is capable of discretion at that age, he sins mortally, by not doing that which is within his power. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 25

The crime of ignoring the Lord is not less than that of offending Him. Ignorance of God is sufficient reason for punishment! (Minucius Felix) 26

And since they did not like God in their knowledge, He delivered them up to a reprobate sense, being, as they were, filled with all iniquity. (Romans 1:28-29)

And if our Gospel be hidden, it is hidden from those who are perishing, in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, in order that the light of the Gospel should not shine unto them. (II Corinthians 4:3-4)

Because of these things, the anger of God comes upon the children of unbelief. (Ephesians 5:6)

An ignorant person is like a dying man lying unconscious: he does not know either the malice of sin or the value of his soul. He goes from sin to sin, like a rag dragged through the mire. (St. John Mary Vianney) 27

Perhaps he who asserts that a person cannot sin through ignorance never prays for his ignorances, but laughs at the prophet who prays: "O Lord, remember not the sins of my ignorances!" (Ps. 24:7). Perhaps he even reproves God, Who requires satisfaction for the sin of ignorance, for in Leviticus He speaks of "sin through ignorance." If ignorance were never a sin, why is it that the High Priest entered the second tabernacle with blood, which he offered "for his own ignorance and for the ignorance of the people" (Heb. 9:7)? If one never sins through ignorance, then what do we hold against those who killed the Apostles, since they truly did not know that to kill them was evil but rather thought that they were "doing a service to God" (Jn. 16:2). Thus, also, Our Savior prayed in vain on the cross for those who crucified Him since, as He Himself testifies, they were ignorant of what they were doing (Lk. 23:34) and thus they did not sin at all! Neither should anyone suspect that the Apostle could have lied when he said: "For, if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord" (I Corinth. 2:8). Is it not sufficiently clear, from these passages, in what great ignorance the man lies who does not know that one can sometimes sin through ignorance? (St. Bernard) 28

Hasten to know, therefore, in what way forgiveness of sins and hope of inheriting the good things which have been promised shall be yours. For there is no way but this: to become acquainted with Christ, to be washed in the fountain prophesied for the remission of sins, and, for the rest, to live sinless lives. (St. Justin the Martyr) 29

O Mary, merciful Refuge of Sinners! Behold how many souls are lost every hour! Behold the countless millions of those who live in barbarous regions, and do not know Jesus Christ. See, too, how many others are far from the bosom of Mother Church: Catholic, Apostolic, Roman! O Mary, let not the Precious Blood and fruits of Redemption be lost for so many souls. Grant that heavenly light may enlighten and enkindle so many cold hearts. Obtain the grace for all pagans, Jews, heretics, and schismatics to receive supernatural light and enter into the bosom of the true Church. Hear the prayer of the Supreme Pontiff that all nations may be united in the one faith, that they may know and love Jesus Christ the blessed fruit of thy womb. Then all men shall love thee also, who art the salvation of the world, dispenser of the treasures of God. And, glorifying thee who, by means of thy Rosary, dost trample upon all heresies, they shall acknowledge that it is thou who givest life to all nations: a fulfillment of the prophecy: "All generations shall call me blessed." Amen. (Pope Pius XI) 30

References

ONE LAST WORD

You who have gone through this whole work of mine, or even part of it, please pray for me that God may vouchsafe unto me a portion in that holy and exclusive Catholic and Apostolic Church: the true Church, the life-giving Church, the saving Church! (St. Epiphanius)

Against All Heresies, no.80, GCW vol.XXXVII (1933), FOC p.170-171

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