On baptism and the newspaper editor’s accident

The use of “commonly” in the quote below clearly refers to the fact that the one baptism of water is the remedy of salvation common to both adults and children; in other words, it’s not just for adults or just for children.  We’re glad that you reminded us of this, for this fact strengthens the point.  There are those who, quoting St. Thomas, argue that baptism of desire is a remedy (i.e. can be a substitute) in the case of adults, but not in the case of children.  The Council of Vienne could have very easily said that, but it didn’t.  No, it stated that the one water baptism is the common remedy of salvation for adults as well as children.  Further, if the Church ever had an opportunity to pronounce on the doctrine of the “three baptisms,” it was surely at the Council of Vienne.  If the Catholic Church teaches “three baptisms,” as they say, why didn’t the Council define these “three baptisms” in this context, rather than declaring the opposite: that there is only one baptism of water?  It’s because there aren’t “three baptisms of blood, water and desire,” but only one baptism of water, as this dogmatic Council (not some fallible text or theologian) defined.

Pope Clement V, Council of Vienne, 1311-1312, ex cathedra:  “Besides, one baptism which regenerates all who are baptized in Christ must be faithfully confessed by all just as ‘one God and one faith’ [Eph. 4:5], which celebrated in waterin the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit we believe to be commonly the perfect remedy for salvation for adults as for children.”

Regarding the crash of the editor of Four Marks, of course we’re not asserting that everyone who suffers an accident is punished by God.  But in this case it’s our strong opinion that she and her husband were clearly punished by God.  Remember that this “stray deer” (which caused the accident) killed her husband at age 54, left her seriously injured, and caused the publication to be delayed (maybe permanently) at the very time when they were preparing it to launch an attack on the necessity of baptism and the Catholic Faith, which would have probably done much damage and caused more confusion with many because it would have been endorsed by some sedevacantists.  Is it just a coincidence?  We don’t think so. God was obviously outraged not only by their planned attack on His dogma of the necessity of water baptism for salvation, but also by the fact that they were going to attack the necessity of water baptism while, at the same time, they have on their staff individuals such as Rama Coomaraswamy and Fr. Kevin Vaillancourt!  Consider this astounding hypocrisy.  Coomaraswamy has bluntly stated in his writings that many pagans can be saved, and Vaillancourt quotes approvingly from a priest who teaches that there is salvation “outside” the Church.  So, the editor of Four Marks has no problem with presenting the views of these people to Catholics, but such a problem with the necessity of water baptism that she considers it a heresy to be extirpated!  Considering this fact one can obviously see why she was punished by God. 

Pope Eugene IV, The Council of Florence, “Exultate Deo,” Nov. 22, 1439:  “Holy baptism, which is the gateway to the spiritual life, holds the first place among all the sacraments; through it we are made members of Christ and of the body of the Church.  And since death entered the universe through the first man, ‘unless we are born again of water and the Spirit, we cannot,’ as the Truth says, ‘enter into the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:5].  The matter of this sacrament is real and natural water.”

Moreover, we cannot fail to mention the devilish malice of the obstinate baptism of desire supporters and salvation heretics.  Some of them absolutely hate and attack what we’re doing.  Why?  It’s because we hold that men must be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost to be saved, as the Church has declared.  Oh no, they wouldn’t want anyone going around preaching “that wicked heresy” according to which all men must be born again of water and the Holy Ghost.  These people are demonic.