Pope Benedict XII's Dogmatic Definition On Heaven And Baptism

As we can see, the Church teaches that the one sole baptism which regenerates all baptized in Christ is of water.  The word translated as ‘one sole baptism’ is, in Latin, unicum.  Another way to translate it would be ‘unique’.  The unique baptism, which regenerates all who are baptized in Christ, which must be faithfully confessed by all, is of water.  Thus, you can’t be baptized into Christ or receive the baptism of Christ unless you’ve been baptized in the unique baptism of water. 

Pope Benedict XII’s solemn definition that the apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, etc. who get to Heaven have received the baptism of Christ, the same baptism received by children, contradicts the idea that anyone can be saved without baptism.  His pronouncement that all the martyrs in Heaven have received baptism contradicts the idea of ‘baptism of blood’, which is that a martyr can go to Heaven without baptism.  His solemn teaching about baptism contradicts both ‘baptism of blood’ and ‘baptism of desire’.

If baptism of desire and blood were the true doctrine and the Church’s teaching, this was the perfect opportunity for the pope to declare that there are people who get to Heaven without baptism.  However, the pope teaches the opposite.  The pope covers every category of person: martyr, confessor, virgin, another member of the faithful, and in each case the people who get to Heaven from the Christian period have received baptism.  That’s because no one can get to Heaven without baptism.

Indeed, we see this emphasis on the truth that those who get to Heaven from the Christian period have been baptized in the declarations about children in Benedict XII’s solemn statement: “and the souls of children reborn in that same baptism of Christ and of those to be baptized when they shall have been baptized, dying before the use of their free will”.  Whether it’s a child, martyr, confessor, etc., no one from the Christian period gets to Heaven without baptism.  That’s the true doctrine.  That’s the infallible teaching of the Catholic Church.  That’s the true rule of faith.  This dogmatic definition further powerfully confirms and vindicates the position we have maintained on this crucial matter.

Also note that this dogmatic definition is very precise.  It makes various qualifications and exceptions, if they exist, such as for those who don’t need to go to Purgatory and for those who do.  For instance, the pope says “in whom nothing was to be purged” to describe one group, and he says “when they shall have been purged after their death” to describe those who need purgation after baptism.  He also defines that those who die in mortal sin go to Hell.  Hence, the baptized who get to Heaven, after any necessary purgation, are not people who die in mortal sin.  He includes all the scenarios to make sure his definition is totally accurate.  Since the statement is infallible, it cannot declare what is false and it will include qualifications where they exist.  If a so-called baptism of desire or blood existed, then those exceptions or qualifications would have been included in this infallible definition.  But they weren’t.  In fact, we find the opposite taught: that the martyrs, virgins, children, or anyone else who gets to Heaven from the Christian period has been baptized. 

Consistent with God’s providence to faithfully watch over and protect the infallible teaching of His Church, He made sure that the true position on baptism was set forth in this uniquely important dogmatic definition on who gets to Heaven.  Just consider that not only do multitudes of heretics reject this dogmatic teaching of the Church, that one must be baptized to get to Heaven, which is also the teaching of Scripture, but many so-called traditionalists and so-called traditionalist priests hold that it’s mortal sin to profess the Church’s teaching on this matter.  They are quite wrong and quite deceived.

Pope Pius XI, Quas Primas (#15), Dec. 11, 1925, addressed to the universal Church, concerning entrance into the Kingdom of God: “Which Kingdom indeed is set forth in the Gospels as one into which men prepare to enter by doing penance but are unable to enter except through faith and baptism, which, although it is an external rite, nevertheless signifies and effects an interior regeneration.”

Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi (# 22), June 29, 1943, addressed to the universal Church: “Actually only those are to be included as members of the Church who have received the laver of regeneration and profess the true faith…”

Pope Pius XII, Mediator Dei (#47), Nov. 20, 1947, addressed to the universal Church, referring to the Sacrament of Baptism: “… the washing of baptism distinguishes and separates all Christians [christianos omnes] from the rest whom this stream of atonement has not washed and who are not members of Christ…”

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.”

Pope Paul III, The Council of Trent, Can. 5 on the Sacrament of Baptism, Sess. 7, 1547: “If anyone should say that baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for salvation: let him be anathema.”

Pope Paul III, The Council of Trent, Can. 2 on the Sacrament of Baptism, Sess. 7, 1547: “If anyone should say that real and natural water is not necessary for baptism, and on that account should distort those words of Our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit’ [John 3:5], into some metaphor: let him be anathema.”