jhpb@granjon.garage.att.com (08/06/90)
I presume that the post was taken from some anti-Catholic work. The
very first word was an error. St. Alphonsus wasn't a Cardinal.
Karl Keating, in his "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" notes that
anti-Catholics delight in quoting St. Alphonsus's "Glories" book out of
context. Take an example from the posting this is a response to:
A fragment from St. Alphonsus:
"Sinners receive pardon by . . . Mary alone" (pg 82,83)
and a verse from Sacred Scripture:
"I [Jesus] am the way the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by Me." (John 14:6)
Imagine what a Protestant, knowing little about the Catholic religion,
will think when presented with something like that.
The doctrine that St. Alphonsus was writing about has nothing to do with
John 14:6. St. Alphonsus was taken grossly out of context.
Here is a relevant quote from another work of St. Alphonsus:
Jesus is the only hope of our salvation: "There is no salvation in
any other but Him." (Acts 4:12) I am the only door, says he; and he
that shall enter in through me shall assuredly find life eternal: "I
am the door; if any one enter by Me, he shall be saved." (John 10:9)
And what sinner would ever have been able to hope for pardon if
Jesus had not, by His blood and by His death, made satisfaction to
the divine justice for us? "He shall bear their iniquities." (Isa.
53:11)
Etc. Taken from "The Passion and the Death of Jesus Christ", a book of
about 500 pages with plenty of similar material.
What St. Alphonsus was talking about was a doctrine that is not yet a
dogma of the Catholic religion, but is the common teaching of Catholic
theologians, and so may be a dogma someday.
Our Lord, by His Passion and death, redeemed the human race, and merited
all the graces necessary for the salvation of each person. That is what
John 14:6 is all about.
What St. Alphonsus was talking about was this: Jesus Christ, having
merited the necessary graces for the human race (something which *no
one* else could ever do), distributes them through Mary. He says: here
are the graces, now give them to who I tell you to.
According to my Catholic theological reference (Ott), this is held to be
of the theological degree of certainty called "pious and probable" vs.
something like the Assumption, which is "of Faith".
Joe Buehler
My crucified love, and my most sweet Jesus, I believe in Thee, and
confess Thee to be true Son of God and Saviour of the world! I adore
Thee from the abyss of my misery and thank Thee for the death which Thou
didst suffer, to obtain for me the life of divine grace. O most
faithful of all friends! O most loving of all fathers! O kindest of
all masters! my beloved Redeemer, to Thee I am indebted for my
salvation, for my soul, my body, my whole self!
(St. Alphonsus de Liguori)