Father Feeney

[amarkich]

I am posting simply because I wrote something similar in another thread which was completely unrelated to the topic of Father Feeney and I thought it necessary to post in an individual thread the thoughts that I expressed on the previous and to clarify further about the man who was Father Feeney. The first common error that the average Catholic makes when considering Father Feeney is believing that he was excommunicated (if you can call it that) for his teachings on the Dogma Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus. This, however, was not the case. Father Feeney was shunned for his disobedience to the Church (which I do not defend) on a few issues, not for his proclamation of Church teaching. Doctrine was not the issue at hand, so those who claim that his teachings are condemned are in error. Not only is this true, but it is also true that Father Feeney was accepted back into the Church fully after his disobedience subsisted. It is interesting to note what was required of Father Feeney in order to be accepted back by the Church, namely, among other things, the recitation of the Athenasian Creed which states, "Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith." If Father had been condemned for teaching that the Church is necessary for salvation, would he be required to re-state this in order to be accepted back? That is ludicrous, and this is the very purpose of my post: to illustrate 1) that the teachings of Father Feeney are not condemned and 2) that Father Feeney was brought back into the fullness of communion with the Church (if he ever left it). The reason that I am skeptical of the fact that he was ever actually excommunicated is that 1) he never had a formal decree of excommunication that I am aware of (it was more of a condemnation of practice) and 2) it was not stated that he was accepted back "into the Church" once he had been fully recognized (the statement said, rather, something more along the lines that he had become obedient again to his authorities). Please post if you have questions or comments. God bless.

[cmotherofpirl]

[url="http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/EXTRECCL.HTM"]http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/EXTRECCL.HTM[/url]

[CatholicCrusader]

[quote]http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/EXTRECCL.HTM [/quote]

This is a horrible explanation of Father Feeney's situation.

Father Feeney never had to recant his beliefs because they were in perfect line with Church Dogma...his "excommunication" was based upon disobedience, which is questionable as to if he was even excommunicated validly. From what I have learned thus far from thsoe actually personally involved with Father Feeney, he was not legitimately excommunicated. God bless.

[Livin_the_MASS]

E.W.T.N is a good resource, if you need to know something they have the facts. I trust them!


God Bless Mother Angelica!


Peace of Christ to all
Jason

[p0lar_bear]

I posted this in another thread on this...but there seems to be a bit of an echo on phatmass lately, so I'll repeat it.

I agree that Fr. Feeney was excommunicated for disobedience, but that does not mean that his writings were not condemned.

This [url="http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDFFEENY.HTM"]letter[/url] from the Vatican was sent to the Archbishop of Boston in regard to the problems with Fr. Feeny. The text was approved in Latin and English by Pope Pius XII


While all of the letter is significant, I'll only quote a small part.


[quote]
The same in its own degree must be asserted of the Church, in as far as she is the general help to salvation. Therefore, that one may obtain eternal salvation, it is not always required that he be incorporated into the Church actually as a member, but it is necessary that at least he be united to her by desire and longing.

However, this desire need not always be explicit, as it is in catechumens; but when a person is involved in invincible ignorance God accepts also an implicit desire, so called because it is included in that good disposition of soul whereby a person wishes his will to be conformed to the will of God.

These things are clearly taught in that dogmatic letter which was issued by the Sovereign Pontiff, Pope Pius XII, on June 29, 1943, <On the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ> (AAS, Vol. 35, an. 1943, p. 193 ff.). For in this letter the Sovereign Pontiff clearly distinguishes between those who are actually incorporated into the Church as members, and those who are united to the Church only by desire.
[/quote]


I honestly don't see how that does not utterly contradict Fr. Feeney's teaching that even a catechumen on the way to the baptismal font would be condemned to hell if he died.

For those who are not aware, the Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, which issued this letter, is now called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It is their job to clarify matters of faith when questions or disputes arise. In addition, this partiuclar letter was released with the full knowledge and approval of Pope Pius XII. The letter is authoritative.

[IcePrincessKRS]

I am closing this thread due to complaints I have received about it. Both sides of the argument have been stated, if you want to carry it out any further please do so in PMs.

God Bless.