All the members of Called to Communion once earnestly believed the tenets of Calvinism before abjuring the errors of that system in exchange for the true Catholic Faith.

However, it would be wrong to suppose that Catholic deny predestination per se. Rather, the doctrine of predestination is upheld, albeit with a important qualifications.



Dominican Father Reginald Marie Garrigou-Lagrange

As a Catholic, what is now more important to me is the “signs of predestination.” In other words “faith alone” is by no means a sign that one is among the elect of God. Rather, the Dominican Father Réginald Marie Garrigou-Lagrange (d. 1964) observed this in his work Life Everlasting:

The Council of Trent has declared that we cannot have on earth certitude of our predestination without a special revelation. Aside from this special revelation no man can know if he will persevere in good works to the end. Nevertheless there are signs of predestination which give a kind of moral certitude that one will persevere. The Fathers, especially St. Chrysostom, St. Gregory the Great, St. Bernard, St. Anselm, have enumerated certain of these signs, following the directions of Scripture. Theologians enumerate eight signs of predestination. First, a good life; secondly, the testimony of a good conscience; thirdly, patience in adversities for love of God; fourthly, relish for the light and the Word of God; fifthly, mercy toward those who suffer; sixthly, love of enemies; seventhly, humility; eighthly, special devotion to the Blessed Virgin (from R.M. Garrigou-Lagrange, in Life Everlasting, “The Number of the Elect”).

As a Catholic, then, belief in predestination is less of an academic exercise and more of an aid to the examination of my conscience. Do I patiently bear through difficulties? Do I maintain a love for the Word of God? Do I study it daily? Do I order my life to it? Do I love the poor and try to assist them? Am I praying and blessing for those who hate me?

The question is not, “Am I predestined?” because nobody can know this without a special revelation. Rather, the question is, “Do I resemble the character of the predestined? Am I a man of the beatitudes?”

As I discussed in the book The Catholic Perspective on Paul, Paul’s doctrine of predestination is this: “He also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son: that he might be the Firstborn amongst many brethren” (Rom 8:29).

We are predestined to not merely be in Heaven, but to be conformed to the image of Christ. If we do not resemble the Eight Beatitudes of Christ from the Sermon on the Mount, we’re not being conformed to Christ. We’re not likely predestined.

In light of all this, the words of Saint Peter, that holy pontiff, make more sense:

Wherefore, brethren, labour the more, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. For doing these things, you shall not sin at any time (2 Peter 1:10).

So follow the eight signs of predestination, but especially foster a deep filial love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is the predestined one, the most perfectly saved person of human history and the most perfect created person of all creation – even greater than the angels. She is the Mother of Fair Love and she will guide you to the tender mercy of her Divine Son Jesus Christ – the mediator between God and men.

All the saints agree: A man cannot be saved without love and devotion for the Blessed Mother of Christ the King. To be “in Christ” is to be a child of God the Father and a child of Mary. Honor thy Father and thy Mother.