"Let us, then, understand the calling whereby they become elected -- not those who are elected because they have believed, but who are elected that they may believe...His mercy preceded them according to grace, not according to debt. God elected believers; but He chose them that they might be so, not because they were already so..." -- ST. AUGUSTINE, "Treatise on Predestination" Chapter 34.
Please. What a ridiculous assertion. I have read St. Augustine and I find Calvinists misinterpret his writings because Calvinists have preconceived notions that St. Augustine never had. Namely, that man is absolutely and totally corrupt. St. Augustine clearly thought that God did not command men to do what they could not do. Calvin never had that common sense idea in his mind. Thus, you would do well to read St. Augustine's other works that do not have heavily laced polemic language in it, such as "Treatise on Nature and Grace", or "Treatise on the Spirit and the Letter".
His mercy preceded them according to grace, not according to debt.
Yes, this is dogmatic Catholic teaching straight from the Council of Trent on Justification...
Regards