[kosta50]

And since the Catholic Church has not formally adopted any stance on Predestination, then it really doesn't matter what one Catholic may feel about predestination. It's not "official" doctrine of the Church

You are making a sweeping generalization as a matter of fact, when in fact the Council of Trent (as well as other synods of the Church) defined Catholic understanding and position on predestination in quite an astounding detail.

If you want to read the whole (Roman) Catholic exposition on the predestination, consider the source before shooting from the hip.

But, if you don't want to read this lengthy work (which includes a section on, and answers to controversies), here is a Catholic dogma in a summarized form on the subject of predestination from the above referenced source:

"We may now briefly summarize the whole Catholic doctrine, which is in harmony with our reason as well as our moral sentiments. According to the doctrinal decisions of general and particular synods, God infallibly foresees and immutably preordains from eternity all future events (cf. Denzinger, n. 1784), all fatalistic necessity, however, being barred and human liberty remaining intact (Denz., n. 607).

Consequently man is free whether he accepts grace and does good or whether he rejects it and does evil (Denz., n. 797). Just as it is God's true and sincere will that all men, no one excepted, shall obtain eternal happiness, so, too, Christ has died for all (Denz., n. 794), not only for the predestined (Denz., n. 1096), or for the faithful (Denz., n. 1294), though it is true that in reality not all avail themselves of the benefits of redemption (Denz., n. 795).

Though God preordained both eternal happiness and the good works of the elect (Denz., n. 322), yet, on the other hand, He predestined no one positively to hell, much less to sin (Denz., nn. 200, 816). Consequently, just as no one is saved against his will (Denz., n. 1363), so the reprobate perish solely on account of their wickedness (Denz., nn. 318, 321).

God foresaw the everlasting pains of the impious from all eternity, and preordained this punishment on account of their sins (Denz., n. 322), though He does not fail therefore to hold out the grace of conversion to sinners (Denz., n. 807), or pass over those who are not predestined (Denz., n. 827). As long as the reprobate live on earth, they may be accounted true Christians and members of the Church, just as on the other hand the predestined may be outside the pale of Christianity and of the Church (Denz., nn. 628, 631).

Without special revelation no one can know with certainty that he belongs to the number of the elect (Denz., nn. 805 sq., 825 sq.)."

All emphases are mine.

The Orthodox Church echoes the same belief, which is brilliantly presented by Bishop Elias Minatios.

[HarleyD]

If you want to read the whole (Roman) Catholic exposition on the predestination, consider the source before shooting from the hip.

I have read this article at least twenty times. I would encourage others to as well since it is one of the most gobblygook articles I have ever laid my eyeballs on. Since you've summerized it so well as:

We may now briefly summarize the whole Catholic doctrine...God infallibly foresees and immutably preordains from eternity all future events

This is precisely what Arminian taught and is exactly what I stated in post #3086 (see point 2). It puts God in the spectator seat. He never really made an axe head float or oil continuously pour from a jar. If God only foresee events then did He foresee His loving nature raining fire down upon Sodom?

Predestination is defined as:

previous determination as if by destiny or fate 2: (theology) being determined in advance

There is nothing in the definition of predestination that even hints of foreseeing something and then saying, "Yup, that's OK by me." With all due respect, if this is the Catholic "definition" of predestination then I can predetermine the baseball scores from yesterday game.