One of my favourite teaching tools, the Baltimore Catechism, states that no one can be saved except by being united to the Catholic Church. Now that's something we all know, and that is why we are Catholics. But it goes on to say, "The Catholic faith is like Noah's Ark which saved men from the flood. Only through Christ and His Mystical Body can men be saved. They must be either in the Ark of the Church or hanging on to the ropes which trail from the sides."
It goes on to explain that it is possible for non-Catholics to be saved if, through no fault of their own, they do not know the Catholic Church is the one true Church of Christ. By loving God and doing His will, they are united with the Catholic Church in desire, and receive grace through the Church. They are the ones hanging on to the ropes trailing over the sides of the Ship of Salvation.
It just seems so much better to inside the ship.
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"It goes on to explain that it is possible for non-Catholics to be saved if, through no fault of their own, they do not know the Catholic Church is the one true Church of Christ"
hmm..i came across some articles/debates disputing this.
Does your statement refer to universal salvation or else the fact that even non-Catholics can have the "baptism of desire?"
Because my Baltimore Catechism #2 refers only to 3 instances where salvation is possible, and they refered only to the 3 types of baptisms.
I don't know what else the more detailed B. Catechism #3 said, but absolutely no one can be saved outside the holy R.C Church.
Please clarify and enlighten!
Have a fruitful Lent!
-karyn
Karyn, in no way am I referring to universal salvation. You are tight - no one can be saved outside the Church. Won't the non-Catholics who are hanging on to the ship by a rope be surprised, when at the moment of their death, at their judgment, they accept all the Catholic Church teaches and thus save their souls?
I have to rush off to work, but I will post the page # and which BC I got the quote from later tonight.
Oops, typo! I mean you are right.
clear. simple. concise.
Let the little children come to me
pope innocent iii stated, outside the Catholic Church, there is no salvation. that is true. but as you said, through no fault of their own they can be saved. the traditional Church recognizes that sometimes people who die and live a very good moral and clean and upright life do not have the opportunity to know about God, or the Church. these as one priest explained, can be saved.
Thanks, really nice person whos job is saving people lives!
You don't "have to be Catholic" to go to heaven, but everyone in heaven is Catholic.
Or, as Aquinas put it--"God is not bound by sacrament."
We have the full relics of St. magnus the Centurian in our church--he was a roman Centurian who was ordered to kill a bunch of us--including St. Bonosa, who is also in our church. He refused, and was killed on the spot. he is revered by the church as a martyr, and we have his relics.
ah yes, true.. we won't know what happens at the hour of death.
Its just that the twisted interpretation of 'baptism of desire' is widespread, which henceforth has been misinterpreted to mean that everyone is assured of salvation, be he in a different religion or a Roman Catholic or not, as long as he is good or something.
Just as a side note, forget not our Eastern Catholics that are in Union with the Pope. They are just as much Catholics as we are.
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