Saturday, September 18, 2010

'But the Church teaches in the Catechism that only those who know will go to Hell’ it is often said.

‘But the Church teaches in the Catechism that only those who know will go to Hell’ it is often said.

Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved.-Lumen Gentium 14, Vatican Council II


The Catholic Church has always taught and still teaches that everyone with no exception needs to enter the Church to avoid Hell.


Everyone means not only those who are informed, educated and of course know about the Catholic Church.


When the Catechism says those who know and yet do not enter it is referring to people, non Catholics, who are definitely going to Hell.
This statement was placed in the Catechism to distinguish between those who will be saved in invincible ignorance, the baptism of desire or blood or a good conscience(1).

Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.-Catechism of the Catholic Church 846


That there could be non Catholics saved in invincible ignorance etc does not contradict the infallible, ex cathedra teaching that everyone formally needs to be a Catholic to go to Heaven.

This is the teaching of Jesus, the Apostles, The Church Fathers, the Medieval Fathers, Church Councils and popes including Vatican Council II.It is maintained in the Church Documents issued by Pope John Paul II and the present Magisterium.


John 3:5 say the Baptism of water and Catholic Faith are needed for all and Mark 16:16 says those who do not believe will be condemned. Baptism was given within a community which Jesus called “My church”, it was this Church that Jesus identified with when he said,”Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?” .

The teachings of that Early Church; Catholic Church are the same as that today. Sacred Tradition guided by the Holy Spirit has preserved Church's Deposit of the Faith  including the Biblical teachings concised in the phrase outside the church there is no salvation (extra eccleisam nulla salus).

The Orthodox Churches broke away from  the Catholic Church in a schism and the Protestant communities with new doctrines, which differ even among themself, are only a few hundred years old,.The Pentecostal churches a hundred years or so.
In the Early Christian (Catholic) communities and the writings of the Church Fathers there is no reference to Sola Scriptura(Protestants) or Jesus and St. Michael the Archangel are one(Jehovah’s Witnesses).

The Catholic Church's doctrines are not new and they are consistent with that of the Early Church. This is also expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church of Pope John Paul II and previous catechisms.

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1.
However, those, who through no fault of their own do not know either the Gospel of Christ or his Church, can achieve salvation by seeking God with a sincere heart and by trying to do God's will (Second Vatican Council). Although God can lead all people to salvation, the Church still has the duty to evangelize all men.-CCC 848

CATECHISM, VATICAN COUNCIL II, EX CATHEDRA DOGMA AND CDF INDICATE ALL ROME’S MUSLIMS AND JEWS ARE ON THE WAY TO HELL


CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SAYS EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA SALUS, OUTSIDE THE CHURCH THERE IS NO SALVATION

WAS THERE A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR IN THE CATECHISM?

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