The Islamic community in the Middle East should not require the Catholic Church’s public acceptance of the Prophet Mohammed as part of its negotiations towards establishing a Catholic presence in Saudi Arabia. In the same manner, Catholics should not require any Saudi proclamation that favors Christianity either. The Saudi government needs to acknowledge and affirm the essential human right to worship freely throughout the world regardless of religious affiliation. The real issue that needs to be considered is the freedom of all faiths to publically practice their faiths, regardless of what religion dominates the political landscape.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no country that requires a public proclamation of any specific religion before the right to assemble and worship is permitted. There are of course areas that have religious persecution in the world; Islamic countries often prohibit public displays of Christianity. However, a public proclamation regarding the superiority of Islam over Christianity is something that undermines the entire concept of religious freedom and tolerance.
Catholicism does not need to make any public proclamation regarding the existence of the Islamic faith. Consistently the Church has proclaimed that the Islamic faith is not considered as a legitimate path towards salvation. Faith in Jesus Christ and Christian baptism are the only vehicles that ultimately bring about salvation. The mere fact that the Church proclaims Islam and other faiths in error of proper and correct religious convictions is proof enough to accept the existence of Islam and other non-Christian religions.
For centuries the Catholic Church has lived a life of religious persecution under the rule of Mohammed and that, itself is proof of the Islamic faith. Since its inception, Islam has maintained a consistent campaign of theological terrorism, waged against non-Islamic believers. Not only have Islamic countries imposed Islamic rule over all faiths, they have made any faith outside of Islam a punitive crime against society. The blood of thousands of faithful Christians indeed acknowledges the presence of Mohammed’s religious convictions and the Catholic Church continues to suffer persecution by the same alleged religious group. The religions of the West have made considerable efforts to maintain an open and evolving relationship with the followers of Islam. What the followers of Islam need to realize and acknowledge is the firm conviction on the part of the Catholic Church that outside of the Church there is no salvation. While we can diplomatically and politically hope for a nurturing of relationships between our faiths, ultimately we seek their total religious conversion to Christ.
In a period that constantly suggests political correctness and attempts to refrain from any type of offense against other faiths, Catholicism honestly put is in the business of converting everyone to the precepts of our faith. If indeed as brothers and sisters of the world, we can freely worship in our own manner that is fine. However, we really want everyone from Muslims, to Buddhists, Episcopalians, Jews, and everyone else to ultimately see our point of view. From a Catholic/Christian perspective it is just good business to seek new followers, and we welcome all converts of Islam and any other religion.
Our religious evangelization as Catholics includes a peaceful message of Gospel love, which is not determined by stipulations that acknowledge the superiority of one religion over another. We simply ask for total conversion to the message of Jesus Christ. If indeed this conversion is not acceptable to sensitive Islamic believers, then please continue on your path of religious convictions. We openly proclaim you indeed have the right to be wrong about God and the proper understanding of faith. However, we will not intimidate, or otherwise manipulate you into religious submission.
We believe in God’s unfolding plan for all peoples and faiths. We pray that the message of Jesus Christ will ultimately manifest itself among the peoples of the Islamic world, and our peaceful message will prevail over the violent message of Islamic political and social domination. In the meanwhile, as faithful believers in the same ultimate God, Islam should recognize the intrinsic human rights of religious freedom and expression for all faiths, not just the secular sponsored faith of Mohammed.
Hugh McNichol is a freelance Catholic author that writes on Catholic issues and topics. He writes daily at http://verbumcarofactumest.blogspot.com
Comments are welcome at hugh.mcnichol@trinettc.com
Loading ...
5 users commented in " Saudi Arabia…Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus! "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackbackyou write:
Not only have Islamic countries imposed Islamic rule over all faiths, they have made any faith outside of Islam a punitive crime against society.
This is not true. Catholics can worship in nearly all Islamic countries today’s world. There are Christians churches in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, etc. Often they have to keep a low profile–and sometimes thugs will kill or burn down churches, but that is a different problem. Indeed, even in the US, the first Catholic church in Philadelphia was disguised as an ordinary house, and the “KnowNothing” riots burned down a convent in the early 1800’s.
Only in Saudi Arabia are there restrictions on religion–ot just Christians, but nincluding forbidding Shiite Muslim mosques.
Now, in Saudi there are about 26 million people (if I remember correctly) and 8 million are guest workers.
Since there are a million Catholics, (mainly Filipinos, Keralan Christans and Lebanese) plus many Orthodox and Protestant Christians, some estimate another million, that means two million CHristians, mainly overseas guest workers, without recourse to worship except in house churches.
Here in the Philippines, Protestants going to Saudi to work get training in running house churches, and groups like “couples for Christ” and various Catholic charismatic groups are active there.
There is no telling how many Saudi converts there are (they can be killed for converting).
But it is interesting that in nearby Iran which is run by the Mullahs as a theocracy, allow their traditional Christians to worship. However, converts can go to jail. Yet one report last week discussed that they might make conversion to Christianity punishable by death instead of imprisonment, and that is because, thanks to Evangelical TV stations on their (illegal) satellite dishes, there are up to a million recent Iranian converts to Christianity.
I don’t know if that is true, but it does put the Pope’s struggle to make religious freedom an issue into perspective.
THE BLOODY EXPANSION OF ISLAM
By
Larry Houle
http://www.godofreason.com
Muslims would have us believe that Islam was spread peacefully by Muslims traveling from country to country, city to city, door to door preaching the teachings of Peace, Love and Goodness from Allah and His Messenger.
This is not what happened.
Obeying the teachings of Islam – Muslims fell upon the infidel civilizations and peoples with unimaginable savagery and rivers of blood flowed across the pages of human history.
Islam is coated in blood of the innocents. In the past 1400 years, Islam has murdered 270,000,000 nonbelievers.
80 million Hindus killed.
60 million Christians were slaughtered
10 million Buddhists died.
120 million Africans butchered
Muhammad funded his jihadist armies with the profits gained from selling women and children into slavery, looting and stealing infidel’s property and the submission tax imposed on infidel populations as per Koran teaching 9:29. 9:50
In order to motivate his murderous followers - Muhammad invented Laws of God allowing his troops to rape infidel women, take the ones they desired as sex slaves, keep 80% of the proceeds obtained from slavery and looting and if any of his men slayed or were slain during their murdering, raping and pillaging campaigns – Muhammad offered under the guise of Laws of God guaranteed accession to a depraved Paradise of virgin whores whom they could sexually molest for all eternity. Unlimited sex and money were powerful motivations for Muslims to grab their swords, climb on their horses and ride off into the sunset to bring war, death and destruction to the infidels.
India paid an horrific price. The world famous historian, Will Durant has written in his Story of Civilization that “the Mohammedan conquest of India was probably the bloodiest story in history”.
Buddhism was devastated.
Persia’s civilization disappeared from history.
The holocaust of slavery was imposed on large parts of black Africa. Slavery has been an integral part of Islam since its creation by Muhammad. Islam institutionalized slavery and made its existence legal and an ETERNAL LAW of ALLAH. Islam was the major player in the black African slave trade – an historical fact not well known today. Black slaves were castrated by their Muslim masters. Many died from castration. Also not taught is the fact that 1.5 million Europeans were taken as slaves by Muslims.
The fact that throughout Islam’s history, this slaughter of the innocents in the worst ways imaginable, murdered in the name of and to the greater glory of God is an obscenity. The so called men of ALLAH responsible for this carnage who have - through the millenniums - for Power, Domination, and Control of society unleashed this evil deserve to be in Hell.
To take man’s natural Concept of God, a conception of Peace and Love and Goodness - an all Wise, all merciful, all Loving God for all mankind, and turn God - by bastardizing his teachings into a murderous ALLAH (the ANTI GOD) of hate, terror, intolerance, death and destruction is one of the greatest sins that can be committed against God. Islam will remain forever a black historical stain smearing all human history.
EVERYBODY NEEDS THE EUCHARIST TO GO TO HEAVEN - Fr.Marcos Renacia, Augustinian Recollect priest
‘The Eucharist is the ordinary means of salvation’, said Fr. Marcos Renacia, an Augustinian-Recollect priest. ‘Everyone on earth de facto needs the Eucharist to go to Heaven’.
Hypothetically, in a way known only to God, through the extraordinary means God can save a non Catholic who is not a member of the Church who has not received the Sacrament of the Eucharist, he agrees, de facto we do not know a single case such case.
De facto everyone on earth needs the Eucharist to avoid Hell. De jure, in principle, there could be the possibility of someone saved who has not received this Sacrament.
The Church is the ordinary means of salvation states Pope John Paul II in Redemptoris Missio 55. The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ (Ad Gentes 7).Jesus saves through the Sacraments, those who respond (Dominus Iesus 20) by entering the Church.
Fr. Marcos was commenting on the Gospel Reading last Sunday (Corpus Domini) in which Jesus says the Eucharist was needed for salvation (John 6). he was speaking with me at the Augustinian– Recollect Church in Rome. We were comparing the dogmatic teaching extra ecclesiam nulla salus (outside the Church there is no salvation) with the Eucharist being needed for all.
Fr. Marcos chose to use the defacto-dejure explanation of this issue, especially, when asked if ‘all non Catholics need to explicitly receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist for salvation; to go to Heaven and avoid Hell ?’
The words de facto and de jure are used in the Introduction to Dominus Iesus.
‘De facto salvation’ used here is synonymous with explicit salvation. It refers to the baptism of water which is visible and repeatable. It refers to Catholic Faith which is taught explicitly. It is the ordinary means of salvation.
‘Dejure salvation’ is synonymous with implicit salvation. It refers to the baptism of desire, those saved in invincible ignorance, a good conscience, perfect contrition, in partial communion with the church or saved by the Word of God. It is not the ordinary means of salvation and depends on God’s grace. It’s an extra ordinary form of salvation.
When Fr.Marcos says that the Eucharist is the ordinary means of salvation he refers to de facto salvation. Since we do not personally know any case of de jure salvation, we assume everybody needs to de facto receive the Eucharist. Everyone we meet needs the Sacraments. There is no exception that we know of.
This is the official teaching of the Church through the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.(Cantate Domino, Council of Florence 1441, Ad Gentes 7,Vatican Council II, Redemptoris Missio 55, Catechism of the Catholic Church 846, Dominus Iesus 20, Ecclesia di Eucarestia etc.)
The Church documents, Magisterial texts, indicate everyone de facto needs the Sacraments to go to Heaven.
The understanding of Church (ecclesiology) in Ecclesia di Eucarestia was based on outside the Church there is no salvation, complained Cardinal Walter Kasper. In the magazine 30 giorini he said no one today believes in outside the Church there is no salvation. He complained that Ecclesia di Eucarestia also ignored the Orthodox Christians, who have a valid Eucharist.
Orthodox Christians are ‘schismatics’ according to Cantate Domino, ex cathedra. They need to convert into the Catholic Church to avoid Hell according to the dogma. We may call them ‘true’ churches and ‘sister’ churches but the dogma says they are all oriented to Hell. We are not permitted to receive the Eucharist at their churches. Neither are they permitted to receive the Eucharist at Catholic Churches.
Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council II has the same message. It says all need baptism for salvation. Catholics only give the baptism of water to adults with Catholic Faith. The Orthodox Christians donot have Catholic Faith.
Just as a Catholic in mortal sin is not to receive the Eucharist even though Jesus is still present in the Eucharist an Orthodox Christian is not to receive the Eucharist at a Catholic Church.it is a sin. Cantate Domino indicates Orthodox Christians are in mortal sin (‘schismatics’).De facto they are all on the way to Hell.
So when Jesus says ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life’- are there any exceptions?
De facto, none.
De jure, none. All those who are saved implicitly are saved through Jesus and the Church (CCC 846).
When the Augustinian Recollect priest says de facto everyone with no exception needs the Eucharist for salvation he is affirming the centuries old interpretation of Cantate Domino-just like St. Augustine.
If Fr. Marcos does not use the terms de facto-dejure (hypothetical) it would be confusing. It would be saying everyone needs the Eucharist except for…It would be saying yes and No. simultaneously.
There is no text in Vatican Council II which contradicts Cantate Domino or Ad Gentes 7 unless one mixes up de jure salvation for de facto salvation.
If one mistakenly says the baptism of desire refers to de facto salvation and contradicts Cantate Domino which also refers to de facto salvation, then something is wrong. It is in conflict with the Principle of Non Contradiction.
If one correctly infers that de jure baptism of desire does not contradict de facto Cantate Domino then it is rational. It also does not contradict the Principle of Non Contradiction.
So de facto everybody needs the Eucharist for salvation as Fr. Marcos Renacia says.
Outside the Church, outside the Eucharist, there is no salvation.
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2011/06/everybody-needs-eucharist-to-go-to.html
LEGIONARY OF CHRIST PRIEST FR.RAFAEL PASCUAL AFFIRMS CANTATE DOMINO, COUNCIL OF FLORENCE
Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, University Pontifical Regina Apostolorum, Rome in his office today morning said he was familiar with the text of the dogma Cantate Domino and he would endorse it in public.
Fr. Rafael Pascual said he and other Legionaries of Christ priests took an oath in Church to be faithful to the Magisterium of the Church and he showed me on his computer the text of this oath.
He took exception to a report (1) I e-mailed him which indicated that the Legionaries of Christ priests have not affirmed the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
Fr. Pascual who is the Director of the Master of Science and Faith Institute knew that the dogma on extra ecclesiam nulla salus, Cantate Domino (2) was in accord with Vatican Council II (LG 14,AG 7) (3), Dominus Iesus 20 (4) and other Magisterial text.
The Church also affirms it may be mentioned that non Catholics can be saved in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire. However the Church Fathers, popes and Councils always new that these cases were implicit and so did not contradict the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus. They are only known to God and we would not meet any such case in person. Also no Magisterial text claims that they are explicitly known to us. -Lionel Andrades
1.
LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST PRIESTS IN ROME DO NOT DENY THAT THEY AFFIRM AND TEACH THE SECULAR, LIBERAL INTERPRETATION OF EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA
SALUS
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2010/12/legionaries-of-christ-priests-in-rome.html#links
2.
Pope Eugene IV, Cantate Domino (1441): “The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the “eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41), unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.”-, Wikipedia, extra ecclesiam nulla salus
3.
Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism(124) and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church, for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church.-Lumen Gentium 14
Therefore, all must be converted to Him, made known by the Church’s preaching, and all must be incorporated into Him by baptism and into the Church which is His body. For Christ Himself “by stressing in express language the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mark 16:16; John 3:5), at the same time confirmed the necessity of the Church, into which men enter by baptism, as by a door.-Ad Gentes 7
4.
Above all else, it must be firmly believed that “the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mk 16:16; Jn 3:5), and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through baptism as through a door”. This doctrine must not be set against the universal salvific will of God (cf. 1 Tim 2:4); “it is necessary to keep these two truths together, namely, the real possibility of salvation in Christ for all mankind and the necessity of the Church for this salvation”.- Dominus Iesus 20
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2011/10/legionary-of-christ-priest-frrafael.html
WHAT DOES THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACH ABOUT ISLAM: VATICAN COUNCIL II INDICATES THE PROPHET AND MUSLIMS ARE LOST
The Church teaches in Magisterial documents that Islam has ‘good and holy ‘things but the religion is not a path to salvation. Muslims need to convert to avoid Hell.
According to Vatican Council II the Prophet was not saved. This is same the message of the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus, Dominus Iesus and other Church documents based on the Bible, Tradition and the Magisterium. So according to the official teaching of the Catholic Church the prophet was oriented to Inferno at the time of death.
According to Vatican Council II, Ad Gentes 7 all people need Catholic Faith and the baptism of water for salvation I have mentioned in an earlier post on this blog. This includes the Prophet.
Therefore, all must be converted to Him, made known by the Church’s preaching, and all must be incorporated into Him by baptism and into the Church which is His body. For Christ Himself “by stressing in express language the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mark 16:16; John 3:5), at the same time confirmed the necessity of the Church, into which men enter by baptism, as by a door.-AG 7
Ad Gentes 7 and Lumen Gentium 14 also state that those who know about the Church and its necessity for salvation and yet do not enter are on the way to Hell. The Quran shows that the prophet knew about Jesus and the Church.
Therefore those men cannot be saved, who though aware that God, through Jesus Christ founded the Church as something necessary, still do not wish to enter into it, or to persevere in it.”-Ad Gentes 7
Therefore those men cannot be saved, who though aware that God, through Jesus Christ founded the Church as something necessary, still do not wish to enter into it, or to persevere in it.”-Lumen Gentium 14, Vatican Council II.
The ex cathedra dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus says the same.
1. “There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved.” (Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council, 1215). Ex cathedra.
2.“We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” (Pope Boniface VIII, the Bull Unam Sanctam, 1302.).Ex cathedra.
3.“The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.” (Pope Eugene IV, the Bull Cantate Domino, 1441.) Ex cathedra – from the website Catholicism.org
The same message is repeated in Dominus Iesus.
This doctrine must not be set against the universal salvific will of God (cf. 1 Tim 2:4); “it is necessary to keep these two truths together, namely, the real possibility of salvation in Christ for all mankind and the necessity of the Church for this salvation”.-Dominus Iesus 20
If there is an objection with reference to Lumen Gentium 16 it is a straw man. LG 16 does not say that we know any case of invincible ignorance in the present times.
Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.-Lumen Gentium 16, Vatican Council II.
So Lumen Gentium 16 does not contradict extra ecclesiam nulla salus or Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council II.
If there is an objection that Fr. Leonard Feeney was excommunicated for affirming extra ecclesiam nulla salus, this is a falsehood. The dogma referred to in the Letter of the Holy Office to the Archbishop of Boston 1949 indicates that all Jews in Boston need to convert into the Church to avoid Hell.
Now, among those things which the Church has always preached and will never cease to preach is contained also that infallible statement by which we are taught that there is no salvation outside the Church.
However, this dogma must be understood in that sense in which the Church herself understands it. For, it was not to private judgments that Our Savior gave for explanation those things that are contained in the deposit of faith, but to the teaching authority of the Church…-Letter of the Holy Office 1949 to the Archbishop of Boston (Emphasis added)
So the Letter of the Holy Office supported Fr.Leonard Feeney on doctrine.The dogma(above) indicates all Jews in Boston need to convert into the Church to avoid Hell. This was exactly what Fr.Leonard Feeney taught.
It indicates also that all Muslims are on the path to Hell. According to the official teaching of the Catholic Church the prophet was oriented to Hell at the time of death. It is said that the Church does not say that any one is in Hell, not even Judas. However the Church does teach that there are some sins that orient a person to Hell at the time of death. It is a grave sin for a non Catholic to have had the Gospel preached to him, to know about Jesus and the Church and yet to reject the Holy Spirit guiding him in his heart. The Church also teaches that all of us know what is right and wrong deep within our heart Conscience can be good or bad. We need to follow our good conscience. Someone who follows his good conscience would be led to Jesus and the Church.’
This is not just a personal view but the official teaching of the Church before and after Vatican Council II.
The Church is saying that salvation is open to all Muslims and other non Catholics but if they do not respond they have chosen damnation. If there is anyone among them in invincible ignorance etc it will be known only to God.
A Muslim can be saved if he gives his life for Jesus and the Church (baptism of blood) . Similarly a Catholic who dies a martyr, goes straight to Heaven.
Some theologians say that the Church does not claim anyone is in Hell. They hold this illusion since they do not know or believe in the ex cathedra dogma Cantate Domino, Council of Florence(above). It says Hell has fire. It indicates millions of non-Catholics are there.
Others say that the Church does not say that Judas is in Hell. We know that the Church also does not say that Judas is in Heaven.
What about the ‘theology of religions’? The Church has rejected it in the Notification issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Vatican (2001) to Fr. Jacques Dupuis S.j. It indicates that ‘there is no theology’ which can say that Islam is a path to salvation.
We accept the possibility of non Catholics in invincible ignorance etc, being saved (Lumen Gentium 16) and they are known to God only. However the Lumen Gentium 16 text does not say that we know of specific cases in the present times and so this contradicts the dogma.
So there is no text from Vatican Council II for supporting a heresy. It is heresy to reject or change an ex cathedra dogma even after being informed.
The hermeneutic of continuity, is that for centuries popes, Councils and saints taught that everyone with no exception needs to enter the Church formally to avoid Hell.
The hermeneutic of rupture was when the Archbishop of Boston Cardinal Richard Cushing, said that there could be people in invincible ignorance etc who are known to us in the present times and so this contradicted the dogma and Fr. Leonard Feeney. This is irrational. We can never know any such case. The Archbishop of Boston Cardinal Richard Cushing held the heretical belief that there were non Catholics saved in invincible ignorance and the baptism of desire in the present times and they were known to us. So for him this contradicted Fr. Leonard Feeney and the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
The hermeneutic of rupture was when Fr. Hans Kung said that Lumen Gentium 16 indicates that people in invincible ignorance etc can be specifically known to us in the present times and so this contradicts extra ecclesiam nulla salus (and Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council 2).
We do not know who is joined to the Church in partial communion or invisible bonds. We do not know who has perfect contrition or a conscience Jesus will judge as good on the day of Judgement. No specific case can be known.
We know for sure that some sins lead to Hell. Some sins orient a person to Hell.
The Bible tells us that some sins will prevent people from seeing the Kingdom of God. There are also mortal sins of Faith.
‘Being oriented to Hell’ does not mean ‘condemned to Hell’. Correct. Neither does it mean not being condemned.
If you think someone is an exception to the rule then again I would ask you how would you know? How would you know specific cases?
If you believe the exception makes the rule (as says Fr. Charles Curran etc) then this is not the teaching of the Church.
Every non-Catholic who achieves salvation it is said is nevertheless saved because of the graces radiating from the Catholic Church as the “sacrament of universal salvation”. True and this does not conflict with the teaching that everyone with no exception in the present times needs to formally enter the Church to be saved.
Liberal theologians affirm that the necessity of the Catholic Church for salvation is absolute. Correct. However they need to mention that it is necessary to be a formal member. Many liberal theologians leave this issue vague.
Liberal theologians say this union is not confined to the status of actual and explicit visible membership in the Catholic Church. It’s here where they go off the track since they assume that we know cases in the present times who are saved with invincible ignorance etc and so every one does not have to be a formal member of the Church to be saved.
We cannot name a specific individual person as being in Hell, not with our human abilities. However the Church does tell us that there are some sins whixh orient a person to Hell. If one dies with mortal sin and without absolution in the Confessional, your on the way to Hell. The Catechism indicates all it takes is just one mortal sin for a soul to go to Hell. One mortal sin without Confession. To reject an ex cathedra dogma is a mortal sin according to the Church. Your on the way to Hell.Pope John Paul II excommunicated Fr.Tissa Balasuriya, OMI, the Sri Lankan priest, for rejecting the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady.
If you die without the Sacraments I would assume that you were oriented to Hell, gone to Hell and are there still. If there was an exceptional reason for not being damned it would be known to God only.
Muslims are lost unless they accept Jesus’ great Sacrifice and respond.
We love all Muslims in Jesus, who also, in charity asks to tell them about the condition of their soul. In John 3:5 we are reminded of the necessity of the baptism of water for salvation, in John 6 we are told about the importance of the Eucharist for salvation. In Mark 16:16 we know that those who do not believe will be condemned.
In October this year there will be an inter faith meeting at Assisi,Italy the birth place of St.Francis of Assisi who believed it was necessary for all Muslims and the Sultan to convert for salvation. He taught the rigorist interpretation of extra ecclesiam nulla salus and believed that all Muslims like other non Catholics were damned unless they enter the Church. This was the will of God. God wants all people to be united in the Catholic Church (Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 845), the Church is like the Ark of Noah that saves in the Flood (CCC 845), all people need to enter the Church as entering through a door (CCC 846).
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-does-catholic-church-teach-about.html#links
Leave A Reply