Let me fill you in on a little secret — Some Catholic’s aren’t perfect! Whoever told you that we aren’t saved by grace is ignorant of his/her own faith and needs to brush up on basic Catholicism 101.
I come from many lines of Roman Catholics, was Baptized Catholic, educated in Catholic schools, married a Catholic.
My first child was Baptized Catholic, and my second has not. Around the years between having my two children, I became friends with non-Denominational Christians. I could quote from the Baltimore Chatechism, yet I knew nothing from the Bible except for the main “stories.” Add all the corruption and sexual depravity which was exposed around that time, and I basically left the church.
Now my children are being taught in a Christian school. I’ve spent years now questioning the Catholic faith.
Going back to the Baltimore Catechism, there are 2 types of grace - Sanctifying and Actual. And grace comes not only from God, but also through the receiving of sacraments and through prayer. One of the teachings in the Catechism states that if a person does things/daily works in Christ’s image, then that person’s actions “merit a heavenly reward.”
Because we are all sinners, the Catholic Church believes that going to Confession and following through with Penance are our recommended earthly resources for making up for our sins in this life. *Working* off the debt we accumulate as sinners is necessary so as to remain in good standing with Christ — unless we would rather work off our debt in purgatory.
This “works” thing is one of my main objections to the Catholic teaching.