Posted on 07/23/2008 2:47:21 PM PDT by Pyro7480
Catholics believe that judging is God’s business not mans. It is just not part of Catholic outlook to state if someone is saved or not. And we pray constantly for the salvation of all men.
On a personal note, for example, in 1991 when the first Gulf War kicked off I was a battery commander in an artillery unit. The first thing I did when I heard the battle had started was to pray for the salvation of souls who had just died on both sides. I did not pray that those who were Catholics were saved, I prayed for everyone. That is Catholic.
A lot of folks get wrapped around a Catholic Church statement that says “there is no salvation outside the Church”, erroneously thinking that it means that if you are not Catholic you are not saved. But if you actually read the statements what it means is that the Church is the wellspring of Christ’s graces and that even those who are not Catholic are recipients of some measure of those graces.
It is far more common, at least in FR fora, for Catholics to be mocked with the label of Universalism because we believe, as the Catechism teaches, that
"All men are called to this catholic unity of the People of God. . . . And to it, in different ways, belong or are ordered: the Catholic faithful, others who believe in Christ, and finally all mankind, called by God's grace to salvation."
It's instructive to enter the Catechism text here and read on for a couple of paragraphs about how seriously we take the Scriptural teaching that God wills that all men be saved by and through Christ--- though not all men will accept this great gift of Salvation, and thus are lost.
No, it's not Universalism, but it is as far from what you said, AR, as it is Biblically possible to go.
I challenge you to find one -- one--- Catholic FReper who said that somebody's going to hell because they're not Catholic. I seriously doubt that you can.
But if you do ---find me that ignoramus and I will whup some l'arnin' into him. And don't think I won't.
Amen to that...
Ironically, I feel the same way about Muslims.
Any particular poster individually, or re the group said poster belongs to?
Thank you for taking up where my laziness caused me not to go. Where I was paraphrasing conceptually you documented what the Church teaches.
Are you team 3?
That's what I said.
Nobody here is responsible for what some anonymous somebody somewhere on the internet claiming to be a Catholic has said at some point in the past.
Like, say, Charles Kingsley's evil Jesuit Eustace in one of his novels . . . (and Kingsley was an Anglican!)
And the people said . . . AMEN!
That’s only because you finally had the time to. :-0
I need a new loofah.
**Is Anti-Catholicism Dead? (Ques. Proposed by NY Times)**
Alive and well on FR........what else can I say?
I was listening to a study by Father Altier a while back. His explanation was that while the Catholic Church possessed the fullness of faith all Christian denominations possessed some of it. He likened it to the RC having the entire alphabet and others missing letters here and there. His point was that they were sincerely seeking communion with our Saviour Jesus Christ. His point wasn’t to split hairs over doctrinal differences or address apostasy. That would be a different lecture.
Actually I would say that Catholics are first in being discriminated against and hated — based on the long history of over 2000 years during which the Catholic Church has stood strong on many issues.
Against
Contraception
Abortion
Homosexuality
Same-sex marriage
Euthanasia,
etc., etc.
**but Catholics will still be here.**
And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
**Yep, I even took a shower!
I think we all needed one after that particular thread.**
Couldn’t agree with both of you more!
Welcome back, Petronski.
**Any good Catholic knows that decision is WAY above our pay grade.**
LOL! We can’t judge.............that’s God’s job. Now I have told some people they might not be too happy at the moment of their death when they find out what they really did to Catholics!
There are a great deal fewer hateful Catholics, but there still are some here. Most of us get, well, flippant. Sarcasm is a great friend of mine. I can't tell you the number of replies I have deleted and walked away from the computer. Sometimes just walk away. I had to do that earlier and the poster is still at it with anyone who will reply. Ug.
We also, as a group can laugh at ourselves and laugh about the secret decoder rings and albino monks. (notice I didn't mention the secret hand shake or the lists of non-caflicks kept at the vatican) I don't think Protestants deal with that well. Some of them really need to purchase a sense of humor. Sometimes it gets too ridiculous not to laugh.
In a word: yes.
In a few more words:
The same came for a witness,
to bear witness of the Light,
that all men through him might believe...
That was the true Light,
which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
(John 1, KJV)
This indicates that every person has some contact with the Light, and by desiring to do His will, might come to be saved by Christ. We call this "Baptism of Desire," since the person implicitly desires to do whatever God would have him do.
We do not believe that all are saved, for some choose to turn away from the Light: they hate the Light because their deeds are evil.
But we believe that all who ARE saved, are saved by Christ, who is the absolutely unique and only Savior of Mankind; and, by His will, through His Church, which is always praying for our well-being and redemption, and that of the whole world.
Cf. "the Communion of Saints."
I find I have to spiritually elbow my own ribs (I can do that spiritually, but not physically!) to curb my snarkaholic tendencies.
And sometimes the elbow isn't enough--- I have to kick my own butt!
Oh, to be double-jointed...
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