Are only Catholics destined for Heaven?

[Walterross]

Hello everyone, I had this question concerning other religions, even non-catholic christian religions. I know that the Catholic church is the true church because Jesus Christ instituted it. I also know of the whole saying “all catholics are christians but not all christians are catholics.” I just had a question, does this mean that only catholics can be saved? In the catholic church, there are the sacraments as well as the belief of saints etc. I know that if you are in a state of mortal sin, you must go to confession to receive forgiveness and to be saved. Yet, non-catholic christians do not have the sacrament of confession. What if they are in a state of mortal sin? They don’t inherently know that they are in danger. They might believe in another kind of penance? What if we are mistaken in our religious identity when we die? For example, if I commit sexual sins and am a christian (non-catholic) but do my penance through helping others, for example, what does God think of this? I’d like to think that God would be merciful because we did the best that we knew, even if we don’t practice catholicism. I don’t know what to think about others who believe in different gods completely. Any thoughts/insights?

 

[Lee1]

This may be of help

Is There Really "No Salvation Outside the Catholic Church?" | Catholic Answers Magazine

 

[Fauken]

We can say with certainty that all in Heaven are Catholic!

 

[Fauken]

There are no religious distinctions in heaven. That is only used on earth.

I’m afraid not. All who are in Heaven are part of the Church Triumphant, one of three parts of the Catholic Church.

 

[Fauken]

There are no religious distinctions in heaven. We are all with God eternally.

There is no distinction because they’re all Catholic. This is the doctrine of the Church.

 

[Fauken]

They are not all Catholic. I’m afraid that Jesus is in heaven and he was jewish. Checkmate

And He did, in the words of St. Edith Stein, did the most Jewish thing a Jew could do: become Catholic.

 

[Fauken]

Jesus was not Catholic. Jesus is and will always be jewish.

Jesus founded the Catholic Church. He was the first Catholic.

 

[Fauken]

Jesus did not discover the catholic church. St. Peter did. The Catholic Church is a man made institution that one day will fall just as the jewish temple built by solomon was destroyed by the romans.

If you’re a Catholic, you should know what you just said is heretical. Jesus founded the Catholic Church, gave authority to St. Peter to lead it (but all authority ultimately derives from Christ), and thus it most certainly is not man-made. Christ also promised that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it, so it will never fall. It is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.

 

[Fauken]

Yea I am a devout catholic. Jesus realized that the Catholic Church is not perfect. The Catholic Church covered up 1000’s of child rapes. The Catholic Church did that, end of discussion. Please don’t associate such filth as being God.

I don’t associate child rapes with God. What the people within the Catholic Church do does not remove God’s promise. God never said every member within it would be perfect. God is not so afraid of sin that He would abandon His Bride, the Church. The Catholic Church, as an institution, is perfect. Do you remember what I said earlier about everyone in Heaven being Catholic? That’s because there’s three bodies of “membership” in the Church. There’s the Church Millitant, us here on earth, striving for Heaven, the Church Suffering, those in Purgatory, and the Church Trimpuhant, those in Heaven.

I apologize if that sounds harsh, but i was personally affected by the rape crisis and the Catholic Church never even apologized and just blamed me.

I just read this now, so I’m including it here. I’m so terribly sorry this happened to you. I am. But please don’t blame the actions of a few on the many. The Church is more than her earthly members. She has existed for two millennia, and has had all manner of sinners under her fold. And there will be penance done for decades to come for what’s happened. There will be change, even if you may not believe it. Give His Church another chance!

 

[nathcatholic]

Why would God demand membership and obedience to a organization that is covering up Child Rape.

I am still Catholic, but the church has lost my obedience.

I read somewhere that the Church has apostatized after Vatican II. The Church we know today isn’t anymore the true Church of Christ, hence the rape scandals(because we are in the end times).

 

[Fauken]

Why would God demand membership and obedience to a organization that is covering up Child Rape

That same God allowed Himself to be murdered and tortured by the very human beings who would number His Church and offer His Sacraments. When He was born and on this earth He should have turned His face from all in shame and sobbed for what horrible things we would do, and even after all He did, still not give one wit for Him. And yet He still died for us. I don’t have a solid answer besides that, to be honest.

 

[Shakuhachi]

The Catholic Church, as an institution, is perfect.

Not on this earth.

 

[Fauken]

Not on this earth.

That’s what I meant by as an institution, I’m sorry if that wasn’t clear.

So we should be ok with the Catholic Church covering up child rape because jesus suffered on the cross?

I never said we should. It is abominable. But those rapists cannot make God forget His Church. He did not forget us on the Cross, we cannot forget what He gave us.

 

[Fauken]

What’s lacking is compassion about the situations. If your child was raped by the Catholic Church you wouldn’t be happy either.

No I wouldn’t. But I wouldn’t turn and say all men are rapists because it was a man who raped him/her either.

 

[Fauken]

Right but I would demand some sort of change! Not just smirk and say well we are God’s Church so we are perfect and then blame the victims of rape for daring to say something against the “perfect church”.

If that’s what happened to you, then that was wrong. I think we have changed since the abuse came to light. We will get though this, of this I have faith in. I’ll be praying for you.

what we have now is the Whore of Babylon, the Catholic Church has apostatized.

That’s not appropriate to say on these forums. And it’s a rather fickle view of God.

 

[nathcatholic]

.

nathcatholic:

what we have now is the Whore of Babylon, the Catholic Church has apostatized.

That’s not appropriate to say on these forums. And it’s a rather fickle view of God.

I am not sure of that, I read some catholics saying that, that the Church changed after Vatican II.
whats your opinion?

 

[Fauken]

I apologize if i attacked you personally. I am sorry for doing that.

No, you didn’t! I’m trying to be careful. I’ll admit, empathy is not my strong suit. I’ve been accused of being cold hearted, so I’m trying to be empathetic.

I am not sure of that, I read some catholics saying that, that the Church changed after Vatican II.
whats your opinion?

It depends on what you mean by “change”. The Catholic Church has been “changing” throughout all of history, from being thrown to lions in the Coliseum, to one billion members across the globe. If by “changed”, you mean it’s no longer the true Church, then no. And Vatican II did not not drag it into apostasy.

 

[Fauken]

I’m sorry it happened. This isn’t a fun time to be Catholic, but arguably, it never is. We have a very insidious and cunning adversary, whose single minded goal is to rip as many of us as possible from God. Corrupting the members of the Church is his delight, and he’s been doing it throughout the centuries! The road to Hell is indeed paved with the skulls of bishops.

 

[Fauken]

I still attend mass, but I have been very intrigued by mormonism. Please pray for me

Of course! You won’t be surprised though if I say that the Mormons aren’t as cracked up as their image shows, will you? This may be a generalization, but among all the converts views on their former beliefs that I know of, ex-Mormons have been the most bitter in my opinion. We used to have quite a few Catholic converts who were Mormon on the Forums, though I don’t know where they’ve gone.

 

[Fauken]

Yes, but I wouldn’t convert because of the scandal. I am struggling with the idea of the trinity and at this point Im starting to feel like everything the Catholic Church has told me is one big lie.

The Trinity is, while the most fundamental, admittedly difficult doctrine of the Faith, so don’t feel bad. May I recommend Frank Sheed’s “Theology for Beginners”? I’ve loved what little I’ve read so far, and I’ve heard he gives the most simple yet precise explanation on the Trinity. I’ve yet to meet anyone who has not loved it after reading it!