Can one be saved outside the CC?

[Abu]

The answer to the question is No.

The reason is that all salvation comes only in and through Christ’s Catholic Church whether one knows it or not.

Can non-Catholics achieve salvation? Yes.

Should Catholics evangelize and re-evangelize? Yes, as their formation, talents and opportunity enable them to so do.

 

[Sirach2]

What you say makes sense, but I like Mother Angelica’s interpretation and believe that it is somehow true!

Yes, Robert, it is true. In fact, both the current Catechism and the Baltimore Catechism clearly teach this, as did Mother Angelica. We may note that even though different bibles may use different wording to begin the verse, such as: Whosoever, He who, If anyone, If a man, He that, etc., the critical point is the words that follow. Those who wish to demean this scripture by focusing on these various wordings, cannot change the fact that Jesus addresses ALL men.

CCC 260 The ultimate end of the whole divine economy is the entry of God’s creatures into the perfect unity of the Blessed Trinity. But even now we are called to be a dwelling for the Most Holy Trinity: “If a man loves me”, says the Lord, “he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.”

**BC 323. How does an unbaptized person receive the baptism of desire? **
An unbaptized person receives the baptism of desire when he loves God above all things and desires to do all that is necessary for his salvation.
If anyone love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him.

Pope Benedict XVI, 4/27/2008:
However, all this depends on one condition which Christ imposes clearly at the beginning: “If you love me” and which he repeats at the end: “He who obeys the commandments he has from me is the man who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father. I too will love him and reveal myself to him” (Jn 14,21). Without love for Jesus, which is expressed in the observance of his commandments, the person is excluded from the Trinitarian movement and begins to withdraw into himself, losing the ability to receive and to communicate God.

**Acts 10:34-35 **Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”

 

[Robert_Sock]

Yes, Robert, it is true. In fact, both the current Catechism and the Baltimore Catechism clearly teach this, as did Mother Angelica. We may note that even though different bibles may use different wording to begin the verse, such as: Whosoever, He who, If anyone, If a man, He that, etc., the critical point is the words that follow. Those who wish to demean this scripture by focusing on these various wordings, cannot change the fact that Jesus addresses ALL men.

CCC 260 The ultimate end of the whole divine economy is the entry of God’s creatures into the perfect unity of the Blessed Trinity. But even now we are called to be a dwelling for the Most Holy Trinity: “If a man loves me”, says the Lord, “he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.”

BC 323. How does an unbaptized person receive the baptism of desire?
An unbaptized person receives the baptism of desire when he loves God above all things and desires to do all that is necessary for his salvation.
If anyone love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him.

Pope Benedict XVI, 4/27/2008:
However, all this depends on one condition which Christ imposes clearly at the beginning: “If you love me” and which he repeats at the end: “He who obeys the commandments he has from me is the man who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father. I too will love him and reveal myself to him” (Jn 14,21). Without love for Jesus, which is expressed in the observance of his commandments, the person is excluded from the Trinitarian movement and begins to withdraw into himself, losing the ability to receive and to communicate God.

Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”

Thank you so much! This is comforting to my soul.

LOVE!

 

[Sirach2]

Thank you so much! This is comforting to my soul.

I’m so pleased that you found comfort, Robert. One more thing I want to point out to you in connection with the revelation made to St. Peter in Acts 10, is that he was pretty firm in his view NOT to associate with anyone but Jews. God corrected his error early in this chapter with a vision He sent to him three times, due to its importance.

Later, Peter learned that Corrnelius and his whole household had been given the gift of the Holy Spirit PRIOR to being baptized! I suppose one might say Cornelius had received baptism of desire, as evidenced by the Spirit having been given to him, and in accord with John 14:21, was loved by God. Therefore, Peter brought him into the faith through water baptism.

This will coincide with the Baltimore Catechism teaching I gave you, and remind all of us that those who have received Holy Spirit, outside of our faith, are loved and accepted by God, “who shows no partiality.” He will provide for them, and may some day lead them into the fullness of our faith. As with St. Peter, we must also make efforts to evangelize and ask God to bless and water the seeds we plant in His name.

I can see now that is was a good thing for you to begin another thread, since there was more that Our Lord wished to teach you.