P
patrickJ
Guest
Hi, you have said this the best. There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. A infallible statement cannot be contradicted. Once it has been pronounced, it is what it is. One pope cannot say something ex cathedra that is opposite of what another pope has declared, professed, and proclaimed. So, the answer to the possibility of someone who is not a practicing Catholic being saved is that, we do not know what happens right before death to these people. They might receive God’s mercy and have perfect contrition and embrace the Catholic Church and be saved. But, we do not know if this is in fact happening, we can hope and pray that it happens alot. What is important for all of us Catholics to remember is that we must inform the fallen away Catholics and the protestants that they are in serious trouble if they do not become active participants in Jesus’ One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and partake in the sacraments.For those who have problems with what Pope Eugene said and what Pope John Paul says. It is interesting to note a story from one of the saints (If forget which one). She was asked by a someone if one of her friends (or relatives) was going to be saved or damned because they had died falling off a horse and was in serious sin without confession.
The saint told them that the person in question between the time he fell and the time he struck his head, had repented of his sins.
No one knows if in the instant before death, non-Catholics may be given the grace to become in full union with the Catholic Church.
IF given the choice in the instant before death, become Catholic or go to eternal damnation, I would think most folks would choose to join. Maybe for some, who hate the Church so much that they would rather roast forever than join the Church that they think its the anti-Christ, well that’s their own fault then. :crying:
Peace Out