Does it really matter being Catholic?

[Jon_S_1]

I understand what you are saying. but even the CCC says that we do not teach that only Catholics go to heaven.

So, aside from Tradition, why is it important? If people love and believe in God, are baptized, and keep the commandments, and do all we are told to do, why does it matter?

Not trying to argue here. Trying to understand.

You must remember that with great knowledge comes great responsibility.

As a Catholic you know the truth. To follow yourself your own feelings against the truth God revealed through his church is putting yourself and your desires before God’s.

That is how people send themselves to hell.

By preferring themselves over God. Over the truth.

The church teaches that people outside the church who are INVINCIBLY IGNORANT might have an opportunity for salvation.

We HOPE that they CAN be saved.

However the only knowledge we have of how to actually obtain salvation is the one and only way revealed by God. Through Christ and his Church. The one holy catholic and apostolic church.

 

[Tesseract]

It is true that some wearing life jackets might be saved - but this is no reason to dive off the side of the Ark! The surest guarantee of salvation is Christ’s One True Church.

 

[Jon_S_1]

It is true that some wearing life jackets might be saved - but this is no reason to dive off the side of the Ark! The surest guarantee of salvation is Christ’s One True Church.

What a great analogy!!!

I will keep that in my back pocket!

 

[Michael57]

John 6:69** And Simon Peter answered him: Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.**

Isn’t it amazing what the media produces when confronted with the words of a Pope?

It took me a lifetime to become fully Catholic. I follow far behind Peter, and all of the other Early Church Fathers.

For me, there is no other Way. There is no other Truth. There is no other Light.

For me to go elsewhere is to enter into darkness. I lived there for a while, and it wasn’t good for me. I cannot condemn those ignorant of the Truth, for I was once one as well.

Have a blessed Sunday.

I am heading off to Mass to worship my Lord. :extrahappy:

 

[ClearWater]

Why be Catholic?

“I had the greatest sorrow for the many souls that condemned themselves to Hell, especially those Lutherans. …] I saw souls falling into hell like snowflakes. St. Teresa of Avila”

“What do you think? How many of the inhabitants of this city may perhaps be saved? What I am about to tell you is very terrible, yet I will not conceal it from you. Out of this thickly populated city with its thousands of inhabitants not one hundred people will be saved. I even doubt whether there will be as many as that!” St. John Chrysostom

Other saints have saint more or less the same message again and again.

from the website…
romancatholicism.org/jansenism/fathers-fewness.htm

Basically, even with ALL 7 sacraments, it is still difficult to get into heaven. Without them, it’s so difficult that it’s virtually impossible. The Catholic faith has the fullness of truth. The other faiths have only as much truth as is they are in line with the Catholic faith.

 

[ClearWater]

Personally, I believe the Catholic faith is the ONLY Church established by Jesus Christ.

 

[Jon_S_1]

Personally, I believe the Catholic faith is the ONLY Church established by Jesus Christ.

 

[eltoro89]

I just wanted to address the fellowship issue. As a convert coming from the Baptist faith, I can say that my Parish is not at all weak in the fellowship department. I attend daily mass on most days and there’s always someone to talk to. We have Parish nights weekly which include pot lucks and talks from members and fellowship in general.

As a college student, I also attend the college mass and there’s usually food after. FOCUS is quite active in our church as well, so we do have bible studies and other fellowship opportunities.

I don’t feel like the social/fellowship aspect of the church is any weaker than what I had in the baptist church. In fact, I see people much more often than I did in the protestant churches because I’m in mass on days where protestant churches generally don’t hold any services.

Granted, my experiences with parishes is limited only to the two that I have attended regularly, so I can’t speak for all, especially as a relative newcomer to Catholicism. In my case, however, I have not felt like something was missing. There’s always something going on at my parish, you just have to go seek it.

 

[bzkoss236]

I understand what you are saying. but even the CCC says that we do not teach that only Catholics go to heaven.

So, aside from Tradition, why is it important? If people love and believe in God, are baptized, and keep the commandments, and do all we are told to do, why does it matter?

Not trying to argue here. Trying to understand.

The answer to the original post is Yes, it does matter.

Why?

If you were on the top of a mountain and the trail to the bottom of the mountain was a rough and dangerous path, and you had a guide that could lead you safely down the path as long as you listened to his instructions, you would follow the guide wouldn’t you? Or would you be one who would rather make his own path, or just ignore paths all together and jump off the side of the mountain and just hope you make it down safely?

People have taken the Pope’s comments to mean that everyone goes to heaven, which is not the case. It will be easier for some to get to heaven than others. Those who follow closely to Christ, which would be through his Church, are more likely to get to heaven than those who wander aimlessly doing their own thing. The path to destruction is wide and the road to heaven is narrow. Without a guide it is far too likely that they will not make it.

Those who do not follow the guide may still find the path and make it down the mountain safely, though just barely, but it is unlikely.

 

[Jon_S_1]

I just wanted to address the fellowship issue. As a convert coming from the Baptist faith, I can say that my Parish is not at all weak in the fellowship department. I attend daily mass on most days and there’s always someone to talk to. We have Parish nights weekly which include pot lucks and talks from members and fellowship in general.

As a college student, I also attend the college mass and there’s usually food after. FOCUS is quite active in our church as well, so we do have bible studies and other fellowship opportunities.

I don’t feel like the social/fellowship aspect of the church is any weaker than what I had in the baptist church. In fact, I see people much more often than I did in the protestant churches because I’m in mass on days where protestant churches generally don’t hold any services.

Granted, my experiences with parishes is limited only to the two that I have attended regularly, so I can’t speak for all, especially as a relative newcomer to Catholicism. In my case, however, I have not felt like something was missing. There’s always something going on at my parish, you just have to go seek it.

My parish too has dozens of fellowship opportunities. I think most parishes will have more than a lot if people expect. You do have to do some work and invest some time. One if the best ways is to volunteer and serve. You can meet a lot if people doing that. Sometimes it’s just easier to go to mass and leave, but we need to be careful to not blame the church when we may hold blame ourselves.

A lot of Protestant churches seem more fellowship driven because Sunday School for adults and other church events feel more obligatory than in the Catholic Church where only mass is really considered obligatory.

 

[eltoro89]

My parish too has dozens of fellowship opportunities. I think most parishes will have more than a lot if people expect. You do have to do some work and invest some time. One if the best ways is to volunteer and serve. You can meet a lot if people doing that. Sometimes it’s just easier to go to mass and leave, but we need to be careful to not blame the church when we may hold blame ourselves.

A lot of Protestant churches seem more fellowship driven because Sunday School for adults and other church events feel more obligatory than in the Catholic Church where only mass is really considered obligatory.

Agreed. I’d even go so far as to say new groups are forming all the time in mine. If the OP really does have a lack of fellowship opportunities within his parish, why not try and form some yourself? I’m sure there are like-minded individuals who would be willing to get together either in service to the church/community directly or even just for fellowship and spiritual betterment. Also, if your diocese has a Facebook page or events page somewhere, be sure to look there as my diocese is quite active with fellowship and service opportunities. A few months ago we had a bonfire with the bishop event that was really quite interesting.

 

[Richca]

So why be Catholic? It has to be for more than just tradition. Doesn’t it?

Hello TexanKnight,

Jesus Christ is Catholic. Our Blessed Lady and St Joseph are catholic. The apostles are catholic. If we aim to follow Jesus and His teachings and call ourselves after His name, i,e,. christians, then it appears to me that we would want to be catholic.

God bless!

 

[TexanKnight]

You must remember that with great knowledge comes great responsibility.

As a Catholic you know the truth. To follow yourself your own feelings against the truth God revealed through his church is putting yourself and your desires before God’s.

If I follow God’s Word, Keep His Commandments, Do what God instructed, Pray, Love my neighbor, isn’t that doing what God said? And if I do that, does it matter where I attend?

Again, I love being Catholic…I have no plans to change…just asking questions.

That is how people send themselves to hell.

By preferring themselves over God. Over the truth.

How is doing I have said putting myself over God?

The church teaches that people outside the church who are INVINCIBLY IGNORANT might have an opportunity for salvation.

We HOPE that they CAN be saved.

However the only knowledge we have of how to actually obtain salvation is the one and only way revealed by God. Through Christ and his Church. The one holy catholic and apostolic church.

 

[Jon_S_1]

If you follow God, you will do what he says. You will follow Scripture. You will “hold fast to the traditions I (Paul and the other apostles) taught you whether by word of mouth or by letter.”

Jesus set up a church. He set up a hierarchy, an organization that can settle disputes (Matt 18)

He taught a group of apostles to spread his message. These apostles taught and passed their authority. This authority is present today. These traditions and teachings of Christ and the Apostles are still being taught today.

Protestant churches have semblances of truth, but are very far in general from where we need to be.

You said the following :

I love being Catholic, but I miss the camaraderie that other Churches offer. Face it, the Catholic Church is not big on fellowship.

Leaving the Catholic Church for a reason like this is putting yourself before Christ.

Remember the Words of Ignatius of Antioch. You know, that guy who Polycarp taught, the same Polycarp who was a companion of the Apostle John.

Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans, Chapter 6, 110 A.D.:

Take note of those who hold heterodox opinions on the grace of Jesus Christ which has come to us, and see how contrary their opinions are to the mind of God … They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and which that Father, in his goodness, raised up again. They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes.

Or this from Clement of Rome

St. Clement, bishop of Rome, 80 A.D., to the Corinthians, 40:

Since then these things are manifest to us, and we have looked into the depths of the divine knowledge, we ought to do in order all things which the Master commanded us to perform at appointed times. He commanded us to celebrate sacrifices and services, and that it should not be thoughtlessly or disorderly, but at fixed times and hours. He has Himself fixed by His supreme will the places and persons whom He desires for these celebrations, in order that all things may be done piously according to His good pleasure, and be acceptable to His will. So then those who offer their oblations at the appointed seasons are acceptable and blessed, but they follow the laws of the Master and do not sin. For to the high priest his proper ministrations are allotted, and to the priests the proper place has been appointed, and on Levites their proper services have been imposed. The layman is bound by the ordinances for the laity.

 

[Dstep]

I guess I have to state this another way.

As Catholics, we believe in ONE church. We believe it is holy. We believe it is catholic (universal). We believe it is apostolic.

We do not believe in many churches. Only one. Christ established only one. Anyone who believes in Christ is part of that church, even if they protest against certain aspects of the church. People such as those are not in full communion with the church, but they are still part of it.

When we say the profession of faith, we are not claiming that our church is the best among many. We are claiming there is only one. There are no other churches. Those who protest against the church (protestants) are still part of the one church that Christ established, because they believe in him. They are simply not FULLY in the church.

I’m sorry but this is not true. Protestants are definitely NOT part of the Catholic Church. Just because you believe in Jesus doesn’t make you a quasi-member of the Church. You must be baptized and if you are of the age of reason you must accept the Catholic religion. Protestants are NOT part of the Church which is the Body of Christ. You can’t presume that a Protestant who lived a good moral life will be saved. He who doesn’t have the Church as his mother cannot have God as his father. It is a dogma that Outside of the Church there is no Salvation.

 

[Jon_S_1]

I’m sorry but this is not true. Protestants are definitely NOT part of the Catholic Church. Just because you believe in Jesus doesn’t make you a quasi-member of the Church. You must be baptized and if you are of the age of reason you must accept the Catholic religion. Protestants are NOT part of the Church which is the Body of Christ. You can’t presume that a Protestant who lived a good moral life will be saved. He who doesn’t have the Church as his mother cannot have God as his father. It is a dogma that Outside of the Church there is no Salvation.

Actually everyone who is baptized is part of the Catholic Church. Baptized Protestants are “separated brothers” according to the church.

Do to the long line of time since the reformation culpability of our separated brethren is much in question.

Once again though, with them, it comes down to a hope that they can be saved as opposed to a confidence that is only found completely within the church and her sacraments.

 

[Dstep]

Actually everyone who is baptized is part of the Catholic Church. Baptized Protestants are “separated brothers” according to the church.

Do to the long line of time since the reformation culpability of our separated brethren is much in question.

Once again though, with them, it comes down to a hope that they can be saved as opposed to a confidence that is only found completely within the church and her sacraments.

Yes when one is baptized they are made a member of the Church but once they grow up and accept a heretical religion they are no longer part of the Carholic Church

 

[Fevronia]

So why be Catholic? It has to be for more than just tradition. Doesn’t it?

Then is it just a matter of ease? That is, it’s not impossible for a non-Catholic to get to heaven, but it’s harder, so if you want the easier way, go with the Catholic Church? I see what you’re saying, it makes sense. But it’s not a compelling case to make for conversion. And in fact, the other paths may be easier (in the sense of more efficient) in other ways, depending on the person.

The reason why one should be Catholic is that it is more likely that outside the Church one will be deceived in to error and perish.

Vatican II teaches that all who are saved are saved because they also have some truths that the Catholic Church also has. So a Protestant is saved not because of his Protestant faith but because of Scripture, prayers and other Catholic things he/she still has. Same goes for other religions. If a Protestant were to fall in to the error of Faith alone and ignore works, they would have ignored God’s Grace and could be damned as a result.

Atheists are special case which are only suggested implicitly in Vatican II documents as possible to be saved. The reason for this is probably because as an Atheist, it is more likely that a person will not share anything that the Church has and embrace many errors. Why would one follow ones conscience over preference when one does not even believe in a God or supernatural. An Atheist is more likely to just say that ones conscience is a by product of ones evolution and not anything special.

Vatican II summarizes the need for being Catholic as it emphasizes the need for preaching the Catholic faith in Lumen Gentium

Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.(20*) She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. **But *often ***men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator.(129) Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all of these, and mindful of the command of the Lord, “Preach the Gospel to every creature”,(130) the Church fosters the missions with care and attention.

This is why the traditional Catholic practice always held an implicit belief that there is no salvation outside the Church in its zeal to evangelize and convert heretics. This implicit belief is what would lead many to hold it as what the Church teaches even when there were obvious statements in the past of those outside the Church being possibly saved. What we see today is the opposite in that in the modern practice, it seems like all are saved and being Catholic is just “good to have” which leads to confusion and a lukewarm faith. You are not the only one that has asked the question you did and some sadly went further to just move in and out of the Church as they see fit.

So the traditional practice of the Church was good and the implicit belief was much closer to the truth than what we see/read and hear today. We become and remain Catholic because it is very likely that outside of her we will perish. Only few enter through the narrow gate and its certainly not an easy task to do so while outside the Church and the devil laying snares.

 

[Jon_S_1]

Yes when one is baptized they are made a member of the Church but once they grow up and accept a heretical religion they are no longer part of the Carholic Church

I’m not sure that’s true.

I mean do they erase the registers of names of non practicing Catholics?

I think it’s best to call them separated brethren and encourage them to embrace the fullness of Christian Truth in the Catholic Church.

Only God can judge whether they are in the church or not due to their beliefs.

As a former Evangelical I know I was invincibly ignorant if Catholicism. It was made worse by the teaching of my pastors who told us to evangelize Catholics, and by lapsed Catholics who spread misinformation.

By God’s grace and my willingness to look for the historical church I found the Catholic Church, and it was Gods work in me not myself.

Now Protestant ministers… They are held to a higher standard, and many have learned about Catholicism and still not only remain separated but lead others away. I personally am quite concerned for a lot if their souls as God gives a very high standard to teachers and pastors.

 

[Dstep]

I’m not sure that’s true.

I mean do they erase the registers of names of non practicing Catholics?

I think it’s best to call them separated brethren and encourage them to embrace the fullness of Christian Truth in the Catholic Church.

Only God can judge whether they are in the church or not due to their beliefs.

As a former Evangelical I know I was invincibly ignorant if Catholicism. It was made worse by the teaching of my pastors who told us to evangelize Catholics, and by lapsed Catholics who spread misinformation.

By God’s grace and my willingness to look for the historical church I found the Catholic Church, and it was Gods work in me not myself.

Now Protestant ministers… They are held to a higher standard, and many have learned about Catholicism and still not only remain separated but lead others away. I personally am quite concerned for a lot if their souls as God gives a very high standard to teachers and pastors.

The traditional Catholic dogma is that no one outside the church can be saved, not that it’s harder but impossible. But this doesn’t mean that everyone who isn’t a visible member of the Church will be damned, but that any non-Catholics who are saved were saved because they were part of the Church and only God knew. We can not assume that non-Catholics are part of the Church because we should focus on converting all heretics, schismatics, Jews, and Pagans