Does it really matter being Catholic?

[ClearWater]

Christ, and our saints, have told us how hard it is for even a JUST man to get into heaven! So, that is probably assuming with ALL the sacraments. Do you realize how hard it will be for so many faiths, who are missing many of them?

 

[TexanKnight]

ok…here is my take. I do not plan on leaving the Catholic Church, but I do not see what it really matters as far as Salvation. I have watched and read and studied. I went to see Unstoppable last night. Those folks believe…strongly. How can a loving Father not save them?

then we have this:

49And John, answering, said: Master, we saw a certain man casting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. 50And Jesus said to him: Forbid him not; for he that is not against you, is for you.

I look at it like this:

All true believers who follow the commandments and do what God has instructed are on a big plane. We are all headed to the same place…the difference is, as Catholics, with the Eucharist, etc, we ride in First Class…the rest ride in coach

 

[Starrsmother]

ok…here is my take. I do not plan on leaving the Catholic Church, but I do not see what it really matters as far as Salvation. I have watched and read and studied. I went to see Unstoppable last night. Those folks believe…strongly. How can a loving Father not save them?

then we have this:

49And John, answering, said: Master, we saw a certain man casting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. 50And Jesus said to him: Forbid him not; for he that is not against you, is for you.

I look at it like this:

All true believers who follow the commandments and do what God has instructed are on a big plane. We are all headed to the same place…the difference is, as Catholics, with the Eucharist, etc, we ride in First Class…the rest ride in coach

Actually, I really like and agree with your comparison. I don’t believe that the Catholic church has ever taught that only Catholics go to heaven–and certainly Pope Francis is working double time at correcting any such misconception out there. My mother and father in law were life long First Christians. It was the faith they were raised in and they practiced it genuinely in their lives and until they each died. Better people you’d never find in any church.

So anyway, I totally agree with your airplane comparison–let’s just hope no suicide bombers are let on board for the flight! LOL!

 

[larsont7]

Actually, I really like and agree with your comparison. ** I don’t believe that the Catholic church has ever taught that only Catholics go to heaven**–and certainly Pope Francis is working double time at correcting any such misconception out there. My mother and father in law were life long First Christians. It was the faith they were raised in and they practiced it genuinely in their lives and until they each died. Better people you’d never find in any church.

So anyway, I totally agree with your airplane comparison–let’s just hope no suicide bombers are let on board for the flight! LOL!

Actually, the Church has taught *extra Ecclesiam nulla salus *(outside the church there is no salvation) for centuries. Does that mean that someone who isn’t a “card-carrying” member of the Catholic Church is automatically damned? No. But it does mean that anyone who is saved only gets there through the Catholic Church, either directly or indirectly. Obviously those who, through no fault of their own (invincible ignorance), can be saved without being visible members of the Church.

Believe it or not, Wikipedia actually does a pretty nice job explaining this topic, with many good quotes from Popes and Church Councils: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extra_Ecclesiam_nulla_salus