if you take the time to read the facts, if you cover every aspect of the history of the church beginning long before Vatican II council and what has transpired since then, if you understand our faith and what is expected of us as Catholics, and if you do not avoid reading that which you are afraid may change your mind, and still feel the way you do, then fine, continue on in your ignorance,
I have done all of this reading and studying at many levels, but I don’t see the evil in these men. I’m referring to John XXIII, Paul VI, John Pau I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
What I see in them is an earnest effort to bring all souls to Christ using whatever means are at their disposal and making legitimate use of their authority to bind and unbind.
Let me offer an example. When previous popes said that there was no salvation outside the Church, Pope Paul VI and his successors began a long period of reflection and mystical contemplation. They accepted the doctrine. But they also knew that they must find a short-term solution to the problem. The long-term solution was obvious. Eventually, all men and women will be led to the Catholic faith.
But given the many centuries of conflict, doubts, mistrust, abuses on both parts (including Catholics against others), misunderstandings and spiritual arrogance on both sides, this is not likely to happen too soon.
In the meantime, there are souls who need salvation today. So Paul VI and his sucessors enter into a deeper mystical prayer life. As a result of this the Holy Spirit reveals another perspective and opportunity that is open to them.
They are the keepers of the keys and they do have the power to bind and unbind. They are the legitimate interpreters of sacred scripture and sacred tradition. Without them there is no teaching Magisterium of the Church. In other words, they possess awesome power that has been given to them by God for the salvation of souls.
They take the teachings of their predecessors on no salvation outside the Church and they agree with it. But they raise another question. What does it mean to be outside the Church? They do not question the doctrine. They raise a question about the subordinate clause which identifies Protestants, Jews, Muslims and other religious faiths as being outside the Church.
They engage is a search to find legitimate spiritual coverage for these people, to increase the possibility of salvation for as many as possible.
But as Vicars of Christ, it is their duty to save as many as possible. Through prayer, dialogue, reflection, study of their predecessors and the doctors of the Church and through their own mystical experience, they realize that traces of the Catholic faith can be found in other faiths. They look at someone like the great Franciscans, esepcially St. Leonard and find in his writings that God offers means of salvation to others of which we are unaware.
They reveal this hope to the world, both Catholic and non Catholic. They do not espouse this as the conclusion or the solution to the long-term problem, but they present the Church as merciful as Christ is merciful. They practice mercy as their Lord is merciful, by looking for means to salvation. The find seeds of Catholicism available in other faiths for those who want to take advantage of them. The choice is still with the individual.
However, at least these holy men have unbound these people from a rigid belief that they have no truth and recognized that there are signs of the truth among other faiths. They place their hope that where there are signs of the truth, there is also a hope for redemption.
They also clarify for Catholics and others that the fullness of truth subsists within the Catholic church. They do not hide this from anyone. Based on this truth that binds the Church metaphysically to her founder, they find a glimmer of hope for the salvation of many, nut just some Catholics. They use their authority, which is part of the truth that subsists within the Church, to bind us all to this belief in the mercy of God who acts both in the short-term and long-term.
We should be proud. While others are saying that they are the be all and end all, our popes have the humility to say, that others are part of us, even if imperfectly united to us. Why other faiths deny any relationship with non members, our holy fathers, remind the world of our eternal brotherhood, because we are sons of the same Father. As long as we share the same Father, we are at the very least, spiritually connected to the Church outside of which there is no salvation. This connection, even if it’s faint, extends the mantle of the Church over those who have not yet come to the fullness of truth.
This is mercy, this is love, this is the work of Christ. This is the work of Peter taking care of Christ’s sheep. I for one am proud that we have such holy fathers.
JR
