Hi, AnneElliot,
As the saying goes, “The proof of the pudding is in the tasting” - and, in this case, the proof of a lack of clarity are the number of posts you have generated requesting furhter explanations that appear to be heretical. And while you may think your position leaves nothing to be desired - let me assure you, such is not the case.
Because many of those concerns have been answered before. I also chose not to respond to posters who seem to be too emotionally involved. Anyone can read through this thread and see where I really stand, as I have repeated multiple times: Anyone can be saved. Anyone can join the Catholic Church.
Your statement, “Anyone can join the Catholic Church” is an example of a statement that just begs for clarification. This sentence could be re-written to calim that anyone can do anything that they choose to do. This is not a thread about Free Will. The context your statement must address is, “No Salvation Outside the Catholic Church”… and, at least in my opinion, this is where it fails. Here is a quote (excuse the length) that addresses the matter:
**“In correcting Fr. Feeney in 1949, the Supreme Congregation of the Holy Office (now the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) issued a document entitled Suprema Haec Sacra, which stated that " extra ecclesiam, nulla salus” (outside the Church, no salvation) is “an infallible statement.” But, it added, “this dogma must be understood in that sense in which the Church itself understands it.”
“Note that word dogma. This teaching has been proclaimed by, among others, Pope Pelagius in 585, the Fourth Lateran Council in 1214, Pope Innocent III in 1214, Pope Boniface VIII in 1302, Pope Pius XII, Pope Paul VI, the Second Vatican Council, Pope John Paul II, and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Dominus Iesus.”
“Our point is this: When the Church infallibly teaches extra ecclesiam, nulla salus, it does not say that non-Catholics cannot be saved. In fact, it affirms the contrary. The purpose of the teaching is to tell us how Jesus Christ makes salvation available to all human beings.”
"There are two distinct dimensions of Jesus Christ’s redemption. Objective redemption is what Jesus Christ has accomplished once for all in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension: the redemption of the whole universe. Yet the benefits of that redemption have to be applied unceasingly to Christ’s members throughout their lives. This is subjective redemption. If the benefits of Christ’s redemption are not applied to individuals, they have no share in his objective redemption. Redemption in an individual is an ongoing process. “Work out your own salvation in fear and trembling; for God is at work in you” (Phil. 2:12–13).
“How does Jesus Christ work out his redemption in individuals? Through his mystical body. When I was a Protestant, I (like Protestants in general) believed that the phrase “mystical body of Christ” was essentially a metaphor. For Catholics, the phrase is literal truth.”**
I would recommend you read the entire article:
catholic.com/thisrock/2005/0512fea3.asp
With so many posts going back and forth - from so many different posters - I think, in all charity, it is time you looked at your own statements and see how they are skating quite close to to the condemned teachings of Feeney.
On another topic, I went to the sites you gave me, and saw nothing that would have me believe Feeney’s heresy is alive and well in this diocese. All I can conclude is that the Church’s position on, “Outside of the Cathoic Chruch there is no salvation” is being properly observed and you have been mislead into thinking this diocese has abandoned the teachings of Rome.
I’m not sure what you mean here.
Baptism is the ‘door’ to the Church, whereby men enter into the Church, yes. Yes, baptism is a one time thing. However, people still fall into sin after baptism, and while still ‘members’ of the Church by their baptism, they are no longer living, but dead members until reconciled to God through the sacrament of Confession or an act of perfect contrition. Salvation is a process which we are to work out in fear and trembling.