Non Catholics and ex Catholics

[Elliott]

My Mom asked me if I thought she would go to heaven if she doesn’t become Catholic. She is baptist and was trying to trip me up. How should I respond? Also, her husband was a confirmed Catholic and left then joined various protestant churches, how should I respond if she asks if he will go to heaven.

 

[DeFide]

Elliott:

My Mom asked me if I thought she would go to heaven if she doesn’t become Catholic. She is baptist and was trying to trip me up. How should I respond? Also, her husband was a confirmed Catholic and left then joined various protestant churches, how should I respond if she asks if he will go to heaven.

catholic.com/library/Salvation_Outside_the_Church.asp

 

[Fidelis]

Elliott:

My Mom asked me if I thought she would go to heaven if she doesn’t become Catholic. She is baptist and was trying to trip me up. How should I respond? Also, her husband was a confirmed Catholic and left then joined various protestant churches, how should I respond if she asks if he will go to heaven.

First of all, if she’s asking you what you “think” you need to tell her that it isn’t up to you, but between her and God, since only God knows if any one person will go to heaven.

Regarding her more general question, your reply to her should be that the Church teaches that other Christians may indeed go to heaven. Here is what the Catechism says:

“However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers . . . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church.”

819 “Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.” Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity.”

So, even though, as a Baptist for example, one does not have the fullness of Gospel and lacks the graces available in the sacraments, God in his mercy can save them as well. Having said that, why would anyone not avail themselves of all the graces found in his Church? It’s the difference between a guy in a lifeboat with oars (non-Catholic Christian) to the guy in the God’s cruise ship (the Church). They’ll both get the same place, but if you can climb into God’s cruise ship, why wouldn’t you?

 

[JohnDee]

Hear, hear Fidelis! I’m protestant leaning towards converting, and you have given one of the best answers I have seen on CA! I like the part about God’s cruise ship! That makes sense to me!

J