Question concerning the Sacraments and Salvation

[Crimson_Seraph]

Greetings! I’m a Protestant and I try my very best to represent Catholicism accurately as possible when speaking to others concerning it. I was discussing Catholicism with a couple of my friends a month ago and one of them (a calvinist, I’m an arminian) made the claim that the Roman Catholic Church teaches that one must go through the seven sacraments in order to be saved and go to heaven. Now, I’m not an expert on what you guys believe, but that didn’t sound right. Marriage is one of the sacraments, and priests can’t marry so that would mean they’de all go to hell, and holy orders is another sacrament so that means all the non-priests would go to hell right?

I told him I didn’t think that was accurate, but he told me that it was and that you also believe that unless you have the last rites done for you, you can’t go to heaven either.

Is this what the RCC really teaches?

Thanks alot!

 

[OraLabora]

No it’s not accurate. There are some sacraments that are necessary; baptism and for instance, and others to which obligations are attached, namely the sacraments of Confirmation, Reconciliation and the Eucharist (we are obligated to receive once a year) in different circumstances. Clearly though, priests don’t marry so they are exempt from that sacrament, and of course the sacrament of Holy Orders is received only by those called to the clergy!

It would help you to know what the seven sacraments are:

Baptism: Necessary
Confirmation:
Reconciliation: necessary when in a state of mortal sin, and otherwise at least once a year
Eucharist: obligation to receive at least once a year
Holy Matrimony: optional
Holy Orders
Anointing of the Sick (formerly known as the “last rites”)

Marriage and Holy Orders are clearly the truly optional ones!!! Confirmation and Anointing of the Sick shower us with His grace. Reconciliation is necessary when in a state of mortal sin, and recommended highly for venial sin. It is also possible, with perfect contrition, to be forgiven of mortal sin if you face death before being able to receive sacramental absolution, if it was your intent to confess as soon as possible.

The other sacraments also have exceptions to their obligations. See the links I posted above, they are official, and from the Vatican website.

It’s also inaccurate to state that you don’t get into heaven without the “last rites” which incidentally is replaced by the Anointing of the Sick. But you will get special graces and one last chance at a sacramental confession, if you’re in a state to do so.

You illustrate a common problem when debating with Protestants: often so much of what Protestants believe about us, and their prejudices against us, are based on misinformation. So thank you for taking the time to inform yourself.

 

[NPC]

As OraLabora said, your friends - whether or not they did it intentionally - have misrepresented (or misunderstood) the Catholic teaching. Of course one doesn’t have to have all seven sacraments - that would mean that any child, for example, who dies shortly after baptism would be damned; or that a dying person - though they could have had six sacraments - but died before receiving Extreme Unction, could not be saved. The Church entrusts all who have died to the mercy of God. By the way, if you haven’t already done so, you shoud have a copy of the Catechism so as you’ll be able to point to what the Church really teaches - and if your friends are sincerely seeking truth, you should point them in the direction of the Catechism too.

However, to your question - the Catechism does say the following about the Sacraments and Salvation:

CCC1129: “The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. ‘Sacramental grace’ is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament. The Spirit heals and transforms those who receive him by conforming them to the Son of God. The fruit of the sacramental life is that the Spirit of adoption makes the faithful partakers in the divine nature by uniting them in a living union with the only Son, the Saviour.”

The necessity of the sacraments was a decree of the Council of Trent - and the Catechism acknowledges this. However, firstly it does not say that all seven sacraments must be received; nor does it say in which manner they must be received. The Church recognises the possibility of salvation even for those who have never heard of Christ - for example, Baptism of Desire or Baptism of Blood; CCC1281 “Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfil his will, can be saved even if they have not been baptised.” See the Catechism 1257 - 1261.

The following article may help you to understand further in what sense the sacraments are necessary:

newadvent.org/cathen/13295a.htm#I

 

[Crimson_Seraph]

As OraLabora said, your friends - whether or not they did it intentionally - have misrepresented (or misunderstood) the Catholic teaching. Of course one doesn’t have to have all seven sacraments - that would mean that any child, for example, who dies shortly after baptism would be damned; or that a dying person - though they could have had six sacraments - but died before receiving Extreme Unction, could not be saved. The Church entrusts all who have died to the mercy of God. By the way, if you haven’t already done so, you shoud have a copy of the Catechism so as you’ll be able to point to what the Church really teaches - and if your friends are sincerely seeking truth, you should point them in the direction of the Catechism too.

However, to your question - the Catechism does say the following about the Sacraments and Salvation:

CCC1129: “The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. ‘Sacramental grace’ is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament. The Spirit heals and transforms those who receive him by conforming them to the Son of God. The fruit of the sacramental life is that the Spirit of adoption makes the faithful partakers in the divine nature by uniting them in a living union with the only Son, the Saviour.”

The necessity of the sacraments was a decree of the Council of Trent - and the Catechism acknowledges this. However, firstly it does not say that all seven sacraments must be received; nor does it say in which manner they must be received. The Church recognises the possibility of salvation even for those who have never heard of Christ - for example, Baptism of Desire or Baptism of Blood; CCC1281 “Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfil his will, can be saved even if they have not been baptised.” See the Catechism 1257 - 1261.

The following article may help you to understand further in what sense the sacraments are necessary:

newadvent.org/cathen/13295a.htm#I

Ok guys, thanks for confirming this for me. I knew that didn’t sound right based on my own studies of Catholicism and just wanted to be sure. I do own a Catechism but was unsure as to the exact place this could be answered, thanks for the reference.

 

[NPC]

Ok guys, thanks for confirming this for me. I knew that didn’t sound right based on my own studies of Catholicism and just wanted to be sure. I do own a Catechism but was unsure as to the exact place this could be answered, thanks for the reference.

Just be sure that you (and especially your friends) don’t take phrases from the Catechism in isolation - just as one shouldn’t take single lines from Scripture in isolation: one must place them in context. That section in the Catechism regarding sacraments and salvation may seem strange on its own, but in the overall context of the sacraments the explanation is logical. If your friends present odd charges against the Church which you’re not prepared for, don’t be afraid to say so and then take your time to find out the truth. Don’t forget about the cross-references in the Catechism either - they’ll often point you in the right direction.

 

[peary]

Greetings! I’m a Protestant and I try my very best to represent Catholicism accurately as possible when speaking to others concerning it. I was discussing Catholicism with a couple of my friends a month ago and one of them (a calvinist, I’m an arminian) made the claim that the Roman Catholic Church teaches that one must go through the seven sacraments in order to be saved and go to heaven. Now, I’m not an expert on what you guys believe, but that didn’t sound right. Marriage is one of the sacraments, and priests can’t marry so that would mean they’de all go to hell, and holy orders is another sacrament so that means all the non-priests would go to hell right?

I told him I didn’t think that was accurate, but he told me that it was and that you also believe that unless you have the last rites done for you, you can’t go to heaven either.

Is this what the RCC really teaches?

Thanks alot!

I am quite amused when protestants discuss amongst themselves exactly what the Catholic Church teaches!

Baptism is necessary. Most mainline Christian denominations do have valid Baptism. Also, Marriage is a sacrament that most mainline Christian denominations also have. Whether they regard it as a sacrament or not is irrelevent; they are. But as far as the Church is concerned, Catholic Christians *do not *have to go through all the seven Sacraments to be saved and go to Heaven. In fact, there is no guarantee that we will go to Heaven even with the reception of the sacraments we do receive. That rests on the total mercy of God.

In the Western Church, Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation are separate in the sense that they can be conferred at different times on the professed Christian. Thus, Baptism as a general rule is conferred soon after birth on infants, the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) is usually introduced before the introduction of the Eucharist, and Confirmation as a sacrament is given when usually in 7th or 8th grade.

In the Eastern Church (which also includes the orthodox), Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation are all given at the same time, when the infant is baptized.

Optional sacraments are Marriage, and Holy Orders. The Sacrament of the Sick (which used to be extreme unction - which used to be given only on the point of death) is now open to anyone who is sick or ill.

Holy Orders is a special sacrament that is open to the priesthood and deaconship. It is only given if one becomes a Deacon or enters full priesthood.

So, in the Western Church, the seven Sacraments are:

Baptism
Reconciliation
Eucharist (Holy Communion)
Confirmation
Sacrament of the Sick
Marriage
Holy Orders

In the Eastern Church, the Sacraments are:

Baptism
Chrismation (Confirmation)
Holy Communion (Eucharist)
Holy Orders
Penance (Reconciliation)
Anointing of the Sick
Marriage

With regard to Marriage and Priesthood, the Eastern Church allows the marriage of their priests prior to receiving Holy Orders. However, if the wife dies at any time, the priest can no longer marry again. Bishops in the Eastern Church are usually all celibate (unmarried). In the Western Church, priests *are not *allowed to marry. However, deacons can marry as they are not ‘full’ priests.

I hope this clears up the matter. Your friend needs to get his head on str8 and get educated! There is nothing more embarassing than the arrogance of someone who thinks they know “all things” .

 

[zab]

Salvation in Christ Is Offered to All
10. The universality of salvation means that it is granted not only to those who explicitly believe in Christ and have entered the Church. Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all. But it is clear that today, as in the past, many people do not have an opportunity to come to know or accept the gospel revelation or to enter the Church. The social and cultural conditions in which they live do not permit this, and frequently they have been brought up in other religious traditions. For such people salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which, while having a mysterious relationship to the Church, does not make them formally part of the Church but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his Sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit. It enables each person to attain salvation through his or her free cooperation.
For this reason the Council, after affirming the centrality of the Paschal Mystery, went on to declare that "this applies not only to Christians but to all people of good will in whose hearts grace is secretly at work. Since Christ died for everyone, and since the ultimate calling of each of us comes from God and is therefore a universal one, we are obliged to hold that the Holy Spirit offers everyone the possibility of sharing in this Paschal Mystery in a manner known to God."19

The quote is from the encyclical of John Paul II Redemptoris Missio, chapter I, Jesus Christ, the Only Savior
vatican.va/edocs/ENG0219/_INDEX.HTM

 

[jmcrae]

Greetings! I’m a Protestant and I try my very best to represent Catholicism accurately as possible when speaking to others concerning it. I was discussing Catholicism with a couple of my friends a month ago and one of them (a calvinist, I’m an arminian) made the claim that the Roman Catholic Church teaches that one must go through the seven sacraments in order to be saved and go to heaven. Now, I’m not an expert on what you guys believe, but that didn’t sound right. Marriage is one of the sacraments, and priests can’t marry so that would mean they’de all go to hell, and holy orders is another sacrament so that means all the non-priests would go to hell right?

I told him I didn’t think that was accurate, but he told me that it was and that you also believe that unless you have the last rites done for you, you can’t go to heaven either.

A notorious sinner who doesn’t convert on his death bed is unlikely to go to Heaven. “Last Rites” is simply a term for the final deathbed conversion, together with the rituals that accompany conversion. But if you have lived your whole life for Christ, not receiving the Last Rites would not “cause” you to go to Hell. (Nor would it be the primary cause of the unrepentant sinner going to Hell, either - the primary cause of his going to Hell would be his unrepented sins; not his lack of Last Rites.)

The Sacraments are means (or channels) of grace. The source of grace is Christ’s death on the Cross and His Resurrection into glory. The Sacraments convey the power of Christ’s death and resurrection to our souls, to bring them back to life from the dead, and to nourish and strengthen them. But they themselves are not the actual grace of God - they are only the means by which we ordinarily receive it. Obviously, someone who has no access to the Sacraments, but who had a desire for God’s grace, would receive it in some other way. The Sacraments are not “necessary” strictly speaking, but they are certainly useful, and they were given to us by God to be made use of.