Thanks for all the replies, but it doesn’t fully answer my question.
I understand that being a Catholic isn’t enough for salvation, obviously.
But WHY did the Popes in the article I linked and the Church Fathers say that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church, if what MEANT something else, something that took more reading into, ie. that there were exceptions? I’m wondering why say it?
You might say my immediate interpretation of what they mean is simplistic, but shouldn’t what someone MEANS be pretty clear from what they say?
In a sense, and no offense meant, it seems to me that people are trying to put words in these Popes and Church Fathers mouths by saying “well this is what they meant”.
