So what's the point in being Catholic?

[oyaji]

“What’s the point of being Catholic?”

Well for starters would be the doctrine of ‘extra ecclesiam nulla salus’ No Salvation Outside the Church.

The ONLY exception would be ‘invincible ignorance’ which I believe will be a much more difficult defense to fall back on for non-Catholics than believed.

With the exception of the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church is the only place where you can receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which Christ himself said is necessary.

While some non-Catholics can and will certainly be saved, the already difficult and perilous path to heaven will be that much more difficult and perilous to follow.

Also remember that even with the help of the Church, Jesus says the path is narrow and few will find it.

So by all means, remain in or join the one true Church, and pray for the conversion of all non-Catholics.

 

[lizaanne]

With the above in mind how is it that you are not asking us to do your homework for you?

Since when is it wrong to consult knowledgeable sources for information for an assignment? The OP still has to compile the data into a solid argument and present it in the format required.

~Liza

 

[manualman]

I find that the best analogy is that of a massive shipwreck. The wreck of course is man’s sin. God has provided a rescue ship, the Church, and commanded us to go to the scene so that the people can be rescued via the Grace of God (who provided the ship, of course!)

Now, it’s academically possible that a few of these poor souls bobbing in the sea might be able to lash together enough wreckage into a raft and God might blow the wind in just the right direction and hold back storms long enough for it to reach shore before they die of exposure and thirst.

If that theoretical possibility of their survival is enough to make you decide to neglect your duties as a rescue ship crewmember, then you’ve got some serious growing up still to do. Deciding not to share the good news of Christ because of some remote theoretical possibility that God will provide people a different means of mercy if you fail to tell them of Christ is the exact same sort of repugnant behavior. Christ came to earth, became man, was executed by us and STILL loved us enough to rise again and establish the Sacraments and the Church as a perpetual source of Grace in the world. He then commanded his followers to spread that gospel to ALL nations. If two unnamed priests say otherwise (allegedly), I know who I’M following.

 

[erine]

If we are to climb the mountain to God,

We can get a car (baptism) with a nice engine (confirmation) and occasionally stop for gas (eucharist) and travel up a 5 lane freeway to heaven, with repair shops (confession) road signs (holy orders) and assistants (marriage) along the way. In the end, there is nice parking structure (anointing of the sick).

OR

We can start going up a goat path, with lots of twists and turns, trails going this way than that way where you may find a path that leads to the top (protestantism).

OR

We can climb straight up the hill, with our petons (bible) and rope (prayer)

OR

We can climb through the brambles and thorns (atheism) and maybe find a way to the top.

Yes you don’t need to be in the Church, but with the aid of the teachings, Holy Spirit, the connection to Christ, it’s a lot easier to do the will of God since it is revealed to you, confession to get back if you err (even when you don’t have perfect contrition).

Take the easy, through the Church, with the help of the Saints, Sacraments, Tradition, Bible, Priests, and Holy Spirit.

Excellent analogy

 

[CopticChristian]

In my current assignment I am having to do research on the effect of the salvation of Christ with non-catholics. From what I’ve gathered the two authors explain that “outside the Church is no salvation” is in grave err. They state that the salvific work of God has been in works since the beginning of human history. An example is given with Lady wisdom or Sophia in the OT. They also state that Vatican 2 says there are many truths found in other faiths that are graces from God. Also arguing that the morality naturally given to humanity are graces from God which will lead them to salvation. To make it short they basically state that one does need to join the Church because it is not the sole ark of salvation. That one may follow their religion and reach salvation. So then I ask what’s the point of being Catholic? If one lives a moral life and believes in God what’s the point of being part of a religion?

Please don’t respond with the usual answers like the Church has the whole truth or it’s the one Church of Christ. These two priest (authors) refute those answers by acknowledging the ambiguity of Vatican 2. So what say you?

The OT is a history of God reconciling man to himself from Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, Ezra, Christ. Paul speaks of the mystery hidden for all ages…the Church…Adam was a family, Abraham was to bless nations, Moses was a Judge and David was a King…Ezra was a Priest and the Covenant plan of God is for Christ to be the husband, father, judge, King and Priest for the Kingdom, for the Kingdom is heavenly however partially earthly whereby God reconciles man to himself.

Paul speaks of those outside the covenant circumcised of the heart who without the law are a law unto themselves and this is consistent with the OHCAC saying that those outside the law/Church are also God’s people…if we believe that the OHCAC is the way by which that happens then we are to evangelize them to the Church and while it is possible that there may be those outside the Covenant that may make it so to say…if they have an inkling that there is something other than what they believe …then we believe and are taught that just as we respond to God by the grace of God…so do they…

It is a mystery…the point is be grateful and evangelize…complacency is not part of the plan…

 

[Gabriel_Serafin]

So then I ask what’s the point of being Catholic? If one lives a moral life and believes in God what’s the point of being part of a religion?

The purpose of the Church, with all its spiritual treasures is to transform you into a saint and prepare you for a happy and holy death. The primary means of receiving sanctifying grace is through the Seven Sacraments. To those who were given much, much will be required, and having the Holy Eucharist is the greatest gift. To squander one’s gift of Catholicism is to be a lukewarm Christian.

We will not be judged by our religion or our theology; rather, we will be judged by how much we loved God in this life. We reject God through sin and through our indifference to our fellow man…

 

[HelenRose]

The purpose of the Church, with all its spiritual treasures is to transform you into a saint and prepare you for a happy and holy death. The primary means of receiving sanctifying grace is through the Seven Sacraments. To those who were given much, much will be required, and having the Holy Eucharist is the greatest gift. To squander one’s gift of Catholicism is to be a lukewarm Christian.

We will not be judged by our religion or our theology; rather, we will be judged by how much we loved God in this life. We reject God through sin and through our indifference to our fellow man…

Gabriel: You have a good answer. I love the Catholic Church because She has the answers for loving God. Why flounder around in half truths when one can have the “fullness of truth” within the Catholic Church?

 

[VivaCristoRey27]

In my current assignment I am having to do research on the effect of the salvation of Christ with non-catholics. From what I’ve gathered the two authors explain that “outside the Church is no salvation” is in grave err.

Then your authors that you have read are in grave error – “Outside the Church, No Salvation” [Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus] is a dogma of the Church. Yes, there are those who take it to an extreme and reject Baptism of Desire and Baptism of Blood, which have been taught since the beginning (Feeneyism) but EENS itself is dogma and one must have the Catholic Faith in order to be saved. If someone is truly “invincibly ignorant,” they will not be condemned for not being Catholic but they may be indeed condemned for the thousands of other sins they have likely committed, the same sins a Catholic would be condemned for.

They state that the salvific work of God has been in works since the beginning of human history. An example is given with Lady wisdom or Sophia in the OT. They also state that Vatican 2 says there are many truths found in other faiths that are graces from God. Also arguing that the morality naturally given to humanity are graces from God which will lead them to salvation. To make it short they basically state that one does need to join the Church because it is not the sole ark of salvation. That one may follow their religion and reach salvation. So then I ask what’s the point of being Catholic? If one lives a moral life and believes in God what’s the point of being part of a religion?

God revealed Himself to humanity – who He is and how to worship Him. We can’t choose to be ignorant, we must respond to this revelation either by accepting it or rejecting it. There are those who are not Catholic but are laboring under the idea that they do believe what God has revealed about Himself and how to worship Him but are in error, such as Muslims, Jews, Protestants, etc. If they truly desire God and seek to follow the Natural Law, God will enlighten them and lead them to the Catholic Faith. For those who die without having yet been formally converted to the Catholic Faith, God knows their heart and will judge them justly.

We must keep in mind two principles:

• Christ died for all men, not the elect only.
• Christ is the only way of salvation.

If God created people in a way that they could not be saved, by having them born to parents who follow false religions – say, in a Muslim country to Muslim parents, never hearing the Gospel – then the first principle would be false and we would be reduced to the heresy of Calvinism/Jansenism, that Christ does not will the salvation of all men.

If false religions themselves are held to be salvific. That is to say, by following Talmudic Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, etc. one can find salvation through that religion, then Christ was a liar when He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.” (Jn 14:6). Yes, they have some parts of the truth, as Vatican II puts it, the Muslims believe that there is but one God, the Jews accept the Old Testament, etc. but these things by themselves are not salvific and they are only true because they are parts of Catholic Truth accepted by the false religions.

If non-Catholic Christian religions are held to be salvific, then the situation is really little different than that of Islam, Hinduism, and other non-Christian religions. For they are man-made religions made up of people’s personal opinions about Jesus. How can a man-made religion be salvific? You can’t just make up a religion, follow it and be rewarded by God for doing so, that makes man the author of his own salvation. One must follow the true Christ, not various people’s personal opinions of Him. The benefit of being a Protestant is that one is probably in a better position to convert to Catholicism than if he were a Hindu or Buddhist.

Please don’t respond with the usual answers like the Church has the whole truth or it’s the one Church of Christ. These two priest (authors) refute those answers by acknowledging the ambiguity of Vatican 2. So what say you?

The Church didn’t begin at Vatican II. We can’t say “I don’t know what the Church teaches on X because Vatican II is ambiguous on X.” We have 2000 years of Catholic teaching (6000 counting the OT), not 40 or 50.

It may surprise you to learn that not all Catholics accept the Catholic Faith, not even all Catholic priests accept it. Many want to fashion it in their own image, which is no different than Protestantism – remember that Luther, Cranmer, Knox, and other Protestant founders were originally Catholic priests (not to mention most of the founders of the ancient heresies; additionally, Calvin went to seminary but dropped out to become a lawyer). You can find all kinds of heresies being spread by all kinds of “Catholics,” including priests and even bishops. That’s why we have to look at what the Church actually teaches, not just the opinions of individuals, especially ones who are not saints.