Dear friends
This is a very fruitful discussion. Thank you very much indeed and to the original poster who brought this topic to everyone’s attention.
I have a copy of an old Catechism that was my late father’s. I must admit I have not read the old Catechism thoroughly, just flicking through from time to time. (I find there is so much Catholic material on the whole, that if a person was to read all the books written by the Church or by members of the Church it would take from the minute you open your eyes until you sleep for numerous years and probably all of our lives to read properly and absorb all of the writings
) So on what I have read, which was pre-Vatican 2, it is on the premise that only Catholics would be saved and this was commonly thought, that if you were not Catholic there was no salvation for you, this is no longer held.
It is thought as far as in I understand …and someone with more and a precise knowledge and perhaps backing up with scripture and perhaps other sources to cement what I am saying would be more than welcome to expand on what I believe and understand the case to be…that God desires no soul to be lost from Him and will show mercy to all people’s and offer them , even at the point of death the opportunity for repentance. This is possible because all people are bought salvation by Christ Jesus who will be the judge of all people’s and there is salvation for those outside of the Catholic faith, but the fact remains that the Catholic Faith is the One and True church of God.
I understand that there is not absolute unity with other Christian faiths in that we cannot have joint worship of the Holy Mass because of the ‘Consubstantion’, ‘Transubstantion’ dilemma and for other reasons, such as Jevovah Witnesses are still waiting for the Messiah as are the Jews. BUT, whether those parties believe in Christ they are in Him, Who is perfect, and have a union with all other people’s of the earth regardless of creed or no creed and this is what joins humanity in a less than perfect union, yes, but it is still a union, it is not anything lacking in Christ and the unity He desired in people’s in Him, it is lacking in us and I say us, because we have as much responsibility to work for unity of faith as other Christian denominations or non-faith persons.
We are bound to see the face of Christ in every other human being, this does not bring about a unity of faith, but it does unify humanity in Him on a broader sense. Those who are baptised whatever their denomination in Christ, are now brothers and sisters of Christ, they lack union with His one True Catholic and Apostolic church, yes, there is not full union with Him in this sense, but they are nonetheless in Him and are our brothers and sisters in Christ.
It is correct that we should be a prophet in Christ, at baptism we are baptised ‘Priest, Prophet and King’ in Him. We should teach and spread the Word to the best of our abilities either by word or action and those who are not in full union , should be given the full facts of the Catholic faith, to then make an informed choice in faith, BUT if a person has never heard the full and absolute truth, they cannot be called heretic , nor can they be held to a premise than what they know. They are called then to live to the best they can within what they know and believe and we are to respect and tolerate and love them as God loves them. We may spread the word , but it is the gift of faith by The Holy Spirit that works in a soul and then that soul has to open their heart and ‘see’ and hear’ the Word.
Continued
God Bless