Why are all of you struggling over this? Everything that Bl. John Paul said about salvation was codified and included in the CCC along with what has always been taught. Nothing that he said is contrary to the past. Actually, it sheds some light on questions that people have had and had gone unanswered and there will be more questions and some pope will come around and answer them. That simple.
Here are the answers to the OP directly from the CCC
818 "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."
We can’t call Protestants heretics, because they were not around 500 years ago.
We accept them as brothers
They are incorporated into Christ through Baptism, which gives them a hope of salvation.
Because they are incorporated into Christ, they have a right to the name Christian.
Next point.
**
1271 Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: “For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church.” “Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn.”**
There is no salvation outside the Church, but they are not totally detached from the Church. They are in what the Church considers an imperfect communion. They are attached by virtue of Baptism. We profess to believe that there is only one baptism. Therefore, if they are baptized they are not out there in space. There is a chance for salvation through the Church, even though they are attached by a thread. God can work with a thread.
Next point:
819 "Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth"273 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."274 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,275 and are in themselves calls to "Catholic unity."276
We can find truth outside of the Catholic Church. In simple language, the Church has the fullness of truth, but this does not mean that others have no knowledge of any truth. The fact that a Protestant believes that Christ is the Son of God is faith in the most important of all truths. Then the passage goes on to tell us what these folks have in common with Catholics.
Christ can use these communities as a means to salvation, not because they believe in errors. He can save through the truths that they embrace, if they embrace them faithfully and they make a genuine effort to grow in the faith.
These are the ideas that Pope John Paul II tried to summarize in the famous statement that he makes that all men are called to salvation, which people use against him, because they’re taking the statement out of context. The statement is a summary of these simple beliefs that Catholics hold.
Not out of this world or anything new. The only new thing is the wording, not the content.
