Do Catholics believe that Protestants are going to hell?

Question

The reason for my question is this is what my friend's mother-in-law said to her.

She is Protestant, her husband just returned to the Catholic church after years of non-attendance, they were married during that time. The MIL is insistent the she now go to Catholic church because that is the only church that will get her to heaven.

I asked a very close Catholic friend of mine this same question and she did not reply, which implied that this is so. So, I ask you, is this what the church teaches? If so, why?

Hmmm... interesting. I wonder why she would think this.

TT: Just so you're aware I am Protestant and would consider myself evangelical, and I, nor anyone I am in contact with, has ever thought that a Catholic believer was going to hell.

Exactly right (forgot the commentor) catholic means universal!

Midge, you confused me. Are you saying that Catholics get better seats?(not trying to be flip) I thought there was a belief of purgatory before heaven.

Answer 1

No.

The Catholic Church teaches:

Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth 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.

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.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

No, not anymore, Protestant and catholic live under one cross, however the implementation is different; I think prostestan will be saved by the one they believe at; none will go to hell unless pesonal practices on the earth may lead them all into hell if they are judged already in heaven by my lord Christ. Because I can say that Protestant was a part of catholic but catholic never be part of protestan. Only the way of doing ritual ceremony is different but faith is still the same, so how can they fall into hell. I my self believe that only god is there no hell no progatory only heaven is there. We pay our life by deaths. so, Hell and purgatory are there only philosophy made by human, therefore, when God probe us we think that it is satan's job, infact, it is the god living together with human being due to old testamony that before the world and everything created God was existing on water in space, so, the water is now gathered already with the earth, so I can question again that where the god is now if the water is with earth already?

Answer 3

There is no salvation outside the Holy Catholic church since this is the only church divinely instituted by Jesus Christ. All other denominations came into being years later and are man-made. Only the Roman Catholic church can claim direct continuity from the time of Christ and as promised by Christ will prevail till the end of time against all the assaults of hell. No other church apart from the Roman Catholic church can claim Our Lord Jesus Christ as it's Founder.

The following link will give good reasons why Catholics are the only Christians and why other denominations cannot lead to salvation:
http://www.olrl.org/apologetics/

Answer 4

...not for being Protestant. If A Protestant ( or Catholic or anyone else)dies in the state of Grace he or she would end up in Heaven. The Church excommunicated Leonard Feeney on the 1950s for insisting that only Catholics go to Heaven. Vatican II made it impossible for any Catholic to take that position.

Answer 5

There might be some Catholics who think that Protestants are going to hell, just as there may be some Protestants who think that Catholics are going there. In general, however, most Catholics believe in a merciful and loving God, who is not out to get people. Life is difficult enough. And, as God is the source of life, He (or perhaps She as some of my friends say) knows how complicated life can become.

Answer 6

I am a Catholic and the answer is - Absolutely Not. It is part of our teaching that one can only be saved through the Catholic church, and some people mistakenly take that to mean what you're saying, but what it really means is that, if you are going to be saved, it will only be through the Church a.k.a. the mystical body of Christ. This does not mean you have to be a card carrying member.

Answer 7

from what i've heard and observed at my church, some catholics do, but for the most part that is an old-fashioned attitude left over from the days when catholics and protestants completely despised one another. it is not very common to believe that anymore.

Answer 8

No, it isn't. The church teaches that you will go to purgatory. I think they got that from Dante'. Anyway, Catholics do not believe, like many other religions, that theirs is the ONLY way to get to heaven, and that is one redeeming quality of that particular religion :)

Answer 9

I am Catholic and went to a Catholic Primary and Private Catholic secondary college and went to church and nowhere have I heard this and this is not taught.

Answer 10

Alright, to start with I am a Catholic, and never in my life have I heard the Priest nor read anywhere in the Catachism, that Protestants are going to Hell. But if you ask a Protestant, Catholics are going to hell in a handbasket.

You know why, Baptist's and Evangelicals are nothing more than hate mongerers, using Jesus' name to spread thier decietful message of hatred.