Does the Catholic Church teach that only Catholics can be saved?

Question

So far, I'm mostly getting opinion, but Matthew O provided a link to statements made by the Catholic Church at Vatican II. Anyone else have objective evidence?

More good evidence, as expected, from Spiritroaming, Veritas, and Imacatholic2.

Answer 1

No.

We’ve all heard the statement “no one can be saved outside the Catholic Church.” Well, you have to understand that in a very important way. If someone knew and understood that the Catholic Church was indeed established by Jesus and that it was the one true Church and, in spite of that knowledge, still rejected the grace to be baptized and to enter the Church, that person is rejecting Jesus’ command and grace.

Remember, it is the person who is rejecting Jesus, not Jesus rejecting that person. Jesus died for that person too.

But the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) hastens to say that “[t]his affirmation is not aimed at those who through no fault of their own do not know Christ or his Church.” It says that those "who do not know but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart and moved by grace try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation” (CCC, #847).

This statement is very broad for two important reasons: 1) God wants everyone saved (Jn 3:17). 2) Jesus died for every person without exception. He died for sinners (1 Tim 2:4 ). So no person—and not even the Church on earth—can begin to separate those saved from those not saved without placing restrictions on God’s universal will for the salvation of all his children. That is why God alone is the judge as to eternal salvation. That is why the Church will canonize saints but will never declare any specific person to be in hell. Many people can make a list of individuals they think should be eternally damned, but no person on earth can make that judgment. We just don’t know. Only God knows.

It is important to realize that the Church is the Body of Christ and that body and all who seek God, even without the advantage of knowing the true Church, are related to that body in a special way. God does not demand the impossible. People can only do what they are able to in the circumstances of their lives. As important and wonderful as it is to be graced with faith in the Church established by Jesus, human circumstances often simply make this impossible for every living human.


EDIT: I gave it to you - the CCC

Answer 2

That is most definitely not the current teaching of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has this annoying habit of taking the Bible somewhat seriously, and there is a verse some are uncomfortable with regarding the salvation of those who have not heard the message of Christ. The verse may be worthy of discussion; your blatant lie is not.

Answer 3

The possibilities are left to the mercy of God, however, and the presumption of salvation in any sense on the part of anyone who is not a formal member of the the visible Church is a sin against the Holy Spirit.
We can pray for such, but we cannot presume such. We cannot presume this association with the Soul of the Church on the part of any particular individual who is not a manifest member the Church; in fact, we are to presume the opposite because they are objectively in sin, even if not culpably so, and we must do all we can to bring them to the Sacraments, which are true media of grace.
We are to preach the fullness of the Truth, pray for God's mercy on all who are apart from the Sacraments, and always remember that material heresy is still heresy, no matter the level of culpability a material heretic might possess.
While some who are not formal members of the Church might be illumined before death such that they desire Baptism and are then allowed to see Heaven by the Grace of Christ and become, therefore, associated with the Soul of the Church, the non-Catholic elements of other religions do not mediate grace in and of themselves, and it is always God's will that all formally become part of the eternally unified Mystical Body of Christ.
The salvation of these souls would be in spite of, not because of, their religion.

Answer 4

Spiritroaming is correct, and the Catholic catechism is a great place to get an answer to your question.

QUOTE "The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them. Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament. The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are "reborn of water and the Spirit." God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments." (CCC 1257)

The phrase "God is not bound by His sacraments" means that God can "baptize" in other ways than just through the priest, as most of us are.

For an example, the thief on the cross next to Jesus was saved without ever having been baptized. His would be called the "baptism of desire."

Another example, if a man repented of his sins and decided to follow Christ, but died before actually receiving the sacrament (or was martyred) his would be called a "baptism of desire" or a "baptism of blood."

So the answer is, baptism is what saves us, not being a Catholic, and baptism is recognized in other Christian denominations. However, the Catholic Church alone has the authority to determine what is and isn't a valid baptism. She is also the True Church which administers all 7 sacraments given by Christ for our sanctification.

Answer 5

yes it does (but not in the sense you may be thinking) the Catholic Church is unified in Her teachings...the reasoning behind this is biblical and to me common sense if you will take out the bias of being "catholic". if you do not submit to the authority of the Church that Our Lord instituted but claim you believe in the Lord anyway just not His Church do you really think thats how Our Lord intended it? that doesnt make sense to me but it seems to me that this makes sense to a lot of other people.

all those that enter the Kingdom of Heaven will all belong to His Church...it makes sense to me then if you lived and died a non-catholic and you find yourself in heaven, you would have been judged by God to be "catholic"...a true member of His Church.

those of us who claim to be catholics are POSITIVE we are on the right track cos of our shared belief that the Catholic Church is HIS CHURCH so She can proclaim with certainty that only Catholics will be saved.

to clarify: ...do i think martin luther is saved?...if he is he obviously knows he was wrong in leading so many people away from His Church. i shud mention i have never heard a priest preach it or say it and ive been thru they catholic school system myself

father joseph is around here sometimes...hope he answers this question

EDIT: thanks for that spiritroaming and veritas

Answer 6

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.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 819: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p3.htm#819

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

No. The Catholic Church doesn't teach anything about it. The Roman Catholic Church teaches the Universal Salvation. Universal Salvation means that everyone, Christians or non-Christians, are save.

Remember what Jesus said to God:

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” The text is from Luke 23:34.

This means that those who did not believe in Him are forgiven because of innocence (they do not know what they do).

Answer 8

no that was made up by people who dont bother to study the faith. i am a catholic and i am studying that. in vatican II the pope (jp2) declared that we need to know about other faiths. we dont believe that at all it is a rumor and a very unkind one at that

who ever said we think we are better because we have communion every day is wrong. we have it every day as a chance to get close to jesus and God through the Eucharist.

Answer 9

No

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

Answer 10

Lol @ wartz. You hit the nail right on the head. Of course, I happen to think that that is the preference of all churches and all religions. Catholics don't necessarily have a corner on it.