True then. True now? Has TRUTH changed?
They may not have started out Catholic, but all those in Heaven ARE CATHOLIC now!
Why would Christ found the Catholic Church if it was not necessary for Salvation? There is only one Truth and FULLNESS of faith. We know God is merciful and in His mercy He gave us purgatory. Pray for those being purified in purgatory....pray for them everyday. Some may have no one to pray for them....
In 304 A.D. Lactantius, The Divine Institutions - "Whether they be called Phrygians, or Novatians...or whatever else...they have ceased to be Christians, and have put on human and foreign names. It is , therefore, the Catholic Church alone which retains true worship...Because, however, all the vaious groups of heretics are confident that they are the Christians, and think that theirs in the Catholic Church, let it be known; that is the true Church, in which there is confession and penance..."
"The universal Church of the faithful is one outside of which none is saved."-Pope Innocent III, ex cathedra, Fourth Lateran Council (1215 AD)
"We declare, say , define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff."-Pope Boniface VIII, Unam Sanctam (1302 AD)
"The Most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, also Jews, heretics, and schismatics can ever be partakers of eternal life, but that they are to go into the eternal fire 'which was prepared for the devil and his angels' (Mt. 25:41) unless before death they are joined with Her... No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ can be saved unless they abide within the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church."-Pope Eugene IV, in the Bull Cantate Domino, (1441 AD)
Further teaching of Popes, Saints, as well as Fathers and Doctors of the Church:
"No man can find salvation except in the Catholic Church. Outside the Catholic Church one can have everything except salvation. One can have honor, one can have sacraments, one can sing alleluia, one can answer amen, one can have faith in the Name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and preach it too, but never can one find salvation except in the Catholic Church."-St. Augustine (354-430), Bishop and Doctor of the Church
"The holy universal Church teaches that it is not possible to worship God truly except in Her and asserts that all who are outside of Her will not be saved."-Pope Saint Gregory the Great (590-604), Father and Doctor of the Church
"All who have not believed that Jesus Christ was really the Son of God are doomed. Also, all who see the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and do not believe it is really the most holy Body and Blood of the Lord . . . these also are doomed!"-Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)
"There is no entering into salvation outside the Catholic Church, just as in the time of the Flood there was not salvation outside the Ark, which denotes the Church."-Saint Thomas Aquinas (1226-1274), the Angelic Doctor
"There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Anyone who resists this truth perishes."-Saint Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716)
"Outside the Church there is no salvation...therefore in the symbol (Apostles Creed) we join together the Church with the remission of sins: 'I believe in the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins"...For this reason the Church is compared to the Ark of Noah, because just as during the deluge, everyone perished who was not in the ark, so now those perish who are not in the Church."-Saint Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), Bishop and Doctor of the Church
"All the misfortunes of unbelievers spring from too great an attachment to the things of life. This sickness of heart weakens and darkens the understanding, and leads to eternal ruin. If they would try to heal their hearts by purging them of their vices, they would soon receive light, which would show them the necessity of joining the Catholic Church, where alone is salvation. We should constantly thank the Lord for having granted us the gift of the true Faith, by associating us with the children of the Holy Catholic Church ... How many are the infidels, heretics, and schismatics who do not enjoy the happiness of the true Faith! Earth is full of them and they are all lost!"-Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop and Doctor of the Church
"By Faith it is to be firmly held that outside the Apostolic Roman Church none can achieve salvation. This is the only ark of salvation. He who does not enter into it will perish in the flood. Nevertheless equally certainly it is to be held that those who suffer from invincible ignorance of the true religion, are not for this reason guilty in the eyes of the Lord."-Blessed Pope Pius IX (1792-1878)
"Some say they are not bound by the doctrine which teaches that the Mystical Body of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church are one and the same thing. Some reduce to a meaningless formula the necessity of belonging to the true Church in order to gain eternal salvation. Others finally belittle the reasonable character of the credibility of Christian Faith. These and like ERRORS, it is clear, have crept in among certain of our sons who are deceived by imprudent zeal for souls or by false science."-Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
From A Manual of Religion My Catholic Faith by Bishop Morrow, page 141 -
"The fact that it is possible for those outside the Church to be saved (making a perfect act of contrition at death) should not make us lose sight of the great disadvantages they are under, compared with Catholics who live in full light of Divine revelation. Such persons have not the infallible Church to guide them in what they are to believe and do in order to serve God. They have to live without the Sacraments, Holy Mass and Holy Communion and the other countless sources of grace with the Church supplies for the sanctification of its children, those professed Catholics who are members of the body of the visible Church. These disadvantages should make us Catholics realize more fully the many reasons we have for humbly thanking God for the priceless blessings we have recieved without any claim or merit of our own. They whould also spur us on to give Him a more worthy service, and spread our Faith....The Church is a guarantee of salvation to those only who obey it. Unfortunately, there are bad Catholics. We must study our religion and then practice it. God has given us the grace to be members of the true Church; we must not waste that grace."
Why would Christ found the Catholic Church if it was not necessary for Salvation? There is only one Truth and FULLNESS of faith. We know God is merciful and in His mercy He gave us purgatory. Pray for those being purified in purgatory....pray for them everyday. Some may have no one to pray for them....
In 304 A.D. Lactantius, The Divine Institutions - "Whether they be called Phrygians, or Novatians...or whatever else...they have ceased to be Christians, and have put on human and foreign names. It is , therefore, the Catholic Church alone which retains true worship...Because, however, all the vaious groups of heretics are confident that they are the Christians, and think that theirs in the Catholic Church, let it be known; that is the true Church, in which there is confession and penance..."
"The universal Church of the faithful is one outside of which none is saved."-Pope Innocent III, ex cathedra, Fourth Lateran Council (1215 AD)
"We declare, say , define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff."-Pope Boniface VIII, Unam Sanctam (1302 AD)
"The Most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, also Jews, heretics, and schismatics can ever be partakers of eternal life, but that they are to go into the eternal fire 'which was prepared for the devil and his angels' (Mt. 25:41) unless before death they are joined with Her... No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ can be saved unless they abide within the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church."-Pope Eugene IV, in the Bull Cantate Domino, (1441 AD)
Further teaching of Popes, Saints, as well as Fathers and Doctors of the Church:
"No man can find salvation except in the Catholic Church. Outside the Catholic Church one can have everything except salvation. One can have honor, one can have sacraments, one can sing alleluia, one can answer amen, one can have faith in the Name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and preach it too, but never can one find salvation except in the Catholic Church."-St. Augustine (354-430), Bishop and Doctor of the Church
"The holy universal Church teaches that it is not possible to worship God truly except in Her and asserts that all who are outside of Her will not be saved."-Pope Saint Gregory the Great (590-604), Father and Doctor of the Church
"All who have not believed that Jesus Christ was really the Son of God are doomed. Also, all who see the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and do not believe it is really the most holy Body and Blood of the Lord . . . these also are doomed!"-Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)
"There is no entering into salvation outside the Catholic Church, just as in the time of the Flood there was not salvation outside the Ark, which denotes the Church."-Saint Thomas Aquinas (1226-1274), the Angelic Doctor
"There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Anyone who resists this truth perishes."-Saint Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716)
"Outside the Church there is no salvation...therefore in the symbol (Apostles Creed) we join together the Church with the remission of sins: 'I believe in the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins"...For this reason the Church is compared to the Ark of Noah, because just as during the deluge, everyone perished who was not in the ark, so now those perish who are not in the Church."-Saint Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), Bishop and Doctor of the Church
"All the misfortunes of unbelievers spring from too great an attachment to the things of life. This sickness of heart weakens and darkens the understanding, and leads to eternal ruin. If they would try to heal their hearts by purging them of their vices, they would soon receive light, which would show them the necessity of joining the Catholic Church, where alone is salvation. We should constantly thank the Lord for having granted us the gift of the true Faith, by associating us with the children of the Holy Catholic Church ... How many are the infidels, heretics, and schismatics who do not enjoy the happiness of the true Faith! Earth is full of them and they are all lost!"-Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop and Doctor of the Church
"By Faith it is to be firmly held that outside the Apostolic Roman Church none can achieve salvation. This is the only ark of salvation. He who does not enter into it will perish in the flood. Nevertheless equally certainly it is to be held that those who suffer from invincible ignorance of the true religion, are not for this reason guilty in the eyes of the Lord."-Blessed Pope Pius IX (1792-1878)
"Some say they are not bound by the doctrine which teaches that the Mystical Body of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church are one and the same thing. Some reduce to a meaningless formula the necessity of belonging to the true Church in order to gain eternal salvation. Others finally belittle the reasonable character of the credibility of Christian Faith. These and like ERRORS, it is clear, have crept in among certain of our sons who are deceived by imprudent zeal for souls or by false science."-Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
From A Manual of Religion My Catholic Faith by Bishop Morrow, page 141 -
"The fact that it is possible for those outside the Church to be saved (making a perfect act of contrition at death) should not make us lose sight of the great disadvantages they are under, compared with Catholics who live in full light of Divine revelation. Such persons have not the infallible Church to guide them in what they are to believe and do in order to serve God. They have to live without the Sacraments, Holy Mass and Holy Communion and the other countless sources of grace with the Church supplies for the sanctification of its children, those professed Catholics who are members of the body of the visible Church. These disadvantages should make us Catholics realize more fully the many reasons we have for humbly thanking God for the priceless blessings we have recieved without any claim or merit of our own. They whould also spur us on to give Him a more worthy service, and spread our Faith....The Church is a guarantee of salvation to those only who obey it. Unfortunately, there are bad Catholics. We must study our religion and then practice it. God has given us the grace to be members of the true Church; we must not waste that grace."
10 comments:
Geesh, You are one brave gal to put this in your blog. I commend you, though. Why? Because that is true strength of conviction to stand for the Truth. I once tried to tell someone this about the Catholic Faith based on what I'd heard and read in the Baltimore Catechism . . . I was SHOT DOWN very meanly . . . and, my only answer/question is: what has changed since that BC was written? NOTHING. Not as far as I can see.
It hurts people to learn this and it sounds pompus as all get out, but we must remember charity. Prayer and hope.
Keep posting the Truth! I'm standing with you, the Saints, and Holy Mother Church.
As I quoted and the Church teaches, God is merciful. At that moment of death and with perfect contrition God can save whomever it is in His mercy to save...only He and the soul know the soul's disposition. He is a mighty God, merciful AND just.
He gave the Catholic Church which He established the FULLNESS of faith. Many ecclesial communities have parts of that grace but I am so grateful to partake in ALL of His Sacramental gifts.
How wonderful to have use of ALL the tools in the toolbox! It is indicative of the power of God's grace that so many without all the Sacraments can still be so filled with faith and God's love. What glory they will recognize when they come Home to the Catholic Church as God desires we are one.
And so if God desires that we are one, why would it be "OF" God that the reformation happened? How could it be? It's division. It is the fractionalization of the faith adn that divisiveness can only come from God's enemy.
For thousands of years did the Church operate in error? Didn't God say the gates of hell would not prevail against her? The 30,000+ protesting denominations all chosse to be "one-off" of the Catholic Church...picking and choosing what they like and won't follow. Does that come from pride? Faith asks for humility, surrender.
For thousands of years and to this day genius oh so wiser than I will ever be have decided to worship a God other than their own intellect and follow the Catholic Church and her teachings.
If I did not feel strongly about my convictions, what would that say about wishy-washy me? Yes, I believe. I surrender to faith.
You. Go. Girl!
Yes, you are one brave gal!!!! Yes, it is all true!! Super job of all those quotes, wow!
Funny how Protestants have changed the meaning of Church to just be them believing in God. I know that "Church" back in those days, was just Catholic, it wasn't until after the reformation that it had to be distinguished.
I, do, however think Purgatory is full of Protestants on their way to Catholicism. Not brave enough to put that on my blog though!
(at least yet)
I too believe that Purgatory is a cleansing place for many. I believe that Hell is the place for those who COMPLETELY reject God and His merciful love.
Thank you for posting these quotes. I have passed them onto my dad to get his take on it. The quotes seem so definate, but I can only imagine that there is much more said on the matter. Writings which propose a chance of Heaven for all of Christianity and others who worship God in their own way, even if it is only a small portion of what He asks of us.
It can be scary to write what the Catholic Church teaches. I was shaking at the knees about my last post on contraception.
lots to pray for
I do love to help the souls in purg.
JMJ-My husband and I read this post last night and were both in total agreement with your point! Sean uses the term "Cafeteria Catholics" when refering to the "Vatican II" followers. They pick and choose what they want to follow. They attend Mass when its convenient for them. They criticize the families that do not use birth control. They vote for a President that supports abortion and gay marriage, and yet deem themselves "good Catholics". We are by no means perfect, but we make a conscious effort daily to follow the true word of God in hopes of one day joining him in Heaven. Thank you for sharing this wonderful post!
SAY IT LOUD, SAY IT PROUD! Shout it from the mountaintops!
Terrific post, Allison. As a latecomer to the Church I have often said to people I know, "If I did not believe the Catholic Church to be the only true path to salvation, I certainly could have picked an easier faith to live by!"
OOPS! OK, this is ACTUALLY Trina, I think my Mom was signed into my account and said that comment. I guess I should remember to sign out when I am done.
I got your comment on my blog and thought "I don't remember commenting on her blog..." :)
Oopsies!
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