The pope simply said you cannot have a relationship with Jesus without His Church, which He established to continue his work of salvation through all the ages. He wants everyone to belong to that Church and receive all the graces that flow from it. You may disagree with that idea, and that is your choice. We all have free will and can accept or reject the truth.
By the way, this thread would be better placed in the Religion Forum. It’s probably not a “news” thread.
God wants it right where it is.
It is news when a church leader goes off his rocker.
By having a personal relationship with Jesus and being redeemed by Him you are automatically part of the only true Church made up of all the redeemed It has nothing to do with a Roman sect who thinks they know it all
But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother. And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand. And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican. Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.
The overriding distinction between Catholic and Protestant theology is the concept of grace through the Sacraments in Catholicism.
You gave one context-less sentence and two blog links. Is that how you gave briefings in the Army? If the Pope’s comment gives you pause, why not source it better and provide the comment in context?
Also, I’m not Catholic and I’m not much of a fan of this Pope, but Deo volente is correct. These blog links belong in Religion or, more appropriately, in bloggers. Not news.
“We all have free will and can accept or reject the truth.”
Unfortunately 2000 years of deception has led many people astray in the name of tradition.
From the poster of the video!(which I agree with)
“When the pope talks about “the Church” he is talking about the catholic church. He does not recognize any other Church but the Catholic Church. He pretends to in a vain attempt to get people to join with the RC church telling them to come “home” but when it comes to authority he only recognizes his own church and religious order.
His message in this video (for those with ears to hear and eyes to see) says quite clearly that outside of the mediation of the RC church, there is no way you can have a personal relationship with Jesus and to even imagine that you can is dangerous, harmful and absurd.”