Jesus not found outside the Church, Pope preaches

Catholic News Agency ^ | 04/23/13 | Estefania Aguirre

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Jesus not found outside the Church, Pope preaches :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/jesus-not-found-outside-the-church-pope-preaches/

April 23, 2013

Pope Francis celebrates Mass in St. John Lateran on March 29, 2013. Credit: Stephen Driscoll/CNA.

Vatican City, Apr 23, 2013 / 07:39 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis said that people cannot be fully united to Jesus outside of the Church during a Mass to commemorate Saint George, the saint he is named after.

“You cannot find Jesus outside the Church,” he said April 23 in the Apostolic Palace’s Pauline Chapel.

“It is the Mother Church who gives us Jesus, who gives us the identity that is not only a seal, it is a belonging,” he declared in his homily.

The pontiff spoke about Christian identity as well as persecution, making it the sixth time in two weeks he has mentioned those who suffer for the faith.

Speaking about the Gospel reading for today from Saint John, Pope Francis underscored that “the missionary expansion of the Church began precisely at a time of persecution.”

“They had this apostolic fervor within them, and that is how the faith spread!” he exclaimed.

It was through the Holy Spirit’s initiative that the Gospel was proclaimed to the Gentiles, the Pope noted, and the Spirit “pushes more and more in this direction of opening the proclamation of the Gospel to all.”

The pontiff also repeated a line from his April 17 homily in St. Martha’s residence, when he emphasized that being a Christian is not like having “an identity card.”

“Christian identity is belonging to the Church, because all of these (the apostles) belonged to the Church, the Mother Church, because finding Jesus outside the Church is impossible,” he said.

“The great Paul VI said it is an absurd dichotomy to want to live with Jesus but without the Church, following Jesus out of the Church, loving Jesus without the Church,” he added.

Pope Francis said that “if we are not sheep of Jesus, faith does not come” and that it is “a rosewater faith and a faith without substance.”

The Pope also commented on Barnabas, who was sent to Antioch and was glad to see that the grace of God had encouraged people there to remain true disciples.

“Let us think of the consolations that Barnabas had, which is the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing,” he preached.

“Let us ask the Lord for this frankness, this apostolic fervor that impels us to move forward, as brothers, all of us forward,” he remarked.

After the Mass in the papal chapel, the Swiss Guard band offered a brief musical performance in the Courtyard of Saint Damaso for the Pope’s name day.

[svcw]

I do not know about around the world, my guess not in islamic countries.

[svcw]

So for Catholics it is not a remembrance but the literal flesh and blood.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

What is scandalous is that so few Catholics have "owned up to it" for so long that it now seems extraordinary to proclaim something always taught by the Church.

I would think a Catholic would be offended as well if a Protestant told them they were not sure Catholics could attain salvation (not my belief BTW).

We're told that every day on FreeRepublic. I've been here since 2001 so I'm used to it :0)

[MeganC]

Now you’re being a liberal and interpreting my comment to mean that I was trolling.

Nice.

Illustrating again my impressions of Catholics on this site.

Now you come off like a petulent child posting a topic whose title is an insult to people like myself and then you pervert the forum it was posted in to deflect justifiable criticism.

That’s another tactic of the Catholics on this site that I’ve come to know: posting the internet equivalent of a drive-by shooting and then acting like a victim when someone gives it right back to you.

Of course, not all Catholics on this site do this kind of thing. But the ones who do are the ones I remember.

[evangmlw]

Hmm, my Bible claims that God is Omnipresent. That means He is everywhere present at all times; not just in the church. This idea that Jesus can only be found in the church (the catholic church) is simply a cultic ploy. It's mere hogwash.

"If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart man believes unto righteouness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9,10 This can be done anywhere, even on a bar stool in a saloon. Catholicism is bankrupt apostasy at its best.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

You missed my next sentence:

Anyone who is validly baptized is baptized into the Church. Therefore they can attain salvation.

[knarf]

John 1:11 - 13 (kjv)

1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

That sticky verse 13 pretty much does away with ANY external 'influence' regarding whom is a child of God. (Christian)

[Mad Dawg]

You can’t logically conclude that from what I said.

[knarf]

"When a person is baptised by water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, he is incorporated into the body of Christ, therefore he is Christian. This is Catholic teaching.

Where's the repentent thief on the cross ..now ?

[FatherofFive]

John 11:26(KJV) 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? Seems, pretty clear five.

“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven” Mat 7:21

It is not that easy

[FatherofFive]

"And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"----John 11:26.

Do you believe Him?

“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven” Mat 7:21

Do you believe him?

[svcw]

Actually it is.
There are some who just want it to be really complicated.

[Mad Dawg]

Pax_et_bonum said nothing about who is NOT incorporated. The statement was of the form, 'When X, then Y.' That doesnot mean that 'When NO X, then necessarily NO Y.'

Logic.

[HangnJudge]

Anyone who is validly baptized is baptized into the Church.
Therefore they can attain salvation.

I've never understood the stricture of Granting Communion to Catholics only. If one has been Baptized in Christ, then one is under command to accept Communion. To withhold this from non-Catholic Christians would appear an egregious error.

I've been to many a Catholic Mass, as I'm a Godfather and Oath Bound to Service in this regard. I would NEVER purposefully damage the Child's growth as a Catholic, so I've kept this reservation to myself. One is under Command to receive Communion, a Command that antedates Christ's Crucifixion. The Oath-bound state compels Service, but Communion is withheld as this poor servant is merely Christian. The Church's Witness would appear to be darkened by this.

I suspect that it is my understanding that is incomplete
But this Heart is Troubled by this issue

Live in Peace
Live in Victory
Know that there is also Love in this World

[knarf]

I have NO IDEA what you just said .. ingrish, preaz

[FatherofFive]

There are some who just want it to be really complicated.

Some of us read the the entire Bible, not just those verses our itching ears like to hear,

Like, "This is My body"

[pax_et_bonum]

"Where's the repentent thief on the cross ..now ?"

Is this a trick question?

;-)

I think we both know that, according to Luke, Jesus himself told the good thief that, that day, he would be with Him in Paradise.

[svcw]

Really? If you are going to try and insult me......you need to try harder.

[CynicalBear]

>>That means, the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, Megan. Do you uderstand that?<

No, it does not mean the RCC. And the pagan symbols used during what the RCC calls the Eucharist is indicative of it’s apostasy.

[piusv]

With all due respect Megan, your posts aren’t exactly respectful of the Catholic Church or the Pope.