[Alberta's Child]

I'm not sure Catholic doctrine would reflect that at all. Grace is freely given by God, but that doesn't mean it's given freely to all.

Jesus Christ selected twelve men -- most of them very flawed men -- to be his closest apostles. He didn't run after people who couldn't accept His message and turned away from Him.

This is exactly where the Church had it wrong for a long time when they translated the Latin pro multis (from the Consecration) incorrectly into the vernacular in the Novus Ordo Mass.

[neverevergiveup]

God made all of us. Why would a merciful and just God create pre-determined ‘good’ people (e.g. people of faith) and ‘bad’ people? God gave us free choice and self-determination. My faith tells me that God is open to all of us no matter when or where we find a path to God, and this is never pre-determined.

As an aside, our brains weigh ~3.2 pounds, give or take. This is less than a grain of sand in our galaxy, and our galaxy is but a grain of sand in the known universe - all of which God made. For any of us, based upon the capacities of our small and finite brains, to think that we understand all truths and can understand the mind of God is ludicrous. In my opinion. We're all in this together, and I personally think God is there for all of us.