What do we mean when we say, "Outside the Church there is no salvation"?
(167)When we say "Outside the Church there is no salvation" we mean that those who through their own grave fault do not know that the Catholic Church is the true Church or, knowing it, refuse to join it, cannot be saved.
(a)"Outside the Church theire is no salvation" does not mean that everyone who is not a Catholic will be condemned. It does mean that no one can be saved unless he belongs in some manner to the Catholic Church, either actually or in desire, for the means of grace are not given without some relation to the divine institution established by Christ.
(168)Can they be saved who remain outside the Catholic Church because they do not know if it is the true Church?
They who remain outside the Catholic Church through no grave fault of their own and do not know it is the true Church, can be saved by making use of the graces which God gives them.
(a)Those who are outside the Church through no fault of their own are not culpable in the sight of God because of their invincible ignorance.
(b)Persons who make use of the graces God gives them, even though they are not members of the true Church, actually have the desire to become members inasmuch as they wish to use all the means ordained by God for their salvation.
(c)We should pray and try to persuade others to investigate the teachings of the Catholic Church because charity obliges us to do all we can to lead others to salvation. We should also pray for Catholic missioners and help them in their work of bringing the faith to those outside the Catholic church.