[annie laurie]

Don't you think it fair to reveal that, in order to reach salvation outside the Catholic church, by the church's own criteria, one must never have heard of the Catholic church? If one has, one isn't included int he exception?

Not so. The information provided in post 768 clearly states that some who have heard of the Catholic Church ARE included in the exception:

From my post 768 above (snipped for brevity, emphasis mine):

"People who have never had an opportunity to hear of Christ and his Church—and those Christians whose minds have been closed to the truth of the Church by their conditioning —are not necessarily cut off from God’s mercy. Vatican II phrases the doctrine in these terms:

Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery (Gaudium et Spes 22)."

http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2005/0512fea3.asp

[Mad Dawg]

Once again we are laboring under the burden of contending with those who are sure they know what isn't true. I think it's a common phenomenon, and works both ways sometimes. I've heard good and educated Christians of all sorts say things about Mahayana Buddhism, for example, that just make them look ridiculous to a Buddhist.

Similarly in the dialog, or rather the attempts at dialog, with some Protestants, sooner or later, be it the nonsense about indulgences being a way to buy your way out of Hell or the the nonsense about Eucharist being a chemical change or the nonsense about the title of co-redemptrix or co-mediatrix being a divinization of Mary.

Arguing against the firmly held untruth is way harder than dealing with mere ignorance.

[William Terrell]

Let's look at it logically. Finding salvation of your soul is the point.

If salvation is had without the necessity of the one true church, there is either no point of having a one true church, or the number of points for have a one true church is reduced by each instance of being able to achieve salvation outside the church.

So the specific criteria revolves around "no fault of their own", which your quote calls "by their conditioning". (also note "not necessarily cut off from God’s mercy") And the instances that are covered by those criteria must be minimal, or no use for the Catholic church.

I would guess that Protestants conditioning is not included. If it were, the Catholic church could be said to have no ordained place to play in individual salvation that is claimed.

Of course, those who read the scriptures and take them as they're written and figure out the meaning inconsistent with Catholic doctrine would be at fault or not considered as being crippled by conditioning.

If the church controls the definition of "fault" and "conditioning" then I can't say I'm impressed.

I rather you didn't give me a link; instead, please sum up what its point is. Thanks. Maybe I'll read it when I have time.