Replies

“We’ve all heard the statement “no one can be saved outside the Catholic Church.” Well, you have to understand that in a very important way. If someone knew and understood that the Catholic Church was indeed established by Jesus and that it was the one true Church and, in spite of that knowledge, still rejected the grace to be baptized and to enter the Church, that person is rejecting Jesus’ command and grace (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #846). Remember, it is the person who is rejecting Jesus, not Jesus rejecting that person. Jesus died for that person too.

But the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) hastens to say that “[t]his affirmation is not aimed at those who through no fault of their own do not know Christ or his Church.” It says that those “who do not know but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart and moved by grace try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation” (CCC, #847). That statement draws a much bigger circle of those saved than some people think there should be. Thank God it is his judgment, not ours.

This statement is very broad for two important reasons: 1) God wants everyone saved (Jn 3:17). 2) Jesus died for every person without exception. He died for sinners (1 Tim 2:4 ). So no person—and not even the Church on earth—can begin to separate those saved from those not saved without placing restrictions on God’s universal will for the salvation of all his children. That is why God alone is the judge as to eternal salvation. That is why the Church will canonize saints but will never declare any specific person to be in hell. Many people can make a list of individuals they think should be eternally damned, but no person on earth can make that judgment. We just don’t know. Only God knows.”

http://www.americancatholic.org/e-News/FriarJack/fj061606.asp

Here’s another:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, following historic Christian theology since the time of the early Church Fathers, refers to the Catholic Church as “the universal sacrament of salvation” (CCC 774–776), and states: “The Church in this world is the sacrament of salvation, the sign and the instrument of the communion of God and men” (CCC 780).

Many people misunderstand the nature of this teaching.

Indifferentists, going to one extreme, claim that it makes no difference what church one belongs to. Certain radical traditionalists, going to the other extreme, claim that unless one is a full-fledged, baptized member of the Catholic Church, one will be damned.

The following quotations from the Church Fathers give the straight story. They show that the early Church held the same position on this as the contemporary Church does—that is, while it is normatively necessary to be a Catholic to be saved (see CCC 846; Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 14), there are exceptions, and it is possible in some circumstances for people to be saved who have not been fully initiated into the Catholic Church (CCC 847).

Notice that the same Fathers who declare the normative necessity of being Catholic also declare the possibility of salvation for some who are not Catholics.

These can be saved by what later came to be known as “baptism of blood” or “ baptism of desire” (for more on this subject, see the Fathers Know Best tract, The Necessity of Baptism).

The Fathers likewise affirm the possibility of salvation for those who lived before Christ and who were not part of Israel, the Old Testament People of God.

However, for those who knowingly and deliberately (that is, not out of innocent ignorance) commit the sins of heresy (rejecting divinely revealed doctrine) or schism (separating from the Catholic Church and/or joining a schismatic church), no salvation would be possible until they repented and returned to live in Catholic unity.

http://www.catholic.com/library/Salvation_Outside_the_Church.asp

Here’s another resource:

http://www.ewtn.com/faith/Teachings/teachframes.htm

Have a great day and happy Labor Day!