Posted on 01/05/2002 11:55:52 AM PST by Brian Kopp DPM
praying to the saints
Ephesians 6:18 "By all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the spirit; and in the same watching with all instance and supplication for all the saints."
But other than those canonized, the Church does not claim to know which are destined for heaven and which are not. As to unbaptized children, I believe the Church does not say one way or the other, though I remember some teaching that includes a merciful and just God. Also, if the child is not of age to make informed decisions, then their ability to commit sin is also debatable.
So, to say "the Church teaches that unbaptized children who die go to hell" is an error.
1261 As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,"[63] allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.
1283 With respect to children who have died without Baptism, the liturgy of the Church invites us to trust in God's mercy and to pray for their salvation.
[63] Mark 10:14 "Whom when Jesus saw, he was much displeased, and saith to them: Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God."
1 Timothy 2:4 "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
Additionally Luke 18:15-17 "And they brought unto him also infants, that he might touch them. Which when the disciples saw, they rebuked them. But Jesus, calling them together said: Suffer children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Amen, I say to you: Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a child, shall not enter it."
Colossians 2:11-12 "In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand, in despoiling of the body of the flesh, but in the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead."
Can you tell me what part of Scripture details Christ handing the Holy Bible to His apostles? Weren't they surpised to find in the Holy Bible that Christ left them all of the things that they were going to be doing in the near future? I'm not familiar with that part of the Scripture. Thanks ahead of time.
Had the same article been written by a Protestant, there would be a lack of "protestant-bashing" by the Catholic side.
As I have noted repeatedly, in the middle ages the devil was represented by a rabid dog chasing/biting its own tail. Readers can see for themselves the fruits of the various trees growing on FR.
And we're not called to be successful. We're only called to be faithful.
Which is exactly what you have done with regard to repetitious prayer, confession, graven images and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pot, kettle, black. If your parents paid for you to have a Catholic education when you were a child, they should seek a refund.
=)
I see the usual suspects are gathering for a bash! :)
The way some of these folks think just amazes me!
Personally I think we are going about the defense of our faith in the wrong way. We allow the C-B's (Catholic Bashers) to control the conversation, when we rise up to take their challenge. Or, perhaps a better way to put it is that the C-B's demand that We Justiy Our Faith to Them. We should be asking them to Justiy Their Faith to Us!
Great reply.
Keep reading. The basis in scripture is further down. I just love it when people jump on the bandwagon without thoroughly reading responses.
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