I, on the other hand, as a convert (Vacation Bible School, Sunday School and PSR teacher) went over the edge last night when it was announced on EWTN. If this is Benedict’s stab at infallibility as to faith and morals, I’m praying the Holy Spirit pings him up-side the head but good. I love my faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and will always give him my heart and soul, but with this latest epistle, I'm thinking Benedict -- not so much.
Why? As I showed, this is nothing new, but yet another re-statement of constant teaching.
Groups of Christians who do not have Apostolic Sucession and valid sacraments are not, by our definition, "churches."
That doesn't mean they are worthless or all going to hell. It's merely making a distinction between those who have recourse to the sacraments (besides Baptism) Jesus instituted and those who do not. Don't you think sacraments are important?
You are overreacting here dear friend.
The Church is only saying as it always has -that protestants are communities of believers and many of them are attached to the Catholic Church through valid Baptism and such. We view them as our separated brothers and sisters in Christ but not full members of the Church,thus we do not call their churches a church but rather a community of believers. There can only be ONE true Church
This is from the Vatican document Dominius(hope this helps)
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html
The Church is the “universal sacrament of salvation”, since, united always in a mysterious way to the Saviour Jesus Christ, her Head, and subordinated to him, she has, in God’s plan, an indispensable relationship with the salvation of every human being. For those who are not formally and visibly members of the Church, “salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which, while having a mysterious relationship to the Church, does not make them formally part of the Church, but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit”; it has a relationship with the Church, which “according to the plan of the Father, has her origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit”.82
So you would leave the Church, and all her Sacraments because of politcal pride? You would leave because you don’t agree with the Pope? I have to think that perhaps you and your spouse really don’t understand everything you’ve been teaching if you would leave because of pride.