[MNDude]

Here’s a Catholic article that tries to clarify what he meant:

http://www.catholicvote.org/what-pope-francis-really-said-about-atheists/

” Pope Francis did not say that an atheist who does naturally good things can be saved if he dies an atheist. Yet that is the impression given by Catholic Online’s half truth headline…

The Pope… simply reminded the faithful that there can be, and is, goodness, or natural virtue, outside the Church. And that Christ’s death on the Cross redeemed all men. He paid the price so that every man could come to God and be saved.

If Catholic Online is insinuating that Pope Francis has “reformed” the irreformable dogma, outside the Church there is no salvation, then that is shameful and disingenuous.”

[Campion]

I posted the link to the full text of the homily on the other thread discussing this. The Pope never uses the words "heaven," "salvation," or "saved", so how can he be saying that atheists can be saved apart from grace by their own works?

Instead, he's talking about some sort of "encounter". Sounds to me like he's saying we can work with atheists of good will to build a more civil and just society here on earth. Nothing very shocking about that. Perhaps, through that experience, atheists can come to an appreciation of the Gospel and grow into people of faith. It's happened before.

It's surprising to me how many people love to believe the Pope said something scandalous, based on any number of "news" articles or "analyses" by third parties pretending to tell us what the Pope really meant, without paying much attention to what he actually said. After all, it's not like the Pope's actual words are hard to find.

Is it that way with every public figure, or is the Pope singled out for that special sort of [cough] affection?

[2001convSVT]

Thank you MNDude for clarifying this, good post.

[HarleyD]

From your article:

We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.” “Doing good” the Pope explained, is not a matter of faith: “It is a duty, it is an identity card that our Father has given to all of us, because He has made us in His image and likeness. And He does good, always.”

The Pope has not only stated that everyone is included in redemption, but that it's not a matter of faith. It's a matter of duty to do good. Do good things and we'll all meet around the Crystal Sea.

It's refreshing to hear the Pope honestly preach the Catholic doctrine.

[SeaHawkFan]

That makes sense.

Also, have yet to hear this Pope claim that salvation is obtainable only through the Roman Catholic Church.