>> What church you choose to attend will have nothing to do with whether you have eternal life.<<
Au contraire:
The Catholic Church has solemnly defined three times by infallible declarations that outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation. The most explicit and forceful of the three came from Pope Eugene IV, in the Bull Cantate Domino, 1441, who proclaimed ex cathedra: “The Most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, also Jews, heretics, and schismatics can ever be partakers of eternal life, but that they are to go into the eternal fire ‘which was prepared for the devil and his angels’ (Mt. 25:41) unless before death they are joined with Her... No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ can be saved unless they abide within the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.”
The other two infallible declarations are as follows: There is one universal Church of the faithful, outside of which no one at all can be saved. Pope Innocent III, ex cathedra, (Fourth Lateran Council, 1215).
We declare, say , define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff. Pope Boniface VIII, (Unam Sanctam, 1302).
This means, and has always meant, that salvation and unity exist only within the Catholic Church, and that members of heretical groups cannot be considered as “part” of the Church of Christ. This doctrine has been the consistent teaching of the Popes throughout the centuries.
Further, it is dogmatically set forth that no authority in the Church, no matter how highly placed, may lawfully attempt to change the clear meaning of this (or any) infallible dogma. Vatican I taught: “The meaning of Sacred Dogmas, which must always be preserved, is that which our Holy Mother the Church has determined. Never is it permissible to depart from this in the name of a deeper understanding.” This same Vatican I defined solemnly that not even a Pope may teach a new doctrine.
Naturally, the truth that there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church has been supported by all the saints from every age. Following are several examples:
St. Irenaeus (130-202), Bishop and Martyr: “The Church is the entrance to life; all others are thieves and robbers. On this account we are bound to avoid them . . . . We hear it declared of the unbelieving and the blinded of this world that they shall not inherit the world of life which is to come . . . . Resist them in defense of the only true and life giving faith, which the Church has received from the Apostles and imparted to her sons.”
St. Augustine (354-430), Bishop and Doctor of the Church: “No man can find salvation except in the Catholic Church. Outside the Catholic Church one can have everything except salvation. One can have honor, one can have sacraments, one can sing alleluia, one can answer amen, one can have faith in the Name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and preach it too, but never can one find salvation except in the Catholic Church.”
St. Fulgentius (468-533), Bishop: “Most firmly hold and never doubt that not only pagans, but also Jews, all heretics, and all schismatics who finish this life outside of the Catholic Church, will go into eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
Pope St. Gregory the Great (590-604): “The holy universal Church teaches that it is not possible to worship God truly except in Her and asserts that all who are outside of Her will not be saved.”
St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226): “All who have not believed that Jesus Christ was really the Son of God are doomed. Also, all who see the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and do not believe it is really the most holy Body and Blood of the Lord . . . these also are doomed!”
St. Thomas Aquinas (1226-1274), the Angelic Doctor: There is no entering into salvation outside the Catholic Church, just as in the time of the Flood there was not salvation outside the Ark, which denotes the Church.”
St. Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716): “There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Anyone who resists this truth perishes.”
St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), Bishop and Doctor of the Church: “Outside the Church there is no salvation...therefore in the symbol (Apostles Creed) we join together the Church with the remission of sins: ‘I believe in the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins”...For this reason the Church is compared to the Ark of Noah, because just as during the deluge, everyone perished who was not in the ark, so now those perish who are not in the Church.”
St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop and Doctor of the Church: “All the misfortunes of unbelievers spring from too great an attachment to the things of life. This sickness of heart weakens and darkens the understanding, and leads to eternal ruin. If they would try to heal their hearts by purging them of their vices, they would soon receive light, which would show them the necessity of joining the Catholic Church, where alone is salvation. We should constantly thank the Lord for having granted us the gift of the true Faith, by associating us with the children of the Holy Catholic Church ... How many are the infidels, heretics, and schismatics who do not enjoy the happiness of the true Faith! Earth is full of them and they are all lost!”
Pope Pius XII (1939-1958): Some say they are not bound by the doctrine which teaches that the Mystical Body of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church are one and the same thing. Some reduce to a meaningless formula the necessity of belonging to the true Church in order to gain eternal salvation. Others finally belittle the reasonable character of the credibility of Christian Faith. These and like ERRORS, it is clear, have crept in among certain of our sons who are deceived by imprudent zeal for souls or by false science.”
Now that you’ve been informed, you can no longer claim invincible ignorance as an excuse.
The rest of your post is just episode of this statement.
It is simply an opinion that stands apart from Christ's own words and the rest of inspired Scripture.
"And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others." - Jesus Christ
We do have catholic writings noting the apparition at Fatima said, "Whosoever dies clothed in this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.” - words of Our Lady to Saint Simon Stock
Roman catholicism contradicts itself and the New Testament. Is it membership in the rcc or wearing the scapular that "saves" you?
We also have the words of Pope Urban II declaring, "All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested."
Again, roman catholicism contradicting not only itself, but the New Testament.
The other two infallible declarations are as follows: There is one universal Church of the faithful, outside of which no one at all can be saved. Pope Innocent III, ex cathedra, (Fourth Lateran Council, 1215).
If the pope were referring to the ekklesia he would be correct. However, if he is referring to the roman catholic church, then he is mistaken.
To be clear....membership in a denomination does not save you. Belief in Christ is what saves as noted in John 3:16.
We declare, say , define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff. Pope Boniface VIII, (Unam Sanctam, 1302).
To which none of this is supported by the New Testament.
Jesus said in John 14:6...."I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me."
No requirement to be a member of the roman catholic church nor be subject to the pope.
If the requirement to follow the pope,as noted by Boniface, is true, then a lot of catholics on this board are in trouble. I'll add they're in trouble if they believe they have to be subject to the pope for their salvation as that would again contradict John 14:6.
From Acts 2:38 we also have this....."Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
The statement of Boniface is in contradiction of this statement by Peter. Peter never said anyone had to be subject to him. This means only Peter or Boniface is right.
The Truth has been shared from the New Testament in hopes of correcting the false teachings of roman catholicism.
How smugly arrogant!
"One indeed is the universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved, in which the priest himself is the sacrifice, Jesus Christ, whose body and blood are truly contained in the sacrament of the altar under the species of bread and wine; the bread (changed) into His body by the divine power of transubstantiation, and the wine into the blood, so that to accomplish the mystery of unity we ourselves receive from His (nature) what He Himself received from ours."
--Pope Innocent III and Lateran Council IV (A.D. 1215)
Should we have pinged him?
Amen I say to this post. If I were to post the same as you did here I would have only worded the last sentence you wrote to say “Now you probably can’t claim invincible ignorance as an excuse”. Since we are not God we can’t judge if AMPU (or anyone who read the words of your post yet still rejects them) has some mental defect or perhaps some other impediment that isn’t his fault that prevents him from truly understanding and still rejecting the message. IMO. But as a Catholic I can not nor will not disagree with what you wrote. All are in serious danger, even with “invincible ignorance” if they reject the Church.
After reading the rest of this thread it becomes apparent to me once again there is little left to do than pray for our separated brethren. Would you join me in entrusting their souls to the kind mercies of Our Lady, as I pray the Rosary now (and you do, when you do)? None who have fled to her protection have ever been left without her tender mercies.
Today is Saturday, so we have the Joyful Mysteries upon which to reflect. Perhaps a joyful mystery of heartfelt conversion for at least one reading or participating in this thread may be a result.
Again I say Amen to your post. It’s serious business, rejecting the Church. It is good to remind of this fact on occasion.