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To: huskyboy
One who gets saved even though invincibly ignorant (and although these instances are God's province, we would have to say these occurences are rare because they are exceptions which prove the rule, otherwise why we do we have a Church?) would have to be either in purgatory or heaven, so they've been brought into the Church.

So they aren't brought into the Church until they are dead? You believe there are people who die without being a part of the Church who then, after they die, become part of the Church?

SD

482 posted on 05/21/2003 7:03:01 AM PDT by SoothingDave
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To: SoothingDave
So they aren't brought into the Church until they are dead? You believe there are people who die without being a part of the Church who then, after they die, become part of the Church?

This should clear things up:

This hope of salvation is placed in the Catholic Church which, in preserving the true worship, is the solid home of this faith and the temple of God. Outside of the Church, nobody can hope for life or salvation unless he is excused through ignorance beyond his control. (Pope Pius IX, Singulari Quidem, paragraph 7)

I would, first of all, leave it to Our Lord to know who is excused through ignorance beyond control. Suffice it to say in those limited circumstances, certain people would have had the opportunity after death to see how He had died for us so that they would be saved if they believe in Him. There's not much else to say, for a good reason. It is His Church, so He has a right to seek such people.

People have seen visions of purgatory and of hell. I know of no similar vision of a truly ignorant individual being saved. That would tell us something important - that the exceptions prove the rule, which is that all people must be in the Church, that is to say, the one Church which is visible here on earth, in order to be saved.

The invisible parts of the Church - the parts we don't see right now (excepting visions) - are in purgatory and in heaven.

How is this right now? Are you following this (seriously, I hope I explained it clearly here - didn't want anyone confused)?

520 posted on 05/21/2003 11:04:42 AM PDT by huskyboy (Introibo ad altare Dei; non ad altare hominis!)
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