“The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. 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 he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.”
Pope Eugene IV, Cantate Domino
November 16, 2012 at 5:04 pm
But what about Rahner’s Anonymous Christian? And Crowe’s Anonymous Spiritan? How could a Catholic cope psychologically if he really believed 3 billion of his living neighbours would one day be eternally lost (and eternally suffering)?
November 17, 2012 at 11:08 am
“The Catholic Church offers for all the departed. For she will presume of anyone that he is in a place of purgation, since she cannot be sure of the final impenitence of anyone, God alone knowing the hearts of those who die. And the Church devoutly believes that many even after they have lost the power of speech yet sigh for their sins with saving sorrow” (St Albert the Great, de Sacrificio Missae).