Dear Shirley,
The "Catechism of the Catholic Church"* answers your question
in no. 1260:
1260 "Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact
called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must
hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being
made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery."
Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his
Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in
accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may
be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism
explicitly if they had known its necessity.
Read also Vatican Council II's:
GAUDIUM ET SPES, 22,5;
LUMEN GENTIUM, 16.
I congratulate you on your opportunity to visit the Holy Land. I'm
not an experienced traveler, but perhaps I can suggest as spiritual
preparation a prayerful re-reading of the four Gospels and F.J.
Sheed's marvelous "To Know Christ Jesus".
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Mateo
- Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit -
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