Msg Base:  AREA 5  - ASK FATHER            CIN ECHO   AMDG
  Msg No: 241.  Sat  2-01-92 22:41  (NO KILL)  (MAILED)
    From: Father Mateo
      To: Steve Wells
 Subject: Salvation

+-
| Father,
|   I am a Protestant and am "born-again". Here is MY question....Do
| Catholics feel that people can go to Heaven outside of the Catholic church
| ??  In other words...I'd like to know if Protestants can go to Heaven ?
|                       Steve Wells  Steubenville, Ohio
+-[SW=>FM]
 
Dear Steve,
 
Protestants can go to Heaven, of course.  The Second Council of the
Vatican in its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium,
chapter 2, section 15) clearly teaches the connection of Protestants
with Catholics through shared belief in scripture, baptism, prayer, and
spiritual blessings.  We all believe in Christ as Son of God and
Savior, in the Father, and in the Holy Spirit.  We believe that the
Holy Spirit is active in all Christian believers by his gifts, graces,
and sanctifying power.
 
We also believe in the possibility of salvation IN CHRIST for people
who have never even so much as heard His Name.  The Council teaches
(section 16): "God is not remote from those who in shadows and images
seek the unknown God, since he gives all men life and breath and all
things (Acts 17:25-28) and since the Savior wills all men to be saved
(1 Tim. 2:4).  Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the
Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a
sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will
as they know it through the dictates of their conscience -- those too
may achieve eternal salvation.  Nor shall divine providence deny the
assistance necessary for salvation to those who, without any fault of
theirs, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God, and who
with grace strive to lead a good life.  Whatever good or truth is
found among them is considered by the Church to be a preparation for
the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at
length have life."
 
Here a meditation on Jesus' word-picture of the Last Judgement is most
rewarding (Matt. 25:31-46).  Here Our Lord clearly teaches that loving
service of others means service of Christ himself and leads to
salvation, even though the righteous man does not realize that it is
Christ whom he serves (vv. 37-40).
 
If you wish to read the whole of LUMEN GENTIUM, your sysop will tell
you how to download it from CIN files.
 
                                Sincerely in Christ,
 
                                Father Mateo