Msg Base:  AREA 3  - ASK FATHER (AMDG)
  Msg No: 91.  Tue  1-01-80  0:09  (NO KILL)  (RECV'D)
    From: Father Mateo
      To: Patrick Spellman
 Subject: Salvation

PS|Dear Father,
 
PS|It's been awhile since I've last posed a question to you.  I trust you've
  |been well.  I thank God that San Diego is back on-line; providing an
  |avenue to your area.
 
PS|The question I have now is this:  Is it necessary to receive the
  |sacraments for salvation, particularly the Eucharist in light of
  |John, chapter six?
 
PS|I look foward towards your answer.
 
PS|Your's in Christ,
 
PS|Pat Spellman
 
 
Dear Patrick,
 
Every person is given sufficient grace for his salvation.  If he uses
the measure of light and grace God gives, he will be saved.
 
Baptism is necessary for salvation if one explicitly knows about
baptism and the role Christ means it to play in our salvation.  There
is, supplementing--not replacing--water baptism, the baptism of
explicit desire.  A catechumen who wants water baptism but who dies
unexpectedly before he can receive it, is saved in view of his
explicit desire, provided he truly loves God and is sorry for his
sins.
 
Baptism of implicit desire saves one who is sorry for his sins and
WOULD desire and receive actual baptism if he knew that is God's
will.  Again, one who sincerely and earnestly desires and does God's
will according to the light and grace he has will be saved.
 
If a person knows of the Eucharist and its importance in our lives,
yet neglects to receive it at least once a year (the present
discipline of the Church), is guilty of serious sin, and so must
repent and begin to receive the sacrament if he is to be saved.  One
who does not have the light and grace to recognize the Eucharist (out
of no fault of his own) does not sin by not receiving the Eucharist.
 
The sacraments are normal channels of God's saving grace.  If, a person
cannot receive them or doesn't even know about them, we believe that
a merciful God will use other means to reach that person and
accomplish his salvation.  "God wants all to be saved and to come to
knowledge of His truth" (1st Timothy 2:4).
 
                                Sincerely in Christ,
 
                                Father Mateo