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Judy
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
I have a question about the Eucharist. I
know that Catholics believe that the Real
Presence of Christ, Body and Blood, are present
in the Eucharist. I have read Scott Hahn and
heard others say, in accordance with the Scriptures,
that this is Bread of Eternal Life and
unless you eat this bread and drink
this blood, you do not have life within
you.
I am wondering if Catholics believe that they
are the only Christians that have life
within them.
I have never ran across this before and I
know the Catholics I know, believe that others, besides Catholics, are Christians but I would
like to know what the Church says
about this.
- If this is the Church's position, how
would you explain the working of the Holy
Spirit in the lives of other non-Catholic Christians?
I'm an Anglican who is exploring Catholic
teachings.
Thank you,
Judy
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Do Catholics believe they are the only ones with 'life in them', and what about other Christians? }
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Eric
replied:
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Hi, Judy —
We believe it is possible for non-Catholic
Christians to be saved, that is, to
have life within them.
Lumen Gentium #8 says:
| "This Church [of Christ]
constituted and organized in the
world as a society, subsists in
the Catholic Church . . ., although
many elements of sanctification
and of truth are found outside
of its visible structure." |
Also, Unitatis Redintegratio #3 says:
Even in the beginnings of this
one and only Church of God there
arose certain rifts, (19) which
the Apostle strongly condemned. (20)
But in subsequent centuries much
more serious dissensions made
their appearance and quite large
communities came to be separated
from full communion with the Catholic
Church - for which, often enough,
men of both sides were to blame.
The children who are born into
these Communities and who grow
up believing in Christ cannot
be accused of the sin involved
in the separation, and the Catholic
Church embraces upon them as brothers,
with respect and affection.
For
men who believe in Christ and
have been truly baptized are in
communion with the Catholic Church
even though this communion is
imperfect. The differences that
exist in varying degrees between
them and the Catholic Church - whether in
doctrine and sometimes in discipline,
or concerning the structure of
the Church-do indeed create many
obstacles, sometimes serious ones,
to full ecclesiastical communion.
The ecumenical movement is striving
to overcome these obstacles. But
even in spite of them it remains
true that all who have been justified
by faith in Baptism are members
of Christ's body, (21) and have
a right to be called Christian,
and so are correctly accepted
as brothers by the children of
the Catholic Church. (22) |
We also believe that while we are
bound to the sacraments, God is not
— He can choose to save whomever
or confer whatever grace He wishes
on whomever he wishes. We know where
God's grace is, but we do not know
where it is not. So it is theoretically
possible for someone to be saved
who has not partaken of our Eucharist.
(We also recognize the Eucharist
of Eastern churches.) Also, we do
not see John 6 as an absolute imperative
since, in most of the Catholic world,
Communion is withheld from those
who have not achieved the use of
reason.
I strongly recommend reading
these two documents of Second
Vatican Council if you have any
interest in learning about the
Catholic Church. They are available
online, just Google them by the
names I have given:
Eric
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