Karl Keating's E-Letter of December 20, 2005

[Forum Admin]

Karl's E-Letter of December 20, 2005

Topic:

Putting Ideas Into Catholics' Heads

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http://www.catholic.com/newsletters/kke_051220.asp

[RobbyS]

Maybe they should ask a more pointed question: Is it more likely that a convinced Catholic will get into heaven than a convinced Nazi? Bearing in mind that a convinced Nazi ( Goebbels) eschewed Catholic doctrine as sheer falsehood. Bear in mind that Goebbels were utterly sincere in his worship of Hitlerism, and for that reason he and his wife killed not only themselves but their children rather than live in a world without Hitler.

[puzzleannie]

I'm not worried about how many non-Catholics will go to heaven, I worry about the Catholics, that is my business and my job, insofar as I can, to help them get to heaven. For to whom much has been given, much will be demanded.

[contemplative]

What can be said is that, all things being equal, it is better to be a Catholic than to be anything else. Your odds are improved if you belong to the very Church that Christ established because through it you have fullness of doctrinal truth plus the chief channels of grace, the sacraments. The further you are from the Church, the less of these you have.

This is what I’ve always believed. I pray for rather than condemn those without wisdom, knowledge and especially those without the blessing of Sacraments.



Sophia Institute Press publishes a book I am currently reading. The Art of Dying Well (or, How to be a Saint, Now and Forever) by St. Robert Bellarmine. I highly recommend this book.

The Table of Contents includes

• Strive to live well
• Learn to die to the world
• Persevere in faith,hope, and charity
• Be ever ready to meet Christ
• Remain detached from worldly possessions
• Be sober, just, and pious
• Pray fervently
• Practice fasting
• Give generously of the gifts God has given you
• Be faithful to your baptismal promises
• Use the gifts you have received in Confirmation
• Receive the Eucharist worthily
• Confess your sins with true contrition
• Revere the sacred
• Love and honor your spouse and your children
• Guard your senses against sin
• Resolve to die well

With about 1/3 of the book left to read I must say that I am struck by how clear St. Bellarmine outlines that few are chosen for eternal life in heaven. St. Bellarmine also clearly states that one must live well in order to die holy. Living well is not an easy task….it is no breeze.

There are seven sacraments instituted by Christ our Lord, Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and Anointing of the Sick. These are the divine instruments, as it were, which God uses by the ministry of His servants, to preserve or increase or restore His grace to us, so that, being freed from the servitude of the Devil and translated to the dignity of the “sons of God” we may one day arrive at eternal happiness with the holy angels. From these holy sacraments, therefore, it is our intention briefly to show who are they who advance in the art of living well, and who fail in it. We may then know who can hope for a happy death, and who, on the contrary, may expect a miserable one, unless he changes his life.

page 77

The way is difficult, not a breeze.

We all must work very hard to obtain eternal life with God.

So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. 1 Corinthians 9:26

[Bob Rowland]

Justice demands that only those that believe and are baptized and follow a pattern of total obedience to the infallible doctrines of God's church should enter heaven. Because God gives free will to all to accept or reject Him, invincible ignorance would seem out of the question. The Catholic Church has always been open to the world, but Jesus did not go after those that found His sayings too hard. When you have the full deposit of faith, any concession to dialogue or "ecumenism" challenges the assertion of Jesus that He would protect His Church from error. Extra Ecclesia Nulla Salus! I don't have a problem with God's Word.

[contemplative]

Originally Posted by contemplative

We all must work very hard to obtain eternal life with God.

So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. 1 Corinthians 9:26

[uncleauberon]

Originally Posted by Bob Rowland

Justice demands that only those that believe and are baptized and follow a pattern of total obedience to the infallible doctrines of God's church should enter heaven.

Well, then let us be thankfull that the Lord is not only Just but also Merciful.

Indeed, Justice demands that each of us get a ticket straight to Hell. None of us is totally Just.

Christ, himself is the Justice for the world.

Not any actions or beliefs that I may have will satisfy Justice.

Perhaps, we could pray that they may count at least as a Justification towards our redemption.

[uncleauberon]

Originally Posted by Forum Admin

Karl's E-Letter of December 20, 2005

Topic:

Putting Ideas Into Catholics' Heads

... Evangelical Protestants had the lowest affirmative response, 68%. Non-Christians were next at 73%. Mainline Protestants were at 83%. And Catholics? Fully 91% of them thought that non-Catholics could be saved.

What does this survey tell us? Not much, actually...

I disagree. It seems to me that unwittingly these Catholics, despite the poor state of specific Catechisis, actually got this theological point "right" !

Hoohray ! I use this point to hook fallen Catholics back to the church and away from evangelicals.

What better hook than to use a great truth that they already believe.

I like to point out that it is only by their Catholic Faith they can believe this. Most other faiths do not afford this luxury.

They are spending thier "Catholic Capital" without even knowing it.

Ha ! Go forth and teach the nations !

Salvation open to all - this is Natural Law - a Universal truth that is easily recognized as true.

todd

[qmvsimp]

Originally Posted by contemplative

We all must work very hard to obtain eternal life with God.

The Protestants would have a field day with that one. While I agree with you, here is a better way of saying it:

We must all persevere in our faith and obedience to Christ and his Church in order to obtain eternal life with God.

[kellie]

Hi to all
This is for ADMIN
The link in the email I got this week is wrong

Instead, go to Catholic Answers' discussion forums at http://forums.catholic.com, where you may post your comment in the forum dedicated to the E-Letter.

See how the comma is right at the end?
When I clicked on the link in my email, the comma was brought up in the address bar and hence didnt work

Thank you
Kellie

[Archbishop]

Maybe Karl can clarify something about the survey. When it says "Can a good person who isn't of your religious faith go to heaven or attain salvation?", does it mean can a person who is not a "Christian" go to heaven or does it mean can a person who is not a "Catholic" or a "Baptist" or a "Pentecostal" (depending upon who is answering the question) go to heaven. In other words, does it mean can a person not of your denomination go to heaven and be saved, or does it mean can a person who does not believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior go to heaven and be saved?

There is a rampant universalism among many so-called Christians today, Protestants and Catholics alike, that says just as long as a person is seeking after God and doing good, they will get to heaven. The issue of salvation only through Jesus Christ as the Bible asserts doesn't seem to be a factor any more for people. The "there are many ways to God, Jesus is just one way" is leading many people down the road to hell in a handbasket. As Karl writes in this issue of the newsletter, getting into heaven is not a breeze. Broad is the road that leads to destruction and narrow is the gate that leads to heaven.

God is a God of mercy and grace but he has also set standards for admission into heaven. One of those standards is belief, trust, and reliance in and upon His Son, Jesus Christ for salvation.

To my dismay, I see many Roman Catholics who believe that anyone who does good and seeks after God in their own way will make it to heaven. Whether or not that way includes Jesus is of little consequence. I can't imagine Saint Peter or any of the blessed Apostles believing this.

[Karl Keating]

Archbishop:

The survey question wasn't as precise as it could have been.

You have a good point: Does it mean (if a Catholic is answering) that non-Catholic Christians can go to heaven but not non-Christians, or does it mean that all non-Catholics can go to heaven?

This is another reason that such surveys tell us little.

What we should keep in mind is that, no matter how people in the aggregate answer, each individual can be converted--or, at least, can get a deeper understanding of Christianity. Each person's beliefs can be changed, with the help of others and with his own cooperation with grace.

[pnewton]

This eletter shows the importance of taking statistics with a block of salt. If a more exhaustive list of misleading Catholic surveys were included, I would not have had the bandwidth to download it.

It is important when confronted with such statistics to go back to the original data, specifically, the wording of the questions, the size of the sample and the demographics of the sample. Nine out of ten times (according to my survey) if statistics seem fishy, you will discover why when you look at these items closer.

[Archbishop]

Karl: Amen! Hence the need for fervent evangelization and the preaching of the Gospel as our Lord has commanded.

Keep up the great work you are doing for the Kingdom.

Abp +Mark

[Terry_from_Ypsi]

Karl and All:

First a Merry and Christmas and a Hope-filled and blessed and
safe New Year to All.

How come no "Merry Christmas" in this letter ?

Not even a "Happy Holidays" (may be Happy Holydays) ?

May God be worshipped and adored this wonderful season.

Regards from Snowy, Cold Michigan

Terry