One Minute Catechism – What Do We Mean When We Say: “Outside the Catholic Church There Is No Salvation”?

One Minute Catechism – What Do We Mean When We Say: “Outside the Catholic Church There Is No Salvation”?

Question: What do we mean when we say, “Outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation”?
Answer: We mean that all salvation comes through Christ and His Church, which He founded as the means of grace and truth. Those who knowingly and deliberately reject the Church that Christ established cannot be saved; yet, those who through no fault of their own do not know her, but sincerely seek God and strive to do His will, may also be saved by God’s mercy through the grace of Christ.

Scripture:
“There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” — Acts 4:12

Reflection:
Christ gave us His Church as the vessel of truth and salvation. To love Christ fully is to love His Church, which leads us to eternal life.

Source note:
One Minute Catechism – Daily Catholic Teachings inspired by “My Catholic Faith.”