Post by Vidit Lucem Magnam on Jun 19, 2017 15:17:32 GMT -5
Hi all, I am a protestant (an anglo-catholic episcopalian) who feels drawn to the traditional Roman Catholic Church. But I have many questions that I am struggling to wrap my head around. Any guidance would be helpful.
1. Obviously, this one is close to my heart. What is the state of my family's souls who died, as far as I know, as protestants? I come from a long line of farmers in the South, and before that from England and Ireland. My grandmother was a devout baptist. She was the kindest woman I have ever known. She took in families during the depression. She raised children who weren't her own. I remember the last check she ever wrote was on her death bed. She emptied out her bank account to help a friend's son get a pancreas transplant. And yet before she died she kept saying "I could have done more, I could have done more..." She was the one who first taught me who Our Lord was and that I should believe in him and live in accordance with his commandments for my salvation. She was baptized but I don't believe she knew anything about Catholicism except the lies spewed from the pulpit of her church. Had she been offered the opportunity to glimpse Holy Mother Church for what she truly is, I'd like to think she would have given herself to it entirely. Unfortunately, I don't believe she had that chance.
The church has long taught extra Ecclesiam nulla salus, no salvation outside the church. And while St. Benedict teaches to never despair of God's mercy, is there any hope? Is there any reason to pray for her soul?
2. I was taught that Our Lord died to purchase redemption for the whole world from its sins. That a person who believes and is baptized is saved. As an episcopalian, the traditional understanding of belief was a "true and lively faith" that is a faith that bears out good works (though goodness knows what gobbledy gook passes for the salvific formula nowadays, the last presiding "bishop"-ess used to talk about universal salvation of all things and condemned individual salvation as the great western heresy www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=34091). What is the traditional catholic teaching on salvation?
3. I don't live near any traditional catholic churches that I'm aware of. How do I navigate becoming a traditional catholic with only novus ordo resources. Do I attend the novus ordo mass? Do I take RCIA and try to be patient when the teacher says things that contradict the teachings of the church. I wish to be humble and teachable, but I don't know what my duties are when errors are being taught around me under the color of the magesterium.
I hope you will forgive me if any of these questions are wrong-headed or obnoxious or are already handled here elsewhere. I greatly appreciate any comments you can offer.
1. Obviously, this one is close to my heart. What is the state of my family's souls who died, as far as I know, as protestants? I come from a long line of farmers in the South, and before that from England and Ireland. My grandmother was a devout baptist. She was the kindest woman I have ever known. She took in families during the depression. She raised children who weren't her own. I remember the last check she ever wrote was on her death bed. She emptied out her bank account to help a friend's son get a pancreas transplant. And yet before she died she kept saying "I could have done more, I could have done more..." She was the one who first taught me who Our Lord was and that I should believe in him and live in accordance with his commandments for my salvation. She was baptized but I don't believe she knew anything about Catholicism except the lies spewed from the pulpit of her church. Had she been offered the opportunity to glimpse Holy Mother Church for what she truly is, I'd like to think she would have given herself to it entirely. Unfortunately, I don't believe she had that chance.
The church has long taught extra Ecclesiam nulla salus, no salvation outside the church. And while St. Benedict teaches to never despair of God's mercy, is there any hope? Is there any reason to pray for her soul?
2. I was taught that Our Lord died to purchase redemption for the whole world from its sins. That a person who believes and is baptized is saved. As an episcopalian, the traditional understanding of belief was a "true and lively faith" that is a faith that bears out good works (though goodness knows what gobbledy gook passes for the salvific formula nowadays, the last presiding "bishop"-ess used to talk about universal salvation of all things and condemned individual salvation as the great western heresy www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=34091). What is the traditional catholic teaching on salvation?
3. I don't live near any traditional catholic churches that I'm aware of. How do I navigate becoming a traditional catholic with only novus ordo resources. Do I attend the novus ordo mass? Do I take RCIA and try to be patient when the teacher says things that contradict the teachings of the church. I wish to be humble and teachable, but I don't know what my duties are when errors are being taught around me under the color of the magesterium.
I hope you will forgive me if any of these questions are wrong-headed or obnoxious or are already handled here elsewhere. I greatly appreciate any comments you can offer.