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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Buddist parents, protestant, muslim, Catholic	raymond	Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Question: Dear Sir, My parents are buddist, tie kwan ying, will they enter heaven after they died? They are not baptised, my friend protestant always ask me to joint their protestant ceremony which denied Mother Mary, only serve Jesus, will they enter heaven when they died?, My friends muslim denied the trinity of Christ, will they enter heaven when they died? my friends, and priests catholic, who denied the danger of smart card and the verichip, which will overtake the world when the world economic collapse, will they enter heaven if they serve the world implanting verichip under their skin? very urgent! please inform me on this. 10Q about faith, i been keep scolded by parents on shaking my faith, our government is implanting smart card to all schools now using the step forward to cashless society, i have a weak faith in my own religion, catholic, how can i be strengthen? yes my friends or any other religious who call them religious of teaching good deeds but i still see people sleeping under shopping lot, naked poor, do they mean what they say or they are doing the right thing ignoring the poor, left the poor to be hungry, even priest going to town saw it, but different story at the church, i got photo too will send them over when is finish. do you think they going to heaven?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Raymond: CONCERNING ETERNAL DESTINY OF NON-CHRISTIANS: Only God knows who will go the heaven or hell. While belief and confession in Christ through the Sacraments of the Catholic Church is the surest and assured way to attain and remain in God's friendship, those of other religions may also achieve salvation if through no fault of their own they do not know Christ and His Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains: The Church and non-Christians 839 "Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways." The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People, "the first to hear the Word of God." The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ", "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable." 840 And when one considers the future, God's People of the Old Covenant and the new People of God tend towards similar goals: expectation of the coming (or the return) of the Messiah. But one awaits the return of the Messiah who died and rose from the dead and is recognized as Lord and Son of God; the other awaits the coming of a Messiah, whose features remain hidden till the end of time; and the latter waiting is accompanied by the drama of not knowing or of misunderstanding Christ Jesus. 841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day." 842 The Church's bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race: All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . . 843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life." 844 In their religious behavior, however, men also display the limits and errors that disfigure the image of God in them: Very often, deceived by the Evil One, men have become vain in their reasonings, and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and served the creature rather than the Creator. Or else, living and dying in this world without God, they are exposed to ultimate despair. 845 To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into his Son's Church. The Church is the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. The Church is "the world reconciled." She is that bark which "in the full sail of the Lord's cross, by the breath of the Holy Spirit, navigates safely in this world." According to another image dear to the Church Fathers, she is prefigured by Noah's ark, which alone saves from the flood. "Outside the Church there is no salvation" 846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body: Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it. 847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church: Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation. 848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men." CONCERNING THE SMART CHIP: The prophecy concerning the Mark of the Beast includes a specific renouncement of Christ. Unless the government requires us to renounce Christ when we get this Smart Card or Chip its use is not a fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy. This technology is an issue of privacy and possible government abuse of power, not a theological one. HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH: There are several things you can do to strengthen your faith: 1) attend Mass as often as possible 2) spend at least one hour a week before the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration 3) Read and study the Bible (St. Jerome said that ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ) 4) Read and study the Catechism (a summary of official Church teaching and faith) 5) ask God to strengthen your faith 6) say daily prayers and devotions (develops faith and spirituality) 7) do good works as an expression of love and of your faith (St. James says that faith without the works of love is dead) 8) avoid friendships and situations that place you in the near occasion of sin or place you away from God and your Faith 9) avoid any one or any situation that causes you to lose your peace in Christ or threatens your faith 10) practice the faith in all you do, in all areas of your life. Give yourself to Christ. THE FAITH AND THE POOR: As mentioned above, St. James says that faith without the works of love is dead. If our faith is dead, then we have no salvation since salvation comes from God's grace through faith. Those good works are acts of charity and love. In the Corporal Works of Mercy, the Church summarizes this: 1) feed the hungry 2) Give drink to the thirsty 3) Clothe the naked 4) Shelter the homeless 5) Visit the sick 6) Visit the imprisoned 7) Bury the dead In addition to these Corporal Works of Mercy the Church also proposes the Spiritual Works of Mercy: 1) Counsel the doubtful 2) Instruct the ignorant 3) Admonish the sinner 4) Comfort the sorrowful 5) Forgive injuries 6) Bear wrongs patiently 7) Pray for the living and the dead People of the Christian faith, if they truly have Christian faith, need to be doing these Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy whenever they have the opportunity to perform them. To your question directly, if people know about these poor, homeless, and hungry people, then they have an obligation under Christ to try to help. This help can range from donating money to a homeless shelter, for example, or personally getting involved as a volunteer in the homeless shelter, or feeding the poor at a shelter, or perhaps helping them directly on the street -- whatever God calls one to do. But, to ignore these poor people is a sin. It is utterly contrary to what Jesus taught. Jesus said that what we do to the least esteemed of the world, we do to Him. Thus, if we ignore the poor we are ignoring Christ. As for whether or not people who ignore the poor will go to heaven, again, only God knows this. Certainly such people can confess their sin at any time and start doing the right thing. People can even repent on their deathbed moments before they die. All those who die in a state of grace will go to heaven. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Buddist parents, protestant, muslim, Catholic

raymond

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Question:

Dear Sir,

My parents are buddist, tie kwan ying, will they enter heaven after they died? They are not baptised, my friend protestant always ask me to joint their protestant ceremony which denied Mother Mary, only serve Jesus, will they enter heaven when they died?, My friends muslim denied the trinity of Christ, will they enter heaven when they died? my friends, and priests catholic, who denied the danger of smart card and the verichip, which will overtake the world when the world economic collapse, will they enter heaven if they serve the world implanting verichip under their skin? very urgent!
please inform me on this. 10Q

about faith, i been keep scolded by parents on shaking my faith, our government is implanting smart card to all schools now using the step forward to cashless society, i have a weak faith in my own religion, catholic, how can i be strengthen?

yes my friends or any other religious who call them religious of teaching good deeds but i still see people sleeping under shopping lot, naked poor, do they mean what they say or they are doing the right thing ignoring the poor, left the poor to be hungry, even priest going to town saw it, but different story at the church, i got photo too will send them over when is finish. do you think they going to heaven?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Raymond:

CONCERNING ETERNAL DESTINY OF NON-CHRISTIANS:

Only God knows who will go the heaven or hell. While belief and confession in Christ through the Sacraments of the Catholic Church is the surest and assured way to attain and remain in God's friendship, those of other religions may also achieve salvation if through no fault of their own they do not know Christ and His Church.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains:

The Church and non-Christians
839 "Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways."
The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People, "the first to hear the Word of God." The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ", "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."
840 And when one considers the future, God's People of the Old Covenant and the new People of God tend towards similar goals: expectation of the coming (or the return) of the Messiah. But one awaits the return of the Messiah who died and rose from the dead and is recognized as Lord and Son of God; the other awaits the coming of a Messiah, whose features remain hidden till the end of time; and the latter waiting is accompanied by the drama of not knowing or of misunderstanding Christ Jesus.
841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."
842 The Church's bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race:
All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . .
843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."
844 In their religious behavior, however, men also display the limits and errors that disfigure the image of God in them:
Very often, deceived by the Evil One, men have become vain in their reasonings, and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and served the creature rather than the Creator. Or else, living and dying in this world without God, they are exposed to ultimate despair.
845 To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into his Son's Church. The Church is the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. The Church is "the world reconciled." She is that bark which "in the full sail of the Lord's cross, by the breath of the Holy Spirit, navigates safely in this world." According to another image dear to the Church Fathers, she is prefigured by Noah's ark, which alone saves from the flood.

"Outside the Church there is no salvation"
846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:
Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.
847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:
Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.
848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."

CONCERNING THE SMART CHIP:

The prophecy concerning the Mark of the Beast includes a specific renouncement of Christ. Unless the government requires us to renounce Christ when we get this Smart Card or Chip its use is not a fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy.

This technology is an issue of privacy and possible government abuse of power, not a theological one.

HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH:

There are several things you can do to strengthen your faith:

1) attend Mass as often as possible

2) spend at least one hour a week before the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration

3) Read and study the Bible (St. Jerome said that ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ)

4) Read and study the Catechism (a summary of official Church teaching and faith)

5) ask God to strengthen your faith

6) say daily prayers and devotions (develops faith and spirituality)

7) do good works as an expression of love and of your faith (St. James says that faith without the works of love is dead)

8) avoid friendships and situations that place you in the near occasion of sin or place you away from God and your Faith

9) avoid any one or any situation that causes you to lose your peace in Christ or threatens your faith

10) practice the faith in all you do, in all areas of your life. Give yourself to Christ.

THE FAITH AND THE POOR:

As mentioned above, St. James says that faith without the works of love is dead. If our faith is dead, then we have no salvation since salvation comes from God's grace through faith.

Those good works are acts of charity and love. In the Corporal Works of Mercy, the Church summarizes this:

1) feed the hungry
2) Give drink to the thirsty
3) Clothe the naked
4) Shelter the homeless
5) Visit the sick
6) Visit the imprisoned
7) Bury the dead

In addition to these Corporal Works of Mercy the Church also proposes the Spiritual Works of Mercy:

1) Counsel the doubtful
2) Instruct the ignorant
3) Admonish the sinner
4) Comfort the sorrowful
5) Forgive injuries
6) Bear wrongs patiently
7) Pray for the living and the dead

People of the Christian faith, if they truly have Christian faith, need to be doing these Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy whenever they have the opportunity to perform them.

To your question directly, if people know about these poor, homeless, and hungry people, then they have an obligation under Christ to try to help. This help can range from donating money to a homeless shelter, for example, or personally getting involved as a volunteer in the homeless shelter, or feeding the poor at a shelter, or perhaps helping them directly on the street -- whatever God calls one to do. But, to ignore these poor people is a sin. It is utterly contrary to what Jesus taught. Jesus said that what we do to the least esteemed of the world, we do to Him. Thus, if we ignore the poor we are ignoring Christ.

As for whether or not people who ignore the poor will go to heaven, again, only God knows this. Certainly such people can confess their sin at any time and start doing the right thing. People can even repent on their deathbed moments before they die.

All those who die in a state of grace will go to heaven.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum