Please comment.

[Guest]

"We cannot be saved unless we are in the Catholic Church."

Protestants seem to have a problem with the statement. Could their problem be resolved with the understanding that "Catholic Church" has, over the centuries, changed in meaning?

The meaning of the word "catholic" always was, and still is, "universal".

The word was first applied to the Church which our Lord founded.
Does anyone deny the fact that one cannot be saved without being part of the Universal Church?

[Guest]

Paidion,
Do you think the pope had that distinction in mind? Or you think that the pope believed the vast majority of his audience would recognize that distinction?

If you showed the popes words to 1,000 random people, what do you think the vast majority of them would think he meant? Do you think the pope would disagree with your answer? Is it possible the pope understood perfectly what meaning the vast majority would take?

Perry

[Guest]

Do you think the pope had that distinction in mind? Or you think that the pope believed the vast majority of his audience would recognize that distinction?

I think the early "Catholic" church was the Church of Christ, the only one which Christ founded. There was a gradual change in the organization, beliefs, and practices of that Church until it later became what is commonly known as "the Catholic Church".

To answer your question, "No. I don't think the pope differentiated between what is now known as 'the Catholic Church" and "the Catholic Church" as it existed from the beginning. I do not think the pope has any concept of "the Catholic Church" in the sense of "the Universal Church" as I described it. I think he believed that the organization we know as "the Catholic Church" is the Universal Church.

I guess my point was not directly related to the question at hand. I just wanted to make it.