His Eminence Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Majors, Rome prayed that the Jews, whom he mentioned specifically among all people, be baptized and so join the Chosen People (“popolo eletto”); the Elect, the Catholic Church.
The cardinal was leading the Easter Vigil prayers on Saturday night at the Basilica of St. Mary Majors. There was a large congregation in attendance.
Cardinal Law specifically mentioned after two Old Testament Readings, the necessity of the Jews being baptized for salvation.
Later in his homily in Italian he emphasized the necessity of the Catholic Church for the salvation of all people; all people who enter the Catholic Church.
The cardinal’s message was that Catholics are the ‘chosen people’ of God. He said one cannot separate Jesus from the Catholic Church. Jesus in the Catholic Church is the only way to God the Father. Salvation is available for all baptized persons who enter the Catholic Church. To be saved all people need to worship Jesus in the Catholic Church. He cited various popes.
It may be mentioned that it is an ex cathedra teaching of three popes and Councils that all people with no exception need to join ‘the chosen people’, the Catholic Church for salvation.
Vatican Council II (Ad Gentes7, Lumen Gentium 14) also mentions the need for all people to enter the Catholic Church as the only way of salvation. It indicates that millions of educated, informed non Catholics, who know about the Catholic Church and yet do not enter, are oriented to Hell. They would include most of the population of present-day Israel.1. “There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved.” (Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council, 1215.).
2. “We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” (Pope Boniface VIII, the Bull Unam Sanctam, 302.).
3.“The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church.” (Pope Eugene IV, the Bull Cantate Domino, 1441.)
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