I received a question via e-mail yesterday:
Question: OK so are you saying that anyone who is not Catholic is going to Hell?
Lionel: Do you mean de facto or hypothetically?
De facto everyone on earth needs to be a Catholic, with Catholic Faith and the Baptism of water to go to Heaven and avoid Hell. (Cantate Domino, Council of Florence, Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council II etc).
Hypothetically; as a concept, in principle, a person can be saved with implicit salvation (baptism of desire etc) and it will be known only to God.
De facto we do not know any case of a person saved with the baptism of desire etc.
So are you saying that anyone who is not Catholic is going to Hell?
De facto; in reality, when I meet a non Catholic, I know he is oriented to Hell unless he converts into the Catholic Church.
De jure (in principle), a person can be saved in invincible ignorance etc and it would be known only to God.
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