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“Ask a Priest: What Can Non-Catholics Expect After Death?”

November 12, 2019 / Ask a Priest, General

Q: I’m not Catholic. What happens to non-Catholics after death? – D.D.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: We all face what is known as a particular judgment at the moment of death.

That is when we face God, who is absolute Truth, and we see our lives in the light of that Truth. We face judgment based on how we lived and on what the state of our soul is at death.

Immediately we learn our fate: either heaven right away, purgatory for a while and then heaven, or hell for eternity.

If we die in a state of mortal (serious) sin, we face the prospect of hell. In this case we get what we choose. If we sin seriously and in effect reject God, then we live with the consequence of that decision for all eternity.

Similarly, if we try to follow God’s ways, we can attain heaven with his grace.

Perhaps non-Catholics, not having enjoyed the benefit of the sacraments in their lifetime, will face a less severe judgment than will Catholics.

For a short video, see https://www.catholic.com/video/what-happens-when-we-die.

To help you pray about these truths, you might find it helpful to what our Retreat Guide called Fire of Mercy.

One thing you count on: All of us will be judged.

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“Ask a Priest: Should I Fear for Loved Ones Who Left the Church?”

December 16, 2014 / Ask a Priest, General

Q: I have family members who have left the Catholic Church. They now belong to the Assemblies of God church. Should I be concerned about their souls? (One cousin states that all Catholics are going to hell!) Thank you for your time. -L.V.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: It can be painful to see loved ones leave the Church. While they are cutting themselves off from a full sacramental life, we can’t judge the state of their souls. God alone knows that.

I can say with certainty, though, that your cousin’s assertion that all Catholics are doomed is way out of line. Yet, that assertion is telling: It might indicate some deep personal wounds triggered by something or someone within the Church. For that reason, the best thing you might be able to do for now is to pray for your relatives and let them know you love them. Be a good listener when they share something about their newfound denomination — perhaps that will give you clues as to why they left the Church.

Something that will help in hidden but powerful ways is increasing your own personal pursuit of holiness. Each one of us is called to be a saint. And the further we move along that path, the more sensitive we are to inspirations of and guidance by the Holy Spirit — who is even more interested than you are in bringing your family members home to the Church that Jesus started.

The most important element in your search for holiness is growing in your prayer life. As a concrete step, you might consider reading my friend and colleague’s book on Christian, Christ-centered meditation: The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer, by Father John Bartunek, L.C.

Meanwhile, look for opportunities to share something of your faith with your family members. The Catholic faith has deeper roots than these relatively new communities, and it has more answers. But for now, it might not be productive to try to argue doctrinal points. Rather, try to keep the dialogue open with your relatives. If they sense your ongoing love for them, that might be the preparation for a return to the faith in the future (even if that seems like a long shot).

You might want to research the Assemblies of God and learn about their views. This could equip you for dialogue. Let me know if you find a doctrinal point in this denomination that particularly strikes you and that you need help refuting. I hope this helps. You will be remembered at Mass.

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“Ask a Priest: What About the Divisions in Christianity?”

December 2, 2014 / Ask a Priest, Other Faiths

Q: I am trying to understand what happened at the time of the Reformation. I can see that there were excesses and corruption in the Catholic Church, and these had to be addressed. But there was so much violence on both sides. The differences of theology seem to have been used to excuse political actions for both the Protestant and Catholic churches. Now we are past that time, but there is still so much division. I know there are good Christian people in both camps generations later. My question is, how does Jesus view these divisions? Are all mercifully accepted because they come in Jesus’ name, or is Jesus a judge who wants only those who adhere to every doctrine to be forever blessed? He said that anyone who calls upon his name would be saved. Is that what the Catholic Church believes? I am coming to understand the place of the Eucharist in my faith more and more, but what of those who do not understand the Eucharist? -C.C.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: You raise big questions that touch on the heart of what is known as ecumenism.

The Catechism defines ecumenism as: “Promotion of the restoration of unity among all Christians, the unity which is a gift of Christ and to which the Church is called by the Holy Spirit. For the Catholic Church, the Decree on Ecumenism of the Second Vatican Council provides a charter for ecumenical efforts.”

How does Jesus view the divisions within Christianity? These divisions were not part of his original plan. This is why he prayed for those who would follow him in some way, “so that they may all be one” (John 17:21). (For more reading, see Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical Ut Unum Sint)

Certainly there are many fine non-Catholic Christians, many of whom are often better moral examples than some of us in the Catholic Church. The Church holds that non-Catholics (and non-Christians) can make it to heaven if they are sincerely faithful to God’s action in their lives. Thus, adherence to every point of Catholic doctrine is not necessary for everyone to attain to salvation.

Of non-Catholic Christians, the Second Vatican Council document Lumen Gentium said, “In some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit, for to them too He gives His gifts and graces whereby He is operative among them with His sanctifying power” No. 15. Sanctifying grace is what a soul needs to make it to heaven.

One clarification is in order. More is required to reach heaven than to simply “come in Jesus’ name.” Our Lord himself warns, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

So what can we make of all this? We could note that faith is a gift, and the Catholic faith is a very special gift. Not everyone has received this gift. And this means that not everyone will be held to the same standard at Judgment Day. There are many non-Catholics who, sincerely living the Gospel the best way they know how, can become holy with God’s grace. This goes for people who don’t understand or accept the Eucharist.

Yet, we as Catholics have an obligation to evangelize others as best we can, to share with them the fullness of the faith. This includes what we believe about the Eucharist.

The divisions within Christianity are a scandal to the world; they prevent many people from coming closer to Christ. This is lamentable. While non-Catholics can still reach heaven, Christ’s perfect plan was that his followers “may all be one.” This remains an ideal we should strive for. I hope this helps. God bless.

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“Ask a Priest: Can Non-Catholic Christians Be Saved?”

August 22, 2014 / Ask a Priest, Other Faiths

Q: Okay, so I’m a Catholic but my parents are devout Baptists, and I recently discovered the “extra ecclesiam nulla salus” doctrine. Does this say that they will not be saved since they aren’t Catholics? I’m really worried about them. -B.M.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: Thanks for your show of love for your parents. “Extra ecclesiam nulla salus” (Outside the Church there is no salvation) is a commonly misunderstood teaching. It assuredly does not mean that non-Catholics are doomed.

What it does do is point to Christ as the one mediator and path of salvation. And since he continues to be present on earth in his body the Church, the Church by its nature is an instrument for salvation.

The Catechism in No. 846 recognizes the need for this doctrine to be understood properly: “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 [Second Vatican] 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.”

No. 847 adds, “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.”

These points could be restated like this: Whether a person realizes or not, his salvation would come through the Church as the body of Christ. This is part of Christ’s plan. Even a non-Christian could be saved, since through no fault of his own he might never have heard of the Gospel or made the connection between the Gospel message and the Church. No. 1257 of the Catechism notes, “God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.” This doesn’t mean that we Catholics should neglect our duty to spread the truth of the Gospel; it just means that God will never be unfair.

This principle applies to non-Catholic Christians as well; many have a deep love for Christ and live exemplary lives yet for various reasons they never entered into full communion with the Church.

All this assumes good will on the part of the person, of course. The good news is that there is hope for everyone to obtain salvation. Your own example as a loving son and a fervent Catholic might go a long way to bring your parents closer to the Church. I pray that that happens. God bless.

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“Ask a Priest: What Can Non-Catholics Expect After Death?”

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Got a question? Need an answer?

“Ask a Priest: Should I Fear for Loved Ones Who Left the Church?”

“Ask a Priest: What About the Divisions in Christianity?”

“Ask a Priest: Can Non-Catholic Christians Be Saved?”

Alex Kucera

Atlanta