By Rev. Fr. Petros Mwale (Mzuzu Diocese – MALAWI)
INTRODUCTION
“Fr. Petros, please don’t reveal my name, am not a Catholic neither do I intend to become one, but I follow your writings on social media. At our church (name withheld) we are taught that Catholics are not Christians and they are on their way to hell unless they join our church. How true is this allegation?” – Anonymous.
RESPONSE
Dear Anonymous, as stated in the Holy Bible, the word “Christian” was first used in Antioch. “So it was that for an entire year they met with the Church and taught a great many people and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called, “Christians” – Acts 11:26. In those days, the word “Christians” represented all the “Catholics” (meaning universal faithful).
Accordingly, in the days of the Apostles, all Catholics were Christians and all Christians were Catholics. There was no difference between the two words. They were synonym of each other.
NON-CHRISTIANS & NON-CATHOLICS
In those days, if a person did not practice the Catholic faith, meaning he did not preach it and defend it over and above being actively involved on a weekly basis, then he was neither a Catholic, nor a Christian.
MASSIVE SCHISM
Then came the Eastern Schism in 1054, this followed by division in the Christian community, starting with the 16th century Protestant Reformation. As of 1054 A.D., the meaning of the word “Christian” came to mean “those who believe in Christ.”
Today, there are 30,000 different religions that claim to be “Christians,” some alleging as much as also being “Catholic” in the sense that they are “universal.” They do this to confuse the faithful and to try and pass themselves as Roman Catholics under the Pope and the Vatican. While all the separated brothers and sisters can claim to be “Christians” because they believe in Christ, they are not “Catholics” as defined “those who are loyal to the Pope and the Vatican.” Their usage of the word catholic simply means they are universal. (It should be noted that while many use the word “Catholic” to mean “universal,” they are not universal. They may only belong to 1, 2 or 3 countries. As such, their usage of the word “universal” is deceiving.
NOT ALL CATHOLICS ARE CHRISTIANS
Having explained why all Christians are not Catholics, it is now necessary to explain that not all Catholics are Christians. He who claims to be Catholic, but does not practice his faith, nor preach it, nor defend it, he is neither a Catholic nor a Christian. He may have been baptized in the Catholic faith. But when he stopped practicing his faith, he abandoned it. He no longer belongs to it. As such, he can no longer call himself a Catholic. He is a Catholic by name only, not by association!
CONCLUSION
Dear anonymous, what Christ’s faithful want to hear in your church is the Good News of salvation and how they can enter heaven. Desist yourself from judging or attacking other religions, just preach the Good News and leave the pulpit. Attacking other religions is a grave sin. Judging or condemning is reserved to God alone. And when human beings begin to take the full role of their Creator they risk idolizing themselves.
Receive my Priestly Blessings from St. Cecilia Catholic Parish (Mzuzu Diocese – Mpherembe)
Rev. Fr. Petros Mwale – Feedback: +265884150185 (WhatsApp only)
Sources
Henry M Gwatkin, Early Church History to A.D 313, New York: Cornell University Press, 2005.
A.M. Renwick and A.M Harman, the Story of the Church (3rd ed.), New York: Confraternity of the Precious Blood, 1998.
Catholic Doctrines 