The Greatness of God’s Mercy

Each year on Good Friday Catholics pray a series of formal intercessions including prayers for the Church, other Christians, non-Christians and even atheists. Our prayer for everyone is that they may join in the way of salvation through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. We also pray for the salvation of our non-Christian brothers and sisters in the Eucharistic Prayer at each Mass when we remember those, “… whose faith you (God) alone have known …,” “… who have died in your mercy …” or “… who were pleasing to you ….”

These prayers attest that the Church hopes for the salvation of all, including non-Christians, who through no fault of their own do not know the unique and necessary Savior Jesus Christ, the salvation he offers through the Cross, and the Church as his Mystical Body. 

This lack of knowledge is fundamentally different from intentional and perilous rejection of Jesus, the Cross, or the Church.