Pope Pius IX: Must Be Visibly United To Be In The Church

Aug 29, 2025

On the occasion of the convocation of the First Vatican Council, Pope Pius IX wrote to Protestants and other non-Catholics about the necessity for them to enter the Catholic Church. He taught that they are not in any way members or parts of the true Church of Christ because they are visibly separated from Catholic unity. This refutes two false positions: 1) the heretical teaching of Vatican II that such non-Catholics can be in the Church of Christ and even that Eastern schismatic churches are true particular churches – i.e. true local churches of the Church of Christ; and 2) the false idea that anyone can be saved without baptism. Pope Pius IX’s statement proves #2, that no one can be saved without baptism, because the only way to be visibly united to the Church (which he and other popes teach is required to be inside the Church) is by becoming a member of the Church through the Sacrament of Baptism.

Pope Pius IX, Iam Vos Omnes, To Protestants and Other Non-Catholics, Sept. 13, 1868: “Now, however, one who carefully considers and reflects on the condition in which the diverse and mutually disagreeing religious societies that are separated from the Catholic Church find themselves… should be able very easily to convince himself that no particular one of those societies or even all of them joined together in any way constitute and are that one and Catholic Church that Christ the Lord established, and willed to exist, nor can they in any way be said to be a member or part of the same Church (neque membrum aut partem eiusdem Ecclesiae ullo modo dici posse), because they are visibly separated from Catholic unity.” (Denzinger 43rd Edition, Ignatius Press, 2012, no. 2998)