According to the Vatican II council, all Christians who have been validly baptised are placed into communion with the Catholic church. Vatican II also referred to non-Catholic Christians as “Separated Brethren” and acknowledged other churches as valid “ecclesial communities” and also as a “means of salvation”, while at the same repeating the traditional view that “… only through Christ’s Catholic Church, which is the all-embracing means of salvation that they can benefit fully from the means of salvation…”
“The brethren divided from us also use many liturgical actions of the Christian religion. These most certainly can truly engender a life of grace in ways that vary according to the condition of each Church or Community. These liturgical actions must be regarded as capable of giving access to the community of salvation.”
Vatican II, Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio).
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