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Hi, Sandra —
Thanks for the question.
You said:
I understand
that Catholics believe God is only
in their Church and their lives.
No, God is present in everyone's
life. Every human breath that any
man or woman takes
is only because God wills it. Our
Lord is present in the lives of every
living person because
they have a specific purpose and
calling in life. Everyone is born with a soul which has the natural law. The Natural Law is that gut feeling inside us that something is very right or very wrong without someone else telling us so. Those who are non-Christians are lead by the Spirit using this Natural Law.
In addition, the Church considers non-Catholic Christians who have received a valid Trinitarian baptism, as imperfectly part of the Church — the imperfection due to the lack of unity in what we believe as fellow Christians.
What you might be referring to is
the Real Presence of Our Lord in
the Eucharist:
The Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity
of Christ Our Lord under the appearance
of
ordinary leaven bread that:
- tastes like bread
- looks like bread
- smells like bread
- but substantially is not
bread, or
ordinary grape wine that:
- tastes like wine
- looks like wine
- smells like wine
- but substantially is not
wine.
Religious denominations that have
valid Holy Orders do have the Real
Presence in their Church (e.g. the Orthodox Church).
In this Church and similar Churches we believe in many of the same doctrines.
Protestant denominations do not have the Real Presence because the reformers,
particularly Cranmer, changed the form
or words for a valid Priesthood.
For that reason, the Real
Presence
is not truly present in
their congregations.
One of the few ways:
- for a Protestant
to receive the Real Presence, or
- for a Protestant minister to
confect the Eucharist
is to become
a Catholic. (particularly for Lutheran and Anglican
Ministers)
You said:
- Is it possible
that He [God] would show up in a non-Catholic
setting?
To the extent that non-Catholic Christians
hold on to beliefs that Catholic
Christians believe,
Yes, God's Word and God's Teachings
are present in that congregation.
It's also present in their celebration
of that Truth manifested in
their song, prayers, and overall worship.
Again, non-Catholic Christians who have received a valid Trinitarian baptism, are imperfectly part of the Catholic Church whether they want to be or even know it. Nevertheless, those who know the Catholic Church is the true Church of Jesus Christ, yet refuse to join/enter it, cannot be saved. (CCC 846)
Hope this helps,
Mike
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