ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on April 30, 2004

Dear Charles: I have not heard any non-Catholic use that verse to justify their denomination. I am surprised by this because to use this verse, one would be admitting that the Catholic Church is the Church that Jesus founded and that they are on the "outside" of that Church, yet still allowed to create their denomination. That is what that verse is saying on its face -- There are people doing Christian ministry that were not part of Jesus' disciples. These people on the "outside" are not to be stopped if they are preaching the Gospel. As St. Paul put it when he was informed by believers that there were people preaching the Gospel out of envy and rivalry instead of proper motivations, "...whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice." (Phil 1:15-18) This has application between Catholics and Catholics considering non-Catholics. The Apostles, at this time, were rather exclusive. Jesus warns them, and through them all Christians, against exclusivism in the apostolate. -- the notion that "good is not good unless I am the one who does it". We must assimilate this teaching of Christ's : good is good, even if it is not I who do it. Jesus also teaches something about this in Mark 10:18 when he says no one is good, only God; and St. James in 1:17 when he says that every good gift is from God; and St. Paul in Romans 3:10 where he says that none are good. These Scriptures tells us that all goodness comes from God. No one can do anything good except that it comes from God. Even if Hitler did anything good, the source of the goodness was God. Thus, although Protestants, for example are not in communion with the True Church, they still do good, worship God and perform ministry in His name. We, who are in communion with the True Church are not to begrudge this, but pray that our separated brethren will glorify God in their work. This principle also applies to Catholics in relation to other Catholics. Sometime we can perform an apostolate and start thinking that this activity belongs to us -- as if no one else can do the same apostolate. We are not to be so exclusive, but rejoice that others are doing an apostolate to God's glory even if they do it apart from us. Finally, the phrase "Anyone who is not against us is for us" means what it says, that all those who do good in Jesus name cannot be against Jesus and is for Jesus and his disciples. It does NOT imply that all the followers of Jesus are in the same fellowship, however. In fact, the implication is that those outside of our Church, who are not against us, are, fundamentally, for us. Bottomline is that the verse you quote does not in any fashion give permission to create denominations (see Roman 1 which condemns denominations), or that it is okay to remain outside of the Catholic Church. It merely acknowledges that others, outside of our fellowship, can glorify God too. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary