The Rev. Joseph F. Naumann, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, is attempting to clarify a recent Vatican document that some have interpreted to say that other Protestant denominations are not true churches.In Friday’s edition of The Leaven, the archdiocese’s official newspaper, Naumann (below) says that the pope’s paper has led to a lot of “misinformation,” and that the document was intended to clarify the church’s position on some issues.!Some samples from the Q&A:Q. So what exactly are Catholics supposed to believe about people of other faiths? Are we back to the position where we believe that they cannot attain salvation?A. Catholics are to have the most profound respect for people of other faiths. The document actually quotes the Second Vatican Council about the importance of Protestant communities and how Christ uses them as instruments of salvation.Q. In the case of Protestants, will we still consider their baptisms valid?A. This document has done nothing to change our understanding of the validity of baptism of other Christian communities. It is because of our respect for the validity of the baptism of most Protestant communities that individuals who wish to become Catholic from these communities are not baptized again when they are received into full communion with the Catholic Church. We recognize the validity of the baptism of most other Christian communities and embrace their members as brothers and sisters in Christ.Q. Could you explain why the pope says Protestant congregations are not churches?A. The document itself very clearly answers this question: “According to Catholic doctrine, these communities do not enjoy apostolic succession in the sacrament of Orders, and are, therefore, deprived of a constitutive element of the Church. These ecclesial communities which, specifically because of the absence of the sacramental priesthood have not preserved the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic mystery, cannot, according to Catholic doctrine, be called ‘Churches’ in the proper sense.” In other words the Eucharist is an essential element of what it means to be a “Church,” and one cannot have the Eucharist without a validly ordained priesthood.Q. Finally, the term “defective” has caused much discussion. How is the pope using it and how would you explain it to a Protestant audience?A. The term “defective in this document is best understood as incomplete or lacking something essential for what we understand the term “Church” to mean. This is not to say that Jesus does not use these communities to sanctify and save their members. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, drawing heavily on the documents of Vatican II, speaks beautifully to this point: “Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements. Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to Catholic unity.”The full Q&A can be found on The Leaven’s Web site._ – Faith Files, which examines issues of faith, spirituality, morals and ethics, is updated by features/faith reporter Terry Rombeck. Have an idea for the blog? Contact Terry at trombeck@ljworld.com, or 832-7145._