Original sentence: Catholicism traditionally taught that "there is no salvation outside the Church", which has generally been interpreted as affirming that one must be normatively Catholic in order to achieve salvation, while not denying the possibility that those not visibly members of the Church may attain salvation as well.In recent times, this teaching has been most notably expressed in the encyclicals Singulari Quidem (1856), Quanto Conficiamur Moerore (1863) and Dominus Iesus (2000).The latter document has taken criticism for claiming that non-Christians are in a "gravely deficient situation" as compared to Catholics.The pope then, on December 6, issued a statement to further emphasize that the Church continued to support its traditional stance that salvation was available to believers of other faiths: "The gospel teaches us that those who live in accordance with the Beatitudes--the poor in spirit, the pure of heart, those who bear lovingly the sufferings of life--will enter God's kingdom
Edited sentence: A document called "Dominus Iesus", published in August 2000, by Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was ratified and confirmed by Pope John Paul II "with sure knowledge and by his apostolic authority".Catholicism traditionally taught that "there is no salvation outside the Church", which thus denied salvation to non-Catholic Christians as well as non-Christians; Catholicism reversed this position in Vatican II, which said that "the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator", thus potentially extending salvation to other monotheistic faiths.However, later official Vatican position papers have led some to question the Church's commitment to ecumenism.Jewish and Muslim groups have expressed distress at this disparagement of their faiths.The document states that people outside of Christianity are "gravely deficient" in their relationship to God, and that non-Catholic Christian communities had "defects".The pope then, on December 6, issued a statement to further emphasize that the Church continued to support the position of Vatican II that salvation was available to believers of other faiths: "The gospel teaches us that those who live in accordance with the Beatitudes--the poor in spirit, the pure of heart, those who bear lovingly the sufferings of life--will enter God's kingdom.Vatican II further affirmed that salvation was available to people who had not even heard of Jesus