Does Catholic doctrine teach that atheists go to heaven, too?

Question

The following is taken from the following article: Pope Says Atheists Are A-OK By God.

Referencing a passage from the Gospel of Mark in his homily, the Pope recounted the story of a priest who told an inquiring Catholic that Jesus redeemed everyone, even atheists, and all he asks in return is that people "do good and do not do evil."

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone!" the Pope quoted the priest as saying.

"Father, the atheists?," the skeptical Catholic responded. "Even the atheists. Everyone!" the priest replied, and added: "We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there."

The Guardian notes that Pope Francis's ongoing efforts to unite all people, both believers and nonbelievers, stands in stark contrast to approach of his predecessors — particularly Benedict, "who sometimes prompted complaints from non-Catholics that he seemed to see them as second-class believers."

Catholic Online has already embraced the newly christened Pope's message, taking it a step further by declaring that atheists can "go to heaven too."

Is universal reconciliation now the official belief in Catholicism?

Answer 1

The short answer is No.

The misconception that Pope Francis has in any way changed Church teaching or turned us into universalists was explicitly addressed by quite a few Catholic bloggers recently. In particular, Fr. Dwight Longenecker states states it like this:

Unfortunately for those who wish to paint Pope Francis as a lovable liberal, in fact, the Pope is simply affirming certain truths that any somewhat knowledgable Catholic will uphold. First, that Christ died to redeem the whole world. We can distinguish his redemptive work from the acceptance of salvation. He redeemed the whole world. However, many will reject that saving work. In affirming the universality of Christ’s redemptive work we are not universalists. To say that he redeemed the whole world is not to conclude that all will be saved.

The Catholic Church, not unlike other Christian groups, has always taught that Christ's redemption is for all. It's always taught that the "Mystical Church" extends beyond the visible Church. And while the visible Church is the "normal means" for salvation, God is not limited by those means.

To be clear, atheism is still a sin according to the Catholic Church — and always will be. But, all of us are sinners. And the best any of us can do is continually re-submit ourselves to God. The "gotcha" that the Pope may have intended to highlight is simply that God is big, transcendent, and mysterious: He doesn't operate exclusively under the name of "God."

Even within the scope of scripture and Catholic literature, God is known by a lot of names, each of which tends to arise for the purpose of meeting sinners "where they are." An atheist may be averse to "God" so-called by Christians because of our hypocrisies, not realizing that our God (Christ) and their Truth, Source, Life, or Love are alluding to the same being.

The role of the Church is not to condemn. It's to continually recognize the truthiness and goodness already in people and draw them deeper into truth. This is exemplified by Paul in Acts 17:22-34, wherein he recognizes and elaborates on a single shred of truth the Athenians confess, the idol to "an unknown god."

And it's important to remember, we're all on a truth spectrum. None of us, presumably, are living in a state of complete knowledge or complete ignorance. According to Catholic theology, it's less important where we are on the spectrum than it is in which direction we're actively trending.

Answer 2

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says

2125 Since it rejects or denies the existence of God, atheism is a sin against the virtue of religion. ⁶¹

⁶¹: Cf Rom 1:18

Sin can be expiated, of course, so those who are currently atheists may reach heaven. But heaven will [does] contain no atheists.

In saying “But do good: we will meet one another there,” the Pope means that people will meet each other in doing good, not necessarily in heaven. That is, there is common ground in altruism.

In saying “The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone!” the Pope is stating a truth, expressed also in the Catechism (my emphasis):

851 Missionary motivation. It is from God's love for all men that the Church in every age receives both the obligation and the vigor of her missionary dynamism, "for the love of Christ urges us on."³⁴³ Indeed, God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth";³⁴⁴ that is, God wills the salvation of everyone through the knowledge of the truth. Salvation is found in the truth. Those who obey the prompting of the Spirit of truth are already on the way of salvation. But the Church, to whom this truth has been entrusted, must go out to meet their desire, so as to bring them the truth. Because she believes in God's universal plan of salvation, the Church must be missionary.

³⁴³: 2 Cor 5:14; cf. AA 6; RMiss 11.
³⁴⁴: 1 Tim 2:4.

But in order for atheists to be saved, they need to come to the knowledge of the truth. The Church needs to impart that knowledge (because it is the Church to whom the truth has been entrusted). Once they have knowledge of the truth, they will no longer be atheists.

The starting-point is the common ground of doing good together, and the Church may say that the innate knowledge that doing good is good is God-given; and that good acts are prompted by the Spirit. “Those who obey the prompting of the Spirit of truth are already on the way of salvation.”

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Rom 1:18 — “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth.”
2 Cor 5:14 — “For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.”
1 Tim 2:4 — “[God our Savior,] who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Answer 3

A theist is someone who looks to an external God. Atheists are sometimes described as people who have no belief in a God somewhere out there in the Universe. But this also describes the teaching of many Christians. If an Atheist believes in God within them, which is the way I read the Pope's comment, and if they follow their conscience, they could be saved. A friend who was a Sister superior at the time explained that a native who knew nothing about Jesus, but who followed his conscience and lived a Godly life, could find salvation. This has been a teaching of the Church fathers of the 3rd. Cent. Today, the Church is a way for men and women to learn to follow their conscience (to trust God) and to lead a Christ-like life. It is possible to learn to trust God without going to church, but most people need the Church to support them on their journey.