Iknow this may sound silly and probably asking for troubles... but as this question is quite complex, specially surronding the baptism, how would one best answer this question? Is there a good article somewhere that explains this topic in full? I just don't want to give the wrong impression when answering this question.
Scott hahn explains the following in one of his books "Catholic For A Reason" (Emmaus Road, 1998).
"SALVATION AND THE CHURCH...By establishing the New Covenant, Christ founded ONE Church -- through His own resurrected body -- as an extension of His Incarnation and the Trinity's life. The Catholic Church is the universal Family of God, OUTSIDE OF WHICH THERE IS NO SALVATION. This teaching does not condemn anyone. Rather, it simply clarifies the essential meaning of salvation and the Church. Since the essence of salvation is the life of divine sonship, to speak of salvation outside of God's family, the Church, is to confuse things greatly -- since being OUTSIDE God's family is precisely what we need to be saved from."
thanks