Vatican reverses Pope Francis, says atheists still going to hell VATICAN CITY, May 29 (UPI) -- The Vatican retracted Pope Francis' statement that everyone, "even the atheists," were saved from sin and redeemed by God and therefore welcome in heaven. People who know about the Catholic Church "cannot be saved" if they "refuse to enter her or remain in her," Vatican spokesman the Rev. Thomas Rosica said in an "explanatory note." At the same time, people "who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ and his church but sincerely seek God and, moved by grace, try to do his will as it is known through the dictates of conscience can attain eternal salvation," Rosica wrote. He added, "No person is excluded from salvation simply because of so-called original sin; one can only lose their salvation through serious personal sin of their own account." Francis made headlines when he said in a May 22 homily: "The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the blood of Christ -- all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Francis said as if asking himself. Even the atheists. Francis said in answering his Socratic-style question. And this blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God, and the blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter -- we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good," Francis said. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' Francis said, again speaking as if he were someone else. "But do good -- we will meet one another there," Francis said in response. Atheist Hemant Mehta wrote in his Friendly Atheist blog: "Atheists, according to Christians, are going to hell unless we accept Christ's divinity. We already knew that. It was still an unusual and welcome gesture from the pope to recognize that everyone, regardless of beliefs, can do good and 'be saved' -- at least it was a step up from what we're used to hearing. British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, known for advocating atheism and science, wrote on Twitter: "Atheists go to heaven? Nope. Sorry world, infallible pope got it wrong. Vatican steps in with alacrity. "Conversations With God" author Neale Donald Walsch told United Press International Tuesday evening: "It is regrettable that the hidden hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church chose to officially retract the recent statement on eternal damnation bravely made by its new leader, Pope Francis. This rapid retrenchment wiped out what appeared to be one of the major advances in theological thinking within that institution in the past 500 years.