Pope Francis told a distraught little boy whose dog had died, that “One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God’s creatures.”
Well, at least one Christian denominational faith has “allowed” dogs into heaven! We won’t be just be playing at Rainbow Bridge! But apparently it started a whole debate. Actually the debate whether animals go to heaven or not has been going on for a long, long time.
Pope Pius IX (held the position from 1846 to 1878) supported the doctrine that animals have no consciousness. Don’t think he likes animals too much because he even sought to thwart the founding of an Italian chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals. But interesting to note that humans even way back then have an awareness that dogs and animals are very much a part of human lives and they need protection.
Then in 1990, Pope John Paul II reversed that thinking and proclaimed that animals do have souls and are “as near to God as men are.”
This directly contradicted Pope Pius and the Vatican did not widely publicise his assertion – because it was Pius who declared the doctrine of papal infallibility.
Along came John Paul’s successor, Pope Benedict and in a sermon in 2008 rejected his view and asserted that when an animal dies, it “just means the end of existence on earth.”
It seems the Catholic Church has never been clear on this matter. Conservative Catholic theology says animals cannot go to heaven because they have no souls. Because if dogs and all animals are allowed to go to heaven – then what about mosquitoes? Mummy doesn’t like mosquitoes and she hopes that if they also go to heaven, that they be nice and not bite her. Mummy’s assuming she will end up in heaven! 🙂
However, the debate does not end there. Humans have a lot of opinions and read into things – A LOT!
Some people commented that the pope’s remarks have given anti-slaughterhouse groups something to talk about. The Pope’s comforting words to the little boy could be construed as a comment on vegetarianism. Seriously?!?!?!
Hmmm. And I suppose the conservative theologians will disregard my blog – because I am a living creature, an animal without a soul.
I urge them to look into the eyes of a dog – and consider how pets can change people. And maybe they will reconsider their theology about animals, especially us dogs.
Mays’ comment: According to the Pope’s comments – all of God’s creatures are allowed into heaven. Surely not all?!?!?! 🙂
Read New York Times article – Pearly Gates are left open
2 Responses
We can’t speak for Catholic doctrine, but as Latter-day Saints (Mormons) one of our prophets, Joseph Fielding Smith, was recorded as saying :
“So we see that the Lord intends to save, not only the earth and the heavens, not only man who dwells upon the earth, but all things which he has created. The animals, the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, as well as man, are to be recreated, or renewed, through the resurrection, for they too are living souls.”
(Conference Report, October 1928, p. 100.)
Good debate.Somehow Heaven would not be ‘heaven’ without my pooches.:)