Comments on Pellegrinaggio | crossing the Ponte Sisto: Dogs in heaven?

I remember Fr Benedict talking about God allowing ...

2008-11-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

I remember Fr Benedict talking about God allowing pets to be with us in heaven.
I've wondered as well: surely earth in some way reflects heaven and there is an abundance of life on earth. Surely there might just be the occasional dog, or orangotang or beautiful tree sloth hanging around in heaven.
They don't have to be saved of course-but the beauty of creation both plant and animal is always so lacking in those places we consider hell on earth.

Thanks, all, for such wonderful comments!

2008-10-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks, all, for such wonderful comments!

In one of his books, Father Benedict Groeschel wri...

2008-10-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

In one of his books, Father Benedict Groeschel writes very movingly about the death of his two Scottie dogs when he was small. He was a lonely little boy being moved about the country every six months because of his father's business. As a result, they would settle down in one place and all of a sudden have to move again, so it was impossible for him to make and keep friends. His dogs were his only constant companions. When they both died one right after the other, he was completely bereft.

Father has written, as I have read elsewhere, that if God wants to, He can give us back our pets in Heaven. We do not NEED our pets to be happy in Heaven, should we make it there, and we will be so happy to be with God we won't even miss them. But there's nothing that says God CAN'T do it if He wants to, and since He wants us to be happy it's possible that He might.

So long as no one hangs their salvation hat on it, I don't see the harm in hoping for it. After all, who else would listen to St. Francis sometimes but the animals? And when Our Lord was born, his birth was attended by angels, peasants, and animals - not emperors, professors, and theologians.

Animals must have primitive souls and we certianly...

2008-10-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Animals must have primitive souls and we certianly underestimate the God-given power of instinct which animals demonstrate so well.

However Jesus did not die on the cross for any animal as animals do not sin and were not subject to original sin. However this does not preclude them from heaven...though could it may make them more likely to get there than us!

The problem is that of the nature of animals. Can heaven resemble the African plains with blood soaked lions and hyenas and injured zebra? Hmm, I think not. This means then that the predators somehow loose their fierce nature, though how can a lion be a lion if it's not a killer?.....

This is too big for me.!..

...and, funny thing -Siena has been on my mind oft...

2008-10-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

...and, funny thing -Siena has been on my mind often the past two weeks or so. She is happy!

My pastor cleared up that soul thing real fast. An...

2008-10-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

My pastor cleared up that soul thing real fast. And it is arrogant for anyone to say that animals are not allowed in heaven. We don't know. My pastor and I choose to believe we'll be together with our beloved pets someday.

[I'll repost this here, just so non-FBers can corr...

2008-10-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

[I'll repost this here, just so non-FBers can correct me! LOL]

Re the Holy Father's comments, it all depends on what you mean by "Eternal Life". When we speak of Eternal Life, we are normally speaking of that of humans, with the implicit suffix "...in Christ Jesus"; that is to say, the animals are not called to the same kind of eternal life.

However, they are part of the natural creation which will be destroyed and then remade in the fulness of time - just as "the Heavens and the Earth will be made anew" (Apoc. 21). I like to think that each single animal is unique and hence will be made anew individually.