Skip to comments.
Sorry, Fido. Pope Francis did NOT say our pets are going to heaven
RNS ^
| December 12, 2014
| David Gibson
Posted on 12/13/2014 2:52:13 PM PST by NYer
(RNS) When Pope Francis recently sought to comfort a distraught boy whose dog had died, the pontiff took the sort of pastoral approach he is famous for — telling the youngster not to worry, that he would one day see his pet in heaven.
Paradise is open to all of Gods creatures, Francis said reassuringly.
Pope Francis greets a crowd on his way to a meeting with cardinals at the Vatican on Feb. 21, 2014. RNS photo by David Gibson
It was a sparkling moment on a rainy November day, and the setting in St. Peters Square only burnished Francis reputation as a kindly peoples pope. The story naturally lit up social media, became instant promotional material for vegetarians and animal rights groups, and on Friday even made it to the front page of The New York Times.
Theres only one problem: apparently none of it ever happened.
Yes, a version of that quotation was uttered by a pope, but it was said decades ago by Paul VI, who died in 1978. There is no evidence that Francis repeated the words during his public audience on Nov. 26, as has been widely reported, nor was there was a boy mourning his dead dog.
So how could such a fable so quickly become taken as fact?
Part of the answer may be the topic of the popes talk to the crowd that day, which centered on the End Times and the transformation of all creation into a new heaven and a new earth. Citing St. Paul in the New Testament, Francis said that is not the annihilation of the cosmos and of everything around us, but the bringing of all things into the fullness of being.
The trail of digital bread crumbs then appears to lead to an Italian news report that extended Francis discussion of a renewed creation to the question of whether animals too will go to heaven.
One day we will see our pets in the eternity of Christ, the report quoted Paul VI as telling a disconsolate boy years ago.
The story was titled, somewhat misleadingly: Paradise for animals? The Pope doesnt rule it out. It wasnt clear which pope the writer meant, however.
The next day, Nov. 27, a story in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera by veteran Vaticanista Gian Guido Vecchi pushed the headline further: The Pope and pets: Paradise is open to all creatures.
Vecchi faithfully recounted the popes talk about a new creation, and also cited Paul VIs remark.
But the headline put those words in Francis’ mouth, and that became the story.
The Italian version of the Huffington Post picked it up next and ran an article quoting Francis as saying We will go to heaven with the animals and contending that the pope was quoting St. Paul not Pope Paul as making that statement to console a boy who lost his dog. (That story, by the way, is nowhere in the Bible.)
The urban legend became unstoppable a week later when it was translated into English and picked up by the British press, which cited St. Paul as saying that One day we will see our animals again in (the) eternity of Christ, while it has Francis adding the phrase: Paradise is open to all Gods creatures.
Fueling the meme was the fact that Francis was photographed accepting a gift of two donkeys from a company promoting the use of donkey milk for infants allergic to cows milk and Francis said his own mother gave him donkeys milk as a baby.
Social media and other media outlets then picked up the story, further conflating the statements and the chronology. It became a hot mess of a story that was also sparking another theological debate by a pope who was known for prompting controversy.
The New York Times was the biggest of several outlets relating an apparently apocryphal tale about pets, paradise, and Pope Francis.
When The New York Times went with the story, along with input from ethicists and theologians, it became gospel truth.
Television programs discussed the popes theological breakthrough, news outlets created photo galleries of popes with cute animals, and others used it as a jumping off point to discuss what other religions think about animals and the afterlife. At America magazine, the Rev. James Martin wrote an essay discussing the theological implications of Francis’ statements and what level of authority they may have. It was all very interesting and illuminating, but based on a misunderstanding.
A number of factors probably contributed to this journalistic train wreck:
- The story had so much going for it: Francis took his papal name from St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of environmentalism who famously greeted animals as brothers and sisters.
- Pope Francis is also preparing a major teaching document on the environment, and almost since the day he was elected in 2013 he has stressed the Christian duty to care for creation.
- Francis also blessed a blind mans guide dog shortly after he was elected, an affecting image that was often used in connection with these latest reports of his concern for animals.
- Moreover, the media and the public are so primed for Francis to say novel things and disregard staid customs that the story was too good to check out; it fit with the pattern.
In most accounts, Francis comments were also set against statements by his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who insisted that animals did not have souls. That apparent contrast fit a common narrative pitting the more conservative Benedict against the ostensibly liberal Francis.
That may be true in some areas, but probably not when it comes to animals.
Adding insult to injury, the Times article cited St. John Paul II as saying in 1990 that animals have souls and are as near to God as men are. But that, too, was a misquote, as media critic Dawn Eden explained at the website GetReligion.
On the other hand, there should have been warnings signs: Francis has frowned at the modern tendency to favor pets over people, and he has criticized the vast amounts of money spent by wealthy societies on animals even as children go hungry.
In addition, the popes huge popularity has led to at least one other instance of myth-making: news reports last year said that Francis was sneaking out of the Vatican at night to feed the homeless around Rome.
The pope personally debunked that rumor in an interview last March, saying the idea has never crossed my mind and that depicting the pope to be a sort of superman, a type of star, seems offensive to me.
Maybe hell have to give another interview to deflate this latest story, and to offer his real thoughts on pets and paradise.
TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: heaven; mistranslated; pets
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, 81-92 last
To: NYer
Tell that to the kid who went to Heaven and back, which became the basis for the “ Heaven Is For Real “ story. He is the son of a minister.
81
posted on
12/14/2014 9:32:03 AM PST
by
Biggirl
(2014 MIdterms Were BOTH A Giant Wave And Restraining Order)
To: MUDDOG
Yes, Earl Hamner Jr. based the series on his own life and family, as well as being the narrator. He also wrote a couple more “Zone” episodes... I love both shows!
Thanks, and have a great day! God bless you!
82
posted on
12/14/2014 5:34:02 PM PST
by
Grateful2God
(preastat fides supplementum sensuum defectui)
To: BipolarBob
No, but all pit bulls go to Hell.
83
posted on
12/14/2014 8:41:20 PM PST
by
MDLION
("Trust in the Lord with all your heart" -Proverbs 3:5)
To: Biggirl
Would it surprise you that this kid settles the issue once and for all, via that sweet and true story called Heaven Is For Real, which also has a childrens version of that book and it does show in beautiful painting style of animals being in the Kingdom.Not surprised at all - have the book. Thanks for the reminder of it.
84
posted on
12/15/2014 2:56:19 AM PST
by
trebb
(Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
To: editor-surveyor
The chapter is about the Millennial reign, where there will still be some mortals, not the New Jerusalem.
Sorry, that appears to be a distinction without a difference. Once again, Isaiah 60:21 states, Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor.
Notice the phrase ‘they will possess the land forever’. It makes no difference whether it’s the Millennial reign or post-Millennial period, the word forever clearly implies extending beyond the coming Millennium, so the righteous humans will continue to reside on planet earth.
85
posted on
12/16/2014 2:06:04 AM PST
by
82nd Bragger
(Count to four except when in a helicopter)
To: 82nd Bragger
As I already said, the chapter mixes two periods, and one needs to read the last chapters of the Revelation, where there is a great amount of specificity and detail that contradicts your theory.
.
86
posted on
12/16/2014 8:03:25 PM PST
by
editor-surveyor
(Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
To: editor-surveyor
No it doesn’t. Forever implies no ending point to where humans will reside. Try again.
87
posted on
12/18/2014 10:43:04 AM PST
by
82nd Bragger
(Count to four except when in a helicopter)
To: 82nd Bragger
Your mistaken imaginations do not scripture make.
The place where humans will reside is the place noted in scripture:
The new Jerusalem.
88
posted on
12/18/2014 12:19:55 PM PST
by
editor-surveyor
(Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
To: editor-surveyor
Your knowledge of scripture is manmade doctrine. If you can prove otherwise, feel free to post scripture. If you cannot, one would assume you’re arguing for the sake of it.
Revelation 21
2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
‘Coming down out of heaven’ to where? Earth
As I already quoted, Isaiah is talking about a new heavens and a new earth in Isaiah 65. IN THE SAME CHAPTER, HE SAYS THE FOLLOWING, “21They will build houses and inhabit them; They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22”They will not build and another inhabit, They will not plant and another eat;
Spiritual beings have no need to build houses or eat from vineyards, therefore we must conclude Christians will reside on earth post-millenium.
89
posted on
12/18/2014 2:51:55 PM PST
by
82nd Bragger
(Count to four except when in a helicopter)
To: 82nd Bragger
All you ever do is throw mud, how about some scholarship?
If you had read the last chapters of Revelation, and second Peter, you would know that the entire universe is to be destroyed with “fervent heat.”
There will be no Earth, there will be new heavens and a new Earth. “Earth” means only a place to live, it is not meaning a planet. The new Jerusalem is described with specific dimensions, as a cube, not a ball.
Remember the old Earth and heavens “departed for there was found no place for them.”
Our new digs will not be material, it will be spiritual, the same for our bodies.
.
90
posted on
12/18/2014 4:45:49 PM PST
by
editor-surveyor
(Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
To: editor-surveyor
How bout some honesty? I’m well aware of Revelations and 1st & 2nd Peter. I’m well aware of the cube nature of New Jerusalem, as I already quoted scripture. Once again, Isaiah is revealing a new heavens and a new earth and a couple of scriptures later, he talks about who will build and inhabit houses and eat fruit. SPIRITUAL BODIES HAVE NO NEED OF EITHER. There is nothing to misinterpret. You are adding fable to scripture.
91
posted on
12/18/2014 5:43:23 PM PST
by
82nd Bragger
(Count to four except when in a helicopter)
To: 82nd Bragger
Isaiah is not speaking of what the elect do, he is talking about the millennial kingdom, where there are still mortals living on Earth.
92
posted on
12/18/2014 5:47:07 PM PST
by
editor-surveyor
(Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, 81-92 last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson