2017-10-05
Pope Francis
Philip Chidell/Shutterstock.com

Originally it was reported that Pope Francis said dogs went to heaven, but it appears that the story grew into a media falsehood and taken out of text. Since Pope Francis, who took his name from, St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of animals, it seems natural that he would believe this to be true. When Pope Francis blessed a seeing eye-dog, the story grew.

The popular Catholic leader was reported to say that animals have souls, and are all important to God, since they are his creation he told over a billion believers. But it was Pope Paul VI who believed animals had souls and went to heaven and that “paradise is open to all God's creatures.” Pope John Paul II also believed animals would go to heaven, but apparently Pope Benedict XVI didn’t believe this to be true. Pope John Paul II also believed animals would go to heaven, but apparently Pope Benedict XVI didn’t believe this to be true. Francis was discussing a new heaven and earth and the transformation of all creators will enter a new heaven. Pope Pius strongly disagreed that animals had souls or a conscience. Pope John Paul affirmed in 1990 that animals are like man and was given breath by the creator, and all possess souls. Some Popes believe that animals go to God, and then there are those who believe they have no souls.

Don’t worry, the book is not closed on the topic, maybe the Pope Francis will come back to this subject in the future. Until then the gates, are still open for our pet friends.

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went (Will Rogers).”

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