- Dec 28, 2003
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Pope Francis continues to show he's anything but traditional. During a recent public appearance, Francis comforted a boy whose dog had died, noting, "One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God's creatures." Theologians say Franciswho took his papal name from the patron saint of animals, St. Francis of Assisiwas only speaking conversationally. But the remark is being seen by some as a reversal of conservative Catholic theology which states that because they are soulless, animals can't go to heaven, the New York Times reports. In 1990, Pope John Paul II said animals have souls, but his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, gave a 2008 sermon that seemed to say the opposite.
Pope Francis: Animals Can Go to Heaven
Pope Francis: Animals Can Go to Heaven