It sounded good, soothing and comforting.
But everything has to be a controversy today.
He never said it. Well, if he said it he didn’t mean it. It violates teaching.
It’s the remark attributed to Pope Francis that people could hope to see their beloved dogs in heaven.
I refuse to get caught up in this debate. As a former philosophy student I know better than to embroil myself in the toils of theology.
But I can’t resist asking: What about cats?
I love dogs. But I love cats, too.
Can I hope to see my cat pals in heaven – assuming I get there, myself?
Ultimately, we are responsible for our own beliefs. I have been around dogs and cats for a lifetime.
Based on that lifetime of experience, I believe dogs and cats have souls. They are capable of great love and self-sacrifice. And the presence of dogs and cats comforts the ill, the despairing and the dying. That’s more than enough soul for me. How can there be heaven without dogs and cats?
That’s just my personal belief, you understand. Because, this leads to a problem. What about other animals? Do they have souls, too? Are they going to be in heaven?
Take snakes. Some people love them and keep them as pets.
My sister lived above a pet shop. One day she was minding her grand-daughter on the back porch. She noticed something large moving in the corner. The little girl saw it, too, and started toward it. It was a boa constrictor that had escaped from the pet store below.
My sister scooped up her grand-daughter, ran inside and called the cops.
Do I want to meet boa constrictors i heaven? No way. But that maybe is just me. You see the predicament.
So, the issue of animals in heaven may not be settled for all. But for me, I’m hoping to see Sandy, Smokey, Bootsie, Rutherford, Kali, Jake, Nick, Jack, Tuffy, Daisy, Harvey and Scooter.
It’ll be a noisy reunion.
But a happy one.