Day One Hundred Fifty Three

Do All Animals Go To Heaven?

Pope Francis is visiting the United States this week. I just watched him speak at the White House. I cried. He does that to me. Recently, a story was circulating in which Pope Francis was comforting a young boy whose dog had died. He was quoted as saying, "Don't worry, you'll see him again. Paradise is open to all of God's creatures." That made a lot of people happy.

 

Pope Francis 

The only problem is, there is no evidence of him ever saying it. Turns out, it was Pope Paul VI in the 1970's who uttered those words. Pope Francis is so popular, he is being quoted for everything these days. Next thing you know, he will be getting credit for penning the Magna Carta.

I don't care - I love this Pope. He wants everyone to play nice. He loves all of Creation, which includes animals, and he wants us to save the planet. I heard him say that with my own ears. I also heard him say this country was founded by immigrants and we should remember that. But this blog is about animals, not religion and/or politics.

I was raised a Catholic, and we love our saints. One of my favorites was St. Francis of Assisi (the saint for whom this Pope took his name.) St. Francis loved animals, too. He is depicted surrounded by them. I wanted to be just like St. Francis. I imagined myself, standing there with arms outstretched, having birds land on me. I know, I was a weird kid. I also would have probably screamed and run for my life if any birds had actually landed on me. (Tippi Hedren in The Birds comes to mind.) My imagination and reality were rarely in sync. 

St. Francis of Assisi

I like this modern depiction with the

baby seal front and center...

 

 

While there are those who think, "They're just animals," I'm not one of them. I think God made animals when he realized people were helpless and hopeless. He gave us creatures that show us unconditional love and acceptance. Okay, so an Evolutionist and a Sociologist would have a field day with that, but it's one of the stories I tell myself. That's a heart story. My brain knows the difference.

I so want to believe I will see long lost pets again. Well, some of them. I have no desire to see Rocky ever again. I'm pretty sure he's not in Heaven cause he was hell on Earth. I would love to be with Poco again, and the Girls.

 

 

I don't know. On the off chance, it doesn't happen, I think I'll treat all of them here now like it's their last day. We're supposed to do that anyway - with those we love and ourselves. (Even though, as I type, I want to throw something at Finn because he is determined to open the locked cat door and keeps whapping on it....)

I am not now, nor ever have been, and probably won't be in the future - saint material. If I was, I would be one of those who pissed people off so bad they'd burn me at the stake...