Can someone answer my question? Part 2

[TruthSeeker11]

I have a lot of questions about the Catholic Church and its teaching.

What is church teaching on the souls of animals?
(this question stems from a rather bad experience, I had a Catholic tell me that my dog who had died the day before was a worthless, soulless animal) Isn’t it rather rude to tell someone something like that while they’re grieving?

 

[Tantum_ergo]

I have a lot of questions about the Catholic Church and its teaching.

1. What is church teaching on the souls of animals?

Welcome to the forums.

1. Animals are neither worthless nor soul-less. God watches over the sparrows, right? However, animals do not have immortal souls the way that people do. When an animal dies, as it stands, the animal does not ‘go to heaven’. . .BUT since there is much imagery of animals ‘in the kingdom’ and we know there will be a ‘new heaven and a new earth’, it is possible that God has a plan for animals ‘hereafter’ which we do not know of currently. And please, try to remember that when we are grieving and sensitive, we may ‘hear’ something that was not actually said in exactly the words we think we heard. Also, nobody is perfect. If somebody really said something that ‘rude’, maybe they didn’t understand perfectly themselves. I absolutely trust in God. If His plan is to reunite me with my beloved cat Jessie (I lost her 3 years ago and it’s still an ache in my heart), I will praise Him. If His plan does not include her, I will still praise Him because whatever HE decides and does is absolutely and totally the most perfect and wonderful decision. I truly trust in Him.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

The poster above explained it so well…

But I wanted to apologize for the rude person who told you your dog was worthless…I am so sorry…That is just plain rude!

I have 3 dogs…The Pope has 2 cats…

I’ll pray for your continued healing of your loss!

 

[DavidFilmer]

What is church teaching on the souls of animals?

The Church has no such teaching.

I had a Catholic tell me that my dog who had died the day before was a worthless, soulless animal) Isn’t it rather rude to tell someone something like that while they’re grieving?

This Catholic has no basis (in Catholic doctrine) for making this claim (and, yes, it is rude).

However, there is no basis for believing that animals (or plants, or bacteria, or minerals) have any place in the economy of salvation. Only mankind is made in the image and likeness of God, and only humans are endowed with immortal souls.

On this earthly plain it is easy to become attached to house pets (I have cried many tears over various losses throughout the years). But this is not unlike a child becoming attached to a stuffed toy - the child’s love for the toy is no less real or authentic than our love for our pets.

We must not let ourselves fall into the trap of imaging that heaven is a place of earthly fulfillment, where we will be reunited with our beloved pets (or our beloved toys, or our mother’s lasagna, or whatever brought us happiness on earth). These are simply possessions. We must realize that, in heaven, we will be united with Our Lord, and find ourselves in full communion with those who were made in his image and likeness, and that all else will seem - as a child’s toy.

You will not be reunited with your beloved dog in heaven. But you will not feel any loss, and you will remember and appreciate the fleeting happiness your dog brought you while in this life. You will not need your dog to find happiness in heaven - you will remember and share in this happiness for all eternity (with none of the sorrow).

 

[Marc_Anthony]

You will not be reunited with your beloved dog in heaven.

The Church does not teach this.

The souls of animals are mortal and are destroyed at death. But it is certainly possible that God, out of the pure kindness in his heart, can recreate the souls of animals that have been destroyed.

We do not need this for us to be perfectly happy, and yet God knows that these animals gave us joy, so I think it’s certainly possible that he would bring them back for us. Not that he has to or necessarily will, but he certainly could.

 

[Trishie]

The Church does not teach this.

The souls of animals are mortal and are destroyed at death. But it is certainly possible that God, out of the pure kindness in his heart, can recreate the souls of animals that have been destroyed.

We do not need this for us to be perfectly happy, and yet God knows that these animals gave us joy, so I think it’s certainly possible that he would bring them back for us. Not that he has to or necessarily will, but he certainly could.

Well, we can certainly pray for that! Praying first of all always, for our fellow humans!

Creator God have pity on all aware beings, even those with vestigial consciousness.
I am distressed when suffering in human and in animal realms confront me—and when I face evidence of destructive mismanagement of resources causing ruined countryside, loss of native species, or proliferation of imported feral creatures.

Yet observe dear God our love and protectiveness for the animals that You created. Some exhibit loyalty, obedience and affection for us. Animals draw us to kindness and touch what is childlike in us.

Have we not advanced their creative purpose before You, have they not achieved this themselves by their interaction with Your Children? Some have devotion to humans that would make us saints, if our devotion to You matched theirs. *

Their devotion surely issues from Your Love. Bless us for their sake also, and bless them. May they not also have a place in heaven, if You will?
…

*Animals have endangered themselves to rescue Your human children from fire, from drowning, and other dangers! Recently an eight-year-old cat sprang to the rescue of a toddler savaged by a bull pit terrier, hissing and scratching until the dog released the boy.

 

[DavidFilmer]

The Church does not teach this.

Um, yeah, that’s what I said.

The souls of animals are mortal and are destroyed at death.

Of course.

But it is certainly possible that God, out of the pure kindness in his heart, can recreate the souls of animals that have been destroyed.

But that’s not kindness. God fills us completely - we have no desire for anything else. Does God, out of “kindness,” restore our favorite tree? Our beloved painting? Our cherished Styx Grand Illusion CD (complete with an iPod to play it on)? What about that great skateboard I had when I was 12? Do I get that back? Can I go skateboarding in heaven? (will I never fall down and scrape my knee while I ride my heavenly skateboard?) Do you see how silly this is becoming? Why should only pet-lovers benefit from some unnatural “kindness.” What about skateboard lovers, and people who like Styx? Do they get to keep their skateboards and Styx CD’s, just like the pet-lovers get to keep their animals? This is all absurd, but there is no absurdity in heaven. I really like pizza - does that mean I get to eat it every day? Of course not! We don’t eat pizza (or anything else) in heaven. We don’t have pizza, and we don’t have iPods, and we don’t have skateboards, and we don’t have pets.

Many material things give us pleasure in this life. None of these will give us pleasure in the next life. We will remember them fondly, but we will have no desire for them whatsoever, because we are fulfilled (ie, completely filled) with Our Lord. There is no “kindness” in offering us that which we have no desire for.