I feel crushed after this article

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I read a good book on this topic, “Will I See My Dog in Heaven,” by Fr. Jack Wintz, OFM (Paraclete Press 2009). I know the hardline answer to this question that many theologians and apparently Catholic Answers tells us is, "No,’ but the book I mentioned above is one that offers a more hopeful, heartfelt response. Peter Kreeft is another prominent teacher who leaves the question open to the goodness of God, rather than simply dashing hope for those going through a hard time.

I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. I’ve also lost too many dogs and cats over the years.
 
@angell1 , I had to say goodbye to my dog two years ago next month . I have been into town this morning , and on the way a lady I was talking to asked whether I still had my dog . Last week a man asked me where my dog was . I understand the saying that a dog is a man’s/woman’s best friend . She helped me in ways that are really unbelievable . She made me into a different person .

So I know what you must be going through . I don’t care what the religious intellectuals say , but I am sure that if heaven would be lacking in some way if my dog wasn’t there , God will put her there . Jesus said that with God all things are possible . So ignore the article , and put your trust in the power and love of God who has your best interests at heart .

This is a photo of my late friend whom I called Holly - - – - - - - -

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doesn’t seem like conjecture, the way it is written, at the end of the article, it says we know for sure
 
angell1 said:
doesn’t seem like conjecture, the way it is written, at the end of the article, it says we know for sure
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That’s one person’s opinion. You are free to accept it, or reject it
 
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It seems like a weak point in his argument. He first says with regards to our earthly pets
“And there couldn’t be any sort of resurrection of these animals since resurrection presupposes a continued existence of some sort.”
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But then he goes on to admit that there are arguments on both sides regarding the question of whether there could be animals in heaven in general. And so he says:
“Those in favor argue that there is nothing intrinsic to the nature of God or animals that would prohibit God from creating new creatures and miraculously keeping them in existence. Just as God will preserve other material things from corruption, including the human body, he could very well create new non-human animals and preserve them from corruption.”
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If that latter argument works in favor of “keeping them in existence” for animals in general, why could it not be the answer to the issue of old pets be re-created needing to have a “continued existence”? No reason that I can see. It seems to me that if that argument holds for one group of animals (i.e. animals in general), it would also hold for the other (i.e. our old pets).

EDIT: I want to also add that the article that he points out at the end (The Fidoist Heresy) makes many of the same statements about animals not having immortal souls, etc (which are all true). But even that article concludes with:
The Communion of Saints suggests that heaven will be a social place, that God’s face-to-face presence will not automatically make us tune out all else. If the heavenly host can commune with one another, perhaps they may also rub Fido’s belly or scratch Mittens behind the ears.
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So I’m a bit puzzled as to why Broussard so absolutely rules it out. From everything else in Aglialoro’s article and even his own article, nothing really refutes the idea that it is still a possibility that God could re-create those animals and sustain their existence in heaven.
 
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angell1 said:
it says we know for sure
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Dr. Peter Kreeft, in his book, “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Heaven, But Never Dreamed of Asking” (Ignatius 1990) replies to the question, “Are there animals in Heaven?” with: “The simplest answer is: Why not? How irrational is the prejudice that would allow plants (green fields and flowers) but not animals into Heaven! Much more reasonable is C.S. Lewis’ speculation that we will be ‘between the angels who are our elder brothers and the beasts who are our jesters, servants and playfellows.’ Scripture seems to confirm this: ‘Thy judgments are like the great deep; man and beast thou savest, O Lord.’ (Psalm 36:6) Animals belong in the ‘new earth’ as much as trees.”

Fr. Jack Wintz, in the book I mentioned above, frames his answer to the question, “Will I see my dog in Heaven?” with another question, “Does God intend the whole created world to somehow be saved?” His final answer: “Yes, with heartfelt thanks for God’s saving love for the whole family of creation, I will see my dog in Heaven!”

We simply do not know for certain this side of the grave, and there are arguments for both sides, but I much prefer these hopeful answers.
 
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so he could create a new dog that is exactly the same as the old dog, if I am understanding you correctly. can God really make the exact same thing twice? if an dog is re-created, would it still be Macy for example?
 
To quote my late uncle Wendell, a Baptist minister who faced a similar question;

“Heaven is paradise. So if paradise for you couldn’t exist without your dog being there with you, then I’ve every reason to expect that you’ll see them in heaven.”
 
You’ve never existed in a glorified, sinless form.

So will heaven-you still be you?

🤔
 
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We do know that G-d will provide for all our needs in heaven. If having your pet is one of your needs at that time, G-d will provide for that. We cannot know EVERYTHING about what G-d will do for us on this side of heaven. Just trust that G-d will take care of you AND your beloved pet.
 
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This article is an opinion.

There is no doctrinal teaching.

Did you read the Dr Kreeft opinion that I posted in the other thread?

We do know that Heaven is a place of perfect joy, there will be no sorrow. God will provide exactly what you need to be perfectly happy. If that includes your dog, God will provide your dog. Trust in HIS love.
 
yes, I did read that one, I had read before as well.

like I said, the way this one was presented, it doen’st seem like he was saying it was just his opinion, but michelle Arnold, another apologist, had answered thie question previously as well, and her opinion was different.

so I guess we really don’t know, the link another person posted was fr. mike Smidt, a well-known priest, he thinks it’s possible. and there are differing opinions among saints as well.
 
well, yes, because I will still have my immortal soul. only the vessel that houses the soul would be different

animals don’t have immortal souls, God is often compared to a potter, if he made a dog once, can he remake the same dog again? if I make a clay teapot and it breaks or perishes, and I make a new one that is looks exactly the same, is it really the same teapot as the first one?
 
angell1 said:
so he could create a new dog that is exactly the same as the old dog, if I am understanding you correctly. can God really make the exact same thing twice? if an dog is re-created, would it still be Macy for example?
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I suppose I haven’t thought through the mechanics of what that would look like. I see no reason why it wouldn’t be the same dog. I just use the word “re-created” because God would in a sense be creating the animal over again as animals don’t have immortal souls by their nature the way humans and angels do.
 
you’re not the only one, I’ve read a few other opinion pieces by other priests and apologists that say more or less the same thing.

I suppose that God is God, and that he can do anything he wants to, really. even if we don’t understand how. he has chosen to make each individual human soul different, but I suppose he could have made us all the same, if he wanted to. I’m sure he could create something that he created before exactly the same as it was, or perhaps, if he chose, there is some way to preserve the mortal animal soul from perishing in certain cases, just like how he sometimes preserves some bodies of saints from being corrupted.

I really hav eno idea, I just need something to hold on to for consolation during this difficult time
 
I think the purpose of a dog is to give us comfort and an unconditional friend throughout life. “Dogs are a man’s best friend,” the old quote goes, and I have three, myself. A German Shepherd, Beagle, and an Alaskan Malamute. I love them to death, but a few years back we lost a dog, another German Shepherd, named Brandy, to a heart attack.

I truly, truly, truly felt as if a relative had died. Like my own child had passed away, but I understand that God creates the animal soul differently to the human soul. As has been repeated here, I hope that in heaven, we will be granted a recreated pet to keep on our journey towards the general resurrection.
 
The same spirit of God that gives us life gives them life. We are all connected.
 
That’s just the opinion of the article writer.

It is not official Church doctrine.

It can’t be when the Church itself has no official stance on the presence of animals in Heaven.
 
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