Is it harder for Catholics to get into Heaven?

[StrawberryJam]

I tried to find Trishie but she is not online. I even tried 2 other posters who were online that I thought would be able to give you a very good idea why it is not catholic theology, but one went off line after I asked, and the other may be busy.
I won’t stop trying until I get you someone credible here to properly inform you that your grandmother is not condemned to hell. No one here has the ability to say that.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Someone will step up. Don’t give up. Your despair is now mine.

 

[saveusfromhell]

your Grandmother may have also obtained perfect contrition before she died. she may also have done the nine first friday mass prayerbook.com/Devotions/Sacred%20Heart/ninefri.htm to the sacred heart, or the 5 first saturday mass both very popular devotions that she may have done at a young age. if so there is no way she would be in hell.
you just need to put your trust in God and commend her soul to the most high.

 

[StrawberryJam]

your Grandmother may have also obtained perfect contrition before she died. she may also have done the nine first friday mass prayerbook.com/Devotions/Sacred%20Heart/ninefri.htm to the sacred heart, or the 5 first saturday mass both very popular devotions that she may have done at a young age. if so there is no way she would be in hell.
you just need to put your trust in God and commend her soul to the most high.

Couldn’t there simply be God’s grace involved in this?
None of us know her thoughts at that time and moment in time.

No one can claim they do.

 

[Thomas_Casey]

It is inappropriate to speculate as to the state of a person’s soul. It violates CAF rules is contrary to Catholic practice. This speculating must stop immediately.

 

[The_Reginator]

I lost my brother to suicide just over a year ago.
I find comfort in this:

St. John Vianney once told a widow whose husband had committed suicide, "For God, there is an eternity between the bridge and the water."

Here is the post I read found this on: forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=7711994&postcount=19

No matter what a person has done with their life God’s loving justice and mercy are at work in the very last moments of our life. Heaven or hell … we choose that with how we live our lives but I truly believe that we can also either accept or reject God in our last moments.
In His Justice and Mercy God has provided us with purgatory to be cleansed of our sins. His Mercy has also provided us with hell for those who cannot stand to spend eternity in His glorious presence.

Only God knows whether we ultimately choose heaven or hell.
We must always pray for the dead. We must also work on our own salvation. As Catholics we have access to the Sacraments as other posters have pointed out.

This is a slight digression but I think you may find some help here when looking at it in light of your own concerns:
I recommend this book to many people. Once I read it I bought additional copies for family and friends.
Remember through life that EVERYTHING that happens to us either comes from God or God allows it to happen to us for the good of our immortal souls.
Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence

 

[The_Reginator]

What if I get hit by a truck at a time when I’m in a state of mortal sin and I haven’t had been to confession. If I were a Baptist, Methodist, etc., could I ask God for forgiveness through prayer immediately after the sin, but before I was hit by the truck and waltz into Heaven sinless?

I know that Catholicism is the WAY. I don’t think I could be any other religion.

The reason I ask this question is that my mother died last summer and I am desperate to see her again in Heaven. I’m just afraid I’m going to forget something and not make it. Catholicism can be difficult, but getting to Heaven shouldn’t be easy.

Leah,
I’ve another suggestion for you.
If you are interested, go to the Prayer Intentions sub-forum (in the Spirituality forum) and ask for prayers for your concerns. We are always bombarding the Communion of the Saints for aid for our brothers and sisters here at CAF!

For LeahInancsi’s concerns about salvation and for the soul of her mother we pray:
Hail Mary
Full of Grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou amonst women
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus
Holy Mary, Mother of God
PRAY FOR US SINNERS
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

 

[StrawberryJam]

Leah,
I’ve another suggestion for you.
If you are interested, go to the Prayer Intentions sub-forum (in the Spirituality forum) and ask for prayers for your concerns. We are always bombarding the Communion of the Saints for aid for our brothers and sisters here at CAF!

For LeahInancsi’s concerns about salvation and for the soul of her mother we pray:
Hail Mary
Full of Grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou amonst women
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus
Holy Mary, Mother of God
PRAY FOR US SINNERS
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

Mary, help us

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Leah,

Trust in God’s mercy. The Lord is gentle and kind, slow to anger, rich in compassion. The Lord throws us so many lifelines in this life through not only the sacraments but also in our relationships, friendships, and even in religious media. The Lord has chased down every one of your family members that have passed on and fights for them against Satan.

Trust in the Lord. Pray for each of them who has died with confidence. Offer up your rosary each day and have faith. Don’t despair. The Devil wants us to despair, give up, throw in the towel, and lose faith in the infinite mercy of the Lord.

Nobody has the right to tell you, me, or anyone else who is saved and who is not. That is only for the Lord God to know, as the moderator, Thomas Casey, said.

Trust in the Lord, Leah. He’ll take care of your family…

I’m very seriously thinking about discussing this with one of my priests. They are very busy, but if the teachings of the Catholic church that harsh, it’s not for me as much as I love it.

I don’t have one living relative. I’m passing one day at a time praying this I will see my mother and here parents again someday. That’s ALL I want.

Thank you.

 

[thallon]

I’m very seriously thinking about discussing this with one of my priests. They are very busy, but if the teachings of the Catholic church that harsh, it’s not for me as much as I love it.

I don’t have one living relative. I’m passing one day at a time praying this I will see my mother and here parents again someday. That’s ALL I want.

Thank you.

The Catholic Church has it’s teachings handed down from the Apostles and they from our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only by faith in Jesus that a person can be at all saved, regardless of denominations, Jesus said " no one comes to the Father except through me"
so all human beings, islamic, hindu, athiests, etc etc who hold to any form of religion, other than Christ are condemned by God, not by the catholic church, not by us.
This is the age of grace, the age of the open door to heaven for those who accept.

Jesus said " i have not come to bring peace, but dissension, a man’s enemies will be those of his own house."

 

[Mustang1971]

LeahInancsi, I don’t know if you have ever heard of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. You may want to say a Chaplet for your mother.

ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/dmmap.htm

 

[inocente]

I don’t have one living relative. I’m passing one day at a time praying this I will see my mother and here parents again someday. That’s ALL I want.

I’m going to throw some scripture at you across three posts but please stick with me, it has a happy ending.

*What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:31-39 NIV*

See how Paul finally runs out of words with a lame “nor anything else” in trying to assure you? Read it several times if you have to, but stop worrying.

No of course it’s not harder for Catholics to get into Heaven, and yes of course you’ll see your mother and her parents again - nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Nothing, zilch, jack, zip, nada.

 

[inocente]

I became Catholic because of my grandmother. I knew that she learned her goodness from her childhood in the Catholic church. The only thing that changed in her life after she married is that so no longer attended Mass. She even fed her family fish every Friday. I can’t believe this wonderful woman would be condemned to hell. It’s just not possilbe.

*For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – Hebrews 4:12-16*

Christ knows our heart.

Whatever rules we follow to confess and bring us closer to God while we’re alive (and yes, my rules are different to yours), when we die Christ is our only arbiter, and Christ always knows our heart for “nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight” whether or not we formally asked for forgiveness yet or thought to jump through any particular hoops.

Your grandmother is in Heaven. God isn’t in the business of making mistakes. That’s how it is, can’t be any other.

 

[inocente]

I just got home from work and I cried all the way home. I’m so confused.

*“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. – Romans 8:1-2

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. – Galatians 5:1*

Jesus came to set you free, not to confuse you and make you cry.

No ifs, buts and maybes, no enslavement, no setting yourself up to fail. No beating yourself up because you’re not worthy or don’t have enough faith or anything, we all fall way short. He gives a gift to set you free. It’s His gift, take it. Take it as many times as you want.

 

[Pieman333272]

Please don’t take my question the wrong way and excuse my brevity.

Since many other Christian religions do not have to formally confess their sins, is it easier from them to say a short “Please forgive me God” prayer and be on their way as opposed to Catholics who have to make a formal confession to a priest?

What if I get hit by a truck at a time when I’m in a state of mortal sin and I haven’t had been to confession. If I were a Baptist, Methodist, etc., could I ask God for forgiveness through prayer immediately after the sin, but before I was hit by the truck and waltz into Heaven sinless?

No, it is not harder. First of all, it is debatable if simply asking God for forgiveness will grant such. Either way, the Church teaches, and I cannot emphasize this enough, that if you are truly sorry for your sins when you die and are physically or mentally unable to receive confession, your sins will be forgiven anyway. This is called true repentance. Do not worry, and live in God’s word and truth. Have you ever added one second to your life by worrying?

 

[grannymh]

I’m very seriously thinking about discussing this with one of my priests. They are very busy, but if the teachings of the Catholic church that harsh, it’s not for me as much as I love it.

I don’t have one living relative. I’m passing one day at a time praying this I will see my mother and here parents again someday. That’s ALL I want.

Thank you.

There is a teaching of the Catholic Church called “communion of saints.” It means that our loved ones who died on earth are alive in heaven. It means that our family bonds are still in place. Your mother is still your mother. Please see post 10 by Strawberry Jam.

It was when I last looked at my Mother in her casket that I was absolutely sure that there was eternal life with God. It was weird because my brain told me that this body before me was cold; yet, my heart could feel her warm love as she was with God.

I often think of my Mother’s Dad. There is a memory of him walking alongside a garden toward me. Yet, he died when I was about two years old. Someone told me that he said I would be a writer.

The teaching of the “communion of saints” helps us to remember our family in order to get past the pain of loss. Yes, everyone in heaven is considered a saint.

It is true that we don’t know the state of someone’s soul at death. We do know that the Holy Spirit constantly calls everyone to share in God’s life. Never underestimate the power of God. And just as important, never underestimate the power of a soul to say yes to God’s mercy.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Go to Him within the Catholic Church.

Blessings,
granny

Luke 23: 39-43

 

[hooveam]

I know that Catholicism is the WAY. I don’t think I could be any other religion.

The reason I ask this question is that my mother died last summer and I am desperate to see her again in Heaven. I’m just afraid I’m going to forget something and not make it. Catholicism can be difficult, but getting to Heaven shouldn’t be easy.

Don’t worry about forgetting something. The way the Sacrament works is that if you confess all the sins you can remember during one confession, then all your sins have been forgiven up to that point. If you remember something else later, you are still forgiven for it, but you are encouraged to confess it anyway to receive the grace of the Sacrament and to make proper penance.

As for your grandmother, no one but God knew her heart and what she understood or didn’t understand about the faith. I know many people like her, and I do not doubt God’s mercy and love for them.

Please know that the rules of the faith are not there to scare or control you, but to guide you. When I first learned that missing Mass was a mortal sin, I thought it seemed extreme. But then I realized that the whole reason it exists is to remind you where your heart should be, and I was relieved to find that I had no desire to miss Mass anyway. The written law seems demanding, but when it is written on your heart, it is much easier to follow-- and you don’t even realize you are following it because it becomes natural to you. Know this, and pray that God puts his laws on your heart, so your faith is not one that is forced, but one that is loved.

God is so high above us that sometimes his demands seem too difficult for humans, but he is patient and understanding and eager to help us. If you worry about not making heaven tell Jesus this. Tell him you are afraid, that you are intimidated, that you are weak, but that you have the desire to be perfect. And he will guide you and help you. This is why the Sacraments are so helpful; more graces. If you have difficulty paying attention in Mass or understanding Confession, tell Jesus this, and ask him to help you. If you can’t feel him, tell Him and ask Him to grant you patience and faith to know he’s helping you. It will come. With every Eucharist, offer up your struggles, anxieties, hopes, prayers, difficulties, triumphs, sadness, joy— and ask Jesus to make you everything he is. Remain in him, and he will remain in you.

Know that Catholicism primarily a spirited faith. The doctrine, if you are well-informed about its purpose and meaning, will lead you to its heart. That’s the only reason it exists. When you reach the heart of Catholicism, which is love for God, then the doctrine tends disappear (in the sense that your reason for following it changes), just like the scaffolding from a beautiful home.

 

[jen_fla]

leah, your post brought tears to my eyes. please listen to the moderator and know that the CC teaches that NO ONE not even the Pope can say if a soul has gone to hell. ignore those fools who tell you otherwise. they simply don’t know their faith. praying for you and your family and sending you a big ol spiritual hug.

 

[Tony888]

Please don’t take my question the wrong way and excuse my brevity.

Since many other Christian religions do not have to formally confess their sins, is it easier from them to say a short “Please forgive me God” prayer and be on their way as opposed to Catholics who have to make a formal confession to a priest?

What if I get hit by a truck at a time when I’m in a state of mortal sin and I haven’t had been to confession. If I were a Baptist, Methodist, etc., could I ask God for forgiveness through prayer immediately after the sin, but before I was hit by the truck and waltz into Heaven sinless?

Well, I disagree with your logic.

It’s equally hard for both Catholics and Baptists, etc. to get into heaven. You either pass the test or you don’t (no affirmative action plan)

I also understand that Catholics agree - only God forgives sins.

 

[Lucky10279]

Please don’t take my question the wrong way and excuse my brevity.

Since many other Christian religions do not have to formally confess their sins, is it easier from them to say a short “Please forgive me God” prayer and be on their way as opposed to Catholics who have to make a formal confession to a priest?

What if I get hit by a truck at a time when I’m in a state of mortal sin and I haven’t had been to confession. If I were a Baptist, Methodist, etc., could I ask God for forgiveness through prayer immediately after the sin, but before I was hit by the truck and waltz into Heaven sinless?