Isn’t it a contradiction to offer a plenary indulgence to those who have Coronavirus, if everyone is saved anyway?

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Maximian

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The Holy Father is on record as saying that “we will all meet on the other side - even atheists.”

I don’t understand therefore why he thinks we need indulgences.
 
“Everyone is saved” I doubt about this. If everyone will be saved then there is no point in talking about good and bad, moral and immoral…
 
Short answer: No.

At the judgment on the last day. Not all will be saved.

Reference the parable of the sheep and the goats.

Also, the indulgence references our “time” in purgatory.
 
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Well, that’s what the Pope said in a famous audience early in his papacy.
 
My understanding is that all the dead will be raised, and they and those then living will be judged, not all will be saved. I’m not familiar with the audience you’re referring to, could you post a link or give a date of this audience?
 
May 2013:

The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there
 
Maximian said:
Well, that’s what the Pope said in a famous audience early in his papacy.
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I think you have misunderstood. Specifically that you took a figure of speech for a literal promise. His Holiness was not saying that every person will be saved.
 
Zaccheus said:
you took a figure of speech for a literal promise.
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Actually I think it is you who are taking a literal promise for a figure of speech. What room is there for misinterpretation in the following sentences:
Maximian said:
The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone!
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I think you are confused about the difference between redemption and salvation. Catholics believe Jesus Christ died for every human being without exception. This redemption has nothing to do with our goodness, and everything to do with God’s overwhelming generosity. Redemption is universal, salvation is not. Redemption is a proposal we must accept and salvation is the result.
 
humbleseeker said:
you are confused about the difference between redemption and salvation.
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Maximian said:
But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there
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You cannot meet someone in Heaven if you are not participating in salvation.

Im sorry but whatever you or I think, the Pope thinks that everyone who does good, regardless of faith, goes to heaven. And since everyone does some good in his life, that means everyone.
 
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Maximian said:
Im sorry but whatever you or I think, the Pope thinks that everyone who does good
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What’s the point of discussing if you think this? :roll_eyes:

If you read in context, the Pope is making a point about how every type of person can be saved.
 
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I don’t see where the Pope says everyone will meet in Heaven.
Maximian said:
We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there
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The place we all meet is in doing good.
 
We shouldn’t take an off the cuff comment by the Pope to mean he believes in universal salvation.
 
Maximian said:
The Holy Father is on record as saying that “we will all meet on the other side - even atheists.”
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He did not say that. If you read the quote that you posted further on what he said was that we will meet each other “there”. There being in the doing of good. In the corporal works of mercy. And the spiritual works of mercy. And we meet them where they are. And we evangelize. And maybe they move slowly towards Christ, their Redeemer and ours.

I think this poor Pope is about the most misquoted Pope ever.
 
I see the Pope’s quote but unfortunately you probably extrapolate more than what is there.

If you read what Jesus says in Matthew 19 “I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven.’” Would you make a similar claim that no rich man can go to heaven?

Pope Francis is more of a pastoral pope, who is there to give hope and help the needy.

Anyway I think it is more a trolling question than a genuine concern. So I stop here…
 
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He said the atheist has to “do good”. There are a whole lot of people who don’t “do good” and who might even actively reject God.

On the other hand, if you love your fellow man and really try to do good things for them, then you’re like the Good Samaritan, whose beliefs were heretical to the Jewish believers but who loved God through loving his neighbor.

The Pope definitely didn’t say everybody gets saved. It depends on the internal disposition of one’s heart and also on one’s actions in life.

We also have no idea how long someone might sit in Purgatory or what they might experience there. An atheist or even a “bad Catholic” might suffer greatly before finally being admitted to Heaven. And indulgences are to help people avoid or have a shorter easier time in Purgatory. It’s worth noting that indulgences can only be earned by Catholics in a state of Grace, who can then choose to give them away, so the grant of indulgences is for us to help others get to Heaven as well as to encourage us to pray to God for this plague to end and lives to be spared. There is no point in us getting 2 dozen indulgences for ourselves when, if we pray habitually during our life, we get one at the moment of death and that one is likely all we need or can use. We’re supposed to be giving these indulgences to poor souls in Purgatory.
 
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I didn’t know we could give them away, thank you. I recently heard some news on a new indulgence being offered. I will check what it is now.
 
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