T
The_Catholic
Guest
The Catholic Church does not condem any soul to hell, correct? Another words even if one had comitted suicide the Church does not say for certain that that soul is in hell. Is this true?
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C
ChiFaithful
Guest
I’m not sure if I’m answering this correctly, but through God’s grace, anything is possible. HOWEVER, killing somebody is a mortal sin, and killing yourself is killing somebody. So that’s not a good sign.
V
vern_humphrey
Guest
Originally the Church did hold that suicide was a mortal sin, and since it was committed at the moment of death, a suicide could not go to heaven. Suicides could not be buried in consecrated ground.
However, this was a position based on science – the assumption being that suicide was a wilful act. Since we now know that many suicides are the product of clinical depression, the church now holds that we cannot know if a suicide is condemned or not.
V
Vincent1560
Guest
I am not Catholic, but I beleive the Catholic Church’s position is that a sin is mortal only if done with full knowledge and willingness. A suicidal person is often not in their right mind which I think would count as a mitigating factor. If this is a question regarding yourself, I would urge you in the strongest possible terms not to do it and seek help. The fact that you posted this suggests that you do know it is serious sin and are rational enough to evaluate the consequences, thus I would not count on God accepting a plea of ignorance. If this is just a theoretical question, sorry about the rant. But I know someone who committed suicide and have seen the devastation it caused to his family and friends and have had to live with the knowledge that if he had only been guided to some help he could have lived a happy and fulfilling life. (the person was a Christian) Thus I am always very careful about these questions.
M
Montie_Claunch
Guest
Like so other many things, it’s best just not to do it and not think about it. But, I am weird like that.
T
The_Catholic
Guest
vern humphrey:
True, but the Church still would not claim for certain that he/she is in hell, right?
C
Church_Militant
Guest
The Catholic:
2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.
2282 If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.
Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.
2283 We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives. No one…repeat NO ONE can assert the knowledge of the end of another’s soul, except God Himself.
They cannot help it and therefore any sin because of it is mitigated, with the judgement finally reserved (rightly) to God, and all our prayers for them should be filled with compassion and intercession for God’s mercy.
Pax tecum,
This one is really fairly simple to answer so far as the church is concerned and is one of the most intelligent & compassionate aspects of our most holy faith. Here’s the statements from The Catechism of the Catholic Church: (Which I’m surprised that none of you have cited before me!)
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2280 Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.
2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.
2282 If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.
Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.
2283 We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives. No one…repeat NO ONE can assert the knowledge of the end of another’s soul, except God Himself.
They cannot help it and therefore any sin because of it is mitigated, with the judgement finally reserved (rightly) to God, and all our prayers for them should be filled with compassion and intercession for God’s mercy.
Pax tecum,
F
Fidelis
Guest
The fact that the Church does not presume a suicide definitely would go to hell does not mean that person will, in fact, not end up there. She simply says (short of an unquestionably rational suicide note or statement by the person) that she doesn’t know.
However, God DOES know, and I, for one, would not bank on the Church’s reticence in passing judgment, because God is the ULTIMATE judge–and he DOES know.
However, God DOES know, and I, for one, would not bank on the Church’s reticence in passing judgment, because God is the ULTIMATE judge–and he DOES know.
L
Like
Guest
I too, have witnessed a suicide in a very small town as a peace officer & the whole town was devasted, not to mention the good family’s devastation.
Vincent1560
I thank you very much for your post!
S
svoboda
Guest
The Catholic:
I think that people who commit suicide tend to be mentally ill, experiencing overwhelming emotions, and I think this takes away from any true consent they can make.
Well, for suicide to be a mortal sin there has to be understanding and consent.
I think that people who commit suicide tend to be mentally ill, experiencing overwhelming emotions, and I think this takes away from any true consent they can make.
F
Flopfoot
Guest
- This question has been posted many times before, do a search for previous threads (or even look in the CCC) before asking question about what the church teaches.
- Suicide is always objectively a grave matter and since it is a matter of natural moral law then we always have full knowledge that it is wrong, if I understand correctly. However it is not always done with full consent hence not always a mortal sin.
P
puzzleannie
Guest
many of our kids and catechists just went to the funeral of a classmate who committed suicide last week. The kicker that has us so sad is that she belonged to the YG and Confirmation class of a neighboring, very liberal parish, where their idea of Confirmation service is picketing the bishop’s office over ordination of women, gays in the priesthood, and their idea of bible study is a serious consideration of the DaVinci code. They did not bring their kids to the Youth Rally and Retreat last weekend with Radix, Jesse Romero and Fr. Zachary, and don’t participate in Y2K because it is all about guilt and cookie-worship. So they missed the message about the reality of sin and the even greater enormity of the Divine Mercy and spiritual warfare.
Maybe if this little girl had been cared for pastorally by any of the strident women in that parish who label themselves as “pastoral associates” and maybe if those charged with her religious education had taught her truth rather than pushing agendas she would not have been alone and uncared for. We never know why someone does this, but certainly those who did have some responsibility failed her. May God grant that we never fall into that trap. We do have a child formerly in our program who is under a suicide watch, and I also have a young relative who is under treatment. This is the anniversary of the suicide of the son of a dear friend.
Please parents, catechists, teachers, friends teach our children about God’s immense love and boundless mercy.
editing to add I just heard that a 10 yr old child in our town committed suicide yesterday. May God have mercy on our children.
Maybe if this little girl had been cared for pastorally by any of the strident women in that parish who label themselves as “pastoral associates” and maybe if those charged with her religious education had taught her truth rather than pushing agendas she would not have been alone and uncared for. We never know why someone does this, but certainly those who did have some responsibility failed her. May God grant that we never fall into that trap. We do have a child formerly in our program who is under a suicide watch, and I also have a young relative who is under treatment. This is the anniversary of the suicide of the son of a dear friend.
Please parents, catechists, teachers, friends teach our children about God’s immense love and boundless mercy.
editing to add I just heard that a 10 yr old child in our town committed suicide yesterday. May God have mercy on our children.
L
lil_flower_1
Guest
Suicide is very sad. I can not fathom the pain many families must face when a love one commits suicide. My very own daughter (at the age of 12 yrs old) tried to end her life, luckily I found her and revived her. After a month of gruelling and painstaking wait. She came out of her coma. She was not expected to live, and she had it was a great possiblity that she would be severely retarded from the lack of oxygen.
I did not bargain with God, about her recovering, I simple accepted His will, and prayed to Saint Theresa, whose relics I by chance came across in a nearby city a week before, and asked to pray for her soul. At the time, no one knew what had happen. No one knew she tried to end her life, until one day while she was in the hospital, I went back home and went through her things and found a letter how sad she had been.
I could not understand how a perfectly happy 12 year old could want to end her life. After she awakened from the coma, she was found to be normal. Despite all the odds. Today she is a normal 18 year old with no side effects from this act. After knowing what happened she went to a rehab where they diagnosed her with Manic Depression. It all made sense, since birth she had always been difficult. Since, she recieved treatment and has been stable sense.
I do not know GODS plan for people who end their life, or for those who suffer a mental illness. Mental illness effects the mind and tricks it into false things, and emotions. May God help those who suffer with this illness.
I live in a small rural area, and the average suicide rate here is 3 a year, all under 18 years of age. The population here is not even 3000 people. So, very often we know who these children are. Our relatives or friends of the family. There is a very close connection to everyone here. My daughter happened to be the only one in 10 years that survived her attempt. It is very heart breaking, and the only combat is to educate our chilren and adults as well, not only the possiblity of mental illness, but most of all that God is with them.
Children, these days are faced with so many uncertainities of this life, things are much harder for them then ever before. Not only is suicide an issue, but there are the disturbed whom want to go out and shoot up their school. Our children are very much in need of stable home life and brought up in the love of God. And still, with all these weapons of love and faith, there still is the possibilty that some will reject it and do it anyway for another reason. It gets more and more difficult to shelter them from the outside world of life as it is. If we as adults have our moments of stress from work, finances, relationships, etc… be assurred that our children face a far more difficult crisis themselves. One can only start looking for signs when there is a change in behavior, to intervene as soon as possible. This gives hope to the child.
We want so much for our children, sometimes expecting to much is often our guilt. Not really looking into our child, when something is wrong, forgetting we are their parents until the end of our time, no matter how old they are. Sometimes we have to be loving to them as when they were infants, and set aside some of our “tough love” tactics to get them to learn. The most difficult years of a child is from junior high years to high school years. Please be aware and take a greater notice to them in these critical years. Most of all pray! St Theresa also faced this challenge of suicide with herself and her father. The 3t’s of Suicide it is called. Also Saint Philomena is the Patron of several things as well as mental illness. Pray to these beautiful saints, that they will pray for our children. And trust Jesus!
At times, it seems as tho nothing is helping, but I assure you that there are things one can not see yet, that is manifesting within them. Give it time, have hope. God is so powerful. Ask for a conversion, rather a cure, believe, too is what the suffering Christ went through for our salvation. We suffer in Christ, he has not abandon us, our Lord God gives us only what crosses we can bear.Nothing less, nothing more. Conversion is the answer, because when we give our selves to Jesus, we are comforted by his suffering wounds and His Immaculate Mother fold each of us in Her Maternal arms.
Faith is something we should look for and the trust we need to leave in our Fathers hands. We merely are passing through this life and place, our true home is Heaven, where there is no more sadness or tears. It was the promise given to us, so that we do not give up hope. Do not blame yourselves or your child, and most of all do not blame God for this suffering. May God bring peace within our hearts and may the crucified Lord bring us worthy of his promises with his suffering united with our own suffering.Be thankful for the happiness God gives us as well as the sadness of our lives. Sorry so long. May our Most Immaculate Mother keep you.
Vm
I did not bargain with God, about her recovering, I simple accepted His will, and prayed to Saint Theresa, whose relics I by chance came across in a nearby city a week before, and asked to pray for her soul. At the time, no one knew what had happen. No one knew she tried to end her life, until one day while she was in the hospital, I went back home and went through her things and found a letter how sad she had been.
I could not understand how a perfectly happy 12 year old could want to end her life. After she awakened from the coma, she was found to be normal. Despite all the odds. Today she is a normal 18 year old with no side effects from this act. After knowing what happened she went to a rehab where they diagnosed her with Manic Depression. It all made sense, since birth she had always been difficult. Since, she recieved treatment and has been stable sense.
I do not know GODS plan for people who end their life, or for those who suffer a mental illness. Mental illness effects the mind and tricks it into false things, and emotions. May God help those who suffer with this illness.
I live in a small rural area, and the average suicide rate here is 3 a year, all under 18 years of age. The population here is not even 3000 people. So, very often we know who these children are. Our relatives or friends of the family. There is a very close connection to everyone here. My daughter happened to be the only one in 10 years that survived her attempt. It is very heart breaking, and the only combat is to educate our chilren and adults as well, not only the possiblity of mental illness, but most of all that God is with them.
Children, these days are faced with so many uncertainities of this life, things are much harder for them then ever before. Not only is suicide an issue, but there are the disturbed whom want to go out and shoot up their school. Our children are very much in need of stable home life and brought up in the love of God. And still, with all these weapons of love and faith, there still is the possibilty that some will reject it and do it anyway for another reason. It gets more and more difficult to shelter them from the outside world of life as it is. If we as adults have our moments of stress from work, finances, relationships, etc… be assurred that our children face a far more difficult crisis themselves. One can only start looking for signs when there is a change in behavior, to intervene as soon as possible. This gives hope to the child.
We want so much for our children, sometimes expecting to much is often our guilt. Not really looking into our child, when something is wrong, forgetting we are their parents until the end of our time, no matter how old they are. Sometimes we have to be loving to them as when they were infants, and set aside some of our “tough love” tactics to get them to learn. The most difficult years of a child is from junior high years to high school years. Please be aware and take a greater notice to them in these critical years. Most of all pray! St Theresa also faced this challenge of suicide with herself and her father. The 3t’s of Suicide it is called. Also Saint Philomena is the Patron of several things as well as mental illness. Pray to these beautiful saints, that they will pray for our children. And trust Jesus!
At times, it seems as tho nothing is helping, but I assure you that there are things one can not see yet, that is manifesting within them. Give it time, have hope. God is so powerful. Ask for a conversion, rather a cure, believe, too is what the suffering Christ went through for our salvation. We suffer in Christ, he has not abandon us, our Lord God gives us only what crosses we can bear.Nothing less, nothing more. Conversion is the answer, because when we give our selves to Jesus, we are comforted by his suffering wounds and His Immaculate Mother fold each of us in Her Maternal arms.
Faith is something we should look for and the trust we need to leave in our Fathers hands. We merely are passing through this life and place, our true home is Heaven, where there is no more sadness or tears. It was the promise given to us, so that we do not give up hope. Do not blame yourselves or your child, and most of all do not blame God for this suffering. May God bring peace within our hearts and may the crucified Lord bring us worthy of his promises with his suffering united with our own suffering.Be thankful for the happiness God gives us as well as the sadness of our lives. Sorry so long. May our Most Immaculate Mother keep you.
Vm
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