Would people who go to hell *ever* have chosen friendship with God?

[Peonies]

@Lucy_1

I do not know the answer to your question, but I will pray for both of your parents. This article may be helpful to you. It has a story about Padre Pio explaining that he could pray for the happy death of his great-grandfather (who at that point had been dead for many years) and have those prayers still be heard by God, Who is outside of time.

Is it Possible to Pray Across Time?

Anyway, it might bring you comfort to pray for the happy death of your parents as well as to pray for the repose of their souls.

 

[Lucy_1]

Thanks. I’ve had a lot of masses said for them too. I trust in God’s mercy, but it’s difficult for me to plumb the depths of this doctrine. I appreciate your prayers.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

God forgives sins to the truly repentant

Would anyone in hell repented eventually if they lived longer and had more nudges from the Holy Spirit? Of course my parents were in their 80s, so maybe they had a lot of grace’s already.

I think no, for the Holy Trinity has desires the salvation of all, yet has given mankind free will such that the grace needed can be resisted. In Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Ludwig Ott summarizes the Catholic doctrines and one is:

Despite men’s sins God truly and earnestly desires the salvation of all men. (Sent. fidei proxima.)

The certainty of the statement is Sententia fidei proxima which means generally accepted as divine revelation.

 

[PennyinCanada]

My parents died, and they weren’t Christians although my mom was validly baptized. So as you can imagine, this is a deep struggle for me. Not to mention I was/am an ok example, but a crappy evangelist.

This seems to be your real concern so I will address that. Christ said those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison, they have done it to me. We don’t know the charity and kindness other people have done in their lives. Pray for them often but have peace.