All Dogs Go to Heaven

The New York Times carried a story this morning about Pope Francis' observation to a distraught child who wondered if there was a place for heaven for his deceased dog.  Not surprisingly, the Pontiff who took the name of the patron saint of animals offered assurance that there was indeed a place in paradise for pets.

Francis' ruminations were not meant to be a doctrinal pronunciation but a pastoral word.  Still, his comments energized the long-running debate about whether animals have souls.  Ultimately, we don't know.  But given we're in a season preparing for the arrival of the Almighty in the form a mewling infant, I wouldn't put it past God to bless creatures others than humans with a soul.  After all, dogs and cats, lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), and all sorts of creatures great and small, cute and cuddly, ugly and ornery, are all fashioned by the hand of God, and thus good, blessed beings to be treasured, celebrated, and cared for.

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