Pets and heaven

It was a story that delighted pet lovers and animal rights activists.

The story went that Pope Francis had been talking to a boy who had just lost a dog and assured the boy they would meet again in heaven.

The story certainly sounded like it could be true given that the Pope’s namesake is St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals.

A lot of people certainly wanted it to be true.

The only problem was Pope Francis had said no such thing.
He had simply been quoting Pope Paul VI, who years ago had comforted a child saying, “One day we will see our animals in the eternity of Christ.”

An Italian newspaper got the headline wrong.

But by the time the correction went out, animal rights groups were already running with it. And there could have been a real problem. Because the concept of animals having souls creates definite winners and losers.

It might be good for pet cemeteries looking forward to lavish Christian burials for Fluffy, but very bad for the beef and pork industries.

You can just imagine the economic consequences of the Pope telling millions of Catholics their Christmas ham had a soul.

Although, personally, I see no reason why animals shouldn’t go to heaven, especially those poor “service pigs” that people take on airplanes.

If any creature deserves a heavenly reward, it’s them.