In an earlier article, I noted the fact that in a private meeting (not a formal interview) with the atheist founder of the center-left daily La Repubblica, Pope Francis is alleged to have said that “those, who do not repent and [therefore] cannot be forgiven, just disappear. A ‘hell’ does not exist: what exists is the disappearance of sinful souls.”
Immediately, the knee-jerk conservative reactionaries had their usual attack of apoplexy saying that, if the Pope said such a thing or anything that amounted to such a thing, he would be a heretic.
The Press Office of the Holy See issued a statement denying that the words are a faithful representation of Pope Francis’s ipsissima verba — his exact words, indicating that everything reported by the author in La Repubblica’s article is the fruit of the author’s own reconstruction, in which the verbatim words pronounced by the Pope are not quoted. No direct report of speech, therefore, may be considered a faithful transcription of the words of the Holy Father.
The Press Office appeared to take great care to mince its words carefully, however, for there is no indication that, while the Holy Father may not have used these exact words, they may indeed indicate his view about those who die in a state of separation from the redemptive Grace of Christ.
And so, the Catholic faithful are left to wonder.
Certainly, the Press Office’s clarification is not satisfactory or even close to being satisfactory.
Unfortunately, the headlines generated around the world declaring hell abolished and the Catholic Church changed forever are the real story, true or false.
One wonders why, if he really has a more traditional acceptance of the Church’s teaching regarding hell, the Pope has not disowned what was reported or what ideas were foisted upon him.
It would be reasonable to assume, therefore, that the longer the Pope takes to refute the ideas attributed to him, the stronger the case becomes for believing that he really does hold this view of hell.
Apparently, Pope Francis is comfortable living in an existential reality wherein not all things are perfectly understandable or clear -- a reality so different and distinct from traditional Catholic experience.
And so, the right and left wings within the Church community are left to debate and argue about orthodoxy vs heterodoxy, if not plain heresy.
As I wrote previously, what the exact nature and experience of hell is and will be is unknown to living men and women. But the same is true of the nature and experience of Heaven.
This we do know for certain. Jesus Christ died for our sins and opened for us a pathway to the Father’s eternal love. Those who believe and accept the redemption Christ offers are promised eternal relationship with God. Those who willingly and purposefully reject that Grace are forever separated from the Divine Godhead.
So whether there is a hell of fire and brimstone or annihilation, whether Heaven is sitting on a cloud and singing eternal “hosannas” no one know for sure.
I just hope and pray I live forever with the Lord in whatever situation or circumstance He wishes to provide for me and all those who trust in His generous forgiveness.
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