Will heaven pass away?

A reader asks: “Part of Mark 13 reads ‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away’. I interpret this to reference Christ’s promise of his glorious second coming, but I’m confused by the mention of heaven, which

Christian, go home

Writer David Mills explores the concept of home — and how there is no better place to practice the virtues that will lead to our eternal home with God in heaven. Mills writes: “As Christians, we live to get to our final

Can you earn your way to heaven?

A reader asks for clarity whether people can earn their way into heaven. In his response, Monsignor Charles Pope explains: “We cannot earn salvation. We are saved by the grace of faith working through love. … The central problem with the faith

A lesson from C.S. Lewis in light of Christ the King

This month, assistant editor Ava Lalor reread a popular classic by C.S. Lewis, “The Great Divorce.” For those who are unfamiliar with the story, Lewis provides a visual representation of what heaven, hell and purgatory might be like. An unnamed narrator, who

Nudges from God

There are so many voices around, crying for our attention, bombarding our senses. How can we discern or distinguish and identify the voice of God? Jesuit Father Peter Schineller observes that God often speaks to us through nudges. He says, “Our challenge

What happens to animals when they die?

In his latest Pastoral Answers column, Monsignor Charles Pope answers the question, “What happens to the souls of pets when they die? Is there any divine consideration?” He replies that the Church does not definitely teach what happens after death to animal