Brief snippet from "Ask a Marian -- with Fr. Joe Roesch, MIC"

Marian Helper. Fall 2011 www.marian.org


"Is Osama bin Laden in hell?"


"Q. Are notorious sinners such as Osama bin Laden damned to hell?"

"A. The short answer is -- we don't know.

"While the Church has definitively stated that the saints and the blesseds are in heaven with God forever, the Church has never definitely proclaimed anyone to be in hell -- not even Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Christ.

"We must leave the final judgment of each soul to God.

"In a general audience on Oct. 18, 2006, Pope Benedict reflected on the fate of Judas which is a mystery.

"The Pope states, Even though [Judas] went to hang himself (cf. Mt 27:5), it is not up to us to judge his gesture, substituting ourselves for the infinitely merciful and just God ..."

And as Father Joe concludes at the end:

"So let's plead for God's mercy for sinners especially unrepentant sinners who are dying..."

Amen to all that, Padre! :)