contacting the dead Question: Padraig, I am a practicing Catholic since birth, married with 2 grown sons. My parents are both deceased. Also, I am very attached to my dogs (pugs)I do rescue. What is your feelings on contacting a psychic to 'hear' about loved ones that have passed. I have done so on a few occasions. Both times, the person was able to tell me things that only I would know. I recently contacted a pet psychic regarding a dog that passed recently. Without going to these people, I personally believe that my pets are spiritually still with me & that I will see them again one day. But, I guess I just wanted to hear it from someone else. What are your thoughts on dogs in Heaven etc. Please, do not think that I am 'unstable' - I am just very sensitive to people & animals. I care about 'them' & put everything into the relationship. I just want to 'know' that they are still with me & that I will see them again one day. Thanks - G Answer: Hi G I am very sympathetic to your love for animals. I have a cat whisky and a beautiful sable Golden Shepherd called Bandit. My dogs over the years have saved my life down the years so I'd love to meet up with them and we could go walking together up the mountains there for a couple of zillion years and that would make me happy. Traditionally the Church has not been very open to the idea of animals carrying on after death. However in more recent years the Church has been more open to the idea. So basically it is down to the individual whether they believe or not. I can't think of a single passage from scripture that supports the idea, but, then again I can't think of a single passage that is against it. Jesus said one time, 'In my Father's house there are many mansions', which I very much hope might mean there'd be a few dog kennels there. But the truth is I don't know, I just hope and pray there is. In the lives of the saints we see animals reacting in extraordinary ways to the saints, Perhaps the most famous was the tale of the wolf that terrorized an Italian city, Saint Francis tamed him and he turned into a sweetheart, loved by all the town. The legend was he was buried at the town gate . A couple of years back they found the remains of a huge wolf exactly were the wolf was said to have been buried. Well if the animals can react like this to holiness I think it gives hope they might have their own little spirits. I just don't know, but I hope so. Turning to the use of psychics, I have to say the Church has always forbidden this as opening doors that are better left closed. When we open the doors to the other worlds in this fashion we just don't know what is going to step through. If we use magic to open such doors we are pretty well guaranteed that only evil will step through. Deceptive and very,very intelligent entities who know how to seduce and lie and wreck all kinds of mischief. So my advise in this to let the dead, dogs and animals in peace. When the time comes to be reunited with them ,reunited we will be, but until then obey Our Holy Mother The Church and let sleeping dogs lie. May the dear Lord grant you very many new animal friends in the future to console you for your loss and may we both walk the mountains of heaven together with our animal friends. God bless, Padraig
