Pope Says All Dogs Do Go to Heaven

Pope Francis said that dogs can go to heaven, laying to rest (for Catholics at least) one of the most common questions asked about God and religion.

The New York Times reports that Francis said dogs could go to heaven as he tried to comfort a young worshipper who was attending a public appearance by the Pope in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square.

In response to boy crying about his deceased pet, the Pope said, "Paradise is open to all of God's creatures." The Pope followed up this statement with biblical passages that said animals go to heaven, and get along with each other once there, regardless of their species and natural disposition towards one another.

The Times notes that animal rights groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Humane Society enthusiastically welcomed the news.

Although the Pope generated media attention with his remarks, the Times points out that he is not the first Pope to assert that animals have souls or can go to heaven. In 1990, Pope John Paul II said that animals have souls and are just as close to God as humans.

Religious experts took pains to point out that although the Pope said that animals can enter heaven, that is not the Catholic Church's official position. They also said that the Pope's words would not result in an immediate change in the church's position on the matter.

This is not the first time that the Pope's comments have made waves. The Pope previously captured headlines around the globe by saying that he is in no position to judge people because of their sexuality. He also said that the scientific ideas of evolution and the Big Bang Theory have some merit.