Where Do Suicides Go According to the Catholic Church?

[Michie]

Then when Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.—Mt 27:3-5.

There are two things that kill the soul: despair and false-hope.—St. Augustine, Sermon 87

Let me say at the outset of this article that I have had friends commit suicide. So, I don’t like writing this. But a major corrective needed to be issued against some high-profile modernist theologians who are currently misleading many vulnerable Catholics on this topic of self-harm. The fact is if this article turns many readers against me but saves one life or one soul, it is worth it.

As we approach Holy Week, I remember how Judas was always my least favorite person in the Passion narratives. It wasn’t just because he betrayed Christ, precipitating His crucifixion, but because his betrayal ends without hope. We know Judas went to hell precisely because Christ said: “The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by Whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would have been better for that man if he had not been born”.—Mt 26:24.

The Catholic Church has always held that suicide is murder, not a psychological-game to play of “who can prove reduced culpability.” You see, if your last act on earth was a murder you didn’t have the right to commit, you probably didn’t have time to repent.

Continued below.

Where Do Suicides Go According to the Catholic Church?

Then when Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the...

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[RileyG]

I keep them all in my eternal prayers. It's all I can do.

 

[FaithT]

My mom was suicidal for many years, though thankfully she never succeeded. I’d hate that if she wouldve killed herself that I’d have to grieve for her soul for the rest of my life.id like to think God would’ve spared her.

 

[Lady Bug]

It's such a powerful feeling though Even if you don't plan anything or even believe in doing it.

 

[Bob Crowley]

Thus, Christ’s shocking line about Judas not being born clearly refers more to Judas’ suicide than his betrayal of Christ.

I don't agree with this line. I think Christ's comment about it would have been better for Judas if he'd never been born refers directly to Judas's deliberate betrayal of Christ. He'd been one of Christ's disciples for several years.

That Judas committed suicide finalised his own judgement, but i think his betrayal was the lynch-pin for his condemnation. Mind you I think Judas, as a zealot, tried to paint Christ into a corner so that He would be forced to defend Himself against the Romans using His obvious supernatural powers which Judas had witnessed. I think he was a bit more than a common thief - read Stern Gang for a modern context. I think he was raising money for the zealots.

Lehi (militant group) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Lehi (Stern Gang) financed its operations from private donations, extortion, and bank robbery.

When he realised that Christ would not defend himself, he was filled with remorse and killed himself. But it was His betrayal of the Son of God which sealed his eternal fate.

Peter might have denied Christ, but he didn't do so after having made a pact with the Pharisees. In his case it was fear of the authorities. And he repented. Then he went back to his old trade of fishing - he didn't go looking for 40 pieces of silver.

I'm also of the opinion that some mental illnesses can push people into suicidal acts. I say that because I'd only been a Christian for about 6 months when one of the pastor's sons committed suicide. He's been manic-depressive for a long time, and apparently when he was "down", he was really "down". Personally I don't think he was written off. In my opinion it had the hall marks of a Job-like Satanic ploy, saying to God "You give me the power to destroy one of his family and I'll show what this pastor is really like!"

But the whole family kept their faith, despite this terrible event.

 

[RileyG]

It's such a powerful feeling though Even if you don't plan anything or even believe in doing it.

Absolutely