Saints' Discussion Forums

This quote is hard to read.

But it makes a important point, an incredibly important point. We must speak well of the Lord and make reparation for those who do not.


'Let us not doubt that baptized babies who die in their infant years will enter into the heavenly Kingdom. We should not, however, believe that all those infants who have begun to speak will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. For the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven will be closed to many babies because of their parents' bad rearing. In this city, there lives a certain man who is known to all; three years ago, this man had a son who, if I recall, would then have been about five years old, for whom he had such human love that he did not even try to discipline him.

For this reason, the boy, when someone prevented him from getting his way, used to blaspheme the magnificence of God—and let me emphasize that this is something dangerous.

When, three years ago, a deadly plague fell upon the region where he lived, this young boy succumbed to it and was near death. As eyewitnesses recounted, while the father took the child into his arms, the boy himself saw evil spirits coming for him. The boy began to tremble, to blink his eyes in fear, and to cry out in despair to his father: "Father, save me, protect me." Simultaneously, as he cried, he turned his face towards his father's chest, as though wanting to be hidden.

When the father saw his son trembling, in agony he asked him what he had seen. The son answered: "Black creatures came to me and wanted to take me away with them." No sooner had he finished this phrase, than he immediately blasphemed the name of the Divine Magnificence and, with this blasphemy, expired.

Thus, God, the All-Powerful, in order to show by what sin the boy was given over to these evil servants, allowed him to die with this sin which his father, while the boy was alive, did nothing to prevent. And this boy whom God allowed, by His mercy, to live as a blasphemer, by His righteous judgment was also permitted to blaspheme at his death, so that his careless father might know well his sin. For this father, being indifferent to the soul of his young son, reared for the Gehenna of fire not an insignificant sinner, but a great sinner.'

Pope St. Gregory the Great

In what manner do you think he blasphemed?
Could it have been taking the Lords Name in vain or cursing God in some way?

I don't know but blasphemy and taking the Lord's name in vain are not quite the same things.. I think the former is direct disparagement.. the latter more simple misuse.. There's a good sermon on the Lord's name on Audio Sancto or two.

The subject of children and Hell came up today elsewhere for me. I did a quick look up, and thought about Fatima..

Jacinta was 7, Francisco 9, and Lucy 10 when Our Lady showed them Hell itself.

And when Lucy asked whether Francisco would go to Heaven, Our Lady said: “Francisco, too, my dear, but he will first have many Rosaries to say.”

They all practiced corporal mortification.

I hope I can find more material on this. Parents need more fear for their children's salvation these days. They think they're all destined for Heaven for far too long, if not always.

This is so true. This message seems to be coming through more and more in recent times. Complacency in this area is very dangerous and tends to neglect the spiritual welfare of our children. There is a certain reluctance to say anything to the contrary but especially in these times when the innocence of children is being taken from them at such an early age, there is an urgency needed in redressing the balance

BTW, Martin, I am liking that Padre Pio quote especially!