So what happened to all those Catholics who ate meat on Fridays and went to hell? Now that it is not a sin do they get a get out of hell free card?
Just curious
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Hell is eternal so if someone went there for disobeying that law, they would remain there. It would be the same today if a Catholic knowingly and deliberately violated the requirement to abstain from meat on the Fridays of Lent. A certain degree of forethought would be necessary for it truly to be a mortal sin. But consider this comparison: it might be possible to break ones relationship with ones parents by doing some seemingly small act if both sides knew the intent involved grave disrespect. For that matter do not many relationships shipwreck because of things which appear relatively insignificant to people looking from the outside? Of course in the case of God, he is always anxious to forgive and heal. Those in hell have turned their backs on that healing. Do you see what I am saying?
I tried to explain more in a homily on Jesus' teaching about hell
God bless,
Fr. Phil Bloom