Dear Abby: Im a pastor and I believe our pets will join us in heaven

DEAR ABBY: “Missing My Cat in Georgia” (June 20) was told by his Catholic friend that his cat wouldn’t be joining him in the afterlife.I have been an ordained pastor for 27 years.Last summer my cat, Fred, who had been with me for 11 years, died.

I claim no deeper or higher connection to God than anyone else, but I do know this: The Bible says that God is a God of love — indeed, that God IS love.I know of no more loving companions than pets.Dogs and cats express their love for us humans far better than most of us humans do for each other.

I also know that Fred, who just showed up at my house one night and adopted ME, taught me many lessons about how to love and be loved.I am certain God sent Fred into my life to prepare me for marriage after 55 years as a bachelor.I am a better husband (and pastor) because of Fred.

Therefore, I cannot imagine God not inviting, even welcoming, Fred into some sort of heavenly afterlife, whatever that may look like. Love never dies, and I don’t believe that the loving relationship between a pet and their human ends at death.— PASTOR STEVE IN WEST VIRGINIADEAR PASTOR STEVE: Thank you for reinforcing the sentiments I expressed to “Missing.” The mail poured in after that letter ran.

All of it refuted the opinion of “Missing’s” friend.Read on:DEAR ABBY: When my girls were growing up, we had a German shepherd named Lady.

We often had our Catholic priest over for dinner and, one evening, the girls asked him if Lady would go to heaven when she died.He responded by asking them, “Do you want her to be there when you get there?” “Of course!” they answered.

He then responded, “We are told that heaven is everything and more than we want or can imagine.If you want Lady there, she will be there.” — BRENDA IN MICHIGANDEAR ABBY: I’m a seminary-trained, theologically educated, ordained Protestant minister at a large mainline church smack in the middle of the Bible Belt.

I’d like to tell “Missing” that ...