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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Space travel and the resurrection	Brad	Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Question: This is a “what if” question BUT looking as to how science is progressing it could be a possibility become reality at some distant, distant, future date. I was watching a movie the other day (I find space movies fascinating as I love to contemplate on the awesomeness of God by looking at the distance stars, galaxies and how big the universe is but how small it is in comparison to God. I know that God is there in the farthest galaxy [some 13-14 billion light years away] and at the same instant that he is here in my heart and everywhere) and it had to do with several thousand people being placed in suspended animation for some 150 earth years to travel to a distant planet to populate it. This of course would happen hundreds years into the future before man would have the technology to attempt such a journey. This thought came to mind: We recite in the creed “…..I believe in the resurrection of the body….”, so in such a scenario while people were on that journey, Jesus came back to earth, what do you believe would happen to such people who are away from earth at that time? Or what if the moon and Mars are colonized and a person dies away from earth and is buried there, what happens to the remains of that person who is not buried on this earth? Just a thought. Thanks. Brad
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCD, LTh, DD, LNDC Dear Brad: I often see in movies, documentaries, and commentaries the false assertion that the Church will be threatened if ET exists. God is the God of all souls found anywhere in the universe. Each planet will have its own tradition of details about the creation of the world, original sin, and the redemption that comes with Christ. These factors may have some minor variations between planets, but the central truths will remain the same. Since God is outside of time and space, the death and resurrection of Christ on one planet may have been a million years ago, and on another planet, one million years from now. But Christ's Passion on those two planets and here on earth in A.D. 33 is all that same moment to God. Thus, there is no problem for the Church if ETs exist. Concerning the resurrection: Just has it is on earth, the dead will be resurrected no matter where they are. So humans buried on the Moon, Mars, or some distant planet across the galaxy will be resurrected at the same time as the dead buried on earth. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Space travel and the resurrection

Brad

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Question:

This is a “what if” question BUT looking as to how science is progressing it could be a possibility become reality at some distant, distant, future date.

I was watching a movie the other day (I find space movies fascinating as I love to contemplate on the awesomeness of God by looking at the distance stars, galaxies and how big the universe is but how small it is in comparison to God. I know that God is there in the farthest galaxy [some 13-14 billion light years away] and at the same instant that he is here in my heart and everywhere) and it had to do with several thousand people being placed in suspended animation for some 150 earth years to travel to a distant planet to populate it. This of course would happen hundreds years into the future before man would have the technology to attempt such a journey.

This thought came to mind: We recite in the creed “…..I believe in the resurrection of the body….”, so in such a scenario while people were on that journey, Jesus came back to earth, what do you believe would happen to such people who are away from earth at that time? Or what if the moon and Mars are colonized and a person dies away from earth and is buried there, what happens to the remains of that person who is not buried on this earth?

Just a thought. Thanks.

Brad

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCD, LTh, DD, LNDC

Dear Brad:

I often see in movies, documentaries, and commentaries the false assertion that the Church will be threatened if ET exists. God is the God of all souls found anywhere in the universe. Each planet will have its own tradition of details about the creation of the world, original sin, and the redemption that comes with Christ.

These factors may have some minor variations between planets, but the central truths will remain the same. Since God is outside of time and space, the death and resurrection of Christ on one planet may have been a million years ago, and on another planet, one million years from now. But Christ's Passion on those two planets and here on earth in A.D. 33 is all that same moment to God.

Thus, there is no problem for the Church if ETs exist.

Concerning the resurrection: Just has it is on earth, the dead will be resurrected no matter where they are. So humans buried on the Moon, Mars, or some distant planet across the galaxy will be resurrected at the same time as the dead buried on earth.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum