Dear Eric:

I praise God that you have returned to the Church and I also praise God for your eagerness to learn your faith. I thank God that in a small way our apostolate can be helpful to you in learning your faith.

The Church does not declare anybody in hell. That is not mean that there is nobody in hell, rather we cannot know whom has been condemned. Therefore, we do not know if Judas is in hell. Certainly his betrayal was forgivable. A person who commits the grave sin of suicide, however, cannot ask for forgiveness because he is dead. But, the Church teaches that a grave sin does not rise to the level of being mortal if the person had any kind of impairment preventing him in making a true free will decision to commit the sin (see Catechism nos 1858-1859).

The Church has changed his position about those who die from suicide because we now know that those who kill themselves are, frankly, not in their right mind. There are psychological factors, such as depression, duress, or other psychological issues that prevent the person for making a truly free will choice. Thus, with that understanding, the Church now allows those who die from suicide to have a funeral mass and to be buried in sacred ground.

There is scriptural evidence to suggest that Judas was not in a frame of mind psychologically to be able to make a true free will choice. Judas despaired after learning that Jesus was going to be executed; he did not expect that. His despair at contributing to the death of an innocent man led him to kill himself. We do not know if the despair that Judas experienced was the type that is a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, leading to final impenitence. We also know from Luke 22:3 that Satan entered him. If Judas was under the control of Satan and that would be another scriptural proof that Judas was not able to make a truly free choice. We read in Scripture the following:

(Luke 22:3)  Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve... 

(Matthew 27:3-5)  When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself." And throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself.

In these passages we see that Judas confessed to betraying an innocent person. He, in essence, repented of his act and thus wanted nothing to do with the money that he received.

Many scholars believe that the reason that Judas betrayed Jesus was because he was trying to force him to be a political or military Messiah. Judas thought of the Messiah in that way. He, and many others at the time, were hoping for a Messiah that would rally the Jews to overthrow the Roman grip upon Palestine. Many of the Jews refused to follow Jesus because he did not come to be a a political or military Messiah. Thus, it is thought that Judas, who also believed in a political or military Messiah, did what he did to force Jesus into that expectation. When Judas found out that Jesus was going to be executed he was beside himself with guilt and with grief because it was not his intention that Jesus should be crucified.

The bottom line is that we do not know if Judas is in hell. But there are scriptural evidences that suggest the possibility of his diminished capacity to make a free will choice. If that is the case, but we do not know if that's the case, then Judas may indeed be in heaven.

As far as the rebellion of Lucifer, who became Satan, there can be no remorse or repentance. The Angels, who also have free will, made their decision for or against God in perfect knowledge of what they were doing. Their decision is permanent. It does not matter how severe the sin is — any unrepentant mortal sin whether great or small deprives the person of heaven. Thus, the idea that the Angels the betrayal was more severe than ours isn't an issue, and doesn't matter.

Human beings do not have the perfect knowledge that Angels had and thus humans may believe in God, and then not believe in God, and then believe in Him again throughout their lives. The decision to accept or reject God does not become permanent for human beings until death. Once a person dies their decision is permanent and cannot be changed.

One of the reasons why the Angels who rejected God, and humans who die rejecting God, cannot repent is because they would would not wish to. The state of their minds and souls are such that they do not want to change their minds even if they could. Thus, not only the theological facts, but also these psychological facts, if we can call it that, dictate that the Angels who rejected God and those humans who reject God until upon their death cannot repent. Their state of soul is permanent for all eternity.

As to we humans intentionally betraying Jesus, we can be forgiven. All we need to do is to express contrition, repentance, and a desire to reform in the Sacrament of Confession. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven, no matter what we do, no matter how evil it is, the matter how horrific the sin may be, the sin may be forgiven if we seek forgiveness. The only sin the cannot be forgiven is final impenitence, which happens when a person dies willfully and deliberately refusing God's saving grace.

As to Judas being possessed, as mentioned earlier, Luke 22:3 informs us that Satan entered Judas. Thus, it appears that Judas was under the influence of the devil when he betrayed Jesus. Therefore, as mentioned earlier, that is one of a couple of reasons why Judas may have been in a state of diminished capacity, where he could not make a true free will decision. Because of that possibility of diminished capacity it is possible that Judas in in heaven (after a period in purgatory). We do not know.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary