Is there any reasonable chance this person is in heaven?

[Hannelore]

A man I knew died unbaptized. He also committed a terrible mortal sin, which was never absolved. Lastly, he died by suicide. This seems to me like some kind of perfect trifecta that results in hell, but I'm wondering if there's any reasonable chance that this man was saved?

[Jean Carrier]

That very much depends on one's theological opinion. Some would say God always wills for His elect to die with water baptism, such that lack of water baptism is a sure sign of reprobation. But this is very much a minority opinion and has been for roughly 800 years. (I say this as someone who holds this opinion, though chooses not to publicly defend it due to its harshness, possibility of scandal, and the fact many confuse it with Feeneyism)

On the other end of things, you have works like this from 1898 which make a compelling case for the opposite opinion:
https://archive.org/details/comparativesaved00walsuoft/mode/1up?view=theater

What we know for certain: it never hurts to pray for the souls of the departed.

[Greg]

No, there is no reasonable chance.  He is damned, we can be reasonably certain of that.

In some very unlikely but possible chance God might have saved him.  But that is not reasonable.

Reasonably, he is damned.

[benedicite]

From the Unpublished Manuscript;

  The English woman, who was drowned at Mont Michel, went straight to Heaven. She had the necessary contrition at the moment of death and at the same time the baptism of desire. All this happened through the intervention of St. Michael. What a happy shipwreck!

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=6253

[Acolyte]

John 3:5
Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

[diaduit]

No, there is no reasonable chance.  He is damned, we can be reasonably certain of that.

In some very unlikely but possible chance God might have saved him.  But that is not reasonable.

Reasonably he is damned.

I would say this but open to the possibility that he may have been saved at that last moment.  Otherwise why are we bothered to practice the faith if we don't need to as some last minute miracle will come in and sweep me off my feet to Heaven , its like a Brothers Grimm fairytale.
My brother died suddenly after a very worldly life without the sacraments and I pray that he repented in some way and hope he is in Heaven - as a family we prayed for years for his return to the faith but I am open to the idea that he died as he lived.

[james03]

Reasonable? No.

Possible? Yes.

Probable? No.

[Greg]

I just today went to the secular send off service of an 88 year old neighbour of mine called Derry at a local crematorium.  Absolutely lovely man, who welcomed my family into the neighboured 14 years ago, went we bought the house, made us beautiful hanging baskets each spring which hung outside out door.  Helped me out with tools, paints, gardening advice.

Married 67 years to his wife, 2 children born 1956 and 1963, well raised who both have stable marriages, lovely grandchildren I just met at the crematorium.  I've been doing shopping, gardening, odd-jobs for his wife for 7 years and will continue to do so since she is a widow and remaining in their home.

I have no idea if he was baptised.  Probably was, mostly people were back then.  I know he did not go to church as an adult, and would best be described as an agnostic, but as far as I know, and I knew him very well over the past 14 years and spoke to him a great deal, he did live a decent moral life.  Not greedy, good employer, always loyal to his wife, fabulous father to his kids.

He had decided that religion added nothing to his life and did not pursue it as best as I could tell from our conversations.  Found religious people were often poor examples, though he liked me.  "Trouble is, most are not like you", he said.

He liked my family and thought my kids were great.  They would often visit and do little chores like cut the grass for him.  But his own kids were good too.

I've never been to a secular funeral before and probably won't again, because most secular people are scum and their eulogies make me want to vomit.  But this man certainly was not a scumbag.  He was exceptionally virtuous.  He was about as good as person as I have even seen a non-religious person be.

We have remembered him many times in our prayers and I had a mass said for his soul too.

Where such people go and how they are judged is a mystery to me.

[Greg]

My wife just joked, "I'll go to all of the weddings and you go to all of the funerals".

I agreed hoping it was not a joke.

(She loves wedding but hates funerals, I'm the opposite).

[james03]

(She loves wedding but hates funerals, I'm the opposite).

A fine position too.  If one is a member in good standing of the honorable and distinguished Ancient and Accepted Order of Misanthropes (AAOM).

[Acolyte]

The funeral comment reminds me of this Charles Addams example.

You cannot view this attachment.

[Greg]

Addams missed the goatee beard. Other than that he was a prophet.

I actually look like Uncle Fester.

[Bonaventure]

Reasonable? No.

Possible? Yes.

Probable? No.

Indeed.

My wife had a coworker. A beautiful, 40 something year old Catholic mother to several children, and a preschool teacher, was murdered by her husband. The husband then committed suicide. This absolutely devastated and annihilated the children's lives forever, not to mention all of her students. The 3 or 4 kids are all basket cases, depressed, and living with her parents. The eldest, 18 years old, dropped out of college and moved home to be the woman of the family. The school office noticed that one of their teachers wasn't in, yet her daughter, in a zoom class in her room in the home, was online. The office reached out, and said "where is your mom?" The kid looks out the window and sees mom's car still there, goes to her parents room, and discovers the horrific scene. She is the one who calls 911 and informs the school.

To this day the house sits empty and hasn't been sold.

The New Church funeral was absolutely disgusting. Wife attended, I did not. The New Church presbyter canonized both the victim and her murderous husband, stating "they are holding hands in Heaven." Several of her family protested and walked out. His family simply sat there, with the Novus Ordo pastor and school principal kissing their asses because they are big time donors.

A conservative Novus Ordo priest I know and like, who is decent, has faith, and says the TLM, discussed this issue with me. We talked about how these Novus Ordo clergy do not have the perennial Catholic faith, and how this white vestment "funeral" was an absolutely scandalous canonization.

I remarked that it is almost assured that this bastard is in Hell.

The priest retorted, in typical Novus Ordo fashion, "well we can't say that, remember the Jean Vianney story? The guy who jumped off the bridge?"

I remember discussing issues like this with @Greg for years, especially when they "canonized" Garrulous Carolus and Montini.

If these men are in heaven, why should any of us, who are trying to practice the Catholic Faith of our forefathers, even try?

Furthermore, if these men are in Heaven, do I want to be there? If bin Laden, Chris Benoit, Mao, or pedophilic priests are there, why the Hell should I even try?

This son of a bitch murdered his wife, then killed himself, in their home while their daughter sat in another room. He orphaned his children and desecrated their home, and has permanently disfigured them psychologically and emotionally. They may never get over it.

If he has a chance, why should I bother? Yes, the blood of Christ can wash away any sin, and His mercy and love are infinite, but practically speaking, I will say it is assured that this bastard is in Hell.

[Bonaventure]

I just today went to the secular send off service of an 88 year old neighbour of mine called Derry at a local crematorium.  Absolutely lovely man, who welcomed my family into the neighboured 14 years ago, went we bought the house, made us beautiful hanging baskets each spring which hung outside out door.  Helped me out with tools, paints, gardening advice.

Married 67 years to his wife, 2 children born 1956 and 1963, well raised who both have stable marriages, lovely grandchildren I just met at the crematorium.  I've been doing shopping, gardening, odd-jobs for his wife for 7 years and will continue to do so since she is a widow and remaining in their home.

I have no idea if he was baptised.  Probably was, mostly people were back then.  I know he did not go to church as an adult, and would best be described as an agnostic, but as far as I know, and I knew him very well over the past 14 years and spoke to him a great deal, he did live a decent moral life.  Not greedy, good employer, always loyal to his wife, fabulous father to his kids.

He had decided that religion added nothing to his life and did not pursue it as best as I could tell from our conversations.  Found religious people were often poor examples, though he liked me.  "Trouble is, most are not like you", he said.

He liked my family and thought my kids were great.  They would often visit and do little chores like cut the grass for him.  But his own kids were good too.

I've never been to a secular funeral before and probably won't again, because most secular people are scum and their eulogies make me want to vomit.  But this man certainly was not a scumbag.  He was exceptionally virtuous.  He was about as good as person as I have even seen a non-religious person be.

We have remembered him many times in our prayers and I had a mass said for his soul too.

Where such people go and how they are judged is a mystery to me.

A clear example of a man who potentially could receive perfect charity which would remit his sins at his final hour, as well as if he were not baptized and had the desire and/or implicit faith.

[TheSaintsAreComing]

I take it he wasn't Catholic, since you're sure his mortal sin was never absolved?

Honestly unless madness of such strength that the one suffering from it does not actually know what he's doing is present, anyone committing suicide is pretty much a lost cause